Chapter 1333: A Fury Stirred for a Beauty

In previous years, the families had all sorts of friction, but since it was New Year, everyone had to say nice things, and gathering together to chat actually looked quite harmonious.

To outsiders, it also made their clan look prosperous, the family harmonious, and relations amicable.

His eldest sister-in-law and second sister-in-law didn't embarrass Ye Ye Dabo's family either — you don't hit a smiling face, and besides, several years had passed, and their family was now considered well-off, with extra disposable money on hand, so a thousand-odd yuan wasn't that big a deal; in the end, they were relatives, and the other side had already learned their lesson.

In short, on New Year's, nothing is more important than celebrating happily.

Seeing that the doorway was full of younger generations — never before had so many come together — the old lady was all smiles.

She said with feeling, "If only every New Year this many people came."

"Then live a few more years, and you'll see it every year."

He remembered that the old lady fell on the steps behind the old house in 1987, and after that she was done for.

They said she had gotten up early to water the vegetable patch, in spring.

Fortunately, he was home for the first half of this year, so he could remind her a few more times and keep an eye out.

The steps at the doorway now weren't very high, and the courtyard was even less slippery — much better than those tall steps behind the old house.

If she hadn't fallen, living a few more years should have been no problem.

The old lady said with a smile, "I've already lived to this age, however long I get is enough, but life is so good now, I ought to live a bit longer."

"Life will be even better in the future, and you haven't ridden in a car yet — you have something to look forward to."

"Alright, then I'll look forward to it."

The children at the doorway had split into several cliques — boys, girls, every age group had its own circle.

The nine children from the three brothers' families were like the moon surrounded by stars, encircled by a crowd, showing off all kinds of toys to everyone, making everyone else green with envy.

Several rounds of card games had already started at the door, and the women had even opened a table of their own, which was rare.

New Year's Day, a rare day of rest — all the work that needed doing had been done the day before; today the women only needed to dress up prettily, then visit relatives and friends to wish them a happy new year.

Lin Lin Xiuqing also put on a big red padded jacket; though she hadn't put on much makeup, she had applied some lipstick, and her naturally rosy cheeks made her complexion look especially good — then she was surrounded by people chatting and flattering her.

Ye Yaodong thought it was still a bit plain, but there was nothing for it — there weren't many cosmetics in the country now, they lived in the countryside, the women were all au naturel, and makeup wasn't in fashion.

Better not paint her up — if she looked too good, what would he do when he wasn't home?

His mother, on the other hand, was like a peacock in bloom, beaming as she wore a full red outfit, decked in gold and silver, weaving through the crowd.

Only then did he realize — why was it only his father and mother wearing all their gold, while the old lady and Ah Qing weren't wearing any?

It was New Year's, after all…

He turned to ask the old lady beside him, "Why aren't you wearing your gold?"

"I saved it up…"

"Save it for what? If you don't wear it on New Year's, when would you wear it? You brought it just to show everyone off — this year there are rare so many people, I bought it for you all to wear; fine if you don't wear it normally, but why not wear it on New Year's?"

"Th-then I'll go get it and put it on."

Only then did the old lady head back inside.

Ye Yaodong also called out to Lin Lin Xiuqing, telling her to come over.

Lin Lin Xiuqing thought something was up, but it turned out he was asking why she wasn't wearing her gold.

"Too eye-catching — our family has already made a lot of money this year, no need to wear all this stuff on me. It's enough that father and mother are wearing theirs."

"I'll wait until tomorrow when I go back to my parents' home, then the day after to wish Uncle Uncle Awei and his wife a happy new year, and wear it then — just right to give you face. No need to wear it in the village now."

It did make some sense — no need to be like nouveau riche, the whole family dripping in gold.

"Fair enough, then wait until tomorrow to wear it, and look grand going back to your parents' home."

She agreed with a smile.

By then the old lady had also come back out, wearing gold earrings and a gold ring.

You couldn't tell if she had a necklace on under the padded jacket, and her wrists were covered by her sleeves too — it didn't look that flashy, but the gold ring on the finger gripping her cane did lend her a touch of nobility.

"That actually looks rather nice…"

Lin Lin Xiuqing said with a smile, "She looks very prosperous."

"Mainly because the wig Dongzi bought makes her hair look black, which makes her look young, and the clothes you made are nice too."

After saying that, the old lady happily went off to chat with the old ladies nearby — she had friends too; usually when she chanted scriptures, worshipped Buddha, and burned incense, she had company.

"I remember picking up a bunch of coral branches in all colors a few years back…"

"You have the nerve — a whole box of them, not much use, tiny little things, and you won't even let me throw them out. They take up space, sitting in a box in the corner."

