"Mom, are the dumplings ready?" Yang Qingqing's clear and melodious voice rang out. "Once they are, we'll begin the ancestral rites."
"They're not ready yet," Li Jingyun's voice replied, a hint of impatience in it. "What's the rush?"
"We've already made more than enough!" Yang Qingqing said helplessly. "Why make so many? I called my brother yesterday. He's not coming back this year; he's staying on the mountain with his master for the New Year."
"What if your brother suddenly decides to come back? Even if he doesn't, we still need to prepare his portion," Li Jingyun chuckled, her fingers deftly wrapping dumplings.
Yang Shan, wearing an apron, was rolling out dumpling wrappers at the cutting board, silent. He heard his wife's words and let out a quiet sigh. For over ten years, their son had never returned for even the minor new year, nor for Lunar New Year's Eve or the Spring Festival. In previous years, it was for treatment, and this year, wasn't he supposed to be mostly recovered?
Of course, he couldn't voice this thought, or the household might be shrouded in melancholy.
Yang Qingqing gave a wry smile and didn't say anything more. She, like her parents, understood her brother's difficulties. His master had saved his life, and if he came home for the New Year, his master would be spending it all alone.
Despite this, she still wished her brother could be home for the New Year.
Because, her brother wasn't just her brother anymore; he was her suitor, her love.
Suddenly, Yang Qingqing exclaimed with excitement, "My brother's back! I heard his voice! He's right outside the door!"
With that, she vanished from the kitchen in a flash.
"Feilong is back?" Both Li Jingyun, who was making dumplings, and Yang Shan, rolling wrappers, jolted at the words. Joy lit up their faces. They stopped their work and hurried towards the main door.
Outside, they indeed saw Yang Feilong greeting the neighbors and handing out gifts.
The high-quality Huazi cigarettes and Baijiu weren't particularly expensive—a carton of Huazi was seven hundred, and a bottle of Baijiu around a thousand. He'd returned in a hurry and hadn't bought the very best. Even so, the gifts for each household added up to about two thousand yuan. In addition to that, Yang Feilong had prepared a ten-thousand-yuan red envelope for each family. It wasn't a large sum, but for people who earned two to three thousand a month, it was a substantial amount. Ideally, he would have given these red envelopes on New Year's Day, but he didn't know if he would be back then, so giving them in advance was fine.
These neighbors had, in one way or another, lent money to the Yang family. Although the debts had all been repaid, the kindness remained.
Yang Feilong: "Uncle Li, this is a small token of my appreciation. Please accept it. You used to give me so many good things when I was a child!"
Uncle Li: "I'll accept the cigarettes and wine, but this red envelope should be from me to you, a junior. What is this for?"
"This is a red envelope to show my filial piety to you. Heh heh, please accept it!" Yang Feilong said with a smile.
"Feilong has really made something of himself!"
"Indeed! I always knew Feilong was a clever and filial child! I heard Old Yang and his wife aren't working anymore and are traveling around the country."
"Feilong, do you have a girlfriend? If not, how about I introduce you to one? My second uncle's granddaughter is about your age, and she's beautiful and virtuous. I wouldn't introduce just anyone."
"Ahem, I have a girlfriend!" Yang Feilong replied with an embarrassed smile.
"You have a girlfriend? Why not bring her home to meet us?"
"Next year, I'll bring her next year." Yang Feilong chuckled sheepishly.
There were over ten families in this neighborhood, and each received a generous gift. Generally, neighbors might have disagreements, but the people in this area were good. When one family faced hardship, others would offer what they could, helping to the best of their ability. Their conversations were always casual.
"Brother." Yang Qingqing emerged just as she witnessed this scene and called out excitedly.
"Oh, Qingqing is out!"
"Qingqing has grown into a young lady, more beautiful than ever. I wonder which lucky young man will win her heart."
"Qingqing, do you have a boyfriend? If not, would you like me to introduce you to my son? What do you think of him? Although he didn't get into as good a university as you, he's still a university student and looks quite dashing now."
Seeing Yang Qingqing, everyone chimed in with good-natured teasing.
Yang Qingqing's face flushed, but she endured her shyness. Raising her chin, she said proudly, "I have a boyfriend. It's my brother. How about that?"
"Ah, that's wonderful! A match made in heaven."
"What do they call this? Keeping the good fortune within the family!"
"Old Yang is out too! I never expected you to be so resourceful. No need for a betrothal gift then!"
Everyone burst into laughter, their jokes kindly meant. The neighbors all knew that Yang Feilong had been adopted by Yang Shan and Li Jingyun.
At the time, they had no children. They went to a Taoist temple to pray for a son and returned with a child. Not long after, Li Jingyun became pregnant and gave birth to Yang Qingqing.
They knew Yang Feilong was an orphan, and the Yangs, being kind-hearted, had taken him in. Perhaps Heaven was moved, and they were blessed with their own daughter, Yang Qingqing.
Although it was only a daughter, the doctors had declared Yang Shan and his wife to be infertile. With an adopted son and a biological daughter, it was a cause for great celebration. The only regret was that their adopted son was sickly. At the time, people had advised Yang Shan and his wife to give up, but they refused. They spent all their savings on his treatment. Their neighbors had not stood by idly; they had offered assistance, such as lending money. Furthermore, the couple took Yang Feilong everywhere seeking medical advice. Yang Qingqing was boarded at a kindergarten, and although she stayed there during the week, on Saturdays and Sundays, neighbors would take turns picking her up, keeping her for a couple of days, and then returning her to the kindergarten.
This was why Yang Feilong had done what he did earlier.
Yang Feilong had even considered opening several large pharmacies in the county town next year. Not for profit, but so that everyone could find work there, and the profits would benefit them.
He didn't expect to make a fortune from three to five large pharmacies in the county.
Yang Shan and Li Jingyun had heard their daughter's words and the good-natured banter from their neighbors.
Their faces, already bright with joy from their son's return for the minor new year, now shone even more. When they had free time, they often thought that if their son and daughter were together, it would be an even closer union, wouldn't it?
After all, their son was adopted and had no blood relation to their family.
As for their son giving money and gifts to the neighbors, they didn't feel any heartache. Instead, they were filled with relief and pride, seeing how their son had truly grown and matured, handling affairs with such thoughtfulness.