"Comrade Du didn't have a good in-law family. I heard that before Comrade Song returned from the army, she and her daughter were tortured to death by her in-laws."
"Thank goodness Comrade Song is on my wife's side, otherwise how would we live like this?"
.....
Time passed as the family was busy, and in the blink of an eye it was the day of Little New Year.
Song Guoliang walked into the house carrying a bunch of things in his hands. The strong wind outside took the opportunity to blow the door open, and the cold wind rushed in through the wide-open door.
"Uncle-in-law." Niu Niu hurried forward and closed the door.
Du Xiaoying hurriedly helped the man carry the things into the house. "Why did you buy so much at once? Just buy a little every day and bring it back when you get off work."
Song Guoliang rubbed his cold palms together and placed them on the scorching hot kang. "Just in time for the tickets to be sold, I bought a few more. I think we have a large family, so I'll give some to my father-in-law's family."
Hearing that this man was still thinking about his family, Du Xiaoying felt warm in her heart, and her eyes softened when she looked at the man.
Because the Chinese New Year was approaching, the demand from Boss Hu doubled again. The few of them were too busy to handle it, so Daya and her sisters also came forward to help.
The family was busy from day to night, and the house was filled with steam. Even without lighting the coal stove, the house was very hot. The kang at the head of the stove connecting the two rooms was so hot that people could not sleep on it.
Helplessly, Song Guoliang could only carry his bedding and go to the west room to sleep with his nephews.
The whole family worked hard for several days and was busy until the 29th day of the lunar year.
After being tired for the whole winter, I feel uncomfortable to suddenly have so much free time.
Du Xiaoying and Song Guoliang went to the county early in the morning and bought a lot of New Year's goods before the place became too crowded.
In addition to the money for his own family and his mother's family, there was also money for Liu Dajiao's family who had been working diligently these days, as well as money for the cowshed.
....
"Aunt, my father and second uncle are here." Niu Niu's excited voice came from the yard.
Du Xiaoying looked at her two brothers who were shivering all over, and quickly made two cups of brown sugar water and took out the egg cakes she made for her family.
"Big Brother, Second Brother, I knew you wouldn't come empty-handed today. How come you sent so many pheasants and rabbits? Guo Liang usually catches pheasants and rabbits even on his days off."
Du Dashan showed an honest smile, "Then let's make it air-dried and keep it for later consumption."
"That's right. My brother and I will make it for you later." Du Ershan said, holding the teacup and drinking it with a big grin on his face.
"Brother, I told you that my younger sister would definitely make us some brown sugar water again."
Du Dashan shook his head, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. He turned around and taught his little sister a lesson with a stern face, "Little sister, we are two rough people. It would be a waste for us to drink this precious thing."
As Brother Du said this, he was about to give it to his nieces to drink.
"Brother, if I give you something to drink, you should drink it as happily as my second brother. Why are you hesitating?" Du Xiaoying glared at her brother. "Let's eat breakfast at noon and go back after we finish eating."
The two brothers couldn't persuade their sister, so they could only listen obediently with a smile on their faces.
It was not until we were having dinner that we found out that my younger sister and her family were going back this year. The two brothers were so happy and excited that their eyes were red.
After dinner, I couldn’t wait to go back and tell my parents the good news as soon as possible.
.....
New Year's Eve
Breaking away from the usual silence, every household is busy preparing the reunion dinner early in the morning with joy.
The adults were happily cutting vegetables and the pork they had been given earlier, while the children's eyes were full of anticipation, they kept swallowing their saliva, their eyes full of joy and anticipation for the New Year.
At the Song family, the whole family got up early and started preparing lunch.
Du Xiaoying and Daya, mother and daughter, were in charge of cooking at the two stoves, while Song Guoliang and his four daughters were responsible for washing vegetables and helping out.
Steam was rising from the stove, and waves of tempting aroma were wafting out.
Song Guoliang lifted the lid of the steaming pot, took a steamer of golden yellow rice cakes and placed them on the chopping board. He dipped his hands in cold water and kneaded them while they were still hot to make them chewy. He then divided them into doughs of even sizes, each of which was filled with red bean paste made in advance.
Then wait for the oil pan to smoke, put the cake in the pan, fry until golden brown, and then take it out. A golden, chewy and sweet fried cake is ready. This is a staple food that the well-off local people must eat during the Chinese New Year.
....
The family sat around the kang, on which were placed fried cakes, braised fish, hairtail fish, chicken with potatoes, pork and potato slices, cabbage with vinegar, fried tofu, mixed cold dishes, and peanuts.
"Mom, everything has been delivered. Grandpa Qin, Uncle He, and Aunt Su asked me to say thank you to you."
Du Xiaoying smiled and nodded, calling the children, "Eat."
The sisters, who had been drooling with greed for a long time, immediately picked up their chopsticks and went straight to the meat dishes.
It was the first time in the family’s life that they had such a sumptuous New Year’s Eve dinner. They were so happy that they closed their eyes and ate too much without realizing it.
When they were keeping watch on the fire, Du Xiaoying couldn't help but sigh, "It's great~" when she saw the happy smiles on the children's faces.
Song Guoliang placed his big palm lightly on his wife's cold cheek, "Thank you, wife."
"What are you thanking me for?" Du Xiaoying asked with a smile.
"Thank you for giving birth to five precious daughters for me, thank you for supporting our little family, and thank you for becoming my daughter-in-law." Song Guoliang leaned over and whispered.
Feeling the burning breath beside her ear, Du Xiaoying couldn't help but shrink her shoulders in itchiness and glared at the man in reproach. "It's good that you know it. If you dare to behave badly in the future, I will find a new father for the children."
"You dare!" Song Guoliang gritted his teeth.
Du Xiaoying raised her eyebrows provocatively.
Meeting his wife's gaze, Song Guoliang quickly spoke softly and begged for mercy.
....
"Xiao Yi, bring the dumplings in quickly."
Xiao Yi quickly reached out to take the basin, and looked at Erya with a worried look as she jumped up and down from the cold, breathing heavily and rubbing her hands. "Why aren't you wearing gloves?"
"It's just two steps, no problem." Erya waved her hand nonchalantly, "Go in quickly, I'm going home to eat dumplings."
Xiao Yi wanted to say something, but he saw the little girl had already run away, shaking her head and sighing like a little adult.
The four of them ate the delicious cabbage and pork dumplings, their eyes couldn't help but turn red.
He always remembered the Song family's kindness and was unable to repay them, so he made up his mind to teach his skills to the children.
"I want to eat coins~"
"I want one too~"
Several sisters were searching on the cage with their eyes wide open as if competing.
It was really funny to see a few kids trying to get blessings by eating coin dumplings, and then continuing to eat them even after they were full. And then their expressions when they ate the coin dumplings themselves.
....
"Mom, Dad is done."
"Okay, here I come."
Du Xiaoying went out with Wu Ya, who was wearing a bright red cotton-padded jacket and a rabbit fur hat and looked like a New Year picture doll, and saw that the bicycle was hung with a lot of things.
The family locked the door and set off on their bicycles.
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