Chapter 50 "I want him to know that I am a lucky star..."
Achoo!
Back in the courtyard, just as she pushed out a cart full of sparklers, Luo Yunqing couldn't help but sneeze.
During the Lunar New Year, who would be so foolish as to curse him?
I rubbed my frostbitten nose and sniffed twice. Soon after, I heard the crunching sound of wheels rolling across the snow behind me. I turned around and was met with a person fully bundled up in a three-piece thermal suit.
Pei Yanli didn't say much, just one sentence: "Come here."
"Let me make this clear first, absolutely not because I'm cold." Luo Yunqing obediently put down the sparklers and went over.
She leaned over and let him put a knitted hat on her, along with extra fluffy earmuffs, gloves, and then loosely tied the black and white diamond scarf around her neck.
After doing all this, Pei Yanli turned her head to look at the cart full of all kinds of sparklers behind him and couldn't help but say, "Later, Uncle Zhang will send people to set off fireworks outside the house. You can see them from any angle."
The tallest building in the old house is the ancestral hall, which is eight meters high and located at the northernmost part of the courtyard. They lived in the southwest corner and were completely unaffected.
“Those are fireworks.” Luo Yunqing turned around and took one out of the cylinder. “These are sparklers, they’re different.”
It's just that one is portable and handheld, while the other requires you to run away after lighting the fuse. Oh well, my wife says they're different, so they're different.
Pei Yanli wouldn't let such a trivial matter spoil his mood.
But—"Isn't this a bit too much?"
Judging by the light, it would take at least one night to turn that cart completely clean.
I have to get up early tomorrow.
"No, it's perfect."
Luo Yunqing carried down two large tubs, and Chen Zhao pushed the rest away to distribute to the servants and bodyguards along with the New Year's red envelopes prepared by the butler.
"Let's not talk about those who went home; some people still spend the New Year at their old houses."
Not only the Pei family, but any family in Yanjing that has been passed down for generations treats its servants well. Once hired, their children's education and their parents' old age will be taken care of.
On important occasions like the Lunar New Year, depending on the circumstances, they may be allowed to bring their relatives to live with them, but the activity area is fixed and is basically within the dormitory area.
The adults were fine; they had food and drink, and Uncle Zhang would even arrange some recreational activities for them. But it wasn't so certain for the children.
Those sparklers, frankly speaking, are just for kids to play with.
Pei Yanli: "My wife is so thoughtful."
“Actually, it was before the snow.” Luo Yunqing leaned against his wheelchair, took off one glove, took out her phone, and said while opening the camera, “I heard that the sister who has been cleaning our yard has been talking to Uncle Zhang about whether she could bring her child over for the New Year.”
Luo Yunqing immediately thought of the children in the orphanage.
In the past, we weren't well-off, and during the Lunar New Year we could only afford to buy a few sparklers, which would be distributed to each person, and each person would only get about one small sparkler.
But when everyone lit it together, it was very fun.
He was simply speaking from a child's perspective.
"After the New Year, let's go back to the orphanage." Although he didn't say it, Pei Yanli knew from the way he looked down at the sparklers and mentioned the children that he must miss that place.
After all, for the past ten years or so, I've spent every Lunar New Year with those children, so leaving suddenly is bound to be hard.
Luo Yunqing responded very quickly, "Okay."
As soon as the words were spoken, the first firework shot into the sky and exploded into a blooming red flame.
He quickly raised his phone to take a picture.
After the first burst ended, the second burst followed immediately, and two burning sparklers quickly appeared in the shot.
Luo Yunqing quickly pressed the shutter button.
He turned his head, and a slightly cool kiss landed squarely on his lips.
A series of fireworks suddenly illuminated the courtyard.
At this moment, red lucky knots hang from the treetops, children's laughter can be faintly heard, and in the slightly curved black eyes in front of him, fireworks and he are reflected.
Taking advantage of his momentary daze, Pei Yanli wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him closer, gently rubbing his nose, which was almost frozen, and whispered, "Happy New Year, my wife."
"Happy New Year!"
After realizing what was happening, Luo Yunqing stretched out her arms and threw herself into his embrace, her eyes narrowing into slits: "This year is really lively!"
