Chapter 1332: First of the New Year

Another New Year's Eve, another New Year.

For their family, 1986 was also a spring—a year of bountiful harvest.

Farewell to the old, welcome the new; tomorrow would be the new year, stepping into 1987.

A few crisp bursts in the night, and right after, brilliant dazzling fireworks bloomed across the night sky, like a galaxy cascading down, adorning the dark canopy in a riot of colors.

Red like fire, green like jade, blue like the sea, yellow outshining gold—every color wove together into flowing scrolls of painting, too beautiful to take in.

Some of the older children still keeping the New Year's vigil, or playing with toys, heard the bursts and excitedly ran out, pointing at the ever-changing patterns in the sky and gasping in wonder.

The grown-ups too, faces full of smiles, gazed up at the sky.

The air was thick with the smell of fireworks, all kinds of cheerful sounds, and well-wishes, giving one a warm and lively atmosphere.

As the last firework slowly faded, the new year officially arrived.

Everyone's heart brimmed with longing and hope for the future, believing that in the days ahead, life would be even better.

"Alright, hurry home and go to sleep. If my lord doesn't sleep, you lot won't sleep either, still making a racket out here." Ye Yaodong was shooing his two rascals home.

He didn't know if it was because they'd grown up or because they had too many toys, but this year they unusually didn't fall asleep early on New Year's Eve and actually managed to stay up until midnight for the fireworks.

In past years they'd slept like pigs long before, not even waking at the sound of commotion in their subconscious.

This year, though, they and a few from next door were actually running back and forth making noise in the middle of the night.

The two brothers, toys in hand, obediently ran home, then went thump-thump-thumping up the stairs.

After the children went upstairs, Ye Yaodong went to burn incense at the Goddess Mazu Temple again.

This year his friends were all in high spirits, each having made a fortune; even when it came to burning incense they wanted to hit a few more hilltops, paying respects at every big temple and small one, praying for smooth sailing next year.

When the few of them set out together and others heard, all the village's young and able-bodied men wanted to visit a few more hilltops too.

In the end it turned into a mighty, sweeping crowd…

Ye Yaodong actually didn't want to go; he'd long passed the age of acting on hot blood. Right now all he wanted was to go home and lie in bed—nothing like them, each one bursting with energy.

His wife was still waiting for him in bed; their family's traditional custom couldn't be skipped.

But what could he do—he was now the man with the highest prestige in the whole village. Everyone was calling him to go along, and if he refused they'd drag him there anyway.

He could only helplessly tag along. In any case, there were only so many temples nearby, and paying extra respects couldn't hurt.

That delay meant he didn't get home until nearly three in the morning.

Lin Lin Xiuqing had already fallen fast asleep, only waking when she felt the bed letting in cold air.

"What time is it? Why are you only back now?"

"They dragged me off to pay respects at other big and small temples. Wore me out, and it was freezing—every one of them full of guts, not afraid of the cold."

"Go to sleep, I'm so sleepy." She turned over and went back to sleep.

"Good thing there's nothing on tomorrow, I can sleep in."

Ye Yaodong reached for her, but after a long while got absolutely no response.

So he kept nuzzling, busy to himself.

Counting it up, it'd been a whole week!

And today was still the first day of the New Year!

He, with his Star Jade so powerful!

He definitely couldn't stand it!

But no matter what, he just couldn't get in…

He pushed and squeezed until he was sweating…

After a while he figured it must be the wrong position—lying on her side, legs pressed tightly together, how was he supposed to squeeze in?

"Cooperate a little…"

He said softly, and went to turn her body, trying to get her to lie flat instead of on her side.

He knew for sure she wasn't asleep!

With this much, this much pestering, how could she possibly sleep? The bed was letting in cold air every now and then—she must be faking it.

"Do you know what time it is? If you won't sleep, others still need to—honestly."

"Hurry up… quick and decisive…"

Lin Lin Xiuqing didn't want to bother with him—didn't he see what time it was?

Ye Yaodong, getting no cooperation, could only fumble about on his own.

But not cooperating was one thing—she was even resisting. How was he supposed to get in?

He simply couldn't get in at all.

"Hurry up, I'm so sleepy and tired…"

"Then sleep."

"Can't leave this year out. These past few years we've earned more each year than the last—maybe it's precisely because of this fine tradition. It has to be carried on. You don't want me to fail to make a fortune this year, do you?"

Lin Lin Xiuqing, helpless against his nonsense, turned around and jabbed his chest hard a few times.

"Just keep talking nonsense."

"Better to believe it exists than not! These past few years, the one thing our family has in common as we go from strength to strength is…" Ye Yaodong thrust hard, "…this…"

"You don't want next year to go downhill, do you? I'm our family's hope—this way we'll only get more prosperous…"

Lin Lin Xiuqing didn't buy his rubbish for a second. There were plenty of things their family had in common as they thrived—listening to him spout nonsense, talking out of his hat.

She just wanted to get it over with quickly and hurry back to sleep.

She still had to get up early the next day—after all, it was the first of the New Year; how could she sleep in like him?

Ye Yaodong himself didn't know what time he finally slept. Anyway, exhausted beyond measure, he dropped his head and started snoring, and on the first of the New Year he slept until the sun was high in the sky.

