The place where they live is not far from Beijing's Beitan Park, and it only takes more than ten minutes to walk there.

Several people walked towards Beitan Park. As they approached, they heard the sound of gongs and drums. On the street, a group of women with red silk cloth tied around their waists were marching in cross-square steps and dancing the yangge with smiles on their faces.

In the center of the yangko team, there is a donkey head made of wheat straw and black cloth. A beautiful girl with pigtails is holding the donkey's head and twisting her waist as she follows the team.

Yuanyuan and Xiaoxiao excitedly danced on the adults' shoulders to the sound of gongs and drums, babbling and groaning, and they couldn't even keep their eyes open.

Fan Youcheng smiled and teased Yuanyuan on his shoulder, saying loudly: "Look, Yuanyuan, this is the thing passed down by our ancestors, isn't it lively?"

The streets were lined with a dazzling array of small items, including exquisite paper-cuts, lifelike dough figurines, and colorful kites. Fan Hua was attracted by a stall selling hand-woven accessories, so she stopped to carefully select and bought quite a few small items.

Zhao Yilu followed closely behind Fan Hua, helping her choose. He pointed at the various food stalls on the street from time to time and said to Xiaoxiao on his shoulder, "Daughter, what do you want to eat? Daddy will buy it for you! There are candied haws, candied figurines, and fragrant roasted sweet potatoes."

Zhao Xubai pushed Sun Simin steadily and watched the excitement outside the crowd. Sun Simin's face was full of smiles. Looking at everything around her, she said with emotion: "This is the atmosphere that should be there during the Chinese New Year. I haven't seen such a lively temple fair in many years!"

He Zhengxiang and Wang Guifen also had festive smiles on their faces, looking around. Even the cold He Siyan was infected by the festive atmosphere, with the corners of his lips slightly raised and his expression gentle.

A few people continued to walk inside with the crowd and found that a stilt performance was going on inside. People's costumes and props in this era were still relatively simple, and their makeup was also rather rough, but they performed very hard.

They changed their formation to the sound of passionate gongs and drums, and moved across the venue, sometimes jumping high, sometimes somersaulting, and sometimes striding forward, making the spectators' hearts rise to their throats, and then burst into thunderous applause and cheers.

However, Yuanyuan and Xiaoxiao seemed a little afraid of these artists with exaggerated makeup, and they started crying loudly. Zhao Yilu and Fan Youcheng then hurriedly carried them and continued to chase the Donkey Yangko Festival.

Looking at this lively scene and the sincere smiles on everyone's faces, Fan Hua finally understood why her parents always said they missed the New Year atmosphere of their childhood before they traveled through the book.

Although there were not as many entertainment facilities in this era as in decades later, it has to be admitted that the New Year was more lively than in later generations, and people at this time were also more likely to be happy and satisfied.

…

On the second day of the first lunar month, Fan Hua and Zhao Yilu bought a can of malted milk and other food and prepared to go to the hospital to visit Lin Xi.

This time Lin Xi was awake, and she heard from her brother about how Fan Hua helped him and his sister.

She looked at Fan Hua and said gratefully, "Sister, thank you for sending me to the hospital."

Fan Hua looked at the young girl in front of her and smiled, "How are you? Are you feeling better?"

Lin Xi nodded, "Sister, I'm much better now, and the fever has subsided. The doctor said that I can be discharged from the hospital after staying in the hospital for a few more days until the inflammation is completely under control."

"That's good!"

Fan Hua took the malted milk from Zhao Yilu and handed it to Lin Chao, "Your sister is still relatively weak, you can make her some extra malted milk every day."

Lin Chao took it in shock, and was so moved that he wanted to kneel down to Fan Hua again. He had heard of this thing a long time ago. It was a good thing that only rich people could afford. He had never drunk it before. He heard that it cost several dollars to buy a can!

"Thank you...sister, I will pay you back together with the previous money later." Lin Chao said sincerely.

Lin Xi, who was lying on the bed, couldn't help but swallow her saliva as she looked at the malted milk that Fan Hua brought over.

Fan Hua looked at the two of them and smiled gently, "Open it now and make some for your sister!"

Lin Chao nodded quickly, poured a little bit into the enamel pot, and went to get hot water.

