Lu Xiao shook her hand and asked, "Do you want to go out for a walk with me? When I came back, Sister Li was still asking about it. Let's bring a bag of fruit candy and treat it as visiting relatives in advance."
We have been living together in the compound for several years and treat each other like a family.
Jiang Yan thought about it and decided it was okay. She got up from the bed and took out two bags of fruit candies from the kang cabinet. Thinking that the gift was too simple, she took out two cans of yellow peaches.
Lu Xiao took the red scarf from the bedside and covered half of her face. The weather outside was getting colder and colder, and she would be frozen in a few days.
When it snows heavily, we have to sweep the roof.
The small green tiles are not strong and are easy to break. If the snow layer is too thick, they will collapse.
Every winter, the troops would go to nearby brigades for rescue and disaster relief. They would also regularly clean their own homes to avoid any safety accidents.
There are not only big ones in the family, but also small ones. The big ones run fast, but the small ones are his and Jiang Yan’s babies. He has to make sure they grow up safely and healthily, carrying his and Jiang Yan’s love and hope.
The two went to Li Yuzhen's house first. Li Yuzhen was cooking pig's feet. Seeing her coming, she grinned happily, "Oh, busy man, what's the wind blowing today? You actually came to my house? Come sit by the fire. It's freezing outside. My child has frostbite.
Fortunately, I still have the chilblains medicine you gave me last year. It works great. Don’t you plan to mass-produce it? Plenty of people will buy it.”
Jiang Yan gave her a few every year and didn't ask for money, so she killed chickens and ducks and sent them to her. It was okay to eat them, so there was no reason to take them for free.
If someone gives you money, it's out of kindness. If you don't show any appreciation, who would follow you? There are many smart people in the compound.
Favors are a two-way street.
What Li Yuzhen hated most was owing favors to others. She saw Jiang Yan sit down, took the fruit plate and put the melon seeds on the stove.
Roast the chestnuts on one side, then deep-fry them. They are soft, sweet and delicious.
Jiang Yan saw her busying around and put down the gift in her hand. Li Yuzhen glared at her and said, "Please, don't bring anything to your house. I'm already very happy that you're here. I always go to your house empty-handed. I don't dare to go to your house anymore.
I'm just walking down the street, how could I be idle if I didn't chat with you?"
Jiang Yan said calmly: "Sister-in-law, the New Year is coming soon, I sent this to you to sweeten your mouth, where is the child, isn't he at home?"
Li Yuzhen was furious. "Except for eating, you never see them. Their shoes are worn out and their feet have frostbite. We ask them to do their homework at home, but they don't listen and run around everywhere.
Only his father can scare them. Oh, I really raised a ancestor. If he is half as well-behaved as Mi Li, I will be satisfied. How did you raise him? Share your experience. Raising children really makes me exhausted.
Look at my face, I look several years older, I'm just worried. His father is a soldier, he has a good family background. If he has a child who doesn't study well and becomes a thief in the future, wouldn't that be a disgrace to his father?
I was afraid that I couldn't raise my head. His father was just talking big, saying that children's education was the most important thing. Then he came back and crossed his legs, leaving me alone with the burden.
That kid doesn't listen to me, and the older he gets, the harder he gets to control. Even so, my family is urging me to have two more, saying that there are not enough children and they're just putting me on the fire.
Whoever wants to have children can have them, but I won’t. Raising children won’t protect me from aging, and money is my only sense of security.”
The retired soldiers in the compound have many children, but now they have their own families, so who will take care of you?
It's okay if you are in good health, but if you are sick or in pain, your children will have no patience.
If you are rich, you can hire a nanny for you. If you are poor, you just have to endure it. Even if you die, it will be your fate.
Li Yuzhen has seen a lot and has no hope for her children. What matters most is having money.
Jiang Yan nibbled melon seeds and joked, "Then the stick breeds filial sons. That's how our ancestors educated us. If a child doesn't obey, it's because he wasn't beaten enough. If a child is naughty, it's because he hasn't been beaten enough. If you beat him until he's afraid, will he dare to be naughty?"
Children also read people's expressions and are smarter than adults think.
Li Yuzhen said, "Do you think I didn't beat him enough? He's just like that cow that can't be taught to turn. His father's offspring is not good, and he can't be forced back after giving birth. I can only control him as much as I can.
After the New Year, we changed his school and let him focus on his studies. Universities were open, and that was a good opportunity. His father and I hoped that he could get into a technical secondary school or a junior college, but we had no hope for him to go to university.
How could smoke come out of the ancestral grave for no reason? The two elders don’t have to worry about food and clothing in the future.
They couldn't just rely on his father's pension, they still needed it.
It is normal for parents to want their children to become successful if they have no future.
Jiang Yan agreed, "Okay, make more preparations and communicate more with the child. You need to know what the child thinks."
Li Yuzhen spread her hands. "What does he think? He can do whatever he wants. It's a headache to think about it. I owed him in my last life. Should I work like a slave for him in this life?"
When I talk about my family, I feel so sad. Every mother is great.
Jiang Yan sat for a while and then went to Luo Chunya's house. Luo Chunya was coaxing the baby while cooking.
Jiang Yan stayed for half an hour and then returned with Lu Xiao. They lived a comfortable and fulfilling life on the island, and could hear the laughter of children every day.
Whenever Jiang Yan is free, she goes to chat with Song Jingtian and Hu Xueer. The sisters-in-law have a lot of topics to talk about and can talk about everything.
Zhang Yulan and Miao Xiuying ran around everywhere, chatting with the aunts in the yard. Soon, it was New Year.
The family started preparing the New Year’s Eve dinner. Everyone had a clear division of labor. Some washed the vegetables, some cooked, and some cleaned up after the meal. Everything was arranged.
Jiang Yan and Lu Li are the chefs, and Lu Xiao and Song Jingtian help them. There are many people this year, so they have to cook for four or five tables of people, sixteen people at a table, including steamed, stir-fried, stewed and cold dishes.
Jiang Yan made spicy chicken, eight-treasure rice, egg rolls, spicy prawns, steamed crabs, and king crabs.
Leave the rest to Lu Li.
Just look at the plates of dishes being brought out from the kitchen, the aroma is so fragrant.
Lu Jiandang held the incense and offered the food later. Before eating the New Year’s Eve dinner, they had to offer sacrifices to the ancestors and set off firecrackers before everyone could eat. This was the tradition there.
Starting at eight in the morning, we worked until four-thirty in the afternoon, and sixteen dishes were served.
Jiang Yan's hands were sore, so Lu Xiao gave her a massage, and the rest was left to the older generation.
After waiting for the meal to be served and the firecrackers to be set off, everyone sat down one after another. There was still one table for men, one table for women, and one table for children.
The men drank, the women and children drank, and Jiang Yan took the juice.
As the head of the family, Lu Jianguo stood up with his glass in hand and said in a high voice, "Come, everyone, have a drink. In the new year, I wish you all happiness, health, and prosperity in your career. I'm not good at talking, so please don't laugh at me. Drink this first."
Lu Li called, "Come, let's have a toast. I wish all of us success in our careers, peace and health, harmonious and happy families, prosperity in our wallets, and great luck in everything we do."
This made the others laugh. Miao Xiuying coughed and said, "In the new year, I wish everyone all the best. Let's drink our wine first."
Others followed suit and said, "Come on, cheers."
After a group of people clinked their glasses, they raised their heads and drank it all in one gulp, pushing the atmosphere to a climax. Then they said some blessings and then sat down to eat.
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