Our Family's Daughter Has Grown Up (7)
T/N: Chapter sponsored by Kim, Christiine, Nøïr! Thank you for supporting!
He really was moved. In the past, on his birthday every year, Su Su Xin would always make him a bowl of longevity noodles, even saying that one must eat longevity noodles on birthdays. This year, Su Su Xin died. He thought that this year, he won't have noodles to eat anymore, but unexpectedly Du Xiao Li made himself a bowl! That's why, when he saw the noodles, his tears uncontrollably squeezed out.
"I remember every year during the new years, mother would always make a bowl of noodles for you. Now that mother isn't here anymore, before you find yourself a wife, I will make this noodle for you. Quick, see how it tastes, otherwise the noodles will bloat up." Du Xiao Li urged.
"En!" Du Xiu Heng picked up the chopsticks and took a bite, saying: "Very delicious, the same as the ones mother made!"
"Haha, as long as it's good. Alright, big brother Luo Qi, big brother Zhang Rui, let's eat too." Du Xiao Li said, afterwards went for the ribs in front of her.
In her past life, she lost her loved ones when she was very small. No one has ever cared for her, and she also never cared for someone else before either. Right now, to be able to make a bowl of longevity noodles for her family, even she herself felt incomparably happy.
After eating, Du Xiao Li had Du Xiu Heng and Zhang Rui sent back to the school, and afterwards headed back with Luo Qi on foot. However, once they reached a place with no one around, they both flew away using qinggong.
As the saying goes, once the eight of the twelfth month (Laba) passes, it is the new year. As soon as the Laba festival passed, the entire village began brimming with the new years festivity. Unlike Du Xiao Li, who'd long had the things for the new years prepared, everyone all began preparing after Laba. However, the things they needed to prepare weren't like Du Xiao Li's and needed a very long time before it can be eaten. That's why, preparing a little later, they can eat it just in time for the new year.
(T/N: Laba literally just means eighth of the twelfth lunar month.)
As per tradition, Du Xiao Li and Luo Qi had the house cleaned prior the twenty-third of the twelfth month. Because it was a new house, there weren't much that needed to be cleaned. In the afternoon of the twenty-second of the twelfth month, Du Xiu Heng's new year's holiday began, because on the twenty-third that day, the government officials will be celebrating the little year*.
(*T/N: This is one of those older traditional holidays that's rooted in Chinese mythology and Daoism; the sacrificing to the Kitchen god is a part of this holiday.)
On the twenty-third this day, Du Xiao Li, Du Xiu Heng and Luo Qi woke up early to offer sacrifices to the Kitchen god. On the twenty-fourth they celebrated the little year, and out of courtesy, she still went to go invite her third uncle and fourth uncle's family.
Du Xiang and Du Ping, previously, because were afraid of Du Fu, this eldest brother, watched on helplessly as they kicked the siblings out. That's why, afterwards, when Du Xiao Li's living conditions improved, they didn't come fawn over either. And now that Du Xiao Li invited them for a reunion, they even found it somewhat embarrassing.
Du Xiao Li although knew that they weren't her actual blood-related uncles, for better or worse, they were still Du Hai's brothers. For their mother's and their sake, Du Hai can be said to have devoted a lot of effort. Even though Du Xiang and Du Ping didn't extend a helping hand to them when they were in trouble, at least they didn't throw stones at someone who was down either.
The third brother, Du Xiang, has a wife and three kids. Fourth brother, Du Ping's wife has passed away, leaving behind only two sons.
Du Xiao Li made two tables of dishes. Recently, she's taught Luo Qi how to make some simple dishes, so Luo Qi right now could also help her with some small tasks and whatnot.
As for Du Fu's family, they've long been excluded by Du Xiao Li.
Du Xiao Li had the previously marinated dry meat and sausage steamed for everyone to try. Regardless whether it was adult or child, everyone all said it was delicious.
Luo Qi compared the ones that were smoked with pine wood with the ones that weren't smoked and discovered that the flavor was very different. However, both were very delicious.
When the finished eating, the third brother's wife carried the dishes into the kitchen along with Du Xiao Li. After putting down the dishes, she stood to the side and watched Du Xiao Li boil hot water to wash the dishes. Seeing Du Xiao Li intently minding her own business, she thus shyly and awkwardly asked if she can give them a bit.
