Chapter 51 Laba Festival
On the evening of the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, Zhang Liuyi took out the precious longans, red dates, lotus seeds, glutinous rice and various beans from the cloth bag and spread them on the large wooden chopping board in the kitchen.
"It's all here." Zhang Yi clapped his hands in satisfaction, rolled up his sleeves to reveal a section of his muscular forearm: "I have to soak it tonight, so I can stay up early tomorrow morning."
She picked up a heavy, rough pottery basin and began to put the ingredients into it one by one.
When Xiong Zixiang returned from his shift, he saw Xiaozhu busy in the kitchen as soon as he entered the courtyard.
He took off his thick cotton-padded coat and hung it behind the door, then naturally walked into the kitchen and stood next to Zhang Liuyi.
His tall figure loomed over us, bringing a chill from outside, which was quickly dispelled by the warmth of the kitchen.
"You're back?"
Zhang Yi didn't look up, his hands still busy, as he sprinkled the last handful of walnut kernels into the basin: "Perfect, fetch me two buckets of water, I need to soak the beans and rice."
"Hmm." Xiong Zixiang responded, turned around and picked up the bucket. In a short while, he returned with two buckets of steaming water from the water vat.
Zhang Liuyi took the bucket and slowly poured the water into the large earthenware basin.
Zhang Liuyi gently stirred the rice and beans a few times with a clean wooden spoon to ensure that every grain of rice and every bean was soaked in water, and picked out the shriveled and floating bad beans.
"Alright, let it soak overnight, it will be soft and sticky when cooked tomorrow."
She put the lid on and carried the basin to a slightly warmer corner of the kitchen.
On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, before dawn, Zhang Yili quietly got up.
Xiong Zixiang also woke up.
The two men, wearing thick coats, went to the kitchen and lit the oil lamp.
Zhang lifted the lid of the rough earthenware pot. The water inside had been almost completely absorbed, and the glutinous rice and beans had swelled up considerably, appearing exceptionally plump and juicy.
She poured everything from the basin into the cleaned large iron pot, then added several ladles of water, just enough to cover the food by about a finger's width.
"Let's start a fire," Zhang Yili said to Xiong Zixiang.
Xiong Zixiang nodded, squatted down, and skillfully lit the firewood in the stove.
The dry pine branches crackled and popped, quickly bursting into leaping flames.
The water in the pot gradually warmed up and began to bubble.
She picked up a large ladle and began stirring the bottom of the pot in one direction.
Xiong Zixiang added a few more pieces of firewood to make the fire burn even brighter.
The water in the pot quickly boiled, bubbling and steaming, filling the air with the aroma of rice and beans.
Zhang kept stirring, but slowed down the stirring speed.
Gradually, the broth in the pot thickened and turned an enticing amber color.
The sweet fragrance in the air grew stronger and stronger.
The porridge in the pot had been cooked to a very thick consistency, and the rice and beans were soft and mushy.
Zhang Xiaoli scooped up a spoonful of porridge, which was so thick it was almost stringy.
"Want to try some?" Zhang Yili held the spoon to Xiong Zixiang's lips.
Xiong Zixiang looked at the spoonful of steaming porridge, took her hand, lowered his head and gently blew on it, then carefully put the edge of the spoon in his mouth and slurped a mouthful.
"It's hot, take it easy!" Zhang noticed his expression and couldn't help but laugh. She scooped up a small spoonful herself, puffed out her cheeks, blew on it vigorously, and then carefully put it into her mouth.
It was really hot, and really sweet; the heat went from the tip of my tongue all the way to my stomach, and the sweetness went straight to my heart.
The two of them used the large wooden spoon to share the spoonful of porridge, taking turns eating it.
Once the porridge was cooked, Zhang Liuyi took out several clean, coarse earthenware bowls and filled them to the brim.
Then carefully cover the bowl with a clean cloth to prevent the heat from escaping.
"Let's send it to our parents and sister first," Zhang Yili said.
"Hmm." Xiong Zixiang picked up a basket meant for holding a bowl of porridge.
"Send some more to my uncle's side." Zhang Yili filled a few more bowls.
"Okay." Xiong Zixiang accepted it.
