My wife is a witch princess.

The four of them sat down around the small square table.

Song Jianguo served rice to everyone. Zhang Shushu first put a piece of fish belly meat on Xia Li's plate: "Try it, this fish is fresh, I just bought it this morning."

"Thank you." Xia Li looked down at the fish in the bowl, picked it up with her chopsticks, put it in her mouth, chewed a few times, and swallowed.

The fish was indeed delicious; it was her favorite food.

"How is it?" Zhang Shushu asked expectantly.

“…It’s delicious,” Xia Li said. “There are no thorns.”

"I specifically picked the part with fewer thorns." Zhang Shushu smiled and put another piece of shredded potato on her plate. "Try this too. Your uncle cooked it. Although it's a bit bland... he said it tastes like home. Give it a try."

Song Che picked up some food for himself, thinking to himself: Mom's favoritism is too obvious.

If Song Che knew that his mother originally wanted to pressure Xia Li, but softened so much as soon as she saw Xia Li, Song Che would definitely say, "Double-standard mom, I protest!"

Song Che picked up some shredded potatoes, but it didn't taste like home; it tasted more like something unpalatable.

After eating quietly for a while, Zhang Shushu asked, "The New Year is almost here, do you two have any plans?"

Song Che, chewing his food, said, "What plans could I possibly have? I'll just stay home."

"Have you bought your New Year's goods?" Song Jianguo asked.

"I bought some," Song Che said. "Snacks... I bought four bags of snacks, but I haven't bought the couplets yet."

“I have some couplets here,” Zhang Shushu said. “I bought a few extra last year, and I’ll bring them to you tomorrow.”

"No need, we can buy it ourselves."

"Why are you being so polite with Mom?" Zhang Shushu waved her hand, then looked at Xia Li, "Xia Li, are you getting used to spending the New Year here?"

Xia Li raised her head and swallowed the food in her mouth: "It's a habit."

"That's good." Zhang Shushu smiled. "The New Year is so lively. We make dumplings on New Year's Eve, watch the Spring Festival Gala, and eat glutinous rice balls on the morning of New Year's Day..."

"What are tangyuan?" Xia Li asked.

The three people at the table were stunned for a moment.

"It's... made of glutinous rice flour, with a filling inside, it's sweet," Song Che explained. "Sesame filling, peanut filling, red bean paste filling, and so on. You boil it and it's soft and chewy."

"Oh." Xia Li nodded. "I've never eaten it before."

Zhang Shushu immediately said, "Then Auntie will cook it for you on the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year. What kind of filling do you like?"

As a woman, my mother is an emotional being, and she immediately conjured up a whole bunch of pitiful and tragic stories about Xia Li in her mind.

This child... has never even eaten glutinous rice balls before!

Xia Li thought for a moment: "...Either is fine."

"Then cook a few of each," Zhang Shushu said. "You'll know which one you like after you try them."

Song Jianguo took a sip of soup and asked, "Xia Li, in your hometown... don't you celebrate the New Year?"

Xia Li looked at Song Che.

Song Che chimed in, "Her customs are different there... she doesn't celebrate the Spring Festival."

"Oh, I see." Song Jianguo nodded. "That's perfect. I'll enjoy the experience here this year. We have so many traditions for celebrating the New Year here: putting up couplets, setting off firecrackers, staying up late on New Year's Eve... By the way, do you young people still grab red envelopes these days?"

"Grab it," Song Che said. "Send it in the group chat."

"Does Xia Li have a cell phone?" Zhang Shushu asked.

"Yes," Xia Li said. "Song Che bought it for me."

"Then Auntie will give you a red envelope too," Zhang Shushu said with a smile, "just for good luck."

Xia Li didn't quite understand the specific meaning of the red envelope. Was it the same as the one given last time?

Or what is it?

Seeing Zhang Shushu's happy expression, he nodded and said, "Thank you, Auntie."

The topic then shifted to plans for the Chinese New Year.

Zhang Shushu talked about visiting relatives: "Your eldest uncle's family is coming on the second day of the Lunar New Year, and on the third day we'll go to your maternal grandmother's house... Xia Li will go with us then, to meet the relatives."

Song Che felt a chill run down his spine: "Mom, Xia Li is shy, so let's not take her around."

“That won’t do,” Zhang Shushu disagreed. “She has to meet the family. Besides, Xia Li is such a sensible girl, what is there to be afraid of?”

Xia Li listened quietly, her chopsticks stirring the rice grains in her bowl. She understood; it meant she had to see other people. Actually, she wasn't very willing to see other people... She didn't know why herself.

Song Che glanced at her and noticed that although she had no expression, her body was tense.

"We'll see when the time comes," Song Che said, trying to smooth things over. "It depends on whether Xia Li wants to go or not."

