Chapter 77: New Year

  Ma Jie's visit inspired Xiao Ping to think about expanding the farm. However, that was something for after the new year. For now, what was most important for Xiao Ping and the others on the farm was to get through the peak shipping period before the new year and then celebrate a good new year.

  In the days leading up to Chinese New Year, everyone was extremely busy until the eve of the Lunar New Year's Eve. After several days of hustle and bustle, all the vegetables that had grown in the greenhouse were sold out, not a single egg was left in the cold storage, the fish ponds were drained, and a few fish that had escaped the net were kept by Xiao Ping in the goldfish pond to be eaten during the New Year.

  Xiao Ping did not forget his promise to the workers and gave each person a year-end bonus. Among them, Wang Dapao received the most, with Xiao Ping giving him a 30,000 yuan red envelope. Zhao Quan, who was in charge of the chicken farm, also worked hard and received a 20,000 yuan bonus this time. The year-end bonuses for the first batch of workers who entered the farm were all 10,000 yuan, while the few workers who entered the farm later also received 3,000 yuan in bonuses, which can be said to be a great joy for everyone.

  After the bonus was issued, Xiao Ping announced that the farm would be closed from New Year's Eve to the seventh day of the new year. Of course, since the chicken coop and vegetable greenhouse still need to be taken care of, workers will take turns coming on duty during these days to do some watering, feeding chickens, collecting eggs and other odd jobs.

  On New Year's Eve, there were fewer people coming to the farm, and the previously bustling farm became much quieter. Xiao Ping finally had time to prepare his own New Year's dinner.

  The farm basically had everything to eat. Apart from a few vegetables, crucian carp and eggs were indispensable, as well as pork and mutton bought at the nearby market, plus the cured meat and pickled goose sent by Wang Dapao and other workers, Xiao Ping didn't spend much effort to get a table of dishes ready.

  Since Xiao Ping's grandfather passed away, he has been spending the New Year alone like this, and it has become a habit for him. Unlike previous years, Xiao Ping's body has fully recovered from his illness this year, and his future is also bright, so it can be said that this is the happiest New Year he has spent since his grandfather passed away.

  Xiao Ping had dinner in his newly decorated villa on New Year's Eve, listening to the sound of firecrackers coming from Xiao Zhou Village, and couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia. Life is indeed unpredictable, not long ago he was still a patient who felt extremely weak even walking a few steps quickly, and could have died at any moment. But it was because of the unexpected acquisition of the Lian Yao Hu that such an earth-shattering change occurred in his life within just a few short months. Reflecting on his experiences over the past few months, Xiao Ping couldn't help but mutter to himself: "Life... is truly full of surprises."

  Just as Xiao Ping was lamenting about life, his phone suddenly rang. It turned out to be a text message from Li Wanqing. Li Wanqing had returned to her hometown for the New Year and in the message, she first wished Xiao Ping a happy new year, then subtly expressed her longing for him, and also expressed her hope that they could keep in touch more often in the future. Although there was no particularly passionate language in Li Wanqing's text message, it was full of delicate thoughts and subtle shyness, which was very much in line with her temperament.

  Xiao Ping was overjoyed to receive the text message and immediately replied with one of his own. His message was much more explicit, not only wishing Li Wanqing a happy new year but also adding "I miss you so much, often thinking back to those days when we lived together, especially that night when the power went out, unforgettable for life!"

  Li Wanqing quickly replied with a short message, only two words: Hate. However, after these two words, there was a smile composed of punctuation marks, indicating that she wasn't really angry.

  Xiao Ping of course understood what it meant, and after being delighted, he also sent a few text messages to Li Wanqing. However, today is New Year's Eve, and there are many relatives on Li Wanqing's side, so the two are not convenient to chat more, just saying that they will meet again after she returns to Suzhou to work, and then bid each other goodnight.

  In the past, Xiao Ping had no friends and didn't even have a mobile phone, so he wouldn't think of sending New Year's greetings to others. Thanks to Li Wanqing's text message reminder, Xiao Ping suddenly remembered that he should send New Year's greetings to everyone else too.

  Xiao Ping's current social connections are not few. He first sent a New Year's text message to his ordinary customer group, then called Zhou Jun and Liu Jianguo's couple, and finally didn't forget to send text messages to Wang Chunlai and Liu Yunting to celebrate the New Year. After thinking for a while, he also sent separate text messages to Zhang Yuxin and Song Lei. These two are also considered his friends, and it would be inappropriate not to ask about them during the New Year.

