Captain Zhao led his three children and several grandchildren to pay New Year’s visits to the elders in the village. "Mother, I’m heading back home first."
Mrs. Zhao didn’t stop him but just said, "Come over for lunch, your place hasn’t started cooking yet."
Once he was home, he took out a plastic plate filled with various edibles, including candy, some nuts, and small packs of cream-filled biscuits, while the door was left open.
Someone had come to pay a New Year’s visit.
"Sister-in-law, happy New Year!" Er Dan had heard yesterday that Yun Xiaoxiao and the others had come back, but he hadn’t been able to join them.
Yun Xiaoxiao was startled when she saw Er Dan; the boy had grown taller by a head in just half a year, and he’d also gained some weight.
"Come, have some candy."
Seeing that he only took two pieces, Yun Xiaoxiao pulled him over, grabbed a good amount of treats, and stuffed them into his pockets, clothes that were from last year but washed very clean.
"Take the red envelope too, go have fun!"
Many children knew that Da Bao and his family had returned from the Capital City and would certainly have brought lots of treats.
So when Er Dan came out, many children saw him, noticing his bulging pockets.
"Auntie, happy New Year."
Yun Xiaoxiao gave each of them some candy and nuts, along with a cream-filled biscuit each.
The village children were all aware; once they learned that Da Bao’s family had lots of delicious food, especially those cream-filled biscuits, they hurried to come and pay a visit.
So, seeing the crowd, Yun Xiaoxiao asks them to line up.
After sending off that group of children, Yun Xiaoxiao sighed. She couldn’t stay at home all the time.
She pocketed some treats and went out for a stroll.
Not far from her home, she ran into Sister-in-law Minghua.
"Sister-in-law, happy New Year!"
Minghua then mentioned her two older children, "When my kids came back, they kept saying, ’Look, Mom, Auntie gave us so much to eat, cookies too, and they even wanted to save some to feed their little sister.’
Minghua had given birth to a daughter last year, still a baby.
"Congratulations, sister-in-law, for having both a son and a daughter now."
This made Minghua feel very good inside.
"How is the Capital City?"
Who isn’t curious about the Capital City?
"The Capital City is huge, but winter comes early. It started snowing there in October."
It started snowing in October?
How do people withstand it?
"Basically, every household has a stove, and they sleep on heated brick beds, which are especially warm. If it’s not windy when you go out, it’s not too cold."
"Why do I feel like you’ve gotten even whiter?"
Her skin so tender it could be compared to her own daughter’s.
"It’s because of the face cream. In the Capital City, everyone, no matter if they’re men, women, elderly, or children, uses frost cream; otherwise, you’d get frostbite."
What, everyone applies face cream?
Even men use face cream?
That truly shocked Minghua.
"Oh my, my little girl is crying, I have to go back." The baby was still young and it was cold outside, so Minghua hadn’t brought her daughter. But now, hearing her cry stopped Minghua mid-conversation, even though she had many more questions for Yun Xiaoxiao.
Yun Xiaoxiao continued toward the old house.
Along the way, she greeted several aunts she encountered.
Over at the old house, both Sister-in-law Zhao and Second Sister-in-law Zhao had arrived.
Mrs. Zhao was wearing new clothes, just like Captain Zhao, for their New Year’s visit.
"Mother, your clothes look really nice." Da Shu’s mother hadn’t expected the mother-in-law to be wearing new clothes.
"It’s what Laosan’s Wife bought, and she got one for your dad too."
Laosan’s Wife bought them?
Did Laosan make a lot of money on his trip this time?
"It was from the money he made translating, and he bought them for us."