My Lord, my wife said she doesn't have time to talk to you.

Chapter 131 New Year

In the blink of an eye, New Year's Eve is here.

It was still dark when bursts of crackling firecrackers woke Huaying from her sleep. She tossed and turned but couldn't fall asleep, so she put on her cloak, got out of bed, and slowly walked to the window.

At this time, Qing He, who had been keeping watch, was also awakened by the sound of firecrackers. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he looked at the back of the young lady standing by the window and asked softly, "Young lady, it's not dawn yet, you should sleep a little longer. Some families are burning incense to their family gods now."

Huaying gazed into the distance. The lights on Chang'an Avenue were just beginning to light up, and people were already walking on the street. She murmured to herself, "Time flies. I've been here for so long..." Her words revealed a hint of emotion and nostalgia.

When I was a child in an orphanage, Gu Ling and Jing Jing were looking forward to the Chinese New Year. The director’s mother would buy them new clothes, eat dumplings stuffed with cabbage made by the aunt, and they also had red zodiac lanterns...

Later, they grew up and went to school outside. They worked during the holidays to save up for tuition and only got together during the New Year. I remember that on the last New Year's Eve, we cooked hot pot at Gu Ling's house.

When Jingjing walked in and saw a table full of delicious food, he gave a thumbs up to Gu Ling who was busy in the kitchen and said, "Good job, brother. Your cooking skills have improved a lot in these few months." As he said that, he picked up a cherry tomato and put it in his mouth.

Gu Ling came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of mutton rolls and said, "Of course not. When my daughter Huaying marries us in the future, I will make sure she is plump and white. You can eat with her whenever you want."

Jingjing chewed some fruit while walking and said, "You've been saying that for 200 years, and Huaying hasn't gained weight."

The three of them grew up together, and Huaying never took such jokes seriously and always just laughed it off.

That night, everyone drank a little too much and sang loudly to the fireworks blooming outside the window. At that moment, she was really happy...

"Miss, please go back to bed. It's too cold by the window." Qinghe looked at her young lady standing by the window, staring outside in a daze, and couldn't help but persuade her.

Huaying was interrupted by Qinghe's voice. She sighed and murmured softly, "It's true that every festive season makes me miss my family even more."

Qing He heard this and teased her with a smile: "Miss, your relatives are all in the mansion. Are you missing Master Fu?"

Huaying was interrupted by her, and her homesickness dissipated a lot. She smiled helplessly and said, "You little girl, you are making fun of me. Well, go to bed."

As soon as the sky was light, Huaying followed her father, mother and brother to the ancestral temple to worship the family gods and pay homage to the ancestors. They were busy for most of the day.

Until night fell, Huaying dressed up and came to Chunhuayuan again, and went to the palace with her parents to attend the dinner...

Sitting in the carriage, Huaying listened to the laughter and joy on the street and could not help but lift the curtain. She saw the wide Chang'an Street was brightly lit, with lanterns and decorations everywhere, and it was very lively.

In the bustling crowd, there was a chubby child wearing a tiger-head hat, holding a candied haws in one hand and asking his mother to hug him with the other. Seeing this scene, Huaying's mouth curled up slightly and she slowly lowered the curtain.

Once we entered the palace, we saw bright lights and bustling people everywhere. Ministers were walking on the palace road with their families, and palace maids in winter coats were busy carrying trays in an orderly manner.

Huaying whispered to Shen Nanxing who was walking beside her, "Second brother, will the children of the ministers be asked to perform their talents at this palace banquet again?"

Shen Nanxing looked at his younger sister with amusement, "Not today, we still have to offer sacrifices to the gods of heaven and earth later.