Although special, it wasn’t of the inedible kind.

Ye Fei ground the chestnuts into a fine chestnut paste, mixed in a little lard, making the chestnuts richer in flavor.

After adding a bit of sugar, she wrapped them into dumplings.

However, she didn’t intend to boil these dumplings, but to pan-fry them instead.

They were a variant of the chestnut pastry.

She set these special chestnut-filled dumplings aside to avoid mixing them up, due to the different cooking method.

Boiling them, of course, was no problem.

But because the chestnut filling is sweet, the texture, when combined with the dumpling skin and boiled, differs from regular desserts, and the taste wouldn’t be as good.

After wrapping the dumplings, she covered them with a layer of cling film to prevent the dumpling skins from drying out when exposed to the air.

Especially since the house was heated, making the temperature really high and particularly dry.

Aunt Lin paused halfway through wrapping to prepare lunch.

Otherwise, who knew when they would finally have lunch?

But by then, more than half of the dumplings were wrapped, with only a few left.

The old lady, Chi Jingsi, and Ye Fei, the three of them quickly finished the rest.

Aunt Lin came out and tidied up the dining table.

Then brought out lunch.

Since there was a big feast for the New Year’s Eve dinner in the evening.

Lunch was relatively simple.

Some of the marinated meat dishes were prepared by Aunt Lin a few days ago in anticipation of the New Year.

Like soy-braised beef, marinated pork belly, smoked fish, sausages, and pork jelly.

These alone made up five plates.

There were also many marinated gift boxes sent by others.

The old house already distributed some to the people working there.

Like the bodyguards, gatekeepers, gardeners, and those responsible for cleaning the yard, naturally, Housekeeper Hong and Aunt Lin wouldn’t be left out.

Yet even so, there were still many left.

Hardly needing much cooking.

Aunt Lin took them out.

Some could be served cold, while others needed a little heating to taste better.

The rest were simple mixed cold dishes.

For lunch, aside from the two elders, it was Chi Jingsi and Ye Fei, along with the little guy, Housekeeper Hong, and Aunt Lin.

Truly, they couldn’t eat too much.

Ye Fei took the opportunity while the dishes were being placed on the table to go and call Xiao Mo and the old man back for dinner.

This one elder and one youngster had been outside for two hours, yet didn’t feel cold.

When the two came in, their faces were very red.

Just from being outside for so long, they had chilled through.

So it took a while to truly warm up after coming inside.

Once they were really warm, the elder and the young one took off their coats.

Aunt Lin poured them hot water, letting them have a sip to warm their stomachs before they came to eat lunch.

In the afternoon, it was still snowing.

The ground had accumulated a bit of white, but it was only a thin layer.

Stepping on it lightly was enough to press through and reveal the ground beneath the snow.

Therefore, the little guy wasn’t very interested in playing with the snow.

Always seeing the snow fall, yet unable to build a snowman, wasn’t all that fun.

Just waiting for tomorrow morning to see how thick the snow would get.

So in the afternoon, the little guy was going around sticking paper cut-out flowers on the windows.

The window flowers had actually been put up a long time ago.

But the little guy was restless and just wanted to stick them wherever.

The two elders let him be.

Even asking Aunt Lin to find the remaining window flowers.

Regardless of whether the little guy stuck them in suitable places, they just let him stick them wherever he liked.

However, the little guy was just in the mood for a while, sticking only a few before getting bored.

Then took out his iPad to play.

But Ye Fei wouldn’t allow him to play too long, worried about his eyes.

The old man remembered and suggested, "Why don’t you play the Switch?"

Earlier, the old man had bought Xiao Mo a set.

Along with many games.

Zhao Gushen also had one.

But it was inconvenient to carry it around everywhere.

Since Xiao Mo often came to the old house, the old man simply prepared a set for him there as well.

Not just the Switch, but even toys that Xiao Mo didn’t have at home, the old man prepared at the old house for him.

If it weren’t for this, how could they attract Xiao Mo over?

Xiao Mo thought of this, put on his clothes, and ran to the small courtyard in the old house to get it.

Bringing it back to the living room, he connected it to the TV and started playing.

Seeing him not being mischievous, Ye Fei started preparing for the New Year’s Eve dinner with Aunt Lin.

In past years, the old house invited a chef team to come and prepare the New Year’s Eve dinner.

But ultimately, there were too many people, and it was a time for family reunion, just among themselves.

Suddenly having outsiders around was somewhat uncomfortable.

This year, Ye Fei asked the old lady how the old house usually handled the New Year.

After listening, she said that the New Year’s Eve dinner was up to her and Aunt Lin.

Actually, there weren’t many people in the family.

The two elders, Zhao Dinghuan and his wife, along with her, Zhao Gushen, and Xiao Mo.

In total, just 7 people; the New Year’s Eve dinner wasn’t such a huge task.

As for Housekeeper Hong and Aunt Lin, they didn’t stay at the old house for the New Year.

Housekeeper Hong and Aunt Lin usually lived at the old house.

But for investment reasons and the peace of mind of having their own house.

So both bought a house separately in City B.

Because they usually worked at the old house, the old house also had a courtyard prepared for them.

So, during normal times, they just stayed at the old house, avoiding the hassle of traveling home.

But for the New Year, they had to spend it with their family.

Their son was also married and settled, and just by virtue of the two’s treatment at the old house, buying a house in City B was quite easy.

So they also bought a set for their son.

Therefore, every year for the New Year, after handling everything at the old house, Housekeeper Hong and Aunt Lin would go directly to their son’s house to celebrate with them.

Afterwards, they would return to their own house.

On the morning of the first day of the lunar year, they would return to the old house.

Ye Fei had previously given Aunt Lin the ingredients needed.

As a result, Aunt Lin prepared them early.

In the afternoon, she helped Ye Fei handle all the ingredients.

Ye Fei urged Aunt Lin, "Aunt Lin, you and Housekeeper Hong should hurry back to celebrate the New Year. Otherwise, it will get dark, and you won’t know when you’ll finally have your New Year’s Eve dinner."

"I’ll cook the dishes with you," Aunt Lin insisted, unwilling to leave them all to Ye Fei.

The task seemed too extensive.

"Actually, most of it is ready-made," Ye Fei said, "There are the various marinated meat dishes you prepared earlier, and those New Year gift boxes. The ’Qiiwei’ and ’Tang Yan’ banquet and Buddha Jumps Over the Wall gift boxes have also been delivered. We can have them tonight."

Every year during the Spring Festival, the restaurants under Changping each release some New Year dishes.

All recipes personally prepared by the head chef.

Then, cooked by the restaurant chefs into gift boxes, most can be preserved for 7 days.

Convenient for customers to buy and add to their New Year’s Eve meals.

Like ’Qiiwei’ prepared Buddha Jumps Over the Wall this year.

’Tang Yan’ released the banquet dish.

These two restaurants are the highest Michelin-starred restaurants under Changping.