Chapter 79

Chapter 79

Mrs. Hong invited a troupe to the village, determined to put on a grand show.

Lin Chunyan had never seen a play before; their temple fair was in spring, and every year they would invite performers for entertainment.

She had missed it previously and didn't want to miss this opportunity.

After announcing her intention to go, the whole family dressed up and brought some peanut and sesame candy.

There would definitely be more children there to enjoy the festivities, and they might even sell some of the candy.

They also stopped by the second house to call Lin Cuixiang. Lin Chunyan hesitated about inviting Lin Fengdie but was refused by Lin Taohong.

"Let's just enjoy the play without her spoiling our mood. Besides, she doesn't play with us anyway."

Seeing that Lin Cuixiang also wanted to invite her, she pulled their sleeves, "If you go to find her, don't talk to me afterward."

The group exchanged glances and decided not to go. The performance had already started, and they quickened their pace.

"What are they performing?"

"Flower Drum Dance."①

Many people were already standing in front, and Lin Chunyan stood on tiptoe to see. On stage, two performers were engaged in a lively exchange, seemingly portraying a dispute.

Lin Chunyan watched for a while, seeing everyone else engrossed, but found it uninteresting. She found a spot at the side and took out the peanut and sesame candy.

Sure enough, many children noticed and gathered around her, looking at her expectantly.

The crowd around the stage blocked the wind, making it warmer than expected. Lin Chunyan stood there, staring back at the children.

Most of the children were too shy to ask their parents for money, only drooling over the candy and wiping their mouths with their sleeves, continuing to stare.

Several children were unfamiliar to Lin Chunyan, likely from Hongjia Village.

Only those spoiled ones ran to their parents, either pouting or crying to get a piece of peanut candy.

"Yan Niang, setting up your stall here is really causing trouble for us!"

Someone approached Lin Chunyan, a villager who offered a copper coin for a large piece to pacify a child.

The child didn't leave immediately, instead lingering in front of Lin Chunyan's stall, slurping the candy and attracting more children.

Soon, the sound of scolding and hitting children came from nearby, surely a parent annoyed by the commotion and resorting to force.

Lin Chunyan regretted setting up her stall, considering packing up and going home when Mrs. Hong arrived.

She forced a smile, her eyes swollen from crying, making her look quite strange.

"Yan Niang, how much for all the candy? I'll take it all."

Her tone was warm, and Lin Chunyan couldn't refuse, "It's fifteen large coins in total."

Mrs. Hong fumbled through her clothes and gathered the amount, "Wrap them all up. I'll distribute them later."

The children's eyes lit up, and they chattered excitedly around Mrs. Hong.

Pomegranate stomped her foot nearby, pulling her brother aside, "Is Mother crazy?"

Their family had spent most of their savings on this event, and Pomegranate had tried several times to dissuade Mrs. Hong, to no avail.

Her brother, Malt, wasn't one for words, but under pressure, he said, "Mother must have her reasons!"

"What reasons? How will we live after this? When I get married, it will just be you and Mother left. Without saving money, what will you do?"

Pomegranate was on the verge of tears, unable to think of any other solution.

Old Peng also came to watch the play, but his attention remained on Mrs. Hong. He wanted to confirm his suspicions.

He always felt that Pomegranate's father's death was suspicious.

Liu Niangzi accompanied him, noticing Old Peng's lack of focus on the play and his constant gaze at Mrs. Hong, she frowned.

"You old man, what are you staring at? I'm telling you, don't even think about anything else."

Now a widow, if Old Peng got involved with Mrs. Hong, it could cause a scandal.

Old Peng's face stiffened, as if caught in a lie, "What are you talking about! I just saw the candy they're selling and thought about buying some."

Liu Niangzi was startled by his reaction, shouting louder, "You scared me to death! Can't you speak normally?"

This commotion drew the attention of most people, but Liu Niangzi didn't feel embarrassed, continuing to watch the Flower Drum Dance after the argument.

Old Peng, however, dared not look at Mrs. Hong again, though he believed his suspicions were correct. He needed to find evidence.

