Chapter 375 I also prepared a gift for you
This year, the Xiao family prepared a very sumptuous New Year’s Eve dinner. People from all branches gathered together, and there were more than ten tables.
After dinner, the children all went out to play, and the young men of the Xiao family started a pitching pot competition. Chunxi and Xiao Qinghe accompanied Old Madam Xiao, drinking tea and chatting around the stove and keeping watch. From time to time, the sound of firecrackers could be heard outside, and the atmosphere was lively and peaceful.
Soon, the servants set off fireworks.
Everyone came to the courtyard to watch. Shen Qingyuan came to Chunxi with the prize he had won and whispered, "Madam, Happy New Year."
Chunxi took the prize and gave him a sidelong glance: "My husband is the elder after all, so he won't take the first place again, will he?"
"No, I only won one match before I quit the competition and became a referee. Xiao Yechen, that taciturn guy, didn't give anyone any face."
Seeing that the two were only concerned with their own conversation, An An and Ning'er hugged their legs and climbed up in dissatisfaction.
Shen Qingyuan bent down and picked up the two of them, then threw Ning'er to Chunxi. Then he stretched out his long arms and embraced both mother and child in his arms.
An An hugged Shen Qingyuan's neck and said proudly: "Daddy likes me."
Ning Er refused to be outdone and kissed Chun Xi on the cheek: "Ning Er doesn't like Daddy, Ning Er has Mommy."
The competitive spirit between the two children soon spread to other children. For a while, everyone was showing off their parents, and everyone was amused by these children's words.
Xiao Qingyue had been playing all day and was exhausted. She snuggled up to Xiao Qinghe and couldn't help but sigh, "I used to think children were annoying, but now they seem quite cute. Sister, how many children are you planning to have in the future? Let's have one together, otherwise I'm scared."
Xiao Qinghe tapped Xiao Qingyue's forehead and said, "No one can control this kind of thing. How can you just do it together? Besides, you haven't even had your wedding yet, and you're already thinking about having a baby. Aren't you afraid of being laughed at?"
Xiao Qingyue didn't care. She hugged Xiao Qinghe's arm and asked, "It's really too early to want a child now. Sister, please set the wedding date first. Xiao Yechen is really good at hiding his feelings. I didn't realize he actually liked me before..."
Xiao Qingyue yawned constantly as she spoke. Afraid that she would catch a cold, Xiao Qinghe asked the maid to take her back to the courtyard to rest.
The children soon became sleepy, and the crowd gradually dispersed, leaving only Xiao Qinghe and Mrs. Xiao.
"He'er, it's getting late, you should go to bed too."
At midnight, Xiao's father would take the Xiao family's sons to the ancestral temple to offer sacrifices, and Mrs. Xiao had to look after them.
Xiao Qinghe shook his head: "I'm not sleepy, I'll stay with my mother."
"You have been considerate since childhood."
Madam Xiao rubbed Xiao Qinghe's head, her face full of relief and heartache. Xiao Qinghe hugged her: "What are you talking about, mother? I am your daughter, so naturally I should be connected with you."
Soon, it was midnight and the new year arrived as expected.
Father Xiao took the Xiao family's sons to the ancestral hall to offer sacrifices, and then had a hot midnight snack before they dispersed. Xiao Qinghe also returned to the yard at this time.
She gave Quezhi and the maids in the courtyard a holiday, allowing them to go back and reunite with their families. Now she was walking back alone, holding a lantern, amid the sound of firecrackers.
Just as I entered the courtyard gate, I suddenly heard Xiao Yechen's voice: "Sister He'er, you're back."
Xiao Qinghe was startled. She raised the lantern high to confirm that Xiao Yechen was really there, and quickly pulled him into the yard. "This is the backyard. If my father and brother find out, you'll be beaten. Besides, it's so cold at night. If you have something to say to me, you can send someone to notify me earlier. What if I don't come back tonight and go directly to Yue'er's place, what will you do?"
Xiao Qinghe's tone was serious, but it revealed concern.
Xiao Yechen raised the corners of his lips, his eyes glued to her: "I just really want to see you again and talk to you. If I can't wait, I will go back by myself and no one will find out."
Xiao Yechen took out a bunch of things and handed them to Xiao Qinghe. "This is the prize I won tonight. It's all for you."
Xiao Yechen was forced to drink a lot of wine at the New Year's Eve dinner, and there was a strong smell of alcohol on his body. His tone was not as cold as usual, but with a hint of pride, like a child who came to present treasures and seek praise.
Xiao Qinghe accepted the things and said softly, "Brother, you were very impressive tonight. I saw it all."
The moment Xiao Qinghe took the thing, she touched Xiao Yechen's slightly cold fingertips.
Fearing that he had been standing in the cold wind for an hour or two and afraid that he would catch a cold, Xiao Qinghe made him sit down in the corridor and went into the house to get a hot water bottle.
"I'm not cold."
Xiao Yechen refused subconsciously, frowning as if he felt it was a bit embarrassing for a grown man like him to use this.
Xiao Qinghe didn't listen to him and directly stuffed the hot water bottle into his hand.
It was past midnight, and after the firecrackers were set off, everything gradually returned to calm. The Xiao family, which had been bustling all day, also quieted down.
Xiao Qinghe stared at Xiao Yechen for a while and asked, "What did you come to me to talk to me about?"
Xiao Yechen stroked the silk cloth wrapped around the hot water bottle and said softly, "I want to say Happy New Year to He'er. In fact, in addition to what I won tonight, I also prepared a gift for He'er, but I have never dared to give it to her."
Always? Does that mean this gift has been prepared long ago?
Xiao Qinghe seized the key point and asked, "What gift? Since you've made it, why don't you give it to me?"
Xiao Yechen paused, hesitating for a moment before saying, "It's still a wooden sculpture, but it's the same height as He'er. I started carving it after I moved to the General's Mansion, and it was completed just before the New Year."
"Such a large wood carving, why didn't I see it the last time I went there?"
It was completed years ago, so when she went there last time, only the finishing touches should have been left.
Xiao Yechen gave a sly smile: "I hid it."
The carving knife in his hand was extremely sharp, but it contained the softest and warmest love in his heart. He was afraid of scaring the young lady, so he didn't dare let her see it.
But last time he said that he had a very outrageous dream, the eldest lady didn't find him disgusting. Moreover, he has been going in and out of the Xiao family frequently recently, and the eldest lady didn't avoid him. He still wanted the eldest lady to know.
Realizing that Xiao Yechen was drunk and would answer every question, Xiao Qinghe immediately pressed on, "What does the wood carving look like? Am I the only one there?"
"No," Xiao Yechen answered quickly, pursing his lips after he finished speaking, a little conflicted, but he soon made up his mind and told the truth, "It was me who was engraved. I was the one who carried the young lady. Every time the young lady got drunk in the princess's mansion, I was the one who carried her to the carriage. But I threatened the servants to keep it a secret, so the young lady probably doesn't know yet."
“…”
Great, he actually admitted it himself.
Xiao Qinghe raised his eyebrows and pretended to be serious: "Okay, Xiao Yechen, not only did you take advantage of someone's misfortune, you also dared to carve down the evidence of your crime. I will go to the General's Mansion to find evidence now."
Xiao Qinghe said this and turned around as if to leave. Just as he took a step, he felt a tightness on his wrist. Xiao Yechen's broad, hard chest, reeking of alcohol, pressed against him.
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