Chapter 139: Are you in love?

On the afternoon of New Year's Eve, when they had almost finished decorating their home, the home phone was bombarded with calls one after another.

First, Zhou Tianqing called and asked them to go out to a certain restaurant at 5:30 in the evening. At that time, the two of them, she, and some relatives of Xu Sirui would have a reunion dinner together.

"I'll ask her." Xu Sirui held the microphone farther away and asked Zhu Yingning if she wanted to go with him. "If you go, I'll go. If you don't go, I won't go either."

"Let's go, everyone." She hammered the pillow on the sofa.

He then took the microphone again and said to Zhou Tianqing on the other end, "Okay, then let's be merciful and go."

"Hey, how can you say that!" Zhu Yingning hit his shoulder with the pillow. "If you keep saying that, my aunt will think I said that."

Zhou Tianqing chuckled on the other end and said, "Don't worry, you can tell it was Ruirui who said such mean words."

After hanging up the phone, they thought the arrangements were perfect, but unexpectedly, Zhu Zhiwei called again not long after and invited them to her house for a reunion dinner.

Having already promised Zhou Tianqing, Zhu Yingning felt it was ungentlemanly to change her mind at the last minute. However, she also couldn't refuse Zhu Zhiwei. After a long struggle, Xu Sirui suggested, "Ask her to go to the restaurant my aunt has booked. My aunt won't mind an extra table." Zhu Yingning thought it made sense and invited Zhu Zhiwei in return.

She didn't shy away and said with a smile, "Then I'll respectfully obey your command. Please thank her for me."

After hanging up the phone, Zhu Yingning called Zhou Tianqing back, explained the situation to her, and asked apologetically if there could be an extra seat.

"Of course, it's just a matter of adding a set of bowls and chopsticks. Don't be so polite." Zhou Tianqing agreed readily.

After explaining the extra seats, they thought the landline would finally rest for a while, but unexpectedly, not long after, Sun Mingyuan also called and asked where they planned to have the reunion dinner tonight: "My mom said that if you have nowhere to go, you can come to our house and we will take you in."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xiaoqian slapped him on the arm and scolded him, "What do you mean by having nowhere to go? What do you mean by taking me in? Can you even talk? Do you have any emotional intelligence?!"

She grabbed the microphone and said to Xu Sirui and the others, "Sirui Yingning, don't think too much. Auntie is just worried that you two are still young and can't cook. I bought a lot of delicious food at home and am planning to show off my cooking skills. If you don't mind, you can come over and let Auntie treat you."

Sun Mingyuan was pushed aside by her and lay down on the sofa, pinching his throat and saying, "Oh, your emotional intelligence is so high~ I'm so envious~ Can you teach me?"

Listening to Wang Xiaoqian's voice on the other end of the phone, beating up Sun Mingyuan, Zhu Yingning didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She stepped forward to decline Wang Xiaoqian's kindness: "Auntie, thank you, but we've already decided to go to Aunt Xu Sirui's house for dinner tonight. When the second day of the New Year comes, Xu Sirui and I will go to your house to wish you a happy new year. I'd love to taste your cooking then."

"Okay, then the second-grade teacher is waiting for you!" Wang Xiaoqian raised her voice.

When they agreed to go out for dinner in the evening, they changed their clothes and went out, taking a taxi straight to the destination.

Xu Sirui has quite a lot of relatives from his mother's side. His grandmother has three brothers and sisters, his grandfather has two brothers and sisters, and each of the brothers and sisters has his own children. There are about thirty people in total, and they booked a super large round table.

When she arrived at the scene, Zhu Yingning had no idea how to address people. What comforted her a little was that Xu Sirui also didn't know how to address people. He said that these were relatives he only saw once a year, and he had no idea how to tell their respective rankings and generations.

"Yingning, just call her Ruirui." Zhou Tianqing led them both and introduced them one by one. This one is your fourth aunt, that one is your second uncle, this one is your third uncle, and this one is your cousin.

Usually, Zhu Yingning would respond after Xu Sirui called out. With so many people taking turns calling out, their lips were almost peeling by the end.

There are also rules for seating. Everyone gave way to each other and no one was willing to sit in the main seat. It was like giving out red envelopes. After a lot of pushing, refusing and pulling, everyone finally took their seats.

The two of them were dismissed as "children" by the others, and sent to a seat away from the food service area. Zhou Tianqing enthusiastically pulled Zhu Zhiwei over to her side. There was also a two or three-year-old child sitting in a high chair, far superior to them in terms of seniority.

