Fast forward to the end of the year again, and everyone is busy preparing for the New Year.
Xiao Huzi's body recovered well, and Xue Zhilan stayed in the garden almost every day, preparing medicine for him.
Shanyou's morning sickness has improved a bit, but her mental condition is still a little bad.
In addition to taking medicine and resting, Xiao Huzi stayed with her most of the time.
Ahu and Wang Qing did not dare to leave, taking care of their son and grandson at the same time.
The big cold wave at the end of the year hit the south and froze the fishing grounds of the Shangoe family, killing a large number of marine fish.
Shanyue and Chen Shuiyu were too busy to book air tickets. It was not until the end of the year that they remembered and found that even the air tickets for the first month had been sold out.
It’s hard to buy any tickets at the end of the year, not even ferry tickets.
The Shangyue couple had no choice but to stay in the South Island for the New Year, saying they would fly to the Imperial Capital around the Lantern Festival to reunite with them.
Xiao Huzi's sister was originally going north to reunite with her family for the Chinese New Year. Unexpectedly, she slipped and accidentally broke the small bone in her left hand when she was going out. She had to seek medical treatment in the provincial capital and was unable to spend the New Year well.
Fortunately, her classmates and friends are all in the provincial capital, so there is no shortage of people to take care of her, and she is not afraid of loneliness. Otherwise, Wang Qing would not be able to rest assured.
Despite this, Ahu still hired another nanny to take care of her daughter's daily life, and told her to take good care of her injuries and reunite with her family after the new year.
The New Year is approaching, several children are on vacation, the garden is no longer empty, there are people walking around.
Xue Heng promised his daughter to accompany her abroad during the Chinese New Year. The father and daughter booked their air tickets early and flew to foreign resorts for skiing after the Chinese New Year.
Both Xue Huan and Zheng Xiaoyi are very busy, and the end of the year is no exception.
The two children couldn't sit still at home and came to the garden every day to join in the fun.
Therefore, we had to set up two more tables in the dining room and arrange for two more people to help in the kitchen. Otherwise, when dinner time came, more than 20 people, old and young, would eat at the same time, and the two chefs in the large kitchen would not be able to cope with it.
Xue Ling has semi-retired, but there are still a lot of human relations to take care of, so he is still very busy.
Cheng Tianyuan was also busy until the morning of New Year's Eve before he took a few bags of new year's goods home.
The New Year's Eve dinner was very sumptuous, and everyone played with fireworks while eating. It didn't end until after eight o'clock.
The old people were tired and went back to their rooms to rest early.
The young people haven't had enough fun yet, so they all go out to play in groups of two or three, some fall in love, and some play games.
Xue Ling walked into the living room and found that the spacious living room was empty except for Cheng Tianyuan, who was squinting and taking a nap.
"Why is it only you?
Aren’t Ahu and Wang Qing here just now?”
Cheng Tianyuan murmured: "Little Tiger is going to sleep... Let's put the grandson to sleep."
Seeing that he was slightly drunk, Xue Ling quickly poured him a cup of tea.
Cheng Tianyuan took a sip and asked, "Has A Fang gone back?"
"I'm back."
Xue Ling explained: "Ah Huan and his family have also left."
Cheng Tianyuan stretched and said confusedly: "I just had two drinks. I seem drunk... I am old and useless."
Xue Ling chuckled and helped him up.
"Old man, I will help you go back to your room to sleep."
Cheng Tianyuan was amused by her and half leaned on her.
"I seem to be old, why aren't you old yet?
I seem to be only five years older than you..." Seeing that he was really drunk, Xue Ling couldn't help but laugh softly.
"If you are five years older, you will naturally age first.
how?
Are you finally afraid of getting old?"
Cheng Tianyuan smiled and said nothing. After returning to his room, he fell on the bed and did not want to move.
Xue Ling turned up the heating, helped him change his clothes, turned around, twisted out a towel and wiped his face.
Cheng Tianyuan squinted his eyes, sighing and feeling helpless.
"In a blink of an eye... the children are all grown up, and the elderly are all old... We finally have a world for two."
Xue Ling smiled and said: "It seems like when we just got married.
Do you remember?
When we lived in the rental house, it was just you and me."
Cheng Tianyuan nodded: "I can't forget it."
After saying this, he waved to her.
Xue Ling leaned forward and lay in his arms, squinting and rubbing his face.
"Year after year, it has been almost thirty years..." Cheng Tianyuan murmured: "Yes, in a flash we are all at the age where we know our destiny."
Xue Ling couldn't help but ask: "Are you... afraid of old age?"
"Don't be afraid."
Cheng Tianyuan thought about it seriously and whispered: "Day after day, year after year, I have experienced so many things, and I am getting older unconsciously.
Suddenly one day I realized that we are all really old.
The age at which you know your destiny may be the time when you have a thorough understanding of world affairs and life.
Once you've seen it through and figured it out, you shouldn't be afraid."
After a pause, he asked: "Are you afraid?"
Xue Ling smiled, the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes clearly visible.
"In the past few years, I looked at the increasing number of wrinkles and gray hair in the mirror. At first, I was a little scared and a little unwilling. I felt that my life had just begun and I was already old.
However, I gradually accepted it.
You have to accept it even if you don’t accept it, this is a fact.”
Cheng Tianyuan smiled fondly: "You are just a little old, but your heart is not old at all."
"Pull him down."
Xue Ling muttered: "You are the only one who still secretly coaxes me to lie to me."
Cheng Tianyuan narrowed his eyes and said, "What are you afraid of? I'm five years older than you! As long as I'm here, you will never grow old."
Xue Ling laughed and hugged his neck.
"Are you drunk?
Why are you talking about love all of a sudden?"
Cheng Tianyuan k
Just as beautiful.”
Xue Ling hugged his neck tightly and smiled with tears in her eyes.
She was afraid of aging because she couldn't accept her slightly bloated figure and the increasingly obvious crow's feet on her face in the mirror.
She is not afraid of aging, because she has a husband who has always loved her deeply, because she has a very happy and warm family, and because she has no regrets in her life.
Therefore, she is not afraid of old age.
… The next morning, everyone accompanied Xue’s father and mother to the ancestral temple to pay homage to their ancestors.
The temperature outside was low, and the elderly man was getting older after all, so he started shivering within a few minutes of getting off the car.
Xue Ling and Cheng Tianyuan quickly offered incense and hurriedly helped the old man get into the car.
The temperature in the car was warm and there was hot water to drink, so the old man finally recovered.
Xue Ling was still worried and said: "It's better to go home."
Xue's father and mother didn't want to worry about their daughter and son-in-law, and were afraid that falling ill during the Chinese New Year would cause trouble to the young people, so they had to agree to go back to the garden first.
The group returned to the garden.
The young people had their own programs and disappeared in a flash.
Cheng Tianfang came early in the morning to kowtow to his old mother and pay New Year greetings. Then he drove his old mother to the flower market, saying he would come back after lunch.
Xue Ling accompanied her parents in the living room, watching TV, eating sunflower seeds and chatting, while Cheng Tianyuan went to the security room and the big kitchen to hand out New Year's red envelopes.
"Ling, it seems like someone is coming outside.
Look inside the surveillance camera!"
Xue Ling looked along her old father's hand and soon saw cousin Xue Cong opening the car and walking out carrying a big bag.