Lunar New Year's eve
It was snowing on New Year's Eve, and Tai Shi Zheng and Cui Zhijun were walking on the way to Xiangrong Hall.
The wind and snow stained her brows, flakes melting into her heart. Looking at the frost hanging on the branches, Zheng smiled through her breath. She asked Erlang, "Are we staying up to celebrate the New Year in Xiangrong Hall with my eldest brother, his wife, Mingyue, and the others?"
Cui Zhijun hummed and continued, "The whole family is here today. The elders used to like playing Tianjiu (Nine-Nine Days) when they stayed up all night to celebrate the New Year. But now the old lady is ill, and the third aunt has gone home. I guess they won't be playing again this year, and maybe they'll disperse a little earlier."
Zheng nodded, and the couple walked side by side with the same steps.
Cui Zhijun suddenly became curious. "Xiao Zheng, how did you spend New Year's Eve in the past?"
"Me?" Zheng turned to look at him. "When I was in the palace, the emperor always held a banquet on New Year's Eve, and I, along with my tenth brother and the others, would sit in front of him until dawn. Do you know what was the most terrifying thing? When the emperor got drunk, he'd always call on us to ask about our homework. I was the worst at school, and Xia Laowu wasn't around, so every New Year's Eve was filled with trepidation. Now, it's better. I finally don't have to worry so much anymore."
Zheng couldn't help but shudder when she mentioned this.
Cui Zhijun couldn't help but laugh at her expression. Zheng continued, "But after leaving the palace, it was just me, Dad, and Yuanzi at home. Every year, we'd argue about staying up together to celebrate the New Year's Eve, and no one of us would go to bed early. But as soon as the hour of Xu passed, the three of us would just fall asleep without a care in the world. I guess Yuanzi went home early yesterday to spend the New Year with Dad. They won't make it past midnight tonight either."
Years ago, Fu Yuanzi had already made plans with Taishi Zheng: this year, she would return home early and return with Zheng on the second day of the Lunar New Year. Zheng looked at the sky at 5 p.m. and couldn't help but feel a little sentimental. Alas, without her, this New Year must be quite dull for Dad and Yuanzi.
Cui Zhijun patted the back of her hand and whispered, "If you feel sleepy today, tell me."
"Oh? Tell Erlang, then we can go home and sleep earlier?" Zheng was confused, but Cui Zhijun shook his head, "Madam, you misunderstood. I was only responsible for waking you up."
“…”
Cui Erlang, you still have a solution.
-
At the same time, on the other side of Huaiqingfang.
Taishi Zhengjiang and Fu Yuanzi stood in front of the stove with their arms folded, staring at a pot of mutton dumpling filling without chopped green onions, and began to murmur.
Fu Yuanzi raised his eyes and asked, "Master, if there are no green onions in the mutton and green onion dumplings, can they still be called mutton and green onion dumplings?"
Taishi Zhengjiang lowered his eyes and replied, "Girl, it was indeed my mistake to forget to buy green onions. But tell me, where can you buy green onions at this time? If not, I can cut some grass in the yard for you as a token of my appreciation."
Fu Yuanzi narrowed his eyes and asked, "I came all the way from the west to the east of the city just to go home and spend the New Year with you, my master. You treated me to some grass."
"Are you kind enough?"
Taishi Zhengjiang blurted out, "It's okay."
"Hmm?" Fu Yuanzi questioned.
Taishi Zhengjiang immediately changed his tone, covered the meat filling with a cloth, and said loudly: "Forget it, since there are no green onions and Taishi Zheng, then the master will make an exception this year and take you to the restaurant-"
-
Outside Xiangrong Hall, Taishi Zheng and Cui Zhijun heard Song Mingyue's noisy voice before they entered the courtyard.
As expected, the young couple looked up and entered the courtyard. They vaguely saw Song Mingyue holding a plate of cakes in the hall and asking Xiaoyu endless questions, "Yubao, I'll give you a piece of honey cake. Can you answer a question for me?"
"Okay!" Xiaoyu looked up at the honey cake in Song Mingyue's hand, her mouth watering with greed. She agreed without thinking.
Cui Zhijian hurriedly said, "Hey! Yujie, wait a minute, you haven't even asked your fourth aunt what question she wants to ask you, how can you answer so easily? Zhichou's wife, you too, how can you lead the child like this? Why can't you just say it directly?"
