Chapter 105: This Year I Still Want to Work With You

Since the villagers aren't in a hurry, Gu Xixi can stay even calmer than they are.

Someone who still has room to look ahead and behind cannot be single‑minded.

Starting from the sixth day of the lunar new year, they formally began the stage of going out to visit distant relatives and friends.

Many people went out of the village, and Huachi Du Cun became much quieter.

Gu Xixi finally had some free time.

After breakfast she went to the foot of the mountain to tend the tea trees, and on her way back she saw Shitou and Gouwa running toward her.

The two little fellows were full of excitement, waving their arms at her from afar.

Shitou shouted, "Sister Xixi, guests have come to the house—Grandma Zhang told you to hurry back!"

"What guests?" Gu Xixi asked as she approached.

Gouwa tugged Shitou's sleeve, "Don't spill it—Grandma Zhang said it's a surprise, and you must wait for Aunt Xixi to see it with her own eyes; she'll definitely be happy!"

Shitou quickly covered his mouth, "Right, can't say it!"

The two of them are practically inseparable every day, and they've become the best of friends.

But one calls Gu Xixi "sister," while the other calls her "aunt."

When addressing Zhang Shen and Lao Langzhong they also call them grandpa and grandma—truly a generation mix‑up.

Gu Xixi never corrects them, letting them call her whatever they like.

She reached out and poked each of their foreheads with a finger, "So young, yet you keep secrets well."

"All right, then come with me back home to see the excitement."

Outside Gu Xixi's house, eight carrying poles were lined up, each pole draped with red‑cloth flowers, and the baskets at both ends were filled with things.

All these items were placed on the ground, and the eight men standing nearby saw Gu Xixi return and all broke into smiles.

Chen Dafu stepped forward, clasped his fists in greeting, "Happy New Year, host!"

The other seven followed suit, their "Happy New Year" ringing like thunder.

One glance at this scene shows everyone brought gifts to pay a New Year's call on the host.

Gu Xixi smiled and returned each greeting, "It's the New Year—why make you go out of your way?"

"It's cold outside; hurry in and have some tea."

"As for these things," Gu Xixi said after scanning them, "I appreciate the thought, but you'd better take them back later."

Chen Dafu, however, straightened his face and said, "That won't do!"

"We workers came to wish the host a happy New Year, saying last year we all worked happily and prosperously, and we want to keep working for the host next year."

"Are you really going to refuse this gift, host?"

"Well…" Gu Xixi fell into a dilemma.

According to her modern workplace mindset, when a team works for her she gives them the highest possible wages.

That's a win‑win—you're good, I'm good, everybody's good.

But now she is dealing with ancient village interpersonal relations, which follow a different set of rules.

Zhang Shen walked over, laughed openly, and said, "At New Year's there's no reason to turn guests away at the door."

She gave Gu Xixi a look, then smiled at Chen Dafu and said, "Old Chen, the host is just worried you'll go to expense—have everyone bring their things inside."

Chen Dafu's face broke into a grin; he waved and called for everyone to lift their gifts into the courtyard.

Zhang Shen took Gu Xixi aside and whispered:

"They earned a lot last year and want to keep working for you this year; accepting their gifts will set their minds at ease."

"As the host, propriety dictates that you should set out a banquet to entertain them—first as a return gift, second to show your gratitude."

Gu Xixi realized this was essentially moving a modern thank‑you feast into the middle of the New Year period.

She chuckled softly, "Thanks to your tip, Aunt—otherwise I wouldn't know this and would inevitably offend people and lose face."

Zhang Shen said, "All right, go talk to them."

"The food at home is ready; I'll go prepare the drinks and dishes."

The workers vied to show off the gifts they had brought.

"Host, when my family slaughtered the New Year pig I specially froze this trotter in the snow—it's still fresh!"

"Host, this is my family's self‑distilled sorghum liquor; this jar has been stored in the cellar for eight years, fragrant and potent!"

"This basket of pears is from my family; my wife planted two pear trees in the backyard, and this year's fruit is the sweetest!"

"My family's mutton…"

"These goose eggs are the biggest ones we picked out…"

Gu Xixi looked at each offering with a smile and said, "Since these are your own home‑grown products, I won't stand on ceremony—I'll keep them all to sample."

The workers burst into laughter, shedding their initial reserve, and the atmosphere instantly became warm and harmonious.

When the banquet opened, Zhang Shen pulled Mu Nan Zhao and Lao Langzhong out to keep the guests company.

Even Shitou and Gouwa became the cheerful mood‑makers at the table.

Chen Dafu and the others talked with growing enthusiasm, each moving from family matters to recounting the old stories they'd experienced in their lives.

The feast lasted until evening before it broke up.

The ten large jars of aged fermented liquor bought before the year were completely drunk dry.

Since Gu Xixi discovered she had been transmigrated into a book, her tolerance for alcohol has worsened, basically extinguishing her hobby of drinking.

So when preparing the New Year supplies, Zhang Shen had them buy more cheap, strong aged liquor to have on hand.

Gu Xixi originally thought it unnecessary, saying they could just buy some homemade osmanthus sweet rice wine for themselves.

But Zhang Shen insisted, saying that for the New Year they always needed to have some liquor ready for guests.

If no one drinks it, it can be kept for cooking or given to Lao Langzhong to use in preparing medicinal ingredients—either way it won't go to waste.

Gu Xixi laughed and sighed, "Thanks to Auntie's insistence, otherwise I truly wouldn't know what to entertain guests with today."

Zhang Shen, tidying up today's gifts, smiled and said, "Young people always have some old rules they don't understand."

"Otherwise, what's the point of us old fogeys?"

Lao Langzhong shook his head and sighed, "But these people can really drink; I was thinking about brewing a pot of hangover cure, yet not a single one got drunk and fell down."

Zhang Shen turned around smiling, about to speak, but saw someone standing outside the gate.

"Gu Qingye?"

Zhang Shen felt uneasy upon seeing this girl, immediately grabbed a rag and walked over, "What are you here for?"

"The County Office released you early; from now on, just be a decent person!"

"If you dare again to bear ill will toward my family's Xiao Chen and Xixi, don't blame me for being rude!"

The courtyard fell silent; everyone stared at the gate except Mu Nan Zhao.

After nearly two months in prison, Gu Qingye looked much thinner and more haggard.

Her gaze swept past Zhang Shen, across the courtyard, and finally came to rest on Mu Nan Zhao.

"It won't happen." Her voice was low, yet she carried an added calm of having seen through everything.

"I'll leave tomorrow."

"I merely..." Gu Qingye gazed deeply at Mu Nan Zhao, a glint of light flickering in her dim eyes.

"Just come take a look."

Zhang Shen remained on guard, "Where are you going? What are you looking at? You're acting all mysterious day after day, can't even speak clearly!"

Gu Qingye seemed to take a deep breath.

When she lifted her eyes to look at Zhang Shen, her expression was utterly devoid of lingering attachment.

"Getting married, the place is quite far; they don't know I've been through the government office, and my family background is fairly affluent."

"I probably won't come back in the future, so you can rest easy."

Zhang Shen stared for a moment, "You're not coming back? What about your parents?"

Gu Qingye snorted coldly, said nothing, and turned to leave.

Gu Xixi couldn't help but look at Mu Nan Zhao; Gu Qingye is getting married—what will his reaction be?