Chapter 44: Chinese New Year

Chapter 44: Chapter 44: Chinese New Year

Since peaceful days were not to be had, then let a game begin.

「After several days of heavy snowfall, New Year’s Eve finally arrived.」

The village was bustling this New Year’s Eve. Because everyone had food and clothing, not a single person was hungry or cold.

Gu Chang’an was very happy. He even went to the Xiao Family to share a meal and drinks with Mr. Xiao and his son.

In the afternoon, he cheerfully went to arrange for the Gu Clan to hold their ancestral worship ceremony. This was a major custom in the Tianqi Kingdom; any family of standing would hold such a grand ceremony. Worshipping the ancestors primarily involved informing the Gu Clan’s forebears about the significant and minor events of the past year. For instance, they reported that everyone in the village had made it through the winter safely, and no one had “gone to see the ancestors.” They also prayed, hoping the ancestral spirits would bless the Gu Clan’s descendants with longevity and future prosperity, thereby bringing glory to the entire Gu Clan.

Gu Chang’an had also invited Gu Dalin’s family. The male members of the Gu Clan entered the Ancestral Hall to perform the rites, while the women and girls worshipped outside.

Gu Dalin was deeply moved. He had not been abandoned by the Gu Clan; they still recognized him as one of their descendants. He nearly wept during the ceremony.

Seeing this, Gu Dashan rolled his eyes.

Such sentimentality, a clear mark of his lack of ambition.

Gu Dahe, however, had a glint in his eyes; he didn’t share Gu Dashan’s view.

There was a huge difference between having a clan and not having one. Consider someone without a clan, like Gu Dalin—who had severed ties with the old Gu family and was, moreover, adopted. If the Gu Clan didn’t acknowledge him, he wouldn’t receive their protection. What could he do if others bullied him? He could only rely on his own strength.

In this backward society, people in such situations lacked the ability to protect themselves and could only endure being bullied.

More importantly, his plans to target Gu Dalin’s family were now impossible. He was already twenty years old and hadn’t even passed the tongsheng examination. Previously, with Gu Dalin’s family toiling like beasts of burden for the old Gu family, he hadn’t worried about labor or money for his studies. Now, Master Gu had decreed that if the three of them still couldn’t pass the tongsheng examination next year, they would all return to farming. Heavens! Forcing him, Gu Dahe, to return to farming? How could he bear such a fate? How could he face his former classmates and friends?

Gu Dahe’s gaze kept sweeping over Gu Dalin and his two sons; who knew what devious plans he was concocting.

At the Xiao Family, Xiao Yunjing, his father Mr. Xiao, and the three little ones (Xiao Han and his two siblings) were also worshipping in the room where the ancestral tablets were kept. The women knelt and worshipped outside.

After the New Year’s Eve dinner, they observed the custom of shousui, staying up late. Ms. Jiang had Ms. Yang bring out pastries and children’s snacks, placing them in a basket on the table.

At night, the whole family gathered around the stove in the main hall. Ms. Yang immediately placed some snacks on the wide rim of the stove.

The little ones’ eyes lit up at the sight of snacks. They glanced at Mr. Xiao, and upon receiving his nod of approval, they happily began to eat the rare treats.

Gu Qingli glanced at the snacks: melon seeds, peanuts, preserved fruits, and dried fruits—not a wide variety.

“Miss, here,” Wuqing, sitting behind Gu Qingli, said as she grabbed a handful and pressed it into Gu Qingli’s hand.

Everyone was accustomed to Wuqing’s ways; whatever food or items were available, she would always offer them to Gu Qingli first.

Gu Qingli, also used to this, looked at the snacks in her hand and cracked open a melon seed. She had been in this world for so long but had never eaten such things, mainly because she wasn’t in the habit of snacking. As a doctor, she had high standards for her quality of life and preferred to eat original, organic foods.

Gu Qingli chewed.

Hmm, they tasted both salty and sweet. Though the flavor wasn’t exceptional, at least they were all-natural foods, free from preservatives or additives.

She couldn’t help but eat a few more.

Ms. Jiang looked at her happy, healthy, and well-fed family.

This is probably due to the good food lately, she mused. Not only does everyone look better, but their spirits have also lifted. Everyone is radiant; even Mr. Xiao’s internal injuries have improved significantly. All these changes were brought about by Third’s wife. How could she be a ’loss-maker,’ a ’jinx’? She’s clearly a lucky star!

Looking at Xiao Yunjing, who was smiling gently, Ms. Jiang grew more convinced that the rumors about her third son being ’wife-jinxed’ were rather peculiar.

Regardless, those rumors will surely fall apart on their own now.

Everyone was blissfully feasting on snacks, and before they knew it, midnight had passed.

“Eldest, Second, Third, you all should go back to sleep,” Ms. Jiang said, noticing her three sons yawning; they usually would have been asleep by this hour.

“Alright, Mother, Father, you both should also get some rest soon,” the three brothers nodded and escorted their wives back to their rooms.

As soon as Xiao Yunjing and Gu Qingli returned to their room, Wuqing brought in hot water. The two quickly washed up and went to sleep on the kang.

「The next day, the first day of the Lunar New Year, dawned bright and clear—a rare sunny day.」

In the morning, the family rose early, all dressed in new clothes and brimming with joy.

There were no firecrackers here. Everyone exchanged New Year’s greetings and then ate breakfast.

Today’s breakfast, prepared by Ms. Yang and Ms. Wang, was a special kind of New Year’s rice cake, niangao, symbolizing wishes for a long life. The name “niangao” (rice cake) is a homophone for “nian gao” (year higher/growing older). Combined with their varied flavors, these rice cakes had become an almost essential festive food for every household and were one of the easiest New Year dishes for rural families to prepare.

There were square yellow and white niangao, symbolizing gold and silver, carrying hopes for prosperity in the New Year. Some were also made in the shapes of animals or other forms, expressing hopes for favorable weather, thriving livestock (the six domestic animals), and abundant harvests (the five grains).

After breakfast on New Year’s Day, not many children came to the Xiao Family to offer New Year’s greetings and collect lucky money, as the family didn’t often interact with the villagers.

Ms. Jiang had prepared about ten such gifts. Most were intended for their own three grandchildren, plus Dashuang and Xiaoshuang; the Village Chief’s grandchildren might also visit.

She had also asked her sons and daughters-in-law to prepare. Red envelopes had been bought, and she distributed them, instructing everyone to put a few copper coins inside. The amount was up to individual discretion: those who could afford more could add an extra coin or two; for those with less, even one coin would suffice. It was the sentiment that mattered.

Gu Qingli placed a small silver kernel, the half-liang kind, into the red envelopes for Dashuang, Xiaoshuang, and for Xiao Han and his two brothers. In the other red envelopes, she put four copper coins each.

“Sister, Sister!”

Just as she finished, Dashuang and Xiaoshuang’s voices called out from outside.

Gu Qingli hurried to open the door. She saw the two children, dressed in matching sky-blue padded jackets, their faces beaming, panting as they stood at the threshold.

“Sister, Happy New Year!” they chimed quickly.

“Come in quickly! Were you running?” Gu Qingli gently took each by the hand, led them into the room, and rubbed their cold, rosy faces and hands.

The two giggled, “HEE HEE,” nodded, and explained that after having breakfast, paying respects to their parents, and receiving their red envelopes, they had run straight over.

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