"The kids said this was the first one. Does that mean it’ll be an annual thing from now on?"

"I think so. Our factory director was all smiles. I wouldn’t be surprised if he wants to hold it every year."

"That would be great! I’ll have to learn something so I can perform on stage next time!"

"I’ll learn something too!"

The children’s energy was contagious, and the adults agreed that the party had been a lot of fun. Everyone helped clean up the factory grounds before heading their separate ways.

When Xie Changning got home, she saw Yue Yihan was back.

"I didn’t think you’d be back for the New Year," Xie Changning said, hanging her frosty coat on the rack by the door.

Instead of going straight inside, she sat on a chair to let the chill wear off.

Yue Yihan nodded. "There aren’t any urgent missions right now, so I got two days’ leave. I’m heading out on the first."

Soldiers’ lives weren’t their own, so Xie Changning didn’t think there was anything wrong with his short stay.

If there had been an emergency, he might not have shown up for the whole year.

His presence meant things were still peaceful.

"I heard your factory had a party tonight."

"Yeah, it was lively."

They made small talk.

Yue Yihan kept stealing glances at his wife. Under the teasing eyes of the two aunts, he slowly pulled out a gift wrapped in red cloth and placed it on the table in front of her.

Xie Changning was taken aback.

"A... A New Year’s gift."

’He’d heard that people in other countries always got their wives gifts for the holidays.’

’His wife had to have one too.’

Yue Yihan’s gesture made Xie Changning pause. She instinctively reached for the red cloth. Unwrapping it, she saw a brand-new gold ring inside.

Xie Changning stared, dumbfounded, at the sight of the gold ring.

"Where did you get the money for this?" It was the first reaction of the one who managed the family’s finances.

"I... I used this month’s salary and bonus," Yue Yihan said, his voice lacking confidence.

’His wife isn’t going to yell at me, is she?’

Xie Changning sighed, but in the end, she slipped the ring onto her finger. "Thank you."

He meant well, so Xie Changning didn’t reprimand him.

’It was better to get along comfortably than to be a couple full of resentment.’

Seeing that Xie Changning hadn’t scolded him, Yue Yihan let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Xie Changning returned to her room and from her clothes chest, she took out two red packages and a red box.

"Since you gave your gift today, I’ll give mine today as well."

Xie Changning glanced at the clock on the wall. It was just striking twelve, midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Xie Changning placed the two red packages in front of Aunt Wang and Aunt Zhao. "Aunts, these are your New Year’s gifts."

"We get gifts too?"

"Of course! You’re part of the family!"

The two aunts were so happy they stood there, at a bit of a loss. They wanted to open the gifts but felt a little too shy.

Xie Changning, meanwhile, sat down in front of Yue Yihan. She pushed the red box across to him. "Here. This is your New Year’s gift."

Xie Changning’s words made Yue Yihan’s eyes light up.

"I... can I open it?"

"Go ahead."

Yue Yihan fought the urge to cheer as he picked up the box and opened it with great care.

A gold-plated pocket watch lay nestled in the box. It was clearly an imported item.

He quickly snapped the box shut.

"Changning, this watch must have been very expensive. I... I can’t accept it..."

"I got it for you, so just take it. It’s non-refundable anyway."

Yue Yihan treasured the gift, placing it carefully in the inside pocket of his jacket with a silly, happy grin.

Aunt Wang and Aunt Zhao snickered from the sidelines.

The two of them opened their packages as well. Inside, each found a new padded cotton jacket and a set of thermal underwear. They were both deeply moved.

"Ningning... how did you know it was our zodiac year?"

"I figured it out!"

The two aunts were the same age, so with it being their zodiac year, Xie Changning had gotten them each a set of red thermal underwear.

Neither of their own children had remembered their zodiac year, but Xie Changning had. Aunt Zhao, who had been driven out of her home by her daughter-in-law, was especially moved and began to sob quietly.

"There, there, this is a happy occasion. From now on, let’s just focus on working here peacefully until we retire!"

"In that case, I’ll retire when I’m eighty."

"Hahahaha! Sounds like a plan."

Listening to their conversation, Xie Changning couldn’t help but smile.

The small group went to bed. Early the next morning, they got up to paste up the spring couplets and prepare the reunion dinner.

"Do Uncle He and Aunt He usually go back to their hometown for the New Year, or do they celebrate here in the family compound?" Xie Changning asked Yue Yihan.

After all, they were practically Yue Yihan’s adoptive parents. It was only right that they pay them a visit.

"Uncle He is spending the New Year in the family compound; he can’t get away from his duties at the military district. As for Aunt He... she and He Jiao went to their grandmother’s house today. They’ll be back tomorrow."

Xie Changning nodded. "Alright, we’ll go visit them tomorrow."

’I’ll have to rent the factory car.’

Yue Yihan’s heart felt sweeter than honey at the thought of Xie Changning wanting to visit his elders.

Sensing Yue Yihan’s sudden bashfulness, Xie Changning gave him a quizzical look. "Shouldn’t you be putting up the spring couplets? What are you dawdling for?"

"Oh." Yue Yihan snapped out of it and hurried off to put up the spring couplets.

Aunt Wang and Aunt Zhao witnessed the couple’s interaction. They exchanged a look and shared a muffled, teasing laugh.

Each of them held a baby in her arms.

The twins each wore a little tiger hat made by Aunt Zhao, a little red padded jacket, and a silver longevity lock around their neck. They looked incredibly festive.

Especially since the children were less than a hundred days old and already weighed around thirteen or fourteen pounds, they looked adorably chubby and robust.

"WAH WAH EEE EEE..."

The babies were being held, fiddling with their own hands. When the little girl couldn’t figure hers out, she got frustrated and let out a string of angry baby-talk.

Yue Yihan, who was about to put up the spring couplets, heard his daughter and immediately asked Aunt Zhao, "Auntie, is my little girl hungry? Or is something wrong?"

’Why else would she suddenly make a noise like that?’

"She’s just angry. She’s always fiddling with her hands, and when she hurts herself, she starts cussing everyone out." Although they couldn’t understand her, you could tell from her expression she was giving someone a piece of her mind.

Xie Changning let out a stifled laugh.

Yue Yihan glanced cautiously at Xie Changning and asked meekly, "Is she always this feisty?"

"More or less. Your son’s about the same."

’He’s always practicing his own punches and kicks.’

Yue Yihan cleared his throat, said no more on the subject, and went back to the spring couplets.

Xie Changning went over to her daughter, picked her up, and gave her a light kiss. "Is our little Xia Xia so feisty, hmm?"

Her brother was asleep and Aunt Wang was cooking; the whole family was bustling with activity.

The only one who didn’t know how to do anything around the house, Xie Changning, had been assigned to stay out of the way.

Lunch consisted of six dishes with leavened steamed buns as the staple. The word for "leaven" was a pun for "prosperity," a good omen for the coming year.

Xie Changning ate along with everyone else.

That evening, they ate dumplings filled with chives. Xie Changning wasn’t sure of the symbolism, but she noticed that most families in the neighborhood were also making chive dumplings.

Because there were babies in the house, the neighbors all refrained from setting off loud firecrackers. Instead, they just lit a few quiet sparklers to mark the occasion. Xie Changning was touched and a little embarrassed by their consideration, so she brought them some New Year’s gifts the next day.