The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 365: New Year’s Greetings

After enjoying the fireworks, Tong Huaqiong and the others went inside the house.

The charcoal fire was burning on the ground, making the room warm. A few branches of wintersweet in two porcelain vases on the table emitted a soothing fragrance.

A table full of sumptuous dishes was set in the center of the room.

Gu Dashu took out and opened the fine wine sent by the Lu Family, and the aroma of the wine wafted out.

Tong Huaqiong sat in the main seat, then invited everyone to sit down together.

Everyone gathered around the table and sat down.

Gu Dashu poured wine for the adults at the table, while the children drank the juice Tong Huaqiong took out from her space.

"It’s New Year, it’s New Year," Yaozu shouted.

Tong Huaqiong, filled with emotions, raised her cup and said, "Come, let’s have a drink to celebrate the New Year."

Everyone raised their glasses one after another.

Half-drunk, Su Chengmin raised his glass to Tong Huaqiong and said, "Aunt Tong, thank you for saving the lives of me and Xiao Long."

Then he tilted his head back and drank all the wine in the glass.

Tong Huaqiong said nothing and rubbed Xiao Long’s head.

Poor child, originally like a golden phoenix, now fallen into Qinghe Bay.

I wonder if the male lead of this Tong Dajiao world can still ascend to the throne.

After Su Chengmin finished his toast, He Chao and Mrs. Hong raised their glasses and said, "Master, we, husband and wife, toast to you."

After Tong Huaqiong drank, it was Tong Pandi’s turn to raise her glass.

Tong Huaqiong teased, "Let me have a bite to eat first."

After drinking and eating, Tong Pandi and Liu Yueer went to cook dumplings.

Plates of steaming dumplings were brought to the table, signaling the nearing end of the New Year’s Eve dinner.

Tong Huaqiong drank a lot of wine and felt dizzy. She barely remembered when the New Year’s Eve dinner ended and when she went to the room to sleep.

She only knew she stayed up until late, feeling dizzy, then fell asleep.

When she woke up, it was a new year.

Tong Huaqiong was awakened by the sounds of the children’s laughter and calls.

"Grandma, are you up? It’s time for lucky money," Yaozu shouted from outside.

As the curtain was lifted, Tong Pandi brought washing water, followed by Liu Yueer holding a washcloth, and Chen Sufen and Gu Taohua behind them holding new clothes.

They were here to assist Tong Huaqiong in getting up.

"Aunt, Happy New Year."

"Mom, Happy New Year."

Nieces, daughters, and daughters-in-law all gathered to wish her a Happy New Year.

Tong Huaqiong put on her brand new clothes, washed her face, and applied fragrant cream.

The skillful Tong Pandi styled Tong Huaqiong’s hair into an elegant look, and Gu Taohua helped draw her eyebrows and apply powder.

Looking in the mirror, Tong Huaqiong smiled with satisfaction and said, "It’s like an old tree sprouting new buds."

How merciful, her soul is still a vibrant young woman in her early twenties.

"What old tree sprouting new buds? Mother, you were never old, the most charming in the whole village."

Liu Yueer sweetly complimented, flattering Tong Huaqiong with a smile.

But she was telling the truth.

Over the past six months, Tong Huaqiong had indeed become fairer and prettier, befriending her daughters-in-law like sisters.

Not only was Tong Huaqiong dressed prettily, but the other women in the family were also dressed elegantly.

Even the pregnant Chen Sufen wore light makeup, not to mention Gu Taohua and Liu Yueer.

Tong Pandi, having left the Wu Family, was in good spirits and also dressed up.

She was wearing the new clothes Tong Huaqiong bought for her, with a hairpin gifted by Gu Taohua, lightly powdered, exuding grace and charm.

Tong Huaqiong glanced approvingly at her.

This niece is truly beautiful.

In the past, whether in the Tong Family or the Wu Family, Tong Pandi dared not dress up and would go to great lengths to conceal her natural beauty.

Otherwise, Mrs. Wang would scold her for being shameless and wanting men, and her mother-in-law, Mrs. Qiao of the Wu Family, would accuse her of being a seductress.

