Chapter Seventeen: Farce

Here, she was setting off fireworks with Yu Wen, while on the other side, she watched the video of the immortals bickering noisily. Yu Qian’s eyes sparkled; it was her first year back in this life, and she felt deeply content.

Midnight struck.

“Crackle, crackle, crackle, crackle...” Almost every household lit the first firecrackers of the New Year at the same time.

In this county, the custom was to light the first firecrackers at twelve on New Year’s Eve, then again at six in the morning on the first day of the new year to officially begin the Spring Festival.

After the fireworks and the nostalgic song, Yu Qian was sent off to bed.

She burrowed under her quilt and collected a wave of red envelopes.

Most were spiritual fruits, a few minor protective charms. No one dared send anything too powerful—this world could not withstand too much spiritual energy—but small items, like talisman paper or jade, posed no problem.

The Weaver Girl sent over a new garment, calling it the Rainbow Mist Robe, with the same function as the Cloud Brocade Dress—it could be worn interchangeably, and the used one could be washed.

Proper etiquette must be repaid, so Yu Qian sent plenty of food to the group chat.

During the New Year, the market overflowed with preserved meats and braised delicacies.

Smoked pork and sausages, pig’s ears and tails, pig’s head and tongue...

Braised duck and chicken, wings and feet, liver and heart...

Every part of the pig, chicken, and duck could be turned into a delicacy.

But Pigsy and the little chicks were on the verge of tears, watching the feast but unable to eat, puffed up in frustration, sorrow written all over their faces.

After the lively festivities, Yu Qian put away her phone and drifted to sleep.

It was the holiday, and the sages, in their benevolence, granted her leave; they did not call her into the secret realm, only reminding her to practice diligently over the festival and not neglect her training.

On the morning of the first day of the new year, Yu Qian woke early.

In the kitchen, Yu Wen was kneading dough, with a large bowl of seasoned meat filling beside him.

Here in the county, everyone made their own dough for tangyuan on New Year’s morning—mostly savory, but some sweet as well.

As usual, she helped her father wrap tangyuan.

She pinched off a small ball of dough, rolled it into a sphere, placed it in her left palm, and pressed the center outward with her right thumb. After two turns in her hand, a round hollow formed. She spooned in some meat filling, sealed the top, and rolled it into a ball again—a savory tangyuan, ready.

The sweet tangyuan followed the same process, but used brown sugar for the filling, and were shaped oval to distinguish them from the savory ones.

The wood-fired stove had already brought the water to a boil; savory tangyuan went in first, then sweet.

Once cooked, she carried bowls to her grandparents, then took her own to the living room. Biting into it, the tender glutinous rice wrapper and juicy meat filling melded together in her mouth, fragrant and soft, rich with meat—a delight.

After the savory, she tried a sweet one; the brown sugar melted on her tongue, hot enough to make her inhale sharply.

...

There was no custom of visiting relatives on the first day in the county, so Yu Qian simply accompanied her parents to stroll through De Yun Temple, while her grandparents stayed home watching TV.

On the second day, according to tradition, Yu Wen’s family would visit her maternal grandmother.

But since things had soured with her grandmother’s family, going would be awkward, yet not going would be called unfilial.

After much hesitation, they decided to go—arriving near noon, eating lunch, then heading home.

“Oh, look who’s here—isn’t this the little sister-in-law who’s already married off?” Her eldest aunt, Chen Ying, greeted them with sarcastic tones.

Ignoring her, the three entered her grandmother’s room, handed over their New Year’s money, and sat inside watching TV, only emerging when it was mealtime.

“Some people just don’t know how to behave. Coming back to her mother’s home, still thinking she’s some kind of princess, just sitting there waiting to be served,” the younger aunt commented, turning to the elder.

“That’s right, they’re all little lords and ladies, just waiting to eat,” the elder aunt agreed.

Yu Qian grew annoyed at their snide remarks and couldn’t help but retort, “Don’t you know the saying, ‘A married daughter is like water poured out?’ We haven’t skimped on the filial money, so what business is it of yours?”

The relatives nearby looked awkward; they’d heard of the siblings’ quarrels, but hadn’t realized things had gotten so sour—even the younger generation was blunt.

“Enough, nothing more to say. Eat and go home,” Wen Yu patted her daughter’s back and spoke calmly.

When they’d first broken ties, Wen Yu had hoped her family would reflect, but over the past half year, not only had they not done so, they’d grown even more outrageous.

She hadn’t told Yu Qian that Wen Sheng and Wen Yuan had even gone to the provincial city demanding money for the holidays, but Wen Yu had not only scolded them but chased them off with a broom.

So, it was no surprise that both families had to seek trouble even during the New Year.

They finished their meal quietly, and as the table cleared, Yu Wen was about to leave with his wife and daughter when Wen Sheng spoke.

“Giving the money and then just leaving?”

“We’re not giving it to you, so why do you care?” Wen Yu retorted, impatient with their greed.

“If you don’t give it, you can’t leave!” Yu Qian’s cousin, Wen Xiaojun, blocked their way.

“Get lost!” Yu Qian snapped, “Money, money, money—why don’t you just marry money? We give money to our grandparents, not to you! Even if someone should ask, it’s not your place!”

“You have no right to speak here, junior!” Wen Sheng raised his hand, intent on hitting Yu Qian.

Yu Wen and Yu Qian moved at once, about to shield her, but Yu Qian twisted Wen Sheng’s arm behind his back and kicked him off his stool, sending him sprawling.

He was stunned—when had his daughter become strong enough to handle adults?

“Stay out of my way. Good dogs don’t block the road. If you try again, I won’t mind kicking you all aside.”

Seeing Yu Qian’s fierce demeanor, Wen Xiaojun shrank back, unconsciously moving his foot aside to let them pass.

“Hmph, some people don’t know when to accept kindness.” With a sideways glance, she pulled Yu Wen and Wen Yu away.

As the family left, those around exchanged glances. Remarkable—Wen Yu’s daughter was quite formidable. Best to keep their distance in the future, lest trouble come their way.

They all took their leave; in a short while, most had gone, leaving only the closest kin of the two daughters-in-law.

Wen Sheng was left panting in fury, and Wen Yuan cursed, shouting threats against the Yu family.

Meanwhile, Yu Qian, still fuming, drove home with her parents. “From now on, aside from giving money to my grandparents, we shouldn’t come here again. What are they, caring only about money and nothing else?”

“Yes, we won’t come again,” Wen Yu replied after a moment’s silence.

She was genuinely distressed—they were all blood relatives, yet for money, they treated her husband and daughter this way. How could she not feel pain?

They drove home in silence, and only once there did Yu Wen ask, “What happened earlier? Where did you learn those moves?”

Yu Wen was certain no one in the family knew martial arts.

Yu Qian froze—oh no! In her anger, she’d forgotten her parents didn’t know she could fight.

“I...I...I didn’t learn any special moves,” she stammered after a long pause.

“Then explain how you twisted your uncle’s arm and kicked the stool away.”

“I just reacted instinctively...and I’m strong, so I kicked it…” she answered sheepishly, knowing even she found her excuse implausible.

Yu Wen looked at her deeply. “If you don’t want to say, that’s fine. As long as you can protect yourself, your mother and I won’t ask anymore.”

Yu Qian lowered her head, clasped her hands behind her back, and murmured, “Thank you, Mom and Dad!”