Chapter 129 128. Mandarin Ducks Playing in the Water and Medicinal Jade
A small goldfish pendant.
Only two grams.
But it is exquisitely crafted, lifelike and very cute. It is tied with a thin red rope with a buckle on the rope. When you untie it and wear it around your neck, it looks beautiful and luxurious.
"this……"
The Liu family and Mr. Miao were all shocked, and when they realized what was happening, they quickly pushed the matter away.
"This is too valuable. It's easy for a child to lose it if he wears it..."
The children also knew that gold was valuable. Although they liked it, they had to get the consent of their parents. Since there were no adults around, Xiaohua looked at Lei Li.
"It's okay, it's okay."
Lei Li waved his hand and said with a nonchalant smile, "It's not like we were so tight on money a few years ago. It's New Year's Day, so what's wrong with wearing a beautiful pendant?"
"At worst, I can just wear it at home during the New Year holidays and take it off when I go out. I'll put it away properly so no one can snatch it away or steal it."
Miao Fulang and the others thought so too.
The ratio of gold to silver in the Dayou Dynasty was 1:20, one tael of gold was equivalent to twenty taels of silver. Such a small pendant, combined with the craftsmanship, would not be worth more than two taels of silver at most. Now that everyone is rich, this price is nothing.
Zhang Daqiang and Liu Qishu were thinking about buying a gold hairpin or something for their husbands. If they couldn't afford something too expensive, they could buy something cheaper. After all, they couldn't have the money and let their husbands be so frugal with their appearance.
Seeing that their elders had relaxed their expressions, the children could no longer hide the joy on their faces.
"Daddy! Daddy, put it on me!"
Sister Huaer is young and has a lively and cheerful personality. After getting such a beautiful golden jewelry, she couldn't wait to ask her father to put it on and turned around several times to show off.
"How's Daddy? Does he look good?"
“It looks great!”
Liu Guo also pursed her lips and smiled faintly, and put a little goldfish on Xiao Liumu.
Little Liumu was wearing brocade clothes and a small brocade hat. His skin was fair due to the Liu family's genes. Once he put on the gold pendant, he looked like a young master from a wealthy family.
Xiaobao too.
Xiaobao was even more shy than Xiaoliumu. When he was wearing the gold pendant and was praised by Miao Fulang, he shyly hid in Miao Fulang's arms.
When he heard the baby's ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, he showed his little face to look at him. The baby waved his little hands to go into Xiaobao's arms, and his black eyes were shining.
"What's wrong, brother?"
“Ahhh!”
"Do you want this?"
"Oh!"
"Is it beautiful?"
"Oh!"
The little baby cried out in joy, and even shook the gold pendant with his little hand, as if praising Xiaobao for being pretty, which made Xiaobao purse his lips and smile shyly and joyfully.
Xiaohua was too embarrassed to wear it in front of everyone, so Liu Yeer put it on her.
The baby didn’t get a pendant.
He didn't wear the longevity lock that was given to him, only a silver bracelet on his two little hands.
He is in the oral stage now and is very curious. He even wants to suck and bite his own hands and feet. If you give him the pendant, he will put it in his mouth without noticing.
Gold and silver are both soft.
A baby's mouth and stomach are softer.
It's okay if the pendant is bitten and deformed or broken, but I'm worried that the baby will bite off a small piece, chew it, swallow it and scratch it.
The baby's arms were chubby, and the bracelet got stuck in his flesh. He couldn't bite it, and his fingers weren't delicate enough, so he couldn't pull it off even if he wanted to.
In addition to the red envelopes for the children, Lei Li also prepared New Year gifts for others. They were placed in a small brocade bag, which was also made of gold when he took it out.
The husbands gave gold bracelets to the female relatives, and the husbands gave bracelets with gold beads and gold tiger heads, all weighing about one or two taels. The ones given to my grandma and grandpa weighed two taels.
There are also distinctions.
For younger couples like Liu Guo and Miao Fulang, the bracelets have more complex petal patterns with entwined Phalaenopsis orchids on top.
Willow Leaf's bracelet has a lotus pattern, which is novel and symbolizes health and longevity. Grandma's bracelet has a more elegant and dignified peony pattern, a timeless classic style that is even loved by the old ladies from wealthy families in the capital.
This was something everyone wanted, and even if they felt embarrassed they couldn't refuse. For a moment the main hall was ablaze with gold and filled with joy.
"Isn't there any cousin-in-law?"
Sister Huaer suddenly noticed that Zhou Yi didn't have any gifts, so she flew over and hugged Lei Li's thighs, giggling like a little fox.
"Is my cousin going to give it to my cousin's wife secretly without showing it to us?"
"Little clever ghost."
Lei Li smiled and pinched Sister Hua'er's nose, but didn't answer directly. "Even the gold pendant can't stop you from talking. Be careful, your cousin won't give it to you next year."
"My cousin wouldn't do that! He loves Sister Huaer so much!"
Sister Hua'er was a smart little girl. When she saw Lei Li like this, she seemed to know something. She ran away with a giggle, and then shouted that she wanted to cook dumplings and rice dumplings for them.
Everyone's attention was also drawn to this remark. Half of them were busy planning what style of dumplings and what fillings to cook, while the other half continued to wrap the rest.
