As the New Year is drawing closer, there are more and more people on the road, all of them looking hurried and walking fast.
Chen Xingling rode his bicycle home and found that there were several small stalls on the side of Shuiyue Road. Most of them sold children's favorite small firecrackers or gadgets, and there were some half-grown children selling pancakes or fried cakes.
She felt a little greedy when she saw it, so she got off the car and bought four large pancakes.
"Sister, can you buy the remaining two?" The young boy smiled warmly and said, "There are only two left. It's getting dark, and I'm in a hurry to close the stall and go home."
Chen Xingling has always been generous. Thinking that Gu Yi and Zhao Xiaoxing both have big appetites, he paid for the last two.
"Thank you, sister!" The young boy smiled.
Chen Xingling looked at the energetic yet childish face of the boy and couldn't help but think of his beloved son who was happy and contented with his life.
I heard from several of his brothers that Little Tiger followed his cousins up the mountains and into the sea, and had a lot of fun every day. He was nowhere to be seen during the day, and fell asleep at night, which showed that he had a lot of fun.
Recently, Aqi is not at home, and Xiaohuzi is not at home either. The house is deserted upstairs and downstairs at night, which makes her uncomfortable. She can only close the door, hide in the supermarket, put on a facial mask, lie on the massage machine, and go to bed early.
After fourth brother's wedding is over, she will bring little tiger here.
After being busy for a whole year, she planned to take a few days off and spend some time with her son.
Before Chen Xingling reached his home, he saw from afar several young men in factory uniforms standing outside his house.
"Master's wife!"
"Master's wife is here!"
——It turned out to be Gu Qi’s disciples!
Chen Xingling smiled and got out of the car to say hello.
"Why are you guys here? What are you all standing at the door for? My sister-in-law Xiao Xing is inside! Come on! Come in!"
The leader, Wang Qin, pointed at two snakeskin bags on the ground and explained with a smile: "Master's wife, this is the New Year's goods given to Master by the factory. This big bag is all of them. The other bag is a small gift from a few of us to Master and his wife for the New Year."
"Oh!" Chen Xingling said repeatedly: "You are so thoughtful. To be honest, I don't know when Aqi will be able to come back from his business trip. There are not many people in my family, and we can't eat so much."
"Master's wife! Just accept it!"
"We gave everyone New Year's gifts in our factory! The master has a high title and is also a civil servant, so he got two big portions. This is what the master deserves."
"Yes, yes! Master's wife, you must accept them all!"
Chen Xingling smiled and said, "Come with me into the house and have a glass of water first."
"No." Wang Qin explained, "The factory will stop working tomorrow for the New Year holiday, and we will have a dinner party at the No. 1 canteen the following evening. Master's wife, is Hu Zi here? We are here to deliver New Year's gifts, and we also want to invite Master's wife and Hu Zi to join us for the dinner party. The master is on a business trip, so you and Hu Zi can go on his behalf."
Chen Xingling shook his head and smiled apologetically: "Hu Zi is at my mother's house. He has been there for a few days. My fourth brother is getting married tomorrow and will have a banquet. He will come over in the evening after the banquet. If you are free, come and accompany that brat. He always wants to come and play with you after the holiday, but I am afraid that your master is not here and no one is watching him, so he will make trouble, so I will not let him come over."
"Oh! Master's wife, you don't even know—we miss Huzi so much!"
"Yes! I haven't seen him for a few days, and I miss him a lot!"
"The master is not here, but we are here! Without him, the office is always quiet, boring and dull! Once Xiao Huzi comes, the atmosphere will be different immediately! You have to let him come!"
Chen Xingling smiled and said, "Tutututut! When you start work after the New Year, I'll send him over to find you. By the way, when will you start work next year?"
"The eighth day of the first lunar month." Wang Qin replied, "That said, we can't officially start working until after the Lantern Festival. In the first few days of work, we usually don't have much to do, just cleaning and checking the machines at the dock. There's nothing important to do."
"Yes, yes! Master's wife, you must let Hu Zi come to find us when the time comes!"
Chen Xingling nodded: "Aqi might have arrived by then. If you are not busy, I will let him go."
Wang Qin smiled and said, "During the meeting the other day, the factory director praised the master on the stage, saying that the drawings of his new design have been approved by the superiors and will be used on new ships in the spring of next year. The factory director also said that the factory's finance department will give the master an extra annual gift, but I don't know what it is."
