Learning to play games, a 40-year-old woman achieves a remarkable turnaround.

Chapter 293 This Moment, Overflowing with Happiness

One morning, just as the first rays of sunlight climbed onto the window frame, Yuan Bao was awakened by a series of urgent knocks on the door.

"Miss! Miss!" Butler Bai's voice was unusually excited. "Master's family has arrived! They're unloading their luggage in the front yard!"

Yuan Bao sat up abruptly, hastily threw on a light blue dress, and ran outside.

As I passed through the moon gate, I almost bumped into Baoguo, who was also in a hurry.

The front yard was as lively as during the Chinese New Year.

Uncle was directing two porters to unload several large camphor wood crates. Aunt held Xiaoshan's hand as they stood under the pomegranate tree. The little guy's eyes were wide open as he stared intently at the pair of thrushes under the eaves.

"Uncle! Aunt!" Yuan Bao rushed over and hugged Xiao Shan tightly. "Xiao Shan, did you miss your sister?"

Xiaoshan blushed and broke free, pulling a cloth bag from her pocket: "Bao, Bao-jie, this is something I saved up myself... for you..." Inside the bag was a small wooden horse, rough in appearance, but you could tell it was made with care.

"Wow, our little Shan can even carve things now!" Yuan Bao exclaimed excitedly, rubbing his head. "Come on, let me show you your room!"

Just then, Little White came out of the kitchen carrying a red lacquered tray with several bowls of steaming almond tea on it: "Uncle and Aunt must be tired from their journey. Please have some tea and snacks first."

The aunt took the teacup and exclaimed in surprise, "This girl is...?"

"It's our family's cook, Xiao Bai," Yuan Bao introduced with a smile. "Her older sister, Housekeeper Bai, is in charge of the housework. Auntie won't have to worry about cooking anymore."

The uncle looked around the neatly organized yard and exclaimed in amazement, "It's only been a few days, and it's already so well-maintained?"

“Thanks to the Bai sisters, the housekeepers.” Aunt Yuan came out from the east courtyard, holding a bunch of keys. “Come, let me show you your yard.”

The house allocated to my uncle's family was the three-courtyard house on the west side.

Pushing open the black lacquered door, you are greeted by a small screen wall, which is carved with a pattern of magpies perched on plum blossoms.

My aunt fell in love with the old pear tree as soon as she entered the house, saying that she could sit under the tree and do needlework in the autumn; my uncle, on the other hand, was fascinated by the mahogany desk in the side room, saying that it would be perfect for teaching Xiaoshan to write.

The most excited was Xiaoshan, who ran from room to room, finally stopping in front of the side room: "Mom! Can I stay in this room? I can see the jujube tree from the window!"

After settling in, the whole family gathered in the main courtyard for lunch.

Little White used all its skills: the braised sea cucumber with scallions was glossy and tempting, the steamed sea bass was fresh and delicious, and even the most ordinary stir-fried cabbage with vinegar was crisp and had the aroma of a wok.

"This skill!" Uncle exclaimed, picking up a piece of fish. "It's just as good as the head chef at Jinghua Restaurant!"

With his mouth full of four-happiness meatballs, Xiaoshan asked indistinctly, "Sister Bao, can I...can I go to your school?"

“Of course!” Baoguo eagerly replied. “When my sister and I start school, I’ll take you to the library. Peking University’s library has six floors!”

Just as they were enjoying their meal, Butler Bai rushed in to report, "Miss, your aunt's family has arrived and is unloading the truck in the front yard!"

This is going to be even more exciting.

Everyone surged into the front yard, even my grandfather, leaning on his cane, walked briskly.

My aunt's husband was unloading a sewing machine from a tricycle, and my aunt stood beside him, holding Pingping's hand.

Pingping, a fifth-grader, wore a high ponytail and a light purple dress. Upon seeing Yuan Bao, she immediately let go of her mother's hand and rushed over, calling out, "Sister Bao!"

