CHAPTER 357: CHAPTER 182: NEW YEAR’S EVE

"How could I be harboring bad intentions?" Shi Fengju chuckled, embracing her and pressing her close to his chest, gazing at her tenderly and affectionately until she blushed and lowered her head.

"Miss Wan, you’re truly beautiful!" Shi Fengju lifted her head, caressing her flushed cheeks with utmost fondness, locking eyes with her clear, spring-like watery gazes, and couldn’t resist leaning down to plant a gentle kiss...

The next morning when she awoke, Sang Wan’s body was still sore and weak. Shifting slightly, she turned to look at him and saw that Shi Fengju had already awakened, watching her with his eyes wide open! Seeing her dewy eyes glance his way, he felt a surge of tenderness, gently caressed her face, and chuckled lowly, "Awake?"

Sang Wan glared at him faintly, then turned her head away without a word.

"Miss Wan!"

Shi Fengju was slightly stunned, then burst into muffled laughter while holding her. His little wife was just so adorable!

In the blink of an eye, it was New Year’s Eve. Ancestral worship had to be performed before noon, and before the sky was even light, Sang Wan had risen. With housekeepers and daughter-in-laws bustling about reporting duties, opening the ancestral hall doors for cleaning, collecting incense and paper money, lighting oil lamps, opening the warehouse to retrieve the ancestral worship utensils for washing, and the kitchen busying itself with making blessed meat and preparing dishes for the ceremony, it was chaotic and hectic beyond compare.

When the time came, the entire family gathered inside and outside the ancestral hall, arranging the ritual offerings, lighting incense candles, all carried out solemnly and respectfully. Since ancient times, women did not participate in ancestral worship and men did not worship the kitchen god, so once the preparations were done, there was no more for Mrs. Wang, Sang Wan, and the others to attend to. The group of female relatives, led by Mrs. Wang, stepped back and waited in the side hall by the entrance; inside, led by Second Master Shi, the men worshipped the ancestors.

Second Madam Shi glanced inside and thought of her own son, who was wandering outside, whereabouts unknown, and couldn’t help but feel her eyes moisten, raising a handkerchief to dab at the corners of her eyes. Looking at Sang Wan, Shi Lian, and others, she thought of Zhou Jingyi, her daughter-in-law still nestled at her natal family’s home, and anger took hold in her heart. She resolved to fetch her back after the New Year was over!

After the ancestral worship, everyone dispersed. Sang Wan stayed to direct the cleaning up, arranged for people to take turns guarding the ancestral hall, reminded them to be careful with the fire, and then headed to the main courtyard to inform Mrs. Wang. Next, she began to oversee the preparations for the New Year’s Eve dinner.

The spring festival couplets and paper-cut window decorations could only be put up after the worship ceremony. The maids from each residence joyfully carried out their assignments received from the housekeepers. Soon, every room, hall, and doorway in the estate was adorned with brand-new bright red couplets and symbols of fortune, adding a festive and lively air.

When it came time for dinner, naturally, everyone would eat reunion dinner at Mrs. Wang’s place. Since the New Year called for a joyful atmosphere, people had already gathered at Mrs. Wang’s early on. Sisters Shi Yuzhen, Shi Lian, Shi Yulin, and others were playing backgammon and joking around in the warm pavilion; Mrs. Wang and the sisters-in-law played cards in the side hall, while Shi Fengju, his brothers, and the two uncles sat together chatting.

Brother Shi Fenghua and the other young men, curious by nature, were very interested in the customs and culture of the Sichuan region, and naturally turned to Third Master Shi with questions. Third Master Shi thought highly of his nephew, knowing that Shi Fenghua was intended for the imperial examination path, and apart from Sichuan customs and culture, also imparted to him some knowledge of officialdom mishaps, making the uncle and nephews’ conversation full of joy. Second Master Shi had no interest in these subjects and couldn’t help interjecting from time to time to steer the topic towards his beloved birds and goldfish. He spoke eloquently and at length, leaving Shi Fengju and the others feeling rather helpless, forced to patiently listen until he finished before they could tactfully steer the conversation away from the bothersome birds and goldfish.

As dusk fell, Sang Wan came over with a smile, informing that dinner was ready, and everyone stopped what they were doing and got up to wash their hands.

Mrs. Wang and the sisters-in-law were in the middle of an exciting game and ordered the maids to leave everything as it was, not to touch anything, and that they would return after dinner!

"Miss Wan, where are your eldest sister and brother-in-law? Someone should go and call them!" Mrs. Wang quickly ordered, upon not seeing Shi Yumei, and complained, "That child Yumei, I already told her at noon, how could she have forgotten everything!"

Sang Wan could only agree, just as she was about to send someone, Shi Fengju, seeing Xiuchun standing by, instructed her, "Xiuchun, go and invite your eldest aunt and uncle over for dinner. Tell them the master and madam are waiting for them to come quickly!"

"Yes, young master!" Xiuchun bowed and left.

Sang Wan locked eyes with Shi Fengju, nodding her head with a grateful smile. She instinctively felt unnerved by anything related to Shi Yumei and her husband, so it was better for Mrs. Wang’s own maid to go. That way, she could avoid Yumei giving her maids cold stares and making things difficult, thus preventing any incidents that might upset her mother-in-law, for which Sang Wan herself would be blamed.