Sister, can I be a maid too?

My parents are always traveling all year round. They usually live in a villa in the suburbs, but now they've simply moved into Jinxiu New Village, so there's even less people living here.

Only during the few days of the Lunar New Year does this old house regain some life.

He remembers that when he was a child, he found it troublesome and asked his father why he had to travel all the way back here for the New Year. Wouldn't it be more comfortable to spend it in the villa?

The usually cheerful father paused for a moment, then said to him very seriously:

“Your grandpa and grandma are here.”

—Grandpa and Grandma...

Jiang Yubai pursed her lips.

It feels like it's been far too long since I've seen them.

So long ago, that kind face in my memory has become somewhat blurred, leaving only a gentle outline and... a certain dry yet warm touch.

Perhaps it was on a certain afternoon, when he was tired from playing and dozing off on the old man's lap, that he felt the calloused hand gently stroking the top of his head.

My thoughts drifted away, and I could hear the rhythmic chopping of vegetables coming from the kitchen, the air thick with the dusty smell of freshly cleaned dishes.

Amidst this familiar and reassuring sound, Jiang Yubai slowly closed his eyes.

-----------------

When I was gently woken up by my dad, the dining table was already full.

Jiang Yubai rubbed his sleepy eyes and sat down in the chair.

My parents were busy opening drinks, so they poured him a full glass of chilled coconut juice as well.

Jiang Pinglan poured himself a small glass of baijiu, held it out to the center of the table, and smiled gently.

"Come on, wish my wife and son a Happy New Year."

The three cups gently clinked together, making a crisp, tinkling sound.

Dad tilted his head back and downed the wine in his glass in one gulp, while Mom smiled and took a sip of her drink.

Jiang Yubai took a big gulp of coconut juice, then suddenly seemed to remember something, took out his phone from his bag, and took a picture of the New Year's Eve dinner on the table.

Qin Huiyi, standing to the side, watched with curiosity, her chopsticks even stopping.

"Wow, has the sun risen in the west? Usually, if I take a picture before a meal, you'll nag me for ages."

"What are you saying, 'Is food for eating or for taking pictures?' 'The food will get cold if you don't eat it soon.' What, is it your turn to break the rules today?"

Jiang Yubai tapped the screen with his finger and spoke in a serious tone:

"I'm just documenting my life, okay? It's different from what you're doing."

Qin Huiyi and Jiang Pinglan, who was standing next to her, exchanged a glance.

Jiang Yubai pressed the send button, put away his phone with satisfaction, and was about to pick up his chopsticks.

Looking up, I saw my parents exchanging glances, with subtle smiles on their lips.

"What are you doing?" Jiang Yubai asked curiously. "You two seem to have a good relationship, even exchanging glances while eating."

Qin Huiyi cleared her throat and casually picked up some vegetables with her chopsticks:

"It's nothing, just eat your food. I just feel... my son has grown up and knows how to share his life now, which is great."

Jiang Pinglan nodded and took another sip of wine.

Jiang Yubai felt that his mother's words had a hidden meaning. He looked at her suspiciously for a couple of seconds, but still scooped a piece of braised pork into his bowl.

As the three of them picked up their chopsticks, the New Year's Eve dinner officially began.

It might seem a bit deserted to others, with no TV background noise, but Jiang Yubai was already used to it.

He carefully tasted the braised pork in his mouth; it was tender and flavorful, with a perfect balance of salty and sweet. He looked up in surprise.

"Mom, your cooking skills have improved so much! This braised pork is just as good as the signature dishes at those old restaurants."

Before Qin Huiyi could even speak, Jiang Pinglan scoffed:

"Of course, your mom got it as takeout from the restaurant."

"?"

Jiang Yubai looked at his mother in disbelief.

"Didn't I buy meat?"

Qin Huiyi, having been exposed, felt a little embarrassed and clicked her tongue, saying:

"Can we really rely on you for such an important event as the New Year's Eve dinner?"

"What if you get distracted on the way and forget to buy it, or the meat you buy isn't fresh? Are we going to starve on New Year's Eve with empty plates?"

She paused, then picked up a winter bamboo shoot and placed it into Jiang Yu's white bowl:

"Hey, try this winter bamboo shoot. Your mom made it. See how it tastes."

With a subtle expression that seemed to say, "What's meant to happen will happen," Jiang Yubai put the slice of winter bamboo shoot into his mouth.

He chewed it.

He chewed it patiently again.

I chewed it a little harder.

Finally, he swallowed it with a troubled expression.