"Red goes better with gold — pick a few nicely colored bright red branches another day and take them to the shop to have a clasp made, you can use it as a pendant for the gold necklace."

"Every idea that pops into your head — what's so nice about it?"

Ye Yaodong wore a look that said you just don't get it — in the future, these little bits and pieces wouldn't be worth a fortune, but bright red ones were pricier than gold, and not easy to come by either; harvesting them had become illegal.

A little ornament on gold jewelry would give it some character.

Lin Lin Xiuqing changed the subject: "I just heard everyone say that Haozi came back yesterday afternoon, but this time he didn't bring a woman home. His ex-wife is still at his place organizing New Year's, and they look like they're living a normal life."

"But that Uncle Uncle Awei, I heard it's different — they say Wang Wang Chuyun came back with them, and she kept holding onto his arm the whole way, only letting go when they entered the village."

"Some sharp-eyed women spotted them on the road, then followed them all the way into the village. By last night the story was already flying thick and fast, though it hadn't spread that widely — everyone was busy with the New Year's Eve dinner, washing and scrubbing."

Ye Yaodong sat lazily — this wasn't all that surprising; there had been signs for a while, and that woman had divorced too, so the scandal wasn't that big.

"Too bad it's New Year's Day — they definitely won't fight."

She said with a laugh, "You just love watching the drama. Who fights on New Year's? Even a rabbit doesn't eat the grass by its own burrow — how did they end up together? No wonder the two of them can be friends — one eats the grass by his own burrow, the other brings someone home from outside; neither is any good."

"Right, no wonder they fell out with us — they're not the same sort. Our group of friends is decent, nothing like them."

"Today they're peaceful, maybe the news hasn't reached his wife's ears yet. In a few days it might be harder to say."

"Let them be — if there's drama, we watch; if not, forget it. His isn't that interesting to watch, I want to see Haozi's more. From what you said, I can tell how juicy it is — two women in one night. Probably because it's New Year's, he couldn't bring them back; they had to go home for New Year's too. A shame, a real annual showdown missed."

"Wonder what they're earning out there…"

"Let them be — it'll come out eventually."

The couple hadn't chatted more than a few sentences before they heard children fighting over there, and Lin Lin Xiuqing hurried off to have a look.

Ye Yaodong sat there steady as a rock — what kid doesn't scrap? As long as no one's seriously bleeding from the head, it's no big deal.

Only, after watching for a while, it seemed like it was his family's kids fighting? And a group brawl at that? Both his sisters-in-law had run over too.

Curious, he followed along.

He hadn't expected that, just as he got close, he'd hear Ye Chenghe over there mouthing off, "Don't let Laozi hear you talking nonsense, or I'll beat you every time I see you…"

Ye Ye Dasao yanked him back and scolded, "Look at you showing off — who do you think you are, calling yourself Laozi?"

"He was badmouthing Chen Xiuni, saying she's my child bride, that I traded her back with cards, and that he has cards too, and that I was acting like a hooligan and scared her off…"

"I'm not wrong… Ye Chenghe, you're just shameless, acting like a hooligan…" a boy who looked about fourteen or fifteen was yelling over there.

Ye Chenghe's arm was already being held back, but the whole boy was still lunging forward, kicking at people — they could barely hold him.

Ye Ye Ersao was also lecturing Ye Ye Chengjiang, "What's it got to do with you? You had to join the fight too."

"Of course I had to help Chenghe…"

Lin Lin Xiuqing had one hand gripping Ye Chenghu and the other holding Ye Ye Chengyang, "You two, barely out of diapers, want to get in on this too? Look at the mess you're in — on New Year's Day you want a whipping…"

Those two were also shouting over there, "We can't let them bully people."

"They're hitting big brother…"

Ye Chenghe was still raising a ruckus, "Just you wait, you gutless thing…"

Ye Yaodong stood aside listening, caught between laughter and tears — so this was a boy flaring up for his girl.

Quite the promising one.

"If you've got the guts, set up a fight — if you don't come, you're a coward…"

Ye Ye Dasao slapped him across the face, "You behave yourself for me, get back home. On New Year's Day you just have to make me hit someone."

The women around all helped pull people apart — these half-grown boys were full of strength, one person couldn't even drag one of them, and there was nothing to be done with them.

Several people together dragged one each, hauling them back to their own homes.

Among them, Ye Chenghe was the hardest to drag. The others, once their mothers grabbed them and glared, obediently went home to take their scolding.

Ye Chenghu and Ye Ye Chengyang also hung their heads and followed Lin Lin Xiuqing home.

