The lively New Year's Eve dinner concluded, and the crackling sound of firecrackers erupted outside once again.
Last year, because the children were still young, the family had only bought some firecrackers and double-bang firecrackers.
This year, while purchasing New Year goods, Mother Huo specifically picked up quite a few fireworks suitable for children to play with.
The variety of fireworks in this era wasn't as plentiful as in later times, but on a New Year's Eve without mobile phones or the Spring Festival Gala, even a little bit of joy could be infinitely magnified.
Seeing the children holding small, sizzling sparklers, their little faces flushed red from the cold outside, reluctant to come back in, the Old Master was delighted. He tilted his chin towards Third Uncle.
"How about we go inside for a couple rounds of chess?"
Third Uncle, who had recently become quite fond of playing chess, immediately responded, "Let's do it!"
Of course, both their chess skills were rather amateurish, so neither looked down on the other.
The weather was simply too cold. After standing outside for a while, Jiang Si hurried back into the house.
Mother Huo had started stewing a sweet silver ear soup early on. The whole family sat together in the living room, chatting and laughing, and time passed quickly.
Jiang Si originally hadn't planned to stay up late on New Year's Eve, but glancing up, she saw it was almost eleven o'clock and dismissed the thought of going back to her room to sleep.
After all, tomorrow was the first day of the Lunar New Year, the traditionally rule-free day when one didn't have to get up early to pay New Year's visits and could sleep in as late as they wished.
Perhaps worried that sitting around idly would be boring, Second Sister-in-law Yang Meina got up, went back to her room, and brought out a deck of playing cards.
During the major political movements, many traditional forms of entertainment were criticized.
Playing cards, however, perhaps due to being easy to carry and other reasons, weren't completely banned. During the New Year period, they were even distributed as recreational supplies and benefits to factories, government offices, and military units.
It's just that many game names were changed. For example, the game they played today, originally called "Run Fast," clearly didn't align with the mainstream ethos, so it had been renamed "Strive for the Lead."
Jiang Si and Guan Xue didn't usually play cards much, but as the saying goes, it's the New Year, a rare time for joy, so they joined in just to make up the numbers.
"This is simple. You're both clever, you'll pick it up right away," Yang Meina said deftly shuffling the cards and briefly explaining the rules. "If you really can't manage, bring your husbands along as advisors. Third Brother and Fourth Brother both know how to play this."
As soon as she finished speaking, Huo Tingzhou had already sat down behind Jiang Si. "If we win, the credit's yours. If we lose, I'll pay."
His wife gave him twenty yuan in pocket money every month now.
He couldn't even spend it all, simply couldn't spend it all!
Seeing this, Eldest Brother Huo and Huo Fourth Brother also chimed in with their support. How to put it? Having money in your pocket really boosts your confidence.
Second Brother Huo, who felt somewhat coerced into playing, was already silently counting his private stash of money.
Fourth Brother was a researcher, dealing with data all day long; his mental prowess wasn't something ordinary people could match.
Third Brother usually seemed low-key and unassuming, but he had been clever since childhood, with a frighteningly good memory.
As for Eldest Brother, needless to say, leading troops in the army year-round made this sort of game child's play for him.
The key was, these guys not only had great memories, but they also played dirty!
Playing cards, and they were counting cards!
How are you supposed to play against that?
The final result was exactly as Second Brother Huo had anticipated. If the midnight bell hadn't rung early, his little stash of private money would likely have been completely cleaned out.
After washing up and nestling into the warm bed, Jiang Si, almost without any suspense, felt under her pillow and found the red envelope with the words "Peace and Health Year After Year" written on it.
"Darling, Happy New Year," Huo Tingzhou said softly, a smile in his eyes.
Jiang Si looked up at him. "I'm already very happy right now!"
With that, they smiled at each other.
Waking up the next day, the world outside the window was once again a vast expanse of white.
With such heavy snowfall, the happiest were undoubtedly the two little ones.
Perhaps because they were a year older, building snowmen no longer satisfied their need for fun. The two little rascals were now imitating others, having a snowball fight in the residential compound.
Seeing Jiang Si come out, Suisui and Zhaozhao, holding their newly made small snowballs, came running over on their short little legs.
However, before the two little ones could even launch their attack, a solid "wall of flesh" appeared before them.
Seeing the obviously much larger snowball in their father's hand, the two little ones quickly glanced at their own and wisely let out a "wow" before scampering away.
"Slow down!" Although the snow on the ground was thick and wouldn't hurt much if they fell, Jiang Si couldn't help but worry watching the speed at which their little legs were churning.
Sure enough, her worry was justified.
The little ones had only run a few steps when suddenly, with a plop.
Due to the exceptionally heavy snowfall the night before, when the two little ones dove in, more than half of their bodies plunged into the snowdrift.
Only their two little legs, clad in cotton-padded trousers, remained outside, kicking and flailing.
"Daddy, wuwuwu, help~~"
"Help~~"
Listening to their cries for help, Jiang Si felt both exasperated and amused.
Just then, Huo Tingzhou walked over unhurriedly and, like pulling up radishes, deftly 'plucked' the two little ones out of the snowdrift, one in each hand.
