Back To The 80s-Chapter 420 - 431: New Year’s Visit_1

Lu Aiguo snapped his fingers, set up the table, and laid out the Mahjong tiles, confident that his older brother didn’t know how to play. He was ready to dominate the game tonight.

Gu Xiaobei clumsily stacked up his tiles, while Bai Xiaolan moved with impressive speed. She clearly was an expert. After finishing her own stack, she even helped Gu Xiaobei with his. Fang Jing was pulled over by Lu Aiguo to make up the four players. Otherwise, they would have been one short.

Ji Xiangdong sat beside Bai Xiaolan, who explained the game rules as she played. After two rounds, Ji Xiangdong had a rough understanding of the game and would occasionally pick up a tile and fiddle with it using his thumb.

Gu Xiaobei, unfamiliar with this northern variant of Mahjong, was completely befuddled. He was easily beaten by Lu Aiguo, who kept drawing lucky tiles and winning rounds.

Laughing, Lu Aiguo couldn’t contain his glee, "I knew you guys wouldn’t be able to play. That’s why I suggested we play for spare change. Even without counting the extra for a complete hand, you’re already spending three to five yuan each round."

As expected, Lu Aiguo won round after round. He was smiling so wide his mouth stretched to his ears.

Not long after the New Year’s bells chimed, Lu Zhanguo finally returned.

As soon as he stepped through the door, coated in frost, Lu Aiguo greeted him warmly, "Second brother, Happy New Year! Now it’s time for you to ’redeem your wife’."

Lu Zhanguo removed his military overcoat, warmed himself by the stove, and took a seat beside Gu Xiaobei.

Wen Xiuqing was in the west room with the three children. Hearing the commotion, she emerged and asked, "Zhanguo, are you hungry? There are freshly boiled dumplings. Do you want to grab a bite?"

"No need, I already ate. You should go rest." Lu Zhanguo replied to Wen Xiuqing.

Wen Xiuqing nodded and retreated to her room, but not before reminding Lu Aiguo to keep his voice down because the children were sleeping.

Gu Xiaobei quietly asked Lu Zhanguo, "Do you know how to play Mahjong?"

Lu Zhanguo nodded, "Not really." He had seen his grandfather play when he was a child.

Gu Xiaobei’s eyes brightened. Jumping to his feet, he urged, "Quick, quick, take my place and teach Lu Aiguo a lesson. He’s already won five yuan off me."

Bai Xiaolan turned to ask Ji Xiangdong, "Do you know how to play yet? You should join."

Ji Xiangdong nodded and responded, "You should take a break and walk around."

Lu Aiguo looked at the two newcomers with overconfidence, thinking Mahjong was not as simple and easy to calculate like poker.

For the first two rounds, Lu Zhanguo and Ji Xiangdong certainly lost, constantly feeding tiles to Lu Aiguo.

However, after two rounds, the tables turned. Lu Zhanguo turned out to have a strong ability to count cards. It was as if he could see through them. Paired with Ji Xiangdong’s tacit cooperation, the two of them kept drawing winning tiles.

Fang Jing felt like she was caught in the middle, an innocent bystander, while watching the three brothers play against each other.

Sitting beside Lu Zhanguo, Gu Xiaobei cheerfully collected the money.

The speed of play for everyone began to increase as the game progressed. Lu Aiguo began to treat the game seriously, realizing that his two brothers were far more formidable opponents than he’d initially thought.

By the time dawn was approaching, both Gu Xiaobei and Bai Xiaolan were yawning, counting the cash in their hands.

Wen Xiuqing woke up to cook dumplings and seeing everyone still playing, she told them, "Enough now, take a break. I am going to cook dumplings."

Maintaining his usual style, Lu Aiguo hastily concluded the game, saying, "I’m done, let’s eat dumplings." Then, he collapsed on the table, signaling to Fang Jing, "Fang Jing, my chest hurts."

Fang Jing slapped him, "Enough. Go wash your face. It’s almost mealtime. It’s just a few yuan that you lost."

Holding his chest, Lu Aiguo pretended to be hurt and said, "It’s not about the money. If my buddies find out, where will I be able to show my face again?"

