Chapter 99

This year's New Year's dishes were rich. Zhang Cuihua helped to make the braised pork, meatballs and fish head with chopped pepper, Gou Zi's mother made the halved chicken feet and pig's trotters, Jiao Huilan made the sausage and spare ribs herself, Meng Dasao made steamed buns and braised beef, Tao Ai braised prawns and shredded pork with Beijing sauce, Zhen Zhen personally fried a few vegetarian dishes, and together with the cold dishes such as pork head sent by Zhou Shufen, the round table at home could not even fit all the food.

Tan Wenyin looked at the table full of dishes and found them fresh. Usually, when she and Tan Zheng celebrated Chinese New Year together, the nanny would only cook five or six dishes, and it was not lively at all.

Rural cooking is especially delicious. After returning to her hometown, Tan Wenyin gained several pounds and became visibly plumper.

After the meal, Jiao Huilan made some soup. Zhen Zhen took two sips and then took out a stack of red envelopes, giving one to everyone, including his sons and daughters-in-law, grandchildren, and even Old Lady Meng and her father.

Mrs. Meng almost laughed her head off. "I'm already this old, why do I need any money for the New Year's Eve? Oh my god, I haven't received any money for the New Year's Eve since I was 9."

Old Mrs. Meng also felt uncomfortable. How could he ask the children for money?

"You are the hardest-working person in the family. Keep the money for yourself and don't give it to others."

Zhen Zhen smiled and said, "What's wrong with being older? The older you are, the more you should get the money."

Tan Wenyin was also a little surprised. She was already married, so logically she shouldn't have received any money. However, she had never received any New Year's money from the female elders in her family since she was a child, so she felt a little warm for a moment.

Tao Aihong was so happy that she couldn't stop smiling, "Oh! Mom is so generous today! I can't spend all the money I have."

Zhen Zhen couldn't help but roll his eyes, thinking, how much money can't you spend? You are so humble.

The five children were the happiest. Although the red envelopes would be taken away by the adults soon, the adults would still leave them one or two yuan for pocket money. In a year, the most pocket money was during the Chinese New Year.

That afternoon, Zhen Zhenwo was counting money in the house when Meng Daguo ran in like a thief and stuffed a red envelope into her hand.

Zhen Zhen was delighted, "This is thicker than the one mom gave you!"

Meng Daguo scratched his head in embarrassment, "I prepared it early in the morning, but I didn't give it to the second and third children in front of them because I was afraid they hadn't prepared anything. Didn't mother say that the older you get, the bigger the red envelope should be? This is a filial act from your son, so mother will accept it!"

Of course Zhen Zhen would not refuse the red envelope given by her son. Who would refuse the money they have already received? But she had to be humble:

"You didn't give all your private money to mom, did you?"

Meng Daguo blushed, "Mom, please stop making fun of your son. He saved this little money in a year."

Zhen Zhen was smiling brightly. As soon as Meng Daguo left, Meng Eryong came in stealthily. He shook the socks in his hand and took out all the change from the socks.

Zhen Zhen laughed, "Second brother, what are you doing?"

Meng Eryong chuckled:

"Mom, my son's money is all in the hands of my wife. She only saves this little money a year, and it comes from her cigarette money."

Meng Eryong had the habit of smoking. Tao Aihong gave him fifty cents a day for cigarettes, and Meng Eryong saved it all. It took him a year to save so many cents, which he stuffed into a pair of big cloth socks.

Zhen Zhen was really touched. "No wonder I didn't smell cigarettes on you. I thought you were gambling!"

Meng Eryong blushed at what his mother said, "What can I bet on with 50 cents?"

"Why not? In the village, you can roll the dice with 50 cents. Don't think I don't know."

Zhen Zhen sorted out the money one by one. She inexplicably felt happiness from this pile of bills. She couldn't help but hug Meng Eryong, "Thank you, son. Mother is very touched and very happy!"

Meng Eryong was a little shy when being hugged, he turned his head away and said stubbornly:

"The money is a little little, I hope you don't mind giving it up."

"How can this be too little? This is obviously a lot. If you resist the urge to smoke and save all the money, you can give me a red envelope. I will be so happy."

