Chapter 77

In South Korea, the Lunar New Year, also known as Seollal, is a traditional holiday that lasts for three days, making it the longest holiday of the year.

South Koreans place great importance on returning home for the New Year. No matter where they work or how far away their hometown is, they all rush back to reunite with their families during Seollal. Those who have parents return to their parents' home, while those without parents go to their eldest brother's home to gather with their siblings.

There is also a tradition in South Korea called "not opening the door on New Year's Eve," where people place great emphasis on preparing the New Year's Eve dinner themselves and dining at home. They believe that the New Year is a time to honor their ancestors and uphold filial piety, and the New Year's Eve dinner not only brings the family together but also symbolizes the prosperity of the family.

Therefore, on New Year's Eve, the entire country becomes quiet, even bustling Seoul suddenly becomes very still, let alone the city of Jeonju. Shops and restaurants close for the holiday, and apart from the masses returning home, there are hardly any idle people to be seen. This is in stark contrast to the Chinese, who enjoy the festive atmosphere with crowded streets.

On the morning of New Year's Eve, after getting up and washing up, Xia Hou Zhong Ying greeted Jin Mu, who had risen early to prepare breakfast, and then ran out of the Jin family's house to wander the streets of Jeonju, curious to see how Koreans celebrate the New Year. When he saw all the shops closed and the deserted streets, he felt very disappointed, thinking that the New Year in China is much more lively, with crowded streets and various activities like dragon and lion dances, which are much more fun.

With no choice, he had to run back to the Jin family's house.

"Big Brother Zhong Ying, where did you go so early in the morning?" As soon as he returned to the Jin family's house, Xia Hou Zhong Ying saw Jin Tae Yeon, who had been looking for him, complaining.

"I went to the streets to see how you Koreans celebrate the New Year, but there wasn't a single person around," Xia Hou Zhong Ying said dejectedly.

"Hehe, Big Brother Zhong Ying, all Koreans go home for the New Year, so of course you won't see anyone," Jin Tae Yeon said with a smile. "For us, going home to honor our ancestors is more important than making money."

"It's not fun. Our New Year is much better, with lively celebrations, crowded streets, and many activities like dragon and lion dances, which are much more fun," Xia Hou Zhong Ying said. "If there's a chance, I'll take you to China to see how we celebrate the New Year."

"Okay," Jin Tae Yeon said happily, blushing slightly.

After breakfast, Jin Mu left home, saying she was going to her uncle's house nearby to prepare the food for the next morning's ancestral rites.

Xia Hou Zhong Ying, being a restless person, couldn't sit still. However, there was no one to go out and wander the deserted streets, and there was nothing to do at the Jin family's house, making him feel very uncomfortable, fidgeting on the sofa, bored to death.

"Zhong Ying, come, let's play Hanafuda," Jin Ji Yong suggested, seeing how bored Xia Hou Zhong Ying was.

When South Koreans have nothing to do, their favorite entertainment is playing card games, and the most popular game is Hanafuda, which was introduced from Japan. It is said that 90% of adults in South Korea know how to play, and most children do as well.

"Play Hanafuda?" Xia Hou Zhong Ying was taken aback. He had known for half a year that South Koreans liked to play this game, but he wasn't very interested, so he had never played before. "I don't know how to play."

"No problem, I'll teach you. It's very simple," Jin Ji Yong said, finding a deck of Hanafuda and explaining the rules to Xia Hou Zhong Ying.

Xia Hou Zhong Ying thought it would be better to play than to be bored.

After learning the rules, he invited Huang Mei Ying and Jin Xia Yan to join, and the four of them started playing.

"After a while, I felt that just playing wasn't very exciting, so I suggested adding a bet," Xia Hou Zhong Ying said.

"Big Brother, betting is wrong," Jin Xia Yan said.

"Oh, Xia Yan, we can play for small stakes, just for fun," Xia Hou Zhong Ying said.

Huang Mei Ying and Jin Ji Yong also nodded in agreement, thinking that with a bet, the game would be more exciting.

"No," Jin Xia Yan shook her head. "And I don't have any money."

"Then this: if you win, it's yours, and if you lose, it's mine. How about that?" Xia Hou Zhong Ying suggested.

"Okay, that works," Jin Xia Yan thought for a moment and then smiled, thinking she wouldn't lose anything, and agreed.

With the bet, the four of them became more and more excited, and the winner would often laugh triumphantly.

"Pay up, pay up." After another round where Jin Xia Yan won, she laughed and pounded the table, demanding payment.

The three older players were very depressed, not knowing whether Jin Xia Yan was just lucky or what, but her luck was so good that she often won, making Jin Ji Yong and Huang Mei Ying look pale. They weren't as wealthy as Xia Hou Zhong Ying, and although the stakes weren't high, they had lost a lot, with Jin Xia Yan being the only winner.