The village's gatherings during festivals and holidays were almost as lively. Zhu Yingning adapted well to the bustling scene. After the dishes were served, she still had time to take care of a little girl who had just started elementary school sitting next to her. She would scoop soup for her and pick up some food for her, which made the little girl's parents feel embarrassed and praised her for being sensible.

Xu Sirui thought she was like a female elephant in a herd. It's said that female elephants in a herd care for each other's young and sick members, and they have a certain sense of responsibility towards their herd members. She not only picked up some food for the little girl, but also added more soup.

Xu Sirui, a bit embarrassed, told her that it wasn't necessary, as her arms weren't even as long as his. Zhu Yingning then asked, "Why are you talking nonsense again? How are my arms short?" Then, as if to prove her point, she filled his bowl with food again. As a courtesy, he said, "Let me peel the shrimp for you."

He peeled a few slowly and looked up. Everyone at the table was looking at them lovingly, which gave him goosebumps all over his body.

Everyone pulled Zhu Yingning aside and asked, "You must be a very good student, right? How many people are there in your family? Are you used to studying here?"

It's like checking household registration.

But Zhu Yingning was simple-minded. She answered questions whenever someone asked her, and chatted with everyone in an orderly and interactive manner. Xu Sirui had no choice but to focus on the shrimps at hand.

After finishing this uneasy meal, Zhou Tianqing organized the children to go to her yard to release fairy wands. She looked at Xu Sirui and Zhu Yingning and said, "You guys want to come too?"

Once older kids like them got in, they would inevitably become babysitters. Xu Sirui felt irritated at the thought of that scenario and lied, "I'm in a hurry to get home to watch the Spring Festival Gala."

So he and Zhu Yingning took a taxi home.

As soon as she entered the house, Zhu Yingning went to look for the remote control and asked excitedly which channel the Spring Festival Gala was on.

"Are you really planning to watch the Spring Festival Gala?" Xu Sirui has always found watching the Spring Festival Gala boring. He said that at the table just to find a random excuse to refuse.

However, Zhu Yingning nodded and said, "Yes, I've never watched the Spring Festival Gala properly."

This remark touched his heart. He wondered how it was possible that someone could live for over a decade and never even watch the Spring Festival Gala, which was clearly an annual routine that they were tired of. But thinking about the environment where she grew up, he felt that living there, even watching the Spring Festival Gala was a luxury.

"...Then watch it." He changed his tone, "Any CCTV channel will have it on."

She turned on CCTV-1 as she was told. The show had already begun, with Na Ying singing "Spring Blossoms." She found a comfortable spot on the sofa, patted a nearby seat, and asked, "Won't you come sit over here?"

Xu Sirui, who was standing behind the sofa, finally moved and sat at the other end of the sofa.

The 2013 Spring Festival Gala featured many big names: singers like Zhang Jie, Yoga Lin, Li Jian, and SHE, and skits and crosstalk performances like Feng Gong, Cai Ming, Shen Teng, and Ma Li. Zhu Yingning had never seen a show before, so she watched with rapt attention, as if she were poring over a paper. Xu Sirui would occasionally glance at her, almost amused by her unusual concentration.

When she realized there was an interactive session, she even said she wanted to give it a try by calling. Xu Sirui told her to save her energy, saying, "You won't get selected for that."

When the countdown began, she sat up with a somersault and started reciting.

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one...

Xu Sirui didn't understand where her energy came from. He lazily lay on the sofa, squinting at the screen. When she read the number one, she turned around, looked at him with bright eyes, and said loudly: "Xu Sirui, Happy New Year!"

Her voice was crisp, like a flapping bird hitting his eardrum. He smiled and whispered "Happy New Year".

The landline and their cell phones began to ring, and countless people's New Year's greetings flooded into their home. She picked up her phone and began to reply to her friends' messages, and he picked up the phone and began to send New Year's greetings to relatives and friends who called his home.

"Unforgettable Tonight" was being sung on the TV screen, and their voices mixed in the chorus, rising and falling.

I wish every year could be like this, Xu Sirui thought.

Although there was a strange red lantern hanging at the door, and there were only the two of them at home without their parents, and it was not as lively and orderly as other families, he did not feel lonely at all.

The lights from their home merged with the lights from thousands of other homes, forming a sea of ​​light that merged into the world.

**

They didn't stay up all night on New Year's Eve. After replying to their friends' greetings, they took a shower and went to bed. On the first day of the new year, they got ready and went out to visit relatives and friends to wish them a happy new year.

