Chapter 36: Idle Chit-Chat During the New Year

  After lunch, Grandma gave each of the three children a red envelope that she had prepared earlier.

  Because they're all family members, there's no need for any New Year's formalities.

  They each said a auspicious word and then passed by.

  Chen Wen and Chen Wu's red envelopes were taken away by two aunts as soon as they got them "for safekeeping".

  If Mother Guo was more open-minded, she would let Gu Xiang carefully keep all the red envelopes he received today and not lose any of them.

  Gu Xiang pulled open her clothes and put the red envelope in the inner pocket of her down jacket.

  Made Chen Wen and Chen Wu look on with envy.

  Their red envelopes were all taken away, and at most they could get 50 yuan to use. Moreover, this money was not for casual use, how it was used and where it was spent had to be specifically reported.

  Because both Uncle's family and Auntie Gu have only one child, it's meaningless to give red packets back and forth, so everyone agreed early on not to give each other red packets.

  Gu Xiang thinks it's pretty good, otherwise according to Da Gu Mama's personality, if Gu Mama and Xiao Gu Mama gave her 100, she would only return 50.

  Getting such a red envelope on Chinese New Year's Day is really annoying!

  After grandma gave out red envelopes, both uncles took their wives and children out to pay New Year's visits.

  Gu Xiang had finished paying his respects and didn't have anything else to do, so he stood at the entrance sunbathing and cracking melon seeds.

  Gu's mother and grandmother were spinning wool beside her.

  "Grandma asked: 'How many days are left until the beginning of the year?'"

  "It's either New Year's Day 3 or 4, whichever day it doesn't rain is when I'll head back."

  The weather has been pretty good these few days during the New Year's holiday, but the forecast says it might rain in two days.

  Hua Road Middle School didn't start school until after the Lantern Festival, so Gu Xiang said: "It's raining anyway, might as well wait till the Lantern Festival to go back."

  "Don't need to open the shop? If you want to stay, just play here, I'll come pick you up before school starts."

  Gu Xiang didn't say anything else, she just wanted her mom to have a good rest.

  Not long after, both Big Uncle and Little Uncle returned.

  Uncles and grandpa went to work, Chen Wu went to play with Xiao Hei Pang, Aunt came over and sat down with them to chat.

  Chen Wen sat quietly on one side.

  My aunt said, "Our family's Wenwen came first in the whole class this time for the final exam. Although it was only first place in Class 2, her teacher said that with her grades, she could definitely be transferred to Class 1, but we thought that if the child changed environments, she might not adapt, so we didn't transfer her. Yaya, your mom said you've been doing pretty well on the recent exams?"

  "Still okay, I guess. I was first in grade twice."

  Her mother pulled her and said: "This girl is too proud, she has done well in a few exams and her tail is already up."

  "Yaya, it's not that I'm saying you're like this, but this kind of pride is unwarranted. You're only in first year of junior high now, and your grades are still unstable. By the time you get to second year, many boys will have caught up, and it'll be hard for girls to get ahead. Even someone as smart and hardworking as Wenwen wouldn't dare to be proud."

  Gu Xiang knew her mother was being modest, but who would have thought that her aunt would actually start talking about her in agreement with her mother.

  Gu Xiang wanted to say more, but Gu's mother said that the stove was still simmering with chicken soup and asked Gu Xiang to go take a look.

  Gu Xiang could only shut her mouth and go in.

  She went first, and her mother followed right after.

  The pot on the stove was bubbling away, and Gu Xiang opened the lid to take a look.

  Her mother whispered to her: "How can you talk to your aunt like that."

  "I'm just annoyed that she always compares me with Chen Wen."

  Aunt Gu slapped her: "Your aunt is your elder, how can you talk to her like that!"

  "Is there an elder who would praise their own daughter so much and step on younger ones?"

  "Children at home, where did you get so many thoughts." Mother Gu still reminded her like a child.

  "Don't talk back to your aunt for a while."

  Gu Xiang hummed in agreement.

  Later, when Auntie asked Gu Xiang something again, Gu Xiang answered honestly and simply, saying only one word when she could.

  When her aunt spoke again, Gu Xiang pretended not to understand and smiled foolishly on the side.

  Perhaps the elder aunt also felt it was pointless and shifted the topic to the younger aunt.

  The elder aunt asked the younger aunt which middle school Chen Wu was preparing to take the exam for.

  "My aunt said: 'Foreign language and experimental middle school are definitely hopeless, I just hope he can get into Huaroad like Wenwen and Yaya.'"

  "Hey, that's not right, kids should be given higher goals. It's easy to get into Huarong Middle School!"

  My aunt's words are quite interesting.

  Chen Wen and Gu Xiang had been excellent since childhood, but Chen Wu's temperament was unpredictable. In elementary school, his grades were only average, and he had to work hard to get into Hua Lu Middle School.

  His aunt has already started asking people for help with his junior high school entrance exam.

  Little Auntie smiled and said: "Xiao Wu's grades aren't bad at all, if he can get in smoothly I should go thank the Bodhisattva."

  Her mother also chimed in, "Boys will be boys, they can't help but be a bit naughty now. Once they get to junior high school, it'll be fine." Yaoyao always tells me that there's this one boy in her class who never studies in class, and yet he always scores full marks on his math tests!

