In the hall, the whole family sat around the dining table, the air thick with the aroma of cooking.
Shangguan Wenyan lowered his eyes and skillfully peeled the shrimp with his slender fingers. As soon as the white shrimp meat was removed, it fell steadily into Ma Lihua's bowl. Then he picked up a few more of her favorite dishes with his chopsticks. His movements were gentle and his care was meticulous.
Ma Linghua and Ma Hehua's expressions darkened, and they exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with displeasure.
Ma Linghua pursed her lips, secretly thinking: Really, they're not even married yet! Such intimacy, how shameless! She really is a seductive vixen.
She grew angrier the more she thought about it, slammed her chopsticks down, and blurted out, "You can leave this afternoon after you finish eating!"
This was said to two money-losing bastards.
These words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples that instantly silenced the room so completely that you could hear a pin drop.
Everyone was stunned, their faces filled with astonishment.
Li Zhongguo's hand, holding the teacup, froze in mid-air, almost spilling the tea. The younger generation looked at each other, full of doubt.
"What? Go back? What does that mean? Where are we supposed to go back to in this freezing weather?"
Su Zhenzhu broke the silence first, raising her voice with disbelief on her face.
The grandchildren beside them blinked, their little faces full of confusion, their mouths still full of food, unsure whether to swallow or spit it out.
Li Zhaomei and Li Panmei reacted quickly, exchanging a glance before answering in unison.
"Okay, I understand, Mother."
"We'll eat and wash the dishes later, then we'll pack our things and go home."
But as soon as they finished speaking, all the family members turned to look at them, looking completely bewildered.
Some muttered under their breath, while others looked aggrieved. The atmosphere of the family reunion dinner suddenly plummeted to freezing point, with only the howling wind outside the window carrying a faint chill.
Night fell, the dark sky pressed down heavily, and fine snowflakes fell softly, like a silent sigh from the heavens.
Filled with grievances and bewilderment, Li Zhaomei and Li Panmei led their entire family slowly out of that familiar door.
The car disappeared into the chaos of night and snow, and who could have imagined that this departure would be their eternal separation?
Who could have guessed that the meal just now would be the family's last reunion?
Inside, the warmth vanished abruptly. Ma Linghua looked up at Ma Hehua, a shrewd glint in her eyes, and said bluntly, "By the way, give me the red envelope!"
Ma Hehua unconsciously clutched her pocket tightly; the red envelope inside hadn't even warmed from her body heat yet, and her reluctance was written all over her face.
But when she met her mother's unquestionable gaze, she sighed and resignedly took out all the red envelopes from her pocket and handed them over.
"Look at you! You'll have another one next year, won't you? You have five sons. I have to say, you're much more capable than your mother. Five of them! You can just lie there and collect red envelopes and count your money."
Ma Linghua mocked him while counting the money. Ma Hehua's expression softened slightly upon hearing this, and she nodded repeatedly: "That's right! Mother, you're so thoughtful."
Ma Lihua, standing to the side, was speechless. After hesitating for a moment, she obediently handed her red envelope to her grandmother.
While the three of them were busy fiddling with the red envelopes, in the kitchen, Wang Ma was quietly cleaning up the mess, becoming the "dishwasher" to bring this farce to a close.
Li Qiang hid in a corner, secretly smiling to himself. His aunt had smiled at him today, and that smile was so sweet it made his heart melt.
He clenched his little fists secretly and vowed in his heart: I must make a lot of money in the future so that my aunt can be this happy every day.
As night deepened, the eerie atmosphere grew even stronger.
Outside the window, the moon had taken on an eerie blood-red hue, and the snowflakes fell heavily as if they were filled with lead, creating an oppressive atmosphere that made it hard to breathe.
Ma Lihua suddenly got out of bed, and Ma Linghua opened her eyes at the same time, but Ma Hehua was completely unaware and was snoring loudly.
"It's Chinese New Year, the peak season for burning paper money. The moon in the sky is extraordinary; something must be about to happen."
Ma Linghua glanced at the sleeping Li Zhongguo, then quickly got up, dressed, and made to leave.
Ma Lihua followed closely behind, and just as she finished tidying up, Shangguan Wenyan appeared out of nowhere in the room.
Ma Lihua paused, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes: "Brother Wenyan, what are you doing here?"
A smile played on Shangguan Wenyan's lips as he tapped the armrest of his chair absently with his fingers. His voice was deep: "Pear Blossom, where are you going?"
"I'm going to find my grandma." Ma Lihua looked at him warily, unconsciously taking half a step back, her eyes turning cold, revealing indifference and struggle.
Shangguan Wenyan stood up slowly and approached step by step: "No way! Pear Blossom, come with me, I'll take you somewhere."
Ma Lihua gripped the hem of her dress tightly with both hands and shook her head in refusal: "I'm not going!"
A strange unease welled up in her heart. Shangguan Wenyan in front of her seemed shrouded in mist, both unfamiliar and dangerous.
The wind howled outside the window, as if countless eyes were watching the room. An unknown event was quietly brewing in this eerie snowy night.
Ma Lihua disappeared, along with Shangguan Wenyan, as if they were two water droplets that evaporated into thin air, leaving no trace, only stirring up a ripple of panic in the place where they were.
Ma Linghua's heart tightened. An ominous premonition climbed wildly like vines. She knew that the situation was spiraling out of control and heading in an unknown direction.
Anxious and worried, Ma Linghua rushed to Ma Lihua's room. The first thing she saw was the wide-open door, and a cold wind blew in, chilling her to the bone.
The room was in a mess, with tables and chairs overturned, objects scattered all over the floor, and several shocking scratches on the walls, clearly indicating that a fierce fight had taken place.
Ma Linghua's eyes widened, her hands trembled involuntarily, and she murmured, "Lihua, what happened to you..."
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