The old general said a few symbolic words, which roughly meant that our family has not had a good New Year's Eve dinner together for so many years. This year, there are new members in the family and new additions to the family. Let the past be the past, and hope that everything will go well in the coming year.
It was a rare occasion for the whole family to celebrate the New Year together. Ye Shiheng was filled with emotion and said a few words to echo his old father.
Mrs. Ouyang didn't have many thoughts. She just hoped that her father-in-law would not make any more noise and let everyone have a peaceful New Year's Eve dinner. Then she would be content.
Ruhuan was extremely happy that the whole family could finally have a happy New Year's Eve dinner together.
Ye Yunlu and his wife were also relieved.
Ye Zelin had no idea at all.
There were twenty dishes for the New Year's Eve dinner, among which the Eight Treasure Gourd Duck, Dongpo Pork in Clear Soup, and Squirrel Mandarin Fish were prepared by Yuan Datou, the chef in the kitchen designated by the old general.
Even the dishes for the New Year’s Eve dinner were specified, which shows how much the old general values this dinner.
Ye Zelin said that the old general would make things difficult.
Throughout the New Year's Eve dinner, the old general only said one or two words, nothing else, and not even any other actions.
This New Year's Eve dinner was unusually harmonious, but the atmosphere was very strange.
The New Year’s Eve dinner at ordinary families is always lively and exciting, but the Ye family’s New Year’s Eve dinner is unusually quiet.
Maybe it was because the family hadn't had New Year's Eve dinner together for many years, or maybe it was because everyone had different personalities. If one person didn't speak, the others wouldn't speak either until the dinner was over.
After the meal, the old general said he wanted to stay up all night with everyone.
Ye Shiheng agreed.
Ye Xiaosi stayed beside the old general. When he heard his grandfather say that he wanted to stay up all night to celebrate the New Year, he frowned slightly. His grandfather was old, and staying up late was not good for his health.
"Grandpa, do you want to stay up all night to celebrate the New Year? You have to stay up very late before going to bed. You are old, and going to bed late is bad for your health. Let us stay up all night to celebrate the New Year." Ye Songyan said.
The old general patted Ye Songyan's hand and said, "Grandpa is old, but he is still in good health."
Ye Shiheng said, "Your grandfather wants to stay up all night to celebrate the New Year, so let him do it."
In the past few years, the old general never stayed up all night with his son Ye Shiheng, his daughter-in-law Madam Ouyang, and their children. This year, Ye Shiheng was willing to stay up all night with them, and he would not refuse his father's wish.
Grandpa insisted on staying up all night, and his father joined in. Ye Songyan didn't say anything else.
There is a white porcelain vase on the table in the corner of the room. In the vase are a few branches of blooming red plums. The branches have been trimmed. From a distance, it looks harmonious and there is no clutter.
On New Year's Eve, people stay up all night to celebrate the New Year. There is also a custom of giving out red envelopes. The elders in the family will give red envelopes to the younger generations to express their love and good wishes for them.
The old general had prepared red envelopes long ago and gave one to each person, including the little great-grandson in his eldest grandson's wife's belly, in addition to his son and daughter-in-law.
They are in their forties and there is no need to give them red envelopes.
As a father and son, Ye Shiheng also gave a red envelope to his old father, children, two daughters-in-law, his unborn grandson, and his second daughter-in-law's younger brother Yue Zheng.
Mrs. Ouyang also gave out New Year's money.
Xu did not give out red envelopes, but gave her son Ye Songyan a big red envelope in private.
There was a charcoal brazier burning in the room, and the charcoal, which was burning redder than the fire, was emitting hot steam, making it very warm.
Ye Yunlu and his wife, Hua Fushu, Ye Zelin, Ye Songyan, and Ruhuan gathered around the charcoal brazier and chatted.
Ye Shiheng played chess with the old general, and Mrs. Ouyang stayed by her husband's side.
As for Mrs. Xu, she was afraid that she would be hungry while staying up all night to celebrate the New Year, so she went to prepare some cakes.
The old general played chess with Ye Shiheng, but because Ye Shiheng was not very good at chess, the game ended quickly.
Ye Shiheng wanted to play another game with his father, but the old general was unwilling to do so because he disliked his son's poor chess skills.
He looked around the room and his old eyes fell on his second grandson Ye Zelin. He heard that this kid was good at chess and had even defeated the current emperor.
Your Majesty's chess skills are superb, and everyone in the capital knows it. This kid beat Your Majesty, so his chess skills must be very good.
Why not play a game with him and see how good his chess skills are...
"Lin'er, come here."
Hearing someone calling him, Ye Zelin suddenly turned around and looked. Was it his grandfather calling him?
What do you want him to do?
"I'm calling you. Come here." The old general waved at Ye Zelin, "Come here. Why are you sitting here?"
Everyone looked at Ye Zelin and then at the old general.
The old general showed a rare kindness, "Come here, play a game with grandpa."
The old general's attitude towards Ye Zelin was very calm, and his image was similar to that of an ordinary grandfather who loves his grandson and is kind.
The old general's seemingly kind attitude seemed inappropriate towards Ye Zelin. Everyone in the mansion, from top to bottom, knew that there was no harmony between Ye Zelin and the old general.
I don't know how many times the situation was tense.
Ye Zelin looked at the old general, his handsome eyebrows slightly frowned. What was wrong with his grandfather? Why did he want to play chess with him?
Hua Fushu gently nudged the frightened Ye Zelin and said, "Your grandfather wants you to play chess."
Seeing his son not moving, Ye Shiheng said, "Come here quickly."
Ye Zelin stood up and walked over, calling the old general "Grandfather".
"Play a game with grandfather." said the old general.
He looked at Ye Shiheng with eyes full of disgust, "Get out of the way and let Lin'er sit down."
Ye Shiheng touched his high nose bridge, stood up and walked aside.
Ye Zelin sat in the seat where his father had sat, looking at the chessboard. His grandfather's black pieces had completely captured his father's white pieces, leaving no chance of recovery.
My father’s chess skills must be so bad that my grandfather despised him so much.
The old general picked up the chess pieces one by one and put them back into the chess box. In a moment, all the chess pieces on the chessboard were put back into the chess box.
"Grandfather, you go first."
The old general picked up a black piece and gently placed it on the chessboard.
Ye Zelin picked up the white chess piece casually and placed it down without thinking. People who didn't know him would think that he was confident seeing how quickly he moved. In fact, he was just doing it perfunctorily.
He had no intention of playing a serious game of chess with his grandfather.
After playing a few chess pieces in a row, the old general found that Ye Zelin played chess very casually. He frowned and couldn't help wondering, is this kid doing it on purpose?
He raised his eyelids and looked at Ye Shiheng beside him. He thought, Ye Zelin has never been a person who can do things casually and perfunctorily. He always treats everything seriously. It must be because his father is next to him and has influenced him.
The pair of eyes looking at Ye Shiheng instantly became unhappy. He said, "Stay aside and don't get in the way of Lin'er playing chess with his father."
Ye Shiheng rolled his eyes at his father and tugged at Madam Ouyang's clothes, "Let's get out of the way. We're not getting in the way of the old man playing chess."
Madam Ouyang smiled helplessly and went to roast the charcoal basin with Ye Shiheng.
Ye Shiheng pulled up Hua Fushu and asked Madam Ouyang to sit in her place. "You go to your husband's place. Your father and I need to warm ourselves by the fire."
Hua Fushu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Her father-in-law looked like he was angry and wanted to vent his anger on someone. She said, "Daddy, please don't take out the anger you suffered at Grandfather on me."
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