Her family moved their belongings into the kitchen and busied themselves processing pork and making pickled vegetables between the living room and the kitchen.
Because of her injuries, Mu Lianrong only allowed Xiao Yunying to do tasks that didn't require much effort, walking back and forth, or straining her right hand.
For example, it's just a job that requires you to sit there and watch them do things right, and to check if the amount of seasoning is correct.
Xiao Yunying felt too embarrassed to sit there alone and watch her family busy themselves, so she would occasionally try to cut meat or cabbage when her mother wasn't looking.
When her sister-in-law pushed her back down for the third time, fulfilling the saying "things shouldn't happen more than three times," Mu Lianrong spoke up: "Xin'er, keep an eye on your mother. Don't let her move around. She can't get anything done and just wastes time. Call me if she goes into the kitchen again."
Luo Xin replied crisply, "I know, Grandma."
Then, in a serious tone, he said to Xiao Yunying, "Mother, you couldn't even cut the meat properly just now, so don't mess around, or Grandma will scold you."
Xiao Yunying is a pure right-handed person and is not used to doing things primarily with her left hand, so she can only stay put.
He tapped Luo Xin's nose: "You little brat who's just riding on someone else's coattails."
Several nephews who were playing with the puppy heard this and asked, "Auntie, what does 'a fox borrowing the tiger's power' mean?"
Xiao Yunying perked up. If she wasn't allowed to work, could't she just play with the children and explain some simple principles and idioms to them?
She beckoned to the children: "Come here, I'll tell you a story."
Xiao Yunying's stories were vivid and interesting. Not only did the children listen intently, but even her mother and two sisters-in-law listened while doing their chores.
With plenty of meat and vegetables, Mu Lianrong and her two daughters-in-law spent the whole morning busy preparing the meat.
For lunch, they ate steamed buns wrapped in pork lard and pork belly stewed with pickled cabbage. Xiao Yunying said, "Mother, where did Father and my brothers go? Let them come and eat."
Mu Lianrong, tending the fire, said, "Don't worry about them. These past two days, some pig farmers have had your father and the others help slaughter their pigs. They'll take care of lunch and dinner, so they won't go hungry."
Slaughtering pigs is a skilled job. Apart from professional butchers, only hunters know how to bleed the pigs cleanly and how to butcher the meat.
Their village didn't have butchers who specialized in slaughtering pigs and selling meat; there were only a few hunters, among whom her father was the most skilled, so every year at the end of the year, many people would ask him to help slaughter pigs.
This job isn't tiring, and not only are meals provided, but you can also take a few pounds of the best pork with you when you're done. Most people would be happy to do it.
"Then let's not wait for them, let's eat by ourselves."
After lunch, Mu Lianrong started preparing pickled vegetables, leaving Xiao Yunying with nothing to do again.
I went back to my room, took out the red paper I bought in the city yesterday, cut it into the right size with thread, and took it to the living room.
"Luo Chen, Luo Yang, can you two write couplets?"
The two brothers exchanged a glance and answered simultaneously, "Yes."
"Come, come, write a few couplets about the New Year, and we'll put them on the door in a couple of days."
The two brothers took their brushes and inkstones, ground the ink, and carefully wrote the couplets.
Xiao Yunying went to the kitchen and called out, "Mother, did you buy any couplets? If not, have them write them together. I bought a lot of red paper."
Mu Lianrong got up, brushed the sawdust off her clothes, and went to the living room: "I bought red paper, but I haven't found anyone to write it yet."
In previous years, we always asked Liu Xiucai to write, after all, he had the title of Xiucai and was the most educated person in the village.
This year... she's lucky if she doesn't beat Liu Ge up when she sees him, because she thinks it's bad luck to ask him to write couplets.
There are quite a few people in the village who can write. The third uncle, who is skilled in medicine, can write, but he doesn't have any official rank. Mu Lianrong plans to find someone to help her write after she finishes her work in the next couple of days.
Peeking over, I saw the words the two brothers had written. I read Luo Yang's words: "May wealth come smoothly every day, and may fortune arrive with spring every year. It's well written, with both wealth and fortune."
Luo Yang put down his brush: "Because my mother said she likes making money."
He hoped that his elder brother, younger brother, younger sister, and mother would enjoy good fortune, health, and happiness throughout their lives.
Mu Lianrong said, "That's good. The point of putting up couplets on the door during the New Year is to bring joy and good fortune. Chunlei, here's the key. Go home and get the red paper from the cabinet in the storage room. Have your brother Luo write a few couplets."
In the afternoon, Xiao Yunying led the children to cut red paper, write couplets, and cut out all sorts of oddly shaped paper-cut window decorations.
In front of her mother and sisters-in-law, she didn't dare take out the plastic scissors for children from the supermarket. The big metal scissors were heavy and sharp, and Xiao Yunying repeatedly reminded the children, "Don't run around with the scissors in your hands."
"Put it down immediately after you're done cutting, and don't point it at anyone."
"Luo Li, keep the scissors away from your eyes. You don't need to be so careful. Why aren't you this serious when you're practicing calligraphy?"
"Okay, Mom, I'll stop cutting after I finish this one."
Luo Li struggled a bit with the iron shears in her small hands, but after carefully cutting one, she kept her word and handed the shears over.
Before Xiao Yunying could speak, Xiao Chunlei interrupted, "Auntie, I'll be careful and won't cut myself."
"Then you can cut it. If you don't have scissors, you can tear it by hand, like I did."
Xiao Yunying unfolded the red paper she had just torn: "How is it? Isn't it pretty?"
Several nephews nodded in agreement: "It's so beautiful, I want to tear it too."
Xiao Yunying handed over the cut-out red paper: "Tear it yourself, and we'll see who tears it the best in the end."
Mu Lianrong sat on a stool and put various vegetables into the jar: "Play with them sparingly, don't waste them, save them for writing couplets."
Xiao Yunying advised, "Mother, the couplets have been written according to the number you asked for. I also wrote quite a few 'Fu' characters. I've already set aside the ones for the red envelopes. I bought a lot of red paper. If you need it for something else, I'll save some for you so they can play with it."
"You should just spoil them."
Xiao Yunying cut red paper for the children: "If the children like to play, let them play. It can help develop their creativity and imagination, and make them smarter."
Mu Lianrong sealed the jar with the egg yolk, moved it aside, and took an empty jar to fill with garlic: "Mother doesn't understand what you're saying. Does tearing a piece of paper make you smarter?"
Xiao Yunying didn't know how to explain it. Sigh, cultural differences and generation gap.
"Mother, just trust me. It's just a few pieces of red paper, not many copper coins. Our family can afford it. Besides, the kids tore them up quite nicely. We can stick them on the windows and walls for the New Year. It won't be a waste."
"Okay, I'll listen to you. Go ahead and play, but don't waste it. You can put it up in your own rooms during the New Year."
"I understand, the milk won't be wasted."
Luo Xin genuinely couldn't handle the large scissors, so Xiao Yunying patiently taught her how to make paper-cut window decorations look better.
Mu Lianrong prepared dinner, and they ate together before cleaning up the table and leaving. Xiao Yunying put away the couplets and paper-cut window decorations, and waited until the children had finished feeding the puppies and washed up before going back to their rooms.
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