Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
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In the days leading up to Lunar New Year’s Eve, everyone stopped working outside and stayed at home.
The most important thing about Chinese New Year was probably that the whole family was together. Whether it was going out to buy New Year’s goods or staying home to do a thorough cleaning to welcome the new year, as long as the family was together, everything seemed to have meaning.
However, Jiang Shining and her sons were not considered a family in the true sense of the word in this world. Their relationship was strange and unique, filled with connections that outsiders could not understand.
They were more like a clan than a family.
Because of Jiang Shining’s caution, she never went out with any of her sons, as this could easily lead to misunderstandings. So even when it was time to go on a big shopping trip during the Lunar New Year, Jiang Shining insisted that they go on their own, while she and Chen Ruozhi took Guoguo with them.
The mother and her two daughters were changing clothes upstairs, while downstairs, the three sons were gazing at each other.
“We can’t go on like this,” Jing Yuan said. “We can’t hide ourselves just because the outside world doesn’t understand us— we haven’t done anything wrong.”
“At least, it shouldn’t be like this during the Lunar New Year,” Jing Xuan agreed.
The two brothers looked at Chen Tanliang, whose dark eyes were also fixed on them.
“I agree,” Chen Tanliang said.
So when the mother and her two daughters came downstairs, they saw three young men blocking the doorway.
“We should go out together,” Chen Tanliang said.
“But…” Jiang Shining started with some doubt.
Jing Yuan reached out and stopped her from speaking.
“You’ve always been cautious, Mom,” Jing Yuan said, “but sometimes you’re too cautious. This world doesn’t devour people, and you can’t apply the values you had in the apocalypse or any other world to this world.”
“It’s almost Chinese New Year, and families should stay together,” Jing Xuan said.
All three of them stared intently at Jiang Shining, but in reality, none of them knew whether they could persuade her.
Jiang Shining looked at them, then turned to look at Chen Ruozhi and Guoguo— the same light shone in everyone’s eyes.
Jiang Shining blinked and then chuckled softly.
“Then let’s go out together,” she said. “Family is the most important thing, isn’t it?”
Immediately, everyone cheered.
“If we’re going out, we need to disguise ourselves properly,” Jing Yuan said happily.
“Disguise?” Guoguo looked at him curiously.
Half an hour later, two black cars stopped near the pedestrian street in the city center. A group of young people, including men and women, and a little girl got out of the cars.
They were dressed casually; some wore sunglasses, some wore masks, but what they all had in common was that they were all wearing red scarves.
To outsiders, this seemed like just an ordinary small group of young people. After all, more and more young people chose to get together with their friends before the Lunar New Year.
“See, I told you no one would notice,” Jing Yuan said.
As the group walked along the road, they were not particularly noticeable because there were many pedestrians, most of whom were enjoying their own lives.
“After all, those paparazzi we were worried about also need to go home for the New Year,” Jing Xuan said to Jiang Shining with a smile.
Jiang Shining’s eyes softened a little.
She never imagined that happiness could be so simple. She realized that simply going out with her family was enough to make her content.
Jiang Shining turned her head to quietly observe the other children’s reactions. She saw the same emotions flickering in their eyes as she herself was feeling. Regardless of status, position, or age, it seemed that being with family was the most important thing for these people.
The six of them headed towards the supermarket, pushing three shopping carts. For the first time, Jiang Shining witnessed the carefree side of her precocious children. These young people, who were capable and independent in public, were lingering in the snack aisle.
It was all young people, including three boys. The amount of food in the shopping carts had to be calculated six times, and even three shopping carts didn’t look like they would be enough.
For the first time, the Jing Yuan and Jing Xuan brothers and the Chen siblings seemed as if they had grown up together, getting along so well and naturally, chatting about which item they wanted to buy, criticizing each other’s taste, or laughing out loud at something they remembered.
The four of them come from different backgrounds, but they had all experienced hardships, so they should naturally have a lot in common. Recovering their memories in this world was a long process, requiring them to recall events from further back each year as they aged. This meant that they were truly peers in this world.
The Lunar New Year seemed to be a magical time, allowing the two proud eldest sons, who were stubborn but soft-hearted, to put aside their usual ‘barriers’ and pretenses and get along peacefully, instead of having to pretend to be strong on their own.
They picked out carbonated drinks and beer together, grabbed a lot of snacks, and then went to the toy section to buy Guoguo a doll to play with. Unexpectedly, Guoguo turned around and spotted a toy gun in the boys’ section across the street. She even picked out an AK47 and played with it happily.
Chen Tanliang and Jing Yuan exchanged a glance, with only one thought in their minds: she truly is their sister, they were even able to see their own reflections in her at such a young age.
Turning her head again, she saw a Tyrannosaurus Rex, and Guoguo was even happier.
As a result, Guoguo didn’t buy any dolls, but instead bought a toy gun, a small dinosaur, a remote-controlled race car, and a remote-controlled boat. When she sat in the shopping basket hugging her Tyrannosaurus Rex, her nouveau riche-like demeanor intimidated the other boys on the street.
Seeing that Guoguo had bought so many toys at once, some boys burst into tears and rolled around in the toy section.
Of course, they ended up including a plush toy. Chen Tanliang handed Chen Ruozhi a pig plush toy, insisting that the two of them looked alike. Chen Ruozhi couldn’t even put it in the basket; Chen Tanliang insisted that she hold it herself.
Chen Ruozhi was speechless at her older brother’s behavior. He had always loved to tease her in such a mischievous way since they were children, which was simply too childish.
Who would have thought that the seemingly upright and handsome young marshal was actually a bad boy who insisted that his sister looked like a pig doll?
They bought three shopping carts full of snacks, drinks, and beer, and then brought out a new cart to hold raw meat and various vegetables.