The two walked through the light frost of the early morning and went first to the homes of Old Man Xiong and Mrs. Song.
Song had just gotten up and was boiling water to prepare a meal: "Oh dear, what brings you here so early? Is this porridge? I can smell it even through the courtyard wall! Come in quickly!"
Zhang Liuli smiled and handed over the steaming bowl of porridge: "Mom, it's freshly made, please have a taste with Dad."
As Song lifted the cloth, a warm, sweet fragrance wafted out, and she exclaimed in admiration, "Excellent! Excellent! The color, the scent—you can tell a lot of effort went into it!"
She turned around and took out a small jar from the house: "Here, this is the Laba garlic that Mom pickled. It's only been a few days, so it hasn't turned green yet. Take it back and see if it turns green in a few days. It's very delicious when eaten with porridge."
"Thank you, Mother!" Zhang Liuyi happily accepted the jar, which was icy cold.
"Sister Yi's son Xiang, want to eat together?" Xiong Zijuan had obviously just gotten up, her hair still disheveled, and she came out of the inner room carrying Xiaobao. She put Xiaobao on the kang (a heated brick bed) to get a bowl and then called out to her younger brother and sister-in-law.
"No, sis, I still have to deliver this to my dad and the others. Sis, just give Xiaobao a little bit, just enough to taste. There are lots of red dates and longan in it," Zhang Yili told Xiong Zijuan.
"I understand, I'll make him some rice cereal." Xiong Zijuan nodded.
Then they went to Zhang Dahe's house.
Aunt Wang and Li Xiulan were busy in the kitchen, while Xiao Nan'er circled around the stove.
They were all very happy to see them bring porridge.
"Oh my, look at the Laba porridge! It smells so good!" Aunt Wang took the bowl, lifted the cloth to take a look, and said, "Look at all the ingredients, and the color is so beautiful."
"Auntie, please try it," Zhang said with a smile.
Aunt Wang took a sip and said it smelled good. She put down the bowl, turned around and took out two arm protectors made of thick indigo cloth from the house. They were stuffed with new cotton, plump and full, with fine stitches.
"Here, take this! Your aunt sewed this for you. Your arms are always exposed when you're doing chores, you can't let them get cold! Wear this, it'll keep you warm!"
Without saying a word, she stuffed the arm protector into Zhang Liuxin's arms.
Zhang Liuyi touched the thick, soft arm sleeve, feeling a warm glow in her heart.
"Thank you, Auntie! This is so useful! Perfect for setting up my stall in the spring!"
Carrying an empty basket, a jar of Laba garlic, and thick arm warmers, the young couple walked home side by side.
The sunshine felt warm on my skin, and although my basket was empty, my heart was full.
Back in my own courtyard, the kitchen was still filled with the rich aroma of Laba porridge.
The two put away the things given to them by their elders, filled two bowls with homemade porridge, and Xiong Zixiang smacked his lips and then picked up a small handful of pickled vegetable shreds from the plate with his chopsticks.
The pickled vegetables were homemade in the autumn using mustard tubers. They were finely chopped, drizzled with a little sesame oil, and had a crunchy texture with a refreshing salty and savory flavor.
Strangely enough, this mouthful of sweet porridge and a bite of pickled vegetables not only didn't taste pungent, but actually made both dishes even more flavorful.
He glanced at Zhang Xiaoyi, who was sipping her porridge across from him, and looked down at the bottom of her bowl. The smile on his lips deepened. She always disliked the bitter taste of lotus seeds and didn't like to touch them. Sure enough, there were several lotus seeds squeezed out at the bottom of her bowl.
He reached over with his chopsticks, steadily picked up a few lotus seeds, and popped them into his own mouth, eating them for her.
After finishing their meal, the two of them got up together to tidy up without saying a word.
Zhang noticed that while she was washing dishes, he stood to the side and waited for her to finish washing one dish before taking it, drying it, and putting it away in the cupboard.
As soon as the cupboard door closed, Xiong Zixiang turned around, put on his thick cotton-padded coat, tightened his belt, and slung his waist knife over his shoulder. "Watch out, I'm going to my shift," he instructed.
