Chapter 1719

The New Year atmosphere is at its thickest at this time, and with every household having earned money in recent years, the village is extremely lively.

Adults are also willing to give children pocket money, and the children's laughter adds even more lively atmosphere to the village; they are so happy they are almost flying.

Ye Xiaoxi is also extremely happy. Every little while, she has to run over to check if her father has earned money, and if the money on the table has gotten thicker.

When the money on the table gets thicker, she tugs on her father's clothes and whispers that she wants to buy something to eat.

Ye Yaodong generously pulls out one and gives it to her directly.

Then, after a while, she comes over again, standing on the left, standing on the right.

At this point, she doesn't even need to speak; Ye Yaodong will take the initiative to pull out one with the smallest denomination and continue to shoo her away.

She is extremely excited, but she doesn't dare to be too frequent. She just turns her head to look every now and then while playing with her little friends. If she sees her father collecting money, she runs over; if she doesn't see it, she just goes back to playing.

Unfortunately, the time her father spent playing cards was too short. Before long, her mother shouted loudly for dinner.

Fortunately, as soon as they broke up, they called out to come back after eating.

Ye Xiaoxi had just run over to collect her "share" twice, and she already had 10 yuan. Her excited face was flushed, and she followed Ye Yaodong home, jumping and skipping, simply unable to contain her excitement.

Being her father's little follower was just too right.

Last year, the lucky money her mother gave her wasn't even 10 yuan, and her father only gave her 10 yuan. She was so pleased.

After finishing dinner, she can collect lucky money again.

She has already started looking forward to how much she can earn in the afternoon by following behind his butt after lunch.

Ye Yaodong didn't think much when giving the money, just wanting to shoo her away quickly so she wouldn't be in his way. Anyway, even if he gave it to her, it would just go into her piggy bank.

Just after finishing lunch, he had already moved a stool and sat at the entrance of A Guang's house waiting, and Ye Xiaoxi had also emptied her pockets waiting.

It's just that before she could fill them up enough, around three in the afternoon, her mother came over to call her to take a bath, and she was somewhat reluctant.

Her father playing cards, it was just too easy for her to earn money by his side.

But after taking a bath, she could put on her new New Year clothes. She had been looking forward to wearing new clothes for a month.

Lin Xiuqing couldn't call her back for half a day, and in a fit of anger, she ran out and called, "Are you deaf? Didn't you hear me calling you back to take a bath? What are your ears for?"

"I answered you..."

"You answered me? Your mouth was saying 'coming, coming', but I haven't seen anyone for half a day. Is this what you call coming?"

Lin Xiuqing got angry as she spoke, grabbed her ear, and was about to drag her home. She had answered her, so she waited at the door for half a day, but didn't even see a shadow, and she was still shouting at the top of her lungs.

"Don't you know I'm very busy? The New Year's Eve dinner is still waiting for me to prepare. Hurry home and take a bath. Dawdling, don't waste my time, or I'll whip you first."

"Ah ah ah... don't pull my ear, I'll walk myself..." Ye Xiaoxi followed, stumbling while covering her ears, "Mom, I'll walk myself, let go..."

Lin Xiuqing let go and glared at her angrily, "Walk faster, hurry up and take a bath."

Ye Xiaoxi hung her head, one hand covering her ear, dejected, daring to be angry but not daring to speak.

Once inside the house, she whispered, "Can you not pull my ear next time?"

"Your ears are deaf, I'm not pulling them a few times to restore your hearing."

She muttered very softly, "Great-grandma's ears are deaf, why don't you pull hers?"

"What are you still nagging about? Hurry up and go in and wash. Take off your clothes and pants for me to wash. You know I don't have time, yet you're still dawdling there. Hurry up and take a bath, and wash your clothes for me. Only after I'm done with you three can I get the New Year's Eve dinner ready."

"Then why don't you call Big Brother and Ye Erge? You call them to wash first."

"Who knows where those two died? I called for half a day and no one answered. You hurry up and wash first. I have to go out and call them. The three of you take turns and hurry up and take a bath for me. The less time adults have, the more troublesome you few are."

She didn't want to wash first.

