Wang Lihua scolded her for picking up the pastry crumbs.
He urged her to help him with the work quickly.
After saying that, he turned around and went to wash the rice.
Chen Zhao'er, standing behind her, looked aggrieved but dared not cry.
Because if she cried out loud, her grandmother would hit her, her father would hit her, and her mother would hit her too.
She didn't want to be beaten anymore.
It hurts so much.
The slight sweetness in her mouth quickly disappeared, and Chen Zhao'er returned to the stove to pick out the walnuts with a bamboo skewer.
...
"Dad, it's almost time for New Year's Eve dinner. Should we go to the dilapidated temple to call Grandpa back to eat with us?"
Yan Chun's youngest daughter, Yan Zhiyu, had just finished cooking, and her hands were covered in grease.
Today at home we had braised cabbage with pork cracklings, it smelled so good it made my mouth water.
She's probably the only one who would care about Yan Hecheng.
"No need. He's the one who's been clamoring for a divorce. If he's gone, he shouldn't come back. If he wants to live in this dilapidated temple, then he can live there for the rest of his life. Is the food ready? If it is, then let your older brother go set off the firecrackers."
Yan Chun gave a cold laugh. Since his father passed away, he had been living an extremely carefree life.
Nobody dares to stand on his head and poop.
No one dared to scold or reprimand him.
Has he gone mad? His father had finally passed away, and now he's rushing to bring him back, even though the family only has so much food.
Why not keep it for yourself?
"Alright, Dad, the dishes are ready. We're just waiting for the rice to cook. I'll go tell my older brother now."
Soon after setting off firecrackers, Yan Chun's family also began to eat their New Year's Eve dinner.
A family of ten sat around a table with three dishes on it: braised cabbage with pork cracklings, egg pancakes, and stir-fried dried tofu with pickled vegetables.
There was also a full bowl of rice.
This year is a bumper harvest year.
Otherwise, they wouldn't dare eat like that.
Yan Zhigao's only daughter, Yan Xiaocui, was practically drooling. She carefully reached out her chopsticks to pick up an egg pancake, but before she could even touch the plate, Xu Xiangxiang slapped her hand with her chopsticks.
Instantly, the back of Yan Xiaocui's hand turned bright red.
"Don't cry out loud during the New Year, it's bad luck. Sister-in-law, even though you only have one daughter, you still have to discipline her. She's so greedy at such a young age. She'll be five years old by the New Year, and she can help with chores around the house. Yet she's still so insensible. The adults haven't even touched their chopsticks, and you, a little girl, dare to reach for them. What, when did you, Xiao Cui, become the head of this household?"
Zou Hongying, who was being verbally abused, turned so black her face looked like it could drip ink.
She slapped her daughter across the face.
"I told you not to be greedy! You're so old and still don't know any better, all you do is cause me trouble! What good are you! You're a piece of trash."
"Waaah, Mom, I was wrong, I won't eat it anymore."
Yan Xiaocui burst into tears.
"Oh dear, stop crying, it's giving me a headache. Sister-in-law, can you please stop bringing bad luck to our family on New Year's Eve? It's so annoying."
Xu Xiangxiang slammed her chopsticks heavily on the table.
Startled, Yan Xiaocui immediately fell silent.
"Alright, stop arguing. Why are you making things unpleasant during the New Year? Zhiqiang's wife, you come and cut the dishes."
Yan Chun, as the head of the family, spoke.
The farce finally came to an end.
Xu Xiangxiang proudly raised her head.
She was the eldest daughter-in-law and gave birth to two grandsons for her parents-in-law.
In this family, basically, apart from her father-in-law, she's the one who calls the shots.
She first served her father-in-law a full half bowl of food, then served her two children, then her husband, her mother-in-law, herself, and her sister-in-law, and finally served her brother-in-law.
When it was Zou Hongying and Yan Xiaocui's turn, there were only a few pieces of cabbage and pickled vegetables stir-fried with dried tofu left. Oh, the dried tofu was also finished, only the pickled vegetables were left.
