Chapter 270 - 268: Preparing the New Year’s Eve Dinner

Chapter 270: Chapter 268: Preparing the New Year’s Eve Dinner

The busy days flew by. By the twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month, Zhou Lian and Li Xiu had finally wrapped up most of their work. It was past midnight when they returned from their company’s annual gala. After quickly washing up, they fell asleep in each other’s arms and didn’t wake until the sun was high in the sky on the morning of New Year’s Eve.

Seeing Sister Fang waiting in the dining room, the two of them didn’t stand on ceremony. They quickly ate breakfast, ready to start the day’s busy preparations with her. Li Xiu needed to put up the Spring Festival couplets in each of their courtyards. He’d been so busy this year that he hadn’t even had time to write them. Fortunately, Professor Xiao and Professor Fan had already written them all out, guided by Sister Fang’s memory of couplets from years past. Li Xiu then got in his car and, along with Wang Dongfang who had already agreed to help, drove off to hang the couplets at their other properties.

When Professor Xiao came over from the garden, she saw Zhou Lian cutting paper window decorations while Sister Fang was busy all by herself in the kitchen. Looking at Zhou Lian with some surprise, she asked, "You know how to do this?"

"Oh, I learned how from the aunties in my village when I was a little girl!" Zhou Lian said, looking dejectedly at the scissors and red paper in her hands. Her voice was listless.

Seeing her expression, Professor Xiao asked, confused, "What’s the matter? Are you tired?"

"No, Teacher Xiao," Zhou Lian complained to her professor, pouting. "Look at the time! I was just worried we wouldn’t have the New Year’s Eve dinner ready. Jin Chen is busy hanging couplets and doesn’t have time, so I wanted to help Sister Fang get the meal ready, make dumplings, all of that. But Jin Chen and Sister Fang wouldn’t let me set foot in the kitchen. Sister Fang even brought out this red paper and scissors and told me to cut window decorations for fun if I got bored!"

Not quite understanding the situation, Professor Xiao didn’t answer her. Instead, she walked into the kitchen. Seeing Sister Fang bustling about, she asked curiously, "Zhou Lian wants to help, why aren’t you letting her?"

Sister Fang, in the middle of her work, glanced back at Professor Xiao. She grabbed a nearby stool and handed it to her before turning back to her tasks. "Her? She doesn’t know the first thing about this kind of work," she said casually. "After all these years of Li Xiu spoiling her, her hands have never had to touch coarse work. If I let her in the kitchen, I’d just have one more thing to worry about. There are knives and boiling water everywhere. With it being the New Year, what if she accidentally gets cut or burned? No, she’s better off staying quietly in the study. This sort of place isn’t for her."

Professor Xiao picked up a nearby head of garlic and began to slowly peel the cloves. "You say Jin Chen spoils her," she said, amused, "but from what I can see, you spoil her just as much, if not more!"

Sister Fang froze for a moment at that, then smiled. "Maybe a little," she admitted. "I’m not close with my own kin. After I married, I found out I couldn’t have children. My husband didn’t live long and passed away early, leaving me with no family to speak of. When I came to this house, the couple never once looked down on me. They treated me like an older sister. Sincerity is met with sincerity, you know. Besides, Xiao Lian is just so endearing. I’ve always felt that the kitchen and housework... they’re just not suited for her. She deserves to be cherished and pampered, to live like a proud little princess—elegant, happy, and carefree!"

Looking up at the adoring smile that graced Sister Fang’s lips, Professor Xiao couldn’t help but shake her head. ’My student is almost thirty years old, but she’s still like a little girl. It’s not just Li Xiu who spoils her; everyone around her does. Even the housekeeper dotes on her like a dear younger sister. I guess that’s just part of her personal charm!’

