Both men and women went to their respective homes to see them. Taking advantage of the year before, the two families set a date on the twelfth day of the first lunar month.
Before and after the New Year is the most leisurely day for everyone. From the beginning to the end of the year, we always have to take a break.
The Zhao family couldn't rest. In ten days or so, Zhao Nan was about to get married. For the bride price and wedding banquet, the whole family was too busy to touch the ground.
Jiang Rui can't rest either. The rabbits at home are fed fresh grass every day. There are few weeds in winter. During this time, she has to run more to feed the rabbits. And when she gets married, these rabbits will have to be taken care of by the rest of the Du family. Du Baozhen has to go to school. Needless to say, Du Youfu and Du Baoqiang are Wang Tonghua, who also go to the farm to work during busy farming seasons. The rabbits can only be handed over to Zhang Xiaohua.
A few days ago, Jiang Rui had already started to teach her some common sense and taboos in feeding rabbits, as well as how to shear rabbits, how to take care of newborn puppies and so on.
Originally, Wang Tonghua was only happy about her marrying into the Zhao family, but now watching her explain the family affairs every day, she suddenly realized that her daughter was going to leave her side, and the joy was a bit sour.
This mood gradually affected the rest of the Du family. After the Zhao family came, Jiang Rui was lying on the bed that night, and Du Baozhen suddenly asked her, "Sister, when you get married, will I not be able to visit you more often?"
Jiang Rui said: "If I'm at home, of course you can go to me, but maybe you will follow the army in the future."
"You want to join the army?" Du Baozhen was surprised, "Isn't that the only way to come back once a year?"
"I heard so."
Du Baozhen was quiet for a while, and said glumly, "I don't even want you to get married."
Jiang Rui smiled, "Even if I don't get married, when you go to university, you can only see one or two times a year?"
Hearing what she said, Du Baozhen suddenly felt a little lost. She stayed away from her family and went to a university in a distant place alone. Is this right? But when she thought of the letters in the drawer, her shaky heart gradually became firmer, she was not alone, someone was waiting for her.
The next day is New Year's Eve. No matter how poor people are, they will try their best to cook the best meal on this day to reward the whole family.
After dinner, Wang Tonghua and Du Youfu gave Xiao Shan Hao a red envelope to welcome the new year. There might not be much money in it, but it contained the love and affection of the elders for the younger generation.
On New Year's Eve, the family was chatting around the table. Not long after, Xiao Shan Hao fell asleep first, and Zhang Xiaohua carried her back to the house. The rest of the people sat for a while, and Wang Tonghua couldn't hold it anymore. She got up together, and everyone else went back to the room.
Jiang Rui stayed behind to clean up the table, put the remaining unfinished melon seeds into a plate, and brought them to the stove and put them in the cupboard, so as not to be eaten by mice at night.
When I came out of the kitchen, I accidentally glanced outside, but saw a dark figure standing outside the short stone wall. She was slightly startled, and when she fixed her eyes to see who it was, she was surprised and speechless, and went up to him and asked, "Why are you standing here alone? It surprised me."
"Are you going to sleep?" Zhao Nan asked her.
"I'm about to go to sleep. The family has already returned to the room. I'm going to sleep after I've cleaned up. If I didn't take a look just now, how long are you going to stand here alone?"
"Just here." Zhao Nan said, but his words did not sound credible.
Jiang Rui didn't refute, but just reached out and stroked his coat, it was cool and wet, and it didn't look like he had just arrived. She looked up at Zhao Nan silently.
Zhao Nan looked at her for a few seconds, and his eyes began to flicker, "...It's been half an hour."
"You, if you catch a cold, you will have a headache tomorrow on the first day of the new year. Aunt Zhang will definitely tell you." Jiang Rui said helplessly, but just after she finished speaking, she stretched out her hand, "Hold me."
"What?" Zhao Nan was stunned for a moment, and the blood all over his body rushed to his head.