Song Mingyue turned her head and frowned at him, saying bluntly: "Brother, I find you've been really nagging lately. It's just a piece of honey cake, why are you so bothered——"
Cui Zhichou stepped forward upon seeing this, and, pressing Song Mingyue's shoulder, he continued, "Sixth Brother, you don't understand. This is the glory of a father. Look at how he has become more cautious since he started taking care of Xiaoyu. He's afraid that Xiaoyu will be easily deceived by a piece of honey cake in the future—"
Cang Yi looked at Cui Zhijian's stingy look and laughed.
Cui Zhijian, however, didn't care about the crowd's bullying. He reached out and hugged the little girl to his chest and continued, "Xiaoyu, let's ignore them. Do you understand what uncle said just now?"
Xiaoyu was smart. She nodded and turned to ask Song Mingyue, "Fourth Aunt, what question do you want to ask Xiaoyu?"
Song Mingyue smacked her lips, thinking that this little girl really listened to Cui Zhijian. She waved the honey cake in front of Xiaoyu and asked, "Auntie, I don't really have any other questions. I just want Xiaoyu to tell me, is this baby in my belly a boy or a girl?"
She heard that children guessed the most accurately, so she thought of asking.
Cui Zhichou also leaned over to listen curiously.
When the little girl heard this, she turned to look at Cui Zhijian first. After Cui Zhijian nodded, she opened her mouth and said that he was her younger brother.
"younger brother!"
This answer seemed to make Song Mingyue dissatisfied. Seeing her pinching the honey cake, she asked again unwillingly, "Xiaoyu, tell me seriously, Auntie will give you another chance. Are you a brother or a sister?"
Xiaoyu looked at Song Mingyue and thought that this adult was really strange.
It was clearly her who asked the question first, why did she still ask after I said it?
Xiaoyu reached out for the honey cake and said firmly, "He's my brother, so he is my brother."
But Song Mingyue felt a headache when she heard the word "brother." It wasn't enough that she'd grown up surrounded by men, but now she was going to have another son. It was too much for her to accept. Seeing her childish temper, she raised her hand in front of Xiaoyu and stuffed the honey cake into her mouth.
Who is spreading this rumor? What this kid said is definitely not true! It’s not true!
Xiaoyu burst into tears as she saw the promised honey cake disappear. Cui Zhijian was so angry that he immediately stood up, snatched the cake plate from Song Mingyue's hand, and said, "Look, look, you even cheated a child, what a scoundrel. Come on, Yujie. Let's go outside to watch the snow with uncle. Ignore these boring people—"
"people."
Cui Zhijian coaxed the little girl out.
Cang Yi took a look and shouted, "Da Lang, be careful not to let Yu Jieer eat too much. The elders will be here soon and we'll have dinner—"
"knew."
Cui Zhijian responded, lowered his eyes, and whispered to Xiaoyu, "Look, isn't the aunt more nagging than the uncle?"
The young couple stood outside the corridor. After meeting Cui Zhijian, they nodded and walked forward. Zheng turned her head and saw Song Mingyue. She couldn't help but say, "Sixth Brother, you're really something. How dare you fool our Yubao? You're just waiting for Big Brother to be angry with you."
Song Mingyue swallowed the dry and choking honey cake.
Cui Zhichou considerately brought over some water. Song Mingyue took a sip and said, "No, I was just teasing Yubao—it's just that big brother is narrow-minded." Turning her head and catching sight of Taishi Zheng's new dress, Song Mingyue changed the subject: "Second sister-in-law's new dress is really beautiful. Look at how well the three of us work together. Big sister-in-law chose purple cattail satin for her new dress this year, and I used goose yellow. Combined with your sunset-red jacket, from a distance, the three of us together look like a colorful butterfly flower."
Zheng looked at Song Mingyue and smiled, "Sixth Brother, when it comes to eloquence, who can beat you?"
Song Mingyue smoothed her skirt and sat down on the stool, saying proudly, "That's it."
When she met her sisters-in-law, Zheng ignored Cui Zhiyun, and it was rare for everyone to get together and have fun.
Zheng walked over to Cang Yi and sat down, staring at the table full of cold dishes served in silverware. She exclaimed in surprise, "Oh my God, it's New Year's Eve dinner after all, and even the presentation is so particular. Sister-in-law, are these all made in our kitchen?"
Cang Yi nodded. "Yes, this is the Doctor of Tea, Food and Wine that Mother-in-law just recruited from Banlou. I heard he's an expert at cooking southern dishes. We'll have the pleasure of trying some today."