Wei Rou watched Old Peng leave and asked Liu Niangzi, "Where is Father going?"

Liu Niangzi waved her hand dismissively, "Who knows, don't worry about him."

Wei Rou stared at Old Peng's back for a moment before standing up.

"I'll go check on the chickens."

Liu Niangzi waved her hand again, "Go ahead, the chickens need to eat."

After selling all her candy, Lin Chunyan wanted to return home, but the others, including Mrs. Zhang, were reluctant to move. Lin Taohong, stomping her slightly numb feet, urged her to go back alone.

"It’s broad daylight; there’s nothing to fear."

Not far from their home, Lin Chunyan was not afraid. Wang Yingniang wanted to go back but also wanted to stay, so Lin Chunyan directly asked her to stay.

As they left Hong Niangzi’s house, they saw Lin Fengdie peering from the doorway. The two women exchanged glances, and Lin Fengdie slammed the door shut, retreating into the courtyard.

Lin Chunyan didn’t mind and walked back slowly. Compared to other seasons, the winter countryside seemed somewhat bleak and quiet, but from a distance, it looked like an ink painting.

The branches along the road were still adorned with rime, making the world appear in shades of black, white, and gray, even the birds in the sky were no exception.

Passing by the mountain to the west of the village, they saw someone coming down with a large wild bee nest in hand.

Lin Chunyan recognized her. She was a pitiful figure; her husband had broken his leg while searching for something on the mountain, leaving her to raise the children alone.

That child had once come to their doorstep with Dog Egg to play. Seeing how cute he was, Lin Chunyan gave him a handful of red dates.

He didn’t eat any of them, putting them all in his pocket and saying he would take them home to his mother.

When Ding Hui Niang found out, she brought him over again to personally thank Lin Chunyan.

Like Li Niangzi, who used to wash clothes in the alley, she was poor but had high aspirations.

Seeing Lin Chunyan, Ding Hui Niang smiled at her, "Why didn’t you go to watch the opera?"

"There’s still some work to do at home," Lin Chunyan didn’t mention that she didn’t understand the opera. At such times, even those who didn’t understand it would linger, just to enjoy the atmosphere.

Ding Hui Niang sighed, "We’re all hard-luck people. I want to go too, but where do I find the time?"

"Can you still pick anything on the mountain?"

Ding Hui Niang showed her what was in her basket, "There are wild mushrooms, but they’ve already dried out. I’ll need to cook them longer when I get home."

Cooking them longer meant using more firewood, which Ding Hui Niang disliked about the wild mushrooms.

The wild golden needle mushrooms were similar, tasting bland.

Lin Chunyan’s eyes lit up. How could she have said there was nothing to find in winter when Ding Hui Niang could bring back these things?

These wild mushrooms, if used to stew chicken, would make a soup that was incredibly delicious.

She was reluctant to kill the chickens at home, but there was the game Zhao Huaizi had hunted from the mountain. She hadn’t decided how to prepare it yet, so the chicken remained in the cellar.

Lin Chunyan looked at the wild bee nest curiously, "What is this for?"

"It’s also for eating. When I was a child, my mother fried it once, and it was very fragrant!"

Unfortunately, they couldn’t afford to use oil now, so they boiled it to fill their stomachs.

Lin Chunyan had never eaten fried wild bee larvae before, guessing it might taste similar to fried cicadas.

Lin Chunyan asked Ding Hui Niang to wait a moment, then ran home to fetch some tofu, "I wonder if you’d be willing to trade with me?"

Ding Hui Niang thought Lin Chunyan was giving her charity and quickly waved her hands, "These things are all on the mountain. If you want to eat them, just go up the mountain and look for them. There’s no way to trade for tofu!"

In Ding Hui Niang’s mind, tofu had to be bought with money, how could it be traded?

Seeing that she was willing, Lin Chunyan felt she was getting a good deal and hurriedly put the items in her basket, taking the wild mushrooms and golden needle mushrooms back home.

Ding Hui Niang caught up a few steps and stuffed the wild bee nest into Lin Chunyan’s hands.

"If your family has rendered lard, fry it when you get home; it’s very fragrant."

