A husband found in the village? I bought a regent for a penny!

Before dawn on the first day of the Lunar New Year, Gu Xixi was woken up by Aunt Zhang. Before she could even fully wake up, a cold orange slice was stuffed into her mouth.

Aunt Zhang smiled and recited, "Good luck, good luck."

Gu Xixi chewed on an orange and asked, "You're free today, why didn't you sleep in a little longer?"

In the past, at the beginning of the year, Gu Bapi would always take Gu Xixi out to pay New Year's visits.

Uncle Gu and Second Uncle Gu are Gu Bapi's elder uncles, while Third Uncle Gu is of the same generation.

These three families visit each other every year on the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year.

But this year is different. Gu Xixi and the Gu family have already tacitly severed ties with Gu Da Ye and Gu Lao San, so the process of visiting relatives has been skipped.

Gu Xixi felt a little cold and pulled the blanket up, wanting to continue sleeping.

Aunt Zhang nudged her twice, saying, "Don't sleep! I've warmed your new clothes on the kang (heated brick bed). Hurry up and put them on, and get dressed up a bit. People will be coming to wish you a Happy New Year soon!"

Gu Xixi was taken aback. "Who's coming to wish us a Happy New Year?"

Doesn't she have almost no relatives left in the village?

Aunt Zhang said with a beaming smile, "I don't know who's coming, but I reckon there are quite a few."

She walked out with the orange in her hand, saying, "Get up quickly, don't fall asleep again before I leave!"

Gu Xixi was wide awake. She sat up and got dressed, filled with doubt.

With my low seniority and young age, who would come to pay New Year's visits?

Moreover, Aunt Zhang was certain that quite a few people had come today.

Aunt Zhang carried a peeled tangerine and ran through every room in the house.

Stone, Mu Nanzhao, Old Doctor, Mule Laifu, and Horse Galloping.

Even Xiao Hua, who dislikes the smell of citrus the most, was forced by Aunt Zhang to lick the orange pulp a few times.

Having achieved great fortune, the whole family walked out of the house almost simultaneously.

When Gu Xixi appeared, she was a sight to behold.

Today, Aunt Zhang personally styled her hair into a double-looped bun, decorated with red velvet flowers.

Gu Xixi was wearing a maroon cotton-padded jacket trimmed with white rabbit fur, and a pine-green brocade skirt with gold trim.

Although it's a combination of red and green, it's by no means unremarkable.

Instead, it accentuated a delicate and playful charm that is not usually seen on her.

"Sister Xixi looks so beautiful today!" Shi Tou exclaimed.

Gu Xixi deliberately glanced at him sideways and asked, "Only today? Aren't I pretty usually?"

"Beautiful!" Shi Tou grinned. "In my heart, Sister Xi Xi is the most beautiful! Tied for first place with my mother!"

Gu Xixi chuckled and said, "You're quite the talker."

As she spoke, she took out several small brocade pouches, giving one to Shi Tou first, saying, "Lucky money, may you grow up strong and healthy and study hard next year."

Gu Xixi then gave the brocade pouch to the old doctor and Aunt Zhang.

"Auntie and Master have worked hard all year. I wish you both a Happy New Year and good health in the coming year."

Finally, it was Mu Nanzhao's turn.

Gu Xixi handed him the brocade pouch, smiled at him, and said, "May you obtain everything you desire, and may everything go smoothly and peacefully."

Mu Nanzhao looked into Gu Xixi's eyes, and after a moment, reached out and took the brocade pouch.

"Thank you."

The sharp-eyed child, Stone, noticed that everyone's brocade pouch seemed to contain slightly different contents.

His bag was clearly the most full and the heaviest.

Stone held the brocade pouch, looking at it from left to right, scratching his head, curious about what the hard thing inside was.

Seeing this, Gu Xixi smiled and said, "We're all family, so please open it and take a look."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Stone was the first to open it.

"Money! Lots of money!"

