There was a bit too much noodles, Shen Chi helped finish half of it, and then they both brushed their teeth again before lying back down in bed.
"Let’s attend fewer of these kinds of banquets in the future," Shen Chi suddenly spoke up.
Lin Xiaoguai was stunned, not understanding why he had changed his mind so quickly.
"It’s too tiring, let’s decide based on our mood in the future," Shen Chi gently played with her hair, speaking softly.
Lin Xiaoguai felt it was a bit strange, but his words suited her just fine, so she didn’t think too deeply about it. Of course, it was also because she couldn’t spare the attention to ponder.
Because by then, Shen Chi had already come over, skillfully unbuttoning her clothes, eagerly seeking her affection.
Lin Xiaoguai rolled her eyes but reached out to hold his neck, cooperating by stretching out her body in front of him.
After Lu Rong had disappeared from Lin Xiaoguai’s life for a while, it wasn’t long before she heard the news of her engagement to the son of a deputy county-level official. Lin Xiaoguai hadn’t met him, but heard that the marriage was arranged by their parents.
She just listened to the news without much concern and threw herself into her studies.
The half-year passed quickly, and as the New Year approached, Lin Xiaoguai and her family still planned to go back to their hometown for the celebration.
"Can’t you really stay? Just this once! Stay and celebrate the New Year with us?" Over there, Han Shouzhen was persuading Shen Chi, while Lin Xiaoguai was packing up their luggage on the side.
Shen Chi was unmoved, Han Shouzhen grew anxious, "This is your first New Year back home, why can’t you stay? I’ve got everything prepared if you don’t like the old man, we can go to your brother’s!"
"Sister, apart from the New Year, other holiday times are simply not enough for us to go back to our hometown, it’s only this once a year, and grandpa and grandma are waiting. We can’t let the elderly be disappointed," Lin Xiaoguai helped explain, "Besides, we’ll be back before the Lantern Festival, and we can have a meal together then, that can be our New Year celebration too."
"You guys..." Han Shouzhen said somewhat irritably, "Fine, all of you are just brushing me off, seems like I’ve been talking to myself this whole time."
"Mom." Xu Ji tugged at her clothes and said softly, "Uncle and aunt can only return once a year, please don’t force them."
Han Shouzhen couldn’t be harsh with her son and immediately sat down with a humph.
"Ping’an, come here, your aunt made sesame paste for you, come and eat." Lin Xiaoguai called out to Xu Ji.
Hearing that, Xu Ji’s eyes curved, and he stepped forward to take the bowl of sesame paste from Lin Xiaoguai’s hands.
Only after watching him finish the whole bowl of sesame paste, which had Heart Nourishing Pills mixed into it, did Lin Xiaoguai finally relax. She had been worried that after they went back, Ping’an might have some issues if he didn’t consume the Heart Nourishing Pills in time, but seeing him eat the sesame paste gave her peace of mind.
Ten days before the New Year, Lin Xiaoguai and her three family members set off on their journey early and caught the train. It took them four days to reach the provincial city.
Since they had made a phone call earlier, Shen Zhangming, Luo Yufang, and Shen Xiu were already waiting for them as they got off the train.
"Great-grandma! Grandpa! Auntie!" Little Niangao dashed over, swinging his legs, and hugged Luo Yufang’s leg while cooing, "Great-grandma, did you miss Little Niangao?"
"Of course, we missed you! Our dear treasure has grown taller, walks more steadily, and has turned into a big kid," Luo Yufang said, her eyes reddening slightly and her voice choked up.
Shen Zhangming stood by silently, his eyes darting between his grandson and great-grandson, too busy taking it all in.
"Sister-in-law, let me help you with your luggage," Shen Xiu hurried forward and grabbed the luggage from Lin Xiaoguai’s hands.
Without further ado, the family hurried home.
"Chi, Wanwan, you haven’t seen the new house in the provincial city yet. Grandma has got everything ready for you, the blankets and bed sheets are freshly sunned, Wanwan likes cleanliness, and grandma got it all nicely done," Luo Yufang said smilingly on the way.
"Then thank you, grandma," Lin Xiaoguai smiled graciously.
"Sister-in-law, we’ve bought almost all the New Year goods, if there’s anything specific you want to eat, just let me know, and I’ll get it," Shen Xiu, having worked for half a year, had lost her earlier introversion and shyness, exuding a straightforward and efficient air.
"Alright, I definitely won’t be shy about it."
Shen Xiu then turned to Shen Chi, "Brother, Brother Yuan Lin and the others have sent things over before the New Year, I’ve prepared the return gifts, you can take them over when the time comes." In the past, with the family’s old and young, and Shen Chi often not at home, his brothers would regularly send things over, but since they had moved to the provincial city, regular sending had stopped. However, seeing that the New Year was approaching, they specifically sent some New Year goods over.