Saying this, she ran away, fearing that Lin Chunyan would give her something else.

Lin Chunyan had indeed never eaten wild bee larvae before. She thanked Ding Hui Niang and walked back, holding the item.

At the door, she saw Lihua again.

She was still as frail, looking as if she could be blown away by the wind. Leaning against the door frame, she smiled when she saw Lin Chunyan.

"Why didn’t you go to watch the opera?"

Lin Chunyan could only smile and explain again. Lihua, looking a bit disappointed, said, "I wanted to go, but my mother wouldn’t let me. I don’t know when spring will come."

"It’s coming soon," Lin Chunyan comforted her, opening her own door and turning to ask, "Do you want to come inside?"

Lihua’s eyes lit up, "Can I?"

"Of course."

Lin Chunyan led her in. The fire in the kitchen was almost out, so she added a few logs, quickly warming it up again.

Lihua didn’t feel cold here, only finding everything new and interesting. "No wonder everyone says you’re capable; even the things in the kitchen are so well-organized."

After saying this, she looked at Lin Chunyan seriously and bowed formally.

"To think, you saved me last time, and I’ve never properly thanked you."

Lin Chunyan accepted her bow, "It’s also because your parents love you, and your brother isn’t so heartless."

That’s why she had a chance to survive.

But Apricot Flower, her whereabouts were still unknown.

Lihua didn’t continue thinking about it, watching as Lin Chunyan soaked the wild mushrooms in water and cleaned the wild bee larvae, then fried them with oil.

"I heard this is very nourishing; you must try it later."

Lihua nodded enthusiastically, "To be honest, since I came back, I’ve smelled the delicious aroma from your house every day. It’s lucky we live in this remote place; if we were in the village, kids would probably get beaten every day."

After the wild bee larvae were fried, the air was filled with a wonderful aroma. Lin Chunyan took a bite, and it was full of protein, crispy and fragrant.

At this moment, Lin Taohong and the others returned, shivering from the cold. They closed the door while talking about the play they had just heard, their faces still showing signs of lingering interest.

"Big Sister, you really should have stayed to watch until the end. They did somersaults later, flipping dozens at once!"

Lin Taohong lifted the curtain and saw Lin Chunyan and Lihua eating the fried bee larvae. She immediately jumped up.

"Great, I wondered why you stopped watching the play. You came back to sneak some food!"

"That's a bit harsh to say," Lin Chunyan wiped her mouth and gestured for Lihua to continue eating. "We saved some for you. Come and try it."

Mrs. Zhang went to wash her hands first. As she scooped hot water, she asked, "What is this? Where did it come from?"

Then she noticed the wild mushrooms and golden needle mushrooms in the basin, and her voice rose. "Did you go up the mountain again?"

Lin Chunyan shook her head quickly. "No, I just happened to meet Lady Ding. I traded tofu for them."

Lin Taohong had already picked up chopsticks to eat. Seeing how thin Lihua still was, she looked at her curiously.

Lihua didn't dare to eat much. Her cough wasn't fully recovered, so she was content with just tasting it.

Hearing Lady Zhao's return, she wrapped herself in her coat and walked out, giving Lin Chunyan a sweet smile. "When my mother agrees, I'll come out to play with you."

Lin Taohong suddenly stood up, asking Lihua to wait as she went back into the room to get a flower pin.

"This is for you to wear."

Lihua's head was bare, far from the bright and beautiful times she used to have. Lin Taohong used to envy her, but now only felt a sigh of regret.

After being surprised, Lihua accepted it. "Thank you, Red Sister. When I get better, I'll make one for you too."

All her flower pins had been taken by the maids in the same room. In the cold winter, no one went to town, so she had to make do.

Lin Chunyan hadn't noticed and praised Lin Taohong, "Why are you so generous today?"

"Sigh, I just feel sorry for her."

She remembered seeing Lihua on the Qixi Festival, smelling so fragrant. When she came back, she told Lin Chunyan that she wanted that kind of fragrance too.

Wang Yingniang sighed and started talking about the drum play she had seen.