Dawdling, she didn't go to take a bath until her mother went out to find Big Brother and Ye Erge, pouting.

By the time she finished her bath and came out, her two brothers had also been brought back, and her mother was holding a whip in her hand, cursing.

"Your sister is out, you two hurry up and let one of you go in and wash first."

"Big Brother wash first..."

"Yangyang wash first..."

"No, Big Brother is bigger, Big Brother wash first."

"You wash slower, you wash first."

"I don't want to, you wash faster, you wash first..."

Lin Xiuqing's temples were throbbing with pain, and she whipped the two of them hard, "Hurry up and go, eldest one go first, second one wait a moment. Don't run outside, just wait for me in the room. Once your big brother is done washing, you hurry up and go in and wash for me."

The busier she was, the more tricks these few played. When it came to taking a bath, everyone dawdled, and no one wanted to wash first.

It's not like they're going to the execution ground?

"Taking a bath is so cold, Mom..."

Lin Xiuqing whipped him again, "You haven't washed for four or five days, and you're still not washing? How many days do you plan to save up? Do you want to save up for ten days or half a month? Just dry clean it."

Although the winter clothes were thick and he couldn't feel the whipping at all—the sound was loud, but the impact was small—Ye Chenghu still jumped up and down to avoid the whip. If he didn't dodge, where would his mother get the satisfaction?

He asked curiously, "What is dry cleaning?"

"Dry scrubbing. You don't have to take off your clothes, just rub some saliva on it and you can rub out a pile of dirt. This is called dry cleaning."

He chuckled and laughed.

Lin Xiuqing hit him two more times, "Hurry up and go in and wash, and wash your hair while you're at it. Don't dawdle, are you trying to piss me off?"

"Can I play rock-paper-scissors with Yangyang, and whoever loses washes first?"

Ye Chengyang protested, "I don't want to, Mom already said let you wash first, you hurry up, you hurry up and wash so I can wash."

Ye Chenghu was unwilling, but reluctantly picked up the clothes prepared on the side and went in to wash first. He still had to nag a bit before going to wash.

"This time I wash first, next time you wash first, okay?"

Lin Xiuqing whipped the wall, "Are you still nagging?"

He hurried into the bathroom.

The bathroom at the back door was built by the master when he was building the house for his father, so that taking a bath in the middle of winter wouldn't be so cold with the steam.

Ye Xiaoxi had just come out, but because he didn't go in for a long time, the temperature had already dropped again, and there was no steam.

Lin Xiuqing pointed the whip at Ye Chengyang, treating everyone equally, "You wash quickly later too. If you dawdle, you'll get beaten too."

"Got it, I'll definitely wash quickly today."

The attitude of guarantee was good, it's just not known if he can wash quickly later.

Lin Xiuqing put down the whip and went to organize the clothes Ye Xiaoxi had changed out of first.

Ye Xiaoxi was applying face cream to herself, and when she saw this, she rushed over and grabbed the cotton-padded jacket she had changed out of.

"What for?"

She didn't say a word, turned her back to her, went to feel her pockets first, took out three 10-yuan notes, and quickly stuffed them into the pocket of her new clothes.

But how could this be hidden from the eyes of an adult like Lin Xiuqing? She had seen the three big red notes.

"Where did you get so much money? And you're putting it all in your pocket for me?"

"I'll put it in the piggy bank right away."

"Where did it come from?"

Her eyes rolled, and she said slyly, "This is the lucky money Dad just gave me."

After saying that, she hurried upstairs, returned to her room, and put the money she earned into her piggy bank.

Lin Xiuqing only felt a headache after seeing this, muttering, "Each and every one of them is born to collect debts. I really owed you in my last life, and in this life, I gave birth to you three to torture me."

Ye Chengyang's eyes were bright, "Mom, did Dad give lucky money?"

Giving so much this year, there's actually 30 yuan?

He was itching to go find his father too.

"Don't go anywhere, wash your bath first."

After saying that, she shouted upstairs again, "Ye Xiaojiu, come down, come down and wash your hair for me."

"Coming."

Lin Xiuqing heard the response, and only then did she go to get a basin to fill with water. Right under her nose, she wasn't afraid of her running away this time.

