On the morning of the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month, as soon as the sky brightened, chimneys in every household of Wang Family Village began to send up wisps of cooking smoke, creating a bustling and lively scene.

In the Pei family’s kitchen, the firewood in the stove crackled and popped.

Mother Pei, wearing a blue cloth apron, was busy in front of the stove.

The crackling firewood and leaping flames cast a warm, reddish glow on her face.

In one large iron pot, a freshly slaughtered plump chicken was stewing; in another, steamed pork with preserved vegetables was cooking. Both pots bubbled away, releasing plumes of steam and filling the entire kitchen with a rich, savory aroma.

Following northern customs, dumplings were a must for New Year’s Eve.

Mother Pei skillfully kneaded the dough in a basin, her wrists turning with practiced strength, the dough making a rhythmic slapping sound against the bowl.

“Third child, pick through and wash the scallions and the Chinese cabbage.”

Mother Pei instructed without looking up, her hands never stopping.

“Alright, Mom.”

Pei Yunxi, wearing a small floral-patterned apron, sat on a low stool carefully sorting the scallions.

Mother Pei covered the kneaded dough with a damp cloth and set it aside in a warm spot near the stove to rest.

The tender green scallion leaves still carried morning dew. Pei Yunxi picked through them one by one, discarding the withered yellow leaves into the winnowing basket at her feet before washing the vegetables clean.

“Mom, these scallions are so fresh. They’ll make the dumplings really fragrant.”

“Of course they will. Aunt Lanhua picked these early this morning and sent them over.”

Mother Pei said with a smile.

Inside the house, Grandma Pei was looking after little Anchen.

She wore a dark-colored padded jacket, her silvery-white hair neatly coiled into a bun at the back of her head.

Little Anchen had just woken up and was nestled in his great-grandma’s arms, drinking from his milk bottle.

Grandma Pei looked at the little one with affection, “Drink up, my dear. Drink lots to grow big and strong. By next New Year, our little Chenchen will be able to eat a chicken drumstick!”

In the main hall, Shen Nanchu and Pei Yunzhou were busy with the year-end cleaning.

This was a tradition in every household—on New Year’s Eve, the house had to be spotless.

Pei Yunzhou held a long-handled feather duster, standing on tiptoe to sweep cobwebs from the beams.

Dust swirled in the air.

“Sister-in-law, should we wipe this corner again?”

Pei Yunzhou pointed to a gap on top of a cabinet and asked.

Shen Nanchu, holding a basin of clean water, was meticulously wiping down the main hall table, not missing even the tiniest crevice.

“Sweep it. We need to clean every nook and cranny.”

Shen Nanchu rinsed the cloth in the clean water, which immediately turned murky.

Beads of sweat dotted Pei Yunzhou’s forehead. He lifted his hand to wipe his brow, forgetting it was covered in dust, leaving a grey smudge across his face that made him look like a little kitten who’d been into the cream.

Seeing this, Shen Nanchu couldn’t help but tease him,

“Little Fourth, you’re cleaning that spot better than your own face.”

“Sister-in-law, what do you mean?”

No sooner had he spoken than Pei Yunzhou accidentally inhaled a puff of dust and let out a loud sneeze.

Shen Nanchu looked up, her eyes crinkling into crescents as she laughed,

“Take a look in the mirror and give your face a good wash!”

“Ah!”

Pei Yunzhou looked in the mirror and saw he’d become a mess.

Fortunately, no one else had seen.

…

Grandpa Pei had already written the family’s spring couplets on fine red paper the day before. Now, he sat under the old locust tree on the sunning ground, writing couplets for the villagers.

Bright red rice paper was spread all over the ground. The scent of ink mixed with the gunpowder smell of firecrackers drifted in the air.

“Brother Pei, could you write a ‘Fu’ character for me?”

Old Man Wang rubbed his hands together, his smile making the wrinkles on his face bunch up.

“Of course.”

