Chapter 21

Back at Huayuan Residential Area, Aunt Mao and her daughter Wang Hui helped carry the goods upstairs.

The door to the sixth-floor apartment in Unit Three was open, and Ye Ermei was busy showcasing her cooking skills. Zhao Qing, who had been helping by washing vegetables, wiped his hands and came out of the kitchen to help carry items with Tian Niu.

After staying here for so many days, there was quite a bit of luggage packed from the store. With Zhao Qing and the others lending a hand, the job was done in just two trips.

When everything was moved upstairs, Ye Xiaoyu invited Aunt Mao and her daughter to sit and rest. However, they politely declined, explaining that their family was waiting for them to return for the New Year.

Ye Xiaoyu didn’t insist, but she handed them a basket of pastries, fruits, and tea.

“You’ve already given us so much before,” Aunt Mao said, trying to refuse.

“That was for gifting to others. This is for you two to enjoy yourselves. You’ve been such a great help today,” Ye Xiaoyu replied with a smile.

After seeing them off downstairs, Ye Xiaoyu first gave Lele a bath, then took a long, relaxing shower herself. Emerging from the bathroom, she wanted to help in the kitchen, but was quickly shooed away by Ye Ermei and Zhao Qing, who handed her a plate of pork cracklings instead.

“Fine,” she said, crunching on the cracklings. “Much better than eating dog food.”

In the living room, Ye Xiaoyu started unpacking. She neatly put items in cupboards, stashed others on top of cabinets or under tables, and ensured the surfaces were clear of clutter. While the insides of the cupboards could be chaotic, it didn’t bother her as long as the room looked tidy.

However, one item refused to fit anywhere—the heaviest piece of luggage, an old-fashioned scale.

Ye Xiaoyu had bought two scales for the store. Both were based on lever principles, rather than the electronic scales that were still hard to find. One was a small balance scale, ideal for precise measurements using weights. The other was a larger scale, used for weighing bulkier items like delivery packages.

She had brought both scales back home, even the cumbersome large one. Besides their potential future use, the larger scale had another function—it could measure body weight.

For someone on a weight-loss journey, how could she not have a scale? Though, admittedly, it had been a while since she last weighed herself.

Setting the large scale on the balcony, Ye Xiaoyu eagerly stepped on. Familiar with its operation, she quickly added a 50-kilogram weight, then a 20-kilogram one. Her current weight was 147 pounds.

Before opening the store, she had weighed 118 pounds. The busy past month and a half had effectively countered her previous weight gain. At 147 pounds, she was close to her target weight.

On the balcony, there was also a large dressing mirror. Ye Xiaoyu glanced at her reflection.

Standing tall in her winter clothes, no one would associate her with being overweight anymore. Weight loss first showed on her face, and her delicate features were now clearly visible.

The original owner of this body had once resembled a pure white jasmine flower—innocent and beautiful, with a classic “school beauty” vibe in a white dress. But the current Ye Xiaoyu was livelier, always smiling with crescent-shaped eyes or a playful smirk, more like a resilient chrysanthemum swaying in the wind.

Indeed, a different soul brought a different aura, even with the same appearance. If they stood side by side, it would be easy to distinguish between them.

However, her skin seemed a bit dry.

The recent hectic schedule had left her with barely enough time to wash her face and brush her teeth, let alone follow a skincare routine. This reminded her that although the transmigration had restored this body’s health, it didn’t grant unlimited stamina. Neglecting self-care could still lead to occupational illnesses.

Ye Xiaoyu promptly took out face cream and hand lotion, applying them generously. She resolved to prioritize her health moving forward. In her previous life, long hours of high-stress work had left her with many minor ailments that, though manageable, became bothersome over time.

“Auntie, are you preening?” Tian Niu suddenly appeared, laughing behind her hand.

Surprised, Ye Xiaoyu realized the term wasn’t just modern slang but derived from “smelly tofu.” She confidently admitted, “Yep! Keep it down, though, or your mom will hear.”

“Got it!” Tian Niu made a “shh” gesture and added, “Mom’s already nagging about how much weight you’ve lost and planning to fatten you up during the holidays.”

“She has a good eye,” Ye Xiaoyu said with a playful wink. “So, what’s your wish? Your fairy godmother is granting wishes today.”

Tian Niu hesitated before blurting, “An electronic watch?” It was a coveted item among students, costing several dozen yuan—cheaper than mechanical watches but still a splurge.

“Consider it done.”

The two sealed their pact.

Lele, mimicking his cousin’s gesture, shushed them. Though he didn’t understand their conversation, he was suddenly interested in the scale.

Ye Xiaoyu helped weigh him. At 40 pounds, the five-and-a-half-year-old seemed a bit underweight. She made a mental note to include him in the next health checkup.

Tian Niu weighed just under 80 pounds. While tall for her age, she, too, seemed a bit light.

“You two need to eat more,” Ye Xiaoyu declared, grabbing the pork cracklings and feeding them one piece each.

All three munched on the crispy treats together.

Over an hour later, Ye Ermei called Ye Xiaoyu and Tian Niu to help set the table and serve dishes.

Dinner was a feast with chicken, duck, fish, pork, and various rich dishes like braised pork and sweet-and-sour fish. There was also a light vegetable and meatball soup and a simple stir-fried greens dish suggested by the “vegetable fanatic” Zhao Qing.

The five of them sat down to eat.

Ye Xiaoyu opened a bottle of Maotai for Zhao Qing, who enjoyed it solo. Though she could handle alcohol due to her sales background, she still preferred not to drink. The rest had soft drinks, including orange juice and Jianlibao.

Ye Xiaoyu always felt that the orange juice tasted a bit strange—not spoiled, just off in every bottle—so she opted for canned Jianlibao instead. At the moment, it was the best-selling drink on the market, rivaling future giants like Coca-Cola.

The taste was quite decent.

Some people liked soda; others didn’t. Ye Ermei, for instance, stuck with her orange juice. She raised her glass and proposed, “Why don’t we make a toast?”

“Sure, sure!” Ye Xiaoyu’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled. “Let’s add some blessings too! I’ll start. Here’s wishing my second sister and her husband a flourishing family, business, and fortune. May our dear Zhao Yuzhen, the grown-up friend, have wisdom as vast as the ocean and excel in her studies. And for little Ye Lexuan, I wish for health, happiness, and daily joy. As for me—may my future be bright!”

Ye Ermei chuckled, “You’ve said all the good things already. I’ll keep it simple—may everyone’s wishes come true.”

Zhao Qing added, “Health and safety.”

Tianniu chimed in, “Dreams come true.”

Hearing “Ye Lexuan” took little Lele a moment to realize they were talking about him since everyone usually called him by his nickname, Lele. Once he caught on, he wasn’t shy about sharing blessings. Over the past month, he had learned plenty of festive phrases. With a bright, clear voice, he said:

“Spring is here, let’s light some firecrackers! Bang, bang, bang—such a lively scene! Greet each other with a Happy New Year!”

“Wonderful!” Ye Xiaoyu clapped enthusiastically, being her son’s biggest fan as always.

Ye Ermei joined in the praise, saying, “Lele, you’re so eloquent now—just like your mom!”

Little Lele blushed, but he also straightened his back with pride.

“Cheers!”

Everyone clinked their glasses together. Since Lele’s hands and legs were too short to reach, Ye Xiaoyu picked him up to join the toast. For a single mom, such physical feats were no big deal—she was like a superhero.

Dinner was delicious, but no one rushed through it. They ate leisurely, chatting about all sorts of topics—family stories, school experiences, work anecdotes, and life plans.

The TV added to the lively atmosphere, broadcasting captivating programs.

The comedy sketches and crosstalk shows were especially bold, fearlessly criticizing various societal issues of the day. Many punchlines became instant classics, staying popular for decades. It was no wonder people in the future often reminisced about this era, with some internet users jokingly calling these punchlines “codes to identify foreigners.”

As they ate, watched, and laughed, the New Year’s Eve dinner stretched over two hours.

This time, Ye Xiaoyu insisted that Ye Ermei and her husband stay out of the kitchen after the meal. Although she disliked washing dishes, she felt it was unfair to make the cooks clean up too. She recruited Tianniu and Lele to help, forming a trio.

Even though Lele caused more chaos than he contributed, he wasn’t allowed to skip chores entirely. The little guy happily splashed water while “helping.” It wasn’t his first time washing dishes, as Ye Xiaoyu often encouraged him to share in household duties—an early start to life training, perhaps?

Around 11 p.m., faint sounds of firecrackers could be heard outside.

By this time, people were becoming aware of the potential dangers fireworks posed. Strengthened regulations on fireworks had been introduced in the late 1980s and early 1990s. However, since these were not yet formal laws and centuries-old traditions were hard to change overnight, people in cities still managed to set off firecrackers, albeit cautiously. Security guards in their community had even cleared a designated safe area for the activity.

“Are you scared?” Ye Xiaoyu asked Lele.

Surprisingly, despite his shy nature, Lele wasn’t afraid of the firecrackers. Instead, his eyes sparkled with curiosity, practically shouting, “I want to try!”

And so, they went downstairs.

On the way, they greeted neighbors with cheerful “Happy New Year” or “Happy Spring Festival” wishes, regardless of whether they knew each other.

Zhao Qing handled the large red firecrackers and skyrockets, while the others played with simpler items like pop-its and hand-held sparklers. There was also a long, string-like firecracker that made small popping sounds and could be held until it burned down to a safe length before being discarded.

Lele loved the pop-its and the “string firecrackers,” while Tianniu preferred the beautiful, colorful sparklers.

Ye Xiaoyu found them all enjoyable and wanted to try everything. Even the usually stoic Ye Ermei couldn’t hide her smile as she lit a sparkler in her hand.

It was so much fun!

Half an hour later, everyone except Zhao Qing joined the crowd heading back indoors. As they climbed the staircase, the sound of firecrackers filled the air.

Not just in their neighborhood but throughout the entire city, the celebratory noise of firecrackers echoed in anticipation of the New Year.

The festivities continued past midnight. The classic New Year’s song “Unforgettable Tonight” playing on TV was barely audible over the crackling of fireworks.

Smiling, everyone exchanged greetings:

“Happy New Year!”