Rebirth of a Portable Space: Transforming My Hometown

Chapter 27 Aunt and Younger Aunt Return Home for New Year's Greetings

People from neighboring villages gathered together, watching the fireworks and discussing them with envy.

They also hope that their village officials can cooperate with them and lead them to prosperity.

Seeing the fireworks filling the sky, the village officials resolved to visit Hongxing Village as soon as possible.

This is something that Yufei's family doesn't know yet.

"Grandma, you're cheating! You didn't even bring this, how can you claim it?"

Staying home on the first day of the Lunar New Year, and with heavy snow falling all night, Hongxing Village is now a snow-covered wonderland.

Yufei's family was at home tending the fire and making tea, watching the frozen red plum blossoms outside, and playing cards to sign the "white slip" (a Chinese sign for something unfinished).

Grandma, who never used to play cards, was now playing with them with great enthusiasm.

But because I'm not familiar with it, I keep making mistakes.

Grandma would throw a tantrum like a child if she made a mistake.

"Whatever, I won anyway!" Then, grinning, he stuck white slips on his dad, grandpa, and mom's bags.

Looking at the three of them, their faces covered in white marks, Yufei was furious at their lack of self-respect. She thought, "You three should just spoil her!"

Yufei stopped watching, jumped off the stool, and went to the kitchen. She took out eight eggs from her spatial storage.

Then I used brown sugar to make "lively eggs," which are brown sugar syrup eggs. A well-made egg will still have a runny yolk.

Adding a spoonful of lard—this is a tea snack that Grandma Yufei would make for Yufei and her grandfather whenever there was a joyous occasion.

In her past life, after growing up, Yufei would cook for her parents and grandmother during holidays, but her grandfather would never be able to eat it again.

Yufei carried the plate with two bowls of live eggs back to the living room. She was immediately spotted by the group still playing cards as she entered. They noticed Yufei walking somewhat unsteadily.

He quickly put down the cards and went to take Yufei's things, but Yufei dodged him and told them to sit down.

They were placed on the four-legged stools next to the table and then carried over one by one.

"Grandpa, have some tea!" Yufei gave the first portion to her grandfather.

Grandpa quickly took it, his eyes seemingly a little wet, and called out, "Hey! Hey!" Then he took the bowl from Yufei's hands.

Next was Grandma. Because Yufei was too weak to carry so many at once, she went back to get Mom and Dad's after delivering Grandpa and Grandma's things.

Before I even entered the door, I heard Grandpa boasting, "See that?! My granddaughter loves me the most. Knowing I love this, she gave it to me first!"

Hearing her grandfather's boastful voice, Yufei smiled happily: "Grandpa, I will definitely make you proud in this lifetime!"

Remembering how her grandfather was worried about her and her mother even on his deathbed in her past life, Yufei secretly made a vow in her heart.

When Yufei returned to the living room, Grandpa had also regained his serious demeanor. Yufei didn't expose him and continued to pour tea for her mother and father.

And I solemnly wished them a Happy New Year, Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, and Mom!

They looked at Xiaoyufei with affection and said, "Happy New Year to my little Yufei! May you be healthy, safe, and happy!"

As they spoke, each person gave Xiaoyufei a red envelope, saying it was for her to receive New Year's money.

Yufei accepted the red envelopes without hesitation. That evening, back in her room, she checked the envelopes and found that each one contained a full hundred yuan in cash.

Of course, Yufei is now quite wealthy. With the money she earns from selling seafood and the dividends she receives from her family, she now has over 100,000 yuan in savings.

But the four "reunion" bills inside the red envelope held special significance for her. This was the first year her family had received New Year's money since becoming wealthy, and she decided to frame them.

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Yufei's grandparents got up very early in the morning because their second and youngest daughters were coming home today.

They need to prepare plenty of food to wait for them.

Of course, Yufei's mom and dad got up early to help, but Yufei was still fast asleep.

"Grandpa~ Grandma, Fengfeng wishes you a Happy New Year~" Before even seeing him, Yufei's cousin Jiang Yifeng's voice came from not far away.

"Dad! Mom! We're back!" As the older cousin's voice rang out, the cheerful voice of his social butterfly aunt, Liu Meijun, followed.

There was an air of determination to make sure Yufei's grandparents didn't hear it.

Actually, I heard Xiaofeng, Yufei's cousin, calling out and came out to wait.

Then I saw two men, two women, and two little ones arrive at the door.

The two men were carrying large and small bags, while the woman was holding the hand of a boy who looked about nine years old, and carrying a boy who looked about five years old.

With a bright smile, they walked to the gate and saw Grandpa Yufei and her nanny waiting for them in the courtyard.

They said in unison, "Happy New Year, Mom and Dad (Grandpa and Grandma)!"

"Hey! Hey! Come in, come in quickly~ We're all family, why bring gifts?" Grandma greeted them, seeing that Yufei's second aunt and younger aunt had arrived with gifts. She told them not to waste their money, but still happily led them back to the inner room.

My second aunt and younger aunt put their washed clothes in the room where they had made beds, and then they came out to dry them by the fire.

In the past, everyone in Hongxing Village was poor, but among the short, Yufei's grandfather's family was considered relatively wealthy at that time.

Yufei's grandfather worked for a government agency, and his three daughters all married well. Back then, her grandfather's family in Hongxing Village was the first to have electric light bulbs installed.

The house is also much more spacious than those of other villagers. In other villages, if there are daughters, several people have to share a bed when their sons come home.

If a few more relatives come, we'll have to sleep on the floor. But at Yufei's house, there are enough beds after her daughter and son-in-law come back. If a small number of relatives come, we might need to allocate beds for everyone. If even more relatives come, we'll have to sleep on the floor.

The villagers of Hongxing Village have some extra money this year, and after the Spring Festival, they're all planning whether to renovate their houses! Of course, that's all in the future.

After they finished tidying up, they returned to the living room, where Yufei's parents warmly welcomed them. They brought out the candies and tangerines that Granny Chun had given them, as well as the New Year's treats they had bought themselves, such as peanuts and melon seeds, and asked them to sit down.

My aunt, Liu Meiling, had the typical features of a beauty from the Jiangnan region: gentle and graceful, with willow-leaf eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes that sparkled with a thousand charms, and an oval face.

My aunt was very fashionable at that time, with long hair flowing down her shoulders, a beret on her head, and a trench coat, giving her the look of a Shanghai lady.

However, because giving birth to her older cousin had damaged her health, her complexion was pale, adding to her somewhat delicate, Lin Daiyu-like appearance.

My aunt ate the orange slowly, and surprisingly, she exuded an air of elegance and beauty.

My eldest aunt was the most beautiful of the three sisters; she was a renowned beauty in the surrounding area.

My grandmother used to reminisce about the hardships of her past life, saying that when my aunt was a young woman, the line of suitors that could stretch from Beijing to Shanghai was incredibly long.

My aunt was the one who married the best among them; she married the youngest son of the town mayor.

But she didn't finish her sentence. Little did she know how tragic her fate would be. Her father-in-law passed away at a young age, and then the country underwent reforms. With no one to help with the weighing, the supply and marketing cooperatives dissolved, and her aunt became a laid-off worker.