The landlord has multiple personalities and wants everyone to pay him.

With Xiao Nuan as his strategist, Ye Shu's card game went more and more smoothly. He didn't even need to think; he just needed Xiao Nuan to point out which card to play.

Meanwhile, the two guys opposite him had more and more notes stuck to their faces because of Ye Shuru's warmth, and soon they looked like a curtain.

Of course, there were also times when Ye Shu's hand was so bad that it was beyond saving. Even Xiao Nuan, who was usually calm even when Mount Tai collapsed in front of her, could see the helplessness in her eyes.

Even the most skillful cook can't cook without rice, and even the most cunning plan can't overcome a lack of soldiers.

At times like this, Ye Shu felt that he was dragging Xiao Nuan down. If it weren't for him, Xiao Nuan's winning rate in Dou Dizhu (a card game) could have been maintained at 100%.

Even so, their winning percentage had already made their two cousins ​​on the other side start to question their existence.

At first, the two of them were a little resentful, thinking that it might just be a coincidence that their younger brother and sister-in-law were in a newbie protection period.

But later the two had to admit defeat, because in the post-game review of each game, Xiao Nuan could describe the cards in their hands perfectly, and she understood them better than they did themselves.

The two of them stopped fighting and just stood there with their faces covered in notes, secretly relieved that it wasn't a money game, otherwise they would have lost all their bitter tea.

Both of them realized that they would never coexist with gambling and drugs for the rest of their lives!

Ye Shu happily pulled Xiao Nuan into his arms and smugly said to the two mop-wielding men opposite him:

"My girlfriend, isn't she amazing? I'm asking you, are you convinced? If not, come at me anytime!"

Xiao Nuan simply looked up at his smug face from his arms, a slight smile playing on her lips.

Just then, Ye Guoqiang's shout came from outside:

"You guys on the kang, stop playing! Dinner's ready!"

In Ye Shu's hometown, the custom on New Year's Eve is to have a light snack around 9 a.m., then skip lunch, and have a very lavish New Year's Eve dinner around 3 or 4 p.m., followed by dumplings for midnight.

Although they only eat two meals a day, the coffee table, the table, and the cabinets are filled with all kinds of fruits and snacks. There are also two large basins of fried meatballs, lotus root slices, and eggplant slices in the kitchen. They eat all day long, grabbing a handful of melon seeds one moment and a bowl of meatballs the next, so they are never hungry.

The whole family sat around a large round table that was piled high with food.

This table is amazing; the bottom folds up and can be expanded to a whole circle, and you can even add a glass turntable like the ones you see in restaurants on top.

Even though the table was large, it was still a bit crowded with more than ten people sitting around it. But this cramped arrangement actually added to the festive atmosphere.

The table was roughly divided into several sections.

There were Ye Guoqiang, An Jianxing, two uncles and their uncles, a few chatty old men sitting together, forming a drinking and bragging area.

Aunts, Shen Jingwan, older women, and grandmothers sat together, forming a chat room about everyday family matters.

Then there's Ye Shu and his generation, all sitting together with their partners, forming a "love-filled" zone.

Tang Xiaotao was sitting alone, but fortunately, her brother was on her left and her grandmother was on her right, so the three of them also created a grandmother-granddaughter area.

Ye Shu's family wasn't very particular about etiquette. Grandma smiled broadly as she watched the lively family gathering, and, holding her chopsticks, said:

"Stop just sitting there watching, pick up your chopsticks and eat!"

In an instant, chopsticks flew everywhere, laughter rang out, glasses clinked, and the sound of the Spring Festival Gala pre-show playing on the TV behind us created a lively atmosphere.

Ye Guoqiang took a small clay jar, removed the earthen seal, tore off the red paper, and poured a slightly cloudy liquid into An Jianxing's cup:

"Come on, try this. It's homemade grain liquor. It was made by Xiao Shu's grandfather back then. You can't buy it anywhere else."

An Jianxing picked up his cup, took a sip, and his eyes lit up:

"Mmm! It smells good! I've never had this before!"

On the other side of the table, Ye Shu's attention was entirely on Xiao Nuan.

He himself didn't realize that as soon as he got to the dinner table, he automatically turned into a ruthless food-picking machine.

They didn't even glance at the pig's feet, trotters, or ribs, just piled them into Xiao Nuan's bowl. They even removed the bones from the fish before putting it in Xiao Nuan's bowl.

Xiao Nuan sat quietly, taking small bites of the ever-increasing amount of food in her bowl. She wasn't picky; she ate whatever Ye Shu picked up, but she ate very slowly, chewing each bite carefully. Her eating speed couldn't keep up with Ye Shu's pace, and her bowl quickly filled up.