"It will get even more exciting from now on."
"Um!"
…………
The fireworks display started at 11:00 AM and continued until after midnight, with both large tubes of sparklers burning out almost simultaneously.
At that very moment, Chen Zhao, precisely on time, put on his woolen gloves and delivered his New Year's greetings.
Luo Yunqing nodded with a smile. But when she saw him extend his hand towards her, she immediately withdrew her first smile of the new year.
"Didn't Ali give you a huge year-end bonus?"
"Year-end bonuses are year-end bonuses, and New Year's red envelopes are another matter entirely," Chen Zhao said shamelessly. "How can you conflate them?"
He had the nerve to ask for it, and Luo Yunqing had the nerve to poke at his sore spot, "But you're older than me."
“But you’re the boss’s wife,” Chen Zhao caught the weak attack and retorted, “and I’m not married yet.”
According to local custom in Yanjing, unmarried people receive red envelopes during the Lunar New Year, regardless of their age.
Seizing on this point, Luo Yunqing launched another attack: "Why aren't you married yet? Don't you want to?"
"..."
"Dad was urging you to eat tonight too." The attack intensified, Luo Yunqing covering her mouth as if she hadn't noticed, "You're only three years younger than Ali, right? You're... 26 this year, how come you don't even have a boyfriend?"
Chen Zhao sniffed, his eyes red from the cold.
The proprietress truly lived up to her reputation; her fighting spirit was extraordinary. He conceded, "I don't want this red envelope!"
"Hey? Don't go!" Seeing him turn and walk away without hesitation, Luo Yunqing quickly took out the red envelope she had prepared earlier and chased after him. "I was just kidding. Here! I prepared it for you this morning."
The thickness of the red envelope was visible to the naked eye.
Chen Zhao glanced at it, then casually looked away, before stealing another glance. "Who cares?"
"You...you really don't want it?"
"Who said that!"
Before Luo Yunqing could take it back, Chen Zhao snatched it away, saying, "Thank you, Boss Lady! I wish you academic success, career advancement, and a happy three-year marriage with the boss... uh."
He swallowed the last word under Luo Yunqing's deathly gaze, and quickly changed his words: "May we, the boss, be happy every year and grow old together."
"That's more like it."
On the first day of the new year, Luo Yunqing didn't make things difficult for him and went back to her house after giving him the red envelope.
Chen Zhao breathed a sigh of relief, then weighed the thick red envelope in his hand.
Just as you open your phone to take a picture and show it off, a notification pops up, pushing a trending topic with the word "hot" at the end.
…………
"Secretary Chen, you're really obsessed with money," Luo Yunqing muttered as she pushed open the door.
Pei Yanli immediately turned off the phone screen, placed it face down on the table, got up and went to the bathroom to wet a towel to wipe his hands. "Weren't you cold after being outside for so long?"
"It's not cold at all," Luo Yunqing shook her head. "Right now, my hands even feel warm!"
"I thought it was a good thing?" Pei Yanli quickly put down the towel and rubbed his swollen fingers. "This is a sign that he's about to freeze. Just this once, and he can't do this again."
Okay~
After rubbing for more than ten minutes, his fingers slowly regained feeling. Pei Yanli urged him to wash up, "It's already the first day of the new year. According to Pei family tradition, we have to worship our ancestors and pray for blessings in the morning. The entire Pei clan will have to come. Go to bed early."
Luo Yunqing went into the bathroom with his arms crossed. The toothpaste had already been squeezed out, and the pajamas had been prepared long ago when he went to give Chen Zhao a red envelope.
After brushing his teeth, wiping his face, and changing into his pajamas, he came out to find Pei Yanli already in bed. She put down her phone again when she saw him coming over.
Luo Yunqing: "What are you looking at?"
"A little news."
"Oh." Luo Yunqing didn't pay much attention, climbed off him and moved to the inside of the bed, first pressing on something hard. "What is that?"
When the blanket was lifted, it turned out to be a gift box wrapped only in red ribbon!
It's obvious who put it there.
"What is it?" Luo Yunqing quickly burrowed into bed and hugged the gift box: "A New Year's gift?"
