Its suddenly the 30th of December, and Ziqing was woken up early by Shen Shi to take care of Xiao Si. Today, all the men in the household have to go to the ancestral temple for worship, so Shen Shi and others need to prepare things first. Ziqing also wants to see the excitement, so she carries the sleeping Xiao Si to Xiaoyus bed and watches everyone busy in the hall. On the table, a large wooden plate is filled with steamed chicken, fish, pig head, pig tail, and a bowl of vegetarian rice with four red dates on top, as well as a jug of water wine. On the floor, there is a basket containing firecrackers, incense, a pair of red candles, and a couplet written by Zeng Rui Xiang: "Joyful residence in a prosperous land for thousands of years, good fortune shining on descendants, all things prosper." With everything ready, the old master leads the men out. Zhou Shi quickly makes breakfast, Shen Shi busies herself with pig feed, while Ziqing returns to her aunts room to take care of her little brother. Autumn Jade is sitting by the window embroidering flowers on Tian Shis clothes, a crimson dress with a circle of light yellow peach blossoms at the hem.

  "Little sister, your embroidery looks really good! Little sister, can you teach me how to embroider flowers? I want to learn too."

  "Whats there to learn, I dont have time for that, let your mother teach you. In the first two years, I taught Zi Ping, she was so stupid, almost drove me to vomit blood." The younger sister looked impatient.

  At this time, Xia Yu came in and said: "On New Years Day, you are like a child throwing a tantrum. Ive told you many times to change your behavior, but if Big Brother and his family heard about it, they would be angry again. Dont wait for Mother to scold you."

  Qiu Yu listened to Chongzi Qing making a ghost face, and Zi Qing responded with a sweet smile. At this time, Xiao Si woke up, and Zi Qing opened the quilt to find that Xiao Si had pooped. Just as she was about to call Shen Shi in to clean up the child, Tian Shi and Zi Ping came in. Zi Ping said: "Auntie went out and is not at home." Zi Qing wanted to ask Tian Shi for help cleaning up, but unexpectedly Tian Shi fanned her hand once and said: "Its too smelly, how can it be so smelly?" After speaking, she turned around and left. This made Zi Qing momentarily unable to react - was this really Ah Po?

  At this time, Zi Ping said: "I was looking for people everywhere, it turned out they were all hiding here. Lets go out and kick the shuttlecock, my mother just made me a new one with chicken feathers."

  Unfortunately, no one responded to her. Zi Qing was busy changing Xiao Sis diaper and knew to pour some warm water first, using the dirty diaper to find a clean corner to wipe Xiao Sis buttocks. Xia Yu also lent a hand and said to Zi Ping: "Zi Ping, you go play by yourself, Er Gu cant kick you out, your aunt wants to finish Grandmas clothes, and Qingqing needs to take care of her little brother."

  Zi Ping then saw the embroidery in her younger sisters hand and said, "Younger sister, my mother also made me new clothes. Younger sister, you can embroider some flowers for me too. My new clothes will be beautiful, this time I wont give them to Zi Qing even if theyre old."

  Ziying felt a wave of discontent, it turned out that she had always been picking up the leftovers of others. She must have had no financial power in the Shen family before they separated, and she didnt dare to touch any of the silver she brought from her mothers house, fearing that Tian would find out and covet it. All she could do was suffer along with her children. Once she understood this, Ziying said: "Ping sister, dont worry, from now on you can have everything, I wont want anything either."

  "Hmph, easy for you to say, then take off your clothes." Zi Qing thought she hadnt offended her either.

  "Eldest sister Ping, Im saying its not going to happen in the future. Not that it happened before." At this time, Old Master and his family returned, having finished paying respects to their ancestors at home and were busy preparing breakfast. Eldest sister Ping stormed out first, flailing her arms in anger. Autumn Jade took advantage of the situation and pinched Zi Qings cheek, saying: "I didnt think you had such a sharp tongue, just wait for a scolding, shell definitely tell her mother."

  Zi Qing listened to it all, and according to Da Niangs temperament, she might say something unpleasant. At that time, dont open your mouth again, or youll provoke the elders at home. You yourself wont mind, but Im afraid your parents cant take it. What a way to start the new year, looking for trouble!

  Because of the New Year, Ziqing and Zishou made an exception to sit at the table, and the whole family squeezed together around a full table. Its really "fearing what comes next", just as they were eating, Zipeng spoke up, "Mother, Ziqing said she doesnt want my old clothes anymore."

  "Of course, others dont need to, theres a father who can make money and a young brother who can earn money to buy clothes for his sister. Your mother has no ability, she didnt give birth to good brothers or younger brothers for you. You shouldnt take your hot face to stick to other peoples cold buttocks, even if you stick, mutton will still not stick to dog meat. Remember that?" Zhou Shis words made the old man and Tian Shi very displeased, everyones faces looked unpleasant.

  "Alright, lets just drop it, everyone. Its the new year, kids dont understand anything, its normal for them to be noisy, theyre all family after all. Look at what youve taught your child." The old man said.

  "Hmph, Im afraid I treat others like family, but they dont treat me like family." Zhou Shi muttered to herself, not daring to speak loudly.

  The breakfast on the eve of the Lunar New Year ended in a dull atmosphere, and the adults were busy preparing for the dinner that night, which was the real highlight. After a year of hard work, even poor families would spare no expense to have a sumptuous dinner, and children looked forward to having a good meal. Zi Qing had not had a full meal for so long, and had only smelled meat once.

  When all the dishes were on the table and everyone was about to sit down, the old man ordered Zilu to set off a string of firecrackers. He told Zifu to pour wine for the elders. The old man raised his cup, his eyes seemed a bit red, and said: "This is the last New Years Eve well spend together. After the holiday, you brothers will be separated. I didnt have the ability to make our descendants rich, but I didnt deprive you of food and clothing either. Both of my sons are more capable than me, which makes me happy. As a rural family, its already good that weve made it this far. I just hope that after separation, brothers will still be brothers, and the two sisters in our household will also think about each other often. Thats all I wish for. Lets drink to that."

  The old mans last sentence was spoken with a choked voice. The elders present had red eyes, and the two aunts burst into tears. Tian Shi wiped away her tears with her hand and smiled: "This old man is going to cry everyone on this New Years Day! He has never said so many words in his life. The children havent gone far, just moved out of Old Twos house. When do you think he should go see them? Cant even lift his legs to go. On New Years Day, its not hard to call them back with just one word. Come on, Zhiping, take your siblings to eat some dishes, eat more."

  "Yes, old dad and mom, a table full of dishes not letting us eat, just making us cry, after crying our fill the dishes will be saved, I dont know for how long Ive been thinking about this meal, whatever we have to say lets talk after everyone has eaten their fill." Autumn Jades words made everyone laugh. Only Autumn Jade dared to act spoiled in front of old master, she led the way in taking food, chatting and laughing, this New Years Eve dinner finally ended in harmony.

  After dinner, the old man lit a fire in the pit of the hall with roots, and the whole family sat around it. Next to them was a tripod with a pot of hot water for tea. They thought about the future, looked back on the past, and the warm red flames warmed everyone up. At this moment, Zi Qing felt that this was what a warm family should be like.

  It wasnt long before Zi Qing and Zi Shou both got sleepy, so the old man told Shen Shi to take the children back to sleep first, no need to stay up all night, just let Zeng Rui Xiang accompany them. Back in the house behind, the Xiao family was also gathered around the fire pit, chatting and laughing. This warm scene suddenly made Zi Qings heart moisten, and the pain came unexpectedly.