The first day of the Lunar New Year.
Early in the morning, just as dawn was breaking, a group of little ones pushed open the door and ran into the yard.
"Auntie~"
"Auntie, we've come to wish you a Happy New Year."
They ran into the house, shouting all the way.
"Meow~"
Xiao Hua quickly jumped off the double bed and blocked the doorway.
"Little Flower, don't bite me. I'm here to wish my aunt a Happy New Year."
"Yes, yes, Xiaohua, Happy New Year!"
The little ones, no longer in a hurry to ask for their New Year's money, quickly hugged Xiaohua and kissed her on the face.
"Little Flower, Little Flower, I want to kiss you."
"Meow~"
"Meow~"
Little Flower stretched out her paws and pried open the little hands that were holding her.
It was so frightened that it quickly broke free and ran back to the double wooden bed.
The little ones, upon seeing this, immediately surrounded the little wild donkey lying by the stove.
"Donkey, Happy New Year!"
"Donkey, wake up! It's already dawn."
Tie Dan had half a carrot in his pocket, so he quickly took it out and stuffed it into the little wild donkey's mouth.
"Oh...ah..."
The little wild donkey woke up groggily and instinctively took a bite.
It tasted good, so it continued chewing.
Seeing that it was Tiedan who gave him the food, the little wild donkey stretched out its head and nudged him.
"Hehe, Donkey, I got this especially for you."
Several little kids excitedly touched the little wild donkey's head.
Just then, Zhuang Mingcheng yawned and opened the door to the inner room.
He knew the little ones would come to wish him a Happy New Year early, so he didn't even close the gate last night.
Upon seeing this, the little ones immediately forgot about the little wild donkey and rushed to the inner room in a swarm.
"Uncle, Aunt, I'd like to wish you a Happy New Year."
"Uncle, Aunt, lucky money! Lucky money!"
On the heated kang (a traditional heated brick bed), Lu Fangfang saw a group of children kneeling down and kowtowing.
She was both amused and exasperated, and quickly told the little ones to get up.
"Come on over, everyone, line up one by one. I'm giving you all your New Year's money."
She had prepared everything the night before. She took out the money from under her pillow and handed it to the little ones one by one.
She had asked Lan Ying's sister-in-law before, and she learned that the New Year's money in the family compound was usually only one or two mao (0.1 or 0.2 yuan), so she gave two mao to each person.
"Thank you, Auntie."
"Thank you, Auntie."
"After you've received your New Year's money, come over and get your comic books. First come, first served."
Zhuang Mingcheng took out the comic books he had asked the political commissar to buy in the provincial capital and distributed them to the children one by one.
In addition, sugar is indispensable.
Zhuang Mingcheng took out a plate full of melon seeds and sugar and let the little ones grab some themselves.
Holding lucky money in one hand and a comic book in the other, with candy and melon seeds in their pockets, the little ones were very excited.
They turned back to thank them a few times, then hurriedly ran out to ask their neighbor for New Year's money.
Lu Fangfang watched the little boy leave, laughing uncontrollably.
Celebrating the Lunar New Year in this era is truly lively, and she quite enjoys it.
Unlike later generations, there's no festive atmosphere at all; everything looks cold and desolate.
"Sister, brother-in-law."
Xiuxiu yawned and got up from the kang (a heated brick bed).
She looked outside and wondered what was going on so early in the morning, only to find that the children had come to ask for lucky money.
"Xiuxiu, come here."
"Sis, what's wrong?"
In the inner room, Lu Fangfang took out a ten-yuan note from under her pillow and handed it to Xiuxiu.
"Sister, this... I can't take this, it's too much."
Xiuxiu was taken aback; a ten-yuan note was no small sum.
She quickly waved her hand, not daring to take it.
"Here you go, this is your New Year's money from your sister, you can't refuse it."
Lu Fangfang took the large denomination bill and stuffed it into Xiuxiu's hand.
"Xiuxiu, take this. You've had a tough two months."
Zhuang Mingcheng said with a smile.
"Thank you, sister. Thank you, brother-in-law."
Xiuxiu's heart was pounding when she realized she had so much money for the first time.
"Alright, it's still early, and there's nothing much to do today, let's go back to sleep."
Lu Fangfang yawned again as she spoke.
She didn't fall asleep until after midnight last night; it was the first time she'd stayed up that late, and her eyes are sore now.
She pulled the blanket up a little higher and closed her eyes, wanting to doze off a bit more.
"Little Lu? Comrade Little Lu?"
"Um?"
Lu Fangfang got up and saw that it was her sister-in-law Shuhua who had arrived.
She quickly put on her clothes and got up, then served sugar and melon seeds to Sister-in-law Shuhua, and asked Xiuxiu to make tea.
"Xiao Lu, stop busy. I came here early this morning and I really can't wait any longer."
Chen Shuhua held Lu Fangfang's hand, her eyes still bloodshot.
She didn't sleep all night, constantly thinking about the song "Little White Poplar".
That's wonderful, absolutely wonderful.
As dawn approached, she couldn't resist any longer and finally ran over.
"Xiao Lu, after you give birth, come work for the cultural troupe in our provincial capital. I guarantee you can become a pillar of our troupe!"
"Huh? Going to the performing arts troupe?"
Lu Fangfang was taken aback, then shook her head, "Sister-in-law, no, no, I can't go."
She has things to do at the farm, so she doesn't have time to go to the performing arts troupe.
Besides, she didn't want to live apart from Zhuang Mingcheng.
Thinking of this, she turned her head to look at Zhuang Mingcheng and found that he was also paying attention to what was happening on her side.
As soon as she spoke, she could clearly see her man breathe a sigh of relief, which made her secretly happy.
"Xiao Lu, you can't waste your talent."
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