Chapter97. Red Envelope

February 17th, also known as January 29th in the lunar calendar.

William looked at the three people in front of his house and said, "Why are you all here?"

Ellie raised the red couplets and small lanterns in her hand and said, "We came to give you these."

Daniel said, "William, how can you not have red couplets when the New Year is coming!" He showed the drinks and snacks in his hand and said, "Of course, these are also indispensable!"

Hao Ming was also carrying a bag of vegetables and said, "We can't lack supplies as the New Year approaches."

William's refrigerator was packed full.

Daniel was comparing the couplets in front of the door and said to Hao Ming, "Mason, can we paste them here?"

"It's crooked, it's crooked, move it to the side a bit."

Ellie and William were pasting other things in the room.

It took the four of them a while to finish pasting everything.

Ellie hung the two strings of small red lanterns at the door, marking the completion.

Daniel leaned on the sofa and said, "William, I won't be able to come by for a while, I have to visit a lot of relatives during the New Year."

Hao Ming said, "Me neither."

Ellie said, "I probably won't visit relatives."

Daniel said, "William doesn't mind if we join for a meal."

"I don't mind."

Daniel slapped Hao Ming and said, "Show us what our most virtuous man can do."

"Get lost," Hao Ming cursed, but he still carried the vegetables into the kitchen.

Daniel was chased out as soon as he entered, and Hao Ming said, "Don't come in and mess things up."

"I won't mess up."

Ellie and William went to help, and Daniel followed to join in the fun.

Ellie was chopping vegetables, and William, afraid she might cut her finger, said, "I'll do it."

Watching William's skilled chopping, Daniel said, "William, how come you all know how to chop vegetables, and I don't know how to do anything?"

"Because you're useless," Hao Ming couldn't help but insult him while cooking.

"Get out of here, Mason, are you trying to fly to the sky?"

Hao Ming glared at him: "Don't eat a single bite later."

"That's not okay." Daniel eagerly approached him and said, "I may act cheap, but I still have to eat."

"Get out."

...

Looking at the four dishes and one soup served, Daniel rubbed his hands and said, "William, Ellie, try them. Although Mason looks unreliable, his cooking is quite good."

Hao Ming: Just pretend you're complimenting me.

Ellie tasted a piece of the dish and said, "It's indeed delicious."

William also said, "Delicious."

Hao Ming scratched his head a bit embarrassedly and then laughed.

Daniel said, "This New Year, I won't have to eat belt stir-fried pork, I'm so happy!"

Hao Ming teased him: "You're such a show-off."

Ellie couldn't help but laugh.

...

After the meal, William saw the group off.

The room that was once lively became empty again.

He looked at the red couplets on the wall, the red calendar in the room, and the pattern of the Year of the Goat.

Although the room was still spacious, it finally had a bit of the New Year atmosphere.

...

On New Year's Eve.

Families reunite.

The surroundings are filled with a festive atmosphere.

Susan also prepared a large table of dishes.

Chloe was originally invited to have dinner at home, but she was suddenly called back due to an urgent order.

Ellie looked at the dishes on the table, but her mind was thinking about what Chloe would eat and what William would eat alone at home.

Edward kept serving dishes to Ellie and said, "Ellie, eat more, you're too thin."

"Thank you, Dad."

Although they were a family, the four people seemed a bit distant and overly polite.

Ellie looked at Susan, who was still busy in the kitchen, and said, "Susan, come and eat with us."

Susan wiped her hands on her apron and smiled, "I won't eat with you, I'll just have something later, there's still a soup to finish."

Jennifer said, "It's just the three of us, no need for so many dishes, Susan, come and eat."

Susan finally sat at the table and added a pair of chopsticks and a bowl for herself.

She had been in the Jiang family for seventeen years.

She was hired as a nanny when Ellie was just born and had been doing it for over a decade.

She was infertile and was looked down upon by her in-laws, so she divorced early.

Over the years, she looked at Ellie as if she were her own daughter.

Jennifer looked at Ellie, who was eating in silence, and didn't know what to say.

It was Susan who broke the stalemate. She said to Edward and Jennifer, "Ellie ranked second in the school this time and first in the class again."

Edward said, "Ellie is really amazing."

Jennifer also added, "Ellie is great."

Ellie said it was okay and there was no further conversation.

"I'll transfer five thousand to Ellie as a reward for ranking second in the school. The New Year's money will be given out as usual tomorrow." Edward said he would take out his phone and transfer money to Ellie.

Ellie said, "No need, I have money."

"It's also a father's intention, just accept it."

"Alright then."

The meal was a bit awkward.

Ellie went back to her room after dinner.

She received a message from Chloe.

Chloe went out for a group meal with many colleagues. She looked at the smiling and bright girl in the photo and finally smiled.

She ordered takeout for William.

She looked at the message from William and couldn't help but laugh.

[William]: Little teacher really cares about me, so many dishes and only I eat alone.

[William]: Picture.

[Ellie]: Eat more, it's good.

...

Approaching midnight.

The Spring Festival Gala continued.

The hosts on TV were counting down.

"Ten."

"Nine."

"Eight."

...

"One."

"Happy New Year!"

Ellie received messages from William, followed by Chloe, Daniel, Hao Ming, and Aria.

Ellie replied to each of them with a Happy New Year.

In the group chat of four, Daniel sent a red envelope.

[Daniel]: Red envelope.

[Daniel]: Happy New Year!

Three people got tens, and Ellie got three dollars and five cents.

[Daniel]: Hahaha, who has such bad luck? Three dollars and five cents hahahahahahahahaha, I'm dying of laughter, unlucky guy, hahahahahaha.

Daniel's message was retracted within a few seconds.

Ellie stared blankly at the retracted message.

Then she received a message from William.

[William]: Red envelope.

[William]: Red envelope.

[William]: Red envelope.

[William]: Red envelope.

[William]: Don't grab the red envelope in his group, I'll send you privately.

Ellie looked at the four red envelopes he sent and couldn't help but laugh. She then collected the first one.

Seeing it was 200, she didn't collect the second one.

[Ellie]: I won't take the rest, Happy New Year!

[William]: These are originally red envelopes for the little teacher, take them quickly.

Ellie then collected the remaining three red envelopes.

She sent a message to William.

[Ellie]: I have something for you tomorrow.

[William]: What a coincidence, I also have a gift for the little teacher.

The two chatted for a while, and William urged Ellie to go to bed.