The first place we went to was Zhou Tianqing's home. She lived with her parents in a small villa with front and back yards. The first floor housed the living room and study, and the second floor housed the bedrooms. Having played too late the previous night, Zhou Tianqing was still in bed past ten in the morning. The elderly couple, however, were up early, had not only finished breakfast but had also completed two full repetitions of Ba Duan Jin and were now sitting on the sofa watching a replay of the previous night's Spring Festival Gala.

The old man was very happy to see them. He pulled them to sit on the sofa, and you hugged one and I hugged one.

Zhu Yingning was held in the arms of Xu Sirui's grandmother, and she could smell the warm and simple scent of her grandmother coming from her, which was similar to the smell of cotton and linen exposed to the sun.

Grandma was so enthusiastic that she seemed like she was Zhu Yingning’s biological grandmother: “Oh, I wanted to talk to you last night, but unfortunately there were too many people and I couldn’t get a word in. My dear, when Xu Sirui’s mother was out, it was hard for you to run around thinking about her... My dear, grandma thanks you so much, you are the lucky star of our family.” As she spoke, she rubbed her up and down and left and right as if she were a tomato.

Before coming, Zhu Yingning had memorized a long list of New Year's greetings, because she felt that the longer the greeting, the more respect she showed to the other party. Moved by this, she recited the blessings without stopping: "Grandma and Grandpa, I wish you smooth sailing, two dragons soaring, three sheep opening the door to good fortune, four seasons of peace, and five blessings coming to your door..."

He kept reciting until he heard "Everything goes well", which made the two old people laugh so hard that they couldn't stop.

"Hey, go get the red envelope I packed." Grandma pointed to the study and signaled grandpa.

The two red envelopes were as thick as two bricks. Zhu Yingning was surprised and naturally refused.

Xu Sirui admired her talent for getting along with the elderly. She could actually go on for five or six rounds with his grandmother without seeming awkward. In the end, his grandmother wiped the sweat from her forehead and begged her breathlessly, "Child, please keep the red envelope. If you don't, my old bones can't take it." Zhu Yingning reluctantly accepted the red envelope.

They stayed in the house and chatted with the two old people until noon. It was not until lunchtime that Zhou Tianqing came out to greet them with his long hair frizzy from sleep.

"You are already 33 years old, can you be more stable?" Xu Sirui said with disgust.

Zhu Yingning was surprised when she heard this: "Ah?! My aunt is thirty-three years old? I always thought she was about the same age as Sister Weiwei."

"What are you thinking about? My mother is already around 40 years old." Xu Sirui said.

Grandma said cheerfully, "What's wrong with thirty-three? Thirty-three is still a child."

He quipped, "Everyone you see is a child."

"Of course not."

Grandpa was wiping his reading glasses nearby and commented, "I think it's because you spoiled her too much that she never had any intention of getting a boyfriend."

"Hey, hey, hey—" Grandma poked him with her elbow, "We agreed not to urge you to get married during the New Year. And you even said that I spoiled her. Usually, when this girl stays up late, aren't you the one who gets up and cooks her a midnight snack? How many times have I told you that eating midnight snacks is unhealthy, and you still cook for her, and cook for her!" At the end, she got so annoyed with what she said that she hit him hard on the arm a few times.

"I'm not urging her to get married, I'm urging her to have a boyfriend," said the grandfather. "I just hope my daughter can have more life experiences and have more boyfriends."

"You shameless old fool, what do you mean by having multiple boyfriends? Don't lead Ruirui and Yingning astray."

Grandpa quickly defended himself: "I meant to have more boyfriends in the vertical timeline, not to let her have several boyfriends at the same time."

It made everyone laugh.

Zhou Tianqing deliberately said, "If I really talk to you at the same time, what will you do?"

Grandpa pretended to sigh and said, "Ah...what else can we do? We've talked about it, but we can't call the police to arrest you."

Grandma smiled and pinched him again: "Come on, don't keep saying these things that are not right in front of the children. They are still young."

"Not young anymore, she's already in her second year of high school. She can start dating when she goes to college, which is less than two years away." Grandpa stretched his neck curiously and asked, "Are you guys dating?"

Zhu Yingning had something to hide, and was so frightened by this question that she almost ran away. She immediately waved her hands and explained, "No, no, you misunderstood. I'm not in a relationship with Xu Sirui."

Grandpa's small eyes turned shrewdly behind his thick glasses, and he said with a smile, "I was asking if you were in a relationship. How did you take it that way?"