Chapter 977: Chapter 974: Why Are You Wrongfully Accusing Me? Unexpectedly, Mrs. Xu heard Cui the Loudspeaker’s words and, instead of showing gratitude, her face darkened. She said, "If you want to mock me, just say it directly. Why beat around the bush?!" Cui the Loudspeaker felt wronged: "Why are you accusing me? I’m offering you advice out of good intentions, not mocking you. Xu family, you can’t behave like this, you know?" However, Mrs. Xu did not respond, turning to walk towards her own courtyard entrance. She only felt that the villagers chit-chatting by the path were all looking over, more accurately, looking at her. For a moment, she wished she hadn’t run into Cui the Loudspeaker. Occasional firecracker sounds popped up now and then. Familiar women and men stood in groups chatting along the village road, while lively children ran around in gang formations. In a moment of carelessness, they would slip on the snow and fall. But almost none of them cried out loud. They got up and started running again, laughing and chasing after their little friends. "Big brother, big brother, it’s so fun spending New Year at home!" Ming Wei and her brother Ming Rui stood at the courtyard entrance. Watching their brother Ming Han and cousin Henghao with other younger cousins hold hands and slide on the snow, the little girl was increasingly eager to join in. She couldn’t help but say to her brother Ming Han, "I want to play too, big brother, can you take me sliding for a while?" Unexpectedly, Kang Yikai, just coming out of the courtyard, heard this. He casually tugged on the pom-pom of the little girl’s earflap hat, and said with a smile, "Come on, cousin Kai will take you sledding." "Great! Great!" Ming Wei clapped her hands in delight and asked her brother Ming Rui, "Big brother, are you coming too?" Before Ming Rui could respond, Kang Yikai reached out his two hands: "Come on, Luo Mingrui classmate!" Ming Rui felt a bit embarrassed, but still placed one of his hands into his cousin’s palm. Soon, the little girl’s crisp and melodious laughter rang out loud from outside the courtyard gate. As time passed, the sky gradually darkened. The villagers who had been chatting by the roadside and children who had been madly playing in the streets all pretty much returned to their own homes. The sound of firecrackers echoed, and the scent of meat and joyful children’s laughter wafted from every household’s yard. Thinking that after more than two years he was finally back home, Kang Li insisted on personally handling the New Year’s Eve dinner. But Elder sister-in-law Kang and Second Brother Kang’s Wife, between the four sisters-in-law, were all helping Kang Li in the kitchen. Since this year the whole family gathered together, along with the newlywed Yan Rou, her father, two secretaries, as well as Zhou Heng and Zhang Lei, Kang Li didn’t even mention setting three plates, but filled three big tables to the brim. Before the New Year’s Eve dinner started, Captain Kang personally went to Big Uncle Kang’s House to invite his parents and two brothers to his home. One could say that everyone enjoyed this New Year’s Eve dinner immensely, with the overall atmosphere being both warm and lively. Almost close to ten o’clock, Grandpa Kang and Grandma Kang were escorted away by Big Uncle Kang and Young Uncle Kang, and then Kang Yiyang and other younger ones gathered in one room to play cards since there was nothing left to fuss about. Elder sister-in-law Kang and the other sisters-in-law returned to their own rooms to rest, while Big Brother Kang and his four brothers, along with Kang Li and his wife, all sat on their parents’ heated bed without the need for Captain Kang’s elderly parents to say a word. Well, Luo Yanqing was held back by Kang Li, not letting her leave. As for Zhou Heng and Zhang Lei, after Yan Rou left with her father Yan Songping and Yan Songping’s two secretaries, they also returned to their room. "Our family doesn’t have the habit of staying up late for the New Year; why are you all sitting on our bed instead of going back to your rooms to sleep?"