Chapter 74 Part 3 一 Reconciliation and New Year’s Gifts.
Ruan Yōu had already looked up what she wanted to do online beforehand.
This time, there was no head chef’s assistance.
Eight people, all relying on their own skills.
Ruan Yōu carefully chopped the vegetables according to the recipe, while Gu Fuchen watched anxiously nearby, afraid she might cut her own hand.
Fu Jiazhan frowned slightly.
“Should I help you?”
“No, my mom said I can only participate on my own throughout.”
Gu Fuchen: “Take it slow, don’t cut carrot cubes, cut carrot chunks.”
Ruan Yōu was helpless: “How about I just wash it and throw the whole carrot in?”
“That works too.”
Ruan Yōu: …
“You do your cooking, don’t bother me!” Ruan Yōu waved her hand to shoo Gu Fuchen away.
On the other side, Lu Jin and Lu Xuan were also working hard individually.
Kitchen contestant Lu Jin was cooking faster than Lu Xuan.
Lu Xuan was actually quite worried about him.
Although everyone is having fun playing games these days, sometimes she can clearly feel Lu Jin’s distraction and disappointment.
No matter how indifferent he appeared on the surface, Lu Jin still hoped that his parents would understand him.
Half an hour later, Ruan Yōu placed the prepared dishes on the plate, arranged them slightly, and then covered them with a meal cover, preserving a hint of mystery.
Lu Jin was the last person to come out of the kitchen.
They do not know each other’s cooking.
Ruan Yōu returned to her room, working on the small gift she had secretly bought.
The activity of being a guardian angel is ongoing, and the person she has to protect is her foolish brother. Since it’s New Year, she definitely needs to arrange a small gift for him~
Ruan Yōu followed a video tutorial, carefully wrapped her small gift. She put it in the safe, ready to secretly place it outside Gu Fuchen’s room tomorrow morning.
At six in the evening, the New Year’s Eve dinner finally began amid everyone’s anticipation.
Ruan Yōu carefully brought the dishes she had prepared from the kitchen and sat down next to her brother after placing them on a large plate.
They were sitting at a large round table tonight, with a lively red tablecloth, very festive.
Everyone’s clothes had a bit of red, more or less.
Authentic red, it looked splendid and lively.
The household servants had gone home for the New Year, only the old butler remained.
His son and daughter-in-law were abroad, and the New Year atmosphere was weak. They had their own careers and no plans to return.
Ruan Yōu gave a smile: “Butler Song, please have a seat.”
The old butler waved his hand repeatedly.
Ruan Liuyu chuckled: “Please, have a seat. It’s been a hard year, and there are no outsiders here.”
After Ruan Liuyu’s words, the old butler smiled and took a seat.
The first activity of the New Year’s Eve dinner was a culinary competition.
Ruan Yōu, Gu Fuchen, Qi Zhiyan, Qi Nuo, Jiang Huai, Fu Jiazhan, Lu Xuan, and Lu Jin introduced the dishes they had prepared in order of their seating and explained why they chose these dishes.
Ruan Yōu lifted the lid off a round plate, revealing a simple stir-fried pork dish with diced carrots.
Setting the plate aside, Ruan Yōu’s bright and sparkling almond-shaped eyes gleamed as she said, “I loved eating this when I was a child.”
So, I wanted my father, mother, brother, and other good friends to taste it.
Gu Youqian, Ruan Liuyu, and Gu Fuchen instantly understood Ruan Yōu’s intention. Ruan Liuyu smiled and ruffled her hair, saying, “Later, I’ll make sure your father and I finish this dish.”
Fu Jiazhan joked: “Won’t you leave some for us and Gu Fuchen?”
Jiang Huai added: “Not leaving any for us is one thing, but not leaving any for Gu Fuchen? He might turn hostile and leave immediately.”
Laughter filled the dining table.
Gu Fuchen’s dish was simple, steamed tofu with shrimp.
Ruan Yōu loved shrimp.
He didn’t say the reason, but those who understand, understand.
Fu Jiazhan made a steamed bass, which is also Ruan Yōu’s favorite.
When it came time to give a reason, he thought for a moment, meeting the expectant gaze of Mother Fu on the other side, and Fu Jiazhan smiled lightly: “Every year, there is fish, and every year, there is abundance1.”
Qi Zhiyan, Qi Nuo, Jiang Huai, and Lu Xuan introduced their dishes one by one. When it was Lu Jin’s turn, Father Lu and Mother Lu’s attitude suddenly became serious and nervous.
These past few days, they hadn’t spoken at all.
Ruan Liuyu, Mother Fu, and Mother Qi took turns trying to persuade Mother Lu, while Gu Youqian and Father Qi went to Lu’s house every day with a bottle of wine, going in sober and coming out slightly tipsy.
In a moment of silent anticipation, Lu Jin slowly revealed his dish.
The rich and fragrant coconut chicken soup was sweet and delicious, its white broth bubbling, making it very appetizing.
