This year's Winter Solstice is on November 17th. When Zeng Ruixiang returned home, Madam Shen suddenly remembered that the Winter Solstice was approaching. She had been busy embroidering flowers recently and had just finished, planning to go to the city the next day to sell them and buy some things back for Zi Xi to prepare for the Zhōu Lǐ ceremony. It is expected that there will be guests coming from the Shen family side.

  The next day, Zeng Ruixiang took the boys in the family to the old house. It is said that they also went to their ancestors' graves. Zi Qing saw the incense, candles and fruit prepared by Shen Shi, finished worshiping their ancestors and returned. The old house didn't even provide a meal, and Zeng Ruixiang seemed somewhat disappointed.

  "Will they come for Zi Xi's first birthday?"

  Zeng Ruixiang said with some difficulty: "The old masters may have forgotten Zi Xi's birthday, and no one mentioned it. I don't dare to ask, what do you think we should do?"

  Shen's family just said forget it and live as a single household.

  On the eighteenth, Shen and Zeng Rui-xiang went to town together again. They bought a lot of things on their way back: cotton fabric, pastry, meat, pig's trotters, and a piece of beef. Beef was not common; it was usually only sold when an ox was injured. There were also stacks of red paper, indicating that Zeng Rui-xiang still remembered the couplets they had sold last year. This year, they were short on silver again, so they prepared early.

  What surprised Ziying the most was that Shen brought her five bright oranges and said, "As soon as I saw these, I thought of you constantly talking about oranges. Isn't this what you wanted? The seller said they grew on the top leaves of the tree and weren't discovered until they were picked. They're not cheap either, four coins each. I don't know if they taste good or not, but I bought five anyway. There aren't many of them in total."

  Zi Qing really felt that it was worth the effort, and immediately peeled one open to try. The taste wasn't bad, much better than the green-skinned ones they had during Mid-Autumn Festival. So Zi Qing let everyone share some, planning to bury the seeds back in the soil afterwards. However, just as a few people were peeling them in the room, they heard Master Xu shouting that someone was knocking on the door outside. Shen Shi quickly hid the red paper and fabric under the bed.

  Ziying thought that this time, moving into a new house, the outer courtyard gate was farther away, and the sound insulation effect of the brick house was better. If the whole family was playing and laughing in the main room, they really wouldn't know if someone outside was calling at the door. Ziying remembered that in ancient times, there were also copper bells and things like that; otherwise, she could also buy one to make a simple doorbell or something.

  Zi Fu brought along Old Master, Tian Shi and Xia Yu, Qiu Yu to celebrate Zi Xi's first birthday. They brought two pairs of small shoes, a new set of cotton clothes, which Tian Shi said were made by the two daughters-in-law. It's really not easy, when Zi Shou and Zi Qing had their birthdays, no one paid attention.

  Suddenly, Mr. Tian glanced at the oranges in everyone's hands, and Zi Qing hastily handed one over, saying: "Auntie, this was specially bought by my mother today in town for little brother's birthday, just opened to coax him to eat, Auntie you try some first, it's sweet."

  "Hmph, buying such expensive fruit yesterday and didn't even know to send two for your parents to try. The child is having a birthday and doesn't even say a word to his parents. It's clear that life has gotten better and now you're looking down on your own parents." Tian Shi expressed her dissatisfaction.

  "Mom, what are you talking about? This orange was just bought today when I went to the city. Ziqing looked for it for a long time but couldn't find it. This child wants to plant fruit trees, how can parents not support that? There are two packages of pastries here, I was thinking of sending them over later and inviting you all to come eat dinner. Look, the dishes are already prepared, just waiting for cooking." Ziqing discovered that Dad had also learned to lie, and she held back her laughter for a long time, hurting herself internally.

  "My son has already said so, don't pick on him anymore. I'm telling you, our son is not that kind of person. You don't believe me? After all these years, you still don't understand your second child?" The old man said to Tian Shi.

  He then said to Zeng Ruixiang, "Ruixiang, go invite your brothers, they just left this afternoon, ask them to come over for a meal. Brothers should get along, don't let separation create estrangement." Zeng Ruixiang nodded and went off.

  Shen went to the kitchen to prepare dinner, and as soon as she entered the house, she started steaming a big bowl of clear broth with pork trotters. She knew Tian liked to eat steamed meat patties in soup, so she added some large dates to the pot. At the same time, she also steamed a big bowl of egg custard, and used potatoes to cook a piece of five-flower pork. She then stewed a pot of tofu and yellow sprouts with some minced meat, and cooked some dried fish with green peppers and scallions. She cut a small piece of tender beef into strips and stir-fried it with white radish strips and potato strips, adding some green vegetables to complete the meal.

  When Zeng Ruixiang and Zeng Ruizheng's family entered the house, they met He Shi with her two sons and daughters-in-law at the door. He Shi gave a small silver necklace to Zi Xi, while Xu Shi and Zhao Shi each made a set of clothes, shoes and socks for the children. Zhou Shi brought a purse, probably prepared temporarily, not wanting to come empty-handed.

  Tian's family looked at He's prepared silver necklace, somewhat embarrassed, she came empty-handed, Zi Qing took over He's silver necklace and deliberately shouted: "Mother, bring little brother over, grandma has made a silver necklace for him."

  The dishes are almost ready, and Shen is rolling out the noodles. After hearing Zi Qing's words, she glared at her and said: "What a fuss you're making, let your brother hold Zi Xi."

  The old man quickly said, catch the stove first and then eat. Everyone was sitting in the dining hall, the chairs in the hall were not yet finished, so they could only sit in the dining room. The old man spoke again, just put something on the table, a peasant's house doesn't have that many rules.

  Zeng Ruixiang listened and quickly brought over the several things he had prepared, including a pen, book, painting, abacus, small silver ingot, a small knife in its sheath, seal, and toys. Zi Qing counted them and found there were eight items. Later, Qiu Yu brought in a plate of pastries and said with a smile, "Let's see if you're a glutton." Zi Qing despised her silently.

  Good fortune, the child is born with joy. Today, he's wearing a brand new red outfit and has a small silver lock on him, looking so clean and adorable. Sitting at the dinner table, he curiously looks at the things on the tray, touching them here and there. With his right hand, he grabs a seal, and with his left hand, he picks up a small silver ingot. Zi Qing thinks the silver is dazzling and the seal is fun to play with, so Zi Xi takes it, still very excited. In the future, we must cultivate him well to make money, contribute technology, and hide behind to count the silver.

  The old man smiled so much that his mouth couldn't close, and he said: "This kid is going to make it big, he can be an official or make a lot of money. My family's legacy will continue with him, the future prosperity of our family depends on them."

  Others just smiled and said nothing. At that moment, no one thought that Grandpa's words would actually come true later on.

  It's a pity that Zeng Ruixiang had some regrets, I guess he wanted his youngest son to grab the pen and book. It is said that Zifou grabbed a pen, and as the eldest grandson, he was sent to be enlightened early on. However, isn't the best way out for scholars to become officials? Thinking of this, Zeng Ruixiang couldn't help but feel a sense of pride, and his gaze towards Zixi became more ardent.