Disaster Apocalypse: Farming, Family, and My Hidden Secret Space-Chapter 239. Release Yourself

In past years, each family celebrated on their own, but this time, no one knows who led the way. In any case, everyone brought their sumptuous dishes outside their tents, celebrating a special New Year while exchanging greetings and well wishes.

The happiest were the children, who ran around the mountain even during the New Year’s meal. The adults didn’t mind and cheerfully offered them meat or a piece of bread, or a sip of hot soup when they came close by.

The only thing missing was the lack of fireworks like in previous years.

It wasn’t that there were none, some families had leftovers from last year, but no one dared to light them. With the snow covering the mountains, what if a firecracker collapses the cave?

Not only did they avoid lighting them, but the adults also hid the remaining firecrackers. To be safe, they reminded the children once more about the seriousness of setting off firecrackers.

Overall, it was still quite a decent New Year.

The Hua family was also bustling. Early in the morning, the men tidied up the cave, thoroughly cleaning it, while the women started preparing from the moment they woke up. By the afternoon, a table of abundant dishes and a few hundred dumplings were ready.

Old Hua led the family in a simple ancestor-worship ceremony, bowing and offering incense to the ancestors, and the family had an enjoyable New Year.

The food was richer than any previous festival. Jin’er truly let herself go, taking out anything she wanted without considering her brothers’ thoughts.

All kinds of fruits, snacks, beef, lamb, roast chicken, cured meat were all there. Fresh chicken, duck, fish, and even the shrimp and abalone from the fridge were brought out.

This was the happiest day for little foodie Si; for the first time in his life, he couldn’t decide what to eat.

There were too many delicious choices: seven or eight types of fruits, including his favorite tangerines that he devoured several of, tooth-achingly cold watermelon, spicy duck necks and wings, pillowy sweet pastries, and various snacks he couldn’t remember but his sister named. Little Si felt he was about to go crazy, realizing for the first time that having only one mouth was a bit inadequate.

Apart from the cooking women, Hua’s wife and Qi, he was the busiest of the day.

After the New Year’s Eve dinner, the tradition was to stay up to keep watch over the year. After bowing to their grandparents and parents, Hua Jin and her brothers happily received their lucky money. Looking at the Silver Coins in her hand, Hua Jin suddenly thought this year could be a bit different.

Instead of sitting in bed, cracking melon seeds and chatting with family like they used to during the vigil, her mood was different now. Being the most doted-on child in the family, she felt a great sense of responsibility.

Having let go already, she didn’t shy away. She discreetly took out a mahjong set from her tent, as well as an outdoor emergency lamp that had previously come in handy.

How could it be a New Year without mahjong?

Big Brother Hua and Second Brother Hua exchanged a knowing glance and curiously approached.

"Sister, it’s so heavy, why didn’t you call Second Brother?" Second Brother Hua took the items from his sister’s hands, eyes filled with curiosity.

"Big Brother, bring the table over," Jin’er said laughingly, glancing at Second Brother and calling out to Big Brother. Others gathered around too, including the little foodie whose eyes were only for the snacks.

"Sis... what’s this?" Little Si curiously tugged at the box on the table, occasionally glancing at the other item in his sister’s hand.

"Something fun," Jin’er smiled mischievously, watching Little Si’s eyes light up instantly.

"Can I play?" Having eaten all the treats, it was clear the fun was now more enticing, Little Si eagerly asked.

But this time, his sister didn’t answer. She laid a thick piece of fabric on the table and opened a box of unknown material, hearing a "crash" as a pile of jade-like objects spilled out. Then she turned on the emergency lamp, and a dazzling light burst forth. Besides those who had seen it before, the three brothers all instinctively closed their eyes and then opened them wide again. freёnovelkiss-com

Little Si’s eyes were round, it was so bright. The entire cave was as bright as day. Such a tiny thing could emit such a bright light, how incredible.

Even after realizing this, Little Si couldn’t bear to look away despite the glare. He shifted his gaze swiftly from one to another, feeling his eyes weren’t enough.

Especially Big Brother Hua and Second Brother Hua, their reaction wasn’t much different from Little Si. They stared wide-eyed at the bright-emitting object, filled with disbelief.

They knew their sister was a bit mysterious, but now she seemed beyond just mysterious. Looking at the jade-like objects on the table and the calm expressions of their grandparents and parents, Big Brother Hua and Second Brother Hua fell silent, swallowing the screams of surprise that were about to escape their lips.

The big five were also startled by the bright light and sudden noise, standing up and circling the table, pacified one by one by Jin’er with a pat on the head.

"Jin’er, is this for playing?" Hua Chengtian couldn’t hold back his curiosity. If his daughter said it was for playing, it must be, and he was keen to learn how to play with such a pile of things he truly couldn’t figure out.

"Yes, very simple. I’ll teach you."

At the sound of that, even Hua’s wife squeezed in around Jin’er.

"I want to play too," Little Si shouted, struggling to get closer to his sister, but unfortunately, no one paid him any mind.

Seeing the family’s interest fully piqued, Jin’er was delighted and eagerly began teaching.

Having people in the family who could read had its perks. The characters on the mahjong tiles didn’t need special instruction; they used traditional characters similar to the ones here.

Even grandma and mother, influenced over the years, could recognize some simple characters.

Teaching was indeed simple, and everyone remembered quickly. It took a bit more effort to teach the rules of the game, as grandma and mother were often confused.

After going over it several times, Jin’er gave up; she simply let them watch a few rounds, which seemed more effective than confusing grandma and mother more with her explanations.

So Hua Chengtian, Jin’er, Big Brother Hua, and Old Hua began building the Great Wall.

Initially, between playing, Jin’er continued teaching, but after a few rounds, she didn’t need to anymore. Except for grandma and mother, the men in the family, including the two watching, had all mastered it with keen eyes.

Feeling that everyone had learned, Jin’er couldn’t help but clear her throat after grandpa self-drew once more and spoke up.

"Grandpa, Dad, Big Brother, let’s make it interesting. Just winning without stakes isn’t much fun, right, Grandpa?" Jin’er looked at her grandfather, who had the best luck.

Old Hua, who was winning happily, had no objections, nodding repeatedly.

Since the elder nodded, the others naturally had no objections either.

"Alright, you know the rules. From this round, if you deal the final tile, you lose five Copper Coins. If you self-draw, one wins, and three lose ten Copper Coins per person. Regardless of a concealed or exposed pong, winning gives five Copper Coins. Grandpa, what do you think?"

Mentioning money indeed piqued everyone’s interest, especially Old Hua, who was winning.

Winning money from his sons and grandchildren, Old Hua had no hesitation.

"As Jin’er said, you all don’t have any objections, do you?" Old Hua looked at his sons and grandchildren, eyes already filled with eagerness.

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