Qin Hongi carried Luo Anguo, followed by Beisitian and Luo Anping, and the four of them went to their old ho together.
When they arrived, Luo Aiguo and Old Mrs. Luo had just woken up. Now, Qin Hongi had no status at ho, rising as early as Bai Jinfeng to work together.
When Qin Hongi saw the family arrive, there was no smile on her face. It wasn’t until she saw the things they were carrying that her expression eased.
"Uncle, Aunt, you’re here. Co inside, the stove is nice and warm," Bai Jinfeng, carrying a baby on her back and holding a spatula in her hand, said with a smile.
"Be careful not to splash oil on the baby’s face!" Qin Hongi suddenly shouted with a stern face.
In this family, she only dared to shout at Bai Jinfeng, but now Bai Jinfeng was no longer easily intimidated by her as before.
Upon hearing Qin Hongi’s words, Bai Jinfeng knew she was picking a fight and slightly reigned in her smile. The fire was just lit, the oil wasn’t even poured into the pan, where would there be oil splashes?
Mrs. Qin and the others also knew that Bai Jinfeng got scolded simply for showing them a smile.
Ignoring Qin Hongi, the four of them went into the house.
Old Mrs. Luo was sitting on the heated bed folding quilts, and there was an odd sll in the room, the scent of a night spent without ventilation.
Beisitian quietly stepped out.
Once the rooms on both sides had their windows opened, Luo Aiguo tidied up and ca to the east room.
There were two rooms on each side here. The main east room was where Old Mrs. Luo slept, and further east, unused, was a storage area. The main west room was where Qin Hongi and Luo Aiguo slept, and further west were Bai Jinfeng and Luo Xuqiang living with their two children.
On the cabinet in the east room were several red plates, all decorated with large, red, wealthy peonies, containing waterlon seeds, peanuts, candies, and fruits.
The waterlon seeds and peanuts were ho-roasted; the candies were the common sour three-color ones from the supply and marketing cooperative, with only a little left in the plates, not yet refilled in the morning.
However, Mrs. Qin knew that they generally didn’t refill the plates on the first day because they feared soone would co over to snack.
"Ping’an, co here, grandma will give you so candy." Old Mrs. Luo took several candies from the cabinet and handed them to Luo Anping.
Luo Anping shook his head, "Grandma, I don’t want it."
"Why not? You hardly get a piece of candy all year round," Old Mrs. Luo said, still holding out the candies.
"Grandma, I don’t feel like eating it." Luo Anping didn’t take them.
Old Mrs. Luo frowned slightly, "This child, when grandma gives you sothing, just take it!"
Luo Anping had to take them. His small pocket currently held better candies than the sour three-color ones, and naturally, he wasn’t interested in these.
Luo Anguo was placed on the heated bed in the east room, chatting sporadically with Old Mrs. Luo, and the atmosphere beca much livelier when Luo Aiguo joined them.
Mrs. Qin and Beisitian went out to help. Normally, Qin Hongi would have excused herself, but now she dared not.
Since that incident, Luo Aiguo hasn’t spoken to her. He used to sleep with her in the west room, but now he’s tidied up the small east room to sleep there himself!
Qin Hongi tried crying and pleading to no avail. Later she figured it out herself; after all, they are a couple, and there will be a day of turning back.
So now she lowered her temper, besides scolding Bai Jinfeng, she kept her voice low.
Beisitian claid she was there to help, but standing aside, she showed no intention of doing anything.
Mrs. Qin ended up taking on quite a bit of the work from Bai Jinfeng.
Qin Hongi worked silently without causing trouble for Mrs. Qin, which was rare, and Beisitian noticed she was carefully listening to the sounds from the east room.
Old Mrs. Luo was at present going through the New Year’s gifts Luo Anguo and Mrs. Qin had brought.
There were eggs, at, pig trotters, and pastries, so much that Old Mrs. Luo couldn’t stop smiling, while outside, Qin Hongi felt restless as if a cat was scratching at her heart. Had it been before, she would have rushed in to store the items away.
But she couldn’t now; she was no longer in charge of the household!
"Sister-in-law, your family is doing well now, I see,"
The noise from the east room settled, and Qin Hongi said with a smile to Mrs. Qin.
Mrs. Qin didn’t even bother to reply, treating Qin Hongi like air.
"Little Tian’er is capable, seemingly earning quite a bit of money. Why not spend more on getting your grandma so nice food?" Qin Hongi felt both jealous and resentful; if that incident had worked out, not ntion these small things, Beisitian’s monthly salary would be hers.
Beisitian, uninterested in banter, leaned closer to Qin Hongi and whispered sothing quickly. Qin Hongi’s face turned pale instantly, her lips trembled, and she dared not speak nonsense anymore.
Mrs. Qin, witnessing this, knew Beisitian must have ntioned that incident, though she didn’t know in what terms.
At this mont, Qin Hongi felt both shocked and afraid, shocked that the incident indeed involved Beisitian, and afraid of what was said.
"Aunt, do you want to do another performance for the entire village?"
Qin Hongi was initially probing, but with Beisitian’s words, she was convinced.
Qin Hongi stopped making trouble, and the al went by rather peacefully. This ti, owing to the decent gifts given, Old Mrs. Luo didn’t say anything particularly unpleasant, though she didn’t show any goodwill towards Mrs. Qin.
However, for Mrs. Qin, this was quite good; at least she wasn’t leaving with a belly full of anger.
After lunch, the family returned ho, took a nap, and restored their spirits in the afternoon.
The second day of the New Year is reserved for visiting one’s own family. Mrs. Qin’s family is in Kao Village, but there’s no one left at ho, and Beisitian has no family, making it quite relaxing.
By Wednesday, families started visiting each other for New Year’s greetings, and Luo Er’s family, used to peace, never expected anyone would co to visit, so when the gate sounded, they were slightly surprised.
Luo Anping ran out energetically to open the gate, only to find it was Yang Wulang’s family of four.
Yang Wulang and Ma took the New Year’s gifts, bringing their two kids along for the visit.
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