Pei Yanli: "Open it and take a look."
Luo Yunqing pinched the ribbon tied into a bow, gently pulled it open, and then quickly closed it again.
Pei Yanli then asked, "Do you like it?"
What could he possibly like about a box of condoms?
Luo Yunqing glared angrily, her eyes wide, and she had a bellyful of complaints in her mind, but what came out of her mouth was: "There's no strawberry flavor, is there?"
"No."
"That's good."
One box of condoms is fine, it's better than nothing.
"Alright, I'm going to sleep." Luo Yunqing sniffed twice, looking rather aggrieved, and then stuffed the gift box into his arms.
Pei Yanli: "Wife, won't you take a closer look?"
"I want another box of condoms. Look, look so carefully." Opening the magnetic lid again, Luo Yunqing leaned over and rummaged through them: "It's just grapes, watermelon, oranges... what's this?"
Peel back the top layer, and you'll see a heart-shaped mahogany box clearly sandwiched in the middle.
He took it out and winked at Pei Yanli with a puzzled look.
"The wooden box is fastened tightly, wife, use a little force."
Luo Yunqing did as instructed, and with a snap, opened it. What came into view was a gemstone that was completely clear and without any impurities, and as red as pigeon blood.
Most importantly, it's big; it's more than twice the size of the "Desert Star" that Pei Yanli gave him before.
"this……"
“Knowing you like racing, I was thinking of giving you a car.” Pei Yanli was afraid he would do those dangerous things again. “But I think I’ll pass. How about this instead?”
"Wow, it's huge!" Luo Yunqing took out the gemstone; it was quite heavy. She couldn't help but ask, "How many carats is this?"
28.96.
Gemstones were set on a silver butterfly with outstretched wings, and there was a loose clasp on the back. Pei Yanli tried to fasten it to his pajamas. "At first, I planned to make it into a ring for you."
"If this is a ring, can I wear it out?"
“Yes, so let’s change it to a brooch.” After trying it on for a while, Pei Yanli took it off for him and put it back in his hand. “It also has a name, ‘Sunrise,’ which means a new year and a new beginning. Wife, do you like it?”
"I like it." As long as it's a gift from him, whether it's a car or jewels, Luo Yunqing will like it!
But the premise is, "Why put it together with the condom!"
"Didn't my wife say she wanted all of them except the strawberry flavor?"
Luo Yunqing took a deep breath, suddenly wanting to smash the gemstone in his face, "When did I say I wanted it?"
He thought the gift would be a set, so he specifically told me not to buy strawberry flavor. How did it turn out differently in his mouth?
Luo Yunqing is not going to take the blame for such a huge mess.
“It’s me, it’s what I wanted.” Pei Yanli quickly hugged the person and gently coaxed, “It’s just after the New Year, you can’t be angry.”
"Then you're not allowed to leave gifts here next time."
“Okay,” Pei Yanli readily agreed.
"No more gifts like that." Luo Yunqing pointed to the box full of sets again.
He not only didn't speak, but also turned his head away.
Luo Yun raised her voice: "You disagree!"
Instead of answering, Pei Yanli asked, "What if the stock runs out?"
"That's all...we'll talk about it later."
“Okay.” Pei Yanli replied readily again, kissing his forehead. “Alright, it’s almost one o’clock. We have to get up at 6:30 in the morning. Go back to sleep, or you might not be able to get up.”
…………
Pei Yanli's words came true.
At 6:30, just as dawn was breaking, after calling out a few times, Luo Yunqing immediately covered her ears, closed her eyes, and rolled around on the bed.
I reminded them repeatedly last night, but I still didn't fall asleep until almost 1:30.
"Xiao Luo."
"It's not even dawn yet."
"It's lit up, honey."
"Just let me sleep for ten more seconds, just ten seconds."
Pei Yanli grabbed the rolling man and kissed him on the corner of his lips, "Good Luo Luo, let's catch up on sleep after we finish the ancestral worship, okay?"
Luo Yunqing was immune to his kisses and remained unmoved.
Helpless, Pei Yanli had no choice but to reach her hand under the blanket and slowly lower it. In just a moment, Luo Yunqing opened her eyes.
