Mother Qi sneezed twice and wiped her nose with the back of her hand, thinking to herself, who is cursing me behind my back!
"Granny, happy New Year!" The crisp voice of a child made Mother Qi’s eyebrows rise and her eyes light up with a smile.
"Mom, happy New Year."
"Mother-in-law, happy New Year!"
"Oh my, my darling treasure, you’ve arrived." Mother Qi grinned, hugging the charging Yunyun and, seeing the family approaching with their arms full of items, her eyes squinted with joy, "You’ve all arrived, that’s wonderful, come on in!"
The ones who had just arrived were none other than the Qi Fenglian family, clutching their child and carrying gifts in bundles, flocking into the house.
Qi Jianguo and the others were already present; after exchanging greetings with their siblings and distributing red envelopes to the younger generation and chatting with smiles, it was under the guidance of Qi Fengping that Yunyun went outside to play, and only then did Qi Fenglian’s family start talking with their parents.
"Did the family from Taiguo go back to their maternal home?" Qi Fenglian inquired upon not seeing anyone around.
Mother Qi’s expression fell halfway, "That’s right! They even said they’re staying overnight and not coming back until tomorrow. I told them that you all were coming back today, and even if they returned in a couple of days, it would have been fine, but they just wouldn’t listen."
Upon hearing this, Qi Fenglian knew her mother was displeased and said, "Mom, it’s the daughter-in-law from Taiguo’s first year joining the Qi family, so she’s a new bride. Going back this time, she has to pay New Year’s visits to several homes, and if she’s late, it might lead to gossip from others. Anyway, we’re staying for two or three days, so it doesn’t matter if they’re not here."
"Your mom, the better our days are, the more bizarre ideas pop into her head!" Father Qi chimed in from the side.
Mother Qi shot him an indignant glare.
Father Qi cleared his throat, clasped his hands behind his back, and called out to Zhang Jisheng, "Let’s go have a drink outside, just the two of us men!"
Zhang Jisheng agreed with a smile.
"It’s not even dark yet, and you’re already starting to drink, don’t overdo it!" Mother Qi shouted, "It’s so cold out, we’ve got a charcoal brazier in here, isn’t it better to drink inside? No need to go outside and catch a chill."
"Mom, just let them be," Qi Fenglian said with a laugh.
Mother Qi then took Xiao Bao from her arms and kissed her several times before sizing her up. She saw that she was wearing the new cotton coat obtained from Cheng Su while in Qing City, bright red and making her look especially lively.
"Red suits you, makes you look spirited," Mother Qi complimented and then asked, "In the past years, you didn’t come back until the fourth day of the New Year, why did you come back on the second day this year? Did your mother-in-law have anything to say?"
"If it were a few years earlier, definitely not, even my sister-in-law came back on the second day. This year, she’s heavily pregnant and about to give birth, so she stayed put." Qi Fenglian pursed her lips.
"About to give birth?"
"Not yet, it’s expected in a few more days. That’s why it’s not easy for her to travel, and that’s why I came back today!" Qi Fenglian replied, "So you shouldn’t fuss about the daughter-in-law from Taiguo either. On the second day, everyone wants to go back to their maternal home, and it’s no big deal if someone is missing."
Mother Qi, slightly embarrassed, inquired, "By the way, did you talk to her about it, the matter of working at her place?"
"It’s all settled. Once the New Year starts, I’m going to Qing City to learn in the restaurant. When her new shop opens, I’ll go there," Qi Fenglian said.
Mother Qi was surprised: "New shop?"
"Mom, didn’t you know? The daughter-in-law from Taiguo bought a shop to open a branch, and it’s not a lease, she bought it!" Qi Fenglian said admiringly, "To be honest, I really admire this sister-in-law. She hasn’t been in business long, and she’s already bought a new shop, a shop of her very own!"
If it were her, she didn’t know how long it would take to earn such a nest egg.
Mother Qi said with a trace of envy, "How would I know, when they didn’t make a peep about it to anyone, who knows who they are being cautious against!"
Buying a shop, such a big event, and she had no idea. Who are they guarding against?
But then again, whether they tell her or not, once married into the family, whatever she buys is still Taiguo’s, still the Qi family’s!
With that thought, she smiled again.