  What surprised Xiao Ping was that Zhang Yuxin actually called him quickly. Since the car accident that night, the relationship between the two had not been as tense as before, and Zhang Yuxin's tone on the phone was also much warmer: "Happy New Year to Director Xiao, may your wealth overflow in the coming year, and your business thrive!"

  Also wish Boss Zhang a great new year, with a thriving career and abundant wealth. Xiao Ping knew that Zhang Yuxin also had her own company under her name, so he also wished her business prosperity. Then he quickly added: "But most importantly, the whole family is healthy, and you are getting younger and more beautiful."

  Xiao Ping's blessing made Zhang Yuxin very happy, with a few smiles asking: "What are the arrangements for the Spring Festival these days?"

  "I don't have many relatives to visit either, I'm just staying at the farm." Xiao Ping replied honestly.

  Zhang Yuxin hesitated for a moment and said: "We'll be back in Suzhou after the fourth day of junior high school, or... you can come to my house and sit for a while."

  He didn't believe that Zhang Yuxin would take the initiative to invite him, so Xiao Ping couldn't help but ask curiously: "Is it the old man who wants to see me this time or is Momo thinking of Uncle Xiao?"

  Zhang Yuxin said discontentedly: "Don't forget that I'm also a member of this family, can't you invite me to be a guest?"

  Zhang Yuxin's slightly coquettish tone made Xiao Ping's heart skip a beat, and he hastily said loudly: "Of course! You come back on the fourth... let Lao Yezi and Momo rest for a day, I'll come to pay my respects on the sixth?"

  "Alright!" Zhang Yuxin said decisively: "Then I'll see you on the sixth day of the new year, I'm going to accompany my daughter, goodbye!"

  Also help me to pay New Year's greetings to the old man and Momo, goodbye. Xiao Ping finally did not forget to remind Zhang Yuxin of a sentence, then hung up the phone with a smile.

  Xiao Pingcai had just hung up the phone when it rang again, this time it was Song Lei calling. This little chili pepper still had a fiery personality, as soon as the call connected she asked in rapid succession: "Why is it always busy? Who do you have so much to talk about with? Are you chatting with your girlfriend?"

  Xiao Ping immediately called Qu Dao: "I don't have a girlfriend, it's time to make many phone calls to clients for New Year's greetings, isn't it?"

  Even Song Lei herself didn't know why, but after hearing Xiao Ping's words, she felt a slight thrill of excitement. However, she didn't want Xiao Ping to notice, so she deliberately hummed and said, "You still remember to wish me a happy new year, I won't hold it against you, humph!"

  Xiao Ping asked somewhat strangely: "Your voice sounds unhappy, who made you angry during the New Year?"

  "It's annoying to even mention it, but my grandfather's 70th birthday is on the fourth. Song Lei was already annoyed and soon poured out her frustrations to Xiao Ping: "My cousins just called to brag about how expensive the gifts they got for Grandpa are. They know full well that our family isn't doing well financially, this is them intentionally trying to one-up me!"

  Xiao Ping couldn't help but ask: "What gift have you prepared for Grandpa?"

  Song Le said loudly: "I personally wove a scarf and a big blanket for Grandpa! When he goes out in his wheelchair in winter, he can wear the scarf and cover his legs with the blanket, so he won't be cold!"

  Xiao Ping didn't expect that this fiery little pepper also had such a thoughtful side, and couldn't help but softly comfort her: "Actually, the elders value your kind intentions, and it has nothing to do with how expensive the gift is. The gift you prepared is already very considerate, I believe your grandfather will definitely like it?"

  "Really?" Xiao Ping's words made Song Lei excited again, and she actually kissed him heavily over the phone.

  Xiao Ping couldn't help but ask in surprise: "Huh, what's going on here?"

  "This is thanks to you persuading me, now I'm in a much better mood!" Song Lei laughed on the other end of the phone: "It's almost midnight, I have to go set off firecrackers with Dad, see you later!"

  "Goodbye!" Xiao Ping smiled and bid farewell to Song Le, the distant village of Xiaozhou had already begun to ring with dense firecrackers, a new year was about to arrive.