Chapter 124: New Year's Day

  Qiu Ye siblings finally stopped on New Year's Eve after five consecutive days.

  Qiu's mother's bathhouse will also be closed from today and will resume business after the 15th of the first month.

  On the thirtieth day, Qiu Ye and Qiu Feng finally slept in late, it was already after eight o'clock in the morning, but they were still lying in their warm bed, unaware of what day it was.

  The adults at home were not so lucky. It was the last day of the year and they had to get up early because there were still many things to do today.

  This year is still spent with Qiu's family and Fang's family together. In the morning, the two hostesses started stir-frying in the kitchen.

  "These two kids still haven't gotten up yet, what a way to spend the New Year." Qiu Ma quickly pinched the dumplings with her hands and put them into the pot one by one while chatting with Zhao Shuyan.

  "The two kids are also exhausted these days, selling lamb skewers every day is tiring enough. Since it's just our family having New Year's dinner together, we don't have to be fancy, let the kids get a good sleep." Zhao Shuyan used a slotted spoon to scoop out the fried meatballs from the oil pot, each one golden and appetizing.

  These days, the two children are really tired. Every day, they not only have to set up stalls but also string meat skewers when they return. Although Zhao Shuyan always helps them, this is limited too. She still has to steam buns and cut meat, which is a tiring task that doesn't allow her to take a break. Don't underestimate the effort of cutting meat, it's really hard work.

  Zhao Shuyan has been cutting out 180 catties of mutton every morning for the past few days, or else it wouldn't be enough for Qiu Ye and others to sell. Many times, Zhao Shuyan's arms would ache and her fingers would go numb, making it difficult to hold a knife. Later, she also pulled Fang Haibo over to help cut the meat, which could barely keep up with Xiao Ye's daily sales of mutton skewers.

  After cutting the meat, they had to string them up, several basins of mutton, which was not a task that could be completed in a short time. Qiu Ye and others would return from setting up their stalls every day and string them together. They also had to rush until midnight to get it done. Later, Qiu's mother couldn't bear to watch anymore, so she called Qiu's father to move the meat basins to the bathroom, where they helped the children string while watching TV.

  Qiu's dad doesn't have much to do at work usually, and it gets even more idle around the New Year, so he goes to the office every morning just to punch in and then heads back to the bathhouse with Qiu's mom. They managed to muddle through these few days.

  "These two kids are making money like their lives depend on it, don't they know to take it easy?" Qi Mama's tone was both worried and proud as she looked around. In this entire university town, which kid from another family could make as much money as her own? She and the father had secretly calculated the kids' earnings, and in just these five days, Xiao Ye had made at least a thousand yuan. The child was so capable that although she couldn't casually tell others about it, she felt proud as a mother. However, the kids were truly suffering. These past few days, they had been getting up early and working late, going to the market during the day to set up stalls, and at night setting up stalls again outside the bathhouse entrance. Although they were making money, they were spending their days in the cold wind. The girl's round face, which she had worked hard to nourish back to health over the past year, was now pale and wan again."

  "Hehe, that's what Xiaoye said. She has this one hobby, if she doesn't have money in her hands, she feels uneasy." Zhao Shuyan thought of the absurd reasons Xiaoye had told her before and smiled.

  "Haha, she's completely blinded by money. I'm saying, my husband and I aren't like this, so why is she like this? " Qi's mother couldn't understand her own daughter's love for money, as neither side of the family had such a gene. Qi's mother was completely oblivious to the fact that she herself was also like this, just like the old saying goes: 'A crow landing on a pig sees the other's blackness but not its own.'"

  "It's fine like this, besides, Xiaoye also has that kind of luck. You haven't noticed, as long as it's a business deal done by Xiaoye, it's definitely profitable." Zhao Shuyan spoiled the child without limits.

  "I'm not educated, so I can't teach the kids anything. But with you and Uncle Fang taking care of them, I feel at ease. My only thought now is to earn more money, so that I can save up for the kids' future, whether it's for their university education or marriage."

  "Our kids don't need to be taken care of, they can take care of themselves." Zhao Shuyan is completely at ease with the children. "I've marinated the chicken wings and feet, I'll braise them later for the kids to eat while watching TV tonight."

  Braised chicken feet are the favorite of two children, originally only during Chinese New Year, they have the opportunity to eat. Last year, the two families spent Chinese New Year together, and when watching the Spring Festival Gala in the evening, the two kids were holding chicken feet in one hand and a big white pear in the other, contentedly gnawing while watching, she remembered that scene.

  "Xing, Xiao Ye's mouth is quite stubborn, she likes the things you've pickled." Qiu Ma also thought of cleaning up those things that had been accumulated at home.

  Two women were chatting about their children inside while two male owners outside were also busy.

  Qiu's father was collecting fish in the toilet. This is a must-have dish for every Chinese New Year. Fang Haibo was peeling garlic on a small stool beside him.

  "Hey Yanlin, are you going to visit your grandma during the New Year?" Fang Haibo asked while working and chatting with Qiu Dad.

