The next morning, once her parents were back from selling breakfast, Qin Jiao got ready to go out and shop for New Year’s goods.

They also needed to buy a few things for the grandparents.

Su Yun didn’t object to Qin Zhonghui wanting to buy things for his parents. She knew that respecting one’s elders was the right thing to do. In any case, their family would just follow the lead of his older brother’s family from now on; if the brother’s family gave the elders gifts for the New Year and holidays, they would too.

There was also the fixed three hundred yuan a year. Beyond that, they wouldn’t give a single cent more.

Although Qin Zhonghui worried about his parents, he listened to his wife on this matter.

The New Year’s spirit was palpable in Ping’an Town. When they reached the pedestrian street, all they could see were festive red couplets, "Fu" characters, and red lanterns. Firecrackers hadn’t been banned yet, so there were many stalls selling them.

Qin Shi, dressed in a red padded jacket, looked just like a doll from a New Year’s painting. Her little face was flushed as she gazed at the extraordinarily bustling market.

Qin Jiao noticed her sister staring at a firecracker stall, her eyes a mixture of timidity and excitement. "Come on, Xiao Shi," she said. "Let’s go pick out some firecrackers."

Xiao Shi frantically shook her head. "No, no, no, no! No firecrackers!"

Qin Jiao frowned. She could sense that her sister really wanted to play with firecrackers. ’But... is she also afraid?’

Qin Na, who was standing beside them, said, "It’s probably from last New Year. Xiao Tao was setting off firecrackers and almost hit Xiao Shi. She’s been traumatized ever since."

Qin Jiao frowned. Since she had been reborn, the events of last New Year had actually taken place almost twenty years ago in her memory.

But since her aunt said so, it must have been what happened.

That brat Xiao Tao had left Xiao Shi with a lot of trauma.

Qin Jiao knelt beside her sister and said softly, "Xiao Shi, pick whichever firecrackers you like, and Big Sis will buy them for you. We won’t give any to Xiao Tao. We’ll set them off right here at our house in Ping’an Town. We can even call Grandpa Du over to watch, how about that?"

"Not for Xiao Tao."

"That’s right, none for him!"

"But when we go back for the New Year, will he... will he try to throw firecrackers at me again...?"

"If he dares throw firecrackers at you, we’ll throw them right back! Don’t be afraid, Big Sis is here! If that uncle and aunt of yours try anything, we still have Mom and our other aunt. Xiao Shi, you have to remember this: we never start trouble, but if anyone tries to bully us, we’re not afraid. We fight back without a second thought. We don’t put up with anyone’s nonsense!"

Gazing into her sister’s bright eyes, Xiao Shi felt a boundless confidence bloom in her heart. She nodded firmly. "Okay!"

Standing to the side, Qin Na felt a pang of envy. ’I was always getting bullied when I was little, too,’ she thought. ’But back then, I didn’t have an older sister to tell me that when someone picks on you, you’re supposed to raise your fists and fight back.’

She turned to Su Yun. "Sister-in-law, I’m sure no one will ever be able to bully these two girls."

Su Yun glanced proudly at her two daughters, her face beaming.

As luck would have it, their group ran into Sun Li on the street, who was also out shopping for New Year’s goods with her daughter, Qin Xiaolan.

Over the past six months, Sun Li’s relationship with Su Yun had improved, and she was also on good terms with her sister-in-law, Qin Na. The two groups exchanged greetings.

Su Yun said, "Sister-in-law, are you two out shopping for New Year’s goods by yourselves? Is my brother-in-law busy with work?"

At the mention of her husband, Sun Li sneered. "Busy? He’s already on vacation. He got a phone call and rushed back to the hometown this morning. We were originally supposed to go back on the twenty-ninth of the lunar calendar!"

Su Yun, Qin Zhonghui, and Qin Na exchanged bewildered glances.

’Did something happen back in the hometown?’

Meanwhile, Qin Xiaolan sidled up to Qin Jiao and Qin Shi. Watching them pick out firecrackers, she said enviously, "Wow, your dad lets you guys set off firecrackers? My mom says they’re dangerous and never lets me touch them!"