"Pfft—"
Jiang Si really couldn't hold it in this time and laughed out loud.
The two little ones were stunned for a moment.
Then they reached out with their little hands to brush the snowflakes off their faces.
Perhaps finding it funny themselves, they too started giggling along.
The first day of the Lunar New Year passed amidst such laughter and joy.
Early on the second day of the New Year, everyone began returning to their respective maternal homes.
As in previous years, Mother Huo had already converted the holiday gifts and coupons for each branch of the family into cash and given it to her daughters-in-law before the New Year.
Jiang Si lived close by, so there was no need to rush.
After having breakfast, she then gathered the gifts and, hand in hand with Huo Tingzhou, each leading a little one, strolled leisurely towards the direction of the courtyard house.
Meanwhile, on the other side...
"Oh, Yuan Yuan," Mother Lu hesitated for a moment before finally asking at the dining table, "We've been back in the Capital City for so long now. Should we let your mother's side know about your return?"
That her daughter-in-law had a poor relationship with her maternal family was something Mother Lu had known for a long time.
But this year's situation was different. Previously, their whole family had been in Xinjiang Province.
Being far away, it was understandable if there was no contact or visits during holidays.
But now, their whole family had moved back to the Capital City. If they continued to avoid meeting, people who didn't know the full story might very well say her daughter-in-law had forgotten her roots, that she was unfilial!
However, these were ultimately her daughter-in-law's family matters. Mother Lu was only offering a reminder.
As for what to do, it was ultimately up to her daughter-in-law to decide.
Father Lu thought the same, which is why he didn't interject at all while Mother Lu was speaking.
Huo Zhankai didn't speak either. Knowing his wife, she would most likely follow last year's pattern and not go back.
Unexpectedly, after listening, Meng Yuan looked over very calmly.
"Father, Mother, I was just about to tell you. I plan to go back to my maternal home this morning and won't be back for lunch."
Hearing this, everyone at the table was taken aback.
It was Huo Zhankai who reacted first. "I'll go with you after we finish eating."
He paused, then glanced at the two children. "Let's bring Ruirui and Yaoyao along too."
Meng Yuan shook her head. "No need, I'll go back by myself."
This trip back to her maiden home wasn't about mending fences with them; it was about laying her cards on the table.
Not going back wasn't an option either. Her records were on file with the Educated Youth Office.
Her family back home was even more unyielding, calling Xinjiang every three months without fail to inquire about her.
Her transfer to the Capital City military district wasn't some secret either. With just one phone call to the army unit, they could get all the details.
"Third Sister-in-law is right, hiding forever isn't a solution."
Rather than wait for them to show up and create an awkward scene for everyone, she might as well strike first.
"Third Sister-in-law?" Huo Zhankai raised an eyebrow slightly. He knew the two of them had sat and chatted for a while after dinner yesterday.
But he had always assumed Meng Yuan went specifically to thank Third Sister-in-law for the courtyard house matter.
He wasn't wrong; Meng Yuan did indeed go to express her thanks.
However, more than that, she went to seek advice.
To some extent, her family situation was quite similar to Jiang Si's—both had to make their way under a stepfather and stepmother.
It was just that she hadn't been as brave and decisive as Third Sister-in-law.
So much so that when they had schemed against her back then, she hadn't fought back at all.
These past few years in Xinjiang had changed Meng Yuan, helping her grow a great deal.
Now, she was no longer the girl who would find a quiet corner to silently weep when wronged.
Sensing there was more to her words, Huo Zhankai looked at her with concern. "I should still go with you."
He was worried his wife might get the short end of the stick if she went alone.
"Don't worry, they wouldn't dare!" Meng Yuan knew them all too well. "Right now, they're practically falling over themselves trying to get on our good side. Even if you gave them a hundred extra doses of courage, they wouldn't dare lay a hand on me."
If it really came to blows, at most she might get slapped.
Meng Yuan almost hoped for that slap, so she could blow the whole matter wide open and have a final reckoning.
Knowing he was worried about her, Meng Yuan spoke frankly: "If things really do turn ugly, you being there wouldn't help either."
After all, Huo Zhankai was a military man, and they were, in name, his mother-in-law and family.
If he were to actually get physical, right would turn into wrong.
Furthermore, Meng Yuan had her own pride and backbone.
She really didn't want Huo Zhankai to see the true faces of her family back home.
With things put that way, Huo Zhankai didn't press her further. "Then I'll take you there. I won't go in, I'll just wait outside the door for you."
Meng Yuan didn't object to this.
Mainly because the gifts were a bit heavy, and carrying them alone would indeed be difficult.
Seeing the young couple had reached an agreement, Mother Lu didn't say anything more.
While the two were eating, she quickly went to prepare the gifts.
Although they hadn't bought gifts for Meng Yuan's family in advance, the house was well-stocked for the New Year.
So she deftly took a cloth bag, packed half a pound of brown sugar, and added a few apples.
There was also a bottle of liquor in the cupboard, so she took that too.
After a moment's thought, she retrieved a slab of pork belly, nicely marbled with fat and lean, from the snow pile.
Four kinds of gifts—a very respectable offering.
