83: Move into a new house

Just as Yang Qi stepped forward to help his dad with the luggage, Mother Yang noticed Bai Xue standing beside him.

Bai Xue called out sweetly, "Hello, Auntie! Give the suitcase to me! Let me carry it for you."

The arrivals area was bustling with people, and she had initially thought this young lady was here to pick up someone else.

Now, looking at the situation, it seemed she was here with her son to pick them up.

Could it be...?

Her eyes lit up instantly, and she asked, "Young lady! Are you here with Yang Qi to pick us up? Are you..."

"Auntie, my name is Bai Xue. I came with Brother Qi to pick you up. You must be tired from the journey."

Just then, Yang Qi walked over with his dad, carrying the luggage. He saw Mother Yang and Bai Xue chatting.

Yang Qi realized then that in his excitement at seeing his parents, he hadn't introduced them yet.

"My mistake, my mistake. I was so excited just now that I forgot to introduce you. Mom, Dad, this is Bai Xue, my girlfriend! Bai Xue, these are my parents!"

"Hello, Uncle and Auntie! My name is Bai Xue."

"Hello!"

"Hahaha, very good, very good! Hello to you too!"

When Mother Yang heard her son personally confirm that she was his girlfriend, her smile didn't fade. She kept saying how good it was!

Yang Qi drove everyone to the car and headed towards Qingshan Town.

They went to the new house first for a look around. Seeing such a beautiful big house, Yang Dad and Mother Yang couldn't stop praising it.

The group then went to the training center to see the "setting sail". Both parents were quite shocked!

Especially his dad; after getting on the boat, he was looking here and touching there. It was obvious he was very interested.

"Son, how long is this boat?"

"Is the fish hold this big?"

"What is this used for?"

Yang Qi answered his dad one by one.

"Find some time to take me out fishing. I've been fishing in the river back home quite often lately."

"Sure, no problem. I guarantee you'll have a great time."

When Mother Yang heard that Bai Xue's parents were at home helping prepare dinner, she scolded Yang Qi for being inconsiderate and immediately ended the sightseeing trip to head back to the village.

Arriving at the gate of Bai Xue's courtyard, they could already smell the aroma of the food. Bai Xue's parents heard them and came out to welcome them.

Yang Dad and Mother Yang thanked Bai Xue's parents profusely for their warm hospitality and for taking care of their son. They then showered Bai Xue with compliments.

Both sets of parents expressed their praise and satisfaction with each other's children. The meal was filled with joy and harmony.

After dinner, Yang Qi's family of three said their goodbyes and returned to their rented house.

Yang Qi helped carry the luggage up to the room. The two of them sat down to listen to Yang Qi tell them about what had happened during this time.

Except for a few secrets he couldn't share, Yang Qi told his parents everything in detail.

From quitting his job due to difficulties, to accidentally saving Bai Xue, meeting Zhang Jun, then making money fishing, and finally Zhang Jun helping him buy the house and the boat.

If one were to speak of the most selfless love in the world, it is definitely the love parents have for their children. It is a love without a single trace of impure thought, a truly wholehearted devotion!

In the past, whenever Yang Qi called home, he only reported the good news and kept the bad to himself, not wanting his parents to worry.

Now that everything had passed, he told the story as if he were recounting a tale.

The couple only now realized that their son had suffered quite a bit over the past two years, and they felt secretly heartbroken.

Hearing about the last few months, they sighed with relief that their son was lucky to have met a benefactor and was now able to earn money.

However, Yang Dad didn't quite believe that Yang Qi could earn five or six hundred thousand in a single night, thinking his son was bragging.

"Are you bragging, kid? Take me with you and try it. If you can earn 50,000 a day, I'll admit you're something!"

"Dad, do you know how much it costs to fill my boat with fuel once? 40,000 yuan."

"Ah! That much? How much fish do you have to catch to break even? Won't you lose money?"

"How could that be? I'll take you fishing in a few days and you'll see." Yang Qi checked the time and saw it was getting late.

"You guys should rest! You've been in the car for half the day."

Yang Qi left and returned to his own room.

The night passed without incident. The next day, Mother Yang got up and made breakfast, asking Yang Qi to invite Bai Xue's family over to eat.

After everyone finished breakfast, they went to purchase the items needed for tomorrow's "moving in" ceremony.

Following his mother's instructions, Yang Qi had kept the kitchen light on in the new house for two days already. This light had to stay on for three days and three nights before moving in, symbolizing a brightly lit home that flourishes and never goes out.

This afternoon, they needed to place firewood on the table, symbolizing bringing wealth into the house first.

They placed wheat ears on the cabinet inside the entrance, symbolizing peace and safety.

Yang Qi had previously informed Zhang Jun that the "moving in" ceremony would be tomorrow at 8:00 AM, the auspicious time.

Before 8:00 AM the next day, both families arrived at the new house early to wait. Zhang Jun brought Zhang Fei and Chen Tianming to the scene as well.

Yang Qi went through another round of introductions.

Then the auspicious time arrived. As the homeowner, Yang Qi entered the front door first, carrying a bag of rice in his left hand and a barrel of oil in his right. This symbolized: having no worries about food and clothing.

He stepped over a ladder placed at the doorway, symbolizing: rising step by step.

Then it was the elders of the family, entering the front door in order of seniority: first Yang Dad and Mother Yang, then Bai Dad, Bai Mom, Zhang Jun, Zhang Fei, Chen Tianming, Bai Xue, and Bai Lang.

Everyone carried one or two items with symbolic meanings as they entered, speaking words of blessing and good wishes.

Yang Qi went to turn on the lights in all the rooms, symbolizing: a brightly lit home.

He also opened the doors, windows, and faucets, symbolizing: rising prosperity and a steady, long-lasting flow of wealth.

Mother Yang took the new pillows, and the family members each took one, placing them on the corresponding beds. Two red envelopes were placed under each pillow, symbolizing: a fresh start.

The women began to arrange the symbolic items they had brought in on the table.

Rice + Oil (no worries about food and clothing), five grains and cereals (abundant harvest).

Apples (peace and safety), oranges (good luck and great fortune), dragon fruit (flourishing and prosperous), sugarcane (rising step by step).

Peanuts (good things happen), pistachios (happiness), red dates and longans (early birth of a precious child).

red bull (soaring success), Coca-Cola (everything goes well), Wangzai Milk (prosperity for both people and wealth).

A scale (everything goes as planned).

Cash (rolling in wealth)... and so on. There were so many auspicious items with good meanings.

(I can't list any more; it might look like I'm padding the word count!)

Then Mother Yang started the stove to cook tangyuan and desserts, and everyone gathered around to eat, symbolizing: reunion, harmony, and peace.

In the kitchen, the rice bucket was filled eight-tenths full with rice, and the water bucket was filled seven-tenths full with water.

They set out new bowls and chopsticks for each member of the family, symbolizing: a flourishing family.

Finally, the host had to prepare a table of good dishes for the guests to eat, though they could also go to a restaurant.

The dishes certainly had symbolic meanings: fish (surplus year after year), tomato scrambled eggs (everything goes as planned), corn (wealth and abundance), steamed cake (rising higher and higher), lettuce (making money every day), and so on.

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PS: This chapter might be suspected of padding the word count. Please forgive me, Old Irons! I just wanted to recall some of the procedures for "moving in" back in my hometown.

Since I mentioned "moving in" earlier, this chapter is meant to fill that plot hole! From now on, it will mainly focus on fishing. Thanks for your understanding!