I couldn't take it anymore; when I went home for Chinese New Year, the family genealogy book ha

Night deepened.

After a day of commotion, the Jiang family compound finally returned to its usual tranquility at midnight.

In the courtyard, two large iron pots that had been borrowed had been washed clean and were neatly leaning against the wall.

Although the overpowering aroma of fried fish had faded considerably, it still stubbornly lingered in every corner, as if telling the story of the day's glory.

Most of the pork and fresh fish have already been taken away by the jubilant villagers.

At the entrance of the Jiang family's house, another "small mountain" had been piled up.

Those were all gifts from neighbors who had received meat and fish. They felt embarrassed to take them for nothing, and they were afraid that giving money would offend Jiang Chen's family, so they secretly sent them as a return gift.

The freshly ground hot tofu from Aunt Wang's house in the east end is still wrapped in gauze, emitting the fresh aroma of soybeans.

The freshly picked strawberries in Aunt Li's greenhouse at the west end were all bright red and juicy, filling a whole basket.

There's also homemade rice wine, freshly laid free-range eggs, and sun-dried bamboo shoots...

A wide variety of things, everything imaginable.

Although it's not worth much money, this simple and sincere sentiment warms the heart more than any expensive gift.

The kitchen was brightly lit.

Wearing reading glasses, Wang Xiuying, the mother, was carefully stacking the last of the golden and crispy fried fish pieces into a clay jar that was about half a person's height.

This is prepared to be sealed with hot oil and eaten slowly as a New Year's treat.

As she busied herself, she hummed an unknown local tune, the cheerful melody revealing her extremely good mood.

Jiang Chen went into the kitchen, poured himself a glass of cold water, and gulped it down.

Hearing the noise and seeing it was her son, Wang Xiuying immediately stopped what she was doing.

She took off her reading glasses, wiped her hands with her apron, and in the dim light, her eyes, looking at her son, became exceptionally gentle and surprisingly bright.

"Son, Mom is very happy today."

Wang Xiuying's voice carried a hint of suppressed emotion, making her seem completely different from the boisterous rural woman she usually was.

Jiang Chen leaned against the doorframe and teased, "What's so exciting?"

"Am I happy that I'm not wasting money? Or am I happy that we can eat this jar of fish until next spring?"

"screw you!"

Wang Xiuying chuckled and scolded, but her smile grew even brighter.

She shook her head, picked up another piece of fish, and put it back into the jar.

But without realizing it, her eyes began to redden slightly.

"Mom is happy because..."

Wang Xiuying's voice suddenly choked up.

"Our family can finally hold our heads high in this village."

She turned her head and looked at Jiang Chen, her eyes filled with relief, excitement, and a sense of relief.

"You didn't see it, but just now your second grandmother—that old woman who used to gossip behind our backs, saying that our family was poor and stingy, and that I couldn't even bear to buy a new piece of clothing."

"This afternoon, she came to pick up the fish herself, leaning on her cane; her words were as sweet as honey!"

Wang Xiuying imitated the old woman's tone perfectly.

"Oh my, our Xiuying is so lucky to have raised such a promising son!" "I've always thought Jiang Chen would amount to something since he was little!" "This fish is fried so deliciously, our Jiang Chen is so generous!"

"Ha!" Wang Xiuying couldn't help but laugh out loud, but as she laughed, tears involuntarily fell down her cheeks.

She quickly wiped it with her sleeve.

"What did Mom live for most of her life?"

Wang Xiuying's voice, thick with nasal tone, was full of emotion.

"Isn't it all about being respected in public and not being talked about behind your back?"

"In the past, when Mom walked on the street, she was most afraid of running into acquaintances. She was afraid that people would ask her how her work in Shanghai was, how much money she made a month, and when she was going to buy a house and get married."

"Mom couldn't answer, so she could only lower her head and walk around the road."

"Now……"

Wang Xiuxiu suddenly raised her head, her face radiating an unprecedented glow!

"Now Mom practically goes to the village entrance every day, just waiting for someone to ask!"

"Mom's going to grab a megaphone and tell the whole village, 'My son's a big boss! He drives an Audi! My son's made it big!'"

"Son, thank you!"

Wang Xiuying grabbed Jiang Chen's hand; those hands, calloused from years of hard work, were now full of strength.

"Thank you for making Mom proud!"

"This pride is more precious than gold!"

Jiang Chen felt as if something had struck him hard, leaving him with a bittersweet feeling.

He stepped forward and gently pulled his mother's slightly hunched shoulders into his arms.

"Mom, this is nothing."

He patted his mother on the back, his voice firm and strong.

"The best is yet to come."

Wang Xiuying, nestled in his arms, nodded heavily.

It took her a while to break free from Jiang Chen's embrace.

The excitement and emotion on his face were gradually replaced by seriousness and worry.

Wang Xiuying suddenly seemed to remember something very important.

She took Jiang Chen's hand and pressed him down to sit on the small stool next to her.

"Oh, right!"

Wang Xiuying's expression became more serious than ever before.

"Son, tell your mother the truth."

"Although you said it was a bonus from the company, the way you've been spending money these past few days... I still feel uneasy, like a cat scratching at my heart."

She stared intently into Jiang Chen's eyes, as if trying to see into the depths of his soul.

"You better be honest and tell Mom the truth."

"How much money is left in your card?"

"Buying the car, renovating the house, and even buying pigs and fish—we've already poured hundreds of thousands of yuan into it!"

Wang Xiuying's voice was filled with undisguised anxiety.

"Don't let all that money you've worked so hard to save for your future wife go to waste!"

"What will you do to establish yourself in Shanghai when you run out of money? How will you get married?"

Jiang Chen's heart stirred.

He knew that the main event was finally about to begin.

His extravagant spending these past few days has brought his parents immense honor and prestige.

However, it also greatly challenged their bottom line regarding their understanding of money.

The deep-seated fear that "money will always run out one day" and the ingrained mindset that "even if you work hard all your life, you won't be able to save much money" always hovered like a dark cloud over the elderly couple's hearts.

Today, we must reassure them.

Moreover, this reassurance must be big enough, strong enough, and impactful enough!

It needs to be big enough to completely shatter their lifelong notion of poverty!

We need to be tough enough to completely cure their deep-seated "poverty disease"!

Jiang Chen took a deep breath, looked into his mother's eyes filled with worry and unease, and slowly revealed a mysterious smile.

"mom."

"Since you asked..."

"Then tonight... I'll tell you and my dad everything, completely and utterly."