The people who could return to the Su family had all returned, marking a near-complete family reunion.
Only Su Wuliang was still missing.
Liang Xiu felt a little regretful, but she also knew that it wasn't easy for her son to come back. Fortunately, she still had a son and a daughter by her side, which was good enough.
When Li Jianhong and her two sisters ate, they were too embarrassed to pick up any dishes from the table full of food.
But the Su family members took good care of them, constantly serving them dishes.
By the end of the meal, under the enthusiastic invitations of the Su family, the three girls were stuffed.
Oh, Qi Xiaofang was an exception, as her appetite was naturally large.
Although the Su family's courtyard was large, housing became a bit tight once the entire family arrived.
The Su brothers ended up going to the Du family's place, which allowed Chen Zi'an, Su Lao Er, and the others to settle in.
The next day was New Year's Eve, the thirtieth of the twelfth lunar month.
Early in the morning, Grandma Su arranged for her grandsons to deliver a lot of food to the Tan family's orphanage and to pick up Chi Ge to spend the New Year with them.
Su Ciliang and Su Sangong had originally planned to take Xiao Ba and Xiao Jiu with them.
However, Su Xiaotian also wanted to go, so in the end, Su Ciliang and Su Sangong took Su Xiaotian and the other four girls with them.
When the group arrived at the orphanage, the children had already changed into new clothes.
The little ones were overjoyed to see Su Xiaotian and the others.
Li Yuniang was washing clothes for the children. Seeing Su Xiaotian and the others arrive, she quickly stood up to greet them.
"Grandma Li, these are my classmates. They've come to visit you all."
Su Xiaotian smiled and took out a handful of White Rabbit toffees from her pocket, distributing them to the children.
"Thank you, Xiaotian Jie Jie." The little ones were very well-behaved.
"These are prepared by Jianhong Jie Jie for you. A pair of small gloves for each of you. Do you like them?"
The little ones hadn't expected New Year's gifts. They touched the woolen gloves, their little faces blushing with joy.
"Thank you, Jianhong Jie Jie, they're so beautiful!" the children continued to express their gratitude.
Qian Xiaobei and Qi Xiaofang also took out the small gifts they had prepared for the children, all practical items that the children naturally loved.
When they had families before, they had lived happily, but now they were just orphans. It was good enough to have enough to eat, let alone think about gifts.
They never expected to receive so many gifts during the New Year.
Finally, it was Su Xiaotian's turn. She had prepared a book for each child.
Since the children were still young, Su Xiaotian had prepared comic books, one for each child, and each was different.
"After you finish reading yours, you can exchange them with other children. That way, each of you can read seven books, right?"
Su Xiaotian said softly to the little ones, teaching them to share.
Although the little ones were a bit reluctant to give their books to others, they eventually nodded, thinking that they could also read others' books.
Li Yuniang felt happier seeing the children so delighted.
She had adopted these children and completed the adoption procedures.
However, the orphanage's procedures had not yet been finalized, and they could not receive government subsidies.
It was thanks to everyone's help that the elderly couple wouldn't be in such dire straits.
At this moment, Li Jianhong and the other two girls had already taken the initiative to help wash the children's clothes.
Not only did they wash the clothes the children had changed out of, but they also cleaned the bedsheets and duvet covers for several children.
"How can you let yourselves work?" Li Yuniang said apologetically.
"Grandma, it's fine. You've done so much, and we're just helping out once!" Li Jianhong said with a smile to Li Yuniang after hanging the last bedsheet.
Being rural girls, they had done these chores since they were young. Qi Xiaofang, in particular, with her large appetite, had even greater strength. She finished washing a bedsheet in no time.
However, she didn't wring out the bedsheets. She said that when she was at home, she had once wrung out a perfectly good bedsheet, and after being beaten, she was only responsible for washing clothes.
The other girls almost died laughing when they heard Qi Xiaofang recount this tragic past.
So, having great strength also had its downsides.
The little ones were very happy today to have new clothes and receive gifts.
Su Xiaotian had initially worried that the children, being so young, might fight.
But clearly, these children had been taught very well, and the situation she feared did not occur.
Instead, they were all yielding to each other, and if the gifts they received were not quite suitable in size, they would exchange them.
"You all behaved so well. You must continue to behave this way in the future!" Su Xiaotian affectionately stroked the children's heads.
"Xiaotian Jie Jie, Grandma and Grandpa told us to learn from you! When we grow up, we will definitely become outstanding people like you!"
Su Xiaotian clearly hadn't expected to become a role model for the children.
She used to be one of those children who belonged to other people's families.
"Then are you willing to learn from me now?" Su Xiaotian asked, bending down.
The little ones quickly nodded, clamoring that they were very willing.
Su Xiaotian then led the children to help tidy up the杂物 (miscellaneous items) in the courtyard.
The little ones were young and couldn't do everything perfectly, but they were all very diligent and serious.
When the younger ones couldn't do something, the older ones would actively help.
Su Xiaotian suddenly felt that perhaps Grandpa Tan and Grandma Li might have a time of enjoyment in the future.
These children were not their biological children, but as long as they were educated well, they could achieve great things in the future.
Because they were helping with chores, it was already past two in the afternoon when several of them picked up Chi Ge and hurried back to the Su family's courtyard.
The girls, who had been busy all morning, had only eaten a simple meal at noon.
Upon arriving at the Su family's home, they didn't worry about meals but busied themselves with work.
Tidying the courtyard, wiping tables, and helping in the kitchen.
In short, as long as they saw work to be done, they would proactively do it.
Diligent and capable girls were always more likable.
Because of what her daughter-in-law and daughter had said, Grandma Su wished she could have these three girls as her granddaughters-in-law.
However, if the grandsons didn't make an effort, the grandmother would only grieve in vain!
Li Linlin, who had proactively offered to help with the chores, was dissuaded by Grandma Su.
"There are so many rascals in this family, and at crucial moments, they don't even bother to find work to do. They're like spinning tops, they only turn when pushed, and stop when not."
Grandma Su looked disdainfully at her eight grandsons, a bunch of gluttons, and wondered when they would ever learn to work proactively!
Su family grandsons: ...
It was one thing to not be as favored as their little sister, but now they couldn't even compare to other people's granddaughters?
Forget it, they were grown men and wouldn't argue with the little girls.
The brothers then went back to what they were doing.
Grandma Su was just scolding them casually.
She muttered a couple of times, told Li Linlin to roll up her sleeves, and then hurried off to do her work.