Father Lu has to go to the south for a period of time every winter because of his physical condition after surgery.
The famous dish there is coconut chicken soup.
The soup cooked with coconut juice has a unique flavor, and Father Lu would eat it twice every time he went there, as it’s not only delicious but also nourishing.
Lu Jin didn’t say why he made this soup.
Father Lu and Mother Lu understood.
He hadn’t forgotten the harm his father’s surgery had caused to his body, and he worried about his father’s health. He hadn’t forgotten why his father went to the south.
There was a faint moistness in the corners of Father Lu’s wrinkled eyes.
Their friends are right.
Sometimes he was too strict and demanding with Lu Jin, always wanting to keep him in the palm of his hand, but Lu Jin has his own life.
Lu Jin’s likes are different from his parents’.
Lu Jin understood them, but they have a hard time understanding him.
Mother Fu smiled, “Alright, on New Year’s Eve, let go of the unhappy things and start a new life tomorrow.”
Mother Lu comfortingly patted Lu Jin’s shoulder.
They didn’t say anything, but both sides understood.
Perhaps in the future, there will be similar conflicts between them.
The changes in the older generation won’t happen overnight. They will find it hard to shed their past thoughts and emotions quickly, but they will learn.
Learn to interfere less, learn to support their children forever, like Gu Youqian and Ruan Liuyu.
“Alright, let’s raise our glasses,” Mother Fu reminded with a smile.
Ruan Yōu didn’t drink red wine, neither did Gu Fuchen, Fu Jiazhan, and others.
Afraid of getting drunk and having an awkward situation like last time.
The yellow juice in the glass jumped with joy as Ruan Yōu raised her glass, “Happy New Year, may you have good health and everything goes well in the future~” Ruan Yōu held the glass and clinked with everyone.
The tall wine glasses filled with red wine collided with the yellow glass ones, and more than a dozen glasses warmly gathered together.
Outside the window, heavy snow was falling, and the cold wind rustled.
Two red lanterns hanging at the front door swayed with the howling wind, the red color swaying in the air.
The 2nd floor dining room was brightly lit.
Ruan Yōu held a glass in her hands, her eyes filled with laughter as she clinked glasses one by one with Gu Fuchen, Fu Jiazhan, Qi Zhiyan, Qi Nuo, Jiang Huai, Lu Jin, and Lu Xuan, saying, “Happy New Year~”
After toasting, she took a sip of juice, put down the glass, and opened her WeChat on her phone.
She had changed her WeChat name back to “Fat Cat.”
【Fat Cat: Xiao Lu, Happy New Year! Wish you on good fortune, good health, and all the best!】
Lu Ming replied almost instantly.
【Happy New Year!! Reunion and happiness to your whole family!】
. . . . .
Dinner ended very late.
Everyone sat and ate melon seeds and chatted for a while.
The old butler received a video call from his son and daughter-in-law abroad and was happily talking to them.
At midnight, as the New Year arrived, Ruan Yōu was exhausted and quickly returned to her room to sleep.
Outside the 7th floor room, there were Spring Festival couplets personally written by Gu Youqian, and everywhere was filled with the atmosphere of the New Year.
Ruan Yōu set her alarm for 6:30 a.m., planning to secretly deliver the New Year’s gift to the person she was tasked to guard 一 Gu Fuchen.
The next day at 6:30 a.m., Ruan Yōu, awakened by her alarm, groaned as she rolled in bed twice, then dozed off for another five minutes. She struggled to get out of bed, driven by her last bit of love for her brother.
Sneakily, she carried the gift from the 7th floor to the 6th floor, fearing being caught by others.
Placing the gift at Gu Fuchen’s door, she dashed back to her room and went back to sleep.
Ruan Yōu thought she had woken up early enough to deliver the gift, but when she returned to her room, she found a gift box on the left side of her door.
She had believed she was the most dedicated guardian, but her guardian angel seemed even more committed!
This guardian angel was impressive!
Waking up to receive the gift felt great, and the first New Year’s gift dispelled all of Ruan Yōu’s fatigue and sleepiness.
Ruan Yōu brought the gift back to her room, took a photo of it, and shared it in their WeChat group of eight friends.
【Fat Cat: Praise my guardian angel.】
Others were probably still asleep, and her guardian angel wasn’t foolish enough to reveal their identity now.
Ruan Yōu placed her phone aside and carefully opened the outer packaging.
Inside the pink gift box lay a crystal ball music box.
Upon closer inspection, it was anything but ordinary.
Inside the crystal ball, a figurine was dressed in the princess gown from the welcome banquet the Gu family had recently hosted for her. The figurine wore a crown, hands behind her back, with a slight smile on her face as she gazed at the birds perched on the tree in front.
It looks like her.
The little people inside the crystal ball live in an exquisite and dreamy castle. The grass in front of the castle is filled with the fragrance of flowers and the birds are chirping.
Ruan Yōu pressed the start button.
