Xu Yi went to the kitchen. Gu Yueyue looked at the suitcases in the living room, her lips slightly curved, and helped Xu Yi take the luggage to the bedroom. She tidied it up neatly and took out some things to wash.
Gu Yueyue had just finished her work when Xu Yi prepared the dumplings.
The little one circled around her legs, occasionally standing on tiptoe to peek, looking like it couldn't wait to eat the dumplings.
Xu Yi served two bowls.
"What about yours?" Gu Yueyue asked curiously when she saw that Xu Yi hadn't served her any.
Xu Yi smiled and said, "I've already eaten at Ono-nee's house."
"Mmm." Gu Yueyue sat down to eat with Xiaoxiao. It was her favorite flavor. When she was little, her mother would make dumplings like this for her during festivals. She hadn't eaten it for many years. Later, Xiaoye brought her some dumplings from home, and she immediately fell in love with this home-style flavor.
Every year after that, during holidays and festivals, Ono's mother would prepare a portion for her.
This year, probably because there's been a new addition to my family, I prepared extra portions of dumplings.
"Teacher Gu, I've learned how to make dumplings from Aunt Zhang. I'll make them for you whenever you want."
"Okay. Thank you, Xiao Xu." Gu Yueyue smiled, picked up a dumpling, and held it to Xu Yi's lips. "A reward!"
Xu Yi quickly opened her mouth to catch it, smiling even more happily than Gu Yueyue.
Xiao Xiao, who was standing to the side, had a much smaller appetite these days. After quickly eating a few bites, she felt full and couldn't help but let out a burp.
Xu Yi and Gu Yueyue's attention was drawn to Xiao Xiao.
Xu Yi noticed what Xiao Xiao was holding in her left hand. "Is that a red envelope?"
"Yes. They give small amounts of lucky money."
After finishing her soup, Gu Yueyue wiped her mouth, smiled, and said to Xu Yi, "You have some too."
Xu Yimo's eyes lit up as he looked at Gu Yueyue with anticipation.
"Wait a minute, I'll go get them for you." Gu Yueyue got up and went back to her room, quickly returning with several red envelopes.
She handed one of the gifts to Xu Yi and said with a smile, "This is the New Year's money from last night. I forgot to give it to you when you came back in such a hurry."
"Thank you, Teacher Gu." Xu Yi quickly accepted the money. Like Xiao Xiao, this was the first time she had received New Year's money, and she was overjoyed.
Gu Yueyue still had a few red envelopes in her hand, so she took one and gave it to Xu Yi, saying, "This is your New Year's red envelope for today. I hope you will be happy every day in the new year."
Xu Yi took the envelope, pursed her lips slightly, and decided not to give Gu Yueyue a red envelope.
"What's wrong?" Gu Yueyue noticed the change in her mood. "Are you unhappy?"
"No, Teacher Gu. I... I didn't prepare a red envelope." Xu Yi felt a little ashamed. She seemed to be quite incompetent, not even noticing something like this.
Gu Yueyue smiled and didn't seem to mind. "Then we'll remember this for now. Don't forget it next year, Xiao Xu."
This made Xu Yi a little happier. She liked listening to Gu Yueyue talk about the future, even if that future was only a few decades long.
There were still a few red envelopes left, and Gu Yueyue took one and gave it to Xiaoxiao.
Xiao Xiao happily accepted the red envelope and ran to her toy room to carefully put it away.
A note from the author:
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 21:18:16 on March 13, 2022 and 15:01:54 on March 14, 2022!
Thank you to the little angels who watered with nutrient solution: 10 bottles; Mini Sheep 2 bottles;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter 116
After Xu Yi finished washing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen, the doorbell rang again.
Gu Yueyue opened the door, and Xiao Ye stood outside carrying large and small bags.
"Sister, lend a hand quickly, my hand is about to break."
Actually, even without her saying anything, Gu Yueyue had already started helping.
