The Fierce Farm Girl Has A Secret Space

Chapter 2377: Chapter 2377: New Year’s Celebration (Part 3)

That evening, all the courtyards were adorned with red lanterns, and every house door was wide open.

Dong Wenxiu carried a basin of clear water, sprinkling it in every corner to dispel bad luck.

In the courtyard of Daguan Building, an offering table was set up. As a male member of the Yang Family, Yang Baixiang, along with Xiaofeng, bowed devoutly, invited the "year" in, then drank wine, ate the New Year’s Eve dinner, set off firecrackers, and enjoyed dumplings.

Dumplings were still stuffed with copper coins, dates, rice cakes, tofu, chestnuts, and other items, each carrying a different significance.

Afterward, it was time to stay up late; with nothing much to do, everyone gathered to chat. The scholars were all well-versed individuals, but the children weren’t interested in that and instead pestered Yang Ruxin to tell stories.

Yang Ruxin had previously told everyone the four great classics, albeit in a simplified version, which captivated the children. But today, as many hadn’t heard those stories, she opted for something new and shared tales from Liaozhai, like "Little Cui the Fox Fairy," "Flower Fairy and Snowfall," "Scholar Ning Caichen"... Everyone listened with astonishment, admiration, and emotion, not feeling sleepy at all.

Chu An’s eyes sparkled more brightly: "Xinxin, if you could write these down, they would definitely be a hit with everyone."

"Indeed," Wei Bocheng, another scholar, nodded in agreement, "I pride myself on having read quite a bit and have heard some stories at teahouses, but never have I encountered tales as exquisite as these. Although tales of fox monsters and ghosts seem preposterous, madam’s narrations bring them to life so vividly that I... almost wish to become that scholar Ning Caichen myself."

Wei Bocheng was a candidate for office, but five years ago, calamity struck his family, claiming the lives of his wife and son. He managed to eke out a living with his blind mother, Madam Gao, and later settled in at the academy, dealing with the family’s broken house to make a permanent start.

Master Shu, during his time here, also taught at the school and interacted with the people there, having once said that Wei Bocheng possessed great talent, which was quite a pity.

"Well, if you could marry a fox bride, I’ll acknowledge her," commented Madam Gao, seated not far away.

Her remark made everyone burst into laughter.

Yang Ruxin felt a bit uneasy, as she was actually plagiarizing these stories. If she were ever forced to make ends meet, she might reluctantly resort to this, but now that she wasn’t short on silver, she hadn’t considered it.

Of course, Chu An was merely suggesting it; seeing Yang Ruxin uninterested, he didn’t pursue the matter further.

By that time, it was already "Zishi"—11:00 PM to 1:00 AM, so they stopped storytelling, went outside to the courtyard to set off firecrackers, and then rested.

The next day was New Year’s Day, a time for neighbors to visit each other and converse casually. It was also a favorite day for children, as they could run wild without getting scolded.

Everyone would prepare a big bag, and upon arriving at someone’s home and shouting "Happy New Year," they’d receive candies, sunflower seeds, and sometimes even lucky money, usually a copper coin or two. Yet, money is money, and parents typically wouldn’t take it back, leaving it as the child’s own little treasure trove.

The Yang Family was the most lively; children from the village spontaneously flocked to the Yang Family first. They had the most and the tastiest candies and snacks, and each child received two copper coins as a red envelope. After finishing their visit there, accompanied by Sanni, Xiaofeng, and the other Yang Family youngsters, they ran to other homes in the village, returning only by nightfall. As for lunch, at any home, there would always be a bite of meat to enjoy.