The tycoon's wicked wife from the era of literature has been reborn.

Every household puts up red couplets and hangs red lanterns.

The sound of firecrackers started at noon, and the crackling noise echoed throughout the entire village.

A reminder to everyone: Happy Chinese New Year!

A joyful atmosphere enveloped everyone. No matter how the past year had gone, at this moment, the whole family was gathered together, and all they felt was happiness.

In previous years, the other four families would come to Jiang Baohai's house for New Year's Eve dinner together, and Jiang's mother would cook three tables of food all by herself, working herself to the bone.

Jiang Yu felt sorry for her mother and helped prepare the New Year's Eve dinner since she was a child.

Over the years, I've developed a psychological aversion to Lunar New Year's Eve. Seeing the pile of vegetables to be washed in the kitchen makes my hands feel itchy from the cold.

This year, however, no one suggested spending the New Year with Jiang Baohai's family.

In the morning, the second and fourth families brought over a fish and two bowls of egg rolls to pay respects to the two deceased elders.

The children from both families came over, and Gao Qinghe gave them red envelopes.

Five yuan each, just for good luck.

Gao Qinghe also met her cousin and his wife, who worked in the city, and Jiang Fang's younger brother, Jiang Cong, for the first time.

The little boy was spoiled and a bit pampered, and was held in his mother's arms the whole time.

Jiang Fang disliked her younger brother very much. She refused to share her candy with him and was scolded by her parents. Feeling even more wronged, she ran to find her grandparents.

They are not close to their parents at all.

We agreed to meet at Jiang Baohai's house after dinner to keep vigil, and then we all went home.

The third and first wives also brought offerings to pay respects to the elders, and they brought their children with them.

Gao Qinghe gave red envelopes to several of the younger generation, each containing five yuan.

She won't give less in this regard just because she doesn't like adults.

However, when Qian Qiaolan brought her son Jiang Ziqiang over, Gao Qinghe did not give her a red envelope.

We're all of the same generation, so there's no rule about giving red envelopes.

Qian Qiaolan deliberately left the child with Gao Qinghe and went to pay her respects herself.

As she was leaving, she asked the child if they had received a red envelope. Upon learning they hadn't, she angrily muttered a mild curse outside the gate:

"What kind of person is he? A big boss, huh? He doesn't even give his kids a single New Year's gift!"

Jiang Yu overheard this when she returned from picking garlic sprouts in the vegetable garden.

When Qian Qiaolan turned around, she saw the little girl staring at her with her big, dark eyes, not even blinking.

Feeling guilty, she was startled.

Jiang Yu glared at her and strode into the house.

Qian Qiaolan looked like she'd seen a ghost; she'd actually been glared at by Jiang Yu?
This little brat is just like her mother, easy to manipulate. When did she ever get angry and dare to glare at her elders?

Only after hearing the footsteps behind her fade into the distance did Jiang Yu dare to turn around.

Watching Qian Qiaolan's grumbling figure as she left, her heart was still pounding.

Today I did something I'd always wanted to do but never dared to.

So exciting! So exhilarating!

A bright red object appeared before my eyes.

Jiang Yu looked over in surprise and saw her sister-in-law's radiant, smiling face.

"New Year's money." Gao Qinghe put the red envelope into her sister-in-law's shirt pocket and turned around gracefully.

Jiang Yu exclaimed with delight, "Thank you, sister-in-law!"

Excitedly, I ran into the kitchen, put down the freshly picked vegetables, washed my hands, and opened the red envelope.

Jiang's mother curiously came over to take a look; it was eighty-eight yuan.

Jiang Yu said happily, "Mom, this is the biggest New Year's money I've ever received."

Jiang's mother recalled how, in the past, when the other branches of the family celebrated the Lunar New Year at their own homes, the elders would give the younger generation lucky money as a gift.

All the children who weren't in school or married received a New Year's money, except for Jiang Yu. What year was it again? Suddenly, her older brother and sister-in-law remembered Jiang Yu and gave her a New Year's money gift, which contained only two mao (0.2 yuan).

Life had improved for everyone by the 1980s, but her family was still poor.

