Yang Yanzhou strode towards them, his eyes filled with warning.

“Brother Yang.” Chen Niaoshu’s eyes flickered.

She originally intended to continue humiliating Pei Zhuling.

When we were kids, a single casual remark could infuriate Pei Zhuling.

But now, things seem a little different.

“Miss Chen, you’ve got quite a reach.” Yang Yanzhou said with a smile, but there was no smile in his eyes.

Chen Niaoshu smiled calmly, nodded, and fled as if escaping.

Pei Zhuling watched her change expressions throughout, raised an eyebrow slightly, and casually said,

"Did you get your household registration booklet?"

Yang Yanzhou sat next to her, propping his hand up and looking at her calm face. "Why not do it now, before the Civil Affairs Bureau closes for the holidays?"

“Okay.” Pei Zhuling’s heart tightened; she felt a little nervous being stared at like that.

Zhouzhou smiled as she looked at them, her little mouth pursed.

When Yang Yanzhou looked at him, her heart felt as if it had been filled with cotton, and she was completely soft-hearted.

…

A few days later, in Haibi Village,

A group of people gathered on the large flat ground in front of the coast.

The custom of first worshipping the sea and then offering sacrifices to ancestors has been passed down in Haibi Village.

After the villagers finished their prayers, they returned to their respective ancestral halls.

Lin Shaowen and his wife walked at the very back, chatting casually.

Lin Ziyan held her two younger sisters' hands, while Lin Jun carried bamboo baskets and offerings such as paper money for the deceased.

A large group of people parted ways at a bend in the road.

“Ayan,”

The chubby girl ran up from behind, carrying a red bag in her hand.

Lin Ziyan turned around and saw Cao De following behind her, and nodded to him.

"Ah Yan, you guys are up early today." The chubby girl smiled brightly.

Today is Lunar New Year's Eve, and Haibi Village has a custom of early morning worship.

Every household sets off firecrackers early in the morning, and then first worships at the temple, then at the sea, and finally at the ancestral hall.

It's only morning; the sunlight hasn't reached the wall yet.

Birds hopping among the treetops were chatting merrily, clouds drifted slowly, and the sun stretched lazily.

The sound of the waves is like a never-ending melody, repeating itself endlessly.

"Yes, Grandma said that the sooner we worship, the sooner we can earn money, and it will bring good luck for the coming year." Lin Ziyan looked away and slowly walked towards the ancestral hall.

Fatty: "My mother says the same thing."

"The villagers' lives have improved this year, and the sound of firecrackers has been constant since the roosters crow."

As they were talking, the sound of firecrackers could be heard in the distance.

The faint smell of gunpowder could still be detected in the air, and this smell would linger for a while.

A smile spread across Lin Ziyan's eyes. Many modern cities have banned firecrackers and fireworks, making the New Year's atmosphere less and less festive.

"Yes, that's a good idea. Let's set off fireworks at midnight tonight."

The chubby girl's eyes lit up, and she asked in a low voice, "Where did you buy the fireworks?"

“I’ll buy some too. My dad and mom said that setting off fireworks is a waste of money, so they only bought firecrackers when they went to the market.”

The two entered the ancestral hall, which was filled with smoke, and several figures could be vaguely seen inside.

Aunt Chen followed behind, carrying only a red bag; Cao De carried the load.

The ancestral hall has two open halls, with the ancestral tablets located at the innermost part.

As soon as they entered the ancestral hall, Jiaojiao and Xiaoxiao found their friends and started playing hide-and-seek.

Several families still live on both sides of the ancestral hall, and children run around playing everywhere.

"Ayan, you're all up so early today too." Several aunties greeted her.

Lin Ziyan nodded to them and chatted for a few minutes.

These are all people who run food stalls in the seafood market.

Aunt Chen and Grandma placed the offerings on the table and chatted casually.

Lin Shaowen and Lin Jun stepped aside and stood side by side with Lin Ziyan.

“Aunt, you’re very popular in the village,” Lin Jun said in a low voice.

Every aunt who enters the ancestral hall to pay respects greets her.

Lin Shaowen, "Stop muttering."

During the worship ceremony, everyone chatted casually and praised each other's offerings.

The smiles never faded from anyone's face.

The mutual praise didn't stop until the worship ceremony was over.

As soon as the firecrackers went off, Lin Ziyan grabbed her things and headed outside.

If she lingers a little longer, the aunties will probably swarm around and stuff things into her hands.

These past few days she hasn't even dared to visit the village, for fear they might bring her rice cakes or something.

"It seems being too popular isn't always a good thing," Lin Jun joked.

Lin Ziyan was the talk of the town just now, and all sorts of praise came pouring down on her.

He politely declined, wanting only to stay far away.

Haven't you heard the saying?

Lin Jun looked at her, his eyes questioning.

Lin Ziyan continued, "People are afraid of becoming famous, just as pigs are afraid of getting fat..."

She walked with a light step, raised her head to shield her eyes from the sun, and a smile curved her lips.

The prayer beads in my hand seemed to be tinged with light, becoming blurred.

The sound of firecrackers mingled with the sound of waves, creating a beautiful symphony of the festival.

The two returned home, each took an apple, and sat on the stone stool by the door to eat it.

When Ah Tai and Lin Shaowen got home, they went straight into the kitchen.

"Grandma is going to cook Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. We're in for a treat today." Lin Ziyan said, biting into an apple and squinting her eyes.

With all the ingredients—sea cucumber, abalone, shiitake mushrooms, cordyceps, chicken, etc.—she guessed what kind of soup her grandmother was going to make.

Lin Jun, "How did you know?"

Lin Ziyan didn't reply to him, enjoying the moment.

The two hadn't been sitting for long when Jiaojiao and Xiaoxiao ran back and sat down next to them.

"Sister, we just heard cannon fire at the village entrance..."

Jiaojiao's eyes sparkled as she spoke mysteriously.

Now that animals are running around everywhere in the village, the two of them don't dare to wander around freely.

The children in the village gradually returned home, and Xiaoxiao brought her younger sister back with her.

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