Jiang Rui looked at him and said word by word, "I asked you to hold me and help me turn over the fence. My family is still not asleep. If the courtyard door is opened, they will definitely be found."
The stone wall of the Du family is only half the height of a person. Jiang Rui can easily crawl over it alone, but it has to be used with both hands and feet, and it is not elegant at all. There is a ready-made helper here, why not use it
Only then did Zhao Nan realize that he had misunderstood. Even so, he paused for a while before slowly extending his hand.
Jiang Rui put her hand in his palm, two hands, one large and rough, with a warm palm, the other small and delicate, perhaps a little cold due to the night wind.
Zhao Nan closed his palms stiffly.
Jiang Rui stepped on the stone wall with his strength, and then jumped off the wall.
After jumping off, the two were a little closer, with only half an arm's distance between their bodies.
Zhao Nan stiffened, but he didn't seem to take a step back or let go.
Jiang Rui seemed to have forgotten about this, maintaining a face-to-face handshake posture, raised her head to look at him, and suddenly smiled slyly: "You said that in the play, in ancient times, the young lady sneaked out of the house and had a private meeting with her lover, right? Just like we are now?"
"Don't talk nonsense." Zhao Nanqiang calmed himself, his auricles burning hot.
Jiang Rui smiled softly and said, "You haven't said why you are looking for me."
She didn't mention it, Zhao Nan almost forgot his purpose, let go of his hand and took out a red envelope from his pocket.
"what is this?"
"New Year's money." Zhao Nan put the red envelope into her hand.
Jiang Rui raised her eyebrows, held the red envelope and didn't open it, but said slowly, "Only the elders will give the younger generation lucky money. What kind of elder are you to me? Could it be..." She lengthened the ending, suddenly sweet She called out sweetly, "Uncle?"
Zhao Nan coughed violently.
Jiang Rui covered her mouth and laughed.
After a while, he came over and wanted to sullen his face, but looking at her smiling eyes, her face tensed for less than a second, and in the end, he felt helpless, "...you're talking nonsense again."
For some reason, when elders mentioned her, they always said that she was well-behaved and shy. According to what she saw several times, she was indeed like this in front of outsiders. But whenever the two were alone, he saw another side of her—the other side of her that was charming and touching, something he couldn't refuse at all.
Although he was forced to be at a loss every time and couldn't speak, not only did he not feel bored at all, but he couldn't help but always want to find her. The feeling of sweetness in that trouble is addictive.
Just like this time, I only saw it yesterday, but after having a reunion dinner tonight, he made an excuse to walk out of the house. .
But if it is really not his original intention to come here, how to explain the red envelopes that were prepared early in his pocket
"what are you thinking about?"
Jiang Rui's words interrupted his thoughts, Zhao Nan shook his head and asked her, "Is it cold?"
"It was a little cold just now, but now that someone warms my hands, I don't feel cold anymore." She moved the hand that Zhao Nan held in her palm, and scratched her fingertips in his palm.
The big palm that wrapped her trembled, but instead of loosening it, it held it tighter, and neither of them spoke anymore.
After an unknown time, a gust of night wind blew, worried that she would catch a cold, and Zhao Nan let her go back.
Jiang Rui supported his hand and jumped back to the yard. Before leaving, she turned around and waved at him, "Uncle, happy new year."
After speaking, satisfied to see his figure staggering in the dark, he covered his mouth and ran away.
In the room, Du Baozhen was already lying down. Hearing the movement of her returning to the room, she asked confusedly, "Sister, where have you been?"
"There is a big tiger outside, I talked to him for a while." Jiang Rui said lightly.
Du Baozhen heard it as a big mouse, and muttered that you are really free, turned over and fell asleep again.
Jiang Rui opened the red envelope that Zhao Nan gave him, and glanced at it in the dim light. Inside was a big unity. It could be said that her hands were very generous. She had to cut rabbit hair for half a year to earn so much. worth it.