Chapter 148
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the kids all got up early and made a fuss for most of the morning. Before lunch was even ready, they were all nodding off like little carrots.
Mu Jin and Bai Qiqiu placed them in the bedroom on the first floor and gently covered them with blankets.
The four children groaned in unison, wiggled their little bottoms, rolled over, and instantly fell into a deep sleep, oblivious to the world around them.
Mu Jin gently closed the door and said with a smile, "For lunch today, we have quite a few leftover dumplings from yesterday. How about we stew a fish and a chicken?"
Bai Qiqiu smiled and said, "Big brother, I'll be your assistant."
In those years, regardless of whether they were rich or poor, everyone would buy some meat to eat.
The chickens and ducks raised at home are mostly slaughtered and eaten only during the New Year.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the aroma of meat permeated every corner of Mujia Village. Even the village dogs were happily gnawing on big bones.
The children were all wearing new clothes that they usually wouldn't wear, eating sweets and pastries, so happy that they didn't know what the world was like.
At such a young age, innocent and carefree, their New Year's wish is to celebrate the New Year every day, without considering whether their parents' wallets can support them.
The aroma of meat wafted from the kitchen, and the food was served. Mu Jin returned to the house and found the children still fast asleep.
Zhou Yaoyao was drooling, and the few copper coins she was tightly holding were scattered around her fair little hands.
Mu Jin smiled helplessly, picked up the copper coins and put them aside, then carefully tucked the blankets around the children before leaving the house.
"They're fast asleep. Leave a few bowls of dumplings in the pot for them, we'll eat first."
Wen Zhaoran sighed and laughed: "Judging from his appearance, he still has a long sleep ahead of him, probably before dinner."
Bai Qiqiu picked up a dumpling and said, "I didn't sleep well last night because of the firecrackers. Let them sleep."
Several adults were enjoying a delicious meal in the kitchen, clinking glasses and chatting, with no children around to make a fuss, and they were quite at ease.
During the New Year holidays, Zhou Lin specifically asked Zhou Ming to arrange a visit to his uncle's family on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, avoiding the time when Zhou Wu's wife went back to her parents' home.
Zhou Wu's mother came early to complain, and Wu's uncle, feeling sorry for his own sister, saw Zhou Lin hesitate several times, but was stopped by his aunt and uncle, so he didn't interfere in their affairs.
They remained silent, and Zhou Lin and Mu Jin pretended not to know. They finished their lunch amicably and went home without lingering.
Amidst the hustle and bustle, in the blink of an eye, it was the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the last day of the Lunar New Year.
Zhou Lin had made two wooden flower lanterns for Zhou Yaoyao and Xiao Mugua early in the morning, and was just waiting for evening so that he could take the two children out for a walk.
Mu Jin got up early in the morning and rolled a lot of glutinous rice balls with brown sugar filling. She quickly sent some to a few close relatives and friends, and then cooked about twenty-five or twenty-six of the rest at noon.
But after getting Zhou Yaoyao's help, he ate five in one go. Mu Jin was worried that he would overeat.
If he wanted more, Mu Jin refused to scoop it up for him.
"Little Daddy, I want more to eat! My tummy isn't full yet."
Zhou Yaoyao held up his special little wooden bowl, looking at Mu Jin with expectant eyes.
Mu Jin hugged him, wiped his mouth, and gently patted his little belly. "I feel he's full. There's still a lot left to cook. Let's save our food for tonight, okay?"
Zhou Yaoyao pouted and thought for a long time before reluctantly nodding.
Mu Jin breathed a sigh of relief. As soon as she put him down, Zhou Yaoyao put down the bowl and ran out to play.
At night, the village roads are dotted with twinkling lights, and the small figures of children carrying lanterns are seen moving back and forth.
Zhou Yaoyao had disappeared long ago, probably off showing off her lantern to her friends somewhere.
The little papaya, held in Zhou Lin's arms, held a rabbit-shaped lantern in its tender little hands, looking very well-behaved.
By the time Zhou Yaoyao had finished playing, it was already 9 PM.
Mu Jin went home early to boil water. When he got home, she picked him up and used a damp cloth to wipe his sweaty little body.
Zhou Yaoyao's face flushed, and she said excitedly, "Little Daddy, my lantern is the most beautiful one here!"
Mu Jin was helpless and speechless. She wondered if this competitive nature would be a good thing or a bad thing when she grew up.
He quickly wiped him clean, put on clean undergarments, and tucked him back into bed.
Zhou Yaoyao was still chattering on, "There's only one stone and one lock, and the red lantern isn't pretty. Brother Weiji's is pretty; it's a big tiger. Uncle Qiu bought the lantern for Pumpkin from town..."
Mu Jin chuckled as she watched his incessant chattering, and then yawned softly.
As Zhou Yaoyao spoke, she gradually became sleepy, and her voice went from soft to silent.
Seeing that he was asleep, Mu Jin placed his prized lantern, which he was still holding even in his sleep, on the desk beside him, blew out the oil lamp, and quietly left the room.
"Asleep?"
Zhou Lin lay on his side on the bed and gently patted the already sleeping little papaya.
Mu Jin twisted her neck. "He's asleep. He said the one you made for him is the best. He's truly your own son. He praised you with his eyes closed."
Zhou Lin smiled and waited for Mu Jin to sit on the bed before massaging his slightly sore shoulders.
Mu Jin squinted and enjoyed the moment. After a while, she had Zhou Lin lie down and, with a smile, massaged his shoulders as well.
On the evening of the first day of the Lunar New Year, Mu Jin and Zhou Lin sorted out the income of the previous year.