Ye Chengyang leaned over to Ye Xiaoxi's side to inquire, "Hey? Dad gave 30 yuan in lucky money this year, so much?"

Ye Xiaojiu nodded solemnly, "Yeah."

"Come over and wash your hair."

"Coming."

Ye Chengyang couldn't sit still, but seeing his brother seemed to be able to tell, he hurried forward.

"Big Brother, Xiaojiu just went to Dad's place to collect lucky money. You hurry up and collect it, I'm going to go after I finish my bath."

"Ah, New Year's Eve dinner hasn't been eaten yet, and Dad has already given lucky money?"

"Don't know, that's what she said."

Ye Chenghu raised his head, "I've already grown up and can earn money, I don't need lucky money."

After saying that, he wanted to go find friends to play with again, but after thinking about it, he was a bit curious about what his father was doing, so he just looked around.

He really saw his father playing cards.

He also organized games to play cards with Ye Chenghe and Ye Chengjiang every day. Seeing the cards, he really didn't want to leave. He moved a stool and watched with great interest, and didn't go to find friends to play with anymore.

Before long, Ye Chengyang also came.

And then he also moved a stool and sat on the other side.

Suddenly having two people underfoot, Ye Yaodong frowned, and even lost several rounds in a row.

"What are you guys running over here for? No place to play? Go, go, go, don't be in my way here, go do whatever you're supposed to do."

"I don't have anything to do, I'm just here watching you play cards."

"Go find friends to play with." Ye Yaodong pulled out 10 yuan for each of them.

Ye Xiaoxi also blew her hair dry at this time, tied two little braids again, and ran over.

"Dad, Dad, there's me too..."

The two brothers seemed to understand a little bit, how the 30 yuan lucky money in Ye Xiaoxi's mouth came from?

"You've already taken a few, and you're still coming?"

"I want to accompany you, you said it, as long as I follow you firmly, you'll let me follow, so of course wherever you are, I'll be there."

Ye Yaodong was extremely helpless, and pulled out this one for her, telling her to go play by herself and not run over if there's nothing to do.

"Alright."

Taking the money and doing the work, she stuffed the money back into her pocket and ran away happily.

Ye Chenghu and Ye Chengyang didn't feel good staying here after taking the money. They were all big kids, so they had to go find friends to play with.

Pei Yu watched Ye Xiaoxi get money in a little while, and also dawdled over to A Guang's side.

Before long, she also raised the 10 yuan in her hand, excitedly sharing with Ye Xiaoxi that she had it too.

Ye Xiaoxi also shared her experience with her, "You just need to follow your father closely, hold on tight to your father's thigh."

Pei Yu nodded, "Then I'll follow well."

Ye Yaodong played cards all afternoon, feeling that his luck was quite good, winning money from time to time, but when he counted up at dusk, he didn't feel like he had earned any money.

"My money was earned in vain, it was all working for that stinky girl, she ran over every little while."

A Guang also said, "You just didn't earn money, I even lost money. I clearly didn't lose money, but there was 30 yuan missing from my pocket. Xiaoyu was spoiled by your daughter."

Ye Yaodong collected the used cards, bundled them with a rubber band, and handed them to A Guang to keep.

"Come back after eating New Year's Eve dinner."

Seeing them finish work, Ye Xiaoxi also ran over, jumping and skipping, to pull Ye Yaodong.

"Dad, Mom is calling for New Year's Eve dinner."

"Let's go, home."

She ran happily, not walking normally at all.

"Let me touch your pocket, how much money have you earned from me all afternoon?"

"This is my lucky money!" She chuckled and hurried home first.

The whole family had already returned and were sitting at the table, just missing the father and daughter.

Ye Father said, "A Guang said at noon, when our car is driven back, he'll borrow the Santana as a wedding car to marry off his sister."

Ye Yaodong nodded, "Yeah, he mentioned it to me too. I said it depends on you, who knows if your driving skills are proficient and if you can do it?"

"Why wouldn't I be able to?" Ye Father said unhappily, "I passed the test based on my strength. I practiced driving seriously and have driven before, so why wouldn't I be able to? I didn't buy this with money, there's no water in it at all."

