"I didn't make it fresh this year, so it's a little lacking in sincerity," Fang Xue said, her tone laced with reproach.

Fang Qiao was annoyed and couldn't help but roll her eyes: "Are you blind?"

"What, what did you say?" Fang Xue was stunned. She never expected that Fang Qiao, who had always been gentle, would suddenly turn on her and say such harsh words.

Fang Qiao was speechless: "Can't you see me standing in front of you with such a big belly? You know how tiring it is to make mooncakes, and you still have the nerve to ask me why I didn't make them myself? Besides, what's wrong with ready-made ones? They were all made by workers in a food factory, one by one. What's the difference? If you don't want to eat them, just put them down."

Fang Xue knew she was in the wrong, but as her parents' first child, she had been spoiled since childhood. Apologize? That was out of the question.

She was defiant yet assertive: "Little sister, I was just asking a question, how can you talk to me like that?"

"What's wrong with what I said? Didn't you hear me?" Fang Qiao clicked her tongue. "I originally thought your eyesight was bad, but I didn't expect your hearing to be bad too."

She sincerely suggested, "I recommend that you go to a department store to get some glasses and wear them first, and then go to the hospital to get a hearing aid. That way, you won't go blind or deaf one day and trip and fall flat on your face."

"You called me a dog?"

Fang Xue was so angry she felt like her lungs were about to explode. She turned to Yang Fengxia with a pleading tone and said, "Mom, look at her! I only asked her a few questions about the mooncakes, and I didn't say anything else. And she's so angry, daring to scold me like that in front of you! Doesn't she have any manners as a younger sister?"

"Big sister, I didn't scold you." Fang Qiao pretended to be stupid and said with great grievance, "Your eyesight and hearing are not good. I suggested you go to the hospital because I was worried about you. Don't wrong me!"

"You!" Fang Xue was furious, but Yang Fengxia grabbed her arm and said, "Alright, alright, you're sisters, just say less."

"She insulted me!" Fang Xue protested.

"No, no, you've misunderstood."

Yang Fengxia knew in her heart that Fang Xue had started this whole thing. After all, Fang Qiao was happily returning to her parents' home with holiday gifts, which was supposed to be a good thing, but Fang Xue had to stir things up. So it was no wonder that Fang Qiao was angry and scolded her.

But during a major holiday, sisters shouldn't fall out over a few words.

She thought she could just say a few words to smooth things over and act as a peacemaker to get it over with.

Dong Ping had long disliked Fang Xue.

Because she married nearby, she would go back to her parents' home every few days, always empty-handed and never bringing anything. The family's food rations were already insufficient, and they had to share the food to entertain her, leaving them strapped for cash at the end of the month.

She gloated and chimed in, "Big sister, Mom is right. Little sister didn't mean it that way. She was just using it as a metaphor. You've misunderstood."

Fang Qiao shrugged innocently: "See? I told you you wronged me."

After a series of punches, Fang Xue's eyes turned red with anger: "Fine, fine, you're right, I'm the one who's annoying, okay! I'm leaving now! I won't get in your way anymore."

After saying that, she turned and left.

Yang Fengxia quickly put down the rolling pin and chased after her: "Hey, where are you going? It's just the sisters arguing, it's over after the argument, why are you doing this?"

Fang Qiao was speechless: "..."

Here we go again.

The saying goes, "Children who cry and fuss get candy," and this has been the rule since childhood.

Dong Ping was also fed up with her sister-in-law who always interfered in her family's affairs.

People are always relative. Compared to Fang Xue, Fang Qiao, the gentle-spoken sister-in-law who rarely visits her parents' home, is simply the best.

Besides, they even brought gifts when they came to my door, which is much better than Fang Xue, who came empty-handed.

Dong Ping gave Fang Qiao a kind smile and said, "Little sister, the kitchen is cramped. Why don't you go out and rest for a bit? The dumplings will be ready in no time."

Fang Qiao asked politely, "Do you need any help?"

Dong Ping quickly shook her head: "No need, no need. You're heavily pregnant, and there are so many people in the family. We don't need your help."

"Then I'll go out." Fang Qiao supported her waist and nodded slightly to her: "Thank you for your hard work, sister-in-law."

"It's not hard work at all."

Fang Qiao came out of the kitchen, and Yang Fengxia had already coaxed Fang Xue back. The two sat at the square table in the yard and talked in hushed tones.

Fang Xue saw Fang Qiao, gave a soft snort, and turned her head away.

Fang Qiao ignored her and turned to go inside.

Fang Hai, Fang Lu, and Zhang Jun were playing cards on a small stool, while Cheng Baidong was holding An An and playing with Pan Pan on the side.

Panpan covered her eyes with her hands and played cat with An'an, which amused An'an so much that she kicked her little legs and giggled.

Fang Qiao pulled up a chair and sat down next to Cheng Baidong.

Panpan politely greeted, "Auntie."

Fang Qiao smiled and agreed, then took a few candies from her pocket and stuffed them into her hand.

Panpan happily accepted it and then started teasing An'an.

Cheng Baidong lowered his voice and asked, "You didn't suffer any losses, did you?"

With his keen hearing, he had already heard the argument outside. But it was just sisters bickering, nothing serious, so he didn't feel comfortable going to help and just kept an eye on things from the sidelines.

It seemed that Fang Qiao had won a great victory, but he was still a little uneasy.

"No." Fang Qiao shook her head: "She has no other skills since she was a child. The only thing she's better at than me is her annoying mouth, but she still thinks I'm the same as before and won't talk back. Now that I'm not going to tolerate her bad habit, she won't get the better of me."

"That's good." Cheng Baidong was relieved.

Fang Hai was playing poker, and the game was coming to an end.

Fang Lu won because the taxi driver was "fast."

He grinned so wide his eyes disappeared, his slender fingers twirling back and forth in front of Fang Hai and Zhang Jun, his laughter cawing like a crow: "I won, I won! Pay up! The rest of the cards, one point per card!"

Fang Hai and Zhang Jun were willing to accept their loss, and Fang Hai paid Zhang Jun according to the number of cards he had dealt.

At this moment, Dong Ping came in from outside carrying a bowl of brown sugar water. When she saw this scene, she immediately became furious.

She slammed the bowl of sweet soup down on the table and snatched the money Fang Hai had just counted from his hand: "What are you doing? Why are you playing a game where you have to pay?"

"Little brother, it's not that your sister-in-law is criticizing you, but how come you still dare to gamble? Last time you lost twenty yuan outside and the debt collectors came to your house to collect the debt. Aren't you going to change your ways?"