Chapter 170: Chapter 160: Celebrating the New Year

Seeing her dear old friend completely free of her sickness, looking so refreshed and full of life, Old Mrs. Gu was overjoyed. She’d completely forgotten that Old Mrs. Tang was supposed to have an infectious disease. She went right up and grabbed her hands. Of course, even if it *were* contagious, she wouldn’t have been afraid. ’After all, that little girl is here!’

The host and guest walked into the house, chatting and laughing. The living room had a completely new atmosphere. It was no longer the pale, empty, and depressing space it had been when Old Mrs. Gu last came to visit. Now, everything was neat and tidy, bright and clean, with potted plants flourishing with red flowers and green leaves. From the kitchen came the CLANG of cookware and a fragrant aroma, and a girl’s clear voice seemed to stir up all the festive joy. Tang Shaozhen and Zheng Shaojin had snuck into the kitchen at some point and accidentally eaten all of some side dish. Xiao Man was chiding them, and Tang Shaozhen’s protests sent Tang Qingshan into a fit of laughter.

Old Mrs. Gu said to Old Mrs. Tang, "Thanks to Shaojun and Shaolian, this girl of ours..."

Old Mrs. Tang cut in, her voice full of gratitude but her expression calm and natural. "Indeed. We really must thank Shaolian properly. Years ago, Qingshan went through so much trouble to find them, braving a snowstorm to carry those two little brothers out of the wilderness and get them to a hospital overnight, saving their lives. Now, Shaolian has done this for Qingshan in return. It just goes to show you: what goes around, comes around! And did you know? Niu Niu is our family’s granddaughter—she’s Qingshan’s biological daughter!"

Old Mrs. Gu’s mouth fell open. ’How did she become your biological daughter in the blink of an eye?’

Mr. Gu, standing nearby, couldn’t help but interject, "Niu Niu does look a lot like Qingshan, but we don’t have to go this far, do we? Qingshan... he still has to get married and start a family someday. What’s this about a daughter suddenly appearing out of nowhere? Shaolian has already accepted her as a little sister, so we’ll all look after her. We won’t let her be mistreated!"

Old Mrs. Tang shook her head. "This isn’t just some whim. This child is our Qingshan’s own daughter! Shaolian must have told you she has no parents. Well, it’s not that she doesn’t have parents, it’s just... *Sigh*! We’re all family, so there’s no need to hide it from you. You know about Qingyun in G Province, right? He recklessly ran off for some woman. He was just a greenhorn, what did he know? As his older brother, Qingshan ran himself ragged for him! Back when Qingshan went down south to see Qingyun... AHEM! Young people sometimes get into those kinds of situations, you know! So, this Niu Niu from Wancheng... she’s Qingshan’s! We’ve asked all about it—the place, the time, it all lines up! You don’t have to believe me. Just look at their faces and figure it out for yourselves!"

The old Gu couple were stunned once again. They looked at each other, speechless.

Mr. Tang sat to the side in silence, only occasionally nodding and using his gaze to express support for his wife’s statements. However, an attitude like his was more likely to turn doubt into firm belief.

In the kitchen, Tang Qingshan was bustling about happily, completely unaware that for the sake of gaining a granddaughter, his beloved father and mother were painting a scandalous affair onto the canvas of his forty-year, unblemished life.

At five-thirty, all the dishes were ready. Tang Shaozhen and Zheng Shaojin helped out, playing the part of waiters and bringing the plates to the table one after another!

The food sent over by the Gu family filled one table, and the dishes the Tang family had cooked filled another!

Steamed Chicken in Lotus Leaf, Osmanthus Duck, Matsutake Lion’s Head Meatballs, Braised Pork Belly with Preserved Mustard Greens, Steamed Spareribs with Sticky Rice, Longjing Shrimp, Fish with Spicy Bean Paste, Steamed Crucian Carp, Scallion-Braised Beef Tenderloin, Four-Joy Meatballs, Braised Winter Melon, Braised Choy Sum with Shiitake Mushrooms, and Sliced Tomatoes with White Sugar. Besides the twelve northern and southern dishes Xiao Man had promised—all perfect in color, aroma, and taste—she had also specially prepared a hot pot. The broth was made by simmering chicken bones and pork chops in spiritual spring water. All the fresh vegetables came from her ’space,’ looking tender and dewy-fresh. Accompanied by several plates of brightly colored dipping sauces, one could tell how delicious it would be just by looking at it!

