Fireworks bloomed in the sky, followed by a moment of silence.
It was in this instant that Shen Wei’s voice clearly reached Li Yue Shu’s ears.
She instinctively turned her head, her eyes meeting those deep, handsome ones.
Li Yue Shu blinked, asking in confusion, "Were you calling me just now?"
Shen Wei pursed his lips gently and nodded, "Ah Shu, Happy New Year."
Li Yue Shu gazed at him dazedly, her heart seeming to beat a little faster.
The corners of her lips curved upwards, and it was as if myriad stars twinkled in her eyes. "Shen Wei, Happy New Year."
...
After the fireworks, the night deepened, and Li Yue Shu called the children to bed.
But once everyone was asleep, Li Yue Shu quietly climbed out of bed and rummaged through a chest, pulling out a pile of soft things.
Shen Wei slept soundly, holding A Yu, a smile gracing his lips as if he were having a pleasant dream.
Li Yue Shu placed the items by the head of the bed, then tiptoed out.
As the door closed, Shen Wei, who had been fast asleep, suddenly opened his eyes.
By the scattered moonlight, he immediately recognized what had been placed on the head of the bed.
It was two sets of new clothes, one large and one small, sized perfectly for him and A Yu.
Shen Wei ran his hand over the cotton clothes. Though their material was in no way comparable to any he had worn before, the touch beneath his fingers felt inexplicably soft.
Li Yue Shu quietly left the room and secretly placed the remaining clothes by each person's bedside.
This was a surprise she had prepared for everyone earlier, and also the first gift of the New Year.
...
As the first rays of sunlight pierced the darkness, the quiet village bustled with activity once more. The first words spoken upon meeting were felicitations for the New Year.
Shen Chen woke up early as usual. Just as he stretched, his arm brushed against something soft.
He looked up in confusion and saw a brand new, bright set of clothes placed by his pillow.
Others had them too.
Shen Chen reached out curiously and picked up the clothes, noticing his name embroidered on the cuff.
His heart stirred, and he nudged Shen Tan beside him. "Look at this..."
Shen Tan’s eyes fluttered open sleepily. Upon seeing the brand new cotton clothes and the name on the cuff of the garment by his bed, he too was stunned.
In an instant, the two understood.
Ever since they came to this home, their food and clothing expenses were covered by Madam. Now, for the New Year, Madam had even prepared new clothes for them.
To have such a Madam, they would willingly serve them even if it meant being beasts of burden for a lifetime!
The same surprise appeared in the other rooms, even for Old Man Liu and his wife.
When everyone emerged wearing their new clothes and saw that others were also dressed in new attire, they were surprised yet it felt somewhat expected.
Each person's clothes were different, but certain details were the same, indicating a connection.
Many years later, even when wearing newer and more luxurious clothes, this new garment, long outgrown, would still be carefully kept in their wardrobes.
But that was a story for another time. For now, everyone was happily gathered, eating tangyuan.
"I've wrapped a few with red bean filling. Whoever eats one, it means they will have the best luck this year!"
Hearing Li Yue Shu’s words, the children’s eyes lit up, especially Shen Zhi Yu, who opened his mouth wide and ate them one after another.
"Mom, I ate one!" Shen Ting Yi suddenly held up a half-eaten tangyuan with her chopsticks, her small face flushed.
Li Yue Shu looked surprised. "Oh, then A Yi must have great luck this year."
"Mom, A Yu also ate one." Shen Zhi Yu wiggled his small hand, pointing at his wide-open mouth. "It's sweet."
Li Yue Shu affectionately stroked her head. "It seems our A Yu is also a little lucky star."
At this moment, Wei Ling also suddenly raised her hand. "Madam, Ling'er ate one too!"
"Me too, Madam, look!" Shen Yu held up her bowl, her pigtails swinging with her movement.
"I have one here too."
"Me too."
"And me."
...
One after another, the voices chimed out. Everyone had eaten a red bean tangyuan, except for Li Yue Shu.
At this moment, all eyes fell on the bowl in front of her.
Li Yue Shu understood and poked at it with her chopsticks. On the third try, she found a red bean filling.
She wore a look of pleasant surprise. "I have one too! It seems we are all lucky this year. Our lives will surely get better and better!"
"All lucky! Getting better and better!" Shen Zhi Yu clapped his hands excitedly, his mouth still full of sweet red bean filling.
Li Yue Shu quickly pulled his hand. "You can't talk loudly with food in your mouth, be careful not to choke."
Everyone ate breakfast happily, but they all knew in their hearts.
The fact that everyone ate a red bean tangyuan was definitely not a coincidence.
After breakfast, Li Yue Shu called all the children over and distributed red envelopes to each of them, saying, "Wishing the children success every year and peace always."
As she spoke, she did not forget Shen Wei.
Looking at the square red envelope in his hand, Shen Wei couldn’t help but laugh.
He never imagined that at his age, he would receive a red envelope. He hadn't even had such treatment in his childhood.
Shen Wei’s lips curved upwards, and he tucked the red envelope into his embrace.
Chai Yang and Xing He, who were watching from the shadows, were taken aback.
"If I'm not mistaken, that smile the Master just gave wasn't faked, was it?" Xing He asked, rubbing his reddened nose.
Although he had often seen the Master’s uncharacteristic foolishness lately, the smile just now was clearly different from his usual feigned silliness.
Chai Yang did not reply, but his gaze deepened.
The Master... seemed different from before.
Seeing that he was not responding, Xing He pouted and sighed deeply.
"Neither of us is around, I wonder if the brothers in Zhongzhou miss us."
Chai Yang glanced at him, then deliberately moved a little further away with a hint of disdain.
Xing He remained oblivious, still lamenting, "Without me, the manor must be quite desolate this New Year."
...
During the Spring Festival, when families reunite, everyone should be joyful and happy. But for some, this was not a good day.
"Bang!"
Shen Wang slammed his chopsticks onto the table. "It's the New Year, and we can't even see a speck of meat. What kind of New Year is this!"
Mother Shen’s face was also displeased. "It's all that venomous woman’s fault! Staying up all night, setting off fireworks, why didn't she just blow herself up!"
"Disturbing people's sleep, may she die a terrible death! She even wants to open a restaurant, she'll just wait to lose all her money!"
Shen Cheng Cai remained silent the entire time, eating his meal with utmost seriousness. Even if he was eating chaff, he licked his bowl clean.
After finishing his meal, without even glancing at his mother and brother who were still cursing, he left.
Cursing in secret was a futile act.
Since he was incapable of bringing down that family, he might as well think about how to sustain himself first!
Shen Cheng Cai shouldered his old writing tools and inkstone, intending to go to the town to see if there was any new copying work available.
As soon as he stepped out of the village entrance, a figure suddenly appeared from nowhere and blocked his path.
"Stop right there! I've waited two days, and you finally decided to come out!"