Xu Xiangxiang simply placed both plates in front of the mother and daughter.
"You guys can just eat the cabbage soup; I'm too lazy to serve you any more."
Zou Hongying dared not argue any further and could only pour the rice from her bowl into a plate.
Only then did it taste a little better.
Yan Xiaocui didn't even get to eat the soup. She ate half a bowl of rice and some pickled vegetables, tears welling up in her eyes. Afraid of being discovered, she didn't dare to lift her head.
In Xu Xiangxiang's eyes, her sister-in-law was more important than her brother-in-law's family.
After all, she'll be sixteen after the New Year.
It's time to look at potential partners.
When my grandfather was alive, he kept his parents in line, forbidding his sister-in-law from getting married so early.
After Grandpa passed away, Grandpa took over the household.
My sister-in-law will be able to get a good price this year.
Xu Xiangxiang was overjoyed at the thought of it. She had to get her sister-in-law's betrothal money so she could buy herself a silver hairpin and take a stroll around the village. She couldn't be happier.
It started snowing lightly outside again.
The children playing in the village were all called home by the adults.
It's already late afternoon.
Yan Xia's family's New Year's Eve dinner was ready and placed on the kitchen stove to be warmed by the residual heat.
"Kids, dinner's ready! Set the table and chairs, take out the bowls and chopsticks, and bring the dishes from the stove to the table. Oh, by the way, is the milk tea ready? Everyone can have a cup later. No need for alcohol, Mom forgot to buy it."
Yan Xia stood outside the kitchen, calling out to customers.
She made the milk tea by brewing black tea and milk. She brought a lot of milk with her when she went back to the village a couple of days ago.
Add honey and brown sugar, and it tastes amazing, plus it doesn't have the trans fats found in modern diets.
However, with such heavy snow, they probably wouldn't be able to return to town until after the New Year. The milk from the cows could only be given to the six servants. They stayed at the restaurant, and Yan Xia bought them the food and vegetables they needed for the New Year, and entrusted them with the care of the two shops.
While her children were busy, Yan Xia secretly called Xiao Ji over, gave her a bamboo basket, and whispered a few words in her ear.
Xiao Ji then went out carrying a bamboo basket.
"Mom, the table, chairs, bowls, and chopsticks are all set, and the dishes have been brought over. Shall I go set off the firecrackers?"
"Call your brother, just set off one string, and set off the other string at midnight."
"OK."
After saying that, Jin Fu went to the backyard and called Jin Lu to come with him. The two brothers took firecrackers and went to the front gate.
Xiao Ji also happened to be back.
"Children, cover your ears, don't be scared!"
No sooner had Yan Xia finished speaking than a deafening roar erupted outside the door.
"boom--"
"boom--"
Two loud noises shook the entire village, startling even the animals on the mountain, who thought the sky had fallen and the earth had cracked.
"Crackling and popping—"
"Bang bang bang—"
Immediately afterwards, the firecrackers were lit.
"Wow, whose house is playing such a loud bang? A tael of silver just vanished like that, how extravagant!"
"Who else could it be? It's the Yan family, of course. Besides her, who else in the village is so rich?"
"Mom, can I go out and collect firecrackers? Aunt Yan's firecrackers have been out for a long time, there must be a lot of duds that haven't lit."
"It's snowing lightly outside, where are you going?"
"They're really rich and powerful. They set off two loud bangs and a string of firecrackers that lasted for so long. They're nothing compared to the firecrackers we bought."
"Comparing yourself to others will only make you miserable—"
"...."
Everyone was gossiping.
It's nothing more than a discussion about Yan Xia's grand gesture.
Many children also discussed going to Yan Xia's house to pick up the duds that had fallen after the snow stopped.
However, if the snow falls heavier and heavier, the firecrackers will get wet and won't be able to be set off.
Picking it up is pointless.
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