"The bamboo shoots... were cut a little too thick, making them difficult to chew,"

Jiang Yubai spoke tactfully.

"Mom, I think I'm better at appreciating your visionary and well-prepared wisdom."

Qin Huiyi: "......."

Before his mother could explode, Jiang Yubai preemptively began to interrogate her:

"Hey Mom, it's fine for you two to go out and have fun, but you still have a baby son at home who needs your care!"

"You're letting me buy all the New Year's goods, fine, but why are you and Dad only coming back on New Year's Eve? You could have come back a few days earlier."

Qin Huiyi picked up a piece of bamboo shoot and put it in her mouth. She chewed it a couple of times, her brows furrowing slightly, but she still forced herself to swallow it. Then she replied to her son with a hint of annoyance:

"Do you think your dad and I went sightseeing?"

"...Isn't that right?" Jiang Yu blinked, counting on her fingers, "Guiyun, Yangshuo, Longji Rice Terraces, and that ancient town..."

"That's a standard all-in-one travel package! I saw on your WeChat Moments that you've been posting about it all along, Mom."

Qin Huiyi paused for two seconds, then continued:

"What I mean is... it's almost the end of the year, and all those rental properties we own scattered around the country, don't we have to collect rent from each tenant one by one and reconcile the accounts item by item? Do you think that won't take up a lot of time?"

"Didn't they collect it before? Why did it take so long?" Jiang Yubai asked with a doubtful look.

“This year’s situation is special,” Qin Huiyi waved her hand and sighed, “Do you remember our family has an old house in Longhua District?”

"I remember, that building is quite old."

"Yes, that's the place, it's going to be demolished," Qin Huiyi said.

Jiang Yubai's eyes lit up: "Demolition? That's great! The compensation should be pretty good, right?"

“It’s a good thing,” Qin Huiyi sighed, “but there’s a tenant who’s very difficult to deal with.”

"The contract is in black and white, and we have paid every penny of the relocation compensation that was due. But she insists that she also has a share of the demolition compensation and is determined to give me 500,000 yuan, otherwise she will not move."

Jiang Yubai: "........."

Seemingly having opened up, Qin Huiyi poured out her grievances:

"The tenant of that small apartment in Xicheng District has five cats, which have scratched all the wooden floors. The deposit is not enough to cover the damage."

“When we argued with him, he demanded compensation from us, saying that he had scratched the cat’s claws.”

"And then there's that tenant in the shop in Qing'an District, who owed six months' rent and disappeared, leaving behind a room full of 'crafts' of unknown origin. The police station has already filed a report..."

Qin Huiyi sighed:

"I don't know why, but there have been so many things going on this year. Just dealing with all these miscellaneous and upsetting things has dragged on until now."

Jiang Yubai's lips twitched:

"Uh...you two are really living a very colorful life..."

Although I knew my parents would encounter oddballs when collecting rent, I never imagined there would be so many.

"Otherwise what?" Qin Huiyi snorted. "Do you think everyone in the world is like you, able to collect rent from a pair of twin classmates?"

Jiang Yu's pale face stiffened: "...What does this have to do with them?"

Jiang Pinglan, who had been silently listening to their conversation, also spoke up:

"Oh right, what about the sisters who live next door, Lin Jianxia and Lin Tingwan? Have they gone back yet?"

"...They should have gone back by now. I don't know much about the specifics," Jiang Yubai said, feigning ignorance. "I'm just their landlord and employer. Why would I ask such detailed questions about their daily life?"

"Landlord and employer?"

Qin Huiyi raised an eyebrow with interest.

"Let me guess, you just sent someone a picture of your New Year's Eve dinner, and the people across from you... probably weren't your two classmates, right?"

Jiang Yubai: "........."

It really is.

Meeting his parents' intense gazes, he finally couldn't hold back anymore:

"No, I mean, when other parents see their children during the Lunar New Year, don't they usually ask 'How are your grades?' or 'How are you doing?'"

"I'm already in the second semester of my senior year of high school, and instead of giving me some encouragement, what's the point of asking your own son gossip questions?"

Jiang Pinglan picked up a piece of green vegetable, her tone unusually serious:

"Putting everything else aside, your mother and I are completely in agreement on the issue of grades."

"To be realistic, apart from a very small number of people who are truly dedicated to scientific research, for the vast majority of people, the college entrance examination and university are essentially about laying the foundation for a stable life in the future."

"If you've tried your best and done well on the exam, that's your own achievement, and we're happy for you. If the results aren't as ideal, as long as you've done your best, we won't blame you for anything."