Beginning from the first day of the Lunar New Year, these past few days have been bustling with guests, some coming to pay New Year visits, others inviting us over for meals. It has been unlike the quiet of past years. By the second and third day, Lin Yue had already begun to plan the gifts to be sent to the Capital City for the Lantern Festival. With the weather as it was, the snow had not stopped falling, and the journey would take longer. We had to make arrangements early and set out sooner.
Talking about it now, social interactions have increased and relationships have become more complicated. Although there was support from powerful connections, the obligations, such as gifts for the New Year and other festivals, were indispensable and needed to be given. They were matters of social etiquette and could not be neglected, especially for those few most important families. Each time gifts were sent, she had to personally take great care in preparing them.