Chapter 53: It’s normal for children to fight and play
"This..." Jiang Yuqin looked at the other children in the Ding family, wondering what to do. She didn't want to fall out with the Ding family, but she was also afraid Ding Chao would be unhappy.
"It's just about a bag of cookies," Ding's mother said. "It's normal for children to fight. Children are tough."
Mother Ding protected her own grandson. Ding Hongwang was just someone else's child and had no blood relationship with her family.
When Jiang Yuqin saw this scene, she opened her mouth and wanted to say something, but in the end she took another pack of biscuits and gave it to Ding Hongwang.
"I'll buy you a few more packets when I get home. If one isn't enough, I'll buy you two. If two isn't enough, I'll buy you three," Jiang Yuqin said. "You can eat more."
Ding Chao had been chatting with his brother. When he found out about what was going on, he didn't think it was his fault for not raising the child well, but rather that Jiang Yuqin hadn't paid enough attention to the child. And then there was the matter of a bag of biscuits; how could they have started a fight?
Indeed, Ding Chao himself didn't dare act aggressively in front of his family, nor did he dare to speak up for Ding Hongwang. He was also worried that Jiang Yuqin would say something. Jiang Yuqin, on the other hand, didn't want to upset her in-laws too much, so she only said a few words.
Soon it was time for the New Year's Eve dinner, and Jiang's father, mother, and Zhao Guodong's family ate together. Old Mrs. Jiang and her husband were still alive, but Jiang's father, mother, and the others didn't go over for the dinner, waiting to reunite a hundred years later. Everyone had already started their own families and had children, so they mostly ate at home.
"Here, chicken leg." Jiang's mother picked up a chicken leg for Zhao Jiaojiao, and then she picked up another chicken leg for her grandson.
"Mom, you don't have to give it to them, you guys eat it." Zhao Guodong said.
"Eat, eat." Jiang's mother said, "Your uncle and I have food, so this is not a big deal."
After Jiang's mother lost her job, she cooked more delicious meals at home, and the family's meals improved a lot.
In the evening, many people went to the opera, as people in this province simply loved it. On New Year's Eve, everyone was particularly happy, and some families were willing to spend a lot of money.
Qiao Yuwei's cold had improved a lot, so she joined everyone else in the performance. Qiao Yuwei's role had fewer lines and was simpler.
Except for the period leading up to the Lunar New Year and the period after the Lunar New Year, these people are very busy. Not only the people from the Provincial Xiaobaihua are busy, but also the people from the local drama troupe.
After the Special Years passed, some villages began holding temple fairs, typically held during the first and second lunar months. During these times, the villages would invite opera troupes to perform, adding to the excitement. The performers in these local troupes weren't particularly well-known, nor were they particularly outstanding. Some of these troupes took a more down-to-earth approach, focusing on the fact that the local staff could earn money and make a living, which was more important than anything else.
"Hurry, hurry, hurry." The director looked at the people backstage, "Those who are going to perform, get ready quickly."
The director urged them to work, fearing that if someone dawdled, there wouldn't be enough time.
People on the stage were performing, and people in the audience were watching. It was New Year's Day, and many people were wearing new clothes.
Our company has a new play in the works, but we're worried it won't be a hit, so we haven't aired it yet. Once a play becomes a hit, it stays popular for years. So, to be on the safe side, we've scheduled "Five Daughters Paying Homage to Their Birthday" tonight. Starting on the first day of the Lunar New Year, we'll have a different play every night for several days.
After the opera ended, Jiang Moli walked out of the backstage and Sheng Jiahao was already waiting there.
"Have you finished the New Year's Eve dinner?" Jiang Moli asked.
"We're done eating. We ate with my parents." Sheng Jiahao said, "My eldest brother and his wife have also gone home with their children. After the New Year's Eve dinner, we accompanied Mom to watch a play."
"Haven't you heard about it? With so many people, it will cost a lot of money to buy tickets." Jiang Moli's first thought was that it was a waste of money.
"Once you've heard it, you can hear it again," Sheng Jiahao said. "My older brother, younger sister, and I haven't studied opera, but whenever we have free time, we always accompany Mom to listen to opera. In recent years, our family's financial situation has improved, so it's no big deal to listen to opera during festivals and buy tickets. It makes Mom happy, and so do we."