"Hmm." Zhang Yili responded, quickly untying his apron and wrapping it tightly around himself: "I'll go check on the livestock in the back later."
The two left the house one after the other. One headed towards the county government office outside the village with steady steps, while the other turned towards the Zhang family's courtyard with light steps.
In the backyard, at the trough, Dazhuang was leisurely swishing its tail.
This guy's fur is much brighter than when we first bought him, and his body is visibly thicker, which shows that he's been eating well.
Looking over at the sheepfold, Nan'er's small figure was tiptoeing, trying to put a handful of hay to the sheep's mouth. The sheep had grown quite a bit, with a slender frame and smooth, shiny fur, and it rubbed affectionately against Nan'er's hand.
Zhang looked on with a tender feeling, realizing that Nan'er was truly taking good care of her.
She added some feed to Dazhuang's food and refilled the sheep's water trough. Watching them eat and drink heartily, she clapped her hands and turned to go back into the house.
Inside the room, dust floated in the air. Zhang picked up a broom and carefully swept the floor, making sure to clean the corners and under the tables, the broom making a soft rustling sound as it swept across the floor.
Before I knew it, it was already evening. I had just put the broom against the wall when the courtyard gate creaked open.
Xiong Zixiang's tall figure entered, bringing with it a chill. He carefully carried a piece of oiled paper in his hand, inside which were two round, golden objects, emitting wisps of enticing heat.
"These are fresh from Old Liu's shop in the West Market." He placed the oil paper on the table, and small patches of oil immediately seeped through and stained the paper. "Your favorite fried sugar cake."
Zhang's eyes immediately lit up.
The two of them didn't care about anything else, each picked up one, the outer skin of the sugar cake was fried until crispy and golden brown, and when they took a bite, the hot, almost flowing sugar filling couldn't wait to gush out.
After eating and resting for a while, Xiong Zixiang turned and went to the kitchen to boil water for washing up.
I had just ladled water into the pot, added firewood, and returned to the inner room when I saw the night sky outside.
The winter night sky was pure black, with a few cold stars shining exceptionally brightly, shimmering with a cool light.
A slender crescent moon hung in the sky, casting a hazy, clear glow.
"Keep an eye out." Xiong Zixiang stood at the doorway of the inner room and called out into the room, "Come out and take a look."
"What are you looking at?" Zhang Liuyi asked as he wiped his hands and came out of the house.
“Look,” Xiong Zixiang pointed to the top of his head.
Zhang Liuyi looked up in the direction he was pointing and was also stunned.
The cold wind still blows, chilling your face, but the cloudless starry sky brings a sense of openness and clarity to the heart.
A slender crescent moon hangs in the center, surrounded by stars.
"These stars are so bright," Zhang Yili said softly, unable to resist moving closer to Xiong Zixiang, absorbing the warmth emanating from him.
"Yes, the stars and moon look really good together."
Xiong Zixiang responded and looked up. The two stood side by side in the courtyard on this winter night, their heads tilted back. Neither of them spoke. Only their breath rose in the cold moonlight and quickly dissipated.
Only when the flames in the stove crackled softly and the water in the pot began to gurgle as it approached boiling did Xiong Zixiang turn his gaze away and say in a low voice, "The water's almost boiling. Let's go back inside. I'll take the water over there."
"Okay, Zixiang, slow down, be careful the water doesn't burn you."
Zhang Yi responded, but still somewhat reluctantly glanced at the night sky one last time before turning back into the house.
After boiling water and adjusting the temperature, the two finished washing up and snuggled into the warm bed.
The kang (heated brick bed) was burning hot, and the bed was cozy. Zhang Yili habitually placed her icy feet on Xiong Zixiang's insteps.
"Hiss... Your feet are still so cold even after soaking in water." Xiong Zixiang picked up Xiao's toes and warmed them with his body heat.
"I don't know, I think I'm like this in winter." Zhang sighed contentedly, snuggled closer to him comfortably, found the most comfortable position, closed her eyes, and a smile still lingered on her lips.
As for whether it's warm or not?
You can tell by looking at the two feet that were pressed tightly against Xiong Zixiang's calves, gradually becoming warm and no longer moving.
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