Chapter 158 Celebrating the Lunar New Year On the morning of Lunar New Year's Eve...
On the morning of Lunar New Year's Eve, the courtyard became lively.
The sounds of adults chatting and exchanging pleasantries, children running around and chattering, and the crackling of firecrackers woke Mingxi from her bed early in the morning.
After washing up and eating a couple of bites of breakfast, Mingxi put on her cotton-padded coat and ran into the alley to play and frolic with the children.
Today is Lunar New Year's Eve. People who have married and moved out of the alley have brought their children back to celebrate the New Year. Kids are like that; they're not shy around strangers. Whether they know someone or not, they can play together.
Soon, these children who had returned from outside started playing together with the "native" children living in the alley.
They ran around in the alley. Mingxi spent a dime to buy a box of firecrackers and successfully blended into the group of children.
The parents in the alley who were worried peeked out and saw Mingxi, such a "big kid," so they felt relieved and went home to continue their work.
When children get together, they don't know their own strength and might cause trouble or even start a fight. With an adult like Mingxi watching over them, they can feel much more at ease.
The grandchildren of both Aunt Ma and Aunt He were playing in the alley. The two women were worried about them, so they ran out to take a look while they were busy preparing the New Year's Eve dinner. They saw Mingxi playing with firecrackers with the children.
Mingxi: "No, Gou Dan, listen to me. You can't throw it like that. It won't make a sound when you throw it like that. You have to do it like this, like I do..."
The little boy named Gou Dan sniffed and nodded seriously: "Boss, I'll remember."
Mingxi: "You better really remember this, or you'll ruin my whole box of firecrackers!"
Dog Egg flashed a fawning smile and said, "Boss, I have money. Take my money and buy another box!"
Mingxi: "Hmph, that's more like it!"
She wasn't short of money, but this little brat had ruined a box of her firecrackers and then another box of firecrackers; it was time to bleed him a little.
Hearing this, Aunt He and Aunt Ma twitched their lips and thought to themselves: Mingxi is really something, playing with kids and becoming the leader of this bunch of mischievous monkeys.
But seeing Gou Dan throw the firecrackers and Ming Xi and the other children cover their ears and run back, Aunt Ma couldn't help but laugh and sigh, "They're still just kids."
Aunt He: "That's right."
The two middle-aged women sighed, and seeing that the children were having a good time, they went back to their yard with peace of mind.
Mingxi, on the other hand, ruined two more boxes of firecrackers. One box was donated by Gou Dan, and the other box was bought by herself.
After finishing those two boxes of firecrackers, Mingxi thought she couldn't keep messing with them forever, so she raised her hand and shouted, "Stop!"
The squealing children stopped and looked at Mingxi as soon as they heard their leader speak.
Mingxi: "Let's not play with firecrackers, let's play beanbag toss instead!"
"good!"
"Boss, I brought my sandbags! Use mine!"
"Boss, I want to team up with you for the sandbag throwing game!"
"I want to be in the same group as the leader!"
"I want one too..."
Big kids are naturally attractive to little kids, let alone a "big kid" like Mingxi. The kids swarmed around Mingxi, all wanting to be on her team.
But Mingxi remained unmoved. With her hands on her hips and her heart as firm as iron, she said, "No, you can't all be on my side!"
Under the gazing gaze of a group of children, Mingxi spoke up: "Let's use our palms and backs of our hands, palms as one pair, backs of our hands as the other!"
The children were obedient and quickly divided into groups under Mingxi's arrangement. The children who were in the same group as Mingxi were naturally excited, while the children who were not in the same group as Mingxi were a little disappointed, but they did not cry or make a fuss.
The boss said, "No crying babies. If anyone doesn't play well and keeps crying, they can go home and cry."
In the first round, Mingxi's group threw sandbags, while the other group stood in the middle to dodge.
The group of children varied in age. The youngest was Gou Dan, who had just been playing with firecrackers with Ming Xi. He was only five years old and was still in preschool. However, not all of them were that young. Some were in elementary school, others were in different grades, and some were in junior high school.
Mingxi isn't very accurate at throwing sandbags. She can bully five- or six-year-old kids, but she has a hard time dealing with those big kids who are as fast as monkeys.
She held her breath, puffed out her cheeks, and aimed intently at a big kid standing in the middle. She struck a perfect pose, with her legs one in front of the other in a bow shape, her body leaning back, and her hands hanging naturally behind her. Then, with a sudden burst of strength, the sandbag slipped from her hand.
The more impressive the pose, the more awkward the result.
The sandbag flew a distance through the air and quickly landed on the ground, failing to hit its target or even touch the hem of the other person's clothes.
"puff--"
A clear laugh suddenly came from behind, and Mingxi immediately turned around.
Who, who dares to laugh at her?
She turned her head and saw Wei Ning touching his nose, looking like he was trying his best to suppress a laugh but ultimately failed.
Mingxi: "Well, you, Wei Ning, actually dare to make fun of me!"
Mingxi rushed over and began to grope Wei Ning.
Hey, don't get me wrong.
Mingxi wasn't doing anything inappropriate for children; she was just tickling Weining.
She reached into Wei Ning's collar, her pale face full of provocation: "Serves you right for making fun of me. Humph, tell me you're wrong, or I won't let you off the hook!"
Wei Ning wasn't ticklish, but when facing Ming Xi, he obediently admitted his mistake: "It was my fault."
"That's more like it." Mingxi raised her chin arrogantly.
She let go of his hand and returned to the group of children. Among the children playing with Mingxi were those who lived in the same courtyard as Weining. When they saw Weining, they asked directly, "Brother Weining, do you want to play with us?"
Wei Ning looked at Ming Xi: "I also want to play with you guys, but..."
Mingxi: "If you want to play, then let's play together. What's with all the dawdling?"
She was being so hesitant and dawdling, and she was always looking at her. Anyone who didn't know better would think she didn't want Wei Ning to come along.
She's a dignified and upright woman; how could she be so petty about such a trivial matter!
Wei Ning chuckled: "Okay."
To be fair, Wei Ning, being an adult, was naturally assigned to another group. After the roles of attacker and defender were reversed, Wei Ning and the children in his group were responsible for throwing sandbags, while Ming Xi's group dodged.
Although Mingxi wasn't good at throwing sandbags, she was quick-witted and fast-running. After several rounds, the sandbags never even touched the hem of her clothes.
Mingxi's smile danced with her movements, a smile that seemed even brighter than the winter sun.
Wei Ning and Ming Xi were having a great time, and their laughter soon attracted Guan Lixin and He Li.
"Well, you two were throwing sandbags here and didn't even call me!"
Guan Lixin rolled up his sleeves and joined the fray.
Seeing Guan Lixin and Wei Ning standing to one side throwing sandbags at them, Mingxi shouted, "It's not fair! It's not fair that the two of you are hitting me!"
Guan Lixin: "Then you have one more person on your side than we do!"
Mingxi ignored him, her round eyes darting around mischievously before landing on He Li beside her. She complained, "He Li, look at your Guan Lixin, he's bullying people!"
He Li knew they were just joking, but she still played along and said, "Lixin, stop fooling around!"
Guan Lixin scoffed, "You're such a grown man, and all you can do is tattle!"
Mingxi made a face at him: "Hehehe."
No matter how old you are, let's just say whether complaining works!
Guan Lixin: "Then let's switch. Let Wei Ning stay with you, and I'll throw you two to hide?"
"Okay!" Mingxi readily agreed.
Guan Lixin was so angry he almost laughed.
So, he can't be on the same team as Wei Ning, but Ming Xi can?
I've never seen such double standards!
Mingxi stated that she is a double standard, and her double standards are crystal clear.
Guan Lixin exclaimed, "That won't do! That's not fair! We need to add more people too! My wife will be on my team!"
He Li is three months pregnant. Although she is not fully pregnant yet, the pregnancy is stable enough that she can still do some exercise.
Mingxi: "Alright then!"
After Guan Lixin and He Li joined in, the beanbag throwing battle became even more intense.
After several rounds, even in the dead of winter, Mingxi was covered in sweat. She leaned on her knees, panting heavily. Guan Lixin was also sweating profusely. He waved his hand and said, "No, no, I can't go on. Let's rest for a bit and play again later."
Mingxi: "Y-agree!"
Ming Xi, Wei Ning, Guan Lixin, and He Li, the four adults, sat down on one side.
Children have more energy than adults. After resting for a while, the children ran around and played again, while the four adults, once they sat down, didn't want to stand up anymore.
Guan Lixin sighed, "We're really getting old."
Mingxi glanced at him and said, "You're the one who's old."
She's not old at all; she's still young.
She is a beautiful young woman.
Guan Lixin wasn't angry when Mingxi retorted. Instead, he nodded in agreement with Mingxi's words: "Yes, I'm getting old."
He pointed to the children running around and said, "In a few years, my children will be this big."
Mingxi paused for a moment, and realized it was true.
He Li is due to give birth in a few months.
Mingxi was in a daze; she felt like she was still a child, never imagining that her childhood friend's child was about to be born.
Guan Lixin nudged Mingxi with his elbow: "You'd better give my son a big red envelope next Chinese New Year."
Mingxi rolled her eyes: "The baby's only three months old, and you already know it's a boy? Are you sexist?"
Guan Lixin got anxious: "Who said I favor boys over girls? I love my daughter just as much, no, I love her even more. Boys are tough, so I can raise them casually, but daughters are precious and can't be raised casually."
He covered He Li's belly and said, "Don't talk nonsense. I read a book a few days ago that said babies can hear in their mother's belly. What if my daughter hears you saying I'm sexist and gets upset?"
Mingxi: "..."
Even if a baby has hearing in the womb, it would have to be after it has ears, right? Right now, the baby is still just an embryo!
Guan Lixin ignored that and whispered to He Li's belly, "Baby, don't be angry. Daddy misspoke. Daddy apologizes. Please don't misunderstand Daddy. Daddy doesn't discriminate against boys. Daddy loves you if you're a boy, and Daddy loves you if you're a girl..."
Mingxi rolled her eyes and exchanged a speechless look with Wei Ning beside her.
Guan Lixin was thick-skinned and didn't care about Mingxi and Weining's gazes, but He Li was obviously not as thick-skinned as him. She raised her hand and gave Guan Lixin a light elbow: "We're still outside, what nonsense are you talking about?"
Guan Lixin looked up, pouting aggrievedly, "I wasn't lying."
Although Guan Lixin obediently sat up straight under He Li's intimidating gaze, he still looked at He Li with a pitiful expression, trying to elicit sympathy from her.
Mingxi pouted.
Is this what married men are like? So mushy.
Just as the group was chatting, Teacher Hou came over carrying a large bag of vegetables, and Mingxi greeted him.
"Teacher Hou, you've arrived?"
Teacher Hou comes over every day and has long been familiar with Mingxi. When she sees Mingxi now, she smiles and nods, saying, "Yes, I've already made an appointment with your Aunt Li. We'll celebrate the New Year together today."
He picked up what he was carrying and waved it in front of Mingxi, saying, "Look, I brought all the ingredients for the New Year's Eve dinner."
Mingxi: "Joke, you really did prepare a lot."
"Of course!" Teacher Hou said with a proud expression. "Just thinking about spending the New Year with your Aunt Li this year makes me so excited. I started preparing for tonight's New Year's Eve dinner several days in advance. I bought vegetables and meat, made tofu, fried tofu, fried meatballs, and I even made a lunchbox of pork skin jelly. Your Aunt Li told me that your sister Lili likes to eat this."
Mingxi gave a thumbs up: "Teacher Hou, you're the best."
Teacher Hou waved his hand: "No, no, this is what I should do."
"I have to go and prepare the meal now. Your Aunt Li is not fully recovered yet. We agreed that I would cook the New Year's Eve dinner this year, so she doesn't need to lift a finger."
After saying that, Teacher Hou waved to Mingxi and left.
After Teacher Hou left, He Li asked curiously, "Mingxi, is this the new boyfriend that my aunt mentioned, Aunt Li?"
The news that Aunt Li had a new boyfriend had already spread throughout the alley, and He Li had naturally heard about it as well. However, He Li was usually busy with work and did not live in the same courtyard as Mingxi and the others, so she had never run into Teacher Hou.
This was the first time she had ever seen Teacher Hou.
Mingxi nodded: "Yes."
He Li: "To be honest, this Teacher Hou is a bit better than Grandpa Sun."
In just that brief encounter, He Li felt that Teacher Hou was better than Old Sun.