Meat, eggs, vegetables, and the money earned from the pepper garden, dyeing workshop, and Zhou Lin's carpentry workâafter deducting expenses, a year's income amounted to over 120 taels.
In the village, they would be considered one of the wealthiest families.
Mu Jin counted them again and again, looking at the two large pieces and a small pile of glittering silver ingots in front of him. He almost didn't recognize silver anymore.
The two fifty-tael silver ingots that Zhou Lin had specially exchanged were put into the secret compartment. The remaining twenty-five or twenty-six taels of silver, along with the three or five taels of silver left over from the year's expenses, were all kept for household use.
Mu Jin massaged Zhou Lin's shoulders, her smile wide as she thought about the ever-growing amount of money her family was accumulating.
He himself never imagined that one day he would be able to live such a good life.
Because she had done less work in recent years, Mu Jin's hands had become quite soft. She gently placed them on Zhou Lin's shoulder, and soon the man's breathing became heavy.
The oil lamp was blown out, leaving only Mu Jin's startled cry and Zhou Lin's hoarse voice.
"Let's give Papaya a little brother."
Another sleepless night.
After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the New Year celebrations are over. After a short rest, it's time to get busy with spring plowing.
In the warm spring of March, the grass grows and the birds fly, and the weather gradually warms up.
Mu Jin packed away the thick mattresses at home and changed into slightly thinner spring clothes.
"Tiger, you're back."
Lin Huzi stood by the well, scooped up a ladle of water, took a big gulp, and nodded at Mu Jin with a smile.
Over the years, he's become more and more like a man in charge.
"Boss, this is the money for vegetables and eggs from last month. It includes the money from the rice noodle shop and the Northern Xinjiang Restaurant. Please check it."
Mu Jin took the money pouch, smiled, and said, "After all these years, how could I not trust you?"
Now, the family has two long-term workers: Lin Huzi is in charge of the vegetable garden and fields, while Mu Youyu is in charge of the pepper garden and the family's livestock and poultry.
When everyone was busy managing their own affairs, the temporary workers they hired became increasingly steady and reliable in their work.
"Has the wedding banquet been scheduled yet?"
Last summer, when Mu Bai came to visit him, Mu Jin realized that Mu Youyu actually harbored those feelings for Mu Bai.
When Mu Bai came to his house, he stared at Mu Bai with adoring eyes, practically glued to him. As someone who had been through it all, how could he not see the obvious affection flowing from him?
It's also his fault for not paying enough attention to him; otherwise, he probably would have found out much earlier.
After all, the love of a young person is the hardest to conceal.
However, last year, Mu Bai gave birth to a big, healthy baby boy weighing six pounds and six ounces for the Liu family, making the Liu couple overjoyed.
Holding her chubby grandson, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, she couldn't get enough of him. She truly cherished him like a precious gem, afraid he would melt in her mouth or fall in her hands.
The full moon celebration for Liu's grandson was a grand affair. Mu Jin and Zhou Lin, Wen Zhaoran and Bai Qiqiu, all prepared generous gifts and attended the banquet.
The little guy has a chubby face and a bright, chubby face. His eyes are like Mu Bai's, but everything else is like Liu Chengye's.
The gold lock given to the little guy by his aunts was bigger than his little head. With gold wrapped around his swaddling clothes, the little rabbit fur hat and big silver lock given by Mulan didn't seem very conspicuous.
At that time, Mu Youyu knew that Mu Jin and Zhou Lin had gone to Liu Jiajin's grandson's full moon banquet. After the two returned, he hesitated for a while, but still ran over and asked Mu Bai a question.
I can't quite remember what he said back then.
Anyway, since then, Mu Youyu has completely given up hope. With the help of matchmaker Mu, he recently arranged a marriage with a young man from a family in Gujia Village.
"I overheard him mention it yesterday. The young man's family is reluctant to let him get married too soon and wants to keep him for another year. The matchmaker has chosen a few auspicious days and taken them over to set the date for the 20th of August next autumn."
Mu Jin smiled and said, "Then it will be a while before we can attend his wedding."
Lin Huzi chuckled, "Good things come to those who wait. I think Youyu really likes that guy."
Mu Jin smiled, feeling a slight sense of relief. It was good that Lin Youyu could let go; it was good for both him and Mu Bai.
"Master, I'm going to get busy."
Lin Huzi quenched his thirst, but with so much to do in the vegetable garden, he didn't rest and went off to work.
Mu Jin took the money bag back into the house and put it away. She opened the window, which had been closed all winter, and looked at the green mountains in the distance.
Now that life at home has improved, I've even started craving wild vegetables with a slightly bitter taste.
He got up, picked up the bamboo basket from the woodshed, and went to the foot of the mountain.
Since spring arrived and the weather warmed up, Zhou Yaoyao has become elusive, rarely seen except when eating. The rest of the time, she's off playing with her friends from the village.
Just as Mu Jin found a spot that hadn't been dug up by the villagers, she heard the voices of several children coming from the riverbank not far away.
"Help! Peach has fallen into the water!"
Several children, around six or seven years old, ran towards the village, crying and shouting.
Mu Jin dropped the shovel, snapped out of her daze, and rushed toward the riverbank.
Shaking all over, I forced myself to run to the river in the shortest amount of time possible.
On the river floated the rabbit fur hat he had just made for Zhou Yaoyao before the New Year. Zhou Yaoyao's little arms were stretched out, and in the blink of an eye, only her fingers remained.
Without a second thought, Mu Jin jumped into the river.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com