"Did they listen to us singing?" Jiang Moli asked.
"Yeah." Sheng Jiahao nodded.
"Where are they now?" Jiang Moli asked, "Have they returned?"
"Let's go back." Sheng Jiahao said, "It's so late, I won't bother you."
"You came here directly just to listen to this play?" Jiang Moli didn't expect that Sheng Jiahao and his people would come to listen to the play. She just wanted Sheng Jiahao to pick her up after get off work, that's all.
"I came straight here," Sheng Jiahao said. "I bought the ticket earlier. It's not easy to get a good seat today, it's really hard. Although I've seen it before, my eldest brother and the others haven't. Mom just wants us to see it and hear it. Mom doesn't usually say those things, but we can all understand."
Sheng Jiahao and the others all wanted Teacher Lu to be happier, so they accompanied Teacher Lu to watch operas, which is also a long-standing tradition of the Sheng family.
Sheng Jiahao drove Jiang Moli home. Jiang's mother had already prepared delicious food and invited Sheng Jiahao to eat some as well.
"I just heated it up. I thought you'd be back around now," Jiang's mother said. "I made a new dish just for you. It's not all leftovers from the evening."
Both Jiang's father and mother were reluctant to let Jiang Moli eat the leftovers. Today was New Year's Eve, so of course she had to eat something better.
"This stuffed egg was made by your sister-in-law," Jiang's mother said. "It tastes pretty good."
"I'll have one," Jiang Moli said. She also picked one for Sheng Jiahao, "You have one too."
Jiang Moli looked around and went to the kitchen to get some vinegar and chili peppers. She poked a small hole in the stuffed egg and shoved a little bit of vinegar and chili peppers into it. Jiang Moli preferred stuffed eggs like this. She had bought stuffed eggs in her past life, and they tasted pretty good, though they got greasy after eating too many. One stuffed egg was quite filling, and there was meat inside. The ones sold outside might have less meat filling, but homemade ones have more.
In the past, Jiang's mother rarely made stuffed eggs during Chinese New Year, as they were a specialty of other places. Making stuffed eggs well required skill; if not, the eggs would fall apart in the water.
"My sister-in-law is a really good cook. This stuffed egg looks great." Jiang Moli said.
"It's really good," Jiang's mother said. "She asked to make a few more, and I told her she could take some home if she made more. We don't like stuffed eggs that much, so we don't need so many."
"Then what? I'm sorry, sister-in-law, I did less?" Jiang Moli asked.
"She went back and got some eggs," Jiang's mother said. "She also wanted some meat, but I said no. The meat they bought is frozen here. It's just stuffed meat with eggs. They don't need to buy any extra. The money's not a big deal."
When Sheng Jiahao returned home, Jiang's mother packed eight stuffed eggs for him. She didn't know exactly how many people were at home, but eight seemed like a good omen. When Niu Cuihua wanted to make more, Jiang's mother thought of giving a few to Sheng Jiahao, as few people in their area ate stuffed eggs.
Sheng Jiahao always brought something over. Although he often ate dinner at the Jiang family, dinner was only worth a few dollars. Jiang's mother naturally had to treat Sheng Jiahao well and not let him suffer too much.
When Sheng Jiahao returned to his parents' home, the men were still asleep, preparing to keep watch. Sheng Jiahao brought out the stuffed eggs, still warm. His nephew and the others ate them first, saying they were delicious.
"You went to send Jasmine off, and you brought these back." Teacher Lu joked, "Did you bring all the stuffed eggs from their house?"
"I'm not sure about that," Sheng Jiahao said. "Auntie has already packed it, so I brought it back. It's made by Sister Jasmine. Sister Jasmine's hometown likes to make stuffed eggs during the Chinese New Year."
“There are indeed very few people here who make stuffed eggs,” said Teacher Lu.
Teacher Lu's eldest son and daughter-in-law also started eating. They each ate one egg and still had some left. The child wanted more after eating one egg, so Teacher Lu didn't want the child to feel full, so she cut an egg in half and let the child eat separately to prevent him from getting too full.
