Chapter 91: New Year's Flavor

If the aroma of fried meatballs in the oil pan is the prelude to the New Year, then New Year's Eve is the highlight of the New Year.

On New Year's Eve, Wang Xiuren ran to the newsstand early in the morning to report in.

He pasted a pair of "Fu" characters he brought from home on the rolling shutter door, and hung a pair of bright red lanterns on the two corners of the top of the newsstand, making the newsstand look festive and beautiful.

The streets and alleys are already filled with red lanterns and windmills, and the air is filled with the sound of firecrackers and the smell of gunpowder. Pedestrians on the road were smiling and carrying large and small bags as they hurried home, fearing that they would miss the important moment of family reunion.

Wang Xiuren stayed in the newsstand for a while, closed the door, got on his bicycle and pedaled hard, looking at the red all over the street, his heart was burning with excitement.

He was also anxious to go back for a reunion.

I started cleaning as soon as I got home.

Spring cleaning means getting rid of the old and welcoming the new, so the whole family joins in.

Lin Ting and Wang Xiuren, father-in-law and son-in-law, were responsible for the hygiene of the high places. Lin Qiu and Lin Ping were sweeping the floor and mopping the floor respectively, while Zhou Qing was wiping the furniture with a rag.

Even Wang Shan was wiping her toys with a rag in a serious manner.

The family chatted and laughed while cleaning the house spotlessly.

After cleaning, I started decorating the house. My family is engaged in wholesale of decorations. A wide variety of decorations are piled on the coffee table for you to choose from.

Soon, the plain and elegant house became festive.

Big red lanterns were hung high on the four corners of the living room, and strings of small red lanterns and small peppers were nailed on both sides of the TV wall. There is a big Chinese knot hanging on the white wall behind the sofa, and next to it are several small hanging banners with auspicious words.

Pairs of exquisite window grilles were pasted on the windows with beautiful blessings, and even the newly bought tangerine trees and daffodils were hung with small decorations.

The last step in New Year decoration is to post Spring Festival couplets.

Lin Ting led his son-in-law and granddaughter, and chattered for a long time before pasting up the Spring Festival couplets, hoping for a prosperous year ahead.

When everything is ready, the highlight of the day officially begins.

The three older women in the family put on aprons, squeezed into the kitchen, and were ready to show off their skills at the New Year's Eve dinner.

Soon, the aroma from the kitchen slowly wafted out.

The three people in the living room were not idle either.

Wang Xiuren put the snacks and fruits he purchased into fruit plates one by one and arranged them into beautiful shapes.

Lin Ting, who was standing by, told Wang Shan about the origin and customs of the Chinese New Year and taught her to recite poems related to the Chinese New Year.

After lunch, the family of six took turns going to the bathroom to wash their hair and take a shower, and then changed into new clothes.

Then the family ate snacks and watched TV, chatting from time to time, waiting for the night to fall.

New Year’s Eve dinner, also known as the reunion dinner, is the most important meal of the year.

The table was already filled with sumptuous dishes, including both Hunan and Cantonese cuisine.

The soft, delicious and melt-in-your-mouth braised pork is an indispensable dish in the New Year’s Eve dinner of people in Hunan Province, symbolizing good luck. The fish, which symbolizes abundance every year, is made into fish soup. The boiling fish soup is served in a white soup bowl, with a fragrant aroma and tender and tasty fish meat.

Crispy duck with crispy outside and tender inside, red braised prawns, golden skin and delicious salt-baked shredded chicken, spicy and fragrant braised pork trotters, various fried meatballs, refreshing green pepper and potato shreds, and the Hunan specialty dessert - sugar-coated rice cakes.

Wang Shan looked at the table full of delicious food and couldn't help swallowing.

As the head of the family, Wang Xiuren handed over the opening of the New Year's Eve dinner to his father-in-law.

Lin Ting raised his glass, looked at his daughter, son-in-law, and grandson, and thought of his two sons far away in Hunan Province. He spoke with emotion:

"This is the first time in my 58 years that I have spent the New Year outside the province. At my age, I don't ask for anything else but hope that my children and grandchildren are healthy and safe!"

"Happy New Year!"

Seeing that her grandfather was not talking, Wang Shan took the lead in raising her drink and clinking glasses with Lin Ting.

Lin Ting, who was originally feeling a little sad, was delighted by his granddaughter's toast.

"Well, happy this year! Cheers!"

"cheers!"

The others raised their glasses to welcome the new year.

After eating and drinking, Wang Xiuren quickly washed the dishes. Then the family sat around the sofa, watching TV and reviewing the achievements of the past year.

Under the warm yellow light and in the cozy atmosphere, the warmth of home is everywhere. At this moment, everyone feels the happiness of family reunion and the flower of hope blooms in their hearts.

