Chapter 139 - 136: Celebrating the New Year
After helping Grandma Li, who had drunk too much and fallen asleep, onto the kang bed to rest, Li Xiu glanced at his wife. She’d also had a little too much to drink, and he couldn’t help but smile. ’This much wine won’t be enough to make her pass out.’ He deftly cleared the dinner table, then gently scooped up Zhou Lian and carried her to the bed in the bedroom off the main hall. A stove had been lit in there ahead of time, so the room wasn’t very cold.
He checked the doors and windows, then carried Nuonuo over to the large bed as well. With his wife and daughter in his arms, Li Xiu felt no desire to sleep. His mind drifted to all sorts of things. The large bed in the room had been custom-built this year; their original rosewood wedding bed had already been moved to their home in the Capital City. He had commissioned this current set of furniture from a carpenter before leaving, and once it was finished, Li Bao and Ge Yulian had moved it in and set it up for them.
’Tomorrow is the first day of the Lunar New Year, and we have to go pay our respects. My wife and daughter will have to come along. There are a few clan elders who love to throw their weight around, but I doubt they’ll dare to give my wife any trouble now. We’ll be going as a group of more than ten. If any troublemakers do pop up, I won’t mind teaching them a lesson.’
Early the next morning, after breakfast, Grandma Li watched with a smile as her grandson, granddaughter-in-law, and great-granddaughter bustled about. Li Xiu had Zhou Lian dress in a light pink, embroidered, quilted cotton jacket with a cinched waist and a mandarin collar, paired with navy blue, slim-fit, straight-leg trousers and black high-heeled leather shoes. Over it all, she wore a cashmere coat with a white fox fur collar that he had bought for her on a special trip to the south. Her hair was elegantly swept up with a jade hairpin, and a pair of jade bracelets adorned her wrists.
Nuonuo wore a matching set, a light pink embroidered quilted cotton jacket and pants. On her feet were small pink leather boots trimmed with white rabbit fur. Her pink knit hat was adorned with more white rabbit fur and sparkly sequins. To complete the look, she had on a small, hooded, bright red cape, making the fair and delicate Nuonuo look just like a little pink dumpling!
Li Xiu wore a navy blue Zhongshan suit with a cashmere coat in a matching color to Zhou Lian’s, though his lacked the fur collar. He had on black leather boots and a buzz cut, which delighted Grandma Li so much that she couldn’t stop praising how her grandson grew more handsome with age.
Grandma Li had also changed into the clothes Li Xiu brought for her: a deep purple, quilted Tang-style jacket, black corduroy pants, and a pair of matching deep purple cotton shoes for her small feet, purchased from a cloth shoe shop in the Capital City.
They had just finished getting dressed when the families of Eldest Li, Second Brother Li, and Third Brother Li all arrived. The room quickly filled to bursting, leaving little time for chatter. The three Li brothers and their wives knelt and kowtowed to Grandma Li to pay their New Year’s respects. They were followed by Li Xiu with Zhou Lian and Nuonuo, then Li Bao and his wife, then the unmarried young men led by Li Hua, and finally the young women led by Li Yun. After the flurry of kowtows, Li Xiu immediately led the large group out the door; they had to visit every clan member in the village today and wouldn’t finish if they didn’t hurry.
"You all can go. The clan members know I’m celebrating the New Year here this year. I’ll just wait here for them. You all go on ahead," Grandma Li said with a wave of her hand.
"Mom, that outfit looks so lovely on you today. Did our nephew buy it for you?" Aunt Li said with a smile. ’She had to admit,’ she thought, ’once their mother-in-law was all dressed up, she really did have the air of a grand matriarch from a prestigious family.’
"Exactly, Mom! You look stunning, don’t you? Bought by your grandson and granddaughter-in-law. It must be especially warm, right?" Aunt Li also said, her face beaming. The quilted jackets she and her third sister-in-law were wearing had also been bought by their nephew, Li Xiu. They were a similar style to her mother-in-law’s, just in different colors.
Grandma Li couldn’t hold back a laugh. "Can you believe it? At my age, she insisted I wear red! And she wouldn’t take no for an answer. Nuonuo’s mother said all the old ladies in the city dress this way, and that none of them look as good as I do!"