Putting everything else aside, Teacher Hou is much better looking than Old Sun. He's tall, about 1.7 meters. These days, people are generally short due to malnutrition; being 1.7 meters tall is considered quite tall. Teacher Hou is over 1.7 meters tall and pays attention to his appearance. Every time he comes to Aunt Li's place, he's impeccably groomed, with shiny hair and clean clothes, looking like a sprightly and handsome old man.
In terms of physical attributes alone, Old Sun is inferior to Teacher Hou. He wasn't tall when he was young, only about 1.6 meters, and now that he's older, he's shrunk even more, usually looking only about 1.5 meters tall. In addition, he's unkempt and doesn't care about his appearance.
He was like this even before he was transferred to clean toilets. After the transfer, he paid even less attention to his appearance, always going to work with uncombed hair and a scruffy beard. Not to mention his clothes; He Li even suspected he hadn't changed them in a month.
A few days ago, when she ran into Old Sun in the alley, she could smell a sour and stinky odor from a distance. When the smell hit her, He Li almost vomited.
Even now, when He Li thinks back on it, she feels a little nauseous.
However, He Li is not one to talk about people behind their backs, so she didn't say anything at the moment.
Mingxi, however, had no reservations and directly retorted, "It's not just a little stronger, Teacher Hou is so thoughtful and considerate. During the time Aunt Li was unable to walk due to her leg injury, she relied entirely on Teacher Hou for care. If it were Old Sun..."
Mingxi snorted coldly: "If it were Old Sun, let alone taking care of Aunt Li, it would be good if Aunt Li didn't even have to get up to take care of him."
Mingxi wasn't exaggerating; anyone with eyes could see that Old Sun had clearly become unable to take care of himself ever since he left Aunt Li.
Don't let Old Sun's lack of concern for his appearance fool you; before he divorced Aunt Li, he wasn't nearly as slovenly as he is now.
Now look what's happened! He hasn't changed his clothes or taken a bath. He looks like a withered, wrinkled old pickled vegetable, all dark brown.
Not to mention the house, it was a complete mess from which he had made a terrible wreck. When Sun Lili went back to visit Old Sun before, she found the house piled high with garbage. Old Sun didn't even wash his empty lunchboxes; he just threw them in the house along with the trash and empty wine bottles. The garbage had been sitting there for so long that it was infested with bugs.
This disgusted Sun Lili.
She still had some affection for Old Sun, so she tidied up his house and left only after it was spotless. But not long after she left Old Sun, he turned it into a mess again.
This infuriated Sun Lili. This morning, after bringing her husband back, she didn't even go to Old Sun's room once. Instead, she dragged her husband straight to Aunt Li's place.
Right now, Aunt Li's daughter, son-in-law, and Teacher Hou are all together, having a lively time, while Old Sun's place is quiet and deserted.
Even Sun Xuewen and Sun Xuewu didn't come back for the Spring Festival this year.
A few days ago, Sun Xuewen sent a letter back saying that in previous years they would celebrate the New Year at the Sun family's place, which was unfair to Fang Yan. This year, they would celebrate the New Year at Fang Yan's parents' home.
Anyone with eyes can tell that this is just an excuse.
Fang Yan's family home isn't far away, so we can just go there at noon and go back to Old Sun's place in the evening.
Besides, if Sun Xuewen really went to Fang Yan's house for the New Year, couldn't he just come back and tell Old Man Sun himself? Why did he have to send someone else to tell him?
It's obvious they're ashamed of what Old Sun did before and don't want to come back and face him.
People in the compound didn't say it openly, but they all spoke of Sun Xuewen with disdain in private.
Old Sun is indeed a terrible person, but he has nothing but praise for Sun Xuewen. Sun Xuewen is so ashamed of Old Sun that he doesn't even come back for New Year's Eve dinner, which is truly heartless.
Sun Xuewu wasn't much better off. He signed up for duty this year and stayed at the factory during the Spring Festival. He just came back to say hello to Old Sun and then turned around and left.
People in the courtyard were also whispering that Sun Xuewu was heartless.
However, Mingxi felt that if only Sun Xuewen was heartless, it might be a problem on his part. But if both Sun Xuewen and Sun Xuewu were like this, then there must be a problem with Old Sun's parenting.
