Qiao Xiaoni slapped him and then ran away. Su Chenhao chased after her, playfully fighting all the way home.
The first day of the Lunar New Year.
Children from upstairs, downstairs, and even the neighboring buildings would put on new clothes, knock on doors, say a few auspicious words, and receive a small red envelope in return.
Qiao Xiaoni prepared nearly 100 red envelopes, each containing two brand-new one-cent coins, totaling two cents. It wasn't a huge amount, but it wasn't a small amount either; at this age, children generally didn't have much pocket money. If they wanted money, they had to earn it themselves, for example, by collecting recyclables on the street or doing odd jobs.
Those born in the 1980s have had the hardest time; they are arguably the generation that never enjoyed a good life. This was already evident during this period—they had nothing and had to rely entirely on themselves.
All the prepared red envelopes were eventually given out, so we could only give the children cash to keep them motivated. We said many auspicious words before leaving.
The phone rang.
Qiao Xiaoni closed the door, went over, and answered the phone.
"Hello."
“Hey Nizi, Happy New Year! Did you miss me?” Zhou Meiling’s cheerful voice came from inside.
Qiao Xiaoni sat down: "You little rascal, why did it take you so long to call me? I didn't even know your home phone number. How have things been these days?"
"Don't mention it. When would I have time to call you? Just like you said, everything is going smoothly. My parents have accepted him and acknowledged him as their son-in-law. Today is the first day of the lunar new year, and many children from our relatives came over. He's very generous, and even the kids like him."
"Haha! I can imagine what your house looks like now. If I went back to the countryside for the New Year, it would definitely be more lively than it is now."
"Yeah, I just called to let you know I'm safe. I might come back early, then I'll come over to your house to visit you."
"I'm getting married on the 29th of this month, will I be able to make it back?"
Zhou Meiling stood up excitedly: "Ah! Why didn't you tell me sooner? I could have booked the train tickets earlier! You didn't tell me about such a big thing as your wedding. Do you even consider me a sister?"
"You were busy at the time, so I didn't tell you. Now that everything is going well, I'm just letting you know. Come to my wedding when you have time; you can be my bridesmaid."
"Okay, I'll leave it to you. I'll be back two days early. I definitely have to be there for my friend's wedding. I'll prepare a gift for you; you can pack it then."
"Okay, I'll accept whatever you give me."
"I'll talk to you again when I have time. My mom is coming over to talk to me, so I have to go now," Zhou Meiling said softly into the phone.
"Okay." Qiao Xiaoni hung up the phone.
Su Chenhao walked over: "From your conversation, that kid passed the test?"
"Yes, I heard her family approves. That puts my mind at ease."
"That kid's lucky. I thought he was going to face a lot of difficulties!"
"That's not the case. The conditions are there, and even if Meiling's parents don't like it, they won't strongly object."
"That's true. His family is well-off, so the first requirement for a son-in-law is met."
After chatting and having a quick lunch, they took a taxi to the workshop to supervise the production progress. A large order came in the last few days before the Lunar New Year; it was from the same restaurant they had visited before. It seemed the demand was high for banquets during the holiday, and they ordered a lot of bottles at once.
They took all the stock, causing a shortage of inventory, so the workers had to work overtime.
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