After the New Year's Eve dinner, Niu Cuihua and her husband took their children back to the rental house. However, they did not stay up all night with Jiang's father and mother. It was Jiang Moli who stayed up all night with Jiang's father and mother.
Last year, when Jiang Yuqin was still at the Jiang family, she would say some unpleasant things when everyone was staying up all night. This year, without Jiang Yuqin, the Jiang family of three stayed up all night in comfort.
Jiang Moli took out a wrapped red envelope and handed it to her mother, and also gave one to her father.
"Ding-dang." Jiang Moli said, "Happy New Year."
"Oh, you also gave a red envelope?" Jiang's mother took the red envelope given by Jiang Moli.
"Yes, I graduated from school and officially started working full-time." Jiang Moli said, "I saved some money and gave you and dad a red envelope. Don't be disgusted by the small amount."
"How could I dislike it?" Jiang's mother was so happy that she couldn't contain her joy. "You are so generous. Others of your age who go to work may need to ask their family for subsidies."
Let's not talk about others, just Zhao Guodong and his wife. They always have insufficient money to spend with their children. Zhao Guodong even borrowed money from Jiang Moli. He was also very stingy when buying New Year's goods before the New Year. He didn't dare to buy anything boldly without money. He had to be very frugal.
"You can do this and save money." Jiang's mother said.
"I usually count my money when I spend it," Jiang Moli said. "Actually, I don't specifically count how much I spend. Anyway, when Jiahao and I go out to eat, he pays, and when we buy things, he pays. When he pays, I save money."
However, Jiang Moli still roughly calculated the amount of money Sheng Jiahao spent on her. Sheng Jiahao paid, and Jiang Moli didn't specifically check the price. Jiang Moli based her estimate on the amount she might ask for, and she saved some money so that if she broke up with Sheng Jiahao, she could still pay him back. Jiang Moli didn't let Sheng Jiahao buy her anything too expensive, because she was afraid she wouldn't be able to pay it back.
Jiang Moli was really interested in dating Sheng Jiahao, but she also had to prepare for some things. No one could predict the future. Jiang Moli was not planning to have children soon for the sake of her career. Sheng Jiahao didn't care now, but what about the future? Jiang Moli didn't dare to gamble. She prepared everything herself, and it would definitely work.
In front of Sheng Jiahao, Jiang Moli didn't tell him that she always saved some money. If she did, it would alienate the relationship between the two. Jiang Moli didn't stop Sheng Jiahao from paying for her things. She knew it in her heart. Jiang Moli didn't tell her parents much either. If she did, her mother would definitely say she was still in a relationship and think about the possibility of breaking up in the future.
In her past and present lives, Jiang Moli has always been a relatively rational person. She is not an overly emotional person, and it is impossible for her to put love first.
Father Jiang took the red envelope given by Jiang Moli, and he took out the red envelope he had prepared and handed it to Jiang Moli.
"Every year brings us to this day," Jiang's father said with a smile. He hoped his daughter would marry and live in South City. If his daughter didn't marry into a family, but instead married off, she could come back every now and then to stay. She and her son-in-law could come back and live together. There was a room at home, and Jiang's father and mother would keep it clean.
"Thank you, Dad." Jiang Moli saw the thickness of the red envelope and knew her father was generous. "Dad, I made a profit."
"If you didn't give us a red envelope, that would be a profit," Jiang's mother joked.
After a while, there was a noise outside, someone was setting off fireworks. Jiang Moli and others went out to see, fireworks blooming in the sky.
Miao Guifeng didn't go out to sell roasted sweet potatoes today. She had initially wondered if everyone would want something to eat to relieve the greasy feeling of the feast tonight. But then she thought it wasn't necessary. These days, people rarely get a hearty dinner, and they want the flavor of the meat to linger in their mouths longer, not the roasted sweet potatoes. Roasted sweet potatoes can be eaten anytime, not just during Chinese New Year.
After hearing the sound of fireworks, Miao Guifeng took her child to the yard and watched the fireworks too.
Miao Guifeng saw Jiang Moli and some other neighbors.
At this time, many people have not yet gone to bed, and some people have to wait until after midnight to go to bed.