Mingxi muttered to herself, complaining about Old Sun to the three of them. Seeing that it was getting late, almost noon, Mingxi said goodbye to the remaining three and turned to go home.
Right now, almost every household is preparing for their New Year's Eve dinner, and smoke is billowing from their chimneys, except for Old Sun's, whose chimney is cold and empty. Not only the chimney, but the whole house is like that, looking deserted and lifeless, without a trace of human presence.
When Mingxi passed by, she peeked into the house and saw that Old Sun was inside. He was leaning against the table, drunk, holding a wine bottle. It was hard to tell whether he was drunk or just spacing out.
His clothes were wrinkled and worn, probably from several days ago. Paired with his wrinkled, old face, he looked rather pitiful.
But Mingxi wouldn't pity him.
Old Sun's current situation is entirely his own doing.
Mingxi turned and left. She walked home with light steps, and as soon as she entered the door, she smelled a wonderful fragrance.
Her eyes lit up immediately, and she rushed into the kitchen: "Mom, are you frying meatballs?"
The kitchen was hot, so Zhao Sulan had already taken off her cotton-padded coat. She was now wearing a sweater and an apron, holding a long pair of chopsticks, standing in front of the oil pan on the stove.
Seeing Mingxi come in, she nudged him, saying, "I'm covered in oil, you should go out first, be careful not to get burned."
Mingxi: "It's okay, it won't hit me!"
She stayed far away from the oil pan, but very close to where Zhao Sulan had placed the fried meatballs. While Zhao Sulan was frying, she would secretly reach out and steal a bite.
The freshly fried meatballs were still a little hot, and she would take them with both hands, trying to sneak a bite.
Zhao Sulan had been frying meatballs for a while when she turned around and saw Mingxi with oil dripping from her mouth, sneaking a meatball back and forth in her hands like a little squirrel.
Zhao Sulan: "...Eat less, otherwise you won't be able to eat anything later if you're too full."
Mingxi: "Mom, don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
She said that if there's a number, then there's a number.
But if you ask what number it is, well, don't ask.
Zhao Sulan set up a wok and started frying not only meatballs, but also tofu, ribbonfish, and shrimp...
Mingxi sneaked bites of different things, and soon her belly was bulging.
She decisively put down her hand that was stealing food.
Don't eat until you're really full, or you won't be able to eat anything later that night.
After frying the food, Zhao Sulan turned to Mingxi and instructed her, "Go check on the stove and see how the ribs I stewed this morning are doing."
A few days ago, Zhao Sulan bought a rack of pork ribs at the market. This morning, she got up early and started chopping the ribs and stewing them.
After simmering over low heat all morning, the ribs were tender and flavorful; the meat could be easily separated from the bone with a gentle bite.
Mingxi was assigned by Zhao Sulan to taste the food. This time, she ate openly and honestly. She ate three pieces of pork ribs around the pot, wiped her mouth, and returned to the kitchen to report to Zhao Sulan.
"Mom, the ribs are ready. The flavor is just right, and the saltiness is perfect too."
Zhao Sulan: "Okay. Let's bring it down first."
"Are you hungry right now? If you are..." Zhao Sulan originally wanted to say that if you were hungry, you should eat something now and have a big meal for the New Year's Eve dinner. But when she looked up at Mingxi's slightly bulging belly, she knew that she was definitely not hungry right now.
Mingxi: "Huh? Mom, what did you say?"
Zhao Sulan: "Never mind, it's nothing."
Don't be fooled by the fact that there are only two people in the family; the Ming family's New Year's Eve dinner is anything but perfunctory.
Zhao Sulan started preparing the New Year's Eve dinner in the morning, frying, stir-frying, cooking, stewing, and boiling. She worked in the kitchen until four o'clock in the afternoon before finally finishing the meal.
Her consistent view is that after a year of hard work, you must eat well and be full during the New Year, otherwise all the hard work of the past year will have been in vain.
In previous years, when the Ming family's circumstances were average, Zhao Sulan would always do her best. This year, with the Ming family's situation improving and Zhao Sulan having plenty of money, she is even more prepared.
Everything that flies in the sky, runs on the ground, or swims in the sea was placed on the dining table by Zhao Sulan.
At four o'clock in the afternoon, Zhao Sulan and Mingxi sat down at the dining table.
Looking at the table laden with more than a dozen dishes, Mingxