Han Yixian's decision to have Du Yuhan accept Zhou Zhengye's gift was also based on this consideration. If she didn't accept Zhou Zhengye's gift, she certainly wouldn't accept his gift either.
Seeing that she couldn't refuse, Du Yuhan had no choice but to go inside to try on the clothes and shoes.
She accepted Zhou Zhengye's gift, and if she refused Han Yixian's gift, she was afraid it would make them overthink things and upset them. It wasn't worth upsetting them during the New Year.
Du Yuhan looked at the coat that Han Yixian had given her. It was simple and elegant, and even by today's standards, it would still look good.
The sweater Zhou Zhengye gave her looked high-end, not cheap.
She looked great in the coat and shoes, especially the coat, which seemed tailor-made for her.
She has grown quite a bit in the past year, and is almost 1.65 meters tall. She is very satisfied with her current height.
Based on her height in her previous life, she probably won't grow much taller. This coat will last her a long time.
To match her leather shoes and coat, Du Yuhan wore a pair of black straight-leg pants. These were new pants she had made for the Chinese New Year.
Afraid that Zhou Zhengye would be unhappy, she also wore the sweater he had given her.
Du Yuhan walked out of the west room dressed in new clothes.
The three people in the living room were all pleasantly surprised when they saw Du Yuhan come out.
Although Du Yuhan's body is not fully developed yet, she already has a great figure.
The graceful young woman was beautiful, radiating a gentle and sweet aura. Her youthful charm seemed to blend with a mature, capable, intellectual, and alluring quality—a feeling that defied description. Everyone felt that Du Yuhan's current appearance and demeanor surpassed even those of wealthy heiresses.
Du Yuhan possessed a fatal attraction. Even Han Yixian's heart skipped a beat just looking at her.
Han Yixian recalled Du Yuhan's appearance when she first arrived, a world of difference from how she is now. Just like the ugly duckling in the fairy tale who, after undergoing a transformation, eventually became a beautiful swan.
Du Yuhan is a prime example of such a magnificent transformation. Her beauty, especially her temperament, possesses an ethereal quality; Han Yixian felt he had never met a woman more unique than Du Yuhan.
This made Han Yixian feel even more that Du Yuhan was a person with a story.
He was deeply grateful to his aunt for bringing Du Yuhan into his life. Otherwise, how could he have met Du Yuhan, or found such a perfect wife?
A look of amazement flashed in Zhou Zhengye's eyes as he said, "Yuhan looks absolutely stunning in this outfit. The sweater I gave you matches the coat Yixian gave you perfectly; it's a wonderful combination."
Han Yixian nodded and said, "This outfit really suits Yuhan. She can wear it when the weather gets warmer."
Du Yuhan looked at the clothes she was wearing and said, "Thank you for the gifts, Brother Han and Brother Zhou."
She made a shirt and a pair of shoes for Han Yixian and Liu Gang as New Year's gifts, but didn't prepare any gift for Zhou Zhengye.
If she were to give the gifts to Han Yixian and Liu Gang now, leaving out Zhou Zhengye, it wouldn't seem quite right. After all, Zhou Zhengye had also given her a New Year's gift.
But she really didn't want to have much contact with Zhou Zhengye, let alone exchange gifts.
If it weren't for Han Yixian's words, she would never have accepted Zhou Zhengye's gift.
After thinking about it, she decided not to send New Year's gifts to Han Yixian and Liu Gang, and to wait until after the New Year.
Han Yixian had no idea that he could have received a gift from Du Yuhan during the New Year, but he lost that privilege because Du Yuhan accepted Zhou Zhengye's gift instead.
If he knew, I wonder if he would regret it to death.
Since Du Yuhan couldn't give them New Year's gifts, she could only repay them by cooking more delicious food during the Spring Festival.
Du Yuhan and Liu Gang had already swept the house on the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month, and now the house is spotless.
Du Yuhan bought red paper, cut out pretty paper-cut window decorations with scissors, and pasted them on the window. She also cut out the character "福" (fortune) and pasted it on the door.
The bright red paper-cut window decorations looked beautiful on the windows. This made the courtyard look much more festive.
Looking at the beautiful paper-cut window decorations, Liu Gang said, "Yuhan, I didn't know you had this skill. These paper-cut window decorations are really beautiful."
Du Yuhan said, "It's nothing. Many people in my hometown know how to cut paper-cuts. Mine is just a simple one. Some skillful people can cut more complicated and beautiful ones. I just wanted to put up some red paper-cuts to add some festive cheer. It's almost Chinese New Year."
Du Yuhan started preparing food for the New Year on the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month.
First, we steam two batches of pure white flour buns to eat during the Lunar New Year. We also steam cornbread.
Another option is to eat steamed rice cakes, sticky rice cakes, steamed buns, and cornbread together.
Du Yuhan started preparing the ingredients for steaming New Year cakes as soon as December arrived, and now everything is ready.
The rice cake she was preparing to make was not the kind made with glutinous rice like in later generations, but rather made with sticky sorghum rice, various beans, and red dates.
These days, glutinous rice is hard to come by; sticky sorghum and millet are relatively easier to obtain.
Glutinous rice is usually only available during the Dragon Boat Festival so that people can make zongzi (sticky rice dumplings).
Du Yuhan managed to snag some millet flour while buying New Year's goods, and she plans to steam some sticky rice cakes.
She plans to prepare everything else except the staple food early on New Year's Eve to ensure it's fresh.
On New Year's Eve, Du Yuhan got up early to prepare the New Year's Eve dinner. She first asked Liu Gang to chop the meat filling, as she was going to make a dish of Four Happiness Meatballs.
She didn't have all the ingredients for authentic Four Happiness Meatballs, so she could only use whatever ingredients she had on hand.
She soaked some dried wood ear mushrooms, then chopped them into small pieces along with carrots, minced scallions and ginger, and then added various seasonings and minced meat, mixing them together.
After mixing the filling well, shape it into large balls by hand. Heat the oil and fry the balls over high heat until they turn golden brown. Remove them, drain the oil, and place them on a plate for later use.
To avoid running out of pots by evening, Du Yuhan stewed the chicken in advance.
Du Yuhan's lunch was also quite good, with fish and meat. But the main event was the New Year's Eve dinner.
In the afternoon, Du Yuhan started preparing the New Year's Eve dinner early. She planned to make four-happiness meatballs, chicken stew with mushrooms, braised pork, braised carp, Kung Pao chicken, Mapo tofu, stir-fried mung bean sprouts, stir-fried eggs with chives, braised radish with garlic sprouts, and cold seaweed salad.
There were ten dishes in total, which was quite perfect. The main course was rice, plus a seaweed and egg drop soup.
Ten dishes were laid out on the whole table, including meat and vegetables, as well as very fresh winter greens. It was such a feast!
Zhou Zhengye arrived at the courtyard early on the morning of New Year's Eve and chatted with Han Yixian inside the house.
He saw that the food Du Yuhan had prepared was truly delicious and visually appealing. Given the tight supply situation, it was quite a luxurious meal to be able to put together.
It's only because Du Yuhan has this ability that she can produce such fresh vegetables as chives, garlic sprouts, and bean sprouts on the dinner table.
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