"It was my first time watching it, and I didn't expect it to be so interesting. I wonder if they will come back tomorrow."

"I heard they will sing for three days. Lady Hong spent quite a bit of money this time."

She had seen Lady Hong buy all the peanut and sesame candies Lin Chunyan brought, and said she would bring more things next time.

"I think we should bring some candied haws. We don't have much else, but we have plenty of hawthorns."

Candied haws are easy to make, and children always love them.

Lin Chunyan thought about what Lihua had said earlier, wondering how many children would cry when they saw them.

Speaking of hawthorns, Mr. Cao later brought several baskets back. It was said that he had submitted the recipe for hawthorn jam and received praise.

He came to seek more recipes from Lin Chunyan several times, but she didn't give in.

She was not the type to repay kindness with kindness. Even if Mr. Cao offered more silver, she would remember his attempt to cause trouble.

They watched the play for two more days. Not only did they sell some candied haws, but the sunflower seeds they brought were also divided and finished.

With the New Year approaching, everyone enjoyed themselves and then went home to tidy up.

Mrs. Zhang went to consult someone and came back saying when to clean the house.

"She said those born in the Year of the Rooster shouldn't help, but should stay inside to avoid people, or it won't be good next year."

Lin Taohong, who was born in the Year of the Rooster, was naturally very happy. "I'll just sleep inside, and you can clean well."

Lin Chunyan was puzzled. "Where did you hear these things?"

Mrs. Zhang casually replied, "From the fortune-teller Aunt Fan. In a few days, I'll go and ask for holy water to bless our family."

Lin Chunyan knew she had encountered a fraudster. No wonder she had been chanting Buddha's name every day, as if she had changed her nature.

Lin Chunyan knew that being forceful would make Mrs. Zhang lose face and not tell the truth. So she pretended to be curious and asked, "What else did the fortune-teller say? Did she mention any way to get rich?"

Mrs. Zhang slapped her thigh. "That fortune-teller Aunt Fan is very accurate. She described my fate clearly. It's a pity I didn't meet her earlier; otherwise, she could have resolved some of my issues."

"What exactly did she say?"

"Sigh, she said I have a hardworking fate, and being divorced is also part of my destiny. I should have found her to resolve it earlier."

Lin Chunyan laughed coldly. "Anyone can say that! And finding her to resolve it, when you already have a son outside and a concubine, would your husband still want to live with you?"

Lin Chunyan didn't even want to call her father's name, and Mrs. Zhang wasn't angry. "I'm just saying, I haven't wanted to live with your father for ages."

Seeing that she wasn't lying, Lin Chunyan felt a bit better. "As for the hardworking fate, it's not so bad. We earn our living with our own hands, and it's fine to work hard."

Wang Yingniang agreed. "That's right. If anyone told me I would have an easy life, I'd be scared."

Seeing that Mrs. Zhang and Lin Taohong didn't understand, Wang Yingniang explained, "What does an easy life mean? Being a concubine for someone else. I don't want that, so I'd be scared."

Lin Taohong understood. "So, is Aunt Fan a fraud?"

Mrs. Zhang didn't let her speak rashly. "She has great powers. Be careful, or she might come and cause trouble."

"That's even more wrong. If she truly worships Buddha, she should be compassionate. Why would she come and cause trouble just because of a few words behind her back?"

Mrs. Zhang thought about it and found it made some sense.

Lin Chunyan continued to press her advantage, "But who took you there?"

"Many people from our village went to see her, even your second aunt!" Mrs. Zhang felt something was amiss but didn't dare mention the considerable amount of money she had already spent, instead using Lin's second aunt as a shield.

Lin Chunyan didn't want to push too hard. Seeing that Mrs. Zhang was already on guard, she said, "As long as you don't waste money, it's good to have something to believe in. If anything goes wrong, remember to tell us."

Lin Taohong couldn't avoid the chores and thoroughly cleaned the house. They always dug in the cellar at night, so the floor was inevitably covered with dirt.

After cleaning, the room felt much cleaner.

