The Zhao Family had a lively and festive New Year celebration.

After all, the family had a new addition whom everyone adored, so the smiles on the faces of the three members of the Zhao household were brighter than ever.

After the reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve, the entire family stayed up together to welcome the new year.

However, Mrs. Zhao was getting on in years and wasn’t in good health. Xiang’er was also young and couldn’t fight off her sleepiness. After midnight, Chen Wanqing and Zhao Jing persuaded them both to go to bed, leaving just the two of them to continue the vigil.

The village nights were usually quiet, but tonight was rather noisy.

Every so often, they could hear the CRACKLE and POP of firecrackers, immediately followed by the excited shouts and screams of men and children.

The frightened village dogs were barking up a storm. Combined with the howling winter wind, it made this New Year’s Eve feel exceptionally lively.

The smell of sulfur in the air made Chen Wanqing let out a big sneeze.

Seeing this, Zhao Jing quickly asked, "Are you cold, Sister? If you are, I’ll go to my room and get you another layer."

"We’re right by the stove, how could I be cold?" Chen Wanqing said. "It’s just that the smell of sulfur is a bit strong. It went right up my nose."

The two of them sat by a small brazier, eating roasted oranges.

The oranges were roasted until they were piping hot. They were sweet and tangy, and tasted wonderful. But after eating too many, she felt the sourness was setting her teeth on edge.

The warmth from the brazier also flushed her lovely face, as delicate as a lotus blossom, making her eyes seem especially soulful.

In reality, it was simply because she was so sleepy. Her eyes, glistening with moisture in the hazy lamplight, naturally took on an affectionate, soulful look.

Zhao Jing stared at her for a moment, then said suddenly, "If you’re sleepy, Sister, you should go back to your room and get some rest."

"What about you?"

"I’m used to staying up late," he replied. "I’ll keep watch for a while longer. I only need to catch an hour of sleep before dawn."

"Then I won’t sleep either. I’ll stay up with you for a while longer."

’He always had to stay up alone in the past,’ Chen Wanqing thought, her heart aching with sympathy. ’He had no one to keep him company then. If I leave him alone now, it’ll just feel twice as lonely for him.’

But she was getting very sleepy too, so she suggested, "Let’s get the cards. If we play a game, time will pass more quickly."

Zhao Jing raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

Chen Wanqing was not sure.

She suddenly remembered De’an saying that Zhao Jing was incredibly sharp. Playing cards with him was just asking to be crushed.

He could memorize the cards and count them. There was almost no chance of winning against him.

But Chen Wanqing quickly came up with a solution.

"We won’t play any other games. Let’s just play Pull the Ox Cart."

Xu Su Ying had taught them the game "Pull the Ox Cart" when they were children. The rules were simple: each person had a stack of cards. Players would take turns playing one card. If someone played a card that matched one already in the discard pile, they could collect all the cards played so far.

It was supposed to be a game of pure luck. But when a certain someone was intent on cheating, it seemed the goddess of luck was always on his side, too.

Chen Wanqing lost so badly she didn’t have the energy to be angry anymore. She slapped her remaining cards down on the table. "I’m not playing anymore."

"You cheated."

Zhao Jing replied with a straight face, "I did not. You saw for yourself, Sister. I was very good; I didn’t even do any special shuffling."

"But you weren’t just drawing from the top of the deck! You were taking cards from the top one moment and the bottom the next. Jing, you’re using that good memory of yours to bully me! I’m not playing with you anymore."

Zhao Jing couldn’t hold back his laughter. "Fine, we don’t have to play. But, Sister, you have to give me my winnings."

Chen Wanqing was stunned. "We didn’t agree on any stakes before we started playing."

She suddenly brightened up again. Casually picking up an orange from the brazier, she handed it to Zhao Jing. "If you insist on having your winnings, then you can have this orange."

Hearing this, Zhao Jing laughed out loud.

He didn’t refuse. He took the orange and peeled it. But instead of eating it himself, he offered it back to her.

The mere thought of its sourness made Chen Wanqing’s teeth ache. "I don’t want it. You eat it. It’s the victor’s spoils."

"The victor is happy to offer up his prize. I only hope that Sister will accept it."

Chen Wanqing’s heart skipped a beat. A bittersweet feeling, both sour and sharp, flooded her chest in an instant.

She hesitated for a moment before taking the orange. Then she split it in half, giving a piece to Zhao Jing. "Let’s share."

...

Bright and early on New Year’s Day, it was time to exchange greetings.

Zhao Jing and Chen Wanqing left early to go door-to-door and pay their respects.

Along the way, they naturally ran into Zhao Jing’s cousins. Everyone decided to go together. The group was full of children who lit and tossed firecrackers as they walked, startling passersby, who responded with a mix of laughter and good-natured scolding.

That same day, Chen De’an returned from the county seat, driving an ox cart with his mother and younger brother.

At that moment, Chen Wanqing, along with Zhao’s male cousins and their wives, had just arrived at the door of their Second Aunt’s house. In the distance, they saw Chen De’an returning on the ox cart with Xu Su Ying and Chen Yaoan. Everyone began to tease Zhao Jing and Chen Wanqing. "Look, your mother-in-law’s back in the village! Jing, you and your wife had better hurry over and pay your respects!"