“What’s wrong with you?” Aunt Liu said, calling Shanzi: “Hurry up and carry your mother to the bed.”

Shanzi carried his mother to the bed. Aunt Huang closed her eyes and didn’t want to talk. Aunt Liu guessed that the mother and son had some conflict, so she didn’t say much. She comforted her for a few words and left.

As soon as Aunt Liu left, Aunt Huang turned her back and faced the outside with the back of her head.

Shanzi stood by the bed: “Mom, I——”

Shanzi didn’t know what he was going to say. He didn’t think he was wrong.

However, he also knew that he couldn’t mention this matter to his mother at the moment, and he had to wait.

He stood by the bed for a while, thinking secretly that when he went to the city to drive a cart and earned copper coins, he would only give half to his mother. When he saved a few taels of silver, he would ask someone to go to Xing’er’s house to propose marriage.

*

After noon on New Year’s Eve, Gu Zhong’s family, Gu Rong’s family, and the eldest aunt’s family all arrived at Gu Fei’s house.

In previous years, the three brothers spent the New Year together at the eldest brother Gu Zhong’s house because the old lady lived in the old house.

This year, Gu Zhang took the initiative to propose to spend the New Year at his house, and everyone naturally had no objection.

Mrs. Qian didn’t even make lunch, and the family came hungry.

She wanted their stomachs to be empty to eat a lot of good meals at night.

The hall, which usually looked large and empty, was now crowded with people.

Mrs. Chen also generously placed a few plates of cakes sent by Zhang Ze on the table, and some snacks bought in the city yesterday, and the eight-immortal table was full.

Bao’er rushed straight to the table when he came in, and no one said anything to him, because these things were placed there for people to eat.

Hu Zi looked at his mother and waited for Mrs. Li to nod before he walked to the table to get something to eat.

Mrs. Qian had never seen a family with so many snacks during the New Year in her life.
While she was feeling that Gu Zhang had made a fortune, she hurriedly grabbed a piece of crispy candy and stuffed it into her mouth.

She hadn’t forgotten that Gu Zhong hadn’t eaten breakfast either, so she grabbed a piece of plum cake and stuffed it into Gu Zhong.

The whole room was full of people, and it was very lively.

When it was dark, the reunion dinner was ready.

Yesterday, Mrs. Chen led everyone to make dumplings all night, and today she prepared a lot of hard dishes.

There were two tables in the main room, one round table, and the other a square table.

Both tables were filled with food. Two large pots of dumplings stuffed with cabbage and pork were placed in the pot. The rest included swan meat, braised pork, cured chicken, smoked duck, and whole fish.

Gu Rong was so surprised: “Second brother, this is how the Emperor celebrates the New Year.”

Bao’er couldn’t wait to reach out and grab the braised pork, but Gu Sanlang grabbed his collar and pulled him back.

The old lady was sitting at the top. Seeing Bao’er being held in Gu Sanlang’s hand like a little chicken, with both hands still stubbornly stretched towards the braised pork, she hurriedly said: “Sanlang, put your cousin down quickly. Today is the New Year, just let him do what he wants!”

Gu Fei glanced at the old lady and smiled: “Bao’er, there are rules for eating. Children cannot eat before the adults come to the table and use their chopsticks.”

“Also, you have to use chopsticks to eat vegetables, not your hands. Think about it, your hands touch everywhere? How dirty are they? You will have a stomachache if you eat.”

Gu Zhong stood by and listened to Gu Fei’s words, his face turned purple for a while.

The old lady looked at her eldest son standing there at a loss, as if Gu Fei was not scolding Bao’er, but Gu Zhong.

The old lady was unhappy. Gu Fei was a little girl, and she was from the second branch. How could she be qualified to teach her precious grandson?!