"You always bring so much stuff every year. People who don't know better would think I'm accepting bribes." Gu Yueyue carried the gifts into the house, feeling the weight of the New Year's presents. She was both amused and exasperated.
"Oh, sis... please. My mom has been on the phone nagging me about it, please stop. My ears are practically calloused." Ono carried the things into the house and then went downstairs twice more.
On his third trip back, he even brought a delivery guy with him.
Xu Yi sat in the living room, looking at the mountain of things piled up in front of her.
Ono drove her home in the morning, but when they got to the apartment complex, Ono told her to go home first, saying she needed to buy something.
Xu Yi looked at the small hill in front of her again. Some agents call these 'a little something'?
"Teacher Gu, this is..."
Xu Yi asked with a puzzled look. Gu Yueyue was pouring water for Xiao Ye. Hearing Xu Yi's unfinished question, she was both amused and exasperated. "These are the New Year's gifts that Xiao Xu and her mother sent. They should have also made up for last year's New Year's goods."
Ono took the water glass and gulped it down. After finishing, she started talking non-stop, "You bet my mom is really overdoing it. She said she didn't prepare any New Year's goods last year, so she asked me to send them all over at once today. It's definitely too much."
"That's nothing. When I was buying New Year's gifts, she called me and told me how much to buy." Ono pointed to a foot bath tub. "I don't know where she went to listen to a health lecture. She insisted that I prepare a massage foot bath tub for you, saying that the first step for a woman to love herself is to start by loving her feet."
"But soaking your feet more is good too," Ono muttered to himself. "Traditional Chinese medicine seems to advocate soaking your feet more often."
"Why did you prepare so many this year?" Not only was Xu Yi surprised, but Gu Yueyue was also astonished. She had received many New Year's gifts before, but this was the first time she had ever seen a pile of gifts taller than hers.
Ono pouted and looked at Xu Yi and Xiao Xiao, "Isn't it because your family has a new member? You should give several more gifts."
"Thank you so much, Auntie. You've worked so hard too, Xiao Ye." Gu Yueyue handed Xiao Ye the red envelope she had prepared beforehand. "This is a red envelope I prepared for you as your older sister, and this one... is a red envelope I prepared for you as your boss."
Ono quickly accepted it, felt its thickness, and smiled with narrowed eyes. "Don't worry, boss! Thank you so much for the red envelope encouragement. In the new year, no... in every year to come, I will definitely work harder to repay the company and repay the boss for his kindness and care. I wish the boss a happy new year, all the best, and that all your wishes come true!"
"Okay." Gu Yueyue smiled again. In the past, with Xiao Ye keeping her company, the holidays wouldn't feel too lonely. This year, with two more people at home, and Xiao Ye being mischievous again, it's become quite lively.
"Let's have lunch here. Let Auntie come too." Gu Yueyue invited Xiao Ye to stay, just like in previous years. However, Xiao Ye's mother used to live alone in the countryside, but this year she could come and celebrate the holiday with them.
Ono glanced at Xu Yi and Xiao Xiao, "Let's not trouble ourselves. I'll just go home and stay with my mom."
Gu Yueyue took out her phone and looked at it. "Yin Yu will be coming over later. It'll be more fun to eat together with more people. Let Auntie come too."
Ono hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded, "Okay, I'll go back and pick up my mom."
"Okay. Don't take anything else." Gu Yueyue reminded her as she left. Xiao Ye waved her hand, "I won't take anything, but I can't control my mom."
After Xiao Ye left, Gu Yueyue began to sort through the gifts that were laid out in the living room. There were toys and clothes for Xiao Xiao, as well as clothes and shoes for Xu Yi. There were many and varied gifts for her, including food, drinks, and other necessities, and several sets of clothes and shoes.
Gu Yueyue packed her things, and Xu Yi helped her along. Xiao Xiao, on the other hand, took a new toy and started playing with it.
"Teacher Gu, should we go to Mom's place?"
While sorting through the gifts, Xu Yi could sense that Gu Yueyue missed her mother, which is why she asked that question.