Meng Eryong only saw his mother's hard work. His mother had always been contributing to the family, giving red envelopes to the children, to her grandparents, and to her son and daughter-in-law, but no one gave her a penny.

Meng Eryong started saving money last year, but he couldn't ask Tao Aihong for money openly, so he could only save it from his cigarette money.

"Mom, you are one year older, but in my heart, you are always young."

Zhen Zhen patted her second son on the back and said, "Who can be bypassed by the years? Mother is not afraid of aging. Aging does not mean decay or withering. Aging is just a state of life that everyone will experience."

"Mom, are you really not afraid of getting old?"

"Don't be afraid. Go back and burn some more paper money for your father. Let him bless us from the underworld."

As soon as Meng Eryong left, Tan Wenyin came in. She wrapped the money in red paper and put it in her mother-in-law's pocket. "Mom, it's not much money. It's a little gift from your daughter-in-law to wish you good health."

Zhen Zhen looked at Tan Wenyin with a smile. At first, she was worried that Tan Wenyin could not hold Meng Hua. Fortunately, although Meng Hua had ulterior motives, he was not a reckless person.

"Thank you, Wenyin."

As soon as Tan Wenyin left, Jiao Huilan came in. She had seen the whereabouts of Meng Daguo's brother and Tan Wenyin.

It seems that everyone has the same idea and wants to give a red envelope to the mother-in-law.

Jiao Huilan took out the medicinal wine from under the window and said, "Mom, let me rub your frostbite for you."

To wipe the frostbite with medicated wine, you need to massage and rub it. After a winter, Zhen Zhen's frostbite is indeed much better than in previous years, thanks to Jiao Huilan's daily massage.

She lay on the bed, letting Jiao Huilan rub the outside of her arms. Zhen Zhen fell asleep unknowingly, and when she woke up, she found a pile of money next to her pillow.

Zhen Zhen felt a little emotional, as the saplings that he had planted before could now enjoy the cool air.

Meng Nan walked out of the door with four little followers. Sanwa winked at her. After thinking for a moment, Erya understood what they wanted to do and nodded to Meng Nan.

Meng Nan took a bite of the sugar bun and smiled while holding Wu Wa's hand. "Xiao Wu, am I good to you?"

Wu Wa blinked and said, "Okay!"

"Then I want to ask you, did grandma give you money today?"

Wu Wa held his pocket tightly and shook his head: "No."

"You didn't give me any? Then why are you covering your pocket?" Meng Nan chuckled and took out a colorful Water Margin card. "Wu Wa, this Water Margin card of mine is really pretty! It's much prettier than the money in your hand! How about it, do you want to exchange it with me?"

Wu Wa blinked in confusion, obviously mesmerized by the Water Margin cards, but he held his pocket tightly and refused to let go.

Meng Nan smiled cunningly, "Xiao Wu, did you know that Water Margin cards have magical powers? Look, whoever I throw the Water Margin cards at will be knocked down by me!"

Meng Nan said as he threw her at Erya, who fell to the ground, holding her chest.

Meng Nan threw it at Sanwa again, and Sanwa screamed, then knelt on the ground with convulsions.

"Xiaowu, with this Water Margin card, you won't be afraid of your brothers and sisters bullying you anymore. You can beat up whoever you want!"

Xiaowu looked at his knocked-down brother and sister in surprise. He took the Water Margin card and threw it at Sanwa. This stinky brother was the best at bullying him. He would either draw a little elephant on his chicken or pinch his nose to wake him up when he was sleeping! The stinky brother also stole his toys. Xiaowu always wanted to beat his brother.

Sanwa's screams amused Xiaowu so much that he couldn't straighten his back. "Brother was knocked down!"

"Yes, the Water Margin card is invincible. Anyone who comes can be defeated, including your father!"

Xiao Wu nodded and was about to take out the money, but Meng Nan dodged him.

"Forget it, what good is money? It can't be eaten, and it's not as good as the Water Margin cards!"

Meng Nan was about to leave with the Water Margin card. Wu Wa got anxious and took out ten yuan from his pocket and stuffed it into Meng Nan's hand.

Meng Nan looked embarrassed, as if he would suffer a great loss if he exchanged with him.