Dumplings cook quickly.
They float on the surface of the soup in all colors, each one is chubby, some look like ingots, some look like little carp, some look like swallows, and there are also wheat ears, crescent moons and goldfish.
The children were so curious and greedy that they forgot that there would be more rice dumplings later. They competed to see who could get a copper coin first and who could eat the most. After they ate until their stomachs were full, they took some hawthorn slices to help digestion and walked for a while. Then they couldn't help feeling sleepy and wanted to go to bed.
"Go to bed."
Several adults coaxed him.
A vigil does not have to last all night until dawn.
Especially for poor families, it is cold at night, and they have no interesting activities to pass the time. They can't afford to light more oil lamps, so they just stay up for a while after dinner and then go to bed. In the county town, most people set off fireworks at midnight, and then go to sleep when the new year comes.
Sister Huaer and the others had made a lot of noise before and had used up a lot of energy. If they hadn't been so excited by making dumplings, rice dumplings and lighting fireworks, they wouldn't have been able to last so long.
Grandpa and other elders were also sleepy and went back to their rooms. The younger ones were in high spirits, making the remaining dumplings and rice dumplings and chatting. They did not sleep because there was a stove and a hot water bottle in the room.
The uncooked rice dumplings in the pot were watched by the servants on night watch.
Zhou Yi was not sleepy either, but just as he coaxed the baby to sleep, Lei Li pulled him back to their room.
"A New Year's gift."
Lei Li pushed the person down on the bed, pressed him down and kissed him for a long time before he took out a brocade bag from his arms, which was embroidered with a pattern of mandarin ducks playing in the water.
"What is it?"
"You'll see if you open it."
Zhou Yi opened the brocade bag upon hearing this. Seeing a touch of warm jade color inside, he was stunned for a moment, "What is this? What is it for?"
"This is medicinal jade."
Lei Li chuckled and whispered a few words into Zhou Yi's ear. Zhou Yi's ears turned red. The brocade bag containing the jade seemed like a hot potato. He didn't know whether to throw it away or not.
"I've specifically sought out a doctor who specializes in this area, and he's got some prescriptions. I heard they're quite effective."
Lei Li smiled slyly and touched Zhou Yi's flushed face and kissed him again, "Don't you think it's bad to do this too often? Apply it according to the doctor's prescription, and it won't be so easy... and it will be more enjoyable."
"...Thunderbolt."
It took Zhou Yi a long time to find his voice, but he was so embarrassed that he didn't dare to look Lei Li in the eye for a moment, and his words were stuttering.
"Where did you find this doctor? Why are there so many different procedures..."
"I asked someone to find it."
Lei Li's voice was light and quick, sweeping across Zhou Yi's heart like a feather, making him feel a little itchy all over. He moved uncomfortably, and his legs, feet and arms rubbed against Lei Li's warm body.
"These things happen most often in the brothels and prostitutes in the county town. They have to take good care of themselves, otherwise they will become old and lose their beauty, and will be forced to stay on the streets because they can no longer attract customers."
"I know a nanny in the building. When she was young, she was beautiful and charming, and she was also very strong and resourceful. The young masters in the county would spend a fortune just to see her..."
"But you, you're not from the building."
Zhou Yi's ears felt even hotter as he listened, and he was a little annoyed that he was not putting himself in a proper position.
"They work in brothels because they are forced to do so by life. If they can make a living on their own, they don't need to waste their energy on these things. We are a married couple with official titles, so there is no need to worry about these things."
"Of course it's different."
Lei Li leaned over, kissed Zhou Yi's ear, and bit the tip of his ear. "They were forced, I was willing. The guests in the building are frivolous and vulgar, but my husband is a gentleman who remains calm and composed."
"I begged you so much, but you didn't want it, and you still told me all these things. It really makes me sad..."
"It's not that I don't want it."
Zhou Yi hurriedly wanted to explain, but when he thought about the purpose and origin of the medicinal jade, he felt a little disrespectful to Lei Li. However, Lei Li had taken great pains to find it, and it seemed hurtful to him to say that he wanted to throw it away.
"I don't mean to belittle you. We are husband and wife, partners. I'm not interested in those... fancy things in bed. Just the regular ones are fine. After all, I don't like you for that kind of thing."
He paused again, "If you like, then...it's up to you."
"I like."
Lei Li chuckled softly, kissed him happily, and asked knowingly, "I like it. Does my husband want to use it? I want my husband to use it..."
"Then use it."
Zhou Yi nodded hesitantly, then thought of something and hesitated, feeling very embarrassed. "Did you have this newly made or... did you get it from somewhere else?"
This is said cryptically.
But Lei Li saw through his thoughts immediately, and with a mischievous and frivolous smile, he asked, "What would you do if I came from somewhere else?"
“…”
Zhou Yi pursed his lips and said, "I don't want to give you other people's things. Our family is not short of money. If you like it, just buy a new one..."
"Does medicinal jade require a lot of medicinal materials? Is it something very precious and rare?" You were in a hurry, so you didn't buy a new one?
"If there's nothing in Qingmi County, ask Mengluo to look for it in Xiling and Zhongchuan Prefecture. He probably doesn't know what it's used for..."
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