Fortunate Life of the Rural Beauty
Chapter 179 - 178: New Year Greetings

Chapter 179: Chapter 178: New Year Greetings

When Chen Afu looked back, she saw Dabao standing on the bed wearing a red jacket and red pants while sporting a small red melon skin hat. Her son looked like a delightful red lantern pepper, whose beauty was simply indescribable. She went over to Dabao, held his face, and planted two kisses; laughing, she said, "My son outshines everyone else."

Chen Dabao, basking in all his glory, hugged her neck, saying, "I’m not as good as mother, I’m not as good as mother..."

Chen Afu crouched down to help Dabao put on his little red boots, cleaning his face before they held hands and left the west room.

Feathers of vast snow still fluttered in the sky as though housemaids had just cleaned a path through the courtyard, which was again covered by snowflakes. Not only was the yard covered in thick white snow, but also the rooftop, tree branches outside, and the lanterns, all wore a heavy coat of snow. The whole scene looked like a silver-wrapped beauty.

Fortunately, they now lived in a large brick house. If it was the old thatched cottage in the old courtyard, they would be worried that the snow might crush it.

By the time they reached the upper room, Chen Ming, Mrs. Wang, and Alu were already sitting inside dressed in new clothes.

Chen Afu guided Alu and Dabao to bow to Chen Ming and Mrs. Wang, who were seated in the seats of honor, to wish them a happy new year. They laughed and gave each of them a red package, which contained six silver ingots. Then, Alu bowed to Chen Afu, Dabao bowed his head to Chen Afu, and Chen Afu laughed and gave each of them a red packet as well, also carrying six silver ingots.

Next, the servants came in to bow their heads to wish their master a happy new year. Their master distributed red packets to them, each loaded with two silver ingots.

These red packets were all prepared in advance by Chen Afu. She had also prepared several red packets with two silver ingots, which Chen Ming would give to the juniors of the Chen family who came for new year greetings.

After a hearty round of festivities, they all sat down for dinner.

After the meal, accompanied by Xue Dagui, Alu led Dabao to exchange new year greetings. They first went to Tang Garden, then the Luo house, and then to the village.

Chen Afu stayed behind chatting with Chen Ming and Mrs. Wang. While discussing Chen Ming’s trip to Xianhu Village on the fourth day of the lunar new year, they decided to visit the house of Mrs. Wang’s eldest uncle. They wished to gather information about the whereabouts of Mrs. Wang’s younger brother, Wang Cheng, while giving their new year greetings.

The eldest uncle wielded considerable power and was the one who had once beaten up Mrs. Wang’s birth father and stepmother roundly.

Mrs. Wang’s heart also began to stir; she too wanted to return. The desire to find her brother had been gnawing at her for over two decades. Though she never dared to return, now she finally could, and of course, she wished to know sooner rather than later.

Chen Afu then said, "If you really want to return, mother, you can take Big Brother Xue and Auntie Zeng with you. Big Brother Xue is strong, and Auntie Zeng is eloquent; with them around, you won’t be easily exploited."

As they were talking, visitors arrived for new year greetings.

The first to arrive were Chen Agu and Chen Ayu. As these were the official younger generation, they had to bow, and Chen Ming not only gave them red packets, he also asked them to pass along red packets to other members of the younger generation. Following them was Luo Yuan, then Hu Wei, one wave after another, including the workers from Tang Garden, villagers from Xiangluo Village, and even those from Shangshui Village...

Since Chen Afu was a woman, she dodged to the West Wing. She washed a few teacups she had taken out from her room, then poured the water for washing teacups into the backyard where a plot of land had been circled as the future vegetable garden.

She looked at the teacups, and no matter how clean they were, they couldn’t be used anymore. But today was the first day of the lunar new year, which seemed to be a day against littering. So, she put them under the bed and decided to throw them out after the new year festival. Moreover, not at home because the thrifty Chen Ming and Mrs. Wang would certainly pick them back up for use.

Suddenly, she heard the surprised and pleased voice of Mr. Zeng from the courtyard, "Oh my, daughter has arrived."

Chen Afu came out of the bedroom and saw Chu Hanyan wearing a pomegranate red hooded cloak had already entered the room. When she saw Chen Afu, she hurried over, respectfully joined her chubby little hands, and said, "I wish Auntie... prosperous new year, everything... according to wishes."

Then, he lifted his head to look at her, his face full of eagerness for praise.

Mrs. Song, who was standing nearby, corrected him, "Child, you should greet your aunt after she has seated. I have told you this many times during our time at Tang Garden, but you get too excited every time you see Chen Afu."

Chen Afu laughed and said, "Don’t worry about it." To Chu Hanyan she added, "She’s a diligent girl, coming to greet her aunt. Your big red packet has been prepared."

He handed over the prepared red packets containing six silver bits, coaxed her out of her coat, and invited her to have some sweets and candies. When he heard the guests in the upstairs hall had left, he led her to the hall to greet Chen Ming and Mrs. Wang.

The fact that the honorable girl was well-wishing for them delighted Chen Ming and Mrs. Wang immensely. Hastily, they each gave her a red packet in return.

The young girl was beaming, counting her blessings with her fingers, "Now I have... one, two, three, four... oh, five, five red packets!"

Ms. Chu didn’t have many relatives here, and servants couldn’t give her red packets. Receiving so many at once made her very happy.

After taking her to the West Wing for a while, Chen Afu reluctantly saw the young girl leave.

By midday, Alu and Dabao returned. Each of the boys had several red packets from Marquis Chu, Chu Lingxuan, Granny Chen, Chen Ye, and Chen Shi. The old man and grandson of Chu’s family each gave six and four first-rank gold bits, while Chen Shi gave 100 cents, and everyone else gave 50 cents.

Marquis Chu even gave a red packet to Chen Afu, which Dabao delivered. It contained eight golden peanuts.

Dabao said, "I knelt and saluted Old Grandpa Chu on behalf of mother, wishing him health and longevity."

Chen Afu commended, "Well done, son."

For the first time, Dabao had so much money, his eyes beaming. He generously handed the money to Chen Afu, saying, "This is all for you, mother. You can use it for buying flowers."

This made everyone burst into laughter. Chen Afu with a smile responded, "Mother has enough money to buy flowers. This is your pocket money, son. I’ll keep it for you. If there’s anything you like, come to mother for money." She still put 20 cents in his wallet, saying, "You can use this money to buy sweets."

Alu was a bit more shy. He too handed his red packets to Mrs. Wang, but he was too bashful to use honeyed words. Mrs. Wang also said that it was his pocket money and she would keep it for him. In the end, she still gave him 20 cents for spending.

In the morning of the second day, they cooked sweet rice wine eggs and steamed buns. The sweet rice wine was prepared by Chen Afu on the 27th, just in time for today, and she had Aunt Mu cook it.

Chen Afu made one large jar and two small jars, each sending a small jar to Tang Garden and Manager Luo’s house. This delicacy was loved by people in the south, but she didn’t send much because she didn’t know if it was well-liked in the north.

It was Chen Ming and the others’ first time tasting it, and they praised its rich and delicious flavor. Chen Afu also found it more delicious than in her previous life, perhaps because of the water quality at home.

Today was the day to visit the mother’s home. Their family had no unmarried daughter to visit, and Mrs. Wang had no mother’s home to go back to. The family huddled together on the bed in the West Room of the upper house, laughing and talking. Occasionally, Alu and Dabao would run outside to set off firecrackers or just run around a bit.

By late morning, Mrs. Wei came.