The older woman next to her saw this and said with a smile:

"Xiao Shu is so considerate. Look how much she's put in the bowl, it's overflowing."

Tang Xiaotao, who was standing nearby, looked satisfied as she watched this scene unfold. She had a spare rib in her chopsticks, but she forgot to eat it.

Although I felt a bit sickeningly sweet about their public displays of affection when I visited my brother's house last time, I strangely started craving it after she left. It feels like no other couples are as sweet as my brother and his four wives. My brother's public displays of affection are definitely the best.

Four flavors to satisfy all your cravings.

The more they drank at the dinner table, the more they talked.

Ye Guoqiang and An Jianxing chatted about everything from local customs to their children, and then lamented how quickly time flies.

After a few drinks, it's time to get down to business.

An Jianxing picked up a piece of vermicelli with his chopsticks, slurped it down, and then his expression became a little serious.

He turned to Ye Guoqiang beside him and said:

"Brother, my wife and I came here this time because... we had another idea, and we thought we'd take this opportunity to discuss it with you."

Seeing that he was serious, Ye Guoqiang put down his chopsticks, but he could roughly guess what it was about.

Shen Jingwan, standing nearby, picked up the conversation, glanced at Ye Shu who was peeling crab legs for Xiao Nuan across from her, then at her daughter who was eating slowly and deliberately, and said:

"Brother Ye, we've been thinking... We've seen how well the two kids have gotten to know each other. Xiao Shu is a reliable young man, and he's been incredibly good to our daughter. As parents, we're happiest when our children find someone who truly cares for them. So, we're thinking, since the two of them have both decided on each other and have such a good relationship, shouldn't we... consider settling things down sooner? The sooner they get married and settled down, the more at ease we'll feel."

Ye Guoqiang didn't immediately respond, holding his wine glass but not drinking. After a moment's thought, he said somewhat solemnly:

"Brother, I...I have no objection to your idea. I'm genuinely happy that the two kids can get married. It's just...you've all seen our family's situation. We're just an ordinary family, and Ye Shu has just started working. Marriage is a big deal, and we certainly can't skip any of the proper customs, but that's about the bride price..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.

Ever since Ye Guoqiang learned that Ye Shu was dating, this matter had been weighing on his mind. Especially after witnessing the An family's financial situation in Nancheng, he had discussed it with his family countless times, and he was even prepared to borrow money.

He didn't want his son to feel inferior in his father-in-law's family because of financial issues, but he also knew that his family's resources were limited.

Upon hearing this, An Jianxing immediately waved his hand:

"Brother, please don't say that!"

He reached out and grabbed Ye Guoqiang's arm, pulling closer:

"Brother, we're honest people, no need for empty talk. Look at those two kids, they're genuinely good, that's better than anything else."

He glanced at his daughter, who was quietly eating with her head down, and lowered his voice slightly:

"To be honest, my daughter... even in this condition, brother, no one in your family dislikes her or treats her like an outsider. I, An Jianxing, will remember this kindness for the rest of my life!"

He grabbed Ye Guoqiang's hand and slapped it hard:

"So, let's not talk about dowry! The fact that the children like each other is more important than anything else. We're definitely willing, no complaints whatsoever. As for the dowry... brother, you can give whatever you think is appropriate, just give the token. Whether it's a lot or a little, it's all for the two children."

At this point, he changed the subject and said very seriously to Ye Guoqiang:

"Brother, don't worry. Whatever the bride price you offer, our family will match it with a dowry, no less, and it will all go towards the two children's livelihood. We won't take a single penny!"

Upon hearing this, not only was Ye Guoqiang stunned, but even the two old men drinking next to him were somewhat surprised.

This was handled...very openly and transparently.

Ye Guoqiang felt a weight lifted from his heart. Having lived most of his life, he had seen plenty of cases of exorbitant dowries and people demanding exorbitant prices for their children's marriages. But he had never met anyone like the An family, who not only didn't make demands but were also incredibly considerate.

The two old men sitting next to him had somewhat complicated expressions. On one hand, they envied the third brother's family for having such a good in-law, and on the other hand, they were happy for the third brother's family. They both lowered their heads and took a sip of wine.

Ye Guoqiang said nothing, picked up the wine jar on the table, filled An Jianxing's glass again, and then poured himself a glass. The two of them drank it down in one gulp.

"Brother, there's nothing more to say, it's all in the wine."

An Jianxing also smiled broadly:

"Brother, from now on we're all family."

The family was already gathered here, but across the table, Ye Shu was still completely absorbed in the joy of feeding Xiao Nuan. It was really addictive. Watching Xiao Nuan finish all the food he gave her gave her, and he felt a strange sense of accomplishment.

He, however, was completely unaware of the conversation taking place on the other end.