"Oh my, it's been almost half a month since I last saw Pingping! She's grown into a beautiful young woman!" Yuan Bao hugged her cousin, who was half a head shorter than her, and suddenly noticed a cartoon watch on her wrist. "You bought a new watch?"

Pingping proudly raised her chin: "Yes, yes, my mom just bought this for me before she moved. She said I'd be studying here and could keep track of the time myself!"

The house allocated to my aunt's family was the one on the south side. The best part was that there was a desk with a bookshelf in the side room. As soon as Pingping saw it, she cheered and ran over: "I'll do my homework here from now on!"

There was a swing in the yard. As soon as Pingping saw it, she ran over to play on it. Xiaoshan saw it and also wanted to play on it.

The two little ones started playing rock-paper-scissors.

Looking at the spacious kitchen and modern bathroom, my uncle kept saying, "This...this is so wonderful..."

Pingping was pushing Xiaoshan on a swing, the little girl's ponytail drawing a cheerful arc in the sunset.

"Higher!" Xiaoshan shouted excitedly, his little hands gripping the swing ropes tightly.

Suddenly, Pingping abruptly stopped the swing: "Wait! Isn't that...?" She stared wide-eyed at the direction of the moon gate.

Butler Bai slowly walked over, carrying two furry figures.

One was pure white, with purple eyes that gleamed mysteriously in the twilight; the other was orange and white, its round body resembling a moving ball.

"Purple Eyes! Little Ten!" The two children screamed in unison, jumping off the swing without even stopping.

"Weren't they left in the county town?" Pingping carefully took Zitong from Butler Bai's hands, feeling its familiar weight.

Zi Tong affectionately touched her cheek with his nose, as if to say, "I missed you."

Butler Bai explained with a smile, "Miss specially asked Mr. Chen to send someone to pick them up. Knowing you missed them, they've been fed the best cat food the whole way."

Xiaoshan and Xiaoshi were already rolling around in a ball over there.

The little orange cat skillfully hooked its paws around its young owner's collar, its tail wagging happily.

Suddenly, as if it had discovered something, it broke free from the hill's embrace and ran to Zi Tong's side in a flash.

......

As evening fell, all the lanterns in the four courtyards were lit up.

The three families, along with the housekeeper sisters, filled three large tables.

Little Bai's signature dishes were served one after another: chicken slices with egg white, braised prawns, eight-treasure duck... Finally, a three-tiered cream cake was brought out to celebrate the family reunion.

Grandpa stood up, holding his wine glass, his hand trembling slightly: "Today, our Yuan family has truly taken root in Beijing."

He looked around, his gaze lingering on each child's face. "From now on, you young people will have the time to make your mark, while we old folks will enjoy our retirement!"

"Cheers!" A dozen glasses clinked together, startling the thrushes on the pomegranate tree into fluttering up.

After dinner, the children chased and played in the yard, while the adults sat on the veranda drinking tea and chatting.

Yuan Bao leaned against his grandmother's knee, listening to his aunt tell him about the interesting things happening in the county town:

"...Old Wu's second son got into teachers' college, opened a video arcade on West Street, and Aunt Wang's daughter married and moved to the provincial capital..."

As night deepened, someone started singing folk songs from our hometown.

The singing drifted through the courtyard, attracting neighbors from the next courtyard to peek out.

Before going to bed, Yuan Bao stood under the jujube tree in his yard.

The lights from the four courtyards shone through the paper windows, warmly bathing the night in their glow.

From the east courtyard came the sound of Baoguo telling Xiaoshan a story, from the west courtyard came Pingping's lullaby to herself before bed, and from the south courtyard came the sound of her uncle adjusting the television.

Butler Bai quietly approached and draped a coat over Yuan Bao's shoulders: "Miss, it's chilly at night."

Yuan Bao nodded with a smile.

This moment is filled with happiness.