"A newly recruited chef? It's great to have this mother-in-law in charge."
Song Mingyue listened to the two of them talking and took the opportunity to interrupt, "We've been eating the same old New Year's Eve dinner for years, and it's always the same. When someone comes to serve the dishes, I know which one to serve with my eyes closed. It's time to change it. Not to mention us, I think even the father-in-law and his family are almost sick of it. But that third aunt uses the excuse that it's a tradition left by the old grandfather to force my mother-in-law not to change the dishes, saying that changing the dishes is unfilial. Bah, I don't think she likes it that much. She uses chicken feathers as a token of authority all day long. I see that after she left, this mansion is completely quiet."
"Shh, Mingyue, please keep your words to yourself. Don't let anyone hear you."
Cang Yi was used to being cautious. She glanced around the hall and told Song Mingyue to be quiet.
Song Mingyue didn't feel anything. She was now a precious person and was not afraid of anyone. "Don't be afraid, sister-in-law. My mother-in-law is in charge of the Bo's Mansion now. How dare those opportunists say anything? Don't worry, this Bo's Mansion has been hard for Third Aunt for a long time. If you don't believe me, ask Second Sister-in-law. Do you think she feels the same way?"
After the words fell, no one responded.
The two sisters-in-law turned their heads to look, but the greedy girl Zheng didn't listen to their conversation at all. She just stared at the cold dishes on the table with a gleaming gaze, "Sister-in-law, Mingyue! How come the white meat is cut so thin--"
-
The snow fell heavier under the eaves. Cui Zhijian, holding the little girl in one hand and a plate of cakes in the other, stood like a wall in the corridor. Xiaoyu, on the other hand, slowly ate the honey cake. Small crumbs of cake fell on Cui Zhijian, but he didn't even complain.
The uncle and nephew just watched the snow falling quietly without saying a word.
At that time, someone was walking towards us from a distance. After seeing the people in the corridor, he stopped under the pine tree in the yard which was covered with snow.
The little girl was eating with great enthusiasm and didn't even look up at him.
Cui Zhijian turned his gaze away and asked in a deep voice, "Here you are."
Cui Zhisong dodged Cui Zhijian's gaze. He was afraid of him, and felt guilty towards him. If it weren't for New Year's Eve, they probably wouldn't have run into each other at the Bo's mansion. He was in such a hurry, he had nowhere to hide. He hadn't expected Cui Zhijian to greet him, and he hadn't thought about how to respond.
But with Xiaoyu's company, Cui Zhijian gradually let go of his worries. He looked at the people in the yard, and the anger in his eyes was gone.
After all, they are brothers from the same clan.
Cui Zhisong nodded.
Cui Zhijian asked, "Did your transfer to Jinzhou go smoothly?"
"Thank you for your concern, everything is going well..."
Cui Zhisong said nothing more as large flakes of snow fell from above his head. He felt ashamed, as he should have.
It was he who turned a good life into this.
Cui Zhijian nodded, as if he didn't know what to say. He lowered his eyes to glance at the little girl in his arms, put the cake plate on the porch, rubbed her head and said softly, "Yujie, Daddy is here, come and say hello to him."
Xiaoyu raised her head. It was silent here and her big eyes blinked.
Xiaoyu was confused for a moment.
The word "father" began to become unfamiliar to her due to the pain Cui Zhisong had caused her. She turned her head and looked at the person standing in the yard. After hesitating for two seconds, she buried her head in Cui Zhijian's solid and reliable chest in sorrow.
The memory of that night was still fresh in her mind, but Xiaoyu didn't want to face it yet.
Cui Zhijian didn't force it. These mistakes had nothing to do with her. Cui Zhijian gently patted the little girl's back, looked at Cui Zhisong who was stunned and said, "Forget it, give the child some time. There's no rush."
"I see."
Cui Zhisong stared with sorrow, a trace of regret filling his eyes, yet he could no longer look back. He stepped onto the traceless snowy path beneath the pines, and everything had to start over again.
Cui Zhisong and Zou Shuangtong completely parted ways.
Coming to the corridor, Cui Zhisong was about to brush shoulders with him. But Cui Zhijian suddenly asked, still so bluntly, "The Zou family is already in such a state. What are you going to do about the little girl? Will you take her with you when you go to Jinzhou to take up your post?"
