Spending The New Year’s Eve At Grandma’s In the blink of an eye, it was the New Year’s Eve. According to the usual practice, He Jin’s family would spend the New Year’s Eve in his grandma’s. His aunt and uncles joined them too.

He Jin’s mother was the oldest, but He Jin was the youngest among his cousins.

This year, only Zhang Xiaomiao, the daughter of his uncle showed up. The two kids of his aunt were going to spend the New Year’s Eve at their husbands’; He Jin also had a cousin brother called Li Yuedong, and he’s three years older than He Jin. He’d been a rebellious kid since he was young. After he graduated from an ordinary major, he’d started working since last year, and he didn’t show up in the New Year’s Eve either.

His aunt and his mother were helping his grandmother for the preparation of dinner, she was complaining about how rebellious Li Yuedong was, as he’d always run away from home, and he smoked and drank often. After he graduated, he spent a lot of time with bad friends…his aunt wanted his son to behave better, or “be a useful person”, yet he proved to be the opposite.

He Jin’s mother, “I told you before. You have to be strict to kids! If you let them be whatever the ways they want, that’s the outcome!”

His aunt, “well, I was strict. But whenever I blamed him, he always fought me back by throwing to me ten more arguments, and each of them pissed me off! I really lost all my energy!”

He Jin’s mother, “it’s because you never hit him when he’s young. Let me tell you, if you want a kid to be good, you have to hit him. Only if you do, can they grow to be obedient. If you started hitting them when they were young, all their temper would be gone, and they would listen to whatever you say!”

He Jin felt chills down his spine – if that’s what it takes to have an “obedient” son, then why did he end up hating his mother?

His aunt, “I just couldn’t do that…and see where he ends up today…he won’t even know if I’ve died! You know, I feel envious every time I see your He Jin. Only if Li Yuedong were half obedient as him, I’d already be grateful!”

His mother’s voice suddenly lowered, and she said sorrowfully, “well, didn’t I learn this from his brother…?”

His aunt, “it’s been ages, don’t think about it anymore.” …was she referring to his brother? He Jin instantly paid close attention to what his mother was saying, yet they’d stopped there. After a while, his mother was talking about his aunt’s daughter again. She asked whether her daughter had a happy marriage life, and whether a baby was on the way…

He Jin was still immersed about what his mother had said about his brother. What did she exactly mean when she said, “didn’t I learn this from his brother?” – didn’t he pass away from a disease?

At night, before dinner, his grandma took out two red packets, and she let his grandpa to hand them to Zhang Xiaomiao and He Jin.

After He Jin took the red packet, his mother instantly took it away. He Jin had got used to it – every year, he had to hand all his red pocket money to his mother. But it’s the first time Zhang Xiaomiao saw it, and she asked, “He Jin, do you still give your red pocket money to your mother?”

He Jin gave a simple reply ,”umm.”, he never felt he owned any of those red pocket money anyway.

His aunt was stunned, “sister, why are you still managing his money? He’s agrown up.”

His mother answered with pride, “well, yes. I’m even managing his scholarship.”

Zhang Xiaomiao was surprised, “Auntie, what you’re doing isn’t right. Grandma gave He Jin his money, how can you hide it from him? And you’re even hiding away his scholarship? Didn’t you let him keep some for himself?” .

His mother gave her an angry look, “what I am doing is saving up for his future apartment. I’m going to give him money whenever he needs it. Also, he’s going to inherit all of that after I die, I can’t bring that money along with me to the coffin, so what do you think I am doing?

Zhang Xiaomiao looked at He Jin with sympathy. After she was questioned, she felt a bit upset, and she immediately pointed her finger to Zhang Xiaomiao, “what about you? Haven’t you graduated? Why did you still take money from your grandma?”

Zhang Xiaomiao was one year younger than Li Yuedong. She just graduated and started working this year. Since she was small, she hadn’t been good at studying, she didn’t even make it to University. After being admitted into an Arts College, He Jin’s mother had been criticizing about her. She was spreading rumors such as Xiaomiao sleeping in until noon and only going out at 2, 3 pm every day. As heard from his uncle, she was doing little jobs like painting portraits at a studio, and she is having an income. However, since she didn’t have a regular 9 to 5 office job, He Jin’s mother always perceived her as problematic.