  "I'm not going." It was only after a while that Qiu's father replied. The things his mother and brother had done to him in the past were still fresh in his mind, making it impossible for him to pretend as if nothing had happened. Moreover, his own mother had also said that she would cut off their mother-son relationship, so what was he supposed to do by showing up with a smile on his face?

  Fang Haibo was very satisfied with Qiu Ba's attitude, but his words were words of persuasion.

  "Can't you just stay? It's the old lady's first Spring Festival here, and you're all grown up. Logically speaking, she should spend it with you."

  "There's nothing wrong, the old lady didn't like us coming, if we came, she wouldn't have a good New Year, and neither would we, it's better not to be together." Qiu Dad said gloomily, his hands moving with a lot of force as he scaled the fish.

  "Hmm, you're right. For the sake of the old lady, we can't afford to upset her during Chinese New Year." Fang Haibo seemed to have found a reason and said so with a sense of relief.

  Qiu Ye slept until she woke up naturally, stretched her waist on her small bed, and felt so comfortable that she closed her eyes again to savor the feeling for a while. She then picked up the electronic watch under her pillow to check the time, only to find it was already 9:30. This sleep was really long, and she didn't know if her brother had gotten up yet.

  Qiu Ye quickly pulled out the cotton pants and sweater that were pressed under the quilt, put them on, simply tidied up her hair, and prepared to go see if her brother was awake.

  As soon as she pushed open the door, she saw her father and godfather busy in the small living room. She quickly piled up a sweet smile, "Dad, Godfather, Happy New Year! Quick, quick, bring out the lucky money!"

  Qiu's father saw that his beloved daughter had woken up and smiled, saying: "You've finally woken up, I was worried you wouldn't come out for lunch. You're so lazy, did you smell the delicious food and wake up? Hurry up and get yourself ready, or else you won't get to eat anything good."

  Fang Haibo also smiled and said: "Little Ye, you're now richer than your godfather, why are you still thinking about that little red envelope money?"

  Qiu Ye listened to the two dads' words and retorted, "Dad, I'm not a little lazy pig. Besides, Mom and Aunt will definitely save me some good food. Uncle, we have an agreement, even if I become rich in the future, you can't reduce the amount of hongbao money you give me one bit. It's just like how no matter how old I get, I'll still be your child."

  Qiu Baba and Fang Haibo both burst out laughing. This kid, as long as it involves money, has a set of twisted logic.

  Qiu's mother in the kitchen heard the movement in the Fang Hall, opened the kitchen door, stuck out her head and saw that the girl had woken up. She hurriedly said: "Xiao Ye woke up, hurry to wash up, then call your brother too, it's already this late, soon we'll have lunch."

  "Alright, got it." Qiu Ye replied loudly, then rushed to her brother's room. She was just about to call him over earlier, but was interrupted by both her real and step dads, causing her to forget.

  Qiu Ye entered her brother's room and saw that he was still fast asleep on the single bed, his sleeping posture was very ungraceful. He was lying on his side with one leg stretched out of the quilt and resting on top of it, exposing his bare thigh. He didn't seem to feel cold at all, and the voices outside hadn't disturbed him in the least. He was even drooling slightly as he slept.

  Qiu Ye went to the bedside and pinched her brother's nose with her fingers, and soon Qiu Feng woke up because he couldn't breathe.

  He opened his sleepy eyes, saw his sister in front of the window and said: "Sister, wait a moment, just a moment, I'll get up and go to the market with you." After finishing speaking, his eyes automatically closed again.

  He was so sleepy that he thought his sister had come to wake him up for work, but he was really tired and hadn't slept enough for many days, and he just didn't want to get up.

  Qiu Ye looked at her brother, who had closed his eyes again, and frowned slightly. She turned to him and whispered in his ear: "Brother, just now Dad and Uncle said that we should go get our New Year's money. If you don't get up, I'll just go get it for you directly."

  Qiu Ye said, looking at her brother who was still closing his eyes without any reaction. She changed the subject and said, "Brother, just now I saw Mom and Auntie in the kitchen frying meat pieces, balls, eggplant boxes and something else, oh my, it smells so good! If you're not going to eat, I'll finish them all!"

  Qiu Ye retreated one step back in preparation and dodged Qiu Feng's suddenly raised big head, "No way, little sister, leave some for me."

  It seems that Qiu Ye's guess was not bad, at this stage, money and other things are not in the top position in Gege's heart, only delicious food is what he cares about most. Maybe it's like this for boys at this age. As long as they eat well, they would be willing to wear a sackcloth every day.

  "Hurry up and get out of bed to wash up, Mom said that if you don't get up now, there won't be any delicious food for lunch." Qiu Ye's straightforward and shameless fabrication.

  Qiu Feng reluctantly got out of bed, fearing that his mom wouldn't give him delicious food if he didn't get up. After struggling for a while, his desire for good food finally won over, and he threw off the warm quilt to get up.