Xiaoyu hid in Cui Zhijian's arms, silent. She listened to Cui Zhijian's heartbeat, and then she felt at ease.
Cui Zhisong stopped at the corridor and turned to look at the close uncle and nephew. After a long silence, he said lightly, "No, the journey to Jinzhou is long, and I don't know when I can return. I'll trouble you and your sister-in-law to take care of this child."
Although Cui Zhijian wanted to curse the irresponsible brother in front of him when he heard this, he was also relieved that Xiaoyu could stay by his side.
The two of them subsided, and Cui Zhijian fell silent. But he hugged the little girl even tighter.
Cui Zhisong withdrew his gaze, the north wind blowing strongly behind him. Before leaving, he breathed a long sigh and said in a deep voice to the people in the corridor, "Brother, I wish you a peaceful and prosperous new year."
Cui Zhijian suddenly looked back and Cui Zhisong disappeared from his sight.
But when he turned his eyes again, Cui Zhijian lowered his no longer stern gaze and said softly, "Yujie, I wish you a peaceful and prosperous new year."
The grudge between the two brothers will also be written off in the new year.
-
At the beginning of the You period, the two families gathered in Xiangrong Hall one after another.
There were two tables full of people, a scene Zheng had never seen since she got married.
Zheng sat between Cui Zhijun and Song Mingyue, looking around curiously until her eyes fell on the pretty and elegant young lady across from her. Zheng quickly patted the back of Song Mingyue's hand and whispered to her, "Sixth Brother, Sixth Brother. Why don't I have much impression of the girl across from me?"
"How can you not remember it?" Song Mingyue really admired Tai Shi Zheng's brain that could forget everything it saw.
She whispered, "This is Chun'er."
"Chun?" Zheng still didn't understand.
Song Mingyue shook her head. "That's my second uncle's mother's little girl, Cui Jianchun. But it's normal that you don't remember her, second sister-in-law. She's just like her brother Cui Zhilin. She's a bit of a taciturn person. She comes whenever there's something going on at home, but she just stands there without saying a word, acting as if she wasn't there at all. She doesn't seem much younger than us."
Zheng stared at Cui Jianchun and nodded, completely unaware that the person opposite her lowered her head and blushed.
-
After all, today is New Year's Eve, and no one is facing each other with deep hatred.
After Cui Yu briefly said a few words, he raised his glasses with everyone to celebrate the new year.
Zheng held up her wine glass, her eyes full of smiles, and tugged at Cui Zhijun's sleeve, wanting to be the first to clink glasses with him. Cui Zhijun also obliged, lowering his cup and spending this first New Year's Eve with Taishi Zheng.
The room was filled with laughter and the lights were bright.
The snow outside the window cannot cover the warmth in the hall. Everyone is praying that the new year can be a new beginning.
During the meal, Cui Zhijun was so focused on his wife's food that he kept moving his chopsticks from the plate in front of Zheng. Before he knew it, the plate had piled up into a small mountain, filled with Cui Zhijun's love. Zheng was in a dilemma and casually held the plate close to her chest, "Erlang, stop taking more. If you take more, I won't be able to finish it."
Cui Zhijun didn't realize he had taken too much until Zheng opened her mouth. Then he stopped and said, "Then you eat first. Tell me if it's not enough."
Zheng nodded, picked up the chopsticks, and prepared to get down to business.
But just as she picked up a piece of fish and put it in her mouth, she suddenly turned around and asked, "Sixth Brother, this is strange. I heard that pregnant women will have morning sickness in your month. Why do I look at you and don't you..."
Zheng said it casually, but Cui Zhichou was shocked when he heard it, "Second sister-in-law, don't say that—"
But, nothing comes true as soon as words are spoken.
Before Cui Zhichou could stop Tai Shi Zheng, Song Mingyue's stomach suddenly churned, and her uncomfortable look instantly caught Tai Shi Zheng's eyes.
Zheng stood there in confusion. Could it be that her mouth was blessed?
The next second, the old lady serving in the distance, as if prepared, rushed over with two buckets in her hands, one on each side, hitting Song Mingyue and Cui Zhichou in the face.
The doubts were magnified infinitely, and Zheng frowned and looked at Cui Zhichou.
Song Mingyue felt like vomiting, but why did he also have his own scumbag?! Could it be that he also...
Zhengrao was foresighted and stood in the empty space with her bowl and chopsticks.
But two vomiting sounds were heard, falling at the same time.