Stone's brocade pouch was filled with copper coins, no wonder it looked bulging.

Inside Aunt Zhang's brocade pouch was a silver ingot weighing one tael.

The old doctor's brocade pouch contained a cordyceps.

Gu Xixi smiled and said, "So, do you like it?"

Stone, holding the money bag, cheered and jumped for joy, "I love it! I love it so much! I'm going to save it up and wait for the next peddler to come to the village!"

The peddler's goods were mostly sold for one coin.

For a child, this pouch full of copper coins was definitely a huge allowance.

The old doctor held the cordyceps, his eyes wide with excitement, his beard trembling.

"Cordyceps, the real Cordyceps sinensis, a combination of insect and grass... a treasure..."

Aunt Zhang looked at Gu Xixi with a smile through her tears, too moved to speak.

She had worked for the Gu family for nearly twenty years, and this was the first time she had received such a large New Year's red envelope.

It was also the first time in her life that she had ever touched such a large piece of silver.

Then I remembered that Xixi had said before that she would take care of her and support her in her old age once she made money.

Looking at the silver, Aunt Zhang felt more pride and satisfaction than anything else, thinking, "My family has a successful daughter."

Only Mu Nanzhao's brocade pouch remained unopened.

Gu Xixi then urged him, "Are you afraid that what I give you won't suit your taste if you don't open it?"

"How could that be?" Mu Nanzhao lowered his eyes and opened the brocade pouch.

His brocade pouch looked the driest, and there was nothing rough to the touch, so it was definitely neither silver nor copper coins.

Under everyone's tense and focused gaze.

Mu Nanzhao reached in and rummaged around, pulling out a rolled-up piece of paper.

Stone looked around curiously, "What is this?"

Mu Nanzhao glanced at Gu Xixi, who was smiling at him, and then began to unroll the paper.

It was a narrow strip of paper with words on it:

"The person who receives this paper must unconditionally agree to one thing."

Before the Lunar New Year, she racked her brains to think about everyone's needs and preferences in order to prepare New Year's red envelopes.

Among them, Mu Nanzhao's red envelope was the most difficult to obtain.

Give him some money; Gu Xixi can't afford more.

If you give him too little, wouldn't that be humiliating for a noble young man like him?

Gu Xixi couldn't think of anything good to give, so at the last minute she managed to come up with this gift.

She did this when she was in kindergarten, and wrote it on a small card.

Although it's a gift that even a child might find childish.

But in ancient times, it might have been considered novel?

Mu Nanzhao stared at the note, motionless.

Gu Xixi smiled somewhat guiltily, "I prepared this with great care."

Mu Nanzhao glanced sideways, "Prepared carefully?"

"Mmm!" Gu Xixi nodded. "Aren't you pleasantly surprised? You like it a lot, don't you?"

Mu Nanzhao rolled up the note with one hand, looked up at her, and said, "Your handwriting is terrible."

His tone was full of disdain, but he casually slipped the note into his sleeve.

A memorial tablet for Gu Bapi was placed on a long table directly opposite the entrance of the main room, along with incense, candles, and offerings.

As soon as Gu Xixi entered, she lit three incense sticks and bowed respectfully.

Sure enough, guests started arriving after breakfast.

Besides Qin's family, with whom she had a close relationship, there were other people.

Some brought their children to express their gratitude to Mr. Chen and offer their tuition fees, while others chatted and laughed with Gu Xixi, showing great enthusiasm.

Gu Xixi's house, which had been deserted after Gu Bapi's death, suddenly became the liveliest place in the whole village.

This situation continued from the first day of the Lunar New Year to the fifth day.

Gu Xixi knew the reason perfectly well.

People either want to get the "secret recipe for growing crops" from her.

Either you want to work for Sister-in-law Qin, or you want to follow her.

But these people did not have Sister-in-law Qin's determination.

They were watching, observing Gu Xixi's movements, and also observing the movements of other people in the village.