"Alright, if you think you can, then you can."

"Yeah, being a wedding car is also a joyous thing. I said I had to tell you, after all, it's your car, I'll give him an answer after telling you."

"You handle it yourself."

Ye Mother complained, "Finally getting married. Other people's daughters get married in their teens, but she dragged it out to this age. Other people's children have already given birth to several, and can already go buy soy sauce."

"It's good that she's married, no need to worry."

"Good my ass, and he's someone who came out of prison. What's good about that? Her reputation is ruined."

Ye Father said, "This is indeed not very good, but the other family's conditions are good. They are very rich. Who cares if a rich person has been in prison? They have money and are bosses. Ordinary people have to accompany them with a smiling face when they see them."

It's the New Year, so Ye Mother didn't argue with him.

"What are their conditions, what are Dongqing's conditions? She's old, they all say marry a daughter into a high-status family and take a daughter-in-law from a low-status family. This can be considered okay. She should hurry up and marry, otherwise, she'll be 30 in two years. What kind of person can she find then?"

"She can only find someone whose wife died and has children, to be a stepmother. Is being a stepmother so easy to be? At least now she doesn't have to be a stepmother after marrying over, and the family conditions are good. She'll live a good life after marrying."

What Ye Father said left people with no way to refute.

Only after having money can one consider other things.

Lin Xiuqing also said, "If she were willing to find an honest poor person, there would be plenty. Could she have dragged it out to this age?"

Ye Mother was rarely speechless and stopped talking.

Ye Yaodong said, "After eating, don't give your daughter lucky money."

"I know, you've already given it, and gave 30, so I won't give it to her, so the child doesn't have too much money in her hands."

Ye Yaodong turned his head and glared at Ye Xiaoxi.

Ye Xiaoxi smiled at him ingratiatingly, and then hurriedly lowered her head to eat.

"She didn't just take 30, I don't even know how much she took. I was playing cards there, and she would come over every time she saw me winning money. I don't even know how much I gave."

Lin Xiuqing also glared at her, "You told me it was the lucky money you gave her."

"That's not wrong either, just consider it lucky money for her. Anyway, it was all won."

After Ye Yaodong finished speaking, he said to Ye Xiaoxi, "Put it in the piggy bank and save it, you know?"

She nodded heavily, "I know, I haven't spent money randomly, my money is all saved up."

"As long as it's saved up."

Lin Xiuqing asked, "How much did you give her?"

"I'm not sure either, we were all 5 yuan, 10 yuan, it seems I didn't give less?"

She asked Ye Xiaoxi again, "How much did you take?"

Ye Xiaoxi shook her head and didn't say.

"Forget it, let her save it herself, it's good to learn to manage it herself from a young age."

Ye Mother asked her, "Saved a few hundred?"

"Hehe..."

"Just save it up, it'll be your dowry when you grow up."

"I don't want it to be a dowry, I don't want to marry out, I want to stay at home to support my father and mother, support you, and support Great-grandma."

"Yo, you alone want to support so many, can you afford it?"

"If Dad gives me more money, I can afford it."

"I thank you, oh, taking my money to support me, and then support the whole family."

The house was full of laughter, the New Year's Eve dinner was eaten in harmony, and strings of firecrackers sounded outside.

Before everyone eats New Year's Eve dinner, they will offer incense to the Kitchen God and Kitchen Goddess, then set off firecrackers, and only then start eating.

Ye Father now has nothing but houses and cars in his heart.

The house is already all set up, just waiting for a good day to move in. However, Ye Yaodong told him to ventilate it first and move in after a few months.

When the day comes, hold a moving ceremony, host a banquet, and stay for one night.

Ye Mother has already looked at the day of the ninth, planning to wait until the car is picked up, and then send out invitations. Good things come in pairs, and host the banquet together.

Now just wait until the second day, and they will go to the city together.

Ye Father was happy in his heart, drank a bit too much during New Year's Eve dinner, and kept talking about the house and the car on the table, already feeling that life had reached its peak.

Ye Mother disliked him for talking too much, so she simply let him drink more, and let him go back to bed to sleep after getting drunk, so he wouldn't be nagging.

