The game of power begins with the police officers at the local police station.

With New Year's Day over, less than a month later, it will be the Spring Festival again. Government work will slow down, and the new year's work will not begin until after the Spring Festival.

Chen Shi also relaxed a bit, but he still had a lot of social engagements and rarely ate at home.

Chen Shi drank with Guan Hui, Duan Yanping, Wang Jianming, and several other subordinates tonight, and got quite drunk. When he got home, Jiang Yiqiu was watching TV in the living room. When he saw Chen Shi return, he quickly stood up and helped him sit down.

"Drinking every day is bad for your health. I'll go make you a bowl of hangover soup."

A little while later, Jiang Yiqiu brought over the hangover soup he had prepared: "Drink it later, it's a bit hot."

Jiang Yiqiu blew on the soup a few times, then handed it to Chen Shi. Chen Shi took it, took a sip, and found it was a bit hot. He waited a moment before drinking it all in one go.

After drinking the hangover soup, my stomach felt better.

Jiang Yiqiu looked at Chen Shi: "Are you feeling better?"

I didn't drink much tonight.

"My mom called me and asked when we're going home for Chinese New Year. Today is the 25th of the twelfth lunar month."

Chen Shi felt that going back for the New Year was pointless, mainly because he didn't want to see Wang Xiufang; seeing her annoyed him.

Going home for the Chinese New Year inevitably means the whole family will gather together, seeing each other all the time.

"We won't be going back home for the Spring Festival this year; we'll be spending it in the county town."

Jiang Yiqiu said, "We just got married this year, so it's better to go back home for the New Year. If we don't go back, I'm afraid my parents will have some opinions."

Chen Shi lit a cigarette and took a deep drag. He felt empty inside because he wasn't going home to spend the Spring Festival with his parents.

"Let's talk about it in a couple of days."

"I'll run you a bath. You reek of alcohol, and I've changed your clothes. I'll bathe you tomorrow."

Chen Shi took a hot bath and felt very comfortable. He lay down on the big bed and fell into a deep sleep.

After taking a shower, Jiang Yiqiu changed into a sexy nightgown. Seeing that Chen Shi was asleep, he suppressed his desire and lay down next to Chen Shi to sleep.

Unable to sleep, she tossed and turned, holding Chen Shi tightly. Chen Shi woke up groggily.

What are you doing?

"Honey, how long has it been since we've been intimate?"

"We just got intimate last time."

"It's been over a month," Jiang Yiqiu said coquettishly.

I'm a little sleepy tonight, I'll talk to you tomorrow.

"I can't wait until tomorrow, I want it now."

Jiang Yiqiu kissed Chen Shi's lips, and Chen Shi was forced to comply, and the two became entangled.

The two talked for an hour, and Jiang Yiqiu put on his pajamas with satisfaction, then kissed Chen Shi on the cheek: "Darling, that was great."

Chen Shi lay on the bed, too tired to move, and quickly fell asleep.

The next day, Chen Shi received a call from Chen Yanshi while at work.

"dad"

"Xiao Shi, it's the 26th today. When are you coming back for the New Year? The pig hasn't been slaughtered yet. We'll slaughter it when you come back for the New Year."

"You don't need to wait for me to come back to slaughter the pig; you can slaughter it ahead of time."

"It'll be more lively when you come back to slaughter the pig. Your mother always asks when you're coming home for the New Year."

Chen Shi didn't want to go back for the New Year. He was afraid his parents wouldn't have a good New Year if he didn't go back.

"I'll be back in a couple of days."

"This year we're turning thirty, and we plan to slaughter a pig on the twenty-ninth. You'll be back on the twenty-ninth."

Chen Shi initially wanted to refuse, but seeing the expectation in his father's tone, he said, "Okay, I'll come back on the 29th."

When Jiang Yiqiu got home in the evening, school was on holiday, and he had prepared a table full of delicious food.

Chen Shi sat down, and Jiang Yiqiu served rice.

"Yi Qiu, we're going back home for the New Year on the 29th. Our family is waiting for us to come back so they can slaughter a pig."

