Chapter 309 Lunar New Year's Day
At each house they visited, the host would warmly greet them with a smile. After meeting, everyone exchanged New Year's greetings, and laughter echoed throughout the village.
Hand in hand, Shen Xiaoxiao and Shen Xiaochuan happily went from house to house, wishing their elders a Happy New Year. As they offered their greetings, they chatted and joked with the young people in the village, their relationship was very close, and the atmosphere was exceptionally lively and pleasant.
"Xiaoxiao, you got into university! That's amazing! Don't forget your brothers and sisters who grew up together!" A young man said to Shen Xiaoxiao with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Shen Xiaoxiao smiled brightly and nodded quickly, replying, "Don't worry, how could I forget you all? I'll definitely come back to play with you all when I have my vacation."
After paying their respects to the ancestors, the women headed to the former communal dining hall to busily prepare for today's reunion dinner. This dining hall, once the center of the village, is no longer in use, but on this special day, it has been revitalized.
Today, the whole village will gather here to enjoy a sumptuous reunion dinner together.
Every household will bring out their best dishes and add a signature dish to express their best wishes for the New Year.
The brigade would provide staple foods such as rice and noodles to ensure that everyone could eat their fill.
The whole village sat together, their laughter and chatter filling the air; the scene was truly lively and extraordinary.
"Xiaoxiao, Xiaochuan, you must be exhausted today. Go and rest, you have to get up early tomorrow to visit Grandma for the New Year!" Ma Aning said with a smile.
Upon hearing this, Shen Xiaoxiao nodded obediently, then stretched out a big yawn, as if all her fatigue had been released with that yawn.
She smiled and said to Ma Aning, "Mom, today was really lively and fun, but it was also really tiring."
Shen Xiaochuan, who was standing next to him, also smiled and chimed in, "Yes, but it feels really great to be able to celebrate the New Year with the villagers. Everyone is gathered together, and it's so lively and festive."
"There's been boiling water in the pot, you should go wash up and rest!" Ma Aning urged with a smile.
It was a very tiring day, and the siblings hadn't slept well on New Year's Eve, so they washed up and went to bed early.
When Shen Xiaoxiao woke up the next morning, she looked at the sky outside and then hid under the covers.
Ma Aning's voice calling people to come eat breakfast could also be heard coming in from outside.
"Getting out of bed in the dead of winter is torture!" Shen Xiaoxiao muttered as she slowly crawled out of bed and then moved to the foot of the bed like a snail.
She grabbed her clothes and rolled them into the blanket like sushi rolls, then quickly burrowed into the blanket like an ostrich.
Just then, Ma Aning walked in and immediately saw Shen Xiaoxiao's appearance. She couldn't help but laugh and say, "You silly girl, getting up has always been a huge problem for you. I really don't understand, is it that cold in winter?"
Shen Xiaoxiao poked her head out from under the covers and answered earnestly, "Yes, it's really cold! If I could, I'd love to stay in bed all winter and never have to get up."
Ma Aning shook her head helplessly, turned around and walked out.
Shen Xiaoxiao lingered in bed for a while before finally getting up and reluctantly going to wash up.
After washing up, the family sat together and ate a simple bowl of noodles.
The noodles were simple, but they tasted like home. After breakfast, they hurried off to Majiazhuang to pay their respects for the New Year.
The sunshine along the way was bright and cheerful.
Before long, they arrived at Majiazhuang.
As soon as they entered the village, Shen Xiaoxiao and her family were surrounded by a group of elderly men and women.
"Ah Ning! These must be your children, right? I heard they're quite successful!" Grandma San's face was full of wrinkles, but at this moment she smiled like a blooming flower.
She warmly took Ma Aning's hand and looked Shen Xiaoxiao and Shen Xiaochuan up and down.
Ma Aning's face immediately lit up with a smile, and she quickly said, "Third Grandma, who told you that? My two little rascals are nowhere near as good as your children!"
When Grandma San heard Ma Aning mention her children, her smile grew even brighter, like a flower blooming in spring.
She said with great joy, "My two children, although sometimes they are a bit of a worry, are fortunately both very promising."
My son, while not as outstanding as my daughter, is still doing quite well; he not only got into university, but I heard he'll be a teacher after graduation!
Upon hearing this, Ma Aning quickly smiled and nodded, praising, "Third Grandma, your child is truly outstanding! He's sure to have a bright future!"
Just then, other elderly people were also attracted and gathered around, praising Ma Aning's two children.
"Wow, this child is so clever!"
"Yes, they're sure to achieve great things in the future!" they said one after another.
Shen Xiaoxiao and her brother were a little embarrassed by everyone's praise, and their faces flushed slightly.
Ma Aning echoed everyone's words, continuing to praise, "Moreover, the pay for being a teacher is quite good now, the job is stable, and the social status is high."
“Of course! My daughter told me that becoming a teacher isn’t easy; you have to have real skills,” an older woman interjected.
“That’s right, that’s why your kid is really amazing!” another old man chimed in.
Everyone was talking at once. "Third Aunt, I've come to pay my respects for the New Year. Let me take these people to my mother's house first, and then we can chat!" Ma Aning quickly spoke up, otherwise they would have sat down and chatted for the whole morning.
"Wait, no rush, I have something to tell you," Granny San quickly pulled the person away.
Ma Aning was puzzled. What did she want to tell her? "Third Grandma, what is it?"
"Great news, wonderful news! What do you think of my Ahua?" Grandma San said happily, holding his hand tightly.
“That’s great, you’re promising. Didn’t you say you got into a teachers’ college? You’ll be a teacher right after you graduate?” Ma Aning didn’t quite catch on and continued.
"You also think my Ahua is great, right? How about we arrange a marriage between our two families?" Third Grandma looked up at him expectantly.
"Well, Third Grandma, I'm really sorry," Ma Aning interrupted apologetically.
"What? You don't like my Ahua?" The third grandmother's expression immediately turned ugly.
"Third Grandma, you've misunderstood. It's not that I look down on Ahua, Ahua is a very good person!" Ma Aning quickly tried to explain.
"So you agree!" Grandma San immediately smiled, her expression changing incredibly quickly.
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