My Husband is a Drama King [Book Transmigration] 51p1

Chapter 51 p1: New Year’s Eve Dinner

When the New Year arrived, every family would reunite. Some of the children who were away would also take this opportunity to come back and see their families. Song Changxu and Xu Zhizhou had left in the spring and had returned this winter, having spent all four seasons outside.

News in the village was slow. Besides farming, they were mostly concerned with their children and grandchildren, and would praise the promising children in the village.

Song Changxu and Xu Zhizhou had left the village for the town, and this time they had brought back so many good things. In their eyes, they were very promising.

“Your Changxu and Zhizhou are both good. Now that they’re living in Jinhe County, they’ve become city people,” someone praised.

Song Ye and Liang Su had always been low-key in the village. This time, when they talked about their children with their fellow villagers, they showed a rare sense of pride and joy.

“Becoming city people is still a long way off. As long as the children are well outside, that’s enough.”

After a few words, Xu Zhizhou saw the village children coming over. He was prepared and took out a few candies for them.

The children were overjoyed.

Song Ye and Liang Su didn’t talk for long and then carried their bundles back. The wind and snow were still blowing. Liang Su smiled and said, “Let’s hurry back and warm ourselves by the fire.”

Song Changxu and Xu Zhizhou both agreed.

The group of them left a trail of footprints in the snow. They met more people in the village.

From time to time, someone would ask, “Old Song, why are you carrying so many things? Those two young men behind you look a bit familiar.”

Before Song Changxu and Xu Zhizhou could speak, Xu Cheng answered for them, “It’s my uncle and uncle-in-law. They’re back.”

“So it’s Changxu and Zhizhou.”

In the county town, they were familiar with the Feng family and would greet them when they met. They would also greet the other neighbors. But it was a different feeling in the village. Because the people in the village had watched the two of them grow up, they had endless things to talk about.

“They just left in the spring. Now that they’re back, we almost don’t recognize them,” someone said.

They were asked all the way back. When they got home, Song Mingyan came out of the kitchen. He had heard a few footsteps. Seeing that they were back, he smiled.

Liang Su put down the bundles. Seeing the New Year’s goods they had bought, she couldn’t help but scold, “It’s fine that you’re back, but don’t bring so many things next time. Your money doesn’t grow on trees. It’s not easy for you to be outside. We have the fields at home, and our life is good.”

She had wanted to say it as soon as she had seen all the things. She had met so many people on the way, so she couldn’t say it to save face for her children. Now that they were home, she couldn’t help but say it.

Song Changxu: “Don’t worry, Mother. Zhizhou and I are doing well outside. It’s a rare occasion to spend money, so we wanted to buy some good things to bring back.”

Xu Zhizhou echoed, “If we run out of money, we’ll just earn more. The New Year only comes once a year. We should celebrate it well.”

After putting away the bundles, Xu Zhizhou took out some fruits, washed them, and brought them out on a plate. “Have some fruit.”

Liang Su didn’t say any more. Since the two children had said so, they must have a plan. If she kept nagging about it, it would just make everyone unhappy on a happy occasion.

Xu Zhizhou had also bought a lot of dried goods. He took out the meat first.

Seeing this, Song Mingyan said, “So much meat. I don’t know when we’ll be able to finish it.”

“This chicken can be used to make soup,” Xu Zhizhou said.

They were reluctant to kill the chickens at home, as they were for laying eggs. They also bought chicken from the town.

“The rest of the meat can be used to make sausages or stir-fried.”

There were also four jars of good wine. They had also bought some things for the Xu family. When Song Ye saw the good wine, he couldn’t move.

“Let your father go with you to your in-laws’. Can you carry so many things?”

Song Changxu picked up the bundle. “Mother, I can carry it.”

Xu Zhizhou also helped to carry things. After the two of them had left, Xu Zhizhou immediately threw the bundle to Song Changxu and walked ahead with his hands empty.

Song Changxu: “…”

I knew it.

