Chapter 37

On the 28th of the twelfth lunar month, Wang Mengmei finished her lunch and instructed Ni Hao and Xue Ling to put up the couplets.

“The paste for the couplets is ready in the kitchen. Once you’re done with those, put up the window flowers too.”

Ni Hao stood on a stool and pasted the Spring Festival couplet that read “Fortune comes with the seasons, wealth rolls in; joy comes from all directions, happiness is continuous.” Xue Ling stamped her feet below: “The ‘Fu’ character is upside down! Why are you sticking it the right way up?”

Ni Hao chuckled and quickly corrected the “Fu” character before it stuck too tightly.

The window flowers were bought by Jian Li. They were clusters of flowers with various vegetables and delicacies.

As Xue Ling pasted them on the windows, she praised, “They look really nice.”

During the Spring Festival, elderly women would sell window flowers on the streets, usually cut-out flowers or zodiac signs. They were cheap, costing only a few cents each. In recent years, however, with the influx of plastic flower-shaped window flowers from the south, the elderly women’s sales had started to slow.

When Jian Li saw hand-made ones in the market, she immediately bought many. She had asked for specific designs, like baskets of vegetables, ensuring that the vegetables were recognizable in the cut-outs.

Luckily, the elderly woman was skilled, and she managed to make the designs Jian Li wanted.

Jian Li was satisfied and paid her a few dozen yuan, bringing back several “unique” window flowers.

In the store, there were flowers and vegetables as well as dishes; at home, they put up zodiac signs representing the three family members, along with phrases like “Fortune comes from the east” and “Success follows.”

Jian Li had bought so many that Wang Mengmei, while complaining about her spending, distributed the extra ones to Xue Ling and Ni Hao.

After the window flowers were up, Xue Ling helped Wang Mengmei tidy up the store.

All the pots, bowls, and pans were cleaned, tables and chairs were gathered, and there wasn’t much alcohol left in the store, so Wang Mengmei divided the remainder between the two employees, and gave each of them a portion of New Year’s goods.

The New Year goods were prepared by Wang Mengmei herself, including various dried goods and her homemade meatballs and crispy pork, one big bag for each person.

After everything was cleaned up, Wang Mengmei called the employees over and, smiling, handed them each a red envelope.

“Happy New Year in advance!”

Xue Ling happily took the envelope. “Happy New Year to you too, boss!”

Ni Hao had been working for his master, but he rarely received New Year’s money. Usually, when the holiday came around, his master would point to something left in the shop and then send him to guard the store during the evening.

“Thank you, boss.”

Ni Hao took the red envelope and thought to himself that he was lucky not to have missed this opportunity. If he had switched jobs again, he would never have this kind of life.

After receiving the red envelopes, the two employees helped Wang Mengmei move the remaining goods to her home.

“Let’s reopen on the tenth day after the New Year. We’ll go over a day earlier to tidy up the store,” Wang Mengmei said.

She had been busy for the past half-year and was looking forward to resting during the New Year.

After Ni Hao and Xue Ling left, Wang Mengmei lay down comfortably on her bed.

She didn’t want to think about anything at that moment.

But once someone gets used to being busy, it’s not easy to relax. Wang Mengmei had been at home for half a day and was starting to get restless.

Jian Li and her father came back from the market with bags full of goods. Jian Li was nibbling on a sugar-coated hawthorn stick. Wang Mengmei couldn’t help but lean in to see what they had bought.

Jian Li pushed her away. “Didn’t we agree that you won’t do anything for the New Year this year? Let me and Dad handle it?”

Wang Mengmei had said this a few days ago when the shop was really busy. She told them she wouldn’t cook this year.

She had done enough work at the store and planned to do nothing for the New Year, just eat ready-made food. Even things like frying tofu and meatballs, she left to Jian Li and her father.

Jian Li didn’t think much of it. It was normal, wasn’t it? If the cook couldn’t relax at home, that would be strange.

But even though she said that, Wang Mengmei had paced around the house several times and couldn’t sit still.

Jian Feng was washing clothes, and she became impatient watching him.

“Can’t you use the washing machine properly? Why are you twisting the clothes by hand? Just throw them in the spin-dry tub for a few rounds, then rinse them.”

When she saw Jian Li clumsily putting things away, she became anxious again. “Why are you leaving the meatballs outside? Don’t you fear the cat will steal them? Put them in the third drawer… or should I do it?”

Jian Li placed the items on the counter. “Wang Mengmei, if you really have nothing to do, why don’t you go shopping?”

Wang Mengmei replied, “You two have bought everything. What should I buy?”

Jian Li clicked her tongue. “Go buy some clothes and cosmetics.”

Jian Li pulled her mother outside. “Come on, let’s go to the department store.”

Before leaving, Jian Li saw her father giving her a thumbs-up with a relieved expression.

Sure enough, people don’t mind working, they just don’t like being watched while doing it.

Jian Li dragged Wang Mengmei to the department store, where the second floor was dedicated to clothes.

Wang Mengmei couldn’t resist Jian Li’s persuasion and ended up buying a new outfit, along with a set of cosmetics from Qishimei.

Walking out of the department store, Wang Mengmei felt the cold wind and immediately thought she had spent too much money.

The new outfit was a red down jacket, tight pants, and a pair of boots that reached her calves.

The entire set of clothes cost over 500 yuan.

The cosmetics cost more than 200 yuan.

Wang Mengmei felt like she had lost her mind. She had just spent 700 yuan in one go.

That was 700 yuan!

In the past, that would have been two months’ worth of family income.

Jian Li could immediately tell that her mother was regretting the purchase. She pulled her away and said, “The money’s already spent, and they won’t refund it.”

After bringing the clothes home, Jian Feng heard the price but didn’t frown; instead, he asked Wang Mengmei to try them on.

Wang Mengmei couldn’t stop complaining, “It’s too expensive! How can a down jacket cost over three hundred? What a rip-off…”

But once she put it on, it was different.

The red down jacket made Wang Mengmei’s face look rosy, and the boots made her legs appear especially long and slender.

She looked at her husband, feeling a little anxious.

Jian Feng’s eyes lit up. “… It looks good.”

He pulled off the price tag. “Don’t return it. Just wear it like this. You’ll wear it for this year’s New Year celebration.”

Wang Mengmei’s face turned a little red, and she sweetly complained, “It’s so expensive.”

Jian Feng replied, “It’s not expensive.”

Such a nice-looking outfit is worth the price.

Wang Mengmei touched the brand-new clothes, unsure if it was just in her head, but the outfit did feel different when worn.

The down jacket hugged her back, and even the winter cold wind didn’t feel as biting. The boots, with their thick inner fleece, kept her feet warm, like having a little heater under her soles.

Wang Mengmei sighed, “Money really is a good thing.”

Spending money can buy comfort.

That evening, the family of three had hot pot for dinner, a steaming, spicy meal, all gathered around the table watching TV. The television was replaying last year’s Spring Festival Gala, and even though they’d seen the programs before, it still felt amusing.

After the meal, Jian Li, like a little piglet, plopped onto the bed and fell asleep.

Jian Feng finished cleaning up the house, drew the curtains, and then he and his wife discussed what to bring for the New Year’s Eve dinner the next day.

Every year on New Year’s Eve, Jian Feng took his wife and daughter to the Ge family’s house for dinner.

It was something that couldn’t be avoided. Huang Guihua always said that the Ge family had fed Jian Feng for over ten years, and he carried the half-step father-son title. Plus, Huang Guihua was his real mother. Despite Jian Feng’s reluctance, he had to go for the sake of appearances.

Typically, they would have dinner, stay the night, and the next day on New Year’s Day, everyone would see that Jian Feng had shown up, giving face to Huang Guihua and Ge Chang. That would complete the task for the year.

Wang Mengmei hated this tradition and secretly wished they didn’t have to go.

But they couldn’t avoid it, especially since Huang Guihua was still alive. In today’s world, once you have a family tie, you have to take responsibility.

“Bring a box of Lu Lu, a box of eggs, and some dried vegetables. Fill another box and buy a pack of instant noodles,” Wang Mengmei said.

Every year it was the same four items. Wang Mengmei didn’t hesitate and thought it was enough to just gather four things without causing any complaints.

After all, everyone knew what was going on. With Huang Guihua, it was just about showing up during the New Year to maintain familial ties. Once they were older, no one expected them to be filial.

When Huang Guihua was making life difficult for her eldest son, she had already given up on relying on him for support in her old age.

After all, she still had two capable sons: one with money and one with abilities. Huang Guihua could manage with them.

Jian Feng nodded. “No need to buy Lu Lu, just take some of the dried vegetables from home.”

It was just for the sake of appearances.

Wang Mengmei agreed. “Okay.”

After discussing the Ge family, the couple then talked about what to bring to Wang’s family village.

“I bought a few clothes for my mom, a scarf for my sister, and two boxes of instant noodles, a box of milk, and three items of dried goods,” Wang Mengmei said.

She had to visit three families on her side: her sister’s and her two brothers’ homes.

Jian Feng responded, “If it’s not enough, we’ll buy more.”

Wang Mengmei sighed. “I really don’t like celebrating New Year. It’s all about spending money.”

Besides giving gifts, they also had to give red envelopes.

For the Ge family’s children, for the Wang family’s children, New Year meant figuring out who would receive more or less. It was always a problem.

“How much should we give to Chang Jun, Ge Changyuan, and Ya Qin’s kids this year?”

Money was losing its value these days, and red envelopes kept increasing in amount year after year.

Wang Mengmei remembered when she was young, a few cents could bring happiness. Now, even a couple of yuan wasn’t enough to make an impression.

Especially since Ge Changjun was wealthy, Ge Changyuan worked as a doctor and was also well-off, and Ge Yaqin didn’t need to mention. Even though the Ge family didn’t visit much, they always gave a lot of money during the New Year.

Last year, they gave five yuan. Did that mean they would have to give ten yuan this year?

Jian Feng replied, “Start with ten yuan. If it’s not enough, we’ll figure it out later.”

It didn’t have to be paid back in the same year, and if it turned out to be less than the others, they could just make up for it next year.

The Wang family village was easier to handle. Wang Mengmei wasn’t trying to make a big show of it. She planned to give a simple five yuan in a red envelope.

After calculating the red envelope amounts, the couple finally went to bed.

—–

On New Year’s Eve, the family first set off firecrackers and pasted couplets, then changed into new clothes and went to the Ge family’s house.

When they arrived at the Ge family’s house, they realized that the atmosphere wasn’t as lively as in previous years.

This was because Ge Ming had ended up in the juvenile detention center.