When Jiang Tao and Little Cotton Padded Jacket arrived at their parents’ house, they heard the two of them arguing.
"The cigarettes and alcohol our son gave you, I don’t know what you’re showing off for!"
"A pack of cigarettes costs dozens of bucks, and you hand them out to everyone around the village, just look at how smug you are!"
"You call that smug? What’s wrong with giving out a few cigarettes? Don’t be so petty all the ti!"
"I’m petty! Yes, I’m petty! If you were like Li Jiacheng, would I care about this small stuff?"
"Do you look in the mirror? If I were Li Jiacheng, would I have married you!"
"Fine, fine, fine! Jiang Wen, you’ve got so nerve now, if we can stay together let’s do it, if not, let’s get a divorce!"
"Divorce it is! Let’s go! Whoever doesn’t go is a grandchild!"
"Grandpa, Grandma, don’t get divorced, or my dad will be without parents."
Xiao Jiangxue panicked when she heard her grandparents talk about divorce.
There are quite a few kids in her class with divorced parents, so pitiful.
She doesn’t want her own dad to beco one of those pitiful sorts.
"Mom, Dad, let’s put a pause on the divorce talk, besides the civil affairs bureau is on holiday for the New Year."
Jiang Tao didn’t take the old couple’s words seriously, playfully persuading them.
The old couple had been married for over forty years, if they took their words seriously every ti, they would have split eight hundred tis by now.
Seeing Jiang Tao and his lovely granddaughter co in, the old couple each glared at the other and temporarily called a truce.
"Xuexue is here, Grandma’s darling granddaughter, co~ Grandma will take you to your little aunt’s room to get so chocolate."
"Hooray!"
As soon as Jiang Xue heard there was chocolate, her sad mood was instantly swept away, and she skipped along holding her grandma’s hand to raid her little aunt’s stash.
"Dad, us big n should have a bit more tolerance, it’s the New Year, don’t bicker with Mom."
Jiang Tao pulled out a pack of Huazi cigarettes from his pocket, took one for himself, and passed the whole pack to Old Jiang.
"Mhm."
Old Jiang was quite persuadable, grunting in acknowledgnt as an agreent.
Didn’t he just want to show off his son outside a bit, was that wrong?
Father and son chatted idly in the yard while smoking a few, and his mom ca out with Jiang Xue who had raided a bunch of snacks from Third Brother’s room.
Jiang Tao couldn’t help but laugh: "You’ve cleared out your little aunt’s snack supply?"
"Third Brother’s an old girl now, always eating kids’ snacks, has no adult manners!"
"In our village, those her age are having their second child, and she doesn’t even have a boyfriend! Doesn’t that make you anxious?"
"Second Brother, the Third Sister listens to you the most, you should advise her, let her settle down."
"Now that it’s New Year and everyone’s back, let her go on a few blind dates, maybe she’ll et the right one!"
"Blind dating is just a matter of eting enough people before you find the right one, don’t you think?"
"Okay, okay, I’ll advise, I’ll advise..."
Jiang Tao responded with a laugh, he couldn’t be bothered to bring this up with Third Brother.
Marriage is a big deal and should respect the person’s own wishes.
If they want to marry, then marry, not because you think they should.
After chatting a bit, Jiang Tao talked about Xu Li inviting them over to help, and the old couple agreed readily.
At noon, Jiang Tao also called over his two nephews for lunch.
The eldest sister-in-law was busy making money, even after Xu Li called, she couldn’t co, so they didn’t push her.
But working so hard while pregnant, it’s indeed a bit heart-wrenching.
Jiang Tao quietly thought to himself, if he ever got the chance in the future, he’d definitely give his eldest brother and sister-in-law a hand.
After all, they’re tied by the blood of siblings.
Lunch lasted from noon until well past one o’clock in the afternoon.
Jiang Tao, the old man, along with the eldest nephew Jiang Shijie, drank a bottle of Maotai.
This amount was just enough for a slight buzz, not too much, just right.
After the al, Wang Xiaobai repeatedly thanked Jiang Tao for his hospitality, then drove off with his sister Wang Xiaohong and Xu Sha.
"Hubby~ It’s our first year in the new house, how about we buy so fireworks?"
After sending everyone off, Xu Li cozied up to Old Jiang who was sitting on the sofa in the living room watching TV, grabbed his arm, and sweetly pleaded.
A few days ago, before Jiang Tao ca back, the old man gave Xu Li several large firecrackers as thick as water pipes.
Erupting them was like a grenade going off, loud but not at all pretty.
Xu Li prefers beautiful fireworks and enjoys the romantic atmosphere.
"Sure, let’s buy so! Buy a bunch this year, let my lovely wife have her fill."
Jiang Tao laughed and nodded, such a small request from the wife could be t.
In previous years, Jiang Tao would only buy five or six fireworks to casually light and listen to the noise, just to join the fun.
He’d say as long as there’s sothing going off, it’s fine, but deep down he felt it was a waste of money.
A small tube of fireworks costs dozens, and a bigger one could be hundreds.
To hear the noise, see a fleeting spark, it’d take several days of wages, how could he not feel the pinch?
This year, with tens of thousands in his pocket and goods in the yard that could earn him millions more.
Buying so fireworks was like popping champagne early to celebrate!
Though Ping County had a straightforward ban on fireworks this year.
But, it seed like nobody took the rule seriously.
The days leading up to the New Year were filled with the sound of firecrackers.
Patrol cars would drive around the villages daily, yet nobody seed to be caught.
"Hubby, you’re the best~ Mwah~ Mwah~ you’re the most handso hubby in the whole wide world~"
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