"We thought of going together." Yang Ruoqing said.

"Then I'm going to cook the dumplings first. You go and stay with your uncle for the New Year's Eve. I'll call you when the dumplings are ready."

The couple parted ways for the time being.

When Yang Ruoqing came to the backyard kitchen, she found that Wang Cuilian and Tuoba Xian were both there.

The two elders were both making dumplings, but Tuoba Xian was particularly afraid of the humidity and cold in the southern winter, so he moved a small stool and sat at the mouth of the stove to make dumplings.

Wang Cuilian, perhaps to make ends meet with Tuoba Xian, also moved everything to the cooking pot. The two of them sat and stood, chatting and laughing while making dumplings.

Yang Ruoqing opened the door and came in. When she saw this, she smiled.

"Auntie, what kind of stuffing have you prepared?" she asked, closing the kitchen door with her backhand to keep out the cold wind.

Wang Cuilian pointed to the large open bowls in front of her and introduced them: "The ones stuffed with pork and cabbage, the ones stuffed with beef and green onions, the ones stuffed with eggs, chives and vermicelli, and the ones stuffed with jujube and sweet-scented osmanthus."

Yang Ruoqing smiled again, "This is so diverse, I'm so hungry just listening to it."

Tuoba Xian raised her head and looked behind Yang Ruoqing and said, "Qing'er, where are our two children? Are they still playing at Lao Mu's house?"

Yang Ruoqing nodded, "Yes, Chen'er discussed this with me a few days ago, saying that he would have an all-night game with his uncle Zichuan on New Year's Eve, and the baby clamored to watch the game."

"However, I have discussed it with Tang Yazi before. When the dumplings are out of the pot, I will ask him to take the baby back to sleep. At the same time, I will send two plates of dumplings to Chen'er and Zichuan for them to eat while watching the New Year."

Tuoba Xian nodded, "Okay, my Chen'er likes to eat beef stuffed with green onions. You can pack a few more when the time comes."

Yang Ruoqing smiled happily, rolled up her sleeves and joined the dumpling-making camp.

Cook the dumplings in a large pot. When the water boils, add two ladles of raw water to the pot. Repeat this twice until the dumplings are cooked from the inside out.

Yang Ruoqing took out the dumplings with a large bamboo basket and put them into a three-layer insulated food box.

"Auntie, I'll have Tang Yazi send these dumplings to Lao Mu's house for Zichuan and Chen'er to eat first. You can take care of the dumplings for the family later." She told Wang Cuilian and picked up the food.

He turned around and left the kitchen.

In the front hall, not only Luo Fengtang and Blacksmith Luo were talking, but several men from the village who were raising fish with Blacksmith Luo came over to visit Blacksmith Luo to chat with him.

Seeing Yang Ruoqing coming with a food box, they said: "The dumplings for keeping the New Year's Eve are ready now? You old Luo family are really nimble!"

Blacksmith Luo glanced at Yang Ruoqing, with praise in his eyes: "They have been preparing it early in the morning. I heard they have prepared several kinds of fillings. Don't leave, please stay and eat a few dumplings."

Yang Ruoqing also smiled and asked them to stay.

"This food box is for Lao Mu's family. The dumplings for the family are being cooked in a big pot. A few uncles and brothers will eat some dumplings at my house later," she said.

"Thank you very much. Our mother-in-law should be cooking dumplings at home too. I guess it's almost time. We should go home and prepare for the firecrackers to open the door," they said.

So they all said their goodbyes, and Blacksmith Luo escorted them to the gate of the courtyard, where a few people were still chatting.

Here, Luo Fengtang has already taken the food box from Yang Ruoqing, "Then I'll go and come back quickly."

Yang Ruoqing nodded, "Tell the baby to wear a hood and gloves, and try to talk as little as possible on the road. Be careful if you drink the cold wind and get a stomachache."

Luo Fengtang smiled: "Don't worry, I will take your advice."

By the time Yang Ruoqing went back to the backyard kitchen to boil the second pot of dumplings, Luo Fengtang and Luo Baobao, father and daughter, had already entered the kitchen talking and laughing.

"Mom, grandmas, I'm back!" Luo Baobao's cheerful voice came in before she entered the kitchen.

"It's good to be back. Is it cold?" Wang Cuilian was closest to the door and hurried over to greet her, reaching out to hold Luo Baobao's little hand.

"Oops, it's a bit cold, my hands aren't warm!"

Wang Cuilian said, "Hurry up and go to your grandma's place to warm yourself by the fire."

She pushed Baby Luo towards Tuoba Xian, and Baby Luo chuckled: "I'm not cold, I'm warm!"

But Tuoba Xian had already stretched out her hand, so Luo Baobao came to the stove and sat down. Tuoba Xian grabbed her little hand and put it to bake at the stove.

"Why are you back alone? Where is your brother?" Tuoba Xian asked.

Luo Baobao said: "Brother is playing chess with Uncle Da'an and Uncle Zichuan. He is very excited about playing chess. There is a good chance that he will not come back tonight."

"Ah?" Tuoba Xian was surprised, "Isn't your brother cold?"

Luo Baobao shook his head: "It's not cold, Uncle Zichuan's house is very warm!"

"Since it's warm, why are your hands a little cold?" Tuoba Xian asked again.

Without waiting for Luo Baobao's response, Luo Fengtang said with a smile: "It must have been blown by the wind on the road. There was a charcoal brazier and a heating bucket in Zichuan's house. I went in and stood for a while, and it was indeed very warm."

Hearing Luo Fengtang's words, Tuoba Xian felt relieved.

Over at the pot, Yang Ruoqing said with a smile: "Okay, all the dumplings are out of the pot and on the plate. Baby, get up, wash your hands and get ready to eat the dumplings!"

Luo Baobao quickly got up and went to wash his hands. Yang Ruoqing said to Luo Fengtang again: "Uncle hasn't come here yet. Go to the front yard and invite uncle over..."

Wang Cuilian said: "There is no need to invite him. You can eat yours. I will just send him a plate."

Everyone ate the dumplings with various fillings with gusto.

After eating the dumplings, Yang Ruoqing took Baby Luo back to the house to wash her feet and go to sleep, while Luo Fengtang and Blacksmith Luo prepared for the firecrackers and would open the door later.

Yang Ruoqing stayed with Baby Luo's little bed, covered her with a quilt, and gave her a hug before going to bed as usual.

Then he gently stroked her little head and said, "Don't panic when you hear firecrackers being set off outside. That's your uncle and your father setting off firecrackers."

"Your neighbor next door, your Wu Gong across the street, and Uncle Yongjin will all set off firecrackers. They will also set off firecrackers in the village. There may be some noise. Just be patient. Once the fireworks are over, you can sleep peacefully."

Luo Baobao took his little hands out of the quilt and hugged Yang Ruoqing's arm.

"Mom, then you just stay with me and wait until the firecrackers are over before you leave, okay?" she asked coquettishly.

How could Yang Ruoqing bear to go against her daughter's request?

He smiled softly and nodded: "Okay, then will grandma tell you fairy tales?"

Luo Baobao shook his head, "I don't want to listen to fairy tales tonight. I want to hear mom tell me stories about my childhood, preferably those embarrassing things."

"What's embarrassing?" Yang Ruoqing raised her eyebrows and lay down beside Luo Baobao, "Okay, let me think about it..."
Chapter completed!