After finishing the roasted whole lamb, it was already past noon.

The three little kids had woken up, full of energy. Chen Yuanqiu had the task of taking Dazhuang and the three little ones to play.

A bamboo couch was moved into the main room, where two charcoal basins were placed. A small crack in the window allowed for ventilation, making it warm without worrying about the kids getting stuffy.

The rest of the family rolled up their sleeves and worked together to prepare the New Year’s Eve dinner.

In fact, starting from yesterday, Dad Chen had brought his second daughter-in-law and third son to begin organizing the details for the feast.

They had been busy with barbecuing in the morning and hadn’t dealt with the dinner preparations, so by the afternoon, they felt a bit rushed.

With a large family and everyone quick on their feet, things progressed quickly.

In winter, night falls early. By the time it was about to be evening, it was pitch dark outside. The biting cold wind whistled through the window cracks but faintly carrying the aroma of food.

On New Year’s Eve, lanterns hung high at every household, resembling stars in the night sky, with faint sounds of laughter and joy in the air.

Meanwhile, the Chen family’s New Year’s Eve dinner was still in the works. In the kitchen, things were bustling, Dad Chen, Chen Yuchun, and Liu Guixiang were the main forces, while Chen Yuping was in charge of preparing food for the three kids, along with a couple of tasty dishes for Dazhuang.

“If you’re hungry, you can have some fried meatballs, steamed rice cakes, or dumplings. We still have a lot to do before the dinner is ready,” Dad Chen reminded. “It should be done by the end of the evening.”

“With such a lavish lunch, finishing around noon, you shouldn’t be too hungry yet. It was mostly meat and quite filling,” Liu Guixiang said, feeling quite satisfied. She thought it was just right to have the New Year’s dinner a bit later, as there were so many delicious dishes to eat.

Chen Yuchun nodded. “I’m not hungry at all.”

“Even if we eat the New Year’s dinner at the end of the evening, I think it’s fine.”

“I’m also very full.”

Father Chen took a sip of strong tea and said, “Since everyone’s full, let’s just eat a bit later. With so many dishes, it’ll be a waste if we can’t finish them. Let’s keep our stomachs a bit empty.”

In the room, only Zhang Zhiwei remained silent. Dad Chen thought he had performed well today, so he asked kindly, “What about you, Zhiwei?”

“I’m not hungry, Dad.”

“If no one’s hungry, let’s take our time, chat, and catch up. It’s rare for the whole family to be together.”

Chen Yuanqiu and the four kids returned to the kitchen.

The youngest, Cao ger, saw his dad and called out in a baby voice, reaching up for a hug.

Qiao Niu flapped her little arms, wanting a hug from her mother.

An ger did the same. Usually, Chen Yuchun would hug his youngest son and play with him, but today, he handed him over to his husband: “You can’t always want your dad, call out for your father too. Zhiwei, take An ger to play for a while.”

“An ger wants you to hold him.”

“Because you rarely hold him, so he’s not close to you. Since it’s winter and farming is slow, you have more time at home. Take An ger and Dazhuang to play more often.”

Zhang Zhiwei was momentarily confused.

Father Chen chimed in, “What Chun ger said is right. Kids need to be held and played with more to grow closer, being a father requires that kind of involvement.”

Chen Yuandong moved closer to his wife, smiling at her and teasing Qiao Niu: “How about it, daughter? Want your father to hold you?”

Qiao Niu giggled and lunged into his arms.

“Looks like I’m doing a good job as a dad,” Chen Yuandong said happily, feeling quite proud.

Cui Yuanjiu glanced over at Chen Yuping, who was playing with Cao ger.

“Cao ger,” he called gently, his voice warm like spring sunlight, opening his strong arms towards him.

Cao ger heard the familiar voice, turned to see Cui Yuanjiu, and upon recognizing the gesture, smiled and leaped into Chen Yuping’s arms. Then shyly glanced at Cui Yuanjiu, smiling even brighter.

Chen Yuping, enjoying the scene, couldn’t resist teasing, “He won’t let you hold him.”

“Probably because I’m not his father yet.”

“…”

Seeing Ping ger not engaging, Cui Yuanjiu smartly dropped the subject, softly calling, “Cao ger,” gently clapping his hands with a smile, “Come here, let me hold you, so your dad can rest his arms.”

Cao ger, familiar with Cui Yuanjiu, hesitated a moment but ultimately jumped into his arms.

Cui Yuanjiu immediately lifted him high, which was Cao ger’s favorite game.

Cao ger laughed joyfully, calling out for his dad, the excitement making his words a bit slurred.

“Cao ger still likes me.”

“You can teach him to call you father.”