Just then, Li Xiu drove back. He and Wang Dongfang quickly hung the remaining couplets in the main courtyard and the garden. Wang Dongfang then came inside to say hello to Zhou Lian before making a beeline for the kitchen to get some food from Sister Fang. He had two other grown men at home who couldn’t cook, both waiting for a meal. Zhou Lian invited him to stay and eat, but he wouldn’t hear of it.

Li Xiu, who had followed him inside, said gruffly, "Sister Fang, please pack him some extra cooked dishes, braised meats and whatnot. Those three aging bachelors can’t cook to save their lives. They’ll starve over the New Year holiday otherwise!"

Looking at Li Xiu, Sister Fang laughed mischievously. "They’re still single and not looking to get married. Isn’t that your fault for being too lenient with them? If you ask me, if they’re still like this next year, you should take a stick to them. We’ll see if they don’t straighten up then!"

Seeing that the conversation was turning against him, Wang Dongfang snatched the bag of food from Sister Fang. "Professor Xiao, Sister-in-law, I’ve got to go! Wishing you an early Happy New Year!" he said to Professor Xiao and Zhou Lian.

Watching Wang Dongfang scurry off faster than a rabbit, Zhou Lian chuckled and shook her head. She turned to Li Xiu, who was standing in the kitchen doorway. "Jin Chen, Sister Fang is right. They’re all over thirty; it’s not right for them to still be single. You should talk to them when you have time. You’re the only one they’ll actually listen to. When Sister Fang lectures them, they just brush her off."

Li Xiu glanced from an expectant-looking Sister Fang to a worried-looking Zhou Lian. He gritted his teeth. "Fine, Bao’er, don’t you worry. I’ll make sure every last one of them gets hitched next year!"

Professor Xiao watched them, smiling and shaking her head. ’That Li Xiu is completely wrapped around Zhou Lian’s little finger.’

"Teacher Xiao, please, go and rest! I can take care of things here," Li Xiu said quickly, turning to see Professor Xiao still peeling garlic.

Professor Xiao glanced at Li Xiu and smiled. "It’s alright. This isn’t hard work. Go on, you have other things to do."

Li Xiu glanced into the dining room at Zhou Lian, who was quietly cutting her paper decorations. He moved around the kitchen, taking care not to get in Sister Fang’s way, and deftly whipped up a few simple dishes. It was nearly noon, and Sister Fang hadn’t had a chance to think about lunch yet. Li Xiu said to her and Professor Xiao, "Let’s take a break. We can eat first and get back to work after. It’s already high noon. I’ll go call Professor Fan and the two children to come back."

After a lively lunch, Li Xiu sent Professor Xiao and Professor Fan back to the garden to rest. He then had Zhou Lian take the two kids to the bedroom for a nap, while he stayed behind to help Sister Fang prepare the dumplings and the rest of the New Year’s Eve feast.

Watching Sister Fang work with such nimble hands, Li Xiu hesitated before speaking. "Sister Fang, you’re not even forty. Have you ever thought about finding someone...?"

"Jin Chen!"

For once, Sister Fang’s expression was completely serious as she looked at Li Xiu. "Jin Chen, I know you and Xiao Lian see me as family. These past few years with you all have been happier than the first thirty-some years of my life. I have Nuonuo, I have Yanyan, I have you and Xiao Lian—the brother and sister I never had—and I have Dongfang, Qiangzi, and Da Guo. I’m doing very well. I’m happy. So please, don’t bring this up again. I could never bear to leave the children, nor could I leave you and Xiao Lian. Everything is perfect just as it is now."

Li Xiu said nothing more. ’It’s true that they owed Sister Fang so much for these past few years. He and Zhou Lian were not ungrateful. Though they had initially only hired her as help, they knew it was next to impossible to find someone so kind and completely devoted. Sister Fang had been perfect. Since she didn’t wish to remarry, they would simply have the children treat her as one of their own elders when they were older. It was too early for such things now, but they would figure it out in the future. The one thing he knew for sure was that they could never, ever let her down.’