Grandma and Manman folded colorful paper gourds, and even folded a few little swallows. Colorful tassels were attached to the bottom of the gourds, creating a vibrant festive atmosphere.
Uncle Hu got up very early, before the sun had even risen, and went to the outskirts to pick a lot of mugwort. He tied these mugworts into bunches and hung them on the iron fence of the yard, which not only created a festive atmosphere but also allowed him to soak his feet in the dried mugwort.
Yu Yin and Aunt Hu prepared a lot of fillings, including savory ones with cured meat, sweet ones with candied dates, ones with egg yolk, and ones with white kidney beans... In the end, they mixed them up and couldn't tell what was what.
Tomorrow is the festival, and Yu Yin and Aunt Hu have prepared a lot of zongzi (sticky rice dumplings). They want to distribute some to the shop's employees, especially the single ones. They also want to give some to Uncle Lu and his family. After all, proper etiquette shouldn't be forgotten.
Yu Yin prepared all the gifts. Lu Shurui was in charge of the gifts for the rest of the Lu family, with the second sister's family receiving the most, followed by the others. Yu Yin also prepared a gift for Professor An, which she asked Ping An and An An to take slowly over. The rest were for the shop's employees.
"Uncle Hu, Aunt Hu, everything is ready. Please take some back for the memorial service."
"Okay, Yu Yin. Your uncle and I are going back to see our two sons, and we'll be back this afternoon."
Uncle Hu and Aunt Hu have been living with Yu Yin's family for over a year. Every year during festivals, they go back to visit their parents' and son's graves, sweep the tombs, and also check on their house and visit their close neighbors and relatives.
As for their daughter, they acted as if she had never been born. When the elderly couple were at their most difficult and helpless, their daughter chose to abandon them; what was there left for them to cherish?
Yu Yin, Lu Shurui, and the children all went off on their own, leaving only their grandparents at home.
Let's start with Lu Shurui. He arrived at his parents' house with the four gifts prepared by Yu Yin. His father and mother were both there.
"Mom and Dad, this is a gift that Yu Yin and I prepared. It's a holiday, so please make whatever you want to eat. Here are some zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) that Yu Yin and Aunt Hu made, a roast chicken, a packet of tea, and two bottles of wine."
Lu Shurui brought over bags and packages, which the neighbors all saw. They thought that among the Lu family's children, Lu Shurui and Lu Shuxia were the most filial, and they would bring things to visit every year.
"What's the point of carrying all this stuff? The house is so quiet and empty, and you never even invite us over for the holidays."
Looking at the things Lu Shurui had laid out on the table one by one, Lu's mother felt even more depressed. Why couldn't she just go see the garden villa?
"Mom, it's almost a holiday, and instead of going to see Grandpa and Grandma first, you're waiting for us to invite you to the holiday. That doesn't make sense, does it?"
Lu Shurui couldn't understand what was wrong with his mother either. She didn't care about the elderly herself, yet she expected her children to be attentive to her. In Yu Yin's words, this was a clear double standard!
Moreover, his mother had so many conflicts with Yu Yin before, and he looked down on Yu Yin in every way. Now he wants to get closer to her. I don't know what he's thinking.
"Alright, put the things there. Don't worry about what your mother said. I'm going to check on your grandparents in a bit. How's your grandma's leg recovery?"
Mr. Lu couldn't understand it either. Jiang Wanling was an intellectual who had been a teacher for so many years. He didn't know what was wrong with her now. Her actions and words were incomprehensible and she was just being unreasonable!
"Why can't I listen to what I say? Aren't I his mother? Doesn't he have an obligation to support me?"
Lu's mother screamed and yelled, feeling that the whole world was against her, that no one understood her, and that everyone thought she was wrong.
"Stop talking. Are you even old enough to be supported?"
"Why don't I need to be supported?"
"Mom, it's a holiday, if that's how you put it, then call my older brother and Shukang over, and we'll discuss how to support them. We'll decide how much each of us should contribute, and I won't shirk my responsibility for what's mine."
Lu Shurui understood his mother's intentions; he wanted to move into their villa and live a life of being waited on hand and foot. But how could that be possible? Not only was the house bought by Yu Yin, but given his mother's past behavior, how could she possibly live with Yu Yin and the child?
"You, you, you knew I didn't mean that, yet you still..."
"Mom, I'm sorry, I can't do what you asked."
Lu Shurui left his parents' house with mixed feelings. He felt that he had done a good job, so why couldn't his mother satisfy him?
Leaving aside the dejected Lu Shurui, the others who brought gifts were warmly welcomed.
Several children played at Professor An's house and ate zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) with the old man. Professor An's wife and children had gone abroad and had not returned. He was implicated and monitored for several years. Having witnessed the coldness of human relationships, he could only open his heart to Manman and her siblings.
Yu Yin was especially popular. During the holidays, as the boss, she not only gave out red envelopes but also sent zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), showing both generosity and deep affection!
Meanwhile, Grandpa and Grandma Lu, who stayed at home, welcomed Uncle Lu's family.
"Mom and Dad, it's the holiday, so I came to visit you early. I know you don't lack anything to eat or drink with Shurui, so I bought some things from time-honored brands. You and the children can try them. Mom and Dad, try them and see if the taste has changed, or if it still tastes the same."
Uncle Lu and Shuqi carried a lot of things, one after another, and placed them on the table.
"The vegetables in this yard are growing really well. Those are green beans, right? They don't seem to be the local variety. They're already flowering."
"Those are soybeans from Northeast China. Yinyin asked someone to send them from there. They are seedlings that Xiao Hu and I raised together and planted. In another ten days or half a month, some of the vegetables will be ready to eat."
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