“That wouldn’t do.” Although Cui Yuanjiu was tempted, he shook his head in refusal: “A child can’t just call anyone father, it has to be after we’re married, or it’ll lead to gossip.”

Hearing this, Chen Yuping felt a warmth spread from his eyes to his heart.

“After the New Year, you’ll be eighteen. When your father was eighteen, I was already pregnant with your big brother. Your second brother had already married your sister-in-law,” Dad Chen said, pulling his youngest son close and lowering his voice: “Look at you, all you do is eat. You’re not paying attention to anything else.”

“Dad, marriage isn’t something I can just want. I can’t decide that alone, it depends on how fate arranges it. I can’t just marry someone at random, right? If there’s no feelings, life together won’t be good. Then, what’s the point?”

Father Chen nodded, rarely agreeing with his youngest son: “That makes some sense.”

Feeling validated by his father’s approval, Chen Yuanqiu was ready to soar, but he heard his father’s second statement.

“Let your dad visit the village more, talk to people, and look around. He’ll definitely find someone suitable.”

“Youngest, let me tell you, next year you can’t be reckless. Be honest, and look around properly. Don’t stir up trouble. Otherwise, I’ll tell your third brother that he can’t cook your favorite dishes anymore. Don’t test me, just try it,” Dad Chen said sternly.

Chen Yuanqiu’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Dad!!”

“That’s a good idea,” Father Chen supported his wife.

“Third brother, third brother.”

Weak, pitiful, helpless.

In just a moment, what was happening? Chen Yuping was a bit bewildered: “What’s going on?”

“You’ll help me, right?”

“Help you with what? What are you planning?”

Dad Chen ruthlessly exposed his youngest son’s sob story: “Don’t listen to his nonsense. I want him to look around a bit more next year. He’s already eighteen and should find someone suitable for marriage. I support that, but they won’t just fall from the sky. He needs to go out and look. Does a young man just wait for girls to come to him? How shameful!”

“And then?” Chen Yuping was still unclear about how this related to him: “But Dad has a point. Youngest, you really should be more proactive.”

“I never said I wouldn’t go look, Dad is threatening me! If I don’t listen to him, he won’t let you cook my favorite dishes.” Chen Yuanqiu added to his grievances.

After thinking it over, Chen Yuping couldn’t help but burst out laughing at the whole situation.

Liu Guixiang eagerly asked, “Youngest, do you like gers or girls? Tell me, I’ll keep an eye out for you. If someone suitable comes along, I’ll let you know. You can’t miss your chance.”

“Right, this is a big deal in life, so it should be taken seriously. Little brother, think it over—do you like gers or girls? I’ll help keep an eye out.” Chen Yuchun, having rushed into marriage, hoped his brother wouldn’t face the same struggles.

The entire room began chatting about Chen Yuanqiu’s marriage prospects.

As the center of attention, Chen Yuanqiu finally felt a bit of a desire to marry, but with the current atmosphere, he felt a tingling urge to run away.

It wasn’t until the New Year’s dinner was set on the table that he felt liberated, letting out a deep sigh of relief.

It was too overwhelming.

The New Year’s dinner was lavish, filling a large table with almost all meat dishes and rarely seen delicacies.

Cui Yuanjiu had bought two pounds of wine, and only one pound remained.

The New Year is about festivity, and wine can lift the spirits and enhance the atmosphere.

Except for the four kids, all the adults raised their bowls, each filled with varying amounts of wine.

“Let’s toast first. Dad and Father, say a few words.”

“Say a few words, say a few words.” Father Chen laughed cheerfully, New Year’s dinners hadn’t been this lively in past years. He thought about what to say, scratching his head before glancing at his wife: “In the coming year, I hope each of you is well. Living steadily with plenty to eat and drink.”

Dad Chen continued from his husband’s lead: “Making money is secondary, and taking care of the home is essential. Having a family in mind and keeping healthy is also important. If a person has no illness or disaster, that’s the greatest blessing. I hope that next year, you all enjoy your meals, sleep soundly at night, and support each other as a family, living in harmony and safety.”

“Well said!” Chen Yuping applauded vigorously, his face filled with joy.

The room filled with warm applause as everyone chimed in with their thoughts.

Caught up in the atmosphere and perhaps moved by the heartfelt words from his father and dad, Chen Yuanqiu suddenly blurted out, “I also want to say that next year, I hope to meet someone I like. Whether a ger or a girl, it must be someone who likes me back, and someone my dad and father also approve of.”

“Looks like the youngest finally gets it!” Chen Yuandong exclaimed.

Laughter erupted once again.

Chen Yuanqiu… felt a bit embarrassed.