On the early morning of New Year's Eve, Ding Changchuan first went to worship his ancestors, and then took Ding Zhou to the main room to see An Ran.
"Sister-in-law, my father and mother are not at home now. You are the eldest sister-in-law. We are all very happy that you are willing to come back this year. Our family has never been together. If you really don't come back, this year will be meaningless."
An Ran smiled and said, "Your eldest brother and the others are not here, so I will definitely come back. But this year, the three brothers will have to work hard to organize the house."
Ding Changchuan waved his hand, "If this is where it is, it's not hard work."
On the evening of the 30th, we had a reunion dinner. An Ran and his two sisters-in-law sat at a table in the hall.
Ding Changchuan sat at the same table with several members of his clan.
Watching the girls serving the dishes, An Ran said, "Although things have been complicated this year, the house is in order, which shows that the second brother and sister have put a lot of effort into it." ?.?????.???
Ding Lin had a smile on her face and said, "That's right. I can't praise you as a sister-in-law. I'm just a sister-in-law, and a few aunts are going to come in to serve you. Are you really not going to let them come? After all, there are not many people this year."
"They have never been to the main hall in previous years, so there is no need to make an exception this year. They can eat in the room by themselves."
Ding Lin was really troubled by the concubines in her eldest house. They all had backers, and she couldn't take them lightly or take them seriously.
At this time, Mrs. Ding Zhou next to her said, "Sister-in-law, will you stay vigil with us this year?"
An Ran smiled and said, "You have a young child now, so how can you have such energy?"
Ding Zhou said, "Yes, there will be no problem in waiting for the child."
An Ran said, "Well, the three of us can talk and watch the night together, but don't insist on it."
Ding Zhou nodded happily.
After dinner, An Ran and her two sisters-in-law were chatting in the small hall, doing needlework, and keeping watch together.
This is the first time that the three of them have stayed together during the Chinese New Year.
What the three of them talked about the most was their children. After a while, Ding Lin made an excuse and said that he should go and have a look. There would be no lazy people out there on night watch and he would come back later.
When Mrs. Ding Zhou saw Ding Lin going out, she whispered, "Sister-in-law, my second sister-in-law is not happy during the Chinese New Year this year. Can you tell?"
An Ran lowered his head while doing needlework and casually replied, "Maybe it's because my second brother is also in the border area."
"I don't think so. It's just a little weird, but I can't tell."
An Ran stopped what she was doing, thought for a moment, and asked, "Is it because I am too busy during the Chinese New Year period? After all, there are a lot of things in the house that are all taken care of by her."
Ding Zhou said, "It's not like this. It's been like this in previous years, and I've saved a lot this year. I'm exhausted."
An Ran smiled and lowered his head to do his work again, "Don't think so much, let's say something happy during the Chinese New Year."
In fact, An Ran felt it too. Since she didn't live in the house permanently, she was too lazy to worry about it.
But outside, Mrs. Ding Lin said to her personal mother-in-law, "As soon as my sister-in-law comes back, I don't have to worry too much about the first bedroom, but the servants in the house are all fawning over the third bedroom. This is because the second master is not at home. I don’t take it seriously anymore.”
The mother-in-law said, "What's so annoying about this? Now that the third master is in charge of the affairs of the house, it's true that the servants are flattering the third grandma."
Ding Lin said, "You don't understand. Now everyone in the mansion knows that even the third master has to listen to my sister-in-law's words. She is declaring that she is the master of the Ding mansion and I am just the temporary housekeeper."
The mother-in-law really doesn’t know what the second grandma is so passionate about. The eldest grandma doesn’t like to take care of the affairs of the house, and the second wife is just a temporary housekeeper. Everyone knows this.
Ding Lin said, "My sister-in-law is not in the house. I have been helping the housekeeper for so many years. Now that my sister-in-law is back, the servants are all respectful to her and fawning over the third wife. They don't give me any face."
The mother-in-law smiled cautiously, "I think the second grandma is overthinking it. The eldest grandma doesn't want to come back, so she won't worry about these trivial matters. If you think so, aren't you making yourself unhappy?"
Ding Lin sighed, "The second master is not here. The third master is in charge of the affairs outside the house, and I am in charge of the affairs inside the house. Haven't you seen that during this period, all the servants have gone to the third room to show their courtesy."
"I think the second grandma is overthinking. You have always been in charge of the house. Who doesn't know clearly? Let's go back quickly. After all, it's not good to be out for too long."
Ding Lin went out to complain and felt a little better. When he came back, he sat aside and embroidered with a handkerchief.
When it was almost time, a mother-in-law came to ask them to go out.
At the gate, Ding Changchuan lit long firecrackers. Firecrackers are set off at the gate in front of the beasts, which means to ensure peace and prosperity. Even the servants in the outer courtyard stand outside to cheer.
After the long firecrackers finished, Ding Changchuan said, "It's another year."
An Ran turned around and said, "Okay, everyone, let's go back to the room."
Ding Lin and Ding Zhou had acquaintances walking around each other in Fucheng, but An Ran didn't. After spending the second day of the second year of junior high school, she set off back to Xiaxi Village on the third day of the third year of junior high school.
This time it was Ding Changchuan who personally sent An Ran back.
"Sister-in-law, there are generals around Xiao Shitou. Don't worry too much about his safety. Moreover, the powder An Qiao prepared also has a self-defense effect. Xiao Shitou is very smart now."
Ding Changhe and Ding Shengkang grew up on the battlefield. Although An Ran was worried, she also knew that as a general, his safety would be no problem. She was just worried about Xiao Shitou now, afraid that he would do something impulsive.
"Third brother, I don't know much about what's going on ahead now. How much do you know?"
"Years ago, we suffered another defeat. The regent lost a lot of men. I heard that the emperor asked my eldest brother to
