FID – Chapter 749

Chapter 749 – You’re the Nosiest One

As the end of the year approached, it was the liveliest time for all the wineries—especially this year.

Because this year’s monthly wages, year-end bonuses, and various benefits were the highest they’d ever been.

The workers were thrilled to have an unexpectedly prosperous New Year ahead of them, and along with that joy came a deep sense of relief.

Back when the Liu family ran into trouble, although rumors swirled among the workers and anxiety spread, with even a few considering quitting, in the end, they all stuck it out.

And thank goodness they did. Otherwise, this current celebration and excitement wouldn’t have belonged to them.

This incident clearly showed the character and values of the Liu family.

Being able to work under such people was, in itself, a blessing.

On New Year’s Eve, the Liu family courtyard was already bustling early in the morning. The grandparents got up with the rest of the family to start the busy day.

Making rice cakes, frying sugar rings, putting up window decorations, hanging couplets—it was a whirlwind of activity.

When there weren’t enough hands, even Elder Jiu got pulled in to help.

Throughout the whole day, laughter and shouting filled the courtyard without pause.

By late afternoon, the New Year’s Eve dinner was ready to be served—when the sound of a carriage came from outside the gate.

“Nannan, go see who it is. At this hour, they’re just in time to join us for the reunion dinner,” Grandma Liu called out casually while keeping her hands busy.

“Okay, I’m on it!” Liu Yusheng stuck out her tongue playfully. She was the most idle one in the family—totally useless in the kitchen—so when she finally got a task, she hurried out to prove she wasn’t completely unhelpful.

Before she even reached the door, she saw the curtain of a carriage outside being lifted, revealing a glimpse of deep purple inside.

Her heart skipped a beat, and her steps instinctively quickened.

She kept her eyes fixed on the curtain, watching as the person inside stepped down.

“Feng Qingbai!” she blurted out, breaking into a run toward the man who was looking at her with a gentle smile.

The man stood still beside the carriage, the smile in his eyes deepening as she dashed toward him. When she leapt into his arms, he reached out and caught her securely.

“Why are you back?” Looking up at him, Liu Yusheng didn’t hide her surprise and joy in the slightest.

“I told you—I’d come back to spend New Year’s with you,” the man said with a smile.

It had been over three years since their reunion, and not once had he been able to spend this holiday with her—always entangled in other affairs. It was his greatest regret.

“Happy?” he asked.

“Very!” the young woman shouted joyfully, throwing herself into his arms again. The smile on her face said everything about her inner happiness.

“From now on, I won’t miss another one,” he whispered softly into her ear. As he pulled away, his lips brushed gently against her pale cheek—half-intentionally, half by chance.

A flush bloomed across Liu Yusheng’s face. Her eyes darted around quickly, only to realize there were quite a few villagers standing nearby, watching the scene unfold with great interest.

That moment of her flinging herself into his arms had been fully witnessed—and now all those uncles, aunts, and older neighbors were walking away giggling behind their hands.

Her face, which had only been a light pink before, instantly turned crimson red.

And then she noticed—not only had Feng Qingbai’s carriage pulled up at the gate, but behind it trailed an entire line of carriages!

Quickly pulling herself out of the man’s arms, Liu Yusheng tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and tried to act composed. “Wh-Why are there so many carriages? Did you bring other people home for the New Year?”

“No, those are my betrothal gifts—and your dowry.”

“……”

“Yo! Betrothal gifts? Dowry? Axiu, Nannan, are you two planning to get married?”

The man’s voice was loud enough for the nearby villagers to hear, and many of them turned with surprise, asking excitedly.

Feng Qingbai looked over at them, smiling as he nodded. “Yes, Nannan and I are planning to get married after the New Year. We’ll definitely invite all of you uncles, aunts, and neighbors to our wedding feast.”

“Great! We’ve waited so many years, finally we get to see your love bear fruit! Hahaha, we’ll be looking forward to that wedding wine!”

“You certainly will.”

“Nannan, hurry and bring Axiu inside—the New Year’s Eve dinner should be ready by now. We’ll head back too. After dinner, once the new year has started, we’d better get ready to prepare your wedding gifts!” With that, the crowd dispersed in a cheerful bustle, walking off amid laughter and teasing.

Liu Yusheng felt so flustered from all the teasing that she didn’t know where to put her hands and feet.

She wasn’t someone who was easily embarrassed. However, caught in such a festive and teasing atmosphere, her shyness welled up naturally, making her every bit the bashful young maiden.

Her charming, coy demeanor made it impossible for someone to look away.

Inside the house, Grandpa Liu, Grandma Liu, and the others had already come out.

The villagers outside had been talking so loudly that the family had heard everything clearly. Naturally, they knew that the person at the door was their Axiu.

“Why are you still standing at the door? Come inside quickly, the food’s already on the table. If you want to stare at each other, do it after dinner,” Grandma Liu said.

“As for those betrothal gifts and the dowry, Axiu, did you have someone help transport them? Let them give us a hand and move everything in,” added Grandpa Liu as he and Liu Dalin and Liu Erlin went to greet the procession. “There’s so much stuff, it’s going to take a while to carry it all in.”

Liu Muqiu and Fu Yuzheng had already walked up to Liu Yusheng’s side. Lifting their eyes to the endless line of carriages, they couldn’t help but tease, “Just how many carriages are delivering this betrothal gift? I’m guessing His Highness basically emptied out his entire palace.”

“More than just the palace! I’d bet even the national treasury is missing a third by now,” Fu Yuzheng said knowingly. After all, she’d lived in the royal manor for years and was well aware of such things.

Liu Yusheng’s face turned a bright red. She glanced at Feng Qingbai, then grabbed the two chatty women beside her and dragged them into the house. “Why didn’t I realize before that you two are such busybodies!”

“Busybodies? What does that mean?” The two women looked at each other, completely confused.

“Busybodies means I’m saying you’re both really pretty,” the girl replied with a sweet smile—completely talking nonsense.

“Oh, Nannan, you’re a busybody too.”

“Nannan, you’re the biggest busybody in the family.”

“……”

Feng Qingbai kept a modest distance from the trio, raised his fist to his lips, and gave a soft cough to suppress the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Then he turned and walked over to Grandpa Liu and the others.

There were a total of twenty carriages delivering the gifts, all from a transport team under the Canal Guild, specially used for hauling goods. 

The carriages were built exceptionally large, and once the ornate wooden boxes were unloaded and carried into the second courtyard guest rooms, Grandma Liu couldn’t resist counting them—exactly two hundred boxes! That meant two hundred loads!

It was honestly overwhelming.

Back in her younger days, when the late emperor married the empress, even that grand event only had one hundred loads of betrothal gifts and dowry.

Now here they were, in the Liu family’s second courtyard, with double that. And many of the items were even selected from the national treasury.

How valuable must all that be?

“Axiu,” Grandma Liu asked with concern, “You came back in such a flashy way. Won’t it attract the wrong kind of attention? What if someone tries to steal or rob it?”

“If it really drew in mountain bandits or something,” Liu Zhiqiu said, eyes gleaming, “just this one haul could feed them for a lifetime.”

No sooner had he spoken than Grandma Liu smacked him upside the head. “What nonsense are you spouting! Are you spouting bad luck during New Year’s? I’ll smack the bad luck right out of you! Spit it out, quick!”