With the addition of the little wild boar, the journey suddenly became more interesting.

The torchlight was torn and twisted by the mountain wind, and the little wild boar ran around beside the people, darting and leaping.

This time, no one chased it away. Jiang Zhi even put the things she had brought on its back, and it ran around happily, occasionally bumping into Xiao Man's butt as it charged forward, full of energy.

I got home too late, and before I even arrived, my family was already waiting for me in the yard.

Seeing the little wild boar running ahead, Xiaoman asked in surprise, "Wuhua has been at home the whole time, how did it come back with you?"

Jiang Zhi was also surprised: "It's sleeping in the woods outside the village waiting for us. Is it still at home?"

Qiaoyun was even more surprised: "I even fed it dried sweet potatoes, and it was sleeping at home!"

Several people looked at the little wild boar, but they couldn't see anything on its hairy face. All they could see was that as soon as the little wild boar got home, it went straight to its usual feeding trough and frantically drank water and begged for food.

Even the smartest wild boars can't speak, so the whereabouts of the little wild boar that day remains a mystery.

Moreover, every time Jiang Zhi went down the mountain after the New Year, the little wild boar would chase her for a while and then obediently go back. But when she returned home, she would see the little wild boar again in the woods by the roadside.

The family could see that it was eating and drinking normally, but it slept soundly that night.

It's quite amusing to have a wild boar that can split itself into two at home.

It wasn't until one day when Jiang Zhi came down the mountain again that Qiaoyun saw Peiqi running like an arrow through the forest and finally found the answer to the mystery.

It turns out that the little wild boar had been going up and down the mountain all day, both guarding the house and picking up people on time, so it was exhausted by nightfall. But that's another story.

Meanwhile, Xiaoman's grandmother and Chunfeng had already prepared the meal, and the two families gathered together, happily eating and chatting.

Once you claim the land, you won't have to worry about it anymore. After all, there are so many outsiders down the mountain. If they start farming the land, it would be a hassle to deal with them every day.

What made everyone happiest was that Chunfeng settled down, which relieved them of their worries.

Although we can live in seclusion in the mountains in the future, there are always secrets that cannot be kept. It is much better to walk openly in the sunlight.

Jiang Zhi explained to Xiaoman and Xu Dazhu, "Once the household registration is complete, if they come after us and try to take us away, don't settle it privately, just go to court."

Xu Dazhu and Chunfeng listened attentively, both excited and nervous.

Jiang Zhi continued, "At that time, Magistrate Zhang will order Chunfeng to return to the Xu family."

"It's better to tear down ten temples than to break up one marriage. You have children and a loving marriage; it just means you'll have to pay back the betrothal gifts."

This situation aligns with public sentiment and doesn't constitute favoritism or bending the law; Magistrate Zhang has no issues with it.

As for whether the man over there agrees or not, that's something to be "discussed" privately.

Xiaoman smiled and said, "Brother, sister-in-law, don't worry, I will discuss it with people myself when the time comes."

Grandpa and Grandma Xiaoman were also overjoyed. This was the biggest relief they had ever had. Seeing Dazhu getting better every day and Nini becoming sensible and capable, they no longer worried about not being able to make ends meet.

The most important thing for the rest of the year is to celebrate the New Year. We've already swept away the dust by tying bamboo leaves to bamboo poles, and we've also cleaned the eaves gutters.

Before you know it, it's New Year's Eve. Since there's no pig to slaughter for the New Year, Xiaoman Grandpa has already soaked the cured pork and chopped the firewood for the New Year's Eve vigil.

Since there were no couplets to paste, Jiang Zhi brought back some discarded calligraphy from the county. She used dried mulberry fruit to make a paste and dyed it red. There were red paper and black characters, and each household pasted one on their door.

Below the cliff is the character "喜" (happiness), and above it is the character "宝" (treasure), which is both fitting and festive.

Li Laoshi also arrived at the mountain early in the morning. Unexpectedly, he brought holiday gifts, which were exactly what was needed and in short supply at the moment.

Two pounds of glutinous rice, and a piece of fresh pork belly weighing about one pound.

Grandma Xiaoman was speechless when she received these valuable items: "Honestly, where did you get these things? They must have cost a lot of money!"