At the Xu family’s door, he asked Song Changxu for the bundle again and carried it in.

Xu Sunzheng was sitting by the fire, warming himself. Xu Zhici and Cao Qin were embroidering purses.

Xu Zhizhou knocked on the courtyard gate. “Father, Mother, Elder Brother, we’re back.”

Hearing his younger son’s voice, Xu Sunzheng came out. He smiled when he saw it was Xu Zhizhou and Song Changxu. “Why are you back today? You didn’t even send a letter, so we could have gone to pick you up.”

Xu Zhizhou threw the bundle to Xu Sunzheng. Song Changxu politely called out “Father-in-law.”

Xu Sunzheng: “Eh, come in and warm yourselves by the fire. It’s cold outside. It must have cost a lot to buy so many things.”

Xu Zhici and Cao Qin also came out to help carry the bundles. Song Changxu still carried them in himself. It wouldn’t be right to let his mother-in-law and elder brother carry them.

It was much warmer in the house. They closed one door and left the other open for more light.

“I’ve bought some fabric. See if you like it,” Xu Zhizhou said, unfolding the material he had bought.

Xu Zhici knew it was good material as soon as he touched it. “How much is this?”

Xu Zhizhou held the fabric up to Xu Zhici. “Don’t worry about how much it costs. This material suits you very well, Elder Brother.”

“Wow, this color makes you look like an unmarried young girl, Mother.”

Cao Qin’s face turned red at Xu Zhizhou’s words. She said with a playful reproach, “You child, what nonsense are you talking about?”

Xu Zhizhou made a face.

Song Changxu gave the two jars of wine to Xu Sunzheng. “This is the sorghum wine from the county. I don’t know if you’re used to it, Father-in-law.”

Xu Sunzheng opened the clay lid and smelled a rich aroma. “It smells like good wine. You’re very thoughtful.”

Smelling the wine, he was a little intoxicated. It was a world of difference from the yellow wine sold in the town.

Xu Zhizhou took a bolt of fabric and showed it to Xu Sunzheng. “Father, do you think this material suits you?”

Xu Sunzheng liked it as soon as he touched it. He squinted and nodded.

Cao Qin asked them to stay for dinner. Song Changxu said, “We still have some things to tidy up at home. We’ll come for dinner tomorrow.”

Xu Zhizhou nodded. The two of them were both dusty and a little tired.

Before he left, he secretly stuffed a box into Xu Zhici’s hands and winked at him.

After the two of them had left, the family tidied up the things they had brought. When Cao Qin saw that they were all good things, she couldn’t help but say, “These two children are so extravagant. They should be more frugal. Their expenses in the county are also high.”

Xu Sunzheng agreed. He put away the two jars of wine, opened one, found a small wine cup, poured himself a cup, and drank it down. It was fiery in his throat, very satisfying.

Cao Qin held the material and couldn’t help but touch it again and again, looking at it with great joy.

They still liked it.

Xu Zhici took the fabric back to his room, opened the box Xu Zhizhou had stuffed into his hands, and saw a begonia flower hairpin.

It was a silver hairpin, and the begonia flower was exquisitely carved.

Xu Zhici was shocked and couldn’t help but murmur, “This hairpin is not cheap. The gift Zhizhou gave is too heavy.”

He wore it and looked at himself in the bronze mirror, then carefully put it back in the box.

On the other side, after they had delivered the gifts, the two of them were much more relaxed when they left the Xu residence. They stepped on the snow, making a crunching sound.

Xu Zhizhou looked at the sky and quickened his pace. “Husband, let’s go. It’s going to snow heavily.”

Song Changxu: “Coming.”

Back in the courtyard, Xu Zhizhou saw that there was still snow on the shed of the chicken coop. He took a handful of snow and threw it on the ground, startling Song Changxu.

Xu Zhizhou walked away proudly.

Song Changxu: “…”

The family had brewed some barley tea. After a cup of hot tea, they were all warmed up. Song Mingyan and Liang Su were busy in the kitchen. Xu Zhizhou went in to help.