Everyone gathered around the table. Mr. Gu turned his head to glance at the other table of food, then turned back to this one. His mouth practically watered at the sight of a platter of braised lion’s head meatballs, glistening in a shiny, golden-red sauce. ’And that glistening Osmanthus Duck, the tender Steamed Chicken in Lotus Leaf, the Steamed Spareribs with Sticky Rice... Why don’t we have these dishes at our table? Even that steaming bowl of braised pork belly looks better than the one we brought! It’s so thick... so thick... If I could just take one bite... AAAH! I can’t stand it!’

Mr. Gu made a snap decision. He pulled out a chair and sat down. "You know, dear," he said to his wife, "we haven’t eaten here in ages. Let’s just have a bite with them before we go back!"

When Old Mrs. Gu saw that her husband had already taken a seat, she knew it was a lost cause. She shot him an exasperated glare. ’He’s only thinking of himself, leaving the rest of the family to starve back home!’

But Mr. Gu wasn’t as heartless as she imagined. He ordered Gu Shaozhen, "Go make a call and tell them to start eating. No need to wait for us!"

Old Mrs. Gu was so furious she was rendered speechless. ’It’s New Year’s Eve! New Year’s Eve! A time for family reunions, and here we are having our reunion at someone else’s house!’

Mr. Tang had only extended a casual invitation; he hadn’t truly expected them to stay on New Year’s Eve. So when Mr. and Mrs. Gu actually sat down, he was delighted. He quickly told Tang Qingshan to fetch a treasured bottle of good wine. The two old friends happily clinked their glasses three times. Tang Qingshan also poured a glass for Gu Shaozhen and Zheng Shaojin, letting them taste the aged liquor.

Then, the feast began. Everyone first went for their favorite dishes before sampling all the others one by one, heaping them with praise. Mr. Gu devoured meat, fish, and shrimp, his chopsticks moving nonstop as if he’d never tasted food before. The hot pot had been intended for Old Mrs. Tang’s milder taste, but after Old Mrs. Gu tried a few of the vegetables, she couldn’t stop either. She forgot about the meat entirely, busy competing with Old Mrs. Tang to cook the greens in the pot. The first basket of vegetables was gone in no time. When Xiao Man brought out another from the kitchen, the two old women beamed with joy.

The four members of the Gu family, young and old, had said they would only have a small bite, but they ended up eating until they were stuffed to the gills. They were all slightly tipsy by the time they finally got ready to leave.

As they saw the Gu family off to their car, Old Mrs. Gu took Xiao Man’s hand. "Good child," she said, "it’s good that you’ve ended up with the Tang family. But in the future, you must come to our family..."

Old Mrs. Tang chided her playfully, "What nonsense is this? My Niu Niu is still young!"

Old Mrs. Gu chuckled. "She’s about the same age as Xuanxuan, right? If she really is Qingshan’s daughter, then she’s the granddaughter of the eldest branch. My dear old friend, you know what that means!"

"So what if she’s the granddaughter of the eldest son? She’s a few days younger than Xuanxuan. Xuanxuan is all yours, you can take her. But as for my girl, she has the right to choose for herself! Now that I’m healthy again, I have to be a good gatekeeper for her. I can’t just give her away to any random person!"

Old Mrs. Gu was at a loss for words. She turned to call for reinforcements. "Hey, old man! Get over here and say something!"

Mr. Gu waved his hand dismissively. "Our parents arranged a marriage between my brother and me before we were even born. It’s a pity we both turned out to be boys, or our families would’ve been joined long ago! The Tang and Gu families are inseparable! Xuanxuan is promised to Shaojun, he has to marry her! As for Niu Niu, let’s make our families even closer! She can have her pick of the Gu sons! Shaozhen and Shao Jin here don’t count. Shaofeng, now he’s a good one!"

The two boys who had been completely ignored, standing quietly to the side until now, immediately protested.

"Grandpa, are you even my real grandpa? What do you mean we ’don’t count’?"

Mr. Gu rapped Gu Shaozhen on the head. "You have to wait in line, you know? Shaofeng hasn’t even gotten a chance yet, so who do you think you are?"

"But you just said she could have her pick!"

"She’s just a kid, I was humoring her. Do *you* need to be humored, too?"

Xiao Man: ...

The three Tangs were also rendered speechless.

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