Looking at it, Madam Liu sighed.
Ye Panjiu turned her head, "Sister-in-law seems a little unhappy today?"
Ms. Liu was a little embarrassed.
Sun nudged Liu and laughed, "She's just too worried about Cuihua. The last time she saw Cuihua was during the New Year. She didn't even come back for the Mid-Autumn Festival this year. All the letters she's sent this year are good news. This girl has been so sensible since she was little!"
Ye Panjiu asked, "Didn't your sister-in-law go to see her niece Cuihua?"
Liu shook her head slightly, "I went to deliver some money, food, and clothes to Cuihua at the end of October. My in-laws accepted it and said that Cuihua had gone to visit relatives in town and might not be back today, so I came back."
Ye Panjiu understood immediately. It was because the family had paid off their debts in October and had some money in hand, so they hurried to deliver things to Cuihua.
She patted Liu's hand, "They'll probably arrive soon. Since someone sent word that they're coming back today, they'll definitely be here."
Liu nodded and scooped the round dumplings that had floated to the surface from the pot into a large bowl.
The so-called "winter greeting" is similar to visiting each other's homes during the Lunar New Year, but the Winter Solstice is for wishing people not to get cold and to have a warm winter.
The Ye family was at home sorting out gifts to give to several familiar families.
Guan Muning's body is getting increasingly heavy, and she usually lies in her room. Occasionally she sits down, and Ye Guihua and the others will talk to her to relieve her boredom when they remember.
Listening to the sounds of the Ye family outside, she felt a sense of peace.
The days of despair at the Zhou residence now seem like a distant memory, and she doesn't want to look back. Her path lies ahead, and she is now with the Ye family.
Before the Ye family members had even left their house, three other families arrived at once.
Ye Dayi carried a box of tobacco leaves, while Dayi's wife carried a smoked duck.
Ye Dayi put his arm around Old Man Ye's shoulder and said, "My tobacco is something else. I heard that the county magistrate a few years ago loved to smoke it."
Old Man Ye excitedly took the box, opened it, picked up some rolls, and smelled them carefully. "Unbelievable! It smells completely different from the rolls we usually make!"
Grandma Ye and Lady Dayi both rolled their eyes at the two of them.
"Sister-in-law, the smoked duck I made this year is exceptionally delicious, better than any other year. You must try it."
Grandma Ye took the smoked duck, bowed to it, and said, "I'm in for a treat again. The smoked duck your sister makes is the best in Ye Family Village."
Hearing this, Ye Panjiu also came over; she quite liked the food.
Matchmaker Li arrived with her entire family, carrying some gifts.
Ye Qijin, Aunt Wang brought Ye Hanxue, along with some snacks and candies that little girls like to eat.
Ye Panjiu led Ling'er by the hand, saying, "Ling'er, call him Uncle, Aunt, and Cousin."
Ye Ling'er obediently followed along, calling out to people, her eyes sparkling.
Ye Qijin patted Ling'er's head affectionately, "Ling'er is so good, she's grown so tall all of a sudden."
He owed his niece too much.
Ye Hanxue, dressed in the academy's long gown and slightly taller than Ling'er, replied earnestly, "Greetings, cousin Ling'er. Happy Winter Solstice."
Aunt Wang squatted down and picked up Ling'er. "Come on, your aunt will take you to pay respects to the winter god."
When Ling'er heard that they were leaving, her face tensed up. The little girl didn't speak loudly, but just stretched out one hand to tug at Ye Panjiu's clothes.
Ye Panjiu was both amused and exasperated. She reached out her hand and said, "Aunt Wang, let me do it. I'm really attached to the little girl right now."
Aunt Wang quickly placed Ling'er in her arms, her smile tinged with bitterness.
In just over a month, Ling'er found herself growing closer to this person with whom she had no blood relation.
But then she thought that this was because the Ye family was very kind to Ling'er, and she felt happy again.
That's fine.
Ye Ling'er wrapped her arms around Ye Panjiu's neck and rubbed against him affectionately, her eyes full of joy.
My mother said she's very clingy.
Ye Taohua was pulled over and naturally took Ling'er from Ye Panjiu's arms. "Let's go, it looks so lively outside!"
Ye Panjiu looked at her eldest daughter with a smile. She could only hold Ling'er for two minutes at most before she couldn't hold on any longer; she didn't have that much strength.
So, each of the four families took a bowl of dumplings and left the Ye family's house together in a lively atmosphere.
Outside on the street, the children gathered together, running around and playing until they were covered in sweat.
When they reached the end of the village, they ran into Ye Sanchao's large family again, and the group grew much larger.
The Liu family had enough dumplings to send a bowl to every household in Yejia Village, especially to the poorer families, who received two extra bowls.
The whole Ye Family Village was filled with joy, and every family ate meat dumplings.
Thanks to Ye Panjiu's braised food, every household has received some unexpected income this winter.
This money could allow the family to eat a little better.
As the Ye family's group returned home, it shrank further, with Matchmaker Li and the others all going back to their own homes.
“Your family doesn’t care about you at all. They said they would come back for the winter solstice, but no one was home waiting for you.”
Your home is now the Wu family's home. Stop thinking about going back to your parents' home all the time. Look how cold the children are in this weather!"
Upon hearing this, Liu's face turned cold, and Ye Panjiu frowned as she looked at the people in front of her house.
A slightly overweight man dressed in a long, quilted cotton-padded quilt, wearing a wooden crown with silver trim, was muttering impatiently.
The woman beside him was extremely thin, her face looked tired and sallow, and she was dressed in coarse cloth clothes that were very thin. She did not say a word.
She was also holding a little boy of about five years old in her arms. The little boy was dressed in fine cotton-padded clothes and had a silver longevity lock hanging on his chest.
Beside her was a little girl, about the same age as Ling'er, shivering from the cold, her little hands tightly clutching the woman's clothes.
Madam Liu took off her own padded cloak and draped it over the woman's shoulders. "Why are you dressed so lightly? Why aren't you wearing the clothes your mother gave you?"
Wu Weiyi looked at the Ye family members with some embarrassment, knowing that they must have heard what he just said.
He felt he was right; the Ye family really hadn't left anyone to wait for them!
Ye Cuihua wanted to put her son down and tighten her cloak, but her son immediately resisted, saying, "I won't go down, I won't go down, Mom, I'm cold!"
Ye Cuihua immediately hugged him tightly in a panic.
Liu had no choice but to tighten the thin straps herself, looking disapprovingly at her grandson, "Hao'er, your mother has been holding you all this time, her arms can't take it anymore."
Wu Hao rolled his eyes and nestled his head into Ye Cuihua's arms.
Ye Cuihua shook her head at Liu Shi, "Mother, I'm fine."
Ye Daniu was furious and said coldly, "Go inside, it's too cold outside."
Ye Cuihua then addressed the Ye family members, "Grandpa, Grandma, Father, Uncle, Aunt, Little Aunt, Happy Winter Solstice."
The little girl next to her also called out to people in a clear voice.
Wu Weiyi simply nodded and remained silent.
Ye Panjiu stepped forward and took the little girl's hand. "Come on, Cuihua, Nannan, let's go home. Home is wherever you are, no matter what your surname is. Don't listen to other people's nonsense. Your aunt will always be there for you."
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