Liang Su said, “You’ve come back in such a hurry. The room is not yet tidy. There are quilts and bedsheets at home. You can go and tidy up later.”

Song Changxu had nothing else to do and also wanted to tidy up the bed early. After lunch, he would rest for a while.

The room was clean, and the windows were tightly closed. Song Changxu spread the bedsheet and put on the quilt and pillows. There were also his two pairs of cotton slippers at home, which were the warmest to wear in the winter.

Song Changxu hung his change of clothes in the wardrobe and also helped Xu Zhizhou to tidy up.

He also had three small boxes that looked like they were for skincare. Song Changxu placed them on the dressing table.

After he was done, his body warmed up. Liang Su’s voice came from outside.

“Changxu, time to eat.”

It was not yet the thirtieth of the twelfth month. They had made a stir-fried pork with cabbage, twice-cooked pork, and scrambled eggs with chives. For vegetable dishes, there was fried tofu, a plate of pickled vegetables to go with the rice, and fried peanuts.

Song Mingyan: “I was thinking of making a fish soup, but there wasn’t enough time. I’ll make a steamed fish soup in the evening and simmer it for a longer time.”

“This is already very good,” Song Changxu said.

They had a satisfying lunch.

Song Changxu went to sleep first. Xu Zhizhou was also a bit tired, so the two of them went to sleep together. When he woke up, it was already afternoon. Xu Zhizhou was still sleeping. He got up quietly and tucked him in.

The sound of conversation came from the main hall. Song Changxu tidied himself up and went out. The visitors were the village head’s family.

Song Ye and the village head were both smoking pipes, and Wang’s second son was also there. They were talking about some trivial matters in the village. Seeing Song Changxu, the village head quickly said, “Changxu is here.”

The village head put out his pipe. He pulled on Wang Erlang. “My second son’s knowledge is also not bad. I was thinking that you’re a learned person and wanted to ask you a few questions. I hope you don’t find him annoying.”

Wang Erlang quickly cupped his hands. “Brother Song.”

Song Changxu said, “You’re too kind, village head. If I can help Erlang, that’s good. I’m just afraid that my own learning is not good enough. When I’m in Qishan Village, if Erlang has any questions, and if I know, he can just ask.”

Wang Erlang knew his place. “Thank you, Brother Song.”

Song Changxu also had his own considerations. It was just a few questions from Wang Erlang. In Qishan Village, his parents still had to rely on the village head.

The village head had brought some pastries and meat. They left happily.

Song Changxu saw Xu Cheng still eating candy and ruffled his hair. “Eat less candy, or your teeth will rot.”

Xu Cheng showed Song Changxu a row of neat and white teeth. “My father bought me tooth powder. I brush my teeth every day, so they won’t rot. But since you’ve said so, uncle, I’ll eat a little less. I was just so happy that you came back today, so I couldn’t help but eat a few more pieces.”

Song Changxu gently flicked his forehead. “So it’s our fault for coming back?”

Xu Cheng shook his head.

He had never won an argument with his uncle. He might as well just concentrate on eating his candy.

After dinner in the village, looking at the sky, Xu Zhizhou had slept too much in the afternoon and was full of energy at night.

Back in the village, he didn’t have to think about the matters in the county. Xu Zhizhou brought some hot water to refill the tea. The family was harmonious and happy, warming themselves by the fire and chatting.

Song Ye asked, “How is Jinhe County? Is it good there?”

They had never been to the county town and had a vague impression of it. They had many questions.

Xu Zhizhou talked animatedly. They all listened quietly, exclaiming from time to time.

Seeing that the fire was about to go out, Song Changxu went to the kitchen to get two more logs to add. He refilled Xu Zhizhou’s empty teacup.

The sound of Xu Zhizhou and his family’s voices was in his ears. Song Changxu heard the crackling of the firewood, hidden in the sound of conversation, and the corners of his lips turned up.

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