Seeing the firecracker debris at the door, Shen Mingzhi started sweeping it up anyway. "I'm just killing time, you can put it up."
Jiang Shaozhen said no more.
After the couplets were pasted up, the two returned to the courtyard.
Jiang Yinyin had just gotten up when she grabbed her hair and walked into the yard.
Just as Jiang Qing was taking out the roasted peanuts to plate, Jiang Yinyin came over to the table and immediately grabbed a handful.
"Xinian, do you see if you have any boxes? Give her one to use as a trash can," Jiang Guofu said.
Wang Xinian disliked Jiang Yinyin, but he still did as she said.
He took an empty cardboard box from inside the house and placed it at Jiang Yinyin's feet.
Jiang Yinyin peeled peanuts, looked up at him, and said, "Why are you still at my house? You used to be here to study, but now that you've finished your studies, shouldn't you be home?"
"What do you care where he is?! Eat your food, stop talking so much!" Jiang Qing, who was carrying snacks, immediately scolded him upon hearing this.
Jiang Yinyin popped a peanut into her mouth, her tone tinged with dissatisfaction, "I'm just telling the truth. Doesn't he have any family? Why isn't he going home for the New Year? What is he doing here?"
Wang Xinian ignored her words, walked up to Jiang Qing, and helped her carry the bag.
Jiang Qing felt embarrassed and kicked Jiang Yinyin, saying, "Stop babbling on and on. If you're not busy, go help Aunt Wang in the kitchen to start the fire!"
"Why should I do any work during the Spring Festival? I'm not going!" Jiang Yinyin said, grabbing a handful of stir-fried sweet potato slices from the bag and running into the house.
In previous years, she was very happy during the Lunar New Year. Not only would her family be happy together, but she would also receive many red envelopes.
But this year is not happy at all... My parents are on the side of that bitch Shen Mingzhi, and my brother is even more so. It feels like she is living under someone else's roof in this family.
She wanted to go back to the villa, but her parents wouldn't let her go back!
Jiang Yinyin felt extremely wronged.
Seeing her like this, Jiang Qing couldn't help but sigh.
After arranging the plates, she took out some fruit.
In the afternoon, Jiang Guofu began hanging lanterns. Around four o'clock, as the sky gradually darkened, the lanterns were lit, and the whole courtyard was filled with a festive atmosphere.
Jiang Shaozhen took a bundle of firecrackers to the door, lit them with a match, and they immediately started crackling and popping.
Niannian sat in the stroller, beaming with joy, clapping her hands repeatedly.
Shen Mingzhi stood next to Zhouzhou and covered his ears.
He's not afraid of firecrackers in the distance, but he'll cry if they're close by.
On the contrary, Niannian likes it the louder the sound, and she's so happy she wants to jump for joy...
"Alright, let's go back for New Year's Eve dinner!" Jiang Shaozhen walked in and closed the courtyard gate.
The sound of firecrackers outside was incessant, some near and some far, making the whole world noisy.
Shen Mingzhi hadn't had such a lively New Year in a long time.
Jiang Shaozhen walked to her side, picked Niannian up from the stroller, and pushed the stroller with his other hand.
Shen Mingzhi pushed Zhouzhou back into the house.
The warmth of the heated kang bed permeated the entire room. Shen Mingzhi took off her cotton-padded coat and placed Zhouzhou aside.
Jiang Shaozhen put Niannian into the stroller and sat down with Shen Mingzhi.
The family sat together.
Jiang Qing served rice to everyone, while Wang Sao assisted.
Every year, Sister Wang would have New Year's Eve dinner at the Jiang family's house and then go home the next day.
This year is no exception.
There was fish, meat, and wine.
Jiang Shaozhen poured a glass for everyone.
"This is a once-a-year event, so eat as much as you can!" Jiang Qing said to everyone with a smile.
Shen Mingzhi hummed in agreement.
After everyone finished eating, they raised their glasses and wished each other a Happy New Year.
After a few rounds of drinks, Jiang Yinyin's cheeks flushed as she said to Jiang Shaozhen, "Second brother... you didn't even welcome me back... you don't know what I've suffered these past six months. You got married and forgot about your sister, your mind is all on your wife, you don't treat me like your sister at all."
Shen Mingzhi has also practiced for the past six months and is not drunk yet.
Wang Xinian hadn't drunk much and was still sober at this point.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shao Chen replied coldly, "You didn't even treat me like a brother, so what's there to feel aggrieved about? Isn't it all your own doing?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yinyin burst into tears, “I brought this on myself?! Does she even deserve to be my sister-in-law? Are you blind? You already had a wedding banquet with Zhang Ping, you could say you were married, what do you need her for?! You say the child is yours, I never believed it, it’s definitely some random guy’s…”
As she spoke, she pointed at Wang Xinian, "It's his... otherwise why would they be willing to spend money to send him to school? Oh, I heard they're even sending him abroad—"
Before she could finish speaking, Jiang Shaozhen, who was already drunk, smashed his glass in her face. "Jiang Yinyin, say that again, you fucking idiot?!"
He hasn't lost his temper since he married Shen Mingzhi.
But what soldier doesn't have a temper?
He was afraid that his foul language would frighten Shen Mingzhi, who was as delicate as a begonia flower.
But I just couldn't resist tonight.
How much trouble has Jiang Yinyin caused since she came back?!
Jiang Yinyin was stunned for a moment after being hit, then stood up, her face flushed, and said, "You hit me for her sake, but I'm your sister! I knew it, you were unhappy with me when I came back. From the moment Dad picked me up, you warned me. What right do you have to warn me?! So what if this is the house you two got married in? Mom and Dad paid for it. I'm a daughter of the Jiang family, why don't I have the right to live here?! Oh, you're warning me for coming to live here, huh?!"
Shen Mingzhi watched the siblings argue and ate her meal by herself.
She said that since it wouldn't interfere with her New Year's Eve dinner, she didn't care.
Jiang Guofu immediately stood up and pulled Jiang Yinyin, "What are you doing? It's the New Year, what are you doing?!"
"I'm making a scene?! Dad, can you at least have some conscience?! I suffered for half a year at the Party School, and he didn't even come to see me once. I finally came back for the New Year, and what was his attitude?! It's all Shen Mingzhi's fault, it's all his fault for marrying Shen Mingzhi!" Jiang Yinyin cried, tears and snot streaming down her face.
"Jiang Yinyin, if you keep crying like that, get out!" Jiang Qing had finally lost her patience.
Even the biggest complaints should wait until after the New Year!
"No way! This is a house you paid for. If anyone should leave, it should be Shen Mingzhi and her bastard child!" Jiang Yinyin had been drinking and didn't know what she was saying.
She simply spoke the words that had been buried in her heart for a long time.
This time, even Jiang Guofu couldn't stop them.
Jiang Shaozhen stepped forward and slapped her across the face.
Jiang Yinyin was knocked to the ground and before she could react, Jiang Shaochen picked up the chair she was sitting on and smashed it down on her.
"Shao Chen! Shao Chen! This is your sister!" Jiang Qing screamed.
Shen Mingzhi was also startled and quickly stood up to pull him away.
There was a loud "thump".
The chair slammed down next to Jiang Yinyin and immediately fell apart.
Upon seeing this, Jiang Qing breathed a sigh of relief, but her legs immediately went weak, and she sat down in the chair.
Niannian opened her eyes wide and craned her neck to watch the excitement.
Zhouzhou was so frightened that she burst into tears.
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