Some people in this area set off firecrackers during the New Year, but not often. A few years ago, someone set off firecrackers and set their house on fire, but luckily it was discovered early and the fire wasn't too severe. There was also a case of someone lighting a candle at night and not blowing it out, and the candle burned the table.
The street office staff simply asked everyone to set off fewer firecrackers. If they did, they should set them off in one area, not randomly. This was for everyone's safety. Many houses here are made of wood, which makes them very susceptible to fire. A single blow of wind could catch fire across a large area.
"Wait a minute, someone else will open the gate and set off firecrackers," Jiang's mother recalled her days at her mother's house. "Before, your grandpa always had to wait until a little after midnight to set off firecrackers. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, they had to look at the time to open the gate and set off firecrackers. The place was small, and once someone set off firecrackers, others would follow suit. The sound of firecrackers could last for a long time and echo.
"It feels very ceremonial." Jiang Moli said.
"Yeah." Jiang's mother nodded. "Now some places don't allow the constant use of firecrackers, mainly because of the fear of fire."
"The house here has a long history." Jiang Moli said.
"It's been quite a while." Jiang's father said, "When I was very young, this compound already existed."
Initially, the compound did not belong to the Jiang family, but to the wealthy. Before the establishment of the new country, the compound was lost by the original owner, and later, it became the property of others.
During wartime, many wealthy individuals fled abroad. Those who didn't flee sought safer places within the country. Some privately aided the nation in the war effort, even donating money. Some wealthy individuals profited from the nation's misfortune, thinking only of themselves and not the nation's crisis.
"I heard from your grandmother that in the past, the people in these courtyards had maids and servants." Jiang's father said, "There were quite a few people serving tea and water."
Old Mrs. Jiang is old, and she's experienced a lot. Her parents' generation had a much harder time. Some families, without enough money to eat, sold their children and sent them to work as servants. Those landlords and wealthy people were truly wealthy, and their lives were truly good.
"The houses here are pretty good." Jiang Moli said.
There are many old houses in South City, and there are even more ancient buildings. The courtyard where Jiang Moli and her family live is not considered to be a particularly old courtyard.
Miao Guifeng, holding her child, thought about the demolition of her house, which would take another ten or twenty years. She figured that as long as she lived there and had her household registration there, she and her husband would eventually receive a share of the demolition compensation.
"Is the child asleep?" Aunt Zhao looked at the child in Miao Guifeng's arms. "It's so cold, let the child rest in the house. Don't always carry him out, he'll easily catch a cold."
Aunt Zhao is a chatterbox herself, and she likes to talk about anything she sees. When Miao Guifeng comes out to watch the fireworks with her child in her arms, Aunt Zhao will say something.
"A child this young can't watch fireworks," said Aunt Zhao. "Wait until he's older, then let him watch the fireworks."
"I was afraid that he would be woken up, so I held him and he slept soundly," said Miao Guifeng.
"Your child is truly precious." Aunt Zhao thought that no matter how much she valued her son, she couldn't do it to the degree that Miao Guifeng did. Miao Guifeng loved her son so much that she had to carry him on her back when she went out to sell roasted sweet potatoes, and even held him in her arms when she watched fireworks. Aunt Zhao often watched Miao Guifeng with the child, and Miao Guifeng rarely left him alone.
"This is our first child." Miao Guifeng thought that her son was of course precious, and she wanted to make it up to her son. Her son had suffered so much in his previous life, and she wanted to make her son happy in this life.
After the people setting off fireworks concentrated on it for a while, the fireworks became intermittent and not as dense as at the beginning.
"Go back to the room and rest." Jiang's mother looked at Jiang Moli, "It's almost time to stop."
"Yeah, okay." Jiang Moli nodded.
"You don't have a performance tomorrow, so it's okay to sleep a little late in the morning," said Jiang's mother.
Jiang Moli participated in a performance on New Year's Eve. Her mother felt that Jiang Moli was too tired and she had to let her daughter have a good rest.
"Don't we have to go to the temple early?" Jiang Moli asked.
"We went there early, and others went even earlier, so we won't be able to catch the first incense stick." Jiang's mother said, "Don't be so anxious. You should rest up and get some sleep. Look at how busy you've been lately. You've been exhausted and haggard."