Chen Xingling smiled dumbly: "When it's delivered, I'll let Huzi tell you."
"Hey, hey, hey!"
"Of course!"
Chen Xingling invited enthusiastically: "Hu Zi and I will be at home on New Year's Day. If you are free at noon, come over and get together. I will treat you to tea and snacks."
"Too late! We will be there by then!"
"Thank you, Master's wife! I will definitely come to wish you a happy new year!"
Chen Xingling took the paper bag from the front of the car and handed it to them.
"This is the fried dough cake I bought on the road. It's still hot. Share it among you."
Several people accepted the thanks with a smile, then said goodbye and walked towards the north gate.
"Master's wife! Goodbye!"
"Goodbye, Master's wife!"
Chen Xingling watched them go away before opening the door and pushing his car in.
Next, she tried to twist the snakeskin bag - but found it was very heavy!
"Xiao Xing! Xiao Xing!" she shouted loudly.
Unexpectedly, Zhao Xiaoxing was not at home.
A few days ago, Zhao Xiaoxing accidentally cut her hand. Chen Xingling applied medicine and bandaged it for her, and told her to rest at home and not go to the factory again.
Zhao Xiaoxing, however, couldn't sit still. After cleaning the rental house, she began to clean the Sanyuan area.
No wonder Wang Qin and the others were waiting at the door just now - it turned out that no one was home!
Chen Xingling took out the key and opened the door to the living room.
At this time, Gu Yi came back from get off work.
He helped Chen Xingling carry in two snakeskin bags and explained, "After our meeting in the afternoon, we went to collect our New Year gifts and subsidies. None of us could work hard, and our hearts had already flown away. It wasn't easy to clean the place, and we ran away without stopping."
Chen Xingling smiled and said, "I understand! It's the New Year! It only lasts once a year!"
"Sister-in-law, these - are the New Year's goods given to my brother by the factory?" Gu Yi asked in surprise.
Chen Xingling shook his head: "The other bag was given by your brother's apprentices and students."
"Oh!" Gu Yi nodded: "We also pooled our money to buy one for our master. It's the same in the factory, it's a rule passed down by our predecessors. But the factory gave my brother a lot of New Year's goods! At least half more than me!"
Chen Xingling didn't bother to unpack the New Year's gifts and asked, "Ayi, where's Xiaoxing?"
"...I don't know!" Gu Yi asked back: "Isn't she here? She was cleaning when I was at work this morning."
Chen Xingling shook his head: "Not here."
Gu Yi thought for a moment and said, "It's probably at the rental house. By the way, sister-in-law, when can my brother come? Tomorrow is the 28th, and the day after tomorrow is New Year's Eve."
"I don't know." Chen Xingling smiled bitterly: "He left in such a hurry, and just said that he would try to come earlier, hoping to catch up with my fourth brother's wedding. Look, my fourth brother is going to hold a banquet tomorrow - and he is still nowhere to be seen."
Just then, Ying's signature loud voice came from outside the door!
The two looked in the direction of the sound - they saw Zhao Xiaoxing staggering in with two pieces of paper in her hands, while Zhao Xiaoxing closed the door at the back.
Gu Yi stared at them, and Tu Qi asked, "Mom, Xiao Xing, where... did you go?"
"Hey!" Ying shook the paper in her hand and laughed excitedly: "Look! Your sister and the others sent me money! Look! Look!"
Zhao Xiaoxing replied shyly from behind: "Mom... let me accompany her to the post office."
Gu Yi stared at the paper in Ying's hand in surprise and asked, "My sister? Ah Miao?"
“What?” Ying narrowed her eyes and pointed with two fingers: “It’s ten dollars! A full ten dollars! Hahahaha!”
Chen Xingling raised his eyebrows and asked, "Did Chen Erliuzi send this?"
"Yes, yes!" Ying was extremely happy. After all, she had been poor for a month or two, and she hadn't touched the Great Unity Banknotes in her pocket for a long time. Now that she finally touched some, she was naturally very happy.
Gu Yi took the paper from his mother's hand and asked, "Did he say anything? Where did the money come from? Is there a specific address?"
Chen Xingling also hurried forward to take a look.
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