With so many people, shopping was visibly expensive. And it was not just about buying six portions; Jing Yuan and the two brothers ate a lot, so they needed to buy even more.
But for some reason, watching them laughing and bickering occasionally made Jiang Shining feel very happy.
This was probably the best scenario she could imagine.
But… Jiang Shining couldn’t help but wonder, when would her other two sons appear?
She really hoped that all her children could be with her during next year’s Spring Festival.
When it was time to pay, there were long queues at every checkout counter. Jing Yuan and his group’s shopping carts alone stretched for more than two meters.
“You two go out first and sit in that coffee shop outside for a while,” Chen Tanliang said to Jiang Shining and Chen Ruozhi. “The queue will take quite a while.”
So, the two of them took Guoguo out first and sat in the coffee shop, ordering two coffees and a juice. Jiang Shining and Chen Ruozhi sat by the window, while Guoguo swung her legs next to Jiang Shining and drank her beverage, looking very happy.
Chen Ruozhi gazed out the glass, the winter sunlight reflecting on her face and eyes, making her feel that although she was sitting in the crowd, she was actually far away from everyone.
Chen Ruozhi looked outside, and Jiang Shining looked at her.
Of all these children, Chen Ruozhi was actually the one most like her. They were very similar in both their way of thinking and their approach to things.
The only difference was that Chen Ruozhi’s gaze was clean and pure. Books had given her a vast inner world, and the Marshal’s Mansion provided her with a life free from worries about food and clothing. Therefore, even though both of them were calm and open-minded in nature, there were still subtle differences in their temperaments.
For example, Chen Ruozhi was not good at hiding her thoughts; she had something on her mind right now.
“What are you thinking about?” Jiang Shining asked as she stirred her coffee.
Chen Ruozhi snapped out of her daze and smiled gently.
“I’m thinking about a decision,” she said. “There are two paths I want to take.”
“Do you want to discuss with me?” Jiang Shining said gently, “or do you want to solve it yourself?”
Chen Ruozhi fell silent.
This seemed like a question that didn’t even require hesitation, but because the person asking the question was Jiang Shining, she still thought about it for a while.
“I know what you’re going to say, so I’m still hesitating,” Chen Ruozhi said in a low voice.
“It’s because of the school. You want to go abroad to pursue a master’s degree, but you also want to stay here, right?” Jiang Shining said.
Chen Ruozhi was taken aback. For a moment, she didn’t understand why Jiang Shining knew about this, but she quickly understood.
“Why is Chen Tanliang still the same? He has to tell you everything.” Chen Ruozhi said with a bitter face, “I have no right to speak in his eyes at all, really.”
“Go to that country and continue your studies,” Jiang Shining said softly. “Even if you’re already a master in this field, it’s always a good thing to learn from different things.”
“But…” Chen Ruozhi said in a low voice, “I don’t want to leave you, and I don’t want to leave Guoguo. You must think I’m crazy. Although we’ve only known each other for a few months, I can’t bear to part with the two brothers as well.”
“That’s the power of family.” Jiang Shining smiled. “We are family, the real kind. So Ruozhi, go and study. We’ll always be there for you, and you need to cherish this opportunity.”
Chen Ruozhi remained silent.
“I don’t want my brother to stay with me.” She looked up and pleaded, “Can you let him stay? Over the years, he’s carried some of the guilt our father felt towards you, and he needs you more than I do. Although Chen Tanliang and Jing Yuan are always fighting, he’s in the best state I’ve ever seen him in.”
“It’s up to him to decide,” Jiang Shining said with a gentle smile. “Actually, I feel more at ease with him by your side. If you don’t want him to come with you, then you should try to persuade him yourself.”
As Chen Ruozhi fell into thought, Guoguo placed the cup on the table and gently patted it, as if she were patting Chen Ruozhi’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry so much,” Guoguo said. “Studying will be a quick process. Sister, you have to be strong. Guoguo is also going to kindergarten soon.”
Chen Ruozhi was both amused and touched when a kindergarten child encouraged her to be strong.
“Thank you, Guoguo.”
“By the way, if you’re going back to school, let’s find some time to get together with Feng Fuman,” Jiang Shining said. “She likes you the most, so we should at least let her meet you two.”
Chen Ruozhi nodded slightly.
“Aunt Ling is a good person, and Chen Tanliang and I should thank her properly.”
Jiang Shining thought for a moment and then came up with an idea.
Since there are already so many people, why not invite Feng Fuman and Lin Qingqing to their house for the New Year?
Without hesitation, Jiang Shining first called Feng Fuman. Feng Fuman had originally planned to spend the New Year with her male model, but upon hearing that the Chen siblings would also be there, she immediately agreed happily.
Jiang Shining called Lin Qingqing again. Lin Qingqing was a little afraid of Jing Yuan, but when she heard that Feng Fuman was going, she immediately widened her eyes and said that she would go even if she was scared to death on the spot by Chu Jing Yuan!
Just after he finished making two phone calls, three young men walked in carrying a bunch of bags.
“How about it, is there enough stuff?” Jing Yuan shrugged.
Jiang Shining stood up and slapped Jing Yuan on the forehead.
“Don’t scare people like that again!” Jiang Shining said. “You’re almost scaring Lin Qingqing into a psychological state. Can’t you be a little kinder?”
Jing Yuan, who was inexplicably beaten: ???
But what did he, the poor guy, do wrong?
The author has something to say:
Writing about the Lunar New Year so close to the holiday really resonated with me 23333
….
My period started last night, and I’ve been feeling listless all day before I finally managed to get up and write this. Sorry for keeping you all waiting! quq
Thank you everyone for the food and nutrient solution. I feel both weak and energetic today!
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