Reaching the age of thirty, my income randomly doubled

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"Ah, my dear An'an is back."

Chang Fu scooped up Little An'an in a hug. You've eaten a bit too much this year; I can barely lift you!

"Uncle Chang Fu, were you waiting here on purpose for An'an?"

"How did you know? I was just waiting for you."

He quickly put her down. Though she's adorable, and indeed genuinely loved,

getting heavy is really something else, your uncle can't carry you!

Chen An'an hopped behind him, "Uncle Chang Fu, is this big car yours?"

"Yes, isn't it beautiful?"

He perked up, not expecting the little one to catch on so quickly, just as he was about to introduce it grandly,

he heard Little An'an say: "It is pretty, but not as pretty as my dad's S680, not as nice as my mom's Bentley, and compared to the Martin my dad doesn't drive, it's a little bit worse."

Is that just a little bit? That's a gap of several cars!

Chang Fu's face turned red, "An'an, when did you learn to tell lies? Can your dad's little thing compare with mine?"

"My dad is certainly not a 'little thing'."

Chen Pingsheng still had some cigarettes left in his car, specially brought for giving away when he came home.

All from Capital City, a hundred and ten per pack.

"Chang Fu, I'm back now, and you've been quite the show-off at home, huh?"

Chen Pingsheng slapped his shoulder, and Chang Fu's face showed discontent.

"What's the point? The moment you kid come back, you slap my face loud and clear."

"Who told you to like showing off so much? Take these, I brought you two cartons specially."

"At least you have a conscience, kid."

Chang Fu also took several cartons of cigarettes and a pair of local spirits from his car.

"Specially brought for you, don't say old me doesn't think of you."

"Thanks, brother."

"It was so boring last year without you. You're not planning to leave after just a few days this year, right?"

"How could I? I'll stay at home for at least half a month this year."

"That's great, now we have someone to play cards with, haha."

Chang Fu walked with his arm around Chen Pingsheng, showing off is one thing, getting faced is another, but once you're back, you're the best brother.

Even meeting outside, there's no question about it.

Grew up together since childhood, they've fought and played, but still as close as ever, like wearing the same pair of pants.

"I take it you've just got back as well?"

"Right, I just arrived right on your heels."

Chang Fu said, "Let's not talk anymore; I'll visit home first and then invite a few classmates out for cards tonight."

The biggest activity for the New Year's return home is, of course, playing cards.

Some will win and laugh merrily, while others lose most of the money they've managed to save over the year.

Anyway, that's how gambling is, long-term players usually end up losing in nine out of ten cases.

Chen Pingsheng stopped playing much after getting married, mainly because the money became something belonging to two people.

Losing too much makes it hard to explain when you get home.

But now, it doesn't matter anymore, and Chang Fu probably feels the same.

In their village, there aren't many of their age who are better off than the two of them.

"Alright, I've just gotten back too and need to stop by my place first, you go ahead and tell them, we'll all go for a barbecue tonight."

Chen Pingsheng handed out two cartons of cigarettes, greeted the neighbors in the village, and then drove home.

His family built a two-story house a few years back, paid for by him.

When he got married, if Song Yanxi hadn't waived the bride price and even gave a dowry of nearly a hundred thousand,

he really wouldn't have been able to get married.

Now things are going well; the most financially straining times are behind, and he can earn money again.

He's free to spend as he wishes.

Chen Jianjun and Peng Ying at home were already informed, they were just waiting for their arrival at the door when Firecracker started going off.

The grandparents were also there, along with a few uncles and aunts.

Everyone came to join in the excitement. After all, the son and his wife coming back from Capital City was indeed a grand occasion; a big meal was a must at home.

Little New Year's Eve was coming, and Chen Pingsheng had prepared quite a few red packets.

The little ones would get one each, five hundred in hand.

His third uncle's silly son, his cousin Chen Fan who was only five years younger,

was struck by something in his childhood and has remained at the mental age of six ever since.

A twenty-five-year-old, he still hangs out with the kids every day.

As those kids grow up, he has to find even younger ones to play with.

Once they're over ten, they generally don't play with him anymore.

He and Little An'an can still play together, however.

"Big kettle."

Chen Fan's laugh was very innocent, and pretty goofy.

A grown man's body with a child's mind.

Chen Pingsheng patted his arm, "Little Fan has grown taller."

"Yeah, hehe!" Chen Fan laughed stupidly, scratching his head.

Of all the relatives at home, the third uncle was the most unique.

Hardworking and honest, he spent his life farming, but his only son turned out to be a fool.

This caused him no small amount of ridicule from the people in the village.

There was a lot of arguing in the first few years, which eventually died down.

The relatives were many, and he had to greet each one.

His grandparents were still in very good health. His grandfather, who is over seventy, still works the fields daily, carrying several dozen pounds of feed to feed the fish.

That's not easy at that age, and there's no sign of frailty on him.

According to his grandfather, it was because he had killed two Americans when he was young, which built good karma.

Therefore, he has no health problems in his old age. This wasn't a joke but the truth.

He did participate in the Korean War.

The house suddenly became bustling, Peng Ying was busy cooking, while Chen An'an was all over the place collecting red packets.

He gave red packets to the relatives' kids, so of course, they would give Chen An'an one as well.

By noon, Peng Ying had prepared a large table of food.

Chen Pingsheng also brought two bottles of Moutai soy sauce flavor from the car, which was possible because he didn't run into any traffic police on the way back.

Otherwise, he might have been caught and confiscated.

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