A thick layer of snow covered the ground, crunching underfoot. Seeing that the weather was still nice, Lin Chunyan took out the soybeans, intending to make some fermented black beans.

These soybeans had already been sorted before. After washing, they were boiled until soft in a pot.

She took out the large bamboo trays used for drying fruit in the fall from the cellar and drained the cooked soybeans, spreading them out to ferment naturally.

In about a week, yellow-green mold would grow on the beans, at which point salt should be added and mixed evenly.

After some time, the soybeans would swell and produce a lot of mucus, indicating that the fermented black beans were almost ready.

The cured meat, after being marinated for about ten days, was finally ready on the day before the Minor New Year. Lin Chunyan and Erlang delivered it to the town's escort agency.

Sun Anyuan and his family were also worshiping the Kitchen God. After this day, they would return home for the New Year, marking the end of the year.

Seeing them arrive, the old woman in the kitchen insisted they stay for a meal, "You must try my cooking."

Lin Chunyan wanted to hurry back and declined several times, but the old woman's enthusiasm was overwhelming, and she didn't notice her discomfort.

It was Sun Anyuan who spoke up, and the old woman reluctantly let go of her hand.

Dazhuang teased, "Old lady, why have I never seen you treat any young lady like this before?"

The old lady shooed him away, her eyes revealing her fondness for Lin Chunyan, "Such a good girl, who wouldn't like her?"

Dazhuang thought for a moment and said, "Lucky for you, your son is already married, or people might misunderstand."

The old lady rolled her eyes at Dazhuang, not wanting to argue, and only took a candle, calling Huzi to check the grain.

After returning, Lin Chunyan followed Mrs. Zhang to the cellar to check their stored items, even looking under the bed.

The cellar was filled with things she had saved over the past half-year, mostly jams and pickles, with pickled bamboo shoots taking up a significant portion.

Recently, she had also pickled radishes, which occupied another half of the space.

In the western room, neatly stacked charcoal and firewood had been used up by more than half.

Next year, they would need to store more.

There were two kitchens; one was mainly used for making jelly tofu and bean curd skins, which hadn't been used much recently. The other was for daily cooking, with meat hanging from the beams and more than half a barrel of rice.

This was called "warding off rats," to prevent them from eating household items and ensure peace for the year.

Even under the bed, everything was carefully checked after the Minor New Year.

Lin Chunyan joked, "Snowball has done his part too. Thanks to him, we have no mice. Let's give him an extra fish dry today."

Mrs. Zhang loved Snowball like a treasure and fetched a small fish dry herself.

Many villagers came to buy peanut candy, which they had been reluctant to spend on before. Today, however, they all bought some to take home.

Eating the candy would prevent the Kitchen God from saying bad things.

Lin Chunyan had promised to thank everyone and set the date for the 24th of the twelfth lunar month, inviting the second and third families.

Mrs. Zhang suggested, "We might as well use this opportunity to formally recognize Yingniang as a goddaughter."

Wang Yingniang was so moved that her face turned red, and Lin Chunyan was overjoyed, finding the indenture contract.

"I've wanted to give this to you for a long time, but I didn't know how to bring it up."

Wang Yingniang glanced at the contract and asked Lin Chunyan to keep it.

"You've treated me so well; how can I ask for more?"

Seeing that she wouldn't accept it, Lin Chunyan forced it into her hands.

"Keep it yourself. When you have time after the New Year, go to the government office."

Wang Yingniang tried to refuse, but Lin Taohong interjected, "Take it, stop being so shy."

"From now on, we're family," Lin Chunyan added.

Wang Yingniang nodded vigorously, tears streaming down her face.

The snow had not melted, and the kitchen and rooms were not large enough. Lin Chunyan decided to set up two tables in the courtyard shed for a barbecue.

For this, she specially asked Sun Anyuan to help choose a sheep, which they would marinate and grill.

This would be the third time they had eaten lamb since coming here.

Lin Chunyan couldn't resist drooling at the sight of the lamb, thinking about how to cook it while slicing it into large pieces.

Pork was also cut into chunks, skewered on bamboo sticks, and arranged on many plates.