It scared the people who were doing it and resonated with them.
"Huh."
Can these two people go out?
Cui Zhijian had a small appetite, and he couldn't help but vomit twice, but was stopped by Cang Yi's slap.
Cang Yi was afraid that he would vomit on Xiaoyu's head if he wasn't careful.
Zheng casually placed her bowl and chopsticks near Cang Yi and hurried over to check on the couple. Unexpectedly, her reaction was even greater than theirs, and Yu Yuelan even thought that Zheng was also in trouble.
"Mingyue, ugh...you...ugh."
"Third brother, you didn't...vomit."
Zheng was kind and caring, but she couldn't help being infected by them, so she turned around and rushed out of Xiangrong Hall. Cui Zhijun saw this and hurriedly followed him out. Cang Yi covered Cui Zhijian's mouth and realized something was wrong, "Cui Dalang, put Xiaoyu down. You get out too."
Cui Zhijian listened to his wife the most. He immediately put Xiaoyu on the ground and followed Cang Yi out the door.
At this point, it would not be appropriate for Song Mingyue and Cui Zhichou to stay in the house any longer.
Then, the two of them exchanged glances, covered their buckets, bowed to the elders, and ran out the door.
The remaining elders looked at each other in bewilderment. However, as experienced people, they did not criticize him. Instead, they looked at each other and burst into laughter.
After all, they are of the same lineage and were like this back then.
-
"vomit--"
Beneath the porch, people were lined up in rows, bent over. Never before had I heard a more orderly chorus of voices in the mansion than tonight.
To the east, Cui Zhijun patted Taishi Zheng's back, while to the west, Cang Yi poured water for Cui Zhijian. In between, a couple clutched a slag bucket, each churning with turmoil. Behind them were magnificent lights, and before them, rustling snow. The line of people, like sparrows on a branch, stood or squatted. The scene was truly hilarious.
Zheng was the first to recover. She patted her chest and asked, "Sixth Brother, how come your morning sickness came so suddenly? I was completely unprepared!"
“!!!”
Cui Zhichou widened his eyes. Oh no, he couldn’t stop it.
After Tai Shi Zheng finished speaking, the emotions between him and Song Mingyue surged again.
After his stomach settled, Cui Zhichou took the initiative and said, "Second sister-in-law, you don't know! Liu'er, ever since you got pregnant, you can't say anything. If you mention anything that didn't happen, she will immediately come to your senses. That's why I told you not to say anything today."
"What? That's too weird. But I said I had morning sickness next month, why are you vomiting too?" Zheng's brain was lacking oxygen at the moment, and she blurted out the word morning sickness subconsciously.
"Don't, don't mention it—ugh."
Cui Zhichou gestured, but he couldn't outsmart Taishi Zheng's mouth. His eyes darkened, and he sat down on the ground, feeling hopeless. He complained, "Second sister-in-law, I beg you, please don't mention these two words again. Please forgive me—"
Because even he himself didn't know why he would vomit whenever Song Mingyue vomited.
Cui Zhichou thought... this might be what it means for a couple to be of one mind...
Zheng had calmed down, no longer affected by their infection. But seeing their almost synchronized movements, Zheng couldn't help but cover her mouth in surprise. She still couldn't believe it. Looking up at Cui Zhijun, Zheng suddenly smiled maliciously, then stretched out her throat and uttered a word: "Pregnancy——"
This caused the three people squatting on the ground to turn their heads and glare at the "cunning" Tai Shi Zheng.
So mean!
What does this guy want to do!
Even Cui Zhijian, a blockhead, noticed something was wrong and quickly shouted, "Cui Laoer, quickly shut up your wife!"
Cui Zhijun was still intoxicated by the smile his wife was giving him.
Cui Zhijun was stunned when he heard this.
By the time he reacted and raised his hand to cover Taishi Zheng, it was too late. Zheng's pronunciation had already made a sound. Cui Zhijian looked at his idiot brother and exclaimed, "Oh, Cui Laoer, you idiot."
vomit……
As soon as the voice fell, the three of them lay down in the corridor.
Cui Zhijun was no fool at all. Amidst the vomiting, he silently covered his wife's eyes. Cang Yi smiled and shook his head, as if giving up, leaning against the doorpost and watching quietly.
Later, the wind and snow died down, and the corridor was filled with the unbridled laughter of a group of young people.
Everyone looked at each other in silence.
This experience of morning sickness,
It's rare...
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