Sun Baoyun returned behind the door, and the Li family left the capital.
Yu Ziyu also took her second son and returned to Kushan with the Li family.
In the twelfth lunar month, the twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh were auspicious days. Li Weiyu’s banquet in Kushan was set for the twenty-sixth.
Ouyang Meihua called to invite Xiao Yuan to be the head chef and would go up the mountain to pick her up on the morning of the twenty-fifth.
Before the Little New Year, Li Weili returned home for the holiday. Chen An and his wife also returned.
Chen An complained as soon as he returned, calling Li Weiyu a hands-off boss, leaving the company to him alone during the busiest time of the year.
He said he would take a month off after the new year because his wife was pregnant.
Li Min looked at Xie Shilei’s flat stomach. Was she really pregnant? "Shilei, where do you plan to give birth?"
Xie Shilei looked at Chen An. Chen An said indifferently, "Mom, whatever is convenient for you. If you don't want to go to Beizhou, then have Shilei come back to give birth."
"Then have her come back to give birth."
Li Min really didn't want to go to Beizhou. Not to mention how tiring it would be for her to serve her daughter-in-law and grandson alone, but she would be unfamiliar with the place and have no one to talk to, which would drive her crazy.
Xie Shilei smiled and nodded, "It's good to come home, Mother will be more at ease."
Li Min let out a soft hum and went to the kitchen to work.
Xie Shilei gently tugged her husband's sleeve, "Is Mother unhappy?"
"No."
Chen An shook his head. "Don't overthink it. It's just that I got married late, and the child is born later. It's not that special."
Xie Shilei smiled, "When our child grows up, we'll urge them to get married and have their child born earlier."
Chen An tapped her forehead. "It would be strange if I listened to you. I came from the age of being urged to get married."
...
On the morning of the twenty-sixth of the twelfth lunar month, the open space in front of the courtyard was bustling.
This year, Zeng Jingrong was so happy that he gave Li Family’s Four Vajras and Han Lu and Shi Liwanting a holiday break, but only from the twenty-sixth of the twelfth lunar month to the third of the first lunar month, a week long.
Therefore, Li Family’s Four Vajras and Han Lu and Shi Liwanting all returned to Kushan on the morning of the twenty-sixth.
Xuanxuan was carried on her father's back and refused to get down. Her father's reason was that if he didn't carry her more, his daughter would grow up.
Xuanxuan happily leaned on her father's back. "Dad, Grandma said I can go to school inside."
"Okay."
"Dad, tell Song Yinyu to stop writing to me, it's annoying."
"Okay."
...
Li Siyu's hands hung around his father's neck. "Look at Uncle Han, you're not carrying me, so when you're old, I won't carry you either."
Li Weiyan, who was about to pull off his son's two claws, paused. "I plan to have your brother carry me."
Li Siyu looked around. "Where is my brother?"
"Soon."
Li Weiyan looked at his wife. "He'll be here by the end of the year."
Li Siyu's claws tightened. "I'm the eldest, are you planning to live with him in your old age?"
"It's not impossible."
"What if he gets spoiled by you? You're already neglecting me now, so don't blame me for neglecting you later."
"Alright."
Li Weiyan twisted and lifted his eldest son on his back. "When I'm old, if you don't carry me, I'll have your grandmother and great-grandmother beat you to death."
Li Siyu nodded. "Don't worry."
...
Li Siji also clung to his father's back, with his younger brother Li Sipei in his father's arms.
Li Weibo hugged his two sons, one with his hand in front and the other behind, spinning them around, making the brothers very happy.
...
Li Weihao stretched his arms towards his son. "Siri, Dad will hold you."
Li Siri then left his grandmother's side and ran towards his parents.
Hearing the liveliness in the living room, Li Mu, who was boiling water in the kitchen, asked her young grandson, "When will you find a partner?"