The second family arrived first, and Sanlang brought a lot of fish. It was his last day selling fish in town, and he had earned nearly a hundred coins in just a few days.

The fish were also skewered, marinated, and ready to be grilled.

It was a pity there wasn't much produce; even if greenhouse technology existed, it was only for the wealthy.

Building those heated greenhouses alone was beyond the means of ordinary people.

Lin Chunyan could only lament in her heart and took only wild mushrooms and cabbage.

The third family arrived later, Li Shi and Lin Fengdie walking at the back. Silang hopped in and went straight to find Mrs. Zhang.

"Auntie, is there anything to drink? I'm so thirsty."

"There's hawthorn juice and wild kiwi jam mixed with water. Which one do you prefer?"

Mrs. Zhang let them prepare their own drinks but forbade them from drinking more chrysanthemum wine.

A few days ago, Ding Hui Niang had picked some wild kiwis from the mountain on the west side of the village, but they were as small as jujubes and already shriveled.

Ding Hui Niang didn't know that Mrs. Zhang had dried many kiwis, so she brought them over eagerly.

Lin Chunyan thanked her and told her to bring anything else she found.

Ding Hui Niang felt a bit embarrassed; she had heard before that Lin Chunyan liked to collect things from the mountains, but she hadn't expected her to want everything.

To her, those things were worthless, abundant in the mountains.

The coal soon caught fire, and Uncle Lin and Lin San Shu started roasting meat. However, being their first time, they struggled to control the heat, and the meat came out half-cooked initially.

They had never cooked at home and looked at their families with a sense of defeat, but Aunt Lin and Li Shi ignored them, determined to make them do the work.

Several sisters-in-law gathered together, skewering meat while chatting idly.

Li Shi felt a bit uncomfortable at first, but seeing Lin Fengdie standing there dumbfounded, she urged her a few times.

"Go find Yan Niang and the others. Aren't you cold just standing there?"

Lin Fengdie didn't move; she didn't know how to approach them.

Unlike Lin Cuixiang, who always talked with them, Lin Fengdie hardly interacted with them.

The few times they did, it didn't go well.

Seeing her wooden expression, Li Shi pushed her gently.

Lin Chunyan and Wang Yingniang noticed and waved to Lin Taohong, inviting her to join them.

Lin Fengdie felt extremely awkward. When Zhang Xiaoniang was learning skills at their house, she often spoke ill of Lin Chunyan and the others, but later realized it was a misunderstanding and felt too embarrassed to come back.

"Do we have to invite you?" Lin Taohong held Lin Cuixiang's hand, pulling her over, "We're all busy here. Come help us. Why are you standing there like we've wronged you?"

Her words were never gentle, and Lin Fengdie hesitated before coming over. She noticed several candies nearby and lingered her gaze on them.

Lin Chunyan pushed them toward her, "We have plenty at home. Help yourself."

She added some sunflower seeds, and Lin Fengdie, no longer shy, took a peanut candy, savoring its sweetness, which made her face relax.

Lin Chunyan looked at her curiously; she had given Li Shi many candies before, wondering why Lin Fengdie acted as if she had never tasted them.

Lin Cuixiang, being observant, guessed the reason and wrapped a few peanut candies in a handkerchief, handing them to Lin Fengdie, "These candies were made by me and Yan Niang. They're not as good as hers, but we can enjoy them among ourselves without embarrassing ourselves."

Hearing that the candies were made by Lin Cuixiang, Lin Fengdie's face showed surprise, "You can make these candies too?"

"What's so difficult about it?" Lin Taohong chimed in, "I can make them too."

Lin Fengdie lowered her head; she only learned embroidery, and knew nothing about kitchen work. Hearing that they could make such delicious candies, she felt only envy.

Lin Chunyan comforted her, "There's nothing to it. We don't know how to embroider either. Look at the sachet you have; it's beautifully embroidered."

Everyone looked at the sachet Lin Fengdie wore, admiring the neat and intricate stitching and the lifelike flowers, marveling at her skill.

Outside, the smell of roasted meat wafted in. Uncle Lin and the others finally finished roasting the skewers and handed them to the younger generation, "Try them. They're absolutely delicious!"