Though it wasn't just him—his two sons, who'd been shooed upstairs last night, he didn't know what time they'd slept either. In any case, it was the sound of the two of them running back and forth upstairs that woke him up.

When he got up, he saw his two sons sitting and eating breakfast.

The table was full of leftovers from last night, probably enough for another two days...

He glanced at the dining table, then pulled the pickled mustard greens and pickled cucumbers toward himself—too much greasy meat had made him sick of it.

"This year's Lunar New Year's Day, remember it well."

Ye Chenghu said with a grin, "Heh heh, no hitting people, no scolding people!"

"Dad, Happy New Year!"

Ye Yaodong contentedly fished a dime out of his pocket and gave it to Ye Ye Chengyang.

Ye Chenghu's eyes went wide, "Dad, may all your wishes come true."

"Mm."

Ye Yaodong gave a grunt, no reaction at all, just lowered his head and kept eating.

Ye Chenghu felt glum.

Ye Ye Chengyang secretly enjoyed it.

"Why..."

"Because you were grinning like a sly fox, not sincere at all, sounded fake the moment I heard it, not from the heart."

"Good thing I finished my homework, I got so many red envelopes yesterday, there'll definitely be more tomorrow." Ye Chenghu thought about it and felt pretty pleased too.

Ye Yaodong curiously asked Lin Lin Xiuqing, "Did Brother Brother Ahai give New Year's money?"

"Yes, after dinner last night he gave each of them one."

"You two go find Brother Brother Ahai to treat you, you're already working and earning money, and you still have the nerve to ask for New Year's money? It'd be good enough if he doesn't ask me for New Year's money."

Ye Chenghu said happily, "Understood."

Lin Lin Xiuqing gave him a reproachful look, "You think you're his father? Giving you New Year's money too."

"Good thing I'm not his father, if I were his father, then there'd be a real problem."

Old Madam picked up her cane and gave him a light tap, "Nonsense, but when you're old they should be filial to you too, it's only right. You dote on them now, when you're old they should repay you with more filial piety."

"Forget it, it'd be good enough if they can take care of themselves, I'm not counting on these little ones, I'll just provide for my own old age."

"Then why do you keep saying we have no prospects?" Ye Chenghu said.

"Was I wrong?"

Ye Chenghu thought about it, couldn't figure out what was wrong, sat dazed for a while, then simply kept quiet, finished eating and quickly left the table to run outside.

"Brother..." Ye Ye Chengyang called out anxiously, then also hurriedly finished his rice and ran outside.

After eating, Ye Yaodong, as usual, sat at the door to soak up the sun.

This year counted as a good year, sunny weather had continued from the end of last year until now, with only occasional overcast days and cold winds, when he couldn't go out.

He had gotten up rather late, the doorway was already full of neatly dressed neighbors or their relatives.

Relatives who lived close had come over to pay New Year's calls early in the morning.

A pile of their relatives were already sitting at the doorway playing cards, including his eldest uncle and second uncle, as well as some cousins—all gathered at their place, having come over early to pay New Year's respects to Old Madam, while he was still sleeping in.

Probably because they saw the three brothers' lives were the best and most prosperous, they all gathered here.

In previous years they only stayed a while, left after paying New Year's respects—when had so many people ever gathered like this year, and all on this side, so lively.

Even fourth-generation kids who called him great-uncle were there.

The moment his bottom hit the seat, a swarm of children ran over to wish him a Happy New Year, all from his eldest uncle and second uncle's side.

In previous years there hadn't even been any kids from their side coming up to wish him a Happy New Year, at most they'd wish Old Madam a Happy New Year—why did they suddenly run up to him today, specifically wishing him a Happy New Year?

Ye Yaodong was a bit surprised for a moment, but he still said Happy New Year with a grin, then felt in his pocket.

He didn't have much small change, he hadn't prepared at all, today had caught him a bit off guard—at a glance there were about twenty of these kids, and he couldn't even name 80% of them...

"You kids wait here."

He went back to the room, found a jar full of dimes, and scooped out a big handful.

Then he gave each of them one, the delighted kids were over the moon, auspicious words pouring out nonstop.

He also grinned happily.

It must have been the adults at home who reminded them to come wish him a Happy New Year.

He figured the adults over there probably just wanted to get closer to his side—who could blame them, given how capable he was now.

Generally New Year's money isn't given to just anyone, whose money didn't come from hard work—it's given to close nephews and juniors.

Like Ah Qing and his two sisters-in-law, they give each other, just a token, to make the kids happy, for the festive good luck.

But he didn't care either way, it was just for the festive cheer.

Old Madam watched and felt a bit heartache, "You're giving that much? That's a whole bunch of kids, several dozen..."

"Just consider it giving on your behalf."

"Where would I need you to give? I already gave them candy."

Ye Yaodong grinned happily.

Old Madam had saved up money her whole life and given it all to him—though it wasn't much, the favoritism was real and solid, the other descendants really hadn't gotten much of anything.

Apart from the three brothers living together, she could call out the names of Brother Ahai and the others, but for the great-grandchildren generation, she might not necessarily be able to call out all their names.