After delivering the New Year's gifts to the old residence, Wang Youfu didn't linger but hurried off to deliver gifts to the Zhang family's maternal uncle's house.

Not long after Wang Youfu left the old residence, Wang Youtian and Zhang Shi arrived with their New Year's gifts.

Zhang Shi presented the prepared gifts, "Father, Mother, these are what we offer out of filial piety to you both."

Although the Old Master didn't examine closely what the third branch had brought, thinking that the second son had just been there to present gifts, and now the third son was here as well, he immediately felt that all his sons were dutiful, and his heart swelled with joy.

However, when the Old Madam saw that the third branch's New Year's gifts consisted of five catties of white rice, one catty of white sugar, and two catties of wine, dissatisfaction arose in her heart. She snorted again, noting that these items were fewer than what the second branch had brought.

Zhang Shi smiled sweetly, pretending not to hear. After all, when had the Old Madam ever been satisfied with her offerings? If it had been once or twice, she might have tried to fathom the Old Madam's thoughts, but since it was like this every time, it clearly wasn't her fault.

The Old Master naturally heard the Old Madam's snort. When the second son had been there earlier, the Old Madam had already snorted in displeasure, but with the New Year upon them, the Old Master hadn't wanted to reprimand her. But now that the third son was here with gifts and the Old Madam was still unhappy, the Old Master could no longer hold back.

Thus, after Wang Youtian and Zhang Shi had departed, the Old Master spoke to the Old Madam with a hint of anger, "When the sons come to present gifts, it means they still hold us, their parents, in their hearts. No matter how much they bring, it is the thought that counts. Moreover, what the sons brought is not a small amount. Why do you keep snorting like that? Aren't you afraid of chilling your sons' hearts!"

"I didn't say anything, did I?" the Old Madam retorted.

"You didn't speak aloud, but do you think your snorting goes unheard by the sons?" the Old Master asked irritably.

The Old Madam grew angry too. "So what if I snorted? Why don't they consider why I snorted? To think they'd bring over such meager things! I worked so hard to raise them, and does that only amount to this little bit?"

The Old Master immediately pointed at the Old Madam, "What am I supposed to say about you? Are the gifts from the sons few? Why don't you look outside and see what the sons of other families bring? Which son in the village shows more filial piety than ours? Besides, we are at an age where we don't have many good years left. If these fine things are given to us, they'll just go to waste. It's better to leave them for the sons to use themselves!"

The Old Madam was unconvinced but offered no further rebuttal.

When the eve of the Lunar New Year arrived, after finishing breakfast, the entire family became busy.

Wang Youfu took his two sons to affix the couplets. Since the new house had many rooms, just putting up the couplets took quite a while. Meanwhile, Yang Shi was busy preparing the midday meal. Because this noon meal was for honoring the gods and ancestors, it held particular importance. After Wang Youfu and his sons finished the couplets, they went to help Yang Shi. Since they had prepared quite a bit more food this year, the family was kept very busy.

Yang Shi's culinary skills were excellent, and the food was nearing completion, with enticing aromas constantly wafting out of the kitchen.

Once the food was ready, the family didn't rush to eat. Instead, they first attended to the rites honoring the gods and ancestors before the entire family partook in the midday meal.

By the afternoon, Yang Shi was busy again, wrapping dumplings, which were to be eaten during the New Year's Eve vigil.

The pork Wang Youfu had bought in town the day before was used by Yang Shi to make dumplings filled with cabbage and pork. They wrapped a great many dumplings; since the weather was cold, they wouldn't spoil even if kept for a few more days.

That night, the family kept the vigil, eating dumplings. As midnight approached, Wang Qingchen was struggling to stay awake. He inwardly cursed, thinking how staying up this late in his previous life was nothing, yet here he couldn't manage, as if his body clock had adapted to this place. However, Wang Qingchen only spared it a fleeting thought; he was simply too sleepy and needed to go to bed quickly.

At that moment, Wang Youfu went outside to set off firecrackers. Outside, the sound of firecrackers erupted in waves. After all, it wasn't just their family setting them off; it was likely the entire country celebrating!

Wang Qingchen lay on the kang bed, listening to the continuous blasts outside. He had initially thought the noise would keep him awake, but unexpectedly, he drifted off into dreamland shortly thereafter.

The next day, Wang Youfu's family were all wearing new padded jackets, the new clothes Yang Shi had prepared for them. The three siblings looked at each other's new outfits.

When Yang Shi also came out wearing her new attire, the three children noticed her jewelry before her new clothes.

"Mother, the hairpin on your head is so beautiful," perhaps due to a natural feminine affinity for ornamentation, Caiyun was the first to spot the hairpin on Yang Shi's head, and then noticed her earrings. "Mmm! The earrings are lovely too."

Although Yang Shi felt a little shy, the smile in her eyes couldn't be suppressed. Wang Qingchen looked at the jewelry Yang Shi was suddenly wearing, recalling what Wang Youfu had secretly bought in town, wondering if these were the items.