Juicy lamb skewers dripped with oil, and the children rushed over to grab them.

Lin Chunyan also took two skewers, savoring them with satisfaction.

She hadn't tasted grilled lamb skewers in a long time and missed them dearly.

Mrs. Zhang brought over a few skewers, chatting with Aunt Lin. After much hesitation, Aunt Lin shared some news with Mrs. Zhang.

"My brother from my hometown, who has been traveling for business, told me he saw our eldest brother when I visited my parents last time."

Mrs. Zhang was taken aback and listened as Aunt Lin continued, "He said our eldest brother looks much older and is doing hard labor outside."

"He deserves it," Mrs. Zhang said, continuing to enjoy her lamb skewer. Realizing what she said, she added, "That fortune-teller once said I had bad luck, but after hearing what Yan Niang said, I realize I have great luck. Without him, good times have come!"

Aunt Lin and Li Shi laughed, "That's true. I was hesitant about telling you, but there's no point in hiding it."

Mrs. Zhang truly didn't mind, "Did your brother say anything else?"

Aunt Lin shook her head, "Don't worry, Auntie. He was afraid my brother would ask about his situation and reveal where he lives, so he gave my brother a lot of money to keep quiet."

Mrs. Zhang spat, "Why go looking for him? Does he think he's still a treasure? He should look in a mirror!"

Despite her words, Mrs. Zhang felt relieved. Since they had established a female household, the whole village knew, and even if he returned, she wouldn't be intimidated.

Based on her understanding of Lin's father, he was very arrogant and wouldn't imagine they would set up a stall to sell things. Even if he heard from others, he wouldn't believe it.

The sisters-in-law used to have a strained relationship. When Grandpa Lin and Grandma Lin were alive, they were extremely biased, causing the sisters-in-law to dislike each other.

Without them and after subsequent events, they found each other to be decent people.

Even Li Shi and Mrs. Zhang didn't dislike each other as much as before.

After eating the roasted meat, the children started playing a game of arrow throwing. Lin Chunyan took out the candied haws she made as prizes, and the others also brought things out. Lin Fengdie looked around and saw that everyone liked her pouch, so she simply took it out.

Lin Taohong had long been envious and asked directly, "Don't you go back on your word if I win!"

Lin Fengdie shook her head, "It's just a pouch. If you like it, I'll embroider one for each of you later."

"That would be great. Embroider peonies for me, and when spring comes, I'll wear it with my new clothes."

Lin Chunyan teased Lin Taohong, "You haven't even won yet, and you're already bossing Die Niang around."

Lin Fengdie hadn't been this happy in a long time, and she kept smiling, watching the two sisters bicker with each other.

Li Shi, seeing this from a distance, felt a bit relieved.

In the end, Lin Taohong indeed came first, putting all the prizes into her pouch, grinning from ear to ear.

"Don't get too cocky. Next time, we'll beat you!" Lin Cuixiang, who never backed down, planned to practice secretly when she got home.

Lin Taohong wasn't afraid, "Next time, let's play together again."

"Let's go to my place next time." Lin Cuixiang and Aunt Lin Er had already discussed it; they couldn't always have Lin Chunyan and the others treat them. The second branch had received so much help from the main branch and should show their gratitude.

"What will we eat at your place?"

Lin Cuixiang thought for a moment, "How about we steam some New Year's cakes?"

Before the New Year, around the 28th of the twelfth lunar month, they would always steam a pot of New Year's cakes to symbolize a year of progress.

Lin Chunyan clapped her hands in delight, "That sounds great. We can make almond milk together when we go, as there are still some almonds at home."

Before they even tasted it, everyone was already looking forward to it. Silang and Wulang eagerly came over, "Xiang Niang, remember to call us when the time comes!"

Wulang nodded vigorously, nudging up to Lin Chunyan for a hug.

Lin Chunyan picked him up onto her lap and fed him sesame candy, afraid that peanuts might choke him if he couldn't chew them properly.

