Seeing Li Yuan ask, Li Huan replied with a grin, "Auntie, you mean this scarf? A friend of mine sent it to me. It’s pretty, isn’t it?"

"It is," Li Yuan said with a smile. "No wonder. I’ve never seen a scarf in this style in Beijing. It’s truly beautiful."

"Of course! Su Qing has great taste," Li Huan couldn’t help but boast about Su Qing again.

Su Qing?

Hearing Li Huan’s words, Li Yuan’s heart jolted. ’Is this the same Su Qing I know?’

For some reason, a wave of panic washed over Li Yuan, and she fell silent.

Shang Yuqi smoothly picked up the conversation with a smile. "Dad, Mom, Huanhuan’s friend sent over quite a few things. There was a smoked rabbit, and I remembered Dad loves to eat it, so I brought it along. It’ll be a perfect extra dish for tonight."

Mr. Li absolutely loved rabbit. Seeing the smoked wild rabbit, he beamed and said, "Good, that’s wonderful! We’ll stew it today. An extra dish for tonight."

"Okay, sounds good."

The whole family was happily preparing the New Year’s Eve dinner, but Li Yuan seemed a bit distracted. Noticing this, Zheng Jianjun asked, "What’s wrong? Something on your mind?"

"No," Li Yuan tensed up for a moment, then quickly forced a smile. "I was just admiring Huanhuan’s scarf. I was wondering if her friend had any more. I’d like one too, since you can’t buy them in Beijing."

Hearing this, Zheng Jianjun laughed. "What’s the big deal? You’re her aunt. Just ask her later. If her friend has more, we can just buy one."

"Yeah, you’re right." Li Yuan managed a quick smile and went into the kitchen to help Shang Yuqi and Song Qingwen. Ever since she had returned to this family, she had been on edge. Although Mr. Li treated her very well, even letting her use the family car whenever she pleased, Mrs. Li’s cold and distant attitude always left her feeling insecure. As a result, she didn’t dare put on airs in front of Mrs. Li and made an effort to get along well with her two sisters-in-law.

Because of the kind and approachable demeanor Li Yuan projected, she got along well with everyone, both in her husband’s family and her own.

While the Li family was happily preparing for New Year’s Eve, Su Qing in Lihua Village was getting ready to celebrate it alone. When she had gone to deliver the support money for the elders, Su Qing had made it clear that she would not be returning to the old family house for the holiday. So, on New Year’s Eve, as expected, no one from the old house came to call for her.

Su Qing was happy to have the peace and quiet. In high spirits, she stewed a large pot of braised pork, cooked a braised fish, made a pot of mushroom soup, took out a portion of steam pot chicken and some bamboo tube rice she had stockpiled from Laxian, and even brought out a box of the Beijing pastries Li Huan had sent her. And just like that, she had a sumptuous New Year’s Eve feast.

The Su Family’s old house was right next door to Su Qing’s courtyard. Whatever Su Qing cooked, the family in the old house could smell it clearly. So, not only did the aroma of braised pork and fish drift over, but the steam pot chicken and bamboo tube rice, having been kept in Su Qing’s space for so long, had an especially rich fragrance that naturally wafted over to the old house as well.

Smelling the rich aromas wafting from next door, the expressions on the faces of the entire Su Family in the old house turned sour.

The reason was simple: this year’s New Year’s Eve dinner was far too meager. On the entire large table, there was only one bowl of stewed chicken and a single smoked fish. The rest were just dishes stir-fried with a few slices of meat, or simply vegetarian. Compared to the lavish feasts of fish and meat from previous years, it was downright pathetic.

The overpowering aroma of braised pork from next door, in particular, made the sight of their own table even more depressing. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"I want braised pork! I want braised pork!" The first to lose his patience was Su Lihui. He had always been spoiled rotten by Old Mrs. Su and Tian Aixiang, and he was a glutton. Smelling the braised pork, he completely lost his appetite for the food in front of him and began to wail relentlessly.

"Oh, Xiao Hui, we don’t have any braised pork right now. We have stewed chicken and smoked fish today. Let’s eat the chicken and fish, okay?" Tian Aixiang’s heart ached for him, and she tried to coax him softly.

"I don’t want to! I want braised pork!" Su Lihui refused to back down. "Besides, look at this tiny bit of food. Who is this supposed to feed?"

The expressions of the other Su family members around the table grew even darker. It made sense when you thought about it. With just one bowl of fish and one bowl of stewed chicken for ten people, one bite per person would finish off all the meat. It really wasn’t enough.

Her face grim, Old Mrs. Su turned to Su Lifeng and said, "Lifeng, go next door and ask your cousin for a bowl of braised pork and two other meat dishes. It’s ridiculous that a junior member of the family is stuffing her face on New Year’s while her elders are left to eat scraps."

This time, Su Lifeng didn’t move. He knew some of the details about how Su Qing had left the Old Su Family. Although he barely interacted with Su Qing and she was practically a stranger to him, he didn’t really approve of Old Mrs. Su’s actions. He had seen how pale and emaciated Su Qing used to be. He also remembered Su Qing’s attitude the last time he’d gone to call for her, and he had no desire to have the door slammed in his face again.

"Lifeng," Old Mrs. Su called out again, frowning when she saw Su Lifeng hadn’t moved.

"Mom, my Lifeng is still young," Zheng Erlian quickly interjected. "That Su Qing is quick to pull a knife. What if she hurts my Lifeng? No, we can’t let Lifeng go today. If you ask me, we should send Shengli. Shengli is Erya’s elder. She has to listen to an elder, right?"

"What? Me?" Seeing Zheng Erlian push the task onto him, Su Shengli immediately protested, "At the end of the day, I’m just an uncle. I think this is a job for the eldest uncle. It would be more appropriate for my big brother to go."

’Are you kidding me? There’s no way I’m going.’ He had seen with his own two eyes when Su Qing snapped the old man’s pipe right in front of him. With that kind of strength, he wouldn’t be able to take it if one of her punches landed on him. Only a fool would go and provoke Su Qing. Of course, if someone else managed to take advantage of her and bring back some food, he would naturally want a share.

"Exactly. I also think it’s more appropriate for Big Brother to go," Tian Aixiang chimed in quickly.

"Erya has a problem with your big brother, and you know it," Zheng Erlian said. "What if that damn girl goes crazy when he shows up? No, that won’t work."

"How could she?" Tian Aixiang pursed her lips. "Big Brother is her eldest uncle, after all."

Zheng Erlian shot Tian Aixiang a glare. "That damn girl dared to wave a knife at Mom. What’s an eldest uncle to her?"

Su Shengli strongly agreed with that point. He nodded and said, "True. That damn girl even dared to snap Dad’s pipe."

The moment these words were spoken, the faces of both Old Man Su and Old Mrs. Su instantly darkened.

Tian Aixiang secretly nudged Su Shengli. The couple exchanged a look and said nothing more.

Just then, Su Lidong abruptly shot to his feet and declared loudly, "What’s there to be afraid of from a stupid little girl? I’ll go! I refuse to believe that damn girl would dare not bring over food to honor her grandpa and grandma."

’If she dares to refuse, I’ll teach that cousin of mine a good lesson and show her that not just anyone can be pushed around.’