Joyful music flows inside the crystal ball, and the little people dance to the music, their skirts swaying. In the time of a song, the world inside goes from the brilliant rising sun to the deepening twilight.
Moonlight fell on little Ruan Yōu, and the castle behind her is brilliantly lit.
Ruan Yōu has never seen such an exquisite and romantic crystal ball, it’s her own princess dream.
After admiring it for half an hour and watching herself dance countless times, She put the crystal ball on the bedside table and replied on WeChat with a smile:【Thank you, my guardian angel, the gift is super amazing!】
An hour later, Lu Xuan, Qi Zhiyan, Qi Nuo, and others start appearing on WeChat.
【Lu Xuan: My guardian angel also gave me a gift, hehehe】
Ruan Yōu inquired and found out that on the first day of the new year, everyone actually accepted gifts from their guardian angels.
Qi Zhiyan, Qi Nuo, Jiang Huai, Lu Xuan, and Fu Jiazhan have already opened their gifts. Only Gu Fuchen and Lu Jin’s gifts are left unopened.
Just as the two of them are about to open their gifts, Lu Xuan dragged Ruan Yōu and the others over to see what their gifts are.
Eight people sit on the sofa in front of the living room coffee table, and Lu Jin’s and Gu Fuchen’s gifts are placed in the center of the table.
Lu Xuan is incredibly curious.
Her guardian angel has customized a discontinued bag that she really liked.
Wuwuwu, guardian angel YYDS2!
Seeing her own gift was great, Lu Xuan wanted to see others.
She knew that her brother and Gu Fuchen’s gifts hadn’t been opened yet, so she hurriedly dragged Ruan Yōu over to watch with everyone else.
Lu Jin was also very curious.
He tried shaking the gift box, but there was no sound.
He heard that his sister, Ruan Yōu, and Qi Zhiyan received amazing gifts, and Lu Jin was secretly excited.
Let’s see what his guardian angel would give him!
Lu Jin tore open the outer packaging, revealing a light blue gift box inside.
In the midst of everyone’s anticipation, Lu Jin held the two corners of the square gift box with both hands, and in that moment一
A snake suddenly rushed towards his face.
Lu Jin was so scared that he instinctively threw the lid away and ran away in panic. The lid hit Jiang Huai’s face two meters away.
Lu Xuan screamed when she saw it was a snake and huddled behind Ruan Yōu and Qi Zhiyan.
Jiang Huai was hit, and Ruan Yōu, Lu Xuan, Qi Zhiyan, and Qi Nuo all huddled together. Fu Jiazhan instinctively stepped forward to shield Ruan Yōu, and the scene momentarily became chaotic.
Only Gu Fuchen stood on the side, smiling lightly without showing any mercy, with a joyful glow on his face.
The gift that Lu Jin thought was a snake didn’t move.
It’s fake.
Lu Jin:…
Want to curse.
He frowned, leaned in, and just as he was about to close the lid, the fake snake that had coiled back suddenly rushed at his face.
Lu Jin unconsciously stepped back in fright.
Gu Fuchen’s smile deepened.
Lu Jin:?
He looked at Gu Fuchen, “Did you give it to me?”
Gu Fuchen suppressed the laughter welling up inside and said solemnly, “How is it possible?”
“You’re laughing like that, and it’s still impossible?” Lu Jin gritted his teeth, “Ruan Chenchen, you’ll face retribution for this!”
Gu Fuchen shook his head.
“No, I won’t.”
His packaging was very exquisite, it was clear they had put a lot of thought into it.
Ruan Yōu, who had recovered from her earlier fright, watched silently as Gu Fuchen prepared to open the gift. She sat on the sofa, unmoving, just to catch her brother’s expression when he saw the gift.
Lu Jin gritted his teeth and glared at Gu Fuchen, then angrily hit his shoulder with a cushion.
“What kind of guardian angel are you? You’re a demon in human form!”
Gu Fuchen paid no attention to Lu Jin’s retaliation and elegantly unwrapped the gift.
Tearing off the outer wrapping paper, as soon as he opened the gift lid一
Several screeching chickens suddenly rushed out, screaming loudly, and spitting out one piece of corn candy after another from their mouths.
The corn candy pelted Gu Fuchen’s face like small stones.
That feeling…
Confirming the degree of pain, it feels like experiencing retribution.
The author has something to say:
Lu Jin: My mouth has been opened3.
Ruan Yōu with a hidden smile of achievement and fame.
- 年年有鱼，年年有余 (Nián nián yǒuyú, nián nián yǒu yú) ↩︎
- “YYDS” (永远的神, yǒngyuǎn de shén) means something like an eternal god. The former two characters “永远(yǒngyuǎn)” means forever or eternal, while the last character “神(shén)” means god or something impressive. To say “YYDS” is similar to saying “GOAT” (Greatest of All Time). ↩︎
- It means very efficacious. But this is just a common folk saying. It also reflects a coincidence and people’s joke. ↩︎