Chapter 159: Chinese New Year (3)
In the depths of winter, the cold night was bleak.
A lonely wind swayed through the withered brown branches. Beneath a night sky devoid of even a single star, the constant stream of vehicles on the streets had long since vanished.
The night of New Year’s Eve spread silently.
Bright red lanterns, colorful lights, and brilliant glows suddenly hit the night sky, dyeing the pitch-black darkness.
Inside every house, there was laughter, joy, and bright lights.
Silence and bustle were clearly demarcated.
“Cheers!”
Inside the villa, the seven people raised their glasses together to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new.
“Meow~”
Milk Tea, who had its own dining table, chirped adorably in celebration of the coming Spring Festival.
The fireplace crackled as warm flames burned. On the television screen, news anchors recounted the nationwide celebrations. The bright, clean windows reflected the earthly fireworks.
The people sitting together in a circle were filled with laughter. Everything at this moment was coated in a layer of beauty called “festive peace.”
Amidst the toasts, the New Year’s Eve dinner drew to a close. But the “New Year” was just beginning.
With a clear division of labor, the seven of them began clearing the dining table. Working together, they soon made the surface spotless.
Immediately after, someone quickly set up the Mahjong table and card table. Once everything was ready, everyone chose seats according to their preferences.
Those skilled at Mahjong sat around that table, while those unfamiliar with the rules headed for the card table, preparing for an intense battle of Poker.
On a side table, various snacks were neatly arranged: sunflower seeds, peanuts, nuts, candies, and of course, the addictive sugar oranges that one couldn’t stop eating.
If they got tired of the snacks, there were drinks and tea available to cleanse the palate.
At this time, the sounds of a cheerful and spirited choir echoed from the television as the annual Spring Festival Gala officially began.
Every New Year’s Eve, the Spring Festival Gala might not be watched intently, but it always served as background noise in every household.
“Hu-le!”
An excited shout came from Tong Shenyi, who had always maintained an elite demeanor.
He was currently beaming with a flushed face, making it hard to tell if it was the joy of winning the Mahjong hand or the alcohol from dinner that had reddened his cheeks.
On the other side, Gu Wanrong, whose luck was average, finally won her first victory of the night after a hard-fought battle.
“Pair of Jokers! Bomb!”
Her originally beautiful and delicate face was already covered in colorful small paper strips, but she didn’t care at all.
How could the New Year be spent only at the card table?
Time had quietly reached 10:30 PM.
Gu Wanrong blinked her lively eyes and asked everyone out of curiosity, “In the past, I’ve always eaten Tangyuan during the New Year. I wonder if you all eat Tangyuan or Jiaozi?”
As soon as she spoke, Tong Shenyi was the first to shout, “Tangyuan!”
Immediately after, Tong Shenqi responded without hesitation, “Jiaozi!”
At this point, Tong Shenwu cut in with a giggle, “Oh, I’m not that picky. Whether it’s Tangyuan or Jiaozi, I think they’re both delicious. If both were placed in front of me, I could definitely finish them all off!”
Hearing this, everyone couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Tong Shenba sat nearby and nodded in agreement. “Me too.”
She wasn’t a picky eater; as long as it was delicious, she wouldn’t refuse anything.
Gu Wanrong nodded slightly. “Then let’s wrap some Jiaozi and some Tangyuan.”
But she was curious.
After all, weren’t these people all adopted and carefully raised by people arranged by the System? Logically, their living environments should have been similar. How could even their New Year dietary customs be different?
As Tong Shen’er clumsily started wrapping Jiaozi following a video tutorial, he explained casually, “Actually, most of us grew up abroad and stayed in foreign lands for work. There isn’t such a strong New Year atmosphere or traditional customs there.”
“It’s just that between Jiaozi and Tangyuan, as a meat lover, I choose Jiaozi!”
The others echoed him, stating their situations were roughly the same.
“Actually, there are meat Tangyuan too,” Gu Wanrong suddenly remembered hearing that some regional customs involved savory meat-filled rice balls.
When this topic was mentioned, a rare look of reminiscence appeared on Butler Liu’s usually steady and dignified face. She slowly began to recount a long-buried past.
Butler Liu was over twenty years older than Gu Wanrong, the youngest person present. She had once been married.
Speaking of her ex-husband’s family, their ancestral home was also in City C. Every year, the first meal on New Year’s Day had to be Tangyuan. Butler Liu had spent many New Year holidays with her ex-husband’s family; over time, she developed the habit of eating Tangyuan on the first day of the New Year.
Even though she had been divorced for a long time—so long that time had blurred those memories—the habit formed over many years was like an imprint deep in her soul, hard to change.
As Butler Liu recounted this past, her tone was as flat as a still lake. There was no trace of regret or anger; it was as if the protagonist of the story she told wasn’t herself, but a stranger unrelated to her.
Gu Wanrong, who had been listening quietly, saw how openly Butler Liu discussed her past. She thought to herself: although Butler Liu was clearly being this open because she saw everyone as close family, such a topic was somewhat heavy. It was better to change it quickly.
So, she smiled and interjected, “Do you know what the symbolic meaning of eating Tangyuan on the first day of the year is for us here?”
“Hoping that life will be sweet?” Tong Shenyi guessed excitedly. One should know he was an uncompromising fan of sweets.
However, Gu Wanrong shook her head gently, a mysterious smile on her lips, as if saying, “Oh my, you didn’t guess right!”
At this time, Tong Shenwu leaned in, holding a freshly rolled Tangyuan. She held the round, chubby little thing high and said proudly, “Could it be… family reunion?”
She asked with confidence, feeling she would definitely guess correctly this time.
Unfortunately, Gu Wanrong still shook her head firmly, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Seeing this, Tong Shenwu instantly lost her spirit and pouted, “How is that still wrong…”
On the other side, Tong Shenqi quietly slipped from the Jiaozi station to Butler Liu’s side. She nudged Butler Liu’s waist with her elbow and pleaded in a low voice, “Sister Liu, tell me secretly, okay?”
She even looked at Butler Liu while acting cute.
However, none of this escaped Gu Wanrong’s eyes.
She crossed her arms in a large “X” in front of her chest and scolded playfully, “No cheating!”
Translator’s Note: “Tangyuan” (汤圆) are sweet rice balls, while “Jiaozi” (饺子) are dumplings. Generally, Southern China eats Tangyuan and Northern China eats Jiaozi for the New Year, but individual family traditions vary. “Bomb” (炸 – Zhà) is a term in Poker for a set of four cards of the same rank. “Pair of Jokers” is the strongest “bomb.”
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