On the first day of the Lunar New Year, it is customary to visit relatives and friends to exchange New Year's greetings.
He Zizhen and He Ziqian carried small rice cakes out to pay New Year's visits in the courtyard, which is their tradition.
Yun Jin was relieved, and Xiao Niangao was also willing to go out with He Zizhen and her brother.
Although He Ziqian's actions towards her were inhuman, he was still very good to his family, and Yun Jin was not afraid to go out with him.
Yun Jin wasn't afraid, but He Tingchuan was worried.
He thought He Ziqian was clumsy and couldn't take care of his daughter at all, so he followed them when they went out.
Watching from afar, he knew that if He Ziqian didn't take good care of Xiao Niangao, he would immediately step in.
Fortunately, He Ziqian was a decent older brother. Holding a small rice cake, he started by visiting each of his neighbors, offering New Year's greetings and auspicious wishes.
They all prepared red envelopes; even three or five cents is still money.
In this day and age, three or five cents is quite a lot.
Little Rice Cake went out with her older brothers and sisters. Her little bag was filled with red envelopes of all sizes. Everyone was afraid that they might have mistaken someone for someone else, so they wrote names and blessings on the red envelopes.
Yun Jin looked at the little rice cake that had returned with a full load, smiled and pinched her cheek. Luckily, she had put on face cream before going out, otherwise her face would have been ruined after being exposed to the wind for a while.
Beijing is dry, and Yun Jin is not used to it.
He Tingchuan stewed her a lung-nourishing rock sugar, fritillaria, and snow pear soup, which she and Xiao Niangao drank every day. Even so, she still couldn't help getting nosebleeds, which shows how dry and cold it is here. Yun Jin must have to drink a lot of water every day.
Small rice cakes are also included.
Xiao Niangao gave all the red envelopes she received to Yun Jin.
When someone comes to visit, Mrs. He gives out the red envelopes she has prepared. Every time this happens, Mrs. He says, "You are young, have more children. We only have three children, while others have five, six, seven, or eight. Compared to them, we are at a huge disadvantage!"
He Zizhen nodded in agreement.
Sister-in-law He blushed and said, "I'm too old to have children. Xiaoyun, you should try harder."
Yun Jin smiled without saying a word and glanced at He Tingchuan.
He Tingchuan remained expressionless, showing no interest in the topic. He was focused on applying face cream to Xiao Niangao, who had just washed her face, paying attention to her little hands and feet.
After taking a bath, Xiao Niangao needs to apply a layer of body lotion all over her body.
The little one's skin is delicate and can't be allowed to become dry and cracked.
After the New Year's greetings, it was freezing cold and there weren't many other activities, so they rested at home. On the second day of the Lunar New Year, He Ximei went back to her parents' home, and He's sister-in-law also went back to her parents' home with her children.
After giving red envelopes to the two children, she went back to her parents' home.
Yun Jin doesn't need to go back to her parents' home; she can stay home and wait for He Ximei.
My two older cousins love Xiao Nian Gao. They held her and played with her in the living room. Xiao Nian Gao kept calling them "brother" and "hug" and had a great time playing with them. The two little ones didn't want to go back and wanted to stay at their grandma's house.
He Ximei could only stay with her child. Her old room was still there, and she could tidy it up and move in.
There wasn't much to do on the third day of the Lunar New Year, and the weather was much better. The group went ice skating, strolled in the park, and ate and drank. Every day was packed with activities, and Little Niangao was playing as soon as she opened her eyes.
While He Tingchuan was making rock sugar pear soup for Yun Jin, He's mother was tidying up in the kitchen. Thinking that there were still too few children in the family, she said to He Tingchuan, "Little Niangao is over a year old now. You are still young, and Mom can still move around. When are you going to have another one? Mom will help you take care of Little Niangao, how about that?"
"I won't have it." He Tingchuan has been pressured to have a child several times in the past few days.
This was the first time that Mrs. He had explicitly asked him to have another child.
Mrs. He asked, puzzled, "Why?"
"A little rice cake is fine." He Tingchuan had already made up his mind not to have any more children.
Mother He advised, "How can Xiao Niangao be all alone? She needs a younger brother or sister to keep her company."
“Little Rice Cake has older brothers and sisters, so it’s fine if she doesn’t have younger brothers and sisters.” He Tingchuan said matter-of-factly.
Mrs. He frowned: "How can that be the same? The feelings between siblings are not the same. Besides, with your conditions, it would be a pity not to have more children. Is it that Xiaoyun doesn't want to have children?"
Mother He knew that, given their family's circumstances, if her daughter-in-law was willing to have a child, this brat of a son would certainly not refuse.
It seems the younger daughter-in-law was unwilling.
He Tingchuan shook his head, protecting his wife: "It's my unwillingness."
Mrs. He was so angry she wanted to hit someone: "What do you have to say you don't want to do?"
It's not like you're going to give birth; you can just enjoy yourself.
"I don't want to share my fatherly love with others." He Tingchuan lifted the lid of the pot, saw that the rock sugar pear soup was almost ready, turned off the heat, and planned to let it cool down a bit before serving it to the mother and daughter as afternoon tea.
Mother He hardened her fist: "If Xiaoyun wants to have the baby, you won't allow it?"
He Tingchuan nodded, looking at his mother who was persistently trying to persuade him to have a second child. Not wanting this topic to be the subject of every meeting in the future, He Tingchuan decided to take a one-time solution and confessed, "Mom, I can't have any more children."
Mrs. He's pupils contracted slightly: "You...you're sick?"
Good heavens, it's their family's fault for letting Xiaoyun down. Luckily, they have Xiaoniangao, otherwise how would they survive!
He Tingchuan's lips twitched: "Not sick."
Mother He felt like the sky had fallen: "You're no good?"
Good heavens! Isn't this just asking for trouble? Xiaoyun is still willing to live with him; it must be true love!
He Tingchuan's face darkened: "Mom, can you please think of me for what's best for me? I'm not sick, I'm perfectly fine, it's just that I had surgery."
"What kind of surgery could affect your ability to have a baby?" Mrs. He didn't immediately understand.
He Tingchuan made no attempt to hide it: "Vessel ligation surgery."
Mrs. He thought she had misheard: "What surgery?"
"Tightening procedure," He Tingchuan changed his wording to "sterilization procedure."
Mrs. He's vision went black: "You... Xiaoyun, she..."
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