"Should we get up or not?"
"Get up... stop... stop touching me!"
Luo Yunqing was fully awake. After washing up, she yawned and pushed him to the old man's courtyard to offer New Year's greetings.
After breakfast, we went to the ancestral hall together.
Before long, the elders of the Pei clan and the Pei clan members in Yanjing arrived one after another.
There were a few who weren't strangers; they had met on the day of Pei Yanli's wedding.
They saw him and whispered among themselves.
Luo Yunqing couldn't help but touch his cheek. Was it because he was in such a hurry this morning that he didn't wash his face properly?
Soon, the group of people who had gathered together turned around and walked towards them.
The first one called out, "Cousin, cousin...sister-in-law."
Pei Yanli nodded in agreement.
That's how we greeted each other from then on.
"I saw my cousin's wife from afar in September and was immediately struck by her beauty. When I got closer, I realized she was indeed extraordinary."
Before coming, Pei Yanli specifically instructed that the compliments should be just smiled at and ignored, and that he should handle the rest.
As a result, Luo Yunqing's face was practically frozen from smiling all morning.
There were more than thirty people, arranged by seniority from highest to lowest, until the last little glutinous rice ball was brought over by his mother and placed on the ground, calling out to them indistinctly, "Grandpa, Happy New Year~"
From cousin's wife to second aunt, then to uncle, and finally, Luo Yunqing was promoted to grandfather in a single day.
Feeling like crying but having no tears, she took the red envelope prepared by Pei Yanli, squatted down, and handed it to Nuomi Tuanzi.
The little girl showed off her teeth, which hadn't fully grown in yet, and hugged his hand, giggling, "Grandpa, it smells good!"
After she finished paying her New Year's respects and was carried away by her mother, and no one else came over, Luo Yunqing breathed a sigh of relief and whispered to him, "Your seniority is really high."
“It’s because there are many people from the Pei family.” Pei Yanli pinched his cheek, which had frozen in a smile, and comforted him, “Don’t worry too much. They rarely come to visit, except during the New Year when they come to worship their ancestors.”
Luo Yunqing: "If they came at any other time, it would take me a long time to remember their names."
It's lively when a family gets together, but sometimes the liveliness can get a little too much.
Before the formal ancestral worship ceremony, Pei Yanli was called over by the old man. Luo Yunqing had nothing to do for the time being, so she went out for some fresh air.
As I walked to a secluded corner, I heard several unfamiliar voices.
"Brother Heng, are you serious? Is that guy from Uncle's family really a lucky star?"
"I have to say, ever since he married my second uncle to bring him good luck, my second uncle's health has really improved a lot."
...
"Yes," a familiar voice came. "He really is a lucky star, otherwise, how would I have woken up?"
Pei Hengzhi.
What exactly does he mean by promoting himself everywhere?
Luo Yunqing listened quietly for a while, and the more she listened, the more she felt something was wrong. Just as she was about to rush out, someone patted her shoulder twice.
"Boss lady."
"It's you! You scared me to death!" Luo Yunqing patted her chest and asked softly, "What happened?"
Chen Zhao didn't say anything, but instead showed him the trending topic that had gone viral precisely after midnight last night.
Luo Yunqing glanced at it quickly, the gist of which was that Pei Hengzhi had woken up.
"You were right."
Chen Zhao pursed his lips: "More than that."
He pointed to the entry immediately following it: Luo Yunqing, Lucky Star.
Luo Yunqing's brows furrowed deeper and deeper. "What exactly is he trying to do?"
Chen Zhao had pondered this question for a long time. Finally, he retrieved the original video file he had previously deleted and said in a deep voice, "It's true that the boss's health improved significantly after marrying you. But that alone doesn't prove anything. Now that he's awake, whether anyone believes it or not, your reputation as a lucky charm has spread, regardless of who it's directed at. He can then conveniently make demands of the Pei clan elders, such as asking you to take care of him. Boss's wife, his target is you... what are you going to do?"
As they were talking, Luo Yunqing squatted down and picked up the brick that was pressing down on the flower bushes.
"I want him to know whether I'm a lucky charm or his nemesis!"
Disgusting bastard.
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