"call out"

"Snap"

A beam of light flashed across the night sky, blooming into a brilliant firework.

This seems to be a signal.

Immediately afterwards, the crackling sound of firecrackers rang out one after another, and large clusters of colorful fireworks rushed into the sky.

The night is full of fireworks and the night is brilliant!

The whole family stood on the balcony, looking through the window at the fireworks in the night sky and the world in the night.

"People in Pengcheng are really rich!" Zhou Qing sighed, "They're setting off firecrackers so early. We usually set them off at 12 o'clock!"

They are indeed mother and daughter, even their ideas are exactly the same!

Wang Xiuren burst out laughing.

The laughter shifted everyone's attention to him. He explained, "We spent the New Year in Pengcheng for the first time two years ago. There were constant sounds of firecrackers and fireworks at night. Lin Qiu's first reaction was that the people of Pengcheng are really rich."

"It seems that this is really a continuation of the tradition!" Lin Ting also laughed.

Zhou Qing and Lin Qiu looked at each other, and the next second, the same smile appeared on their similar faces.

"Come on, come on! The Spring Festival Gala is about to begin!" Lin Ping shouted excitedly, "Zhao Zhongxiang and Ni Ping are already here!"

The whole family moved from the balcony to the sofa in the living room and stared at the TV screen intently.

After each performance, everyone would comment on it together.

The old couple thought that Zhang Ye's "All the Best" had a good meaning and was nice to listen to, while Lin Ping liked Yang Yuying's "Tell You Gently". After Song Zuying finished singing "Hot Girl", the family, who had a strong sense of hometown sentiment, unanimously rated this song as the best.

But everyone’s favorite is still the skits.

As soon as Zhao Lirong and Gong Hanlin appeared on the stage, the whole family began to applaud enthusiastically; as soon as Guo Da and Cai Mingcai appeared, the whole family laughed uncontrollably.

Feng Gong then waved his hand and went on stage. Everyone, both on and off TV, stood up and cheered!

Even the little kid Wang Shan exclaimed: "This grandpa is so funny!"

Zhao Benshan and Fan Wei's "Uncle Niu's Promotion" is also talked about by everyone.

When Andy Lau sang "Give Me a Cup of Love Water" affectionately, Wang Shan couldn't bear it anymore and her head moved down little by little.

"Shanshan, I guess she won't be able to stay up all night. I'll carry her to bed!"

Wang Xiuren picked up Wang Shan and held her sideways. Wang Shan twisted her body twice and her eyelids drooped completely.

Lin Ting stood up and took out a stack of red envelopes from the small bedroom.

"Shanshan, grow up healthy!" Lin Ting touched his granddaughter's hair and stuffed the New Year's money into her pocket.

Lin Ping took out a red envelope from his pocket and stuffed it into Wang Shan's pocket, and kissed his niece.

Wang Xiuren looked down at his daughter, his eyes full of tenderness, "Come and thank Grandpa, Grandma and Auntie tomorrow when you wake up!"

Wang Xiuren was anxious to watch the show. Seeing that his daughter had fallen asleep, he covered her with a small blanket and ran out in two steps. He just caught up with Liu Bin singing "We are soldiers!"

"Xiu Ren, take it, this is your New Year's money!" Lin Ting handed a red envelope to his son-in-law.

"I'm already a father, and I still get lucky money?"

Wang Xiuren looked surprised. This was the first time he received New Year's money since he became an apprentice with his master at the age of fifteen.

Lin Ting tapped him with his fingers a few times, "To me, even if you become a father, you are still a junior. Even if you are sixty years old, as long as I am still here, you will get New Year's money!"

"Then I wish my parents will live a hundred years! Let me get lucky money every year!" Wang Xiuren's blessing was very pleasing.

"You wish!" Lin Ting laughed.

"I'll wait until my parents are 80 years old to give me red envelopes!" Wang Xiuren held the red envelope and clasped his fists to express his gratitude to his father-in-law and mother-in-law.

"Even when I'm eighty years old I still want my parents to give me New Year's money!" Lin Qiu leaned his head on Zhou Qing's left shoulder.

"I want one too!"

Lin Ping held Zhou Qing's right arm and leaned against her.

Zhou Qing was surrounded by his daughters, with a look of happiness and contentment on his face.

As the music of "Unforgettable Tonight" sounded, the countdown to the New Year began.

When the countdown reaches "1", the New Year's bell rings.

The year ends with the sound of firecrackers, and the spring breeze brings warmth to the wine.

The sound of firecrackers outside the window came one after another, and the fireworks bloomed brilliantly in the night sky.

"Happy New Year!"