Chapter 81: Relatives Gathering
Zhu Yanyi looked at the glass cup in her hand. The sugar water was warm, not hot to hold. She took a careful sip. It was white sugar water, sweet and simple. This simple cup of sugar water carried the Qi family’s blessings for everyone.
“You came so early.” Xie Zhong arrived with Qi Qiao’er, Xie Shengyu, and Xie Chengyu.
“Father, Mother.” Zhu Shunyao stood up quickly and took the woven grass basket from Xie Zhong’s hand.
“Sister, Brother.” Qi Jizong came out, followed by his wife, Luo Wenhua.
“Jizong, Ah Hua.” Qi Qiao’er smiled. “You will be busy again today.”
“We are busy all year, but happy on this one day.” Luo Wenhua was virtuous and capable, good at everything inside and outside the home.
“Sister, it is good you are here. I will make egg rice cakes for you.” Qi Jizong smiled and said to the side. “Ci Di, come light the fire.”
“Yes.” Qi Jizong’s second daughter, Qi Ci Di, answered and came out. After greeting Xie Zhong and the others, she went into the kitchen to help.
The Qi Jizong family served egg rice cakes as snacks for guests. They cut rice cakes, boiled them in hot water, added two poached eggs, and topped it with a spoonful of white sugar. The eggs were from their own chickens, so they had no fishy smell and were very fresh. This snack combined sweet fragrance, egg aroma, and sticky rice cake scent. It was delicious. Zhu Yanyi liked it too.
Since the family gathered rarely, Qi Jizong always prepared the snacks well. Everyone usually arrived by 9:30. They ate egg rice cakes around 10:00, then lunch around 11:30. After chatting, they ate dumpling snacks around 2:00, then went home.
On the first day of the New Year, they gathered at Qi Jizong’s house. On the second day, at Xie Zhong’s. Originally, it should have been the other way around. But everyone visited graves on the first day. The Qi family lived near the mountain, which was convenient. So, they decided on Qi Jizong’s house for the first day, and the Xie family for the second. From the third day, it was the younger generation’s turn. Since only Xie Jingyu was married in the Xie family, they usually went to his dormitory on the fourth day. On the third day, they stayed at Zhu Shunyao’s house. For the Zhu family, besides New Year greetings on the first day, other invitations were usually after the fifth day. Guests on the fifth day were not special relatives. So, on the third day, Zhu Shunyao usually invited the Xie and Qi families, and close friends. Other Zhu relatives would come after the fifth day. If they came, they were relatives. If not, he did not force it.
Zhu Shunyao had long held a grudge against the Zhu family, though he had not shown it yet.
After lunch at the Qi house, Qi Jizong gave New Year red envelopes to Zhu Yanli, Zhu Yanyi, and Xie Shiyun. Each got one envelope, wrapped in red paper. They were not as pretty as modern red envelopes, but felt very sincere.
Zhu Yanyi and Zhu Yanli thanked her obediently, then handed the red envelopes to Xie Xinlian.
Even if Zhu Yanyi wanted to keep the red envelope, her family’s situation made it impossible to save private money. So, she handed it over generously.
Xie Xinlian did not open the red envelopes. She smiled and put them away. After finishing the afternoon snacks, as everyone left, they agreed to gather at the Xie house tomorrow.
“Every time we visit Uncle’s house, he treats us so well.” Zhu Shunyao and Xie Xinlian said this when they returned home.