“I want to go,” Xia Li suddenly said.

Song Che and Zhang Shushu both looked at her.

“I want to see,” Xia Li added, “your…relatives.”

Zhang Shushu immediately beamed: "Okay, okay, let's go together then. Auntie will introduce you to some friendly people, so don't be nervous."

Song Che sighed inwardly.

Your Highness, you have no idea of ​​the power of your extended family.

Whether to say something or not.

They will all be ruined!

Especially with Xia Li's silver hair, she's bound to be the subject of gossip.

After dinner, Xia Li offered to help clean up, but Zhang Shushu stopped her again.

"You all sit down and watch TV for a while." She quickly cleared away the dishes. "Old Song, you talk to the kids, I'll wash the dishes."

The TV was on, showing a period drama that Song Che hadn't seen before.

Song Jianguo brewed a pot of tea and poured a cup for Song Che and Xia Li respectively.

"Xia Li," Song Jianguo took a sip of tea, "is there anything you particularly want to do while living here?"

Xia Li held her teacup and thought for a moment: "I want to learn to cook."

"Oh, what dish do you want to learn?"

"Tomato and egg stir-fry," Xia Li said. "Song Che said it was delicious, and I want to learn how to make it."

Xia Li actually wanted to eat it too.

Song Che taught her how to make stir-fried eggs with chili peppers, which was on the spicy side, but she wanted to try a sweet and sour flavor.

Song Jianguo laughed: "That's easy, just have your aunt teach you. She's cooked all her life, she's very skilled."

Zhang Shushu's voice came from the kitchen: "Xia Li wants to learn to cook. Come over tomorrow, and Auntie will teach you!"

Xia Li looked towards the kitchen and nodded: "Okay."

Song Che listened from the side, feeling a little emotional.

Not long ago, Xia Li was a prince who couldn't even use chopsticks properly, but now she actually wants to learn how to cook.

"Anything else?" Song Jianguo asked. "Besides cooking, what else do you want to do?"

Xia Li thought for a moment and then said, "...skiing."

"Skiing?" Song Jianguo was a little surprised. "You want to go to a ski resort?"

“Yes,” Xia Li said. “Song Che said we can play in winter.”

Song Che explained from the side, "I just mentioned it casually, but she remembered it."

"Go if you want to," Song Jianguo said. "Young people all like it. But you have to be careful and find a coach to guide you."

"Expensive," Xia Li said.

Song Jianguo was taken aback for a moment, then laughed: "Don't worry about the money, have your aunt pay for it."

"No need, no need," Song Che quickly said. "We've already made arrangements."

"Don't be so polite with Dad." Song Jianguo waved his hand. "We only go once a year, so we should spend the money as needed. Xia Li just arrived, so let her experience more."

Xia Li glanced at Song Jianguo, then at Song Che, and said nothing.

She felt she had said the wrong thing; she shouldn't have brought it up, because it would only cause trouble for her aunt and uncle.

This was not her intention.

Zhang Shushu finished washing the dishes, dried her hands, and sat down: "What are you talking about?"

"Let's talk about skiing," Song Jianguo said. "Xia Li wants to go."

“Skiing…” Zhang Shushu thought for a moment, “Then I’ll need to buy equipment, right? Clothes, shoes and stuff.”

“Renting is fine,” Song Che said.

“Rented clothes are never as good as your own,” Zhang Shushu said. “Besides, with Xia Li’s figure, rented clothes might not fit. I’ll take her to buy a new outfit tomorrow as a New Year’s gift.”

Song Che was exasperated: "Mom, really, you don't need to..."

"What do you mean no need?" Zhang Shushu glared at him. "Xia Li has come to our house, and I, as her aunt, haven't given her anything decent yet. It's settled then, I'll take Xia Li to the mall tomorrow morning."

Xia Li held the teacup, looked at Zhang Shushu, then at Song Che, and finally nodded: "Thank you, Auntie."

Song Che was at a loss. "Then...then should I buy one too?"

“I’ll buy it too. You’re my son, not someone I picked up.”

After sitting for a while, Song Che saw that it was getting late and got up to say he had to go back.

"Are we leaving already?" Zhang Shushu went to get some more fruit. "I'll have some oranges too, they're freshly bought and sweet."

"I'm really full." Song Che took the orange and put it in his pocket.

"Okay, be careful on the road." Zhang Shushu saw them to the door and then stuffed a carton of milk into Xia Li's hand, "Drink it if you're thirsty tonight."

"Thank you auntie."

Xia Li thanked her more than a dozen times during her meal. She didn't know what else to say, so she just said thank you.

“Your mother…” Xia Li began, then paused, “is very good.”