NOVPUB
Chapter 716: Chapter 721 Surprise_1
Hands-on time arrived, and everyone gathered around the table.
The chicken soup in the pot was stewed to a creamy white, tempting everyone’s appetite.
But since this was their first time having it, they seemed a little lost.
"Just add whatever you want to the pot, cook it until it’s ready, but be careful not to scald yourself,"
Qiao Duo’er demonstrated first, picking up a beef roll and putting it into the pot.
Everyone followed suit and quickly got the hang of it.
The people here had a custom: the longer the New Year’s Eve dinner lasted, the better.
The fire kept burning, there was no worry about the food getting cold, so they ate at a leisurely pace for more than an hour, each person fully satisfied.
For the majority among them, this year held significant meaning—it was a turning point in their lives.
Before this year, life was bleak; after this year, there was only happiness and joy.
After the meal, women from Hu’s Clan and Chao Lian helped scrub the pots and wash the dishes before leaving.
On the first day of the New Year, Qiao Duo’er rose particularly early.
On this day, one had to wait until everyone in the family was up before opening the door, and whoever opened the door last would be the laughingstock of the village for a year.
All this seemed childish to Qiao Duo, but when in Rome, do as the Romans do—she did it for a festive touch.
Just as she got dressed, Tan Zhenghong came over to her. 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙥𝙪𝙗.𝒄𝙤𝙢
"Here’s your New Year’s gift, see if it’s what you imagined."
Tan Zhenghong slipped the diamond ring onto Qiao Duo’er’s ring finger; it fit just right.
The only regret was that he hadn’t found the platinum Qiao Duo’er mentioned, so he had to use silver instead.
As for the diamond, he bought it from a porcelain master, and after the jade shop owner polished it, he set it into the ring.
Qiao Duo’er playfully chided, "It’s roughly what I had in mind, I was just speaking off the cuff."
She had mentioned that modern people have diamond rings for marriage because diamonds have a stable structure, symbolizing eternal love.
Tan Zhenghong asked her what a diamond ring was, and so she described one.
She also incidentally lamented how, even in ancient times, there were diamonds, but they were used by porcelain masters to cut porcelain, which she considered a terrible waste.
She hadn’t expected that despite being an old married couple, he would still surprise her with such a grand gesture.
The diamond ring might be roughly made, but it was the thought that counted!
Tan Zhenghong held out his left hand, "I have one too. This way, from now on, you’ll always be mine."
However, he thought men shouldn’t be too flashy, so he didn’t include a diamond, just a plain ring.
"Oh, please! Hurry up and set off the firecrackers at the door!"
Qiao Duo’er was in high spirits, with the corners of her mouth curling up as she spoke.
Tan Zhenghong agreed cheerfully and went to set off the firecrackers at the door.
Hehe, his wife hadn’t disagreed just now!
Amidst the crackling of firecrackers, their prosperous new year began.
For breakfast, ChunTao made sweet wine Tangyuan, signifying a life full and sweet.
After breakfast, people started visiting each other to exchange New Year’s greetings, while children went from house to house asking for sweets and roasted nuts.
Qiao Duo’er was generous; when children came by, she gave out sweets and roasted nuts she had prepared early that morning. The children were also modest, taking just one or two before moving on to the next house.
Even so, by making their rounds through the village, their haul wasn’t small.
"I’ve noticed Hu’s Clan and Huang Zhong’s kids get along pretty well; I reckon it won’t be long for their parents’ matters to be settled," Chen Yiling whispered to Duo’er.
Qiao Duo nodded, "I think so too."
She saw that Aunt Huang intended to sell two acres of land in spring, to get started on arranging the two people’s affairs.
That way, Hu’s Clan would have someone to rely on, and Huang Zhong would have someone to take care of him in his later years.