Jiang Yiqiu smiled broadly: "Okay, tomorrow is the 27th. I'll go buy some New Year's goods and take them back to both sets of parents."

"No need to buy any more. We have so many gifts at home. Just take two boxes home."

"These are all expensive gifts. They're not practical to keep as gifts or take back to my parents. I'll go buy some practical New Year's goods for them."

Over the next two days, Jiang Yiqiu bought clothes and shoes for Chen Yanshi and Wang Guihua, and toys for Chen Shi's niece and nephew. The car was full of New Year's goods.

On the morning of the 29th, while Chen Shi was still asleep, Jiang Yiqiu got up early, put on makeup, and prepared to go home for the New Year.

Chen Shi's phone rang, waking him up. He picked it up and saw that it was Chen Yanshi calling.

"dad"

"Xiao Shi, are you back yet? We're going to slaughter a pig soon."

Chen Shi sat up: "We still have a while, probably until midnight. You guys should slaughter the pig first."

After hanging up the phone, Chen Shi got dressed, washed up, and drove back to Fushan Town.

The weather in Chunyang is terrible. In winter, it is often foggy and rainy, and bitterly cold.

Winters in Fushan Town are colder than in Chunyang County. Besides the misty rain, there is also thick fog. Living in such a place for a long time can be very depressing.

As Chen Shi drove past Shangying Town, a thick fog enveloped the area, reducing visibility to extremely low levels.

At night, you can't see the road at all.

Jiang Yiqiu's phone rang. He took it out and saw that it was Zhang Qingrong calling.

"Xiao Qiu, where are you?"

We've passed Shangying Town.

"It's very foggy, drive slowly. I've prepared dinner and am waiting for you."

"Don't wait for us, Chen Shi's family is slaughtering a pig, we need to hurry back to Qinghe Village."

"You're passing through Fushan Town, why don't you come to our house for a meal?"

Seeing that Zhang Qingrong was in low spirits, Jiang Yiqiu quickly said, "I'll be back tomorrow morning."

Zhang Qingrong felt a little better and hung up the phone.

Around 11:40, Chen Shi arrived home. The car stopped in the yard, and Chen Jianyong, Chen Jianhua, Zhang Gao, Chen Ai, and others rushed over to greet him.

Chen Jianyong jogged forward, getting to the front, and as soon as the car stopped, he opened the door with a big smile: "Xiao Shi's back."

Chen Shi and Jiang Yiqiu got out of the car and saw that the courtyard was full of people.

The Chen Jianhua family, the Chen Jianyong family, the older sister and brother-in-law with their two children, Tian Guangming and his son, Tian Defu and other village committee cadres all came to help slaughter the pig.

Fugui stood outside the crowd, unable to squeeze in, with a simple, honest smile on his face.

Chen Shi breathed a sigh of relief when he didn't see Wang Xiufang. Wang Xiufen came out of the house carrying Xiao Huihui.

Chen Shi greeted everyone with a smile, took out a pack of good cigarettes from the car, and gave one pack to each person.

Chen Jianyong took the lead and helped carry the New Year's goods back home. Chen Shi didn't see his parents and was about to go back inside when Wang Guihua came out. Seeing Chen Shi, she smiled broadly and said, "My little one is back."

Chen Shi stepped forward and took Wang Guihua's hand: "Mom, I'm back."

Jiang Yiqiu also came up to greet Wang Guihua.

Xiaomi ran up and hugged Chen Shi's leg: "Uncle, did you buy me a toy?"

Chen Shi picked up Xiaomi Le and said, "Your aunt bought this for you."

Jiang Yiqiu went to get toys for Xiaomi Le and Xiao Huihui, and only then did she notice that Chen Ai's two children were also there.

She whispered to Chen Shi, "My older sister's two children are older now, and I haven't bought them any toys."

"Give them two red envelopes."

Jiang Yiqiu hurriedly went back to his room to prepare red envelopes. He found that the quilts on the bed were already made and the room was very clean. Since no one had lived there for a long time, the rural house was easily covered in dust.

It's good to have an elderly person in the family. Jiang Yiqiu took out two red envelopes and gave them to Chen Shi's niece and nephew.