After helping in the kitchen for a while, Jin Tae Yeon was sent out by her mother, who hinted that she should go to the living room to keep Xia Hou Zhong Ying company.

Jin Tae Yeon's face turned slightly red, but she didn't insist and came out, sitting behind Xia Hou Zhong Ying to watch him play.

Xia Hou Zhong Ying was playing Hanafuda for the first time. Although he knew the rules, he often made mistakes. Jin Tae Yeon would occasionally give him advice, telling him which card to play.

However, before Jin Tae Yeon came, he didn't lose much, but after her advice, he lost even more, often losing three in a row, making him want to cry, while the other three laughed heartily.

Jin Tae Yeon was also embarrassed and quickly ran behind her sister, not daring to give Xia Hou Zhong Ying any more advice.

"Sister, don't sit behind me. You're having a bad luck day, and I can't afford to be affected by you," Jin Xia Yan said before Jin Tae Yeon could sit down, making the others laugh.

"You're the one having a bad luck day," Jin Tae Yeon said, grinding her teeth in anger and glaring at her sister.

"I'm having a great day, and I'm the only one winning," Jin Xia Yan said with a broad smile.

Jin Tae Yeon had no choice but to get up and move behind Huang Mei Ying to continue watching.

"Tae Yeon, don't come over here," Huang Mei Ying said, startled, and quickly stopped her.

"Hey, you two, don't be too much," Jin Tae Yeon said indignantly. "I don't believe it. I'll show you my luck, Big Brother Zhong Ying, I'll play a few rounds for you."

Jin Tae Yeon ran back to Xia Hou Zhong Ying, took the Hanafuda from him, and started playing with the three others.

However, it seemed that today was not Jin Tae Yeon's lucky day. She lost three in a row, making the three others laugh and pound the table.

Jin Tae Yeon was almost in tears, wondering why she was so unlucky, even feeling like she was choking on water.

"Tae Yeon, let me play," seeing Jin Tae Yeon about to start the fourth round, Xia Hou Zhong Ying was also scared and quickly grabbed the cards, as he was the one losing money.

"Big Brother Zhong Ying," Jin Tae Yeon looked up at Xia Hou Zhong Ying with a pitiful expression, full of委屈 (grievance).

"Okay, you play, you play," Xia Hou Zhong Ying, defeated by Jin Tae Yeon's pitiful eyes, reluctantly handed the cards to her, sighing at his bad luck.

The tide of fortune turned, and after three consecutive losses, Jin Tae Yeon's luck started to improve, and she began to win more and more, making her brother, sister, and Huang Mei Ying look pale and disheveled.

"See, you said I was unlucky, but I'll show you my bad luck," Jin Tae Yeon said happily, slapping the table and shouting, "All in."

"Pay up, pay up," Xia Hou Zhong Ying also laughed, slapping the table and collecting the money like a lackey for Jin Tae Yeon.

"Adulterers," Jin Ji Yong muttered to himself as he handed the money to Xia Hou Zhong Ying, feeling depressed.

"Xia Yan, your turn," after collecting the money from Jin Ji Yong and Huang Mei Ying, Xia Hou Zhong Ying noticed that Jin Xia Yan was not responding and asked.

Jin Xia Yan tightly held onto the stack of bills and coins in front of her, which had already shrunk by half, and said, "Big Brother, you said at the beginning that if I win, it's mine, and if I lose, it's yours. I forgot, so you should give me back what I won."

Xia Hou Zhong Ying almost fell over, saying, "Xia Yan, I meant that if you lose, it's on me, and if you win, it's yours, not that you take the money when you win and I pay when you lose."

"I don't care. You said it, so you have to stick to your word," Jin Xia Yan said.

Xia Hou Zhong Ying was speechless. Jin Xia Yan's stubbornness seemed to rival that of Zheng Xiu Jing. As a man, he couldn't argue with a six or seven-year-old girl, so he had to let it go.

In the next round, Huang Mei Ying, after much effort, finally won again, but only Jin Xia Yan lost.

"Big Brother, pay up. You said if I lose, it's on you," Jin Xia Yan said, looking at Xia Hou Zhong Ying across the table.

"I can't play anymore, I can't play anymore. Let's go, Tae Yeon, take us out for a walk, Pani, let's go, we're not playing anymore," Xia Hou Zhong Ying, after paying the money, angrily grabbed Jin Tae Yeon's hand and turned to leave, preferring to wander the empty streets rather than be cheated by Jin Xia Yan.

"Big Brother, don't go, I haven't had enough fun," Jin Xia Yan, who could put the winnings in her pocket and have someone else pay for her losses, shouted after him, thinking it was a great deal and not wanting him to leave.

Jin Ji Yong and Huang Mei Ying laughed so hard they almost fell over.