(T/N: Author doesn't specify what exactly so I'm not sure what she wants either.)
Du Xiao Li looked to the third one's wife and very bluntly refused, "On the twentieth that day, I sent quite a bit over to Madam Li and the county magistrate. Right now, there's already not much left."
Previously, she did indeed give some to Li Xue Qing and Li Xue Mei, but that didn't mean she didn't have anymore. Just, this third one's wife really is somewhat greedy and insatiable. Her inviting them over for a meal was nothing more than seeing on Du Hai's behalf. This one rather knows how to climb up along the pole!
Hearing Du Xiao Li say it like that, her face flushed red and resentfully shot a glare at Du Xiao Li, before turning to leave the kitchen.
If it was that girl in the past, she could still imitate Cui-shi and make things difficult for her, but she currently had connections with the county magistrate, so even if she was unsatisfied, she could only swallow it into her stomach.
Else, she could steal from the county magistrate?
Du Xiao Li sensed her dissatisfaction and heard her gathering her kids to go back outside. After letting out a cold snort, she turned around and added a bit of firewood into the stove. Then, she reached her hand in to test the waters. Feeling that the temperature was just about right, she finally had the fire put out and began washing the dishes.
She'd previously thought that third one's wife came in to help her wash the dishes, but turns out, she just came to asking for something. And the third family's three children all left with their mother. When they left, they didn't even say a single word of farewell. Rather, Du Ping's two children came in, and said they wanted to help Du Xiao Li wash the dishes.
Du Xiao Li didn't hold back either and let them each wash some with herself. All the way until all the dishes were done, the two brothers finally shook the water off their hands, bid Du Xiao Li and Du Xiu Heng farwell, and went back.
After today, Du Xiao Li more or less had Du Xiang and Du Ping's family figured out.
From the twenty-fifth to the twenty-ninth, these few days all went by very peacefully. In the blink of an eye, the lunar new year's eve arrived.
Last day of the lunar year, the night of the lunar new year's eve.
During the day, Du Xiao Li thinking that tonight they were going to see the new year together, ran into her room to go fiddle with something. Du Xiu Heng and Luo Qi both didn't know what she was doing. Until after dinner, while everyone was sitting in the central room, preparing to start the boring wait for the new year. At this time, Du Xiao Li ran to her room and brought out a set of playing cards, saying: "Let's play cards."
"Cards?"
Du Xiao Li took out the imitation playing cards she made and said, "Let's play Fight the Landlord."
(T/N: I played this once in college, and tbh I still have no idea how it works---.)
"What's Fight the Landlord?" Luo Qi asked with a smile.
"It's a kind of playing card game, very simple. I'll teach you. You'll know how to play immediately." Du Xiao Li said.
She first had the card's suits and numbers explained to them. Then, she explained to them the rules of Fight the Landlord, and the two very quickly understood. By the time they got the hang of it, the three of them thus began playing in the central room. Afterwards, because the weather was too cold, they decided to move their battle into Du Xiu Heng's bedroom. The three of them huddled on the bed and continued battling.
By the zi-hour(11pm-1am), waves of firecrackers sounded in the village. Du Xiao Li also in the moment prior, stopped their game and went into the courtyard, waiting for the arrival of the new year. Hearing the other families setting off firecrackers, Luo Qi also had the firecrackers in the courtyard lit.
"Pi Li Pa L---"
Du Xiao Li covered her ears and stood together with Du Xiu Heng and Luo Qi, watching the firecracker emit sparks, lighting up the night. Her first year here has finally passed.
At the same time, thousands of miles away in the capital city, the mourning bell in the palace sounded. A sharp voice mournfully shouted, "His Majesty has passed-----"
This year, for Feng Ming, should be the most cheerless year. Because the emperor passed away, the entire country halted all entertainment activity. Everyone all observed a period of mourning for the emperor.
However, this didn't have any affect towards the remote little mountain village's Du Xiao Li. She still ate and drank whenever she wanted, practiced martial arts when she should, and when she was free, go visit the winery. When the tangerine tree germinated, she began tidying the tangerine tree's soft shoots.
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