The Jiang family of three went back to their room to rest. They did not continue to stand in the yard. Ever since Jiang's mother kicked Miao Guifeng's stove, the Jiang family rarely spoke to Miao Guifeng. Miao Guifeng saw that the Jiang family had just gone back to their room to rest. She glanced at them and went back to her room.
"Don't sell roasted sweet potatoes for the next few days," Yang Bingrong said. "Take a good rest."
"Yeah," Miao Guifeng said, "If you want to sell roasted sweet potatoes, you need people to buy them. If no one buys them, it's not appropriate to sell them."
"Just sell it occasionally, I get paid." Yang Bingrong said.
"You have wages, but can you spend them?" Miao Guifeng asked. "I heard that Niu Cuihua and her mother-in-law are talking about letting their daughter learn to play a musical instrument."
It was the same in her previous life. Jiang's mother paid half, and Zhao Guodong and his wife paid half. They allowed Zhao Jiaojiao to learn the guzheng. People like Niu Cuihua were inherently patriarchal, but with people like Jiang's mother around, Zhao Jiaojiao was still treated relatively well. As for Miao Guifeng's daughter, none of her three daughters in her previous life learned to play any musical instruments. Miao Guifeng had no intention of having her daughter learn an instrument; she only wanted to give birth to a son.
Miao Guifeng looked at her sleeping son. She had to think about his future. It didn't matter to her daughter. She would grow up and get married. If she married into a good family, she could still live. But it was different for her son. He needed capital, so he could marry a good woman and have a good job.
"What should our son learn?" asked Miao Guifeng.
Miao Guifeng had high hopes for her son, Yang Tianyi. She hoped he would be happy and carefree in the future, and she felt it was God's will that she was reborn so she could keep him by her side. Miao Guifeng believed in her son, and that he would be close to her in the future. There was no need to say that the child did not grow up by her side, or that he was not close to her.
"It's too early." Yang Bingrong didn't think about what instrument his son would learn for the time being. He knew that learning those instruments would cost a lot of money. He and his wife had to earn more money. They couldn't wait until their child wanted to learn those instruments and then not have the money to pay for them.
Yang Bingrong is also a typical person who favors boys over girls. If his eldest son was a girl, he would not consider these things.
"It's getting late." Miao Guifeng said, "Maybe the child will grow up soon."
"Save more money." Yang Bingrong had no other choice. To do those things, he had to have money. If he didn't have money, he had to save money.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Jiang Moli slept until around nine or ten o'clock. She chose to get up a little earlier and went to a nearby temple with her father and mother to burn incense. After returning from the incense, Jiang Moli had lunch and took a short rest.
It was not until the afternoon when Sheng Jiahao came to find Jiang Moli that Jiang Moli went out.
Jiang Moli and her partner met Zhao Jiaojiao and her brother and gave them red envelopes. Zhao Jiaojiao put on her new clothes and played with her brother at the door, not going far. Niu Cuihua was right next to them, and she didn't dare leave the child alone at the door.
"Let's go and have fun." Niu Cuihua greeted Jiang Moli.
"Let's take a walk." Jiang Moli said with a smile, "I have nothing to do today, so I don't have to go to work."
"That's good, you guys play." Niu Cuihua didn't let the children follow.
Niu Cuihua and her husband cooked and ate at home today and did not go to the Jiang family for dinner.
In the evening, Aunt Zhao San came. She wanted Niu Cuihua and her husband to bring their children over for lunch tomorrow.
"No, we won't go." Niu Cuihua said.
"You don't have to come. We can't go." Zhao Guodong frowned.
"Zhao Guodong, those are your grandparents," Aunt Zhao San said. "Your father is gone, but you are still alive. You can't ignore them. Your grandparents are so old, they just want to have a reunion dinner..."
"That's not a reunion dinner, it's a Hongmen Banquet." Zhao Guodong understood the thoughts of these people in the Zhao family too well. He, the third aunt, would not visit the temple for no reason. People just wanted him to pay.