  "It's not that simple, if every boy becomes so smart later on, then those who have daughters will definitely lose out." The elder aunt-in-law said to the younger aunt-in-law, "I think you should also make preparations for both possibilities. Xiao Wu might not be cut out for studying, and if he can't get into college, let him attend a sports school or something. Wenwen's older cousin went to a sports school, and after graduating, he can easily become a physical education teacher."

  The elder sister-in-law thought her words were reasonable and well-founded, but they sounded quite different to others.

  The exam hasn't even started yet, and you're already saying that someone's child won't get in, and what's more, saying "they're not college material".

  Gu Xiang couldn't help but want to laugh as she listened from the side.

  My aunt's mouth is really... too good at offending people!

  As expected, her mother-in-law's face didn't look good.

  The two sisters-in-law didn't get along, so Mrs. Gu had to mediate: "I've watched Xiaowu grow up, he's got a clever streak, after the new year if he works hard, he'll definitely be able to pass the exam."

  "Hey, Huazhong Middle School isn't that easy to get into, you know. Back then, we were also very diligent in our studies. Xiuxiu, you're speaking so confidently now, but what if Xiao Wu doesn't get in? All your boasting will be for nothing, haha..."

  Gu Xiang didn't understand what was so funny about her aunt's "haha", and everyone present, except for her grandmother who wasn't participating, had a bad look on their faces, including her mother and younger aunt.

  The atmosphere suddenly turned cold.

  During the New Year, everyone was too awkward and it didn't look good, so Gu Xiang went to tease Chen Wen into speaking.

  "Sister, have you thought about which high school to attend?"

  Chen Wen said: "I want to wait for the mock exam results to come out before looking."

  Upon hearing this topic, Auntie hastily took over the conversation: "Your class teacher said that with your grades, Municipal No. 1 Middle School is a sure thing, but I think you should at least go to a municipal key middle school."

  The middle school in their city ranks first in the city, and No. 1 Middle School ranks second.

  There are several other high schools in the county that are also four-star, roughly comparable, but not as good as the first two.

  Of course, Tianyi Middle School, which was mentioned by Aunt Gu earlier, is not in this ranking and should be considered throughout the province.

  Thinking of her mother still letting herself take the imperial examination, Gu Xiang also somewhat understood her aunt.

  And seeing that his aunt was also sharing the firepower and no longer focusing on him alone, Gu Xiang felt much more at ease.

  However, understanding is not acceptance, Gu Xiang still felt that it was better to speak less with her aunt.

  This doesn't distinguish between friend and foe, my mouth is too annoying.

  After the topic was dragged onto Chen Wen's body, Big Auntie's mouth couldn't be shut anymore.

  She started bragging about Chen Wen from all angles, saying that her piano skills were getting better and better.

  Gu Xiang suddenly thought of her electronic piano from childhood, but after her parents divorced, her mother couldn't afford to let her learn. Later, when Chen Weng started learning the piano, he borrowed it and still hasn't returned it until now.

  Auntie said Chen Wen was particularly liked by her teachers and her class teacher even said she would recommend her to be a "city three-good student".

  Gu Xiang suddenly remembered that when Chen Wen was in elementary school, he had the opportunity to be evaluated, but later the teacher gave the quota to another student.

  The teacher's older sister-in-law went around saying that the teacher had accepted favors from that student's family, and soon all the parents in the whole school heard about it... They said that this school was corrupt, that children wouldn't learn anything else if they were sent there, but would instead learn how to secretly give gifts and cultivate a crooked atmosphere from a young age. And yet, this is still someone who teaches and educates people... In the end, the teacher had to explain himself to everyone he met.

  Gu Xiang and Chen Wen were in the same elementary school, this kind of extreme thing is not unheard of.

  It was almost three o'clock when Uncle's family had to rush to visit relatives on Auntie's side for New Year's greetings, so they left early.

  Of course, when leaving, I couldn't return empty-handed, so I brought back several jars of pickled chicken and duck that my aunt had made.

  Mother Gu is very strict with outsiders, but she doesn't mind so much when it comes to her own family.

  Even if Little Aunt is upset, she won't show it on her face.

  Almost everyone in the family is used to Big Uncle's family taking advantage and getting everything.

  Actually, Gu Xiang thinks that both of her uncles are quite obedient, to put it bluntly, they're both single-minded, but when it comes to their wives' words, they're extremely obedient. People like this make good husbands and sons-in-law, but as one's own children, they're too annoying.

  It's as if they're being supported for free.

  After they left, the aunt smiled and said: "This sister-in-law is not me saying it, when she talks, she doesn't care about other people's feelings at all."

  Her mother then advised her: "She's just that kind of person, and she didn't mean any harm when she spoke, don't take it to heart."

  "I wouldn't really meet her, I just think she doesn't take your family's Lianlian seriously. Every year during the holidays, it seems like whenever your family's Lianlian is doing well, their family's Wenwen has to be one-upped."

  Wow! This guy's driving skills are terrible!

  Little aunt is quite good at sowing discord!

  But Gu's mother seemed to have not understood, stroking Gu Xiang's hair and saying: "My family's Xiao Xiao is sensible, don't make me worry."

  The little aunt-in-law knew better and stopped there, starting to talk about something else.