Originally, after her divorce and arrival in Qinghe Bay, thinking that her aunt’s house had cousins, she intended to avoid suspicion, so she continued to dress plainly. After a few lectures from Tong Huaqiong, she started to dress up again.

After getting ready, Tong Huaqiong, surrounded by Gu Taohua and others, went to the main room.

"Come, wish Grandma a Happy New Year."

Chen Sufen placed a soft cushion on the main seat, and after Tong Huaqiong sat down, Chen Sufen called the children to come and wish her a Happy New Year.

Tong Huaqiong: "..."

Who could have thought that only last Spring Festival she was the one receiving lucky money, and now she had to sit in the main seat, accepting New Year’s wishes and handing out lucky money?

The children couldn’t hold back any longer, jumping and bouncing in front of Tong Huaqiong.

"Grandma, Happy New Year!"

"Grandma, congratulations and give us the red packets," Man Er and Yaozu surrounded Tong Huaqiong, reaching out for lucky money.

"Kowtow, only after you kowtow to Grandma will you receive lucky money," Gu Taohua said from the side.

Xiao Long stood by, his eyes full of envy.

This kind of excitement he experienced for the first time.

New Year in the palace was lively too, but not the same as Qinghe Bay’s kind of lively.

It was always others who wished him a Happy New Year.

He would also greet the Emperor-grandfather and Father-King, but the etiquette was complicated, greeting after greeting. Royal grandchildren were not just him alone, the Emperor-grandfather wouldn’t show affection to any particular grandchild, giving only ritualistic praises before it was over.

As the son of the Eastern Palace, those cousins wouldn’t be as warm to him as Man Er and Yaozu were.

"Xiao Long, come wish Grandma a Happy New Year," Man Er pulled Xiao Long down to kneel before Tong Huaqiong, giving two resounding kowtows.

Xiao Long was stunned.

He had never kowtowed to anyone other than the Emperor-grandfather and Father-King.

After Xiao Long and Man Er finished kowtowing, Yaozu pulled Duo’er to kowtow to Tong Huaqiong as well.

"Good, good, Happy New Year," Tong Huaqiong said cheerfully.

"Stand up, all of you."

To be honest, Tong Huaqiong was still a bit unaccustomed to the kowtow New Year greetings.

"Here, lucky money, everyone gets one."

Tong Huaqiong pulled out the prepared red packets and handed them to the children one by one.

The children held the red packets, their faces full of smiles.

"Yaozu, give your red packet to your mother," Liu Yueer extended her hand, asking Yaozu for the red packet.

Tong Huaqiong waved her hand, saying, "This lucky money is for the children; they can spend it as they wish. You all can keep the money and buy whatever you want."

"Mom, did you hear that? Grandma said the lucky money doesn’t need to be turned in," Yaozu said, stuffing the red packet into his pocket.

In the village during the New Year, there was an opera troupe staging performances, surrounded by many vendors setting up stalls.

There were candied hawthorns, sugar cakes, sticky taffy, as well as tops and pinwheels and other knick-knacks.

For the children, the important part was not the opera, but rather the snacks and toys.

With lucky money not needing to be turned in, they could freely roam around the stalls and purchase, prompting Yaozu and Man Er to eagerly hope for the opera on stage to start soon.

"Hua Er’s lucky money is also here, you as the mother should keep it for her," Tong Huaqiong saw Tong Pandi holding Hua Er to wish her a Happy New Year and slipped a red packet into Hua Er’s arms.

After the children paid their respects, it was the turn of Gu Dahuan, Gu Dashu, and other ’bad bamboos’ to pay respects to Tong Huaqiong.

Except for the pregnant Chen Sufen, everyone else kowtowed and paid their respects to her.

Naturally, Tong Huaqiong also gave them lucky money.

Gu Jingzhe said, "Mom, you’ll surely have many people paying their respects today."

Tong Huaqiong knew this well; after all, she was a Jianguo, not to mention Yan Guan Town. She expected many visitors.