Ye Yaodong was still thinking about going to the Tianhou Temple to offer incense at midnight, so he didn't drink much, and also played cards all night.

Later, Ye Xiaoxi fell asleep in his arms, and only then did he finish work and carry the child home to sleep.

This child just wanted to be next to him, dying of sleepiness, but didn't want to go home, and fell asleep sitting in his arms.

He also thought about taking a nap, so he finished work early and let the few of them play.

Lin Xiuqing was sitting in front of the TV watching the Spring Festival Gala, with a stool in front, and a book on knitting sweaters. The sweater in her hand was going back and forth without her having to look.

"Asleep? Where should I put her to sleep?"

"Of course, put her in her room upstairs. I just came back last night and was very tired, so I let her pester me and fell asleep directly. Now, of course, put her in her own room to sleep. She's already so big, how can she sleep with us anymore."

"Then you carry her upstairs, and take off her clothes, shoes, and pants."

"Yeah, what about the others?"

"The old lady went to sleep, Dad drank too much at night and hasn't gotten up since lying down, Mom went out to someone else's house and is learning to play mahjong, the two brothers are playing next door. I don't think they'll sleep until 12 o'clock."

"Then you go to the room and wait for me."

Lin Xiuqing understood what he meant in an instant and rolled her eyes at him.

Ye Yaodong was about to burst.

She was busy all day today, and now he finally caught a gap, caught her when she was alone.

She was also sensible, thinking it was 10 o'clock, the TV could be watched on replay tomorrow, and she had to get up early tomorrow, so she simply lay down early.

After New Year's Eve, it was 1992.

The New Year calendar had already been torn to the first day.

Ye Yaodong got up early to wash, looked at the calendar, and only felt that time passed really fast, and 10 years had passed in a flash.

He really felt that in the blink of an eye, time had passed.

He didn't feel it while living his days, but looking back, he felt that time passed really fast.

He flipped the date down by the way, and it hadn't been decided when to set off yet.

Originally, he expected to leave after welcoming the God of Wealth on the fifth day. The factories in the city were still operating 24 hours a day. He thought about going up early, although he hadn't received any calls these two days, which meant there was nothing important.

Generally, there wouldn't be anything important. Most factories stop work and rest during New Year's Eve and the first day, except for sudden situations in the factory, there generally wouldn't be anything.

But he was still worried, this was his important industry.

It's just that his mother had already looked at the day for moving and hosting a banquet, which was set for the ninth. He was hesitating whether to wait until after the ninth to go up, or go up on the sixth.

He hadn't told his family yet, thinking about going up on the sixth, but everyone had already defaulted to waiting until after the ninth to leave.

He flipped through the calendar, flipped to the page of the sixth, and found that the sixth was auspicious. He pondered about letting his mother flip through the almanac to see later.

However, as soon as Ye Mother heard he wanted to leave on the sixth, she hurriedly tried to persuade him to stay.

"What's the rush, where's the difference of these two or three days? If you're in a hurry, leave after drinking the moving banquet on the afternoon of the ninth, it's only a difference of three days?"

"You spent so much money to build this new house, aren't you going to move in together? It doesn't matter for those few days, and there are no phone calls, so just stay at home for two more days."

"If there's a phone call, you can guide them by phone. Anyway, other places have stopped work, so there won't be anything urgent."

Ye Yaodong had no choice but to stop talking about the sixth after his mother said so.

"You have the money to pick up the car tomorrow ready, right?"

"Ready."

"That's good, if the cash isn't enough, tell me, your father and I still have a little coffin money."

"No need."

"Then remember to call me before you set off the day after tomorrow. I'll calculate the time, and when the car is driven back, I'll let people set off fireworks and firecrackers."

"Yeah."

Ye Mother was radiant, as if the car had already been driven to the door.

"Everyone thought our family ordered one car, and they were already envious to death. They have to mention it twice every time they meet me. When two are driven back tomorrow, the people in the village will be stunned."

She couldn't close her mouth while talking and laughing.

"Good thing, it's just a double happiness, let you show off a bit more. Tomorrow, let Dad wear better clothes, since he'll be driving the car back."

"That's for sure, I've already polished his leather shoes until they're shiny."