Transmigration: A Farm Girl’s Brocade
Chapter 289 - 184 Father and Daughter_3

Chapter 289: Chapter 184 Father and Daughter_3

In the main room of the residence, a charcoal brazier burned hot, and the door was draped with thick cotton curtains, keeping it quite warm. Two tables were set, with all the masters seated at the larger one, and Qian Hua, Old man Cai, and Mr. Yu at the smaller one. Mr. Yu began at the larger table, but after Qian Sangui left it, he moved to the smaller one to continue drinking with those two.

Qian Xiaoyu, Qian Siwu, and Cai Xiaohua stood by to serve.

Before the meal, they had also invited Master Lu, who was toiling away in the back yard, but despite it being New Year’s, he was adamant about working overtime without rest.

There was also an empty set of bowls and chopsticks at the main table, left for the deceased Manjiang. The bowls were filled with a few pieces of fish and vegetables, which Cheng Yue had picked out according to her own taste.

A gust of cold wind blew in—it was Qian Yijin lifting the curtain to return. He laughed and said, "The dam is bustling; not only are the worker’s children there, but many kids from the village have come as well."

Old man Cai chuckled and replied, "That’s how the world goes; everyone, and even money, gravitates towards where the action is."

His words sent Qian Sangui into a hearty laugh. Having eaten from afternoon until night, Qian Sangui was already tired, but he couldn’t bear to go back to his room for rest and instead leaned on the arhat bed, watching everyone eat and laugh together.

Lady He brought over a basin of gingko and chicken dumplings, the last course of the New Year’s feast. Although everyone was already full, the steaming soup still tempted a few to want a bowl.

Lady Wu tore off a chicken drumstick and put it in a bowl, then ladled two spoonfuls of soup into it, asking Su Siwu to bring it to Qian Sangui. She placed the other drumstick into Qian Manxia’s bowl.

Qian Manxia hastily demurred, "This drumstick should go to Mother or Mr. Yu."

The third wife of the Qian family now frequently ate chicken, but the drumsticks were still reserved for the head of the family Qian Sangui and Graduate Mr. Yu, sometimes left for Old man Qian and his wife, and the younger siblings occasionally got a taste. Lady Wu and Cheng Yue had it once or twice amidst illness. Only Qian Manxia, neither old nor young and in good health, had never tasted chicken drumstick since birth.

Lady Wu smiled and said, "This is Auntie Xia’s last New Year’s feast at home. In the future, she can only return home on the second day of the New Year. Ah, Father and Mother have wronged you; you’ve worked hard and eaten little since childhood..." She couldn’t finish her sentence before her eyes reddened, and she added, "Be obedient and eat this drumstick."

Qian Manxia’s eyes also welled up. She was not good at expressing herself and could only choke out a "Mother" before bowing her head and slowly eating the drumstick.

Listening to this, the hearts of the younger siblings Qian Sangui and Qian Yijin also grew a bit sour.

Mr. Yu joked from the side, "The Wan family lacks for nothing, least of all meat, and Wan Dazhong is also known to dote on his wife. Once Miss Qian marries in, if not every day, she’ll definitely enjoy chicken drumsticks every few days."

With his words, everyone laughed, and Qian Manxia blushed so deeply her head nearly dipped into her bowl.

After clearing the meats and fish, dumplings were served. Cheng Yue ate two and then felt a bit tired. Yixiu accompanied her back to the room to rest, while the others continued to feast.

Lying in bed, Yixiu’s one hand felt the warm Grandma Tang, while her mother tightly clutched the other. Her mother seemed to have fallen asleep, but her hand hadn’t let go. At New Year’s, her mother always appeared much more fragile than usual.

Scattered bangs of firecrackers sounded outside, and laughter from the main room drifted in from time to time. Yixiu’s thoughts turned to the young uncle buried at Song River—images of the handsome youth flashed before her eyes. And Monkey Brother, Dashan, Tiaotiao—these mischievous children, becoming wilder at heart, had already been out for half a month and still hadn’t returned...

It was on the second day of the new year that the "mischievous children" returned home. It was a day of rain and snow, overcast and cold, with muddy roads. Qian Xiang and Qian Manwan returned to Qian’s Main Courtyard. Duo Duo had come to ask for help. As it was too cold for Qian Sangui to leave his room, he sent Qian Yijin and Qian Manxia to the main building.

Yixiu did not go; she needed to stay with Cheng Yue at home.

Not long before noon, several "mud monkeys" arrived home. Even Old man Cai, who opened the door for them, was thrilled, bellowing, "Sisters, sisters, Monkey Brother and Dashan, Tiaotiao are back, and White Wolf has also come for a visit!"

Yixiu inside the house heard this and hurriedly ran out. Monkey Brother and Tiaotiao wanted to pounce on her, but she stepped back and exclaimed, "Don’t, you’re filthy, let’s wait until after the bath."

But she saw Monkey Brother extending his little dirty paw, holding a few round and grubby objects. Yixiu gasped, snatched them up, and wiped them with a handkerchief, revealing five glossy, well-rounded pearls inside, clearly the produce from Cave Sky Pool.

Yixiu’s mind buzzed, and she quickly wadded the handkerchief into a ball and stuffed it into her bosom.