"We'll go tomorrow." Gu Yueyue sniffed and added, "We used to go on the second day of the new year."
"Okay, Xiaoxiao and I will go with you." Xu Yi called out to Xiaoxiao, "Xiaoxiao, shall we go see Grandma tomorrow?"
Looking up slightly, the child's tone was always cheerful, "Yes, yes, I miss Grandma."
Gu Yueyue smiled and reached out to pat the little head.
This year is wonderful. The house is so lively, and even the plants she's been growing for so long seem to be thriving this winter.
Yin Yu also brought gifts when she came, but they weren't as extravagant as those from Xiao Ye.
She had prepared three sets: a custom-made necklace for Gu Yueyue and a bracelet for Xu Yi.
"I specially had a couple's outfit designed for you, but since you two don't plan to go public, I had it made like this. How about that? Pretty thoughtful, right? I won't say anything more. To be blunt, I wish you two a long and happy life together."
"Thank you, PD Yin." Xu Yi happily accepted the two gifts. "I'll put them away."
Gu Yueyue nodded and smiled, telling her to do it.
Yin Yu brought the toys and food to Xiao Xiao.
"Thank you, Auntie."
"Oh my, our little one is still so well-behaved. Come here and let Auntie give you a kiss."
Yin Yu was prepared to struggle to pick up Xiao Xiao, but she easily bent down and held the little one in her arms.
She was a little stunned. "Little one, why aren't you fat anymore?"
"..." Xiao Xiao pouted. Does this person even know how to talk?
"Oh dear, I'm so sorry. Let Auntie give you a kiss~"
Xiao Xiao started to dislike her and struggled to get out of her arms. Yin Yu played with her happily and turned back to Gu Yueyue, laughing, "Your precious daughter is so much fun. She's so lively. When I found out you were going to have a child, I was worried that you, this old cadre, would raise another little cadre."
Gu Yueyue couldn't help but chuckle. She had been worried that her quiet nature might make Xiaoxiao less lively as well.
Thankfully, nothing terrible happened.
"By the way, Ma Youcai is alone today. Should we call him and invite him over to join us for some fun?"
Yin Yu and Gu Yueyue said.
Gu Yueyue frowned slightly. "How could he be living alone?"
Ma Youcai and his wife have a great relationship. In the past, he would either stay at home with his wife or go to his parents' house with her.
As for Ma Youcai's parents, his situation is quite similar to Xu Yi's. His parents passed away when he was very young, and his maternal grandmother raised him. His maternal grandmother also passed away the year he graduated from university.
Yin Yu could tell from her expression that he had misunderstood, so she quickly said, "It's Ma's wife who went on a trip with her parents. Ma Youcai was originally supposed to be on set without leave, but the male lead's wife gave birth today, so he skipped work to go back and be with her. Old Ma was forced to take leave, and he had nowhere to go."
"He asked me this morning if I wanted to go drinking. I said I wanted to come over, but he said he'd find his own fun."
After understanding the reason, Gu Yueyue breathed a sigh of relief; it was good that the couple wasn't having a fight.
"Then I'll call him and ask."
Gu Yueyue took her phone to the balcony and came back with a smile after a while. "He went to Coach Liu's house. Coach Liu's daughter brought her girlfriend home for dinner today. Ma Youcai said it's more lively there."
"Okay, as long as Lao Ma has somewhere to go. Otherwise, it's too sad for him to be home alone."
After Yin Yu finished speaking, she turned around and played with Xiao Xiao again, barely looking at Xu Yi the whole time. To be honest, she was a little scared, since she didn't have a VIP membership with Xu Yi.
Ono returned quickly, just as she had said, unable to stop her mother from bringing things back; this time she returned with bags and bags of things as usual.
When Aunt Zhang saw Yin Yu, she was stunned for a moment, and Xiao Ye quickly introduced Yin Yu to her.
Aunt Zhang smiled and said, "I know, I know. I watched your variety show, and I really like you. You're handsome, eloquent, and truly a promising young man."