"Young Master Xiao, I hope you can aim more accurately this time. The taste of chili water is not pleasant, hehe..." Gu Mingyan taunted.
*Little brat, I won't let a single arrow of yours hit the mark today. You'll be spending New Year's Eve hugging the toilet!*
A chill ran down Xiao Jinfeng's spine. He turned and glared at Gu Mingyan, "I hope Young Master Gu can behave himself and not break the rules of the competition..."
His implication was that Qinglan should not interfere from the shadows.
Gu Mingyan laughed outright upon hearing this, "Young Master Xiao, this is called giving you a taste of your own medicine. You should know exactly how you treated me just now!"
*Don't even think about me not interfering.*
Xiao Jinfeng: "..."
*As the saying goes, everyone dies eventually. Whether early or late, death is inevitable.*
*Come on, baby, let's go!*
With another 'whoosh', Xiao Jinfeng threw the second short arrow. The result was the same as before; they were almost flying off into the distance...
"Haha, Young Master Xiao, drink up!" Yao Jinsheng exclaimed excitedly.
Xiao Jinfeng, trembling, picked up the large bowl, mustered his courage, and gulped down the chili water...
"Again!"
"Ha, missed again, penalize him, penalize him!"
"Again, again!"
"Huh? Where did that last arrow go? Oh, it actually landed on the roof beam! Young Master Xiao, why don't you just admit defeat..."
Xiao Jinfeng clutched his stomach, his face clouded with gloom. His eyes fixed maliciously on Qinglan and Gu Mingyan, his fighting spirit completely ignited.
"Er Longzi!" Xiao Jinfeng clenched his fist.
Er Longzi scurried over, "Young, young master, what is it?"
Xiao Jinfeng pointed at Qinglan, "Go, carry her out. Don't let her in..."
If it weren't for Qinglan using her internal energy to deflect the short arrows, he wouldn't have lost so miserably.
"What does Young Master Xiao mean by this?" Gu Mingyan narrowed his eyes. "Are you reneging? If you admit defeat now, I can consider letting you drink one less bowl!"
"Who said I'm admitting defeat?" Xiao Jinfeng gritted his teeth. "Even if I were blind, I wouldn't throw an arrow onto the roof beam. It's all her..."
Xiao Jinfeng angrily pointed at Qinglan, "She interfered with the competition, so she must be escorted out!"
Upon hearing this, Gu Mingyan exchanged a look with Qinglan and let out a cold sneer, "Alright, Qinglan, you can leave!"
*Even without Qinglan, I can handle Xiao Jinfeng myself...*
In the subsequent matches, Xiao Jinfeng only hit two arrows and ended up drinking eight bowls of chili water, being carried to the guest room by Er Longzi to rest.
The noon meal on New Year's Eve came to an end. The Yun family members returned to their rooms for a short nap.
After waking up, they began preparing to make dumplings...
"Eldest daughter-in-law, have you brought the copper coins? We have many guests this year, so let's put more copper coins in!" Madam Gu said with a smile.
Zhao Guihua nodded, "Mother, I've prepared over twenty copper coins, that should be enough!"
"That's good. Go to the kitchen and bring the fillings. We'll make dumplings in the main hall..."
"Alright!"
Du Tieshan was responsible for mixing the fillings, and Jin Huaihua was responsible for kneading the dough. Large and small basins were placed on the kitchen stove and the floor, filled with cooked pork.
Jin Shan and Jin He, along with two classmates and Gao Jingde, each took some garlic and sat outside the study, peeling them...
The village head and Fu Daqiang had just visited and brought the Yun family a slab of tofu and ten catties of eggs.
Daman and Erman had prepared half a bag of peanuts and a few sheep trotters and delivered them respectively.
Little Xi Tian had slept soundly at noon. Upon waking, she ran to the main hall, washed her little hands, and prepared to help her mother and sisters-in-law make dumplings...
"Oh, so many dumpling fillings! They're so varied!" Little Xi Tian looked at the six or seven copper basins on the table, blinking her big eyes.
Madam Gu pinched her daughter's little face with a flour-dusted hand and said with a smile, "Everyone in the family has different tastes, so I asked your sister-in-law Shan Shan to make several kinds of fillings. Which filling does my daughter like best?"
Little Xi Tian clapped her little hands and said crisply, "I like them all..."
Pickled cabbage and pork filling, pickled cabbage and lard filling, lamb and celery filling, vegetarian radish filling, duck filling, fish filling, and spicy chicken filling.
It took Du Tieshan nearly an hour and a half just to prepare these dumpling fillings.
Little Xi Tian was worried that with so many fillings, they wouldn't be able to distinguish them later...
Old Man Yun was too clumsy at making dumplings, so Madam Gu sent him and Jin Xiaolou to feed the cows.
"Uncle Yun, our big dairy cow is getting more and more radiant. We haven't fed her much concentrated feed, and she's grown so fat and plump just by eating dry grass. It's truly amazing!" Jin Xiaolou rubbed the big dairy cow's belly, sighing with emotion.
Old Man Yun pouted upon hearing this, "Of course. With your sister Xi Tian here, nothing dies..."
Not only do people gain blessings from the little daughter, but even the livestock benefit.
"Xiaolou!" Old Man Yun said after feeding the cows, walking out of the cowshed. "What are your plans after the New Year? Will you continue to stay at my place, or will you go out and inquire about your parents' whereabouts?"
Old Man Yun said this not to drive Jin Xiaolou away, but because he saw the child was well-behaved, sensible, and polite. After being away for so long, his parents must be worried...
What parent wouldn't miss their lost child?
Jin Xiaolou lowered his head slowly upon hearing this, "Uncle Yun, can I stay at your place until spring arrives?"
As he spoke, two lines of tears slid down his cheeks, and Jin Xiaolou sobbed.
"Oh dear, child, why are you crying? You can stay as long as you want..."
Old Man Yun panicked instantly and quickly stepped forward to wipe his tears. "Uncle isn't trying to chase you away. I just wanted to ask where your home is, and then Uncle will have your fourth brother help inquire. It's not common to see a child with golden hair and blue eyes, isn't it easier to find them?"
"Uncle Yun!" Jin Xiaolou looked up, his face serious. "Xiaolou will never forget the great kindness of the Yun family. Please rest assured, once I return home and settle down, I will send people to deliver many, many gifts to your family, especially the golden wine produced in our country. I will send dozens of boxes to Uncle Yun, and then I will invite you and Auntie to our country to live in retirement..."
Old Man Yun was deeply moved by this.
This was a grateful child, not only diligent and observant but also kind-hearted.
"Uncle has your words, that's enough. Come, let's go inside. Eat more tonight!~"
After speaking, Old Man Yun put his arm around Jin Xiaolou's shoulder and went back into the house...