Chapter 14 The Vigil

The Luo family's New Year's Eve dinner was very lavish, with eight dishes served on a small table for only four people.

Luo Hong couldn't help but sigh, "What merit does our little temple possess?"

This is the most important meal of the year, so we definitely need to wish for good luck.

Liu Yinfeng had been preparing for several days, and just by looking at them, they seemed to have eaten their fill and were quite satisfied: "Next year will definitely be a smooth year for our family."

Luo Hong waited for his parents to start eating first, rubbing his hands expectantly: "Mom, can we eat first before we talk?"

He was so anxious. Liu Yinfeng said, "Learn from your sister. Why are you rushing me during the New Year?"

Luo Yan was still holding a book when she heard her name called. She looked up, her eyes darting around.

They may look cute, but you can't judge a book by its cover.

Luo Hong: "How much did she eat standing at the kitchen door? Is she still hungry?"

Luo Yan said matter-of-factly, "I'm just tasting it to see if it's salty enough."

Luo Hong: "I've almost eaten two pounds of salt, and it's still not salty enough."

Unable to argue with her brother, Luo Yan stepped on his foot under the table.

When she moved her foot, Luo Hong grabbed her cheek and pinched it.

The brother and sister were arguing, and Liu Yinfeng warned, "If you smash my vegetables again, you two will be in big trouble."

"With so many good dishes, why bother with fruit?" Luo Xinmin picked up his chopsticks to smooth things over. "It'll get cold if we don't eat it soon."

The family ate and talked quietly, a stark contrast to other households.

These days, it's not uncommon for families to have five or six children, and then the children have grandchildren, making holidays and festivals the liveliest times.

The children couldn't sit still and gathered in twos and threes early on to set off firecrackers.

Luo Yan had barely finished eating when she heard the sound of firecrackers going off one after another.

She said, "Did everyone in our alley get rich this year? I feel like there are so many firecrackers."

Luo Hong: "You are too indifferent to the world. This year, a new type of small cannon has been launched. It is cheap and in large supply. Everyone, whether they have money or not, is willing to buy some."

As I said before, it's Chinese New Year.

Luo Yan really didn't know: "No wonder they keep exploding every day."

Then I corrected his first sentence: "Who cares about the world more than me? You never know which news story might be a test question, so I read it very carefully every day."

Luo Hong looked at his sister and sighed inexplicably: "I think if you keep reading this book, your brain will really break down."

All I think about is the college entrance exam.

Before Luo Yan could even get angry, Liu Yinfeng reacted first: "She's squandered all her good fortune."

Luo Hong laughed loudly: "Mom, so you agree with me too."

Otherwise, why would they only talk about sighing?

Liu Yinfeng thought to herself that she hadn't agreed to it, but upon further reflection, it seemed she had indeed tacitly agreed. Enraged, she said, "You just wait until after the first month of the lunar calendar."

Luo Yan couldn't wait: "Mom, you only said that you shouldn't hit children during the first month of the lunar year, but my brother is different, so you can hit him."

Liu Yinfeng symbolically patted her son's hand: "I hit him."

Luo Yan, with a smug look on her face, winked at her brother triumphantly, as if she had finally gotten her revenge.

Luo Hong tilted his head slightly and crossed his arms: "Have you forgotten that you still have something to ask of me today?"

Luo Yan couldn't remember anything and ignored him, continuing to eat.

Luo Hong wasn't in a hurry; after finishing his meal, he still looked confident of victory.

Laughing so wildly, Luo Yan glanced at her brother and suddenly realized what was happening. She turned to her brother and complained, "Mom, my brother didn't give me any New Year's money."

With her daughter about to take the college entrance exam, the best blessing is a red envelope with money. Liu Yinfeng had already emphasized to everyone that everyone should give her daughter an 8.88 yuan red envelope this year.

She wouldn't allow anything to go wrong, and glared at him, saying, "He wouldn't dare."

Luo Hong really didn't dare, grabbing his sister by the back of her collar: "You're the best at using someone else's power, come here."

Luo Yan flailed her arms and legs, and the brother and sister were almost locked in a fierce struggle.

"How old are you?" Luo Xinmin pulled the dining table further away. "It's a good thing I didn't have seven or eight children."

There was still more than half of the vegetables left, which would be enough for the next few days.

Liu Yinfeng hurriedly packed up, saying, "Don't worry about them."

Luo Xinmin: "I only have one arm and one and a half legs left, and then they bumped into me again."

As people get older, they do become much more carefree.