Everyone ignored him, heading to the kitchen to clean up and prepare for the meal.

The sound of firecrackers woke up the three children.

Yueyue jumped up excitedly shouting, "Mommy, mommy, I want to put on my new clothes."

Xiaopang and Mo Wang woke up in a daze and sat wrapped in their quilts, never having woken up so early before.

Gu Xiaobei firstly helped Xiaopang into his new clothes and handed him to Lu Zhanguo, before returning to help Mo Wang get dressed.

After breakfast, Bai Xiaolan, Fang Jing, and Gu Xiaobei went to the west room for a nap. Lu Aiguo roped in Lu Zhanguo and Ji Xiangdong for a game of Hearts, determined to remain indefatigable despite repeated defeats.

Lu Songyuan and Wen Xiuqing took turns carrying the two younger kids, strolling around with Yueyue.

Ji Xiangdong discussed with Lu Zhanguo about visiting the Jin family together on the second day of the New Year.

Lu Zhanguo agreed. They didn’t have many relatives in the provincial capital, and knowing that the Jin family was new and also didn’t have local family, they wouldn’t be intruding.

Lu Songyuan and Wen Xiuqing returned from their walk and Lu Songyuan reported, "People are saying there’s a bonfire performance by the Yellow River and opera singing too."

Lu Aiguo curiously noted, "Perfect, we can go check it out tomorrow."

Around noon, Shen Heng came carrying a New Year gift. Seeing the words ’age of prosperity’ printed on the box, Ji Xiangdong and Lu Zhanguo couldn’t help but twitch at the corners of their eyes.

Chuckling, Lu Aiguo said, "Brother Heng, you didn’t buy this gift box from my sister-in-law, did you?"

After Shen Heng wished Lu Songyuan and Wen Xiuqing a Happy New Year, he replied, "My sister-in-law sells these? I didn’t know. This was given out by our bureau. I just brought it straight here."

Wen Xiuqing smilingly questioned, "Heng, you didn’t go back to the Capital City for the New Year? You should have come here to spend the New Year."

"I was on duty last night. I came here right after I was was relieved." Shen Heng then gave each of the three children ten yuan as New Year’s money.

Upon hearing Shen Heng’s voice, Gu Xiaobei awoke and tiptoed off his kang bed, still waking up Fang Jing in the process. The two sneaked out together.

Noticing the gift box that Shen Heng brought, Gu Xiaobei was trying to stifle his laughter. He greeted Shen Heng and then headed to the kitchen with Fang Jing to help out with the cooking.

Once Shen Heng saw Lu Songyuan playing with the children in the yard, he spoke up, "Big brother, I had someone keep an eye on Bai Pingtian for you. He took a train back to X Province yesterday."

Ji Xiangdong furrowed his brows. He knew Bai Pingtian was an ethnic minority and also observed the Chinese New Year, but his sudden trip back to X Province was worth pondering over.

"Don’t bother about him anymore. That’s all he’s capable of." Ji Xiangdong gave Shen Heng a cup of water and replied.

Lu Zhanguo, surprisingly curious, asked, "So how are things going with your girlfriend?"

Shen Heng awkwardly touched his nose, "If things were going well, would I be here alone? It fell through. I’m taking the train to T City tonight."

Lu Aiguo asked in surprise, "The fiancée from last New Year fell through?"

Shen Heng glared at him, "No it didn’t. We’re still together."

Examining Shen Heng from head to toe, Lu Aiguo said, "Brother Heng, let me tell you, women need to be coaxed. If you can’t please the girl, please her mother. It works just as well. If that doesn’t work either, just consummate your relationship with her. Once the rice is cooked, she will surely be yours." Lu Aiguo chuckled wickedly as he disclosed his cunning plan.

Shen Heng didn’t bother replying to Lu Aiguo, but began to ponder – would cooked rice really do the trick?

At lunch, Lu Aiguo overindulged in alcohol again. Fang Jing angrily tapped the back of his head. It struck her as odd how her husband, having hatched schemes against his two brothers and resulting in being made drunk by his eldest brother just yesterday, allowed his second brother to get him drunk again. What was his IQ anyway?