If Zhao Guodong really went there with his wife and children, he would be forced to pay, and he would have to pay even if he didn't want to. Zhao Guodong couldn't go and suffer. If he knew the outcome, going anyway would be foolish. Zhao Guodong knew exactly how he had lived these years. His mother had been good enough to him, but it was his grandparents' side that wasn't good enough.
"During the New Year..."
"No matter if it's Chinese New Year or any other time, it's impossible," said Zhao Guodong.
Aunt Zhao San thought that if she came at this time, Zhao Guodong's attitude would be softened. She, as an elder, came to ask Zhao Guodong to come over for dinner, but Zhao Guodong was still like this.
"Are you afraid that your mother will be unhappy?" asked Aunt Zhao San.
"I'm not afraid that my mother will be unhappy, it's me who will be unhappy." Zhao Guodong said.
"Yes, we will all be unhappy." Niu Cuihua agreed, "Don't come to us and treat us like fools. We can't possibly do what you want."
Their own money was not enough to spend, so these people had no intention of taking money from them. Niu Cuihua could not allow such a thing to happen. Her husband had not even said he wanted to go, so there was no way she could persuade him to go.
"Do you still want to pay tribute to your father during the Qingming Festival?" Aunt Zhao San threatened Zhao Guodong with this matter.
"We don't have to go." Zhao Guodong said, "Later, I will tell Dad that it was you who didn't let us go."
“You…you…”
"It's New Year's Day, and you're saying these things. You're deliberately trying to make things difficult for us." Niu Cuihua was very unhappy when she heard these words. Who would say these things on New Year's Day? Aunt Zhao San really had no taboos at all.
"I'm making your life difficult?" Aunt Zhao San didn't think so. "Your husband, your son, and your daughter all have the surname Zhao."
"You're not the only family with the surname Zhao in the world," Niu Cuihua said. "Go away, go away, go away. Don't come to our place and don't lead our children astray."
"Aren't you afraid that your children will be disrespectful to you in the future if you continue like this?" said Aunt Zhao San.
"If our children don't obey us in the future, that will be our fate." Niu Cuihua rolled her eyes.
Niu Cuihua held the two children, preventing them from getting close to Aunt Zhao San. Niu Cuihua called out to someone not far away, "Mom."
When Aunt Zhao San heard the word "Mom", she hurried away, as if something terrible was chasing her. Aunt Zhao San was very afraid of running into Mother Jiang. When Mother Jiang saw Aunt Zhao San coming, she would come forward and beat her up no matter what time it was.
Niu Cuihua snorted coldly when she saw Aunt Zhao San running away like that.
"She's like this, and she still wants you to pay for her parents?" Niu Cuihua said, "These people are so shameless. You, the third aunt, are also stupid. Others won't come, but she will."
"Mom didn't come." Zhao Guodong said.
"No, I just screamed." Niu Cuihua said, "I was frightened."
"They're all afraid of Mom, and she'd hit me directly," Zhao Guodong said. "It's not Mom's fault. They came here to cause all that trouble, so I naturally wouldn't tolerate them. They haven't come here often in recent years. When they were little, they came to make Mom uncomfortable. Now that they know Mom's remarried, they're happy just thinking about her discomfort."
"You're such a piece of shit." Niu Cuihua said, "It wasn't easy for your mother to raise you."
"Well, it's very difficult." Zhao Guodong said.
On the way back home, Jiang Moli saw Aunt Zhao San. Jiang Moli recognized Aunt Zhao San, who had the nerve to come over.
"Mom, guess who I just met?" Jiang Moli returned home.
"Who did you meet?" Jiang's mother was puzzled. "It's just such a small place."
"Seeing that Third Auntie of Brother's," Jiang Moli said, "she probably wants Brother to go to his grandparents' place and is trying to trick him."
"Did you go to find your brother?" Jiang's mother asked.
"No." Jiang Moli said, "Those are my brother's grandparents, not mine. Why should I care so much?"
Jiang Moli didn't want to meddle in the Zhao family's affairs. This matter had nothing to do with her. If she meddled too much, what if Zhao Guodong wanted to get close to the Zhao family? Jiang Moli didn't want her brother to blame her. Zhao Guodong had to handle the Zhao family's affairs himself.
Zhao Guodong is several years older than Jiang Moli, and he has lived in the countryside for so many years. If he still has hope for the Zhao family, then he is beyond saving, and no one needs to save him.
"That's right. They're your brother's biological grandparents. It depends on him." Jiang's mother said, "Even if I say something, it doesn't necessarily count."
After dinner, Zhou Yiran came. Jiang Moli played with Zhou Yiran, and also with Fan Xiaoxue. The three of them played cards together.
Sheng Jiahao stayed at his parents' house, where he sat and watched TV.
"Aren't you going to accompany your girlfriend?" asked Brother Sheng.
"She wants to play with her friends." Sheng Jiahao's tone sounded aggrieved.
Sheng Jiahao wanted to play with Jiang Moli, but Jiang Moli wanted to play with other female friends, so Sheng Jiahao couldn't stay there.
"After you get married, invite her friends to your house to play, and you can accompany your girlfriend." Brother Sheng said.
"After a while, it's time to discuss your engagement with Jasmine," Teacher Lu said. "Jasmine has been quite busy lately, and this is the peak season for opera. When she's done, she'll be free to get engaged to you."
"Is it okay?" Sheng Jiahao asked. He was afraid that Jasmine would say no.
"It's OK," Teacher Lu said. "Jasmine isn't someone who likes to put things off. There's nothing wrong with you two dating and getting engaged. Jasmine isn't planning on breaking up with you anytime soon just because she's dating you. Jasmine is a bit more rational, but that's not a bad thing. Being too emotional can ruin a woman's life."
Teacher Lu saw it clearly. She didn't think Jiang Moli was wrong for not always speaking well of her future in-laws or always sticking around Teacher Lu. Jiang Moli was more rational, so Teacher Lu valued her more.
"Moli agreed, and her parents won't object," Teacher Lu said. "I think Moli's parents are people who love their daughter. As long as you treat their daughter well, it won't be a problem. You've eaten so many meals at their home, don't you feel it?"
"They are indeed very good." Sheng Jiahao nodded, "They are all very nice to me."
"All parents are like this, especially those who are about to marry off their daughters," said Teacher Lu. "They are worried that their son-in-law will treat their daughters badly, so they will treat him better."
Teacher Lu thought about it. When they come to the house, they will talk to the Jiang family and the matter should be settled. Teacher Lu did not think of using the so-called teacher's identity to suppress Jiang Moli. As the man's side, they should let the woman's family feel their sincerity.
Fan Xiaoxue lived on the same street, making it very convenient for her to go home at night. Zhou Yiran's house was a little further away. Zhou Yiran asked her brother to call her when he returned. Zhou Yiran's brother was playing nearby, so the two siblings could go home together.
There were several notes on Jiang Moli's face. Her luck was not very good and her cards were not good.
"Can't you give me some space?" Jiang Moli looked at the cards on the table. She couldn't quite remember what cards others had played before, so she wanted to check.
"You can't check, you can't check, that's the rule." Zhou Yiran quickly stopped Jiang Moli and said, "You're successful in both your career and love life. If we play poker, you have to let us win at least once. It's called the law of conservation of luck, right?"
"That's a twisted logic." Jiang Moli said.
"Ya Ran is right," Fan Xiao Xue said, "Among the three of us, you are the most successful."
Fan Xiaoxue put another piece of paper on Jiang Moli's forehead, and Jiang Moli blew on the paper on her forehead.
"I'm really impressed by you guys." Jiang Moli said, "Come on, come again!"
Jiang Moli couldn't believe she kept getting such small cards. But that's how playing cards works sometimes. When you're unlucky, you keep getting small cards instead of good ones. The cards are too small, and intelligence can't make up for it. Even if they were good cards, Jiang Moli might not have played them well. She wasn't good at playing cards, and she didn't have that much calculation when playing.
"Eat something." Jiang's mother cut the fruit and put bamboo sticks on it.
It's much warmer inside than outside, it's really cold outside.
Zhou Yaran and the other two were playing in Jiang Moli's room. They sat there and played for quite a while. During the Chinese New Year, everyone had a day off, so they could play more in the evening. It just so happened that Jiang Moli didn't have a performance the next day, and neither did Zhou Yaran, so they could play for a while longer.