Liu Yinfeng remembers that when they first got married, the couple had to do everything in complete darkness. She used to treat these wounds as taboo subjects that couldn't be touched, and now she can't even remember when it happened.

She said, "Year after year, time flies by so fast."

Luo Xinmin: "Now I'm actually hoping the days will pass faster so my daughter can finish her exams soon."

Indeed, Liu Yinfeng thought to herself that there were still more than half a year left, and muttered, "Now there's nowhere to burn incense and pray to Buddha, it's hard to even find peace of mind."

Luo Xinmin: "Didn't they say that Baiyun Temple would reopen in the first month of the lunar calendar?"

Liu Yinfeng: "That's what they say, but there's no definite answer. That place has been converted into an office for a long time, and now there aren't even any statues left."

He added, "The signs for cultural relic protection have been put up in front of Yonghe Temple, so there might be hope this year."

Luo Xinmin: "Then let's make do and go to Erlang Temple first, at least there's something there..."

Liu Yinfeng interrupted him: "What do you mean by 'make do'? I think my son learned his way of talking from you."

It's bad, anyway, they're all just copying their fathers.

Luo Xinmin dared not refute: "Yes, yes, yes, it's my problem."

Liu Yinfeng: "Show me your attitude. Also, pay attention to your son's affairs. He's such a grown man, and he never goes to any matchmaking events. Could there be something wrong with him?"

Luo Xinmin turned his head to look at his son still fighting with his daughter and said, "Maybe he's too stupid to know how good it is to have a wife, children, and a warm bed."

Liu Yinfeng defended her son: "You're not stupid, you're the only one who knows."

Luo Xinmin: "That's right. Ask around in the alleys and see who has my good fortune."

Liu Yinfeng was amused, and the couple chatted casually about everyday things.

Outside the kitchen, the scene was also bustling with activity.

Luo Yan kept trying to pull her brother's hair, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't pull out even two strands. She cursed, "Bald head!"

Luo Hong had just gotten a haircut a couple of days ago, and now his head looks like only one batch of bamboo shoots sprouting after a spring rain.

He was initially quite dissatisfied with the hairstyle, but now he thought it was pretty good, simply saying, "Oh."

Luo Yan's eyes widened immediately, and she bared her teeth and let out two "woofs".

Startled, the parents peeked out from the kitchen: "What's that sound? It sounds like a wolf howling."

Luo Hong laughed so hard he almost rolled on the ground, while Luo Yan's face turned red to the roots of her neck, and she clenched her fists, wanting to hit him.

It's true what they say, one drama leads to another.

Liu Yinfeng and Luo Xinmin exchanged a glance, and after washing the dishes, Liu said, "You two calm down, your dad and I are going out for a bit."

Luo Hong: "Are we going to Grandma Zhao's house?"

Grandma Zhao is an elderly woman living alone in the alley. During festivals, people like to visit her.

Luo Xinmin was an orphan and understood this situation best, so he nodded and said, "Yes, you and your sister keep watch."

According to tradition, no one should be left alone at home on New Year's Eve, and all the lights must be turned on.

When Luo Hong was acting like an older brother, he still maintained a certain air of authority, saying, "I know, you guys take it easy, the road is slippery."

Luo Yan, however, teased him, "Weren't you going to Brother Dahai's house to play cards?"

Luo Hong: "Well, you're here too. I'll go to the main room and call Chen Bin over, so the three of us can get together."

Luo Yan clutched her pocket: "What are you planning to do with the New Year's money I just received!"

Luo Hong: "I know you're a miser, so don't be so tight-lipped. If you lose, it's on me, okay?"

The kids are all decent people; they're so stingy that even if they play all night, the winnings or losses won't exceed a penny.

Liu Yinfeng and Luo Xinmin had nothing to worry about, so they put on their shoes and went out.

However, Luo Yan wasn't even willing to spend a single penny, shaking her head: "I don't play with money."

That's a bit boring. Luo Hong waved his hand and said, "Go do your homework. I'm not playing with you."

Luo Yan: "That suits me perfectly."

She went into the room and gradually heard more people coming from the outer room, all of them her brother's childhood friends.

The young men gathered together, and Luo Hong declared beforehand, "Smoking is not allowed in my family, but there's plenty of candy and melon seeds."

They were all good brothers who often visited each other, and everyone responded to each other's questions, chatting away.

Amidst the hustle and bustle, Luo Yan opened her book and thought: Next year, I'm going to have a lot of fun too.

A note from the author:

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Happy Saturday!