Night fell, and silence returned outside.
On the small bed in the study, Ding Qiunan nestled tightly in her husband's arms.
"Li Chu, I still want to have your baby, why can't I get pregnant after so long?"
"It's a probability issue, to be honest, I don't understand it either."
"But we already have two children, let nature take its course," Li Chu said softly, stroking his wife's smooth back.
In the darkness, Ding Qiunan looked up at Li Chu and said, "It's so good to be able to marry you!"
Li Chu leaned over and kissed her forehead, chuckling softly, "It's even better to marry you. Go to sleep, my wife. We have to get up early tomorrow. There are a lot of people at home. If you can't get up, Mom will definitely come in and give you a piece of her mind."
Ding Qiunan nestled her head back against her husband's chest and whispered, "I love you, goodnight."
Li Chu didn't say anything, but he tightened his grip on her arm.
When I opened my eyes again, it was still dark outside.
Li Chu gently placed his wife on the bed, got off the bed, and stuffed some cotton wool into her ears.
Stepping into the courtyard, the biting cold wind outside instantly invigorated me.
After stretching out in the yard, I picked up a broom and first swept the entrance to the yard, then swept the yard again, piling the trash in a corner because it's the first day of the lunar new year and we can't throw away trash.
Before six o'clock, Ding's mother and Li Qin also got up.
"Xiao Chu, Nan Nan hasn't gotten up yet?" Ding Ma felt a headache when she mentioned her daughter. Luckily, she didn't have to serve her in-laws after marrying into the family, otherwise, such a lazy daughter-in-law would have been sent back by her in-laws long ago.
"That brat, I'll call her over."
Just as Ding's mother was about to go inside, Li Qin stopped her.
"Aunt Ding, you're up so early and you don't have anything to do. You're on holiday, so let her rest a little longer."
"Sigh, I didn't raise this girl well. We've been married for several years, but she still acts like she's a young girl living at her parents' house."
"Xiao Chu, if you ask me, this is also your fault. Look how you've spoiled your wife."
No sooner had Ding's mother finished speaking than Ding Qiunan's voice came from inside the house: "Mom, what are you saying about me again?"
"This girl has really sharp ears; she can hear us talking in the yard."
Ding's mother muttered something and then raised her voice, saying, "You lazy wife! The men are all up, and you're still sleeping in bed. Get up quickly, or I'll have to deal with you when I get in."
A short while later, Ding Qiunan, wrapped in a cotton-padded coat and muttering something to herself, came out of the house.
Ding's mother and Li Qin were peeling garlic by the pool when Ding Qiunan came out. Aunt Wang also came out of the west wing.
"This girl, hurry up and go inside and put on your cotton-padded coat. You're wearing that overcoat and it's letting in the wind. Don't catch a cold," Aunt Wang said hurriedly when she saw Ding Qiunan's appearance.
"Happy New Year, Auntie! Happy New Year, Sister!" After saying that, Ding Qiunan stood under the eaves with her pouting lips, looking at her mother angrily, before turning around and going back inside.
Ding Qiunan amused everyone in the courtyard.
"Hey, she got upset when I said a few words to her." Ding's mother was amused and exasperated by her daughter.
"Sister, you should also talk to Xiao Chu later. This is not how you spoil a daughter-in-law." As she spoke to Aunt Wang, Ding Ma raised her chin and gestured towards Li Chu, who was feeding the dog.
"Young lady, young people have their own ideas. I see that the young couple is doing quite well, always so lovey-dovey. We're old, we can't see eye to eye with young people," Aunt Wang comforted Aunt Ding.
"That's right, Aunt Ding. Xiao Chu and Qiu Nan have a great relationship. And Qiu Nan isn't lazy. They just have different jobs. Look at what my brother is wearing, and what the two kids are wearing. Every piece of clothing was made by Qiu Nan. I often come over and see Qiu Nan sewing clothes."
Li Qin's words indeed diverted Ding's mother's attention: "Xiao Chu is a strange child. I see that the young people living in the factory area, not to mention the cotton-padded coats in winter, all want to buy a Dacron shirt to wear in summer, regardless of whether they are men or women."
Why does he wear the clothes Nannan made for him all year round? Doesn't he ever worry about them looking shabby when he goes out? Look at those cotton shoes he's wearing.
"Mom, the clothes Qiu Nan makes are comfortable, the ones we bought don't fit." Li Chu also heard what his mother-in-law said, squatting there watching the three dogs eat, and chimed in.
"Alright, you can handle it if you want. As your own mother, I can't say much more."
"Mom, you're already making things up about your daughter so early in the morning. What kind of mother are you?" Ding Qiunan had already changed her clothes and finished washing up when she came out.
"Hmph, I'm only doing this for your own good! Come with me to the kitchen and make dumplings." Ding's mother rolled her eyes at her daughter and ordered.
"Uncle, Uncle, take me to the door to set off firecrackers." Jia Yuan also got up and ran out of the house to set off firecrackers.
"Cough cough, Yuanyuan, today is the first day of the Lunar New Year. What should we do first thing in the morning?" Li Qin was extremely troubled by her daughter's crazy behavior.
"Oh, I forgot!" Jia Yuan stuck out her tongue when she heard her mother's words, and hurriedly went around wishing everyone a Happy New Year, and even received several red envelopes.
This little girl has learned her lesson. As soon as she receives a red envelope, she immediately hands it all over to her mother. Since it won't end up in her own pocket anyway, it's easier to give it away sooner rather than later, otherwise it's just annoying to watch.
Li Chu took out several more strings of firecrackers from the storeroom, and even disassembled one string for Jia Yuan to put in her pocket and set off slowly. The rest were strung together to be set off before eating dumplings later.
As the dumplings were being cooked, everyone inside got up.
The sound of firecrackers echoed throughout the alley, as if the whole earth had awakened, and the shouts of children filled the air.
Jia Yuan also took a thin hemp rope, lit it, and ran outside to set off firecrackers.
Everyone chatted happily in the courtyard, waiting for the dumplings in the pot, creating a warm and joyful atmosphere.
At this moment, Xiao Hei ran out of the house and barked twice at Li Chu.
The people who were chatting stopped, wondering why Xiao Hei was barking out of nowhere.
Aunt Wang smiled and said, "The child must have woken up." As she spoke, she walked into the house.
Little White and Little Flower, those two spineless dogs, were terrified by the firecrackers last night and hid in their kennel, too scared to come out.
The responsibility of looking after the children was taken over by Xiao Hei again.
Aunt Wang followed Li Chu into the bedroom, and sure enough, the two children had already woken up. They were sitting on the bed wearing sleeping bags that Ding Qiunan had made, babbling in a way that most people couldn't understand.
Li Chu and Aunt Wang each had a child. They dressed them in the new clothes they had prepared beforehand and carried them to the living room.
The dumplings were already cooked and placed on the dining table in the living room. Li Chu took Wenxuan from Aunt Wang's arms and, holding Wenxuan and Wenhui, taught them how to greet people for the New Year.
Both children can greet people and say simple words. They received several red envelopes after going around in one go.
After exchanging New Year's greetings, Ding Qiunan took over one of the children, and only then did everyone begin to eat dumplings for the first day of the Lunar New Year.
Chapter 190 Strange
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