"mom!"

In the main hall of Fengyue Tower, He Yi and Cen's mother were arranging the New Year's Eve dinner for tomorrow night when they heard the little girl call out "Mom!" and run in with a trembling voice.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying? Did someone bully you?" Cen Ang scooped Huo Xiaolong up onto the table and looked him over several times with He Yi.

"without"

"So what happened?"

"Mom, Mother, I want to treat those children from the dilapidated temple to a meal."

The two women raised their eyebrows and asked...

Why did you suddenly decide to treat them to dinner?

"They can only eat moldy steamed buns during the Lunar New Year, which don't taste good..."

Hou Xiangxiang nodded in agreement.

"It tastes terrible! It made Long'er cry because she thought it was so bad."

"Mom, could you ask Aunt Zhang to make them a pork stew? I've already bought the pork."

Huo Shuwen was leading the two pigs his daughter had bought in the backyard of the brothel. The handsome man and the pigs were quite a sight to behold. In the backyard, Fu Ping and Hou Xiangxiang's mother were directing the maids to hang red lanterns on the trees.

"How are we going to transport it there? It's freezing cold, won't it be cold by the time it gets there?" Hou Xiangxiang said from the side.

"Why don't we buy a few wooden buckets?"

"It's cold now, and they don't have a pot to heat it up."

Iron pots in Pingyang County are not cheap; villagers treasure them and pass them down from generation to generation.

"I still have three taels of silver, is that enough?"

Huo Xiaolong took out all the loose silver from his purse. He had originally given his father five taels and kept two taels for himself to spend during the New Year. Now, he only had three taels left.

Seeing her daughter's pitiful expression, as if she were about to break a large sum of money to treat those children to a meal, He Yi pinched her cheek and asked...

"Out of silver coins?"

"Um……"

"I'll add five taels! I'll buy them an iron pot!" The woman said, taking a small silver ingot from her bosom and placing it on the table.

"Then Mom will add five taels! We'll buy them some quilts!"

The little girl, looking aggrieved, popped a snot bubble from her nose and finally smiled.

If a child does something wrong, they should be punished; but if a child wants to do something good, then let them do it. The family isn't short of money; both mothers are there to support them. They haven't asked for anything outrageous; it's just a matter of spending a little money, so they can afford it.

Don't the young ladies and wives in the capital also give out porridge in the dead of winter? Our daughter is more practical; she makes a whole stew of pork, which is much tastier than plain porridge.

"Then add two taels too, sister! Buy them a few more wooden buckets, it's almost New Year, let's give them a good cleaning." Chunying came downstairs and put the silver in the pile of money.

"What are you doing? What are you doing?"

Mother Zhang led Er Ya from the kitchen to the front hall. Huo Shuwen had asked her to come in and ask Huo Xiaolong what to do with the two pigs. It wasn't a solution for him to just leave them there.

Scarface even leaned close to him and asked.

"Brother Wen, are you buying two pigs for your family for the New Year?"

"I didn't buy it, Long'er bought it."

"Does our family need the kids to spend money to buy a pig? That won't do, Brother Ha. Yours isn't suitable, but I have some here," the man whispered, slipping a few coins into Huo Shuwen's hand.

"If you're going to give it, then give it properly. Why are you doing it so secretly?"

Scarface smiled broadly, and said somewhat embarrassedly.

"Now that we're married, all the money is with my wife. This little bit of secret savings is what I've been secretly saving. Let me tell you, Wen-ge, a man must have his own secret savings; secret savings are a man's pride."

“Then I didn’t,” Huo Shuwen said.

"That's true, my brother's good at making money! It's obvious you're the one who calls the shots at home."

Huo Shuwen thought carefully for a moment, then looked up at the sky for a few breaths and said...

I don't make money either.

"ah?"

My wife gives me five taels of silver every month.

Ah, no, this guy with such amazing skills is just staying at home and living off his wife, and now he's completely helpless against Scarface.

"Five taels! That's a lot!"

"Yes, but it won't be available starting next month."

"..."

Okay, whatever makes you happy, Brother Wen.

"Then I'll buy some soap for those kids; I don't have much money in my pocket."

Even the young boy who came with Lu Wangji added a piece of soap to the soup. The entire Fengyue Tower pooled together nearly thirty taels of silver. With this money, they could not only have a hot meal this year, but also get through the rest of the winter.

"Old Zhang, fire!"

In the backyard, a lively scene unfolded as they slaughtered a pig and cooked. Hou Xiangxiang, who was not receiving her monthly allowance, brought out her jewelry box from home, took out a hairpin, and said to Huo Xiaolong...

"I don't have any money, would it be alright to give this hairpin as a gift?"

The little dumpling felt like a brain was growing out of her hair. She scratched her eyebrows a couple of times and said...

"This isn't a wedding, why are you giving a gift?"

"Then they'll all be with you. I'm your best friend, how can things work without me?"

"But you can't just take a gold hairpin; that one alone is worth thirty taels."

"Then this one?"

The young girl took out another simple silver hairpin, which she had brought with her last year to give as a reward to her head maid.

"Okay, this one."

"Isn't it a bit shabby?"

"What's so shabby about it! You can use it as money, right?"

Looking at the girls bustling around to help him, Huo Xiaolong's mood suddenly brightened considerably. How to put it? It felt really good to be taken seriously.

"Long'er! Go to Aunt Wang's and buy some sesame cakes! Buy as many as you can! We don't have any staple food!"

"Go buy some more whole-grain steamed buns, to save for them for a few days, otherwise we won't be able to finish the vegetables."

"Okay! Alright!"

Little Dumpling and Hou Xiangxiang took the jewelry box home and then ran towards Aunt Wang's pancake shop with their friends.

"Buying these biscuits?" Aunt Wang asked.

"Celebrate the New Year with the little beggars in the dilapidated temple."

"Then just give the old lady one tael of silver; it'll be a small token of my appreciation."

Huo Xiaolong was still hesitating about this matter when Hou Xiangxiang took one tael of silver from her hand and placed it on the table, saying...

"Thank you, Auntie," the little girl said, then nudged Huo Xiaolong's arm twice. "You can at least say a few words, huh?"

"Thank you, Aunt Wang."

Huo Xiaolong not only thanked Aunt Wang, but also bowed to her. These people are like Mars; when Mars gather together, they can warm people's hearts.

When the two young girls returned to the brothel carrying the sesame cakes, the stewed pork stew was already being prepared, its aroma wafting through the air with an irresistible allure. It was a unique fragrance, a blend of fresh pork and pickled cabbage, intoxicatingly delicious. Each deep breath brought a burst of rich flavor, making one's mouth water.

At the doorway, Scarface's thugs were helping load things onto the donkey cart—one cart full of food, the other of supplies. They'd casually brought over some coarse flour buns. Smelling the aroma of the stewed pig inside, one of the thugs couldn't help but say...

"I wonder if we'll be able to share a bite later."

"You've really gotten greedy, haven't you? You're at Brother Wen's house, so tone it down and don't embarrass Brother Scarface."

The two had only said it casually, but when the pot was lifted, they couldn't help but grin as they saw the small bowl of big bones and meat that Huo Xiaolong brought them.

See? Life is getting better and better.