Before the Jiang family's property was confiscated, Jiang Mingzhe thought he would never have a child in his life.
Jiang Mingzhe once resented the injustice of fate, wondering why he had to live in a home where his parents didn't love him and his brothers were at odds with him.
He hated God for making him hope to have children time and time again, only to watch them die before they were even born.
Ye Yunniang would never know how grateful Jiang Mingzhe was to know that she was willing to keep the child.
Ye Yunniang had no idea that Jiang Mingzhe was so excited that he cried when he learned that the child was healthy.
“Sometimes I wonder if the surname Jiang is a curse on me. That’s why all those children left me.”
Jiang Mingzhe didn't have much affection for the children's mothers, but he genuinely hoped for each of the children.
"So, don't let Pingping change his surname. Let him grow up well with the blessings of the Li family." Jiang Mingzhe was genuinely afraid that something would happen to his son if he changed his surname.
He couldn't bear the blow of losing again.
"You don't mind, aren't you afraid of what people will say?"
"If I cared about these things, I would have died long ago." Jiang Mingzhe had been told these things since birth. He had long since learned to let go and not care.
“Alright, Pingping will not change her surname.” Ye Yunniang agreed to Jiang Mingzhe.
Privately, Ye Yunniang told Cai Damei what Jiang Mingzhe had said.
"If he treats you sincerely, you should treat him sincerely too. Remember not to be suspicious. A couple needs to discuss things together." Cai Damei shared her years of experience with Ye Yunniang, worried that she might not have a good marriage.
"Yes, I will." Ye Yunniang wrote it down carefully. Then she brought up the matter of wanting to learn how to argue from Cai Xiaomei.
“Your aunt learned it from me. When arguing, just remember one thing,” Cai Damei said, holding up one finger.
"The purpose of arguing is not to win, but to make the other person furious."
Don't try to defend yourself against what the other party says. Instead, calmly seize upon their loopholes and weaknesses, and then strike them while they're down.
Ye Yunniang nodded and made a note of it.
This year's Lunar New Year's Eve was very different for the Li family.
With the two-year drought and flood over, the Li family no longer needed to scrimp and save to prepare New Year's dishes.
Most importantly, the children's father is here for Chinese New Year this year.
Ye Yunniang had decided on the dishes for the New Year's Eve dinner a few days in advance and started preparing early in the morning.
Pan-frying, stir-frying, cooking, deep-frying—these methods are used to create a table full of delicious food.
The family sat around the table, raising their glasses to celebrate the New Year reunion.
"Where is Father?" Cai Shuyi's sudden question caused the atmosphere at the table to freeze.
“Your dad is busy.” Cai Damei picked up a piece of crispy pork, which Cai Shuyi loved to eat.
"Mother, I miss Father." After saying this, Cai Shuyi picked up the crispy pork and started eating.
Nodding, he said to Ye Yunniang, "Sister-in-law, the crispy pork is delicious."
"Eat more if you like it." Ye Yunniang put two pieces on Cai Shuyi's plate, and then served Cai Damei a bowl of mutton soup.
"Mom, how about trying my mutton soup?"
Cai Damei took the drink and sipped it. Not bad.
Upon receiving a look from Ye Yunniang, Li Pan spoke up, "Grandma, the teacher said my grades are good, and I can go to Class B next year. In three years, I can take the exam."
"That's wonderful. May our ancestors bless us. After the New Year, I must go and burn paper money for your father and grandfather."
"Okay," Li Pan replied, "I'll go on the third day of the lunar new year."
"Okay, we'll go on the third day of the Lunar New Year. Bring plenty of strong liquor. Your grandfather loves it."
“Okay, I’ll go buy it the day after tomorrow,” Li Pan agreed.
"Keep eating, chopsticks on!" Ye Yunniang urged everyone to eat.
After the family reunion dinner, the children went to set off fireworks and firecrackers. Jiang Mingzhe went along to watch over the children.
Ye Yunniang and Cai Damei sat together talking.
"mother,"
"Between Bao Min and me, it's over, it's over." Cai Damei knew what Ye Yunniang was going to say.