Seeing Grandma Li smile, the three brothers and their wives all breathed a collective sigh of relief. The memory of last New Year’s Day was still painfully vivid. At their age, being reprimanded by their mother was one thing, but to be seen by the younger generation arriving to pay their respects would have been utterly mortifying.
After her three sons and their wives had all left, Grandma Li let out a sigh. ’I understand. I understand it all.’ She had taken to heart what her granddaughter-in-law had told her last night. ’I’m old now, and it’s time to let go.’ It was just as her granddaughter-in-law had said: "Grandma, Grandpa passed away so young. You had to be both mother and father, struggling to raise four children all on your own. Now they all have their own families and careers. It’s time for you to let go. Don’t you want to go out and see the world, see what it’s like these days? When your time comes and you see Grandpa again, you’ll have all sorts of new things to tell him."
’In truth, my granddaughter-in-law was just being considerate. I understand completely. She wants me to go with them to the Capital City, for my grandson and his wife to be the ones to look after me in my old age. I understand her kind intentions. She’s afraid I’ll get angry seeing Second Brother Li’s family, so it’s better to keep my distance and just let them be. But I can’t possibly go to the Capital City. In the city, even a drink of water costs money. If I went, I’d be such a burden to my dear grandson!’
Li Xiu and his entourage made their way from house to house, paying their New Year’s respects. The clan members were stunned by the sight of Li Xiu’s family. A couple of the aunts felt the urge to make some snide remarks, but their husbands quickly shut them down. It was well-known that Li Xiu was no pushover. Besides, just by looking at him, it was obvious he had become a great success. Offending him would gain them nothing but the fleeting satisfaction of running their mouths—and even that wasn’t a guarantee against a man like Li Xiu.
As they left house after house, a cryptic smile played on Li Xiu’s lips. Seeing it, Li Bao and the other young men felt a sudden urge to flee. ’What’s gotten into Big Brother now?’ they wondered. ’Everyone’s been on their best behavior. Nobody’s provoked him.’
Puzzled, Li Bao’s wife turned to her sister-in-law, Li Miao, and asked, "What’s wrong with your brothers?"
Before Li Miao could answer, Li Fen burst out laughing. "They’re scared Big Brother is going to punish them! Sister-in-law, let me tell you, Brother Bao is terrified of Big Brother. If he ever gives you trouble, just go tell our Eldest Sister-in-law. He’ll turn as meek as a lamb, I guarantee it!"
"You little brat, watch your mouth! That’s called respecting my big brother, you ignorant girl!" Li Bao snarled. ’My wife is feisty enough as it is,’ he thought. ’If she gets someone like that backing her up, she’ll be completely uncontrollable.’
"Big Brother! Brother Bao called me a little brat! When you’re not around, he’s always bullying us sisters," Li Fen tattled, ignoring Li Bao and turning directly to Li Xiu.
Li Bao felt a shiver run down his spine as Li Xiu looked at him with a smile that wasn’t a smile. He scrambled to explain, "Big Brother, that was just a slip of the tongue. I don’t normally bully them. On that note, Big Brother, you really need to get your sisters in line. When you’re not here, they get completely out of hand. Sister Yun is one thing, since she’s getting married on the eighth day of the New Year, but the rest of them... they’re so picky with the matchmakers who come to call. If this keeps up, they’ll never get married!"
Everyone except for Li Bao’s wife looked at him with an expression that said they couldn’t bear to watch. ’What an idiot,’ they all thought. ’The whole world knows how much Li Xiu dotes on his sisters. Is Li Bao trying to get himself killed, or is he just plain suicidal?’
"Li Bao!"
"Big Brother," Li Bao replied, looking at him with an expression of utter despair. ’Is it too late to say my mouth ran away with me again?’
"You have a problem with our sisters?"
"No."
"Good."
"I... Big Brother, what do you want me to do?"
"One task for each sister. If you can’t handle them, you know what will happen," Li Xiu said, jabbing a finger at him. ’My sister-in-law is here today,’ he thought, ’so I’ll save this idiot brother of mine some face.’
"Big Brother, I was wrong! I’ll do whatever my sisters ask, I promise!" Li Bao pledged, looking like he was on the verge of tears. ’Big Brother has spoiled these girls rotten,’ he lamented internally. ’Who knows how they’ll decide to torture me now! And me... why did I have to go and poke the bear? Wasn’t I just asking for a beating?’