Ye Yaodong strolled along leisurely behind, grinning as he watched Ye Chenghe being dragged back while still arguing.

"I'm not wrong — he's the one talking nonsense…"

"He clearly had it coming…"

"Next time I see him, I'm still going to beat him — let him talk nonsense…"

"I finally got Chen Xiuni to come over and play today, bought her a New Year's gift from the city, and it's all that bastard's fault…"

"I'm gonna beat him to death…"

Ye Yaodong listened to him arguing and laughed so hard he wanted to follow him home to hear what else he had to say.

The adults around all finally understood why these young boys were fighting, and they all found it laughably absurd — it was just too funny.

Kids barely out of diapers, just started junior high, and already fighting over a girl classmate.

"This Chenghe really knows how to stick up for a girl classmate, haha…"

"Quite the promising one — isn't your Brother Brother Ahai seventeen too? Next year he could be taking a wife too…"

Ye Yaodong wanted to hear what else Ye Chenghe might say, so he didn't go back to his own home. He stood on the open ground at his two older brothers' door, listening to Ye Chenghe being scolded and then continuing to argue back.

"I just like her — nobody's allowed to say anything about her…"

Ye Ye Dasao almost laughed in spite of her anger, "You've got some nerve, shouting that loud — how old are you even?"

"I'll be fifteen after New Year. In a few years I'll bring her home as my wife — you save up more money for me…"

Ye Yaodong laughed heartily at the door, "Big brother, looks like you'll have to earn a bit more for the bride price — otherwise, why don't you go ahead tomorrow and get the future daughter-in-law engaged?"

Ye Ye Yaopeng's face was helpless, "How old is he even? Running his mouth about liking someone all day long — we were never like this when we were young. Bold as brass."

"Hahaha."

Ye Yaodong went and draped an arm over Ye Ye Chenghai's shoulder, "Your brother's so promising — what about you?"

"Don't joke around, Third Uncle — he's just an idiot. Everyone in school knows he chases after Chen Xiuni."

"You've already learned to ride a motorcycle — if you can't land a girl…"

"I have things to do, I'm off…"

Ye Ye Chenghai shrugged off his shoulder, escaped his clutches, and quickly ran off to one side, so Third Uncle wouldn't keep grilling him.

Ye Yaodong listened for a while to the noisy cursing inside, then headed toward his own home, where his two were also getting scolded.

"Take off your jacket and wipe it clean yourself, and your pants too — look at you, joining a group brawl, covered in dirt head to toe. Do you know it's New Year's Day?"

"We still have to visit relatives the next two days. Your new clothes can't even last half a day on you — might as well wear ragged clothes to visit and let people laugh themselves to death."

Ye Chenghu, while taking off his clothes, muttered softly, "I'm not wrong — I was helping Brother Chenghe…"

"Don't fight with anyone again, or you two won't be going out to visit with me the next two days."

"We want to go…"

"If you want to go, then behave."

Ye Yaodong laughed and said to Lin Lin Xiuqing, "Chenghe's quite the capable one — trading cards for a wife. Looks like your son could trade his marbles for a wife…"

"No way, my marbles are mine." Ye Chenghu quickly objected.

"Hopeless."

Lin Lin Xiuqing also said, "What do you want with those two jars of glass marbles? Eat them as meals?"

"I won all of them."

"Tomorrow I'm throwing them all away."

"No way." He turned and went thump-thump-thump running upstairs, planning to hide them really well.

The leftover glass jars from canned food at home, Lin Lin Xiuqing couldn't bear to throw them away, so she collected them all.

When needed, they could also hold other miscellaneous items like needles and thread, or small household change.

Ye Chenghu lay on the ground playing marbles every day and, unexpectedly, had also saved up two jars' worth.

The colorful marbles inside—he treated them like treasures, hiding them under the quilt one day, under the bed the next, then in the wardrobe the day after, terrified Ye Ye Chengyang would steal them.

"No hope for any of them, not one of them is as good as Ye Chenghe—at least he knows to reserve a wife early."

Lin Lin Xiuqing shot him a look. "Cut it out, I don't want to be someone's grandma in my thirties."

Ye Yaodong laughed. "That's fine, you could be a great-grandma in your fifties, and by eighty you could have five generations under one roof—how great is that? Children and grandchildren filling the house, and if you live a bit longer, to a hundred, six generations together, that'd be something else."

Lin Lin Xiuqing found what he said amusing. "You're dreaming pretty big there—is living that long really that simple?"

"Isn't it pretty simple? Old Lady is eighty-five this year, six generations together will come soon enough."

"Then you work hard at it."