Jiang Zhixing looked around to make sure no one was there, then let out a long sigh of relief and chuckled, "Hey, it's true what they say, if you don't like something, just confront it. It's much more satisfying to drive someone else crazy than to bottle it up yourself!"
Jiang Yuan also looked excited: "Absolutely! Before, at the Gu family, for the sake of so-called face, every time I heard these kinds of things, I felt unhappy inside, but I still had to put on a smile. These people really thought I liked listening to their old tricks! It really feels good to say it out loud today!"
The mother and son exchanged a glance, then both looked at Xu Ningyan: "Xiaoyan (sister-in-law), I finally understand the fun you have in cursing people—"
Xu Ningyan: I feel like you guys are insulting me, but I can't find any evidence.
Seeing Xu Ningyan's still bewildered expression, Jiang Zhiyuan couldn't help but smile, pinching her cheek to bring her back to her senses: "Alright! Just give these relatives some face in the future! If they still don't know how to speak next time, just stand up to them! Don't give them face! The more assertive you are, the less they will dare to mess with you!"
Xu Ningyan understood; these relatives were probably the kind who treated people differently based on their status.
I feel like I'm from the countryside, and today is just a test.
If the Jiang family mother and her two sons do not protect me, or if I am too weak today, they will not take me seriously in the future, and may even try to manipulate me.
But today, all three members of the Jiang family—mother and sons—protected him, and he felt confident, especially after Jiang Zhiyuan's protective words. He figured they would soon realize his position in the Jiang family and would behave much better in the future.
Once Xu Ningyan understood, she took it even less seriously.
However, seeing Jiang Yuan and her son Jiang Zhixing looking refreshed and eager to try after their argument, I couldn't help but feel a bit of a headache.
Could it be that she brought out some hidden aspects of their personalities?
Amitabha Buddha, what a sin, what a sin!
The days that followed were as calm as flowing water.
Xu Ningyan enjoyed her class very much. After getting to know them, she mentioned to Director You and Director Qiu that she could bring her dog to work.
Director You and Deputy Director Qiu didn't have any objections, but they still asked her to consult other colleagues.
Xu Ningyan consulted with other colleagues first, and only after everyone had no objections did she bring her lackey to work.
Although the lackey wasn't very affectionate, its imposing presence and intelligent, obedient nature brought a touch of vitality to the otherwise stagnant library.
My colleague, who usually has a book in his hand or is always knitting, would sometimes go to the backyard to tease the dog.
Occasionally, they would bring a couple of bones for the dog's henchmen to gnaw on.
Sister Zhang even knitted a little vest for the lackey using old yarn, which the lackey wore and received unanimous praise.
Xu Ningyan even secretly took out a camera from her spatial storage when no one was around and took several photos of the lackeys.
The end of the year is fast approaching.
Jiang Zhiyuan, Jiang Yuan, and Jiang Zhixing are all busy with work, and they have to work on New Year's Eve.
Only Xu Ningyan had a day off, and according to the custom in Jingshan County, they ate their reunion dinner at noon on New Year's Eve.
So everyone simply moved their New Year's Eve dinner in Beijing to noon.
Before the Lunar New Year, the supplies at the supply points in Beijing were more plentiful. Each household received a chicken, a pound of ribbonfish, a pound of kelp, a yellow croaker, and a pound of pork.
Xu Ningyan and Aunt Wang lined up early in the morning and managed to snatch it back.
With the New Year's supplies provided by Jiang Yuan's and Jiang Zhiyuan's workplaces, the family was able to have a decent New Year.
Xu Ningyan started preparing around the 27th or 28th of the twelfth lunar month.
Because of the Chinese New Year, Jiang Yuan and Jiang Zhixing also moved to this small courtyard. They will return to their respective workplaces after they get married.
The Jiang brothers took time out of their busy schedules to do a thorough cleaning of the yard.
The two of them couldn't help much with the food for the New Year, so they could only try their best to bring more things home.
On Lunar New Year's Eve, the whole family got up and started preparing as soon as it was light.
In the first two days, Xu Ningyan had already prepared all the fried, braised, and various kinds of preserved meats.
I get up early in the morning and all I have to do is prepare a reunion dinner for lunch.
Chicken soup was simmering on the stove in the main room, with soaked shiitake mushrooms inside. The aroma quickly filled the entire room, enticingly fragrant.
In the kitchen, Jiang Yuan helped add firewood, while Xu Ningyan busied himself with two large pots.
Braised fish, stir-fried celery with shredded pork, braised ribbonfish, pork ribs stewed with kelp, steamed sausage, chicken soup, a stir-fried cabbage with vinegar, and a cold black fungus salad—eight dishes in total!
This large table of dishes, plus a bowl of boiled fermented rice wine with eggs for each person.
This fermented rice wine was brewed by Xu Ningyan herself, using a method she learned from Baidu in her previous life, made from glutinous rice.
It's not much, just a small piece, boiled with plenty of water, and some brown sugar. Drinking a bowl of this on such a cold day will warm you up from head to toe.
Such a sumptuous reunion dinner is truly rare these days.
Even though Gu Yong and Jiang Yuan had supplies during the Lunar New Year at the Gu family's house, there were so many people and everyone was prioritizing the children's food, so it was good enough for the children to have enough to eat.
We sat down comfortably like this, just the four of us, but the atmosphere was much warmer than at Gu's house.
Everyone held a bowl, stood up and clinked their bowls together before sitting down to eat.
The lackey next to him, today is the New Year, and with the new year comes a new look. Even the dog's food bowl has been replaced with a larger stainless steel bowl, which contains chicken soup, bones mixed with rice, and he eats it all without making a sound.
Once they started eating, Jiang Zhixing couldn't control himself, and even Jiang Zhiyuan picked up food faster than usual.
Jiang Zhixing loosened his belt twice during the journey.
Jiang Yuan ate until her belly was round, and at the end she held a bowl of fermented rice wine and took small sips. Looking at the scene in front of her, her eyes couldn't help but turn a little red.
She only sincerely hoped that it could be like this every year, and then she would ask for nothing more.
After dinner, while Jiang Zhiyuan and Jiang Yuan were tidying up in the kitchen, Jiang Zhixing leaned close to Xu Ningyan and whispered, "Sister-in-law, shall we set off firecrackers?"
Xu Ningyan whispered, "You bought it?"
This stuff is hard to buy.
Jiang Zhixing chuckled: "I got some from a friend, shall we go release them?"
Xu Ningyan glanced at the kitchen: "How about we wait for your brother?"
Jiang Zhixing curled his lip: "He's too old to play this! Let's sneak off and play, bringing our lackeys along—"
Xu Ningyan was also itching to try it, and nodded: "Let's do it quietly—"
The two men, along with a dog, secretly slipped out of the yard.
In the alley, children were playing happily. Today is the New Year, and no matter how much they made a fuss, the adults wouldn't scold or beat them.
As soon as Jiang Zhixing and Xu Ningyan came out, the children immediately surrounded them when they saw what Jiang Zhixing was holding.
At that time, being able to carry a small half-bag of firecrackers made one seem like the richest person in the world in the eyes of the children.
Jiang Zhixing lit one first. With two crackling sounds, the firecracker flew into the sky, and the children clapped and laughed.
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