"This pineapple is very sweet." Zhou Yiran took a bite of the pineapple, "It doesn't sting my mouth."
"Pineapple," Jiang's mother said, "You can eat pineapples directly. I soaked them in salt water. When I cut them, I could smell a strong aroma."
The pineapple that Jiang's mother bought was quite ripe. She cut most of it and placed it in Jiang Moli's room. She left a small portion in the living room for Jiang's father to eat. Jiang's father did not go out tonight. The Jiang family was some distance away, so Jiang's father planned to go there another day and not tonight.
Jiang's mother left Jiang Moli's room and watched TV with Jiang's father.
"There are still a lot of people setting off fireworks outside." Jiang's mother heard the noise outside.
"Yes." Father Jiang was watching the TV.
There are a bit more shows on TV this year, and repeats too.
"There's also this at the Spring Festival Gala," Jiang's father said. "Take a look. This is the first time I've seen it."
When Jiang's father saw the program, he found it quite novel. The audience called in to request the program, and it was actually scheduled.
"Not bad." Jiang's father said, "You should sit down and take a look too."
"Look." Jiang's mother nodded.
Niu Cuihua and her husband didn't have a TV at home. They rented and didn't have much money, so they didn't buy one. When their children wanted to watch TV, they would go to Jiang's mother's house. While Zhao Jiaojiao and her brother were watching, they would sit still and not make a fuss.
Jiang's mother hadn't thought of buying a TV for Niu Cuihua and her husband. Where would she get the money to do that? The only option was to get rid of her old TV and buy a new one, then give it to Niu Cuihua and her husband.
At around ten o'clock in the evening, Zhou Yiran's brother came to pick her up, and Jiang Moli and the other two dispersed.
During the Spring Festival, Jiang Moli went to visit Old Lady Jiang and Teacher Lu. Before the Lantern Festival, Shi Nan returned to school. Before Shi Nan returned to school on the first day of the Lunar New Year, he wanted to see Jiang Moli, but he didn't dare to, fearing that his mother would find out.
During this time, Shi's mother heard from others that Shi Nan went to see an opera, so she asked Shi Nan about it. Shi Nan said that he had gone to see an opera once, and many people in their province liked to go to opera. Because of this, Shi Nan treated Jiang Moli even worse. On the day Shi Nan left South City to return to school, Jiang Moli did not go to see him.
The two are not lovers, but just ordinary friends. And because of Shi's mother, it is difficult for Jiang Moli and Shi Nan to be even ordinary friends.
During the Lunar New Year, Jiang Yuqin also went to Old Lady Jin's house. When the people in the Jin family saw Jiang Yuqin, they couldn't show their displeasure and had to act as if nothing had happened. Jiang Yuqin was Jin Manzhi's biological daughter and Old Lady Jin's granddaughter. If other grandchildren could come, Jiang Yuqin could come too.
As for whether Old Lady Jin and the others were annoyed, Jiang Yuqin didn't care. She only knew that she had to come over so that she could get more things.
"Second Aunt." Jiang Yuqin called out when she saw Second Aunt Jin. Then, when she saw Second Uncle Jin, she called out, "Second Uncle."
It was as if Jiang Yuqin didn't know that Uncle Jin was her biological father. She still called him Uncle Jin. Aunt Jin was unhappy, but she could only endure it. Things had already happened. Aunt Jin looked at the other people in the Jin family. They acted as if nothing had happened.
Aunt Jin was angry, but no matter whether she was angry or not, the others felt that she had already accepted the matter, so they did not need to talk about Jiang Yuqin's life experience anymore. Jiang Yuqin really had to come, so that others would not doubt Jiang Yuqin's life experience.
During the first month of the lunar year, Jiang Moli was very busy, and it was not until the middle of the second lunar month that Jiang Moli had some free time. Mr. and Mrs. Lu went to the Jiang family again, this time to discuss Jiang Moli and Sheng Jiahao's engagement.
"I was going to come a long time ago," Teacher Lu said with a smile. "Moli's been busy lately, and we've had some things to do, so we've waited until now. The two kids have been dating for a while, and I thought I'd ask you if it's time for them to get engaged."
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