Grandpa Pei dipped his brush in ink, turned his wrist lightly, and a vigorous, powerful ‘Fu’ character appeared on the paper.

Old Man Wang held the still-wet character, grinning from ear to eye,

“Brother Pei’s calligraphy is far better than the printed ones sold in town! Posting this on the front gate is sure to bring good fortune in the coming year.”

Quite a few villagers had gathered on the sunning ground, each holding red paper, queuing up for Grandpa Pei’s calligraphy.

Children weaved through the crowd, playing and occasionally sneaking a piece of candy that villagers had brought for Grandpa Pei, only to be shooed away with good-natured scolding from the adults.

The air was filled with the fragrance of ink, the sweetness of candy, and the thick atmosphere of the New Year.

…

Shen Nanchu brought over a ladder, preparing to clean the dust accumulated on the door frame so the couplets could be pasted after dinner.

She climbed steadily, one hand holding the ladder, the other holding a cloth.

Sunlight leaked through the door crack, illuminating the dust motes in the air, making them sparkle like scattered gold powder.

She focused on wiping the door frame.

Just then, the system suddenly prompted,

“Host, big surprise!”

“The male lead is actually back. He’ll be home once he crosses the river!”

“Suggest the host stage a little slip, give the male lead a chance for a princess carry~”

What?

The male lead is back?

And the system wants her to engineer a damsel-in-distress moment?

Shen Nanchu’s face showed clear disdain,

“Such a clichéd old trick. No creativity at all.”

The system, “…”

Disdain was one thing, but Shen Nanchu’s toes had already unconsciously adjusted their angle. She pretended to stumble, letting out a soft cry as she fell backward.

At that exact moment, Pei Zhengnian strode into the courtyard with steady steps.

He wore a crisp military uniform, looking exceptionally imposing and handsome.

His heart nearly stopped when he saw the figure falling from the ladder.

In one swift stride, Pei Zhengnian rushed forward, opening his arms to catch the falling figure steadily.

Shen Nanchu landed in a warm, solid embrace. The military uniform brushed against her cheek, carrying a faint, clean scent of soap.

She looked up, her eyes meeting Pei Zhengnian’s deep gaze.

Their eyes locked, and time seemed to stand still for a moment.

He saw the dust speckling her eyelashes, like tiny flecks of gold; she saw the concern deep in his eyes, like a pool one could drown in.

Sunlight cast a golden edge around them, and even the dust motes dancing in the air seemed gentler.

“Are you alright?”

Pei Zhengnian’s voice was low and warm.

Shen Nanchu shook her head gently, a faint blush on her cheeks,

“I’m fine.”

Just then, Pei Yunzhou ran out of the house excitedly, holding a white cloth,

“Sister-in-law! I’ve changed the water…”

His words caught in his throat. Pei Yunzhou froze on the spot, looking at the two embracing figures, unsure whether to advance or retreat.

Pei Zhengnian’s face instantly darkened, his brows furrowing,

“Pei Yunzhou! You let your sister-in-law climb up so high?”

“Isn’t this kind of work supposed to be done by us men?”

“I… I’ll go wipe it right now!”

Pei Yunzhou hastily scrambled up the ladder, nearly missing a step in his nervousness, earning another glare from his second brother.

He pouted, feeling aggrieved, muttering under his breath.

“When Pei Yunxi used to do the wiping, I never heard you say anything…”

Shen Nanchu couldn’t help but stifle a giggle.

Pei Zhengnian shot a glare at Pei Yunzhou,

“That’s because I wasn’t here. You, a grown man, feel comfortable letting a woman climb up and down like that?”

“N-no, not comfortable.”

Pei Yunzhou quickly shut his mouth and began wiping diligently.

“Give me the cloth. I’ll finish the rest.”

Pei Zhengnian took the cloth from Shen Nanchu’s hand, rolled up his sleeves, and got to work.

Shen Nanchu watched with a beaming smile.

A conscientious male lead was quite nice!

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep