On New Year's Eve, the kind-hearted Tao Wanniang truly did a great deed by personally cooking a New Year's Eve dinner for everyone.
The table was laden with a variety of dishes, making everyone's appetite soar. Neither Chen Liansheng nor Zhang Liang were particularly particular about their food, but their eyes widened at the sight of this feast. How could someone who wasn't wealthy possibly afford to prepare such a meal?
In the center is a pot of fragrant, glistening old hen soup; next to it is a sweet-smelling, orange-yellow squirrel-shaped mandarin fish with carved patterns; in addition, there is a plate of braised fish, stir-fried shrimp, braised pork, lamb chops, and then vegetables such as bright green bok choy, shredded celery and pork, bean sprouts, and tender steamed egg custard.
"What are you all standing there for? Sit down. Although it's New Year's Eve and we still have to pay respects to our ancestors, my ancestors, Tao Wanniang, are all gone. As for the Ling family... they've all left their hometown. Lingjia Village no longer exists. You can just remember your ancestors in your own hearts." Tao Wanniang invited everyone to sit down.
A group of people sat together, and after Tao Wanniang picked up her chopsticks, everyone else couldn't help but start eating.
"Mom, it's so delicious! I wish I could eat your cooking every day from now on." Ling Dapeng said happily, his mouth full.
Tao Wan's mother glanced at her foolish son and calmly said, "Do you know how much this meal costs? I'm cooking you a meal; can you afford it?"
"And don't act like it's your right to eat my cooking. You're a father now, do you still need me to support you?" Tao Wan's mother said bluntly, but her expression remained normal. Everyone paused for a moment while eating, but seeing that she wasn't angry, they didn't care anymore. With such delicious food, who could think of anything else?
The grandson, Lingzhi, still needed Zhou Xiaoyun to feed him, and the smooth egg custard was almost shared among the children.
Seeing everyone else enjoying their meal, she felt a pang of sadness. She kicked Ling Dapeng under the table and glared at him, but he didn't even bother to serve her any food.
"Wife, what's wrong?" Ling Dapeng was scolded by his mother, but he didn't take it to heart at all and continued to eat happily.
"Put some food in my bowl, don't just eat by yourself," Zhou Xiaoyun said in a low voice, sounding a little anxious.
"Oh, oh, okay." Ling Dapeng didn't think much of it and immediately agreed when his wife spoke.
"Hongyu, come on, you eat too." Hearing this, Ling Dahu took the initiative to put some food on his wife's plate.
"What are you doing? Can't I hold it myself?" Wang Hongyu was also looking after her two children, and was a little puzzled by Ling Dahu's overtures.
Tao Wan's mother watched her son and daughter-in-law without showing any emotion. What's this? Fools are just lucky. It's good that they met her. Otherwise, how could they have such a comfortable life!
After dinner, the son and daughter-in-law helped clear the table, while Tao Wan's mother called all the children over.
“Little Qiao’er, come here, this is your New Year’s money from your mother. It’s New Year’s and you’ve grown another year older. Our little Qiao’er is now an eleven-year-old big girl.”
"Thank you, Mother," Little Qiao'er said sweetly, happily accepting the red envelope.
"Rui'er, Zhi'er, Xiaofeng, these are for you." Tao Wan's mother also gave the three little ones the same red envelope.
"Thank you, Grandma," said the eldest grandson, Ling Rui, immediately. His granddaughter, Xiao Feng, followed her brother's example, but the youngest grandson didn't understand what a red envelope was. He was being held by Zhou Xiaoyun and innocently stuffed the red envelope into his mouth.
"Mom, thank you!" Zhou Xiaoyun said on behalf of her son.
"I don't have many requirements for my children. I just hope they can grow up safely and happily," Tao Wanniang said like an elder. "Xiaoyun, you are pregnant, so please take care of yourself. Today is New Year's Eve, so I won't say anything else. Try to relax and don't think too much."
"Mother is right, I will take good care of myself," Zhou Xiaoyun said, hugging her child. She decided to wait until after the New Year to have her husband talk to the old woman about hiring a nanny.
"Elder sister, I won't say anything else, but thank you." Bai Yumei said to Tao Wanniang with a smile, "You are the person I am most grateful to in my life."
"Stop with the sentimental talk. This family is where it is today thanks in part to your efforts. I'm not just being polite, but back then, without you, we wouldn't have been able to rescue Prince Rui's son so successfully," Tao Wanniang said with emotion. "Although it's only been half a year, look, life is much better now than it was back then."
"Yes, it's because of you, Big Sister, that I have such a good life," Bai Yumei said sincerely.
Chen Liansheng and Zhang Liang, who were standing to the side, felt a sense of peace and tranquility during this New Year's Eve dinner and developed a greater respect for Tao Wanniang. However, since they were unaware of those past events, they sat there somewhat awkwardly.
“My family doesn’t have many rules, and we don’t have the custom of staying up all night on New Year’s Eve. Today is New Year’s Eve, which symbolizes family reunion. If you don’t want to stay, you can all go back to your rooms.”
Tao Wanniang noticed their awkwardness and spoke up.
"Big sister, well... I'll go back to my room first." Chen Liansheng stood up and bowed.
“I will also avoid this. It’s not appropriate for me to be here for your family’s reunion,” Zhang Liang said, standing up as well.
Tao Wan's mother waved her hand, indicating that they should do as they pleased. She didn't want to sit in the living room either; she just wanted to wait for her two sons and eldest daughter-in-law to finish their work so they could talk.
Before long, Ling Dahu and his brother, along with Wang Hongyu, finished their work.
Ling Rui and Xiao Feng immediately ran to their parents' side, holding up the red envelopes in their hands.
"Mom, Grandma gave it to me," Ling Rui said in a childish voice.
"Mother, thank you!" Wang Hongyu and Ling Dahu stepped forward to express their gratitude.
"Give your grandchildren lucky money, no need to thank me. I just wanted to tell you to put up the Spring Festival couplets tomorrow morning. Our family is from out of town and we don't have many relatives, so we don't need to visit anyone. I don't think anyone will come to wish us a Happy New Year," Tao Wan's mother instructed. "However, if you want to wish your father a Happy New Year, I won't object."
"Mother, no one will be visiting each other on the first day of the Lunar New Year, will they?" Ling Dahu said, looking at Tao Wan's mother tentatively. Wouldn't his mother really be angry if they went to wish their father a Happy New Year?
"Anyway, let me tell you, during the New Year, I'm not going to pay New Year's visits, and I don't expect anyone to come to pay New Year's visits. I just want to sleep until I naturally wake up every day. In the dead of winter, who doesn't want to stay in bed?" Tao Wan's mother said. "So, if anyone comes to the door these days, don't just call them 'Mom.' If you can take responsibility, then take responsibility yourself, understand?"
She's here to retire and enjoy her old age. It's one thing to be busy making money on weekdays, but during the Lunar New Year, shouldn't we give her some peace and quiet?
"Mother, I'm afraid that when the time comes, they'll all be looking for you, and there'll be nothing we can do!"
Wang Hongyu said with a smile, "Mother, after all, you are the head of the family."
Tao Wanniang was taken aback, then sighed. Indeed, with great power comes great responsibility, and she was still the one carrying the burden of this family.
"You should decide for yourselves who comes to visit and receive them yourselves." After saying this, Tao Wanniang called Xiao Qiao'er and Bai Yumei back to their room.
"Mother means... Father, right?" After Tao Wan's mother left, Wang Hongyu said in a low voice. This meant that if her father, the general, came, she wouldn't see him, right?
The Ling brothers exchanged a glance, their minds racing, and it seemed that this was indeed the case.
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