"Shushu is still young, she needs her father's company."
“I didn’t stop Bao Min.” It was Bao Min himself who didn’t want to come see Shushu.
If Bao Min wanted to read, Cai Damei's attempts to stop him were futile.
Ye Yunniang understood and said no more.
"Mom, I'm going to knead dough to make dumplings." Ye Yunniang went to the kitchen to knead dough.
Jiang Mingzhe walked into the kitchen. "I'll chop the meat and mix the filling."
Can you?
"Don't underestimate me." Jiang Mingzhe rolled up his sleeves, washed the meat, and deftly chopped it into filling.
"Who did you learn from? Chef Jin?"
"It's Chef Jin, not Jin Dachuan."
Jiang Mingzhe talked to Ye Yunniang about learning to cook.
As a child, Jiang Mingzhe was frequently punished because of Jiang Mingde's framing.
Starvation was the most common punishment.
Jiang Mingzhe was so hungry that he sneaked out of the yard to find something to eat in the main kitchen.
After going there too many times, the kitchen staff discovered it.
The head chef in the kitchen was Jin Dachuan's father.
He knew Jiang Mingzhe was having a hard time, so he didn't report it to Old Madam Jiang. Instead, he secretly taught Jiang Mingzhe how to cook.
Jiang Mingzhe can cook, so he doesn't go to the main kitchen to find food. He uses his New Year's money to buy a set of kitchen utensils and food.
When he was punished again, Jiang Mingzhe would secretly cook in the yard.
I gradually developed pretty good cooking skills.
"I ran out of my New Year's money. To avoid going hungry, I tried to find ways to earn money. Later, I came to enjoy the thrill of making money," Jiang Mingzhe said, deftly chopping the filling with his hands.
Mince the meat, crack in an egg, and add minced ginger.
Li Ping doesn't eat scallions, so Jiang Mingzhe added scallion water to the filling.
"How does it smell?"
Ye Yunniang lowered her head and smelled it; it had a strong salty and fragrant aroma, very good.
Knead the dough, let it rest for a while, then roll out the wrappers and make dumplings.
After the children finished setting off the fireworks, they ran into the kitchen to help with the wrapping.
Ye Yunniang did not refuse, and rolled up her sleeves to teach them how to wrap them.
With the children involved, the dumplings were wrapped a little slowly.
Wrap it up, and leave it until midnight.
Jiang Mingzhe took Li Pan to set off firecrackers.
Li An, Li Ping, and Cai Shuyi sat around the pot waiting for the dumplings to cook.
After eating the delicious dumplings, Ye Yunniang told the children to wash up.
Cai Shuyi was carried back to her room to rest by Cai Damei.
Ye Yunniang and Jiang Mingzhe finished washing up and tidied up before returning to their room.
In the early hours of the morning, Ye Yunniang was awakened by the sound of firecrackers outside.
When I opened my eyes, I saw Jiang Mingzhe's chest.
"Sleep a little longer." Jiang Mingzhe pulled Ye Yunniang into his arms.
Ye Yunniang mumbled an "Mmm" in her sleep and went back to sleep.
When I woke up again, I heard people coming to wish me a Happy New Year.
Jiang Mingzhe was no longer there. A note was placed beside him.
"I'll go to the New Year's party in place of that brat."
Ye Yunniang smiled.
I got up, dressed, and opened the door, only to find no one was coming.
Hurry up and go to the kitchen.
Inside the kitchen, white porridge was warming on the stove, and a plate of stir-fried dried radish was placed on the table next to it.
Thinking of last night, Jiang Mingzhe asked what he wanted to eat for breakfast.
"We ate meat all day, so I'd like some plain porridge and some dried radish."
Ye Yunniang ate two bowls of plain porridge with some dried radish.
Cai Damei walked into the kitchen.
"Mother, would you like some porridge?"
"I've already eaten. I'm taking Shushu to your aunt's house to wish her a Happy New Year."
"Okay," Ye Yunniang replied.
After Cai Damei left, Ye Yunniang sensed something was wrong.
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