After everyone dispersed, Lin Chunyan stretched lazily, thinking of climbing into bed for a nap. She heard the big yellow dog barking but didn't bother to check.

Lin Taohong went to brush her teeth and glanced outside, only to see Mr. Zhao driving his carriage over.

"Mother, Big Sister!" Lin Taohong called out, genuinely surprised that Mr. Zhao had come over during the New Year.

This was rather abrupt, but Mr. Zhao felt close to Lin Chunyan and her family. He had missed her cooking and found the takeout from other restaurants tasteless after a few days.

Zhao Dalang and Zhao Erlang felt the same way, and the three of them decided to visit while their mother was out.

They knew it was abrupt and brought some gifts, calling out to Mrs. Zhang before entering, "Sister-in-law, it's almost the New Year. I just came to pay a visit."

The road was difficult, and with the onset of the twelfth lunar month, Lin Chunyan hadn't gone out, leaving no footprints on the clean path.

Mrs. Zhang didn't believe Mr. Zhao's words and wondered when she had agreed to be his sister-in-law. She went out with a stern face but immediately smiled when she saw the gifts.

"Oh, brother-in-law, how did you come? It's so cold today, come in quickly!"

She led them to a side room, where Zhao Dalang and Zhao Erlang couldn't keep still, frequently glancing towards the kitchen.

The air still carried the scent of roasted meat, and their noses were particularly sensitive, picking up the smell immediately.

Unfortunately, they had arrived a bit late, and the two young masters looked at Mr. Zhao with a hint of resentment, wishing he had made the decision earlier.

Lin Chunyan yawned and came out, the drowsiness of winter not to be underestimated. After a full meal, she just wanted to take a nap.

Mr. Zhao chuckled awkwardly, "No need to cook anything special for us. Whatever you have is fine."

His neck stretched out, hoping to peek into the kitchen.

He knew that if his wife found out, she would scold him, but he hoped the food would justify the scolding.

While lost in thought, Lin Chunyan went to the kitchen and prepared a dish of sausages, seasoned pig ears, and some leftover meat skewers from lunch.

Seeing so many delicious dishes, the three of them became excited, "It's still better here. We've been wanting to visit for a while, but we were afraid of disturbing you."

Mrs. Zhang felt uncomfortable being called sister-in-law, "Just call me Mrs. Zhang. I don't dare accept the title of sister-in-law."

Mr. Zhao responded casually, his attention entirely on the pig ears, which were crispy and refreshing.

"If Father Qin finds out, he'll probably be pounding his chest in frustration."

Thinking of this scene, Mr. Zhao felt even more pleased and asked when they would set up their stall.

"Many people are eagerly waiting. I've seen quite a few people loitering around the docks."

Lin Chunyan thought for a moment and discussed with Mrs. Zhang, "How about the fifth day of the first month?"

"Isn't that too early?"

Mrs. Zhang was taken aback; they weren't supposed to work until the Dragon Head-Raising Day in the second month.

"All those teahouses and taverns open early. On the Lantern Festival, they would lose a lot of money if they didn't."

Mrs. Zhang couldn't argue with Lin Chunyan and didn't want to quarrel over this, "Do as you please, then."

Zhao Erlang, with his mouth full of oil, refused to leave, clinging to Mrs. Zhang's leg.

"Auntie, let me stay here. My father will definitely pay, and I won't freeload."

Zhao Dalang forcibly pulled his hand away, "Don't think I don't know what you're up to. Do you really think our mother won't scold you if you don't go back? Be careful, she might come and drag you back herself."

When Erlang thought of that scene, his face paled slightly. Taking advantage of the moment, Master Zhao quickly led them to the carriage.

Lady Zhao stood at the door, watching as they moved away, still envious, "Just looking at them, you can tell they’re from a wealthy family in town. That carriage is so well-decorated."

Mrs. Zhang snorted, "You should give him a bow. If it weren’t for him leading you to Mr. Wang’s house, you wouldn’t have seen Lihua."

Upon hearing this, Lady Zhao indeed knelt down and gave two solid bows, still grumbling about why Mrs. Zhang hadn’t mentioned it earlier.