Xiaoman was also a little surprised: "I only thought you'd come over for a meal to liven things up, but look at you..."

Li Laoshi tugged at his clothes, which he had carefully groomed but were still greasy and shiny, and touched his hair. He said with a mix of pride and deliberate modesty, "It's nothing. A few days ago, Sister-in-law Jiang taught me how to pick herbs, so I took them to the town's pharmacy to exchange for money."

I borrowed a few more coins from Zhang Juntou to buy these things, please don't mind!

"Oh, you're too kind!" Little Man pulled him into the house.

With glutinous rice in hand, Xiaoman's grandmother started planning the menu for this year's reunion dinner.

This meal was naturally shared by both families. Several women were busy in the kitchen, while Uncle Xiaoman led a few strong young men all over the mountain to find peach and walnut trees, cut a few branches, and feed them to help them produce more fruit.

Then, sprinkle ashes around the front and back of the house, and no snakes, insects, or ants will enter the house next year.

The reunion dinner was at noon. With Qiaoyun's help, Jiangzhi made spicy rabbit and braised young chicken.

The rabbits belong to Xiaoman's family, and the young chickens are raised by Qiaoyun. The eighteen chicks that hatched half a year ago were eaten by hawks and then went missing for no reason. They were then destroyed by refugees who broke into the mountains, and now only eight remain, including four roosters.

For farmers, one rooster that doesn't lay eggs is enough; these young roosters are served on the New Year's Eve dinner table before they even crow.

In Bavaria, proper banquet dishes rarely contain chili peppers.

There isn't enough meat to make sweet and savory braised pork belly, let alone crispy pork and longan.

Xiaoman's mother took two ounces of pork belly, chopped a little bit of minced meat, mixed it with soybean powder to make a paste, spread it on an egg crepe, soaked mushrooms and wood ear fungus, added a few dried daylily bamboo shoots, and steamed it in a pot to make a first bowl.

The first bowl, also called the incense bowl

Slice the remaining meat, season with salt and fermented bean paste, mix with stir-fried rice noodles mixed with chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, and place sweet potatoes at the bottom of the bowl to make steamed pork with rice flour.

Tofu is a must-have; it's prepared a few days in advance and soaked in water. Green oak jelly is also included.

The remaining dishes included stewed cured pork, radish and turnip soup, stir-fried pea shoots, cold mixed houttuynia cordata, and drained white rice.

A fish-shaped wooden carving, wrapped in a layer of dough and steamed, symbolizes abundance year after year!

Although they had pork and grain, the two families usually ate rice, flour, and meat sparingly, and their staple food was mostly porridge made with green oak flour and cornmeal.

Today is different; it must be plentiful.

This meal is an offering to our ancestors and an expression of our hopes for the future.

Having survived the chaos of war, the wildfires and famines, we can finally say a perfect goodbye to the past.

The house was packed with people. Li Laoshi probably hadn't had a proper New Year celebration in a long time, especially now that he was a real guest.

Even though they were all acquaintances, he sat in the guest seat, feeling restrained and shy. He swallowed hard as he looked at the dishes on the table but didn't reach out to pick them up.

Every time Xiaoman invites people to eat, he says, "Li Laoshi, pick whatever you like, don't put down your chopsticks!"

He would always reply, "Old man, please, please, please!"

Xu Dazhu also ate at the table today. He couldn't sit steadily on the high stool, so Xiaoman had made a wooden frame for him for this meal, which was tied around his waist to keep him in place so he could sit down with difficulty.

It was a rare and perfect scene. Grandpa Xiaoman said a few auspicious words, and everyone was all smiles. This meal was more satisfying than ever before.

After the reunion dinner, the men will pay respects to their ancestors and visit their graves in the afternoon.

The Xu family's cemetery is located at the foot of the mountain. Grandpa Xiaoman, supporting himself with a wooden stick, led Xiaoman, while Xu Errui also brought a cup of wine and two offerings prepared by Jiang Zhi. The trip would take half a day.

This year there is no incense, candles, or paper money, but there is a bowl of rice and water and a bellyful of words to tell our ancestors.