Before we knew it, it was the 22nd day of the twelfth lunar month. In ancient times, the atmosphere of the New Year was already there once the 22nd of the twelfth lunar month arrived. Even Li Xiangkang's academy had already closed for the holidays.
Perhaps Li Xiangkang has truly matured; he didn't relax during the holiday. Every day, he got up early to exercise, and then sat by the window to read and practice calligraphy.
When he encounters something he doesn't understand, he will discuss it with Xiao Mochen. Of course, Li Xiangkang's knowledge and experience are far inferior to Xiao Mochen's, but Li Xiangkang has a photographic memory and is hardworking and diligent, so he is making rapid progress.
Yan Qingqing didn't feel anything special about the New Year, but her children were very excited because they would finally be able to have a proper New Year this year.
That day, Yuan Huiniang walked in excitedly and said, "Mother, the New Year is coming soon, and our family should buy some New Year's goods."
This is the list of items I need to purchase. Is there anything else you'd like me to specify?
Seeing how happy she was, Yan Qingqing couldn't help but ask, "Does Huiniang like the New Year so much?"
Yuan Huiniang nodded and replied honestly, "I like it very much. I remember when I was a child, I didn't have to do any work during the New Year holidays, and I would occasionally get new clothes to wear."
In the past, when we didn't have much money, it didn't matter whether we celebrated the New Year or not, but things are different now.
Besides, the Lunar New Year is a time for family reunions, and my husband and his family have worked hard all year; they can take this opportunity to rest for a few days.
Yan Qingqing nodded upon hearing this, perhaps because she was really getting old and had lost the enthusiasm of a child.
However, perhaps infected by Yuan Huiniang's excitement, Yan Qingqing seriously looked at the list that Yuan Huiniang had made, which contained some things that the family would need for the New Year.
Yan Qingqing thought for a moment and then added a few more items. Then she said to Yuan Huiniang, "In addition to these things, we also need to prepare some festival gifts. We have been cooperating with Jinsheng Pavilion, Yuelai Residence, Tianxiang Tower, and Tongpengzhai for so long, and we will definitely visit them this year."
We also can't forget the places at the Drunken Pavilion, owned by Boss Lin, and Si Lang's teacher.
"Also, there's Magistrate Ling. He sent a congratulatory gift when our shop opened, so we definitely need to prepare one for him as well."
Yuan Huiniang was somewhat troubled. Everything else was easy to arrange, as there were records of social interactions. The holiday gifts were simply a matter of adding a couple more items.
But Yuan Huiniang was in a dilemma with Magistrate Ling. What kind of things could catch the magistrate's eye?
Seeing Yuan Huiniang's predicament, Yan Qingqing knew it was because of the issue of sending festival gifts to Magistrate Ling. So she said, "Just prepare as usual. We're not a wealthy family. There's no need to empty our coffers to please him. That's not worth it."
"Once you've prepared everything with Magistrate Ling, I'll just add one more thing."
Seeing her mother-in-law say this, Yuan Huiniang felt reassured and quickly nodded in agreement.
Before the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law could finish their discussion, Li Xinniang and Li Yueniang came in again. They each grabbed Yan Qingqing's arm and said, "Mother, our embroidery workshop will be shut down soon. Let's go to the county town together tomorrow."
Yan Qingqing initially didn't want to go, but after the two mentioned the embroidery workshop, she thought about it and agreed. With the New Year approaching, she planned to buy some New Year's goods for the people working for their family as a New Year's gift.
Currently, the people who work for them regularly include Wei Laosan and Tietou from the ecological orchard, and Wang Dong from the shop.
There were also the embroiderers in the embroidery workshop. Of course, they were doing part-time work and learning at the same time, and Yan Qingqing didn't pay them much.
Even so, many people still desperately want to get into their embroidery workshop.
Because learning embroidery would be a secure job in the future. Even if they didn't work in Yan Qingqing's embroidery workshop, they could still make their own embroidery and sell it.
So even if Yan Qingqing didn't pay them wages, most of them would still be willing. These days, apprentices are lucky if they don't even have to pay their tuition fees, let alone wages.
Yan Qingqing tallied the number of people and wrote down a few items that needed to be purchased. The next day, she went to the county town with Yuan Huiniang and the other two.
The mother and her three daughters first went to their own shop to take a look. Li Xiangping and the others were busy working, and Yan Qingqing was standing at the door for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before being spotted by the sharp-eyed Li Xiangbao.
He quickly put down what he was holding and said with a smile, "Second Aunt, Sister-in-law, what brings you here? Please come in and have a seat."
After speaking, he habitually wiped the table with the rag in his hand.
Yan Qingqing praised him a couple of times for doing a good job.
Li Xiangbao was a little embarrassed by the praise and said softly, "It's all thanks to Brother Xiangping and the others for teaching me so well."
Li Yueniang, ever the straightforward one, said, "Alright, you should be secretly happy that your mother is praising you. Look at my three older brothers, they're so busy they don't even have time to acknowledge their own mother when she comes, let alone teach you."
Li Yueniang's shout was probably too loud, which startled the three Li brothers who were working.
They all quickly put down what they were doing and went to Yan Qingqing's side. Yan Qingqing gave Li Yueniang a reproachful look, and Li Yueniang innocently stuck out her tongue.
Yan Qingqing looked at her three sons and said, "Alright, we just came to stroll around and buy some things to take back. We just happened to pass by our shop and thought we'd stop by. You all go ahead and get busy, don't delay serving our guests."
Just then, someone shouted, "Boss, give me two braised chickens and four roast ducks, packed in a takeout box, I'm giving them away as gifts."
Upon hearing this, Li Xiangping quickly replied, "Yes, sir, please wait a moment."
Yan Qingqing waved for them to go about their business, and then led Yuan Hui and the others out of Canghe Li Ji's shop.
Yuan Huiniang and the others, who didn't come to the shop often, couldn't help but sigh, "Our shop is doing really well!"
Li Yueniang chimed in, "Of course! These dishes are all unique to our family, and the taste is absolutely amazing. It would be strange if business wasn't good."
Yan Qingqing saw the three women, the aunt and the sister-in-law, chatting and boasting to each other.
She shook her head with a slight chuckle. They were proud of their family business, which gave them confidence when they were out in the world. Look at these children; they were no longer as timid and hesitant as when they first came to the city.
Yan Qingqing went to the butcher shop first. When the owner saw Yan Qingqing, he was stunned for a moment, and then asked incredulously, "Are you the sister-in-law who buys our pig offal?"
Now, the purchase of pig offal is handled by the brothers Li Xiang'an and Li Xiangjian, as Yan Qingqing hasn't come for quite some time.
So Yan Qingqing replied with a smile, "Yes, it's been a long time."
The shop owner replied blankly, "Long time no see."
It's no wonder the butcher didn't recognize Yan Qingqing; she's changed so much in the last six months.
Back then, Yan Qingqing was dressed in tattered clothes, looking like a peasant woman. But now, her demeanor is completely different from that of a peasant woman.
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