Seeing her grim expression, Wu Wa pouted and was about to cry, "Sister, you are bad."

Meng Nan spread her hands and said, "Forget it. Who calls me a sister? I should give in to my brother. Here, I'll exchange my Water Margin card with you for ten yuan. Don't tell grandma when you go back! If you dare to tell anyone, I won't play with you next time!"

Wu Wa nodded obediently, "Sister, take me to play! I'll be obedient!"

"Good boy!" Meng Nan patted the fifth child's head with a smile. The fifth child had very few hairs when he was born, and his head is still bald now. Meng Nan touched his head and winked at children one to four.

"Come on! I'll take you guys to buy some candy!"

"Great!" As soon as the fourth child arrived, he was very happy.

Meng Nan spent one dollar and bought a big bag of food. After sharing it, he took out a piece of candy and put it in Wu Wa's mouth.

"Xiaowu, I am good to you?"

Wu Wa drooled with happiness, "Sister is second best to Xiao Wu! Grandma is first best!"

"Okay, I won't argue with grandma. Remember, don't tell grandma what happened today, otherwise you will turn into a long-nosed rat tonight."

Meng Eryong was playing cards with Meng Daguo and others. Wu Wa walked up to him and threw the Water Margin cards at him.

Meng Eryong glanced at his unlucky son and asked, "What's the matter?"

Wu Wa didn't believe it, so he picked up the Water Margin card and threw it again. The Water Margin card was still useless. Could it be that the Water Margin card couldn't defeat his father?

Dad is so evil and bad that even the Water Margin cards can’t defeat him.

Wuwa pouted and burst into tears.

After Zhen Zhen figured out what happened, he captured Meng Nan, Erya and Sanwa and gave them a severe scolding.

Meng Nan was quite reasonable. "Am I wrong? My second uncle lied to me like this when I was a child. I am doing this to let Xiaowu have a complete childhood, okay? Besides, if I don't lie to him, he will be fooled by others if he has no sense of defense. Grandma, who do you think is better, being fooled by me or by others?"

"You do make sense!" Zhen Zhen smiled and took out a book of Olympiad mathematics problems. These Olympiad mathematics problems were brought back by Tan Wenyin, who had always forgotten to give them to Meng Nan.

Meng Nan's eyes widened. "Grandma, didn't you say that we should have fun during the winter vacation and not have any homework assigned to us?"

Zhen Zhen pinched her cheek and hummed:

"You call my grandma's cheating a lie? That's called a soldier never tires of deceiving others!"

Zhen Zhen not only arranged homework for Meng Nan, but also for the other three children. So, the four children of the family sat in the yard with small stools and started to do Olympiad math problems with painful looks on their faces.

Meng Nan hadn't finished his Olympiad math problems yet when Zhen Zhen heard someone shouting at the door. She went out and saw Old Man Su and Old Lady Su carrying Su Qiang, who had a broken leg, towards them.

"Zhen Guizhi! Come out and talk to me!"

Zhen Zhen had no impression of these two people, but when she saw Su Qiang, what else was there that she didn't understand?

When Old Lady Su saw her, she started yelling:

"Zhen Guizhi, you didn't want Su Xiu at the beginning, so I took her home to raise her. Ask yourself, have I raised her for so many years, have I done her justice? She eats and drinks my food, and earns some money for the bride price to pay for my son's medical treatment. Is this right? Well, your two sons went there, and ruined the Cao family's marriage. The Cao family refused to pay the bride price. What can I do to save my sons? What do you think we should do about this?"

This was indeed done by Zhen Zhen. She asked Zhang Cuihua to find a Taoist priest from her hometown and asked the Taoist priest to tell the Cao family's fortune. The Taoist priest said that the horoscopes of Cao Shazi and Su Xiu conflicted and would bring about a bloody disaster.

The Cao family naturally didn't believe it, but the old Taoist was also a powerful figure. He turned around and set fire to the Cao family's haystack, confirming the matter.

The flames grew higher and higher, and soon burned down the main room!

The Cao family was terrified and went straight to the Su family to cancel the engagement.

The Su family had no money to pay for Su Qiang's leg treatment, so they naturally refused to resign. After discussing it, the two old men decided that it would be better to go to the Meng family rather than the Cao family!