Her son is still working as an apprentice in the mine, but she always gives him at least one yuan as a New Year's gift.

But they only gave Jiang Yu two cents.

Jiang's mother isn't stupid; she knows that people are only acting this way because they look down on you, because she knows you won't directly bring this up in public.

So we have no choice but to swallow this loss.

Thinking of all this, Jiang's mother couldn't help but feel heartbroken.

But seeing my daughter grow into such a beautiful young woman now, I feel gratified.

Turning her head and seeing the freshly picked vegetables on the stove, Jiang's mother said somewhat irritably:
"Why did you have to go out when they came to pay their respects? Now you won't get any New Year's money."

Jiang Yu was stunned. Yes, how could she be so foolish!
"It's okay." Jiang Yu patted the red envelope in her pocket and smiled slightly, revealing two small tiger teeth. "I have big red envelopes from my brother and sister-in-law, I don't care about theirs."

"Two different things." Gao Qinghe appeared outside the door at some point.

Jiang Yu happily called out, "Sister-in-law."

Gao Qinghe said, "Whether you want it or not is your business, but they can't refuse to give what they're owed."

"Here you go." Gao Qinghe handed over four small red envelopes. "Since you're not here, I'll have your brother accept them for you."

All four small red envelopes were sealed with red paper. Buying a single sheet of red paper was much cheaper than buying a red envelope, so villagers liked to wrap them this way.

Jiang Yu and her mother exchanged a glance, and the two of them felt a sudden pang of shame.

Gao Qinghe had never seen such a funny mother and daughter duo. They were ashamed to receive red envelopes?

Jiang's mother said sheepishly, "It's my fault as the mother who made my child suffer."

Gao Qinghe: "I am very pleased that you have this awareness. As long as you admit your mistakes and correct them, and don't let your children suffer injustice in the future, that's fine."

Jiang's mother: "."

Patting her mother-in-law's shoulder reassuringly, and then glancing sympathetically at her sister-in-law, Gao Qinghe went into the kitchen and asked:

"What are we having for New Year's Eve dinner tonight? There are only four of us in the family, so Mom, please cook less."

That's what they said, but they pointed to fish and then chicken, listing no fewer than eight dishes.

Jiang's mother took a deep breath and waved her hand, urging, "Get out of the way! Get out of the way!"

Gao Qinghe immediately left the kitchen, which made Jiang's mother feel a lump in her throat again.

Jiang Yu used to think that her mother never got angry, but now she realized that her ears would turn bright red when she was angry.

It's good to get angry occasionally; it makes you look more vibrant and younger. Jiang Yu thought to herself secretly.

Fortunately, Jiang's mother was unaware of her daughter's thoughts, otherwise she would have been furious.

Jiang Baohai pasted couplets on all the doors of his house, hung red lanterns he had bought under the eaves, and pasted paper-cut window decorations with the words "May you have abundance every year" on the windows.

After doing all that, he clapped his hands and stood in the yard for a moment to admire the scenery. He felt that this year's Spring Festival was the most comfortable and enjoyable one he had ever had in both his previous and current lives.

With only their closest family members around, the family understood each other and no one argued. They sat around the table, watching TV and eating a sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner.

We ate our New Year's Eve dinner early, finishing around 5 or 6 pm.

Before the Spring Festival Gala even started airing, the second and fourth families brought over playing cards and mahjong sets. Some played cards, while others chatted, creating a great atmosphere.

The adults stayed indoors, but the children couldn't stay still.

Everyone held a lit incense stick and rummaged through the ashes of burnt firecrackers to find unexploded ones, which they then set off in the yard and along the roadside.

Xiao Hei lay in its doghouse, watching the playful human children, its fierce eyes softening.

However, the children all knew that Xiao Hei was a fierce dog, and no one would deliberately provoke it with a cannon, so the two got along very well.

At 8 p.m. sharp, CCTV's Spring Festival Gala began its live broadcast, and everyone gathered around the television, watching the performances with rapt attention.

As Teacher Li sang "Unforgettable Tonight," the clock struck midnight, fireworks lit up the sky, and the people welcomed the new year. (End of Chapter)