Thinking this, Wang Qingchen looked back and forth between Wang Youfu and Yang Shi, making Wang Youfu so self-conscious that he coughed twice and went out first.

Caiyun, seeing Yang Shi adorned, was not to be outdone. "Mother, I want to wear earrings too! Please put them on for me!"

Yang Shi was already feeling a bit awkward, and when her daughter said this, she quickly agreed and went to put earrings on her daughter.

As Yang Shi put the earrings on her daughter, she recalled how Wang Youfu had presented the hairpin and earrings to her the previous night. After being married to Wang Youfu for so many years, this was the first time he had bought her jewelry, and her heart had been deeply moved. If it hadn't been the New Year, she surely would have cried from emotion. Moreover, she hadn't intended to wear these ornaments this morning but planned to put them away; however, she had put them on at Wang Youfu's insistence.

After the earrings were on, Caiyun was eager to go out and show them off, hoping to inspire envy in others. So, as soon as she finished breakfast, she wanted to rush out to play with her friends. But Yang Shi stopped her. Nonsense! They still had to pay New Year's calls; playing could wait until after the visits!

When Caiyun heard about paying New Year's calls, her eyes lit up. She stopped clamoring to go out and instead urged Yang Shi to hurry. Caiyun's understanding of New Year calls was still rooted in the belief that elders would give out yasuiqian (lucky money) and various candies.

When Wang Youfu's family went out to pay their respects, they attracted many glances and provided plenty of topics for gossip. Look at the clothes this family was wearing—not only were they new, but the fabric was also fine. And the jewelry Yang Shi wore on her head and ears surely wasn't cheap.

So, the more curious people directly asked Yang Shi where she bought the hairpin and how much it cost.

Yang Shi already had a prepared answer: she said Wang Youfu bought it in town, and she herself didn't know the price. As a result, Yang Shi instantly became the object of envy among the women of Wangjia Village. Having wealth in the family was one thing; having wealth and a husband who treated her well was true fortune.

The Old Madam and Tian Shi, upon seeing Yang Shi's attire that day, were intensely jealous. The former thought her son had good things but didn't think to show filial piety to her as his mother, focusing only on his wife. The latter felt that only she was worthy of wearing such fine things, not Yang Shi!

However, mindful that it was the first day of the Lunar New Year, the Old Madam and Tian Shi had to suppress their anger and say nothing, though they continued to glare fiercely at the items Yang Shi wore on her head and ears.

Yang Shi seemed to sense something. Looking over, she saw her mother-in-law and sister-in-law staring at her fiercely. She startled and took a few steps back, bumping right into Zhang Shi, who was behind her.

"Oh, Second Sister-in-law, if you move back any further, you'll knock me over!" Zhang Shi's voice suddenly came from behind.

"Oh dear," Yang Shi quickly turned around. "I am so sorry, Third Aunt, are you alright?"

Zhang Shi smiled, "Look how nervous you are, I'm fine." But upon noticing Yang Shi's pale complexion, she asked, "What's wrong? You look quite pale."

"I was startled by the way the Old Madam and Eldest Sister-in-law were looking at me just now," Yang Shi admitted awkwardly.

Zhang Shi glanced at the Old Madam and Tian Shi, then chuckled, "Don't mind them. They just can't stand seeing others doing better than they are."

Yang Shi nodded; that was indeed the reality. So, Yang Shi resolved to act as if she hadn't noticed the glares from the Old Madam and Tian Shi.

A moment later, Zhang Shi mentioned that her family was hosting a banquet the next day and invited Wang Youfu's family to eat at their house instead of cooking. After saying this, Zhang Shi went over to speak with the Old Master and Old Madam.

After Zhang Shi went to talk with the Old Master and Old Madam, Yang Shi found Wang Youfu. "Husband, Third Aunt said they are preparing a banquet tomorrow and asked our family to go eat there. When should we plan our banquet, do you think?"

Wang Youfu pondered for a moment. "Let me ask Father in a bit. We can see when the Old Master plans theirs, and we'll schedule ours for the day after."

After paying their calls, the family returned home. The three children's pockets were stuffed with candy. Wang Qinghua and Wang Qingchen weren't very keen on eating much of it, so they gave all of theirs to Caiyun. Caiyun, receiving three shares of candy, smiled so widely her eyes narrowed into slits. She put the candy away in her room, marking it for slow enjoyment later, and only took out a small portion to eat immediately. While putting things away, Caiyun also took out the red envelopes she was carrying—these were from the elders, each containing between one and two wen of money, totaling about twenty wen. Caiyun found another safe place to store them before coming out.

Yang Shi went to prepare lunch, while Wang Qinghua and Wang Qingchen sat nearby, talking about something unknown. Seeing Caiyun emerge, they called her over and each gave her a red envelope. Caiyun accepted them gleefully. When she returned to her room and looked inside, each contained ten wen! She immediately smiled happily again, then carefully put this twenty wen together with the money she had saved earlier.