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Chapter 715: Chapter 720 New Year’s Eve Dinner_1
The next day was New Year’s Eve, and everyone was bustling about from the early morning, even Lord Qin rolled up his sleeves and helped to sweep and clean the courtyard.
Although he often visited, Lord Qin had only stayed in the front yard and the residence.
It was his first time venturing into the backyard, only then realizing just how expansive Qiao Duo’er’s family home was, it must have been at least seven or eight acres.
One day when he grew tired of the deceit required in officialdom, he too would buy a residence and live a life like Qiao Duo’er’s, sparing his wife the envy she felt towards others.
Fortunately, Tan Zhenghong and Duo’er were diligent workers; despite the yard being full of poultry and livestock, it was very clean and not at all difficult to tidy up.
"Brother Qin, do you want to go back and rest for a bit?"
Tan Zhenghong asked timidly, seeing the County Magistrate sweeping for the first time.
Qin Longyun shook his head, "It’s fine, I’m used to doing these kinds of chores."
Although times have changed, he still needed to occasionally experience peasant life to remind himself of his original intentions upon entering office.
Tan Zhenghong nodded, thinking to himself that if everyone were like Lord Qin, how could there possibly be any poor people in this world?
Meanwhile, three women were busy posting Spring Festival couplets and paper-cut window decorations.
"Mrs. Tan, do you think the paper-cutting I’ve done is acceptable?"
ChunTao was skilled with her hands; the paper-cuts she crafted were lifelike and particularly attractive.
Qiao Duo’er gave a thumbs up, "Brilliant, hurry up and stick them up!"
Chen Yiling, who was pregnant, could only take charge of giving orders, making sure that Duo’er and ChunTao didn’t put them up crookedly.
Once they finished, the festive air was absolutely intoxicating, especially for Qiao Duo’er, as this was her first time experiencing such a lively Spring Festival.
She remembered that the previous New Year’s, she had cooked a bowl of dumplings, and after eating, she went to sleep beneath the glow of countless households’ lanterns.
Everyone was busy all day long.
It wasn’t until the evening that members of Hu’s Clan finally had time to come over with two young girls.
She handed Duo’er a red envelope, which Duo’er refused to accept regardless of the amount.
Having no other option, she decided to let the two girls bring festival gifts to her from then on.
Usually, only the Yue Family needed to give festival gifts, along with foster parents.
As far as Hu’s Clan and her daughters were concerned, Qiao Duo’er was like their foster parent.
A pig’s hind leg, six carp, two jars of Daughter’s Red wine, two bolts of fine cloth, two pounds of brown sugar, two sets of ready-made clothes—a total of six kinds of gifts, which in a peasant household was considered extremely respectable.
As New Year gifts must be accepted, Qiao Duo’er gave red envelopes to the two young girls. 𝓷ℴ𝓿𝓹𝓾𝓫.𝓬ℴ𝓶
Now with Hu’s Clan running the pork shop entirely, who could clearly say who was helping whom?
Before they could see Hu’s Clan out, Erhu and Chao Lian came over bearing gifts as well.
They owed their smooth marriage to the help of Tan Zhenghong and Duo’er, making this a sort of thank-you gift.
Seeing the pile of gifts that resembled a small hill, Chen Yiling suggested, "Why don’t we all just have the New Year’s Eve dinner here together? It’s more festive with more people."
Hu’s Clan was renting a small courtyard from others and at Erhu’s House, it was just the couple. Normally this was fine, but it felt too quiet on New Year’s, so they gladly accepted the invitation.
Qiao Duo’er had planned a hot pot dinner for New Year’s Eve, so classical favorites like fish cakes, shrimp paste, beef, and lamb were indispensable.
She had already frozen the meats outside, so Tan Zhenghong brought them back to be shaved into rolls with a plane.
Fish and shrimp were handed over to Lord Qin to be minced, then he would whisk the egg whites with a mixer, combine the minced fish and shrimp with the egg whites, and continue to beat with the mixer until sticky.
As one had to stir consistently in one direction, it was quite a physical task.
However, Lord Qin found it novel and worked hard at it enthusiastically.
Erhu was not idle either as he had to chop dumpling fillings and roll out dumpling wrappers; a reunion dinner without dumplings just didn’t seem complete.
Others were either picking and washing vegetables or making dumplings, never having a moment’s rest.
