After the birthday banquet, everyone in the valley began to socialize. The two younger brothers also went out with Mingzhe to visit a few times. Most of the time, the three of them would invite other children to play at their home. The children enjoyed coming over, saying that Aunt Xiao Lan's house was lively and fun.
Uncle Fu and Uncle De's team for growing vegetables in greenhouses had grown considerably larger. Xu Hao's father, Grandpa Xu, Zhou Sixi's father, Grandpa Zhou, and Li Daqiang's father, Grandpa Li, all started working in the greenhouses before dawn every day, cherishing the vegetables more than their own grandchildren.
The weather was clear that day, and it hadn't snowed again. After breakfast, Qian Yingzi, holding her younger son Tidan, and her elder son Gangdan, came to visit. Mama Liu opened the door. As soon as they entered, Gangdan first shouted "Grandma Liu" and then rushed straight into the house. After greeting everyone inside, he, familiar with the layout, quickly ran into the small study.
Qian Yingzi greeted Mama Liu, and when she turned to ask her son to greet the others, she only saw Gangdan's retreating figure heading towards the small study.
Standing at the door, Qian Yingzi said to Mama Liu with a helpless smile, "Aunt Liu, please don't be offended! Ever since this child came to your house on the birthday banquet day, he's been out of the house all day. Every morning after breakfast, he runs over here. He says it's interesting and fun here.
So today, right after breakfast, he wanted to come over, and I brought Tidan along to visit."
Mama Liu smiled warmly and said, "Don't be silly, what's there to be offended by? We're more than happy to have you! It's cold outside, come in and talk." Saying that, she reached out to take Tidan from Qian Yingzi's arms and stepped aside to let her in.
As soon as Qian Yingzi walked into the living room, she saw the twins playing on the seesaw by the sofa; Little Douzi was riding a wooden horse; and Little Shi Tou and Hu Tou were playing on the slide by the large window.
Chen Lan was leisurely sitting on the sofa, winding yarn with her mother.
Upon seeing Qian Yingzi arrive, she quickly put down the yarn and got up to greet her.
Qian Yingzi smiled and said to Chen Lan, "Xiao Lan, I now know why our Gangdan keeps running to your house.
Look at how many toys you have here, how could he not love to come? It's so good! The children play their own games, and the adults are spared worry and effort, not to mention being able to do their own work. Unlike us at home, who are trapped by the children all day and can't get anything done!"
Chen Lan smiled and took Tidan from Mama Liu's arms, weighing him. "Little Tidan, no wonder your name is Tidan? You don't look fat, but you're quite heavy!"
Qian Yingzi chuckled, "Yes! This little guy has been eating well for the past month or two. Since coming to the valley, he's been eating so well! Both goat milk and eggs, plus he has a good appetite! How can he not gain weight? We have to thank your whole family for bringing our whole family into such a blessing."
Chen Lan quickly interrupted, stopping Qian Yingzi from continuing. "Sister Qian, you're too kind. Please sit down on the sofa and rest. How many months old is Tidan now? Has he been weaned?"
Qian Yingzi immediately forgot her intended words of gratitude and replied with a smile, "He was weaned long ago! When he was six or seven months old, I really didn't have any more milk, so I had to wean him. Our Tidan was born in the twelfth lunar month last year, and he'll be one year old this twelfth lunar month."
Chen Lan immediately chimed in, "It's only a few days until the twelfth lunar month, so we'll have to celebrate properly then! When in the twelfth lunar month was your Tidan born?"
Qian Yingzi replied with a smile, "Our Tidan was born on the first day of the twelfth lunar month. It was a very sunny day, and my mother-in-law and father-in-law both said Tidan was born on a good day!"
Chen Lan and her mother's interest was immediately piqued. Chen Lan looked down at Tidan. Seeing him intently watching Jiayao and the others playing on the seesaw, she picked Jiayao up and placed him on the sofa, handing him a cloth book to look at on his own.
Then, she placed Tidan in the child seat of the seesaw, letting him play on the seesaw with Jiahui.
Turning back, she picked up the yarn ball and asked while winding it, "Sister Qian, is there a specific meaning to the first day of the twelfth lunar month and a sunny day?"
Qian Yingzi smiled and explained, "We farmers have an old saying: 'Whether the harvest will be good next year depends on the first day of the twelfth lunar month; if the first day of the twelfth lunar month is sunny, the ground will be muddy in the first lunar month; if it rains on the first day of the twelfth lunar month, there will be drought until the Qingming Festival!'"
Chen Lan and her mother became even more interested. While winding the yarn ball, they both looked at her, waiting for her to continue.
Qian Yingzi didn't play coy and continued with a smile, "This old saying means that if the first day of the twelfth lunar month is sunny, it's a good omen. It predicts abundant rainfall in the first lunar month of the coming year. More rain in the first lunar month is beneficial for the overwintering and greening crops to grow quickly and strongly, and the summer harvest will definitely be bountiful, a year of abundance! A good year! See, this saying has come true this year, and our crops in the fields have indeed had a good harvest."
Chen Lan then asked, "What about the saying 'if it rains on the first day of the twelfth lunar month, there will be drought until the Qingming Festival'?"
Qian Yingzi continued to explain with a smile, "This saying means that if it rains or snows on the first day of the twelfth lunar month, it's a bad omen. It predicts that the winter and spring seasons that follow will have dry, low-rainfall, and low-snow weather, and this drought will continue until the Qingming Festival of the following year, indicating a severe drought next year."
Her mother chimed in, "Yes! There's a good proverb: 'A timely snow promises a good harvest; spring rain is as precious as oil.' If there was little snow in the previous winter, making it already dry, and then no rain in the spring of the following year, then the drought for that year would be sealed. A poor summer harvest would be certain, so the coming year would definitely be a bad year! A year of famine."
Her mother picked up another skein of yarn and said, "I do know of another saying about the first day of the twelfth lunar month. It says that people born on this day are fortunate for their parents. From childhood, they lack nothing in food or clothing, and the family's financial luck will improve with their birth! The family's fortunes will only get better and better!
People born on this day are intelligent and have good financial luck. Even when they encounter difficulties, they can always get help from noble people, and everything can be turned from danger to safety, and misfortune into good fortune."
When Qian Yingzi heard her mother's words, her eyes crinkled into crescent moons as she laughed happily. She repeatedly asked, "Auntie, is that true? Does our Tidan really have such a good fate? I'll get to enjoy Tidan's blessings in the future!"
Chen Lan and her mother exchanged glances, unsure for a moment what to say. Her mother was also dumbfounded! Her mother never expected Qian Yingzi to take her casual remark so seriously.
Chen Lan quickly tried to salvage the situation, saying urgently, "That's all superstition, it's not to be believed!"
Then she winked at her mother and added, "Mom, superstition is not allowed now. Don't say that again in the future."
Her mother understood immediately and nodded in agreement, "I won't say it again, never again!"
Unexpectedly, Qian Yingzi said dismissively, "Auntie, I think several things you just said have come true. I believe everything you say!" Soudan Fiction Network
Chen Lan and her mother were completely flabbergasted by the visit.
Chen Lan thought to herself, I hope Little Tidan won't blame my mother for making him carry such a heavy burden from such a young age when he grows up!