By the Lunar New Year, the villagers of Zhangshan Village and Zhonghe Village had all moved out.
The demolition crew moved in, followed by the construction crew.
Although winter had set in, building a farm and repairing cattle sheds was still feasible.
Demolishing and building concurrently, time was managed efficiently.
The first two villages were bustling, while the last three remained quiet.
The quiet of the first two villages was only superficial; they envied the relocation of the first two villages and lamented the loss of income from their greenhouses next year.
On New Year's Day, Da Niu's wife gave birth to a baby girl. Niu Dasao had already hired a confinement nanny, who immediately moved in once the elder daughter-in-law was discharged from the hospital.
Before the Laba Festival, Er Niu's wife gave birth to a baby boy, and a confinement nanny was promptly arranged.
The two sons lived across the street and on Village Road 2. Niu Dasao visited them daily before returning home. Her mother-in-law's memory was deteriorating, often mistaking her husband for her younger brother or her niece for her younger brother's childhood self, so she couldn't bear to leave the elderly woman alone at home.
Despite this, Er Niu's wife, who had given birth to a boy, complained that her mother-in-law doted on outsiders more than her grandson.
Niu Dasao simply asked Er Niu if he still wanted a mother. If not, she would no longer try to appease her ungrateful younger relatives.
Before even finishing her confinement month, Er Niu's wife was beaten.
After the beating, Er Niu even called his wife's family to take her away. Was having a son such a great achievement? Did he lack sons?
If it weren't for ensuring his new wife had a future to rely on, he wouldn't have considered having children. Not only would there be fines, but he'd also have to prepare housing and betrothal gifts later.
Er Niu's wife's family not only refused to take her but also berated her. Er Niu's wife wept daily.
Da Niu's wife, holding her daughter, subtly curved her lips. Fool, couldn't see the situation clearly.
On the twenty-third of the twelfth lunar month, Li Weihao and Li Wanting returned.
On the twenty-sixth of the twelfth lunar month, Li Weibao brought his wife and children back.
On the twenty-eighth of the twelfth lunar month, Han Lu Shi loaded a cart with Li Weili, Li Weiyu, and Chen An.
Li Weili picked up her daughter, who kept saying "no, no, no," and said, "Say Mama."
Little friend Xuanxuan was not unfamiliar with her mother, as her grandmother had bought a computer and they video-called every day.
"Mama, down, go."
Li Weili felt a pang of sadness; her daughter didn't miss her at all.
Mother Li pushed her granddaughter away, "Hurry and wash up in the backyard. You're all cold, then hold Xuanxuan."
Just then, Han Lu Shi entered with the luggage. The couple went to the backyard to settle in.
The courtyard became lively. Li Weihao quietly asked his wife if she wanted to move back in.
Li Wanting shook her head. If she moved back, she wouldn't dare to sleep in.
Li Weihao also preferred living separately with his wife.
On the twenty-ninth, Li Weiyan and Li Weixin returned with Xiao Xiao Hei, and they all stayed in the courtyard, which became a bit crowded.
Chen An and Li Weiyu immediately claimed rooms, intending to play the same prank on Li Weixin that they had suffered the previous year.
Unexpectedly, they were defeated by the protective Xiao Xiao Hei's pounce.
The commotion from the three of them, plus Xiao Xiao Hei, was enough to shake the roof.
Niu Dasao came to see Tian Jing and couldn't help but smile upon seeing the three people making noise in the front yard.
Speaking of which, in Kshan, only the Li family's large clan was truly united and harmonious.
Tian Jing, busy in the kitchen, was surprised to see Niu Dasao. "Why do you have time to visit?"
Niu Dasao raised the basket in her hand. "I brought you some cured fish."
Tian Jing put down her work, asked her eldest son to take the basket, and then led Niu Dasao to the living room.
"If you have something to say, just say it. We made cured fish this year, as you know."
Niu Dasao sighed softly and said in a low voice, "Can you contact Xiaoshan's mother and Xiaojiang's mother?"
"Yes!"
Tian Jing got up, went into the west room, and found a slip of paper from the study inside. "Here are their addresses and phone numbers."
Niu Dasao waved her hand, refusing to take it. "I wanted to ask for your help."
"Do we need to ask each other? Just say it."
"I want you to contact them and ask them to visit Xiaoshan and Xiaojiang after the new year."
"Both the eldest and second sons have had children. They were already unhappy with their respective fathers remarrying, and now with younger half-siblings, they sometimes don't speak for days."
"I often see Xiaoshan looking towards the village entrance, either hoping his mother will visit him or wanting to run away. I'm worried."
Tian Jing agreed to the request. She would definitely help Niu Dasao.
Niu Dasao got up to go home. "I need to go home and look after the old and young ones."
Tian Jing didn't see her off. She dialed the phone number of Xiaoshan's mother's factory and told Xiaoshan's mother everything that had happened to the Niu family this year, including how Niu Xiaosao had used their experience as escort hostesses to provoke conflict between Niu Dasao and Xiaoshan.
"...I don't know if Xiaoshan and Xiaojiang understand, but their stepmother has had a child. They should feel that their father is no longer their father. At this time, I think he looks towards the village entrance because he misses his mother."
"You can't turn back after making mistakes, but you can try your best to make amends. No matter what Xiaoshan and Xiaoshui think of you, you must bravely apologize to them."
"You can chest-thump and say you owe nothing to your husbands and mothers-in-law, but you owe it to your children."
Xiaoshan's mother, on the other side, choked back tears. "We'll come back now. No matter how others look down on us, we will personally say sorry to the children."
Tian Jing sighed. "I don't know if Niu Xiaosao has a conscience or is afraid of completely angering Niu Dasao, but she hasn't told outsiders about your situation."
"However, everyone in the Niu family knows. If you want to be closer to the children, I can arrange for you to live in the county."
"Thank you," Xiaoshan's mother said. "We'll decide after we return and see Xiaoshan and Xiaojiang."
...
On New Year's Eve, the Li family's reunion dinner filled two tables.
Mother Li smiled warmly and raised her drink cup to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. "Cheers to the prosperity of our Li family."
"Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
Ji Qing, Ji Xiang, and Ji Nian, along with Ji Yang, raised their cups and shouted along with their great-great-grandmother.
Xuanxuan, sitting in a child's chair specially made by her grand-uncle, held up her empty plastic cup. "Cheers."
The eleven-month-old child, Yu Siji, tapped his plastic cup against the child's chair that confined him.
The six members of the second generation and the twelve members of the third generation of the Li family raised their glasses.
"Cheers!"
After drinking, Mother Li began distributing red envelopes.
When she gave one to Li Wanting, she encouraged her to work hard to add new members to the Li family's fourth generation as soon as possible.
When she gave them to Li Weiyu and Li Weixin, she urged the cousins to hurry up so that their children wouldn't be too young in the future and become punching bags for their older siblings, like they were.
The cousins were dejected.
One genuinely didn't want to find a partner.
The other genuinely wanted to, but couldn't find one.
Especially this year, with one more red envelope received, they had to give out two more, making them even more depressed.
Chen An was overjoyed. "Grandma, I will definitely bring my girlfriend home next year, and I'll get married the year after."
"Good!"
Mother Li beamed. "Grandma is looking forward to it. Xiaoyu, the year after next it's your turn, and Ranran, the year after that. By then, if you don't bring your girlfriends back, you're not allowed to enter the house."
Li Weiyu and Li Weixin glared at their cousin. He was too cunning, not only flattering their grandmother by stepping on them but also setting a trap for them.
Chen An tilted his head and glanced at his two cousins. How could they blame others for their own incompetence?