On the way back, Lin Chao couldn't help but take a small lick. It was so sweet that his whole body shivered. It was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted.

After returning to the ward, Lin Xi saw the slightly yellowish malted milk in the enamel jar, her eyes full of anticipation.

Lin Chao handed the jar to his sister. Lin Xi took a sip carefully, with a happy smile on her face, "Brother, it tastes really good!"

She took a few sips and passed it to Lin Chao, "Brother, you have a drink too."

Lin Chao pushed the cup back and said, "Drink it. Brother is strong and doesn't need this. Drink more and try to get discharged from the hospital as soon as possible."

"Brother, try it! It's so sweet!"

Lin Chao couldn't persuade his sister, so he took the jar and drank a small sip, then quickly gave the rest to his sister.

Only then did Lin Xi obediently drink all the remaining malted milk.

Fan Hua and Zhao Yilu watched the interaction between the brother and sister and felt warm in their hearts.

Fan Hua waited until Lin Xi finished drinking before speaking, "We will leave Jing City tomorrow. Today, I came here not only to see how Xi Xi's body is recovering, but also to talk to you about the debt repayment through work."

Upon hearing this, Lin Chao immediately stood up straight and listened carefully to what Fan Hua was about to say next.

"I want to sign a two-year contract with you. Our grandma and grandpa are moving in a few days. They are old and in poor health. We need your help to clean up the yard and put the furniture in place. In the future, you will help them cook, do housework, and run errands. When we are not around, please do your best to take care of the two old people..."

Lin Chao, who had been listening carefully to what Fan Hua said, nodded immediately before Fan Hua finished speaking, "No problem, we can definitely do it!"

Lin Xi also quickly added: "I'm a good cook, so I can help with the cooking and housework, and my brother can help run errands!"

Fan Hua smiled and continued, "Where did you go to school?"

Lin Chao scratched his head in embarrassment, "I was in the fifth grade, and my sister was in the sixth. During those years, my family was sent to the cowshed, and we really couldn't afford to continue our studies, so we didn't go."

Fan Hua nodded and said, "Your work is very easy, you can just move in and live with the two old people, it will be more convenient. In addition, I will give you two an extra living allowance of 5 yuan each month. If you want to continue studying, you can buy some books and come back to study. If you don't know anything, you can ask the two old people, they are both very knowledgeable.

If you don’t like studying, I suggest you learn a skill. You can go out to learn a skill or even earn extra money during these two years, as long as it doesn’t interfere with taking care of the two elderly people.”

The brother and sister's eyes immediately lit up. Not only did they have a living allowance, but they were also encouraged to go out and learn a craft to earn money! What a good thing!

"Sister, do you mean that we can still earn five dollars a month? Do you want us to pay you back together after we earn enough money?" Lin Chao asked uncertainly.

Fan Hua shook her head. "The 120 yuan you owe me has been deducted from your monthly salary. That's why I said the contract is for two years. I deducted five yuan a month, so it's exactly 120 yuan for two years. The additional five yuan per person per month living allowance is the extra salary after deducting the money you owe."

Lin Chao opened his mouth in disbelief, while Lin Xi immediately pushed his brother, "Brother, agree to it!"

Lin Chao nodded immediately after hearing this, "No problem, sister, we are very willing to do so!"

Fan Hua took out a piece of paper from her bag and handed it to the siblings. "I have written down everything I just said in the contract. In addition, please take a look at the supplementary clause. If during the two years of employment, you brothers and sisters steal, hide the property of the master family, or do anything else that harms the master family, you must pay ten times the amount of the theft and harm, and the master family has the right to pursue legal responsibility!"

"You can discuss it and sign it after you confirm that there is no problem. After signing, this employment contract will take effect."

Ever since she got her grandparents' consent last time she went home, Fan Hua drafted the employment contract immediately. She didn't want to have good intentions but end up inviting a wolf into the house, causing outsiders to covet her grandparents' property or even do something to harm the two elderly people.

So she wrote down all the potential risks that could be imagined, and the labor contract must be signed.

She wanted to make the brother and sister understand their positions from the beginning. They were hired by her to take care of the elderly. Although she wanted to help them, people's hearts are unpredictable and many things must be prevented before they happen!