Li Weixin scratched his head. "I'm anxious too! I was eager to date at 18, and it's been 11 years, and I'm still a pure young man."
"Pah!"
Li Mu lightly spat. "Don't talk nonsense. Take advantage of the fact that Grandma is still healthy, get married quickly, and have children. Grandma can help you with the kids."
"How about..."
Li Weixin hesitated. "Can you find me a girl from the countryside? I've looked, and I have no luck with women."
"Nonsense!"
Li Mu chided. "After the new year, I'll discuss this properly with your second sister-in-law. Next year, you must bring a granddaughter-in-law home."
"Alright."
Li Weixin smiled. "My lifelong happiness is in Grandma's hands."
...
The banquet was, of course, held on the second floor of the village committee office.
Villagers, after presenting their gifts according to their relationship with the Li Liguo family, waited in the corridor in the cold wind.
Ouyang Meihua knew that the villagers wanted to see the commotion with her family's gifts.
As a result, only Ouyang's father and Ouyang Lei arrived.
Ouyang Lei presented a card and eight red envelopes. The card was his own, still ten thousand yuan. The eight red envelopes were from his elder brother and sister's families, the same as when Yan Yan got married.
Ouyang Meihua returned the eight red envelopes to her younger brother. "Little brother, don't lie to me. They didn't come because they didn't want to give red envelopes. They are angry that I didn't invite them to the formal wedding banquet in the capital."
Ouyang Lei knew he couldn't hide it from his elder sister, but he refused to take back the eight red envelopes. "Give them to Yu's wife as a token of changing address."
Only then did Ouyang Meihua accept them. "Okay, I'll make it clear to Baoyun."
Ouyang's father still gave ten thousand yuan. "Your mother has a cold."
Ouyang Meihua nodded faintly. "In the afternoon, Dad, please take some dried vegetables and wild eggs back. I don't have time to go back."
Ouyang's father nodded. "Okay."
The villagers shook their heads and entered the classroom for the banquet. The Ouyang family was too snobbish. A girl from the capital married into their Kushan village. What was wrong with their Kushan village? Old-fashioned thinking!
At the banquet, the Li family once again gave a change-of-address gift – ten thousand and one yuan.
Sun Baoyun was so surprised she didn't know how to react.
Li Weiyu accepted it for her and thanked them on her behalf.
His wife was not favored by his family, but his family treated her equally. He understood.
After the banquet, he explained to his wife:
"My eldest sister-in-law and several other cousins received ten thousand and one yuan as a change-of-address gift. Giving you one thousand and one yuan in the capital showed dissatisfaction with the Sun family."
"Now, you are my wife. They acknowledge you because of me, so they gave you ten thousand and one yuan again, treating you the same as the other sisters-in-law. You must conduct yourself properly."
Sun Baoyun nodded. "I understand."
Li Weiyu said meaningfully, "I hope you truly understand."
His mother had already told him about the Sun family's affairs.
He only hoped that his 'long-suffering' father-in-law could continue to endure.
Sun Baoyun didn't understand her husband's deep meaning, but she still nodded. "I understand what you mean, and I won't interfere in the Sun family's affairs."
...
This year's New Year's Eve dinner was held in the reception room because it was divided into three tables.
The elders of the first and second generations of the Li family sat at one table.
The third generation, five couples, sat at one table. The only single person was sent to the elders' table.
The fourth generation, nine children, sat at one table.
Li Mu raised her glass to the table of great-grandchildren. "Great-grandmother is eagerly looking forward to you growing up quickly and adding more people to the family."
Chen Jiqing, the eldest, raised his glass as a representative. "Great-Grandma, don't worry. When I turn 18, I'll bring a great-granddaughter-in-law back for you."
"Great-Grandma will be waiting."
Li Mu responded with a smile. Jiqing's words were definitely to coax her. Marriage at 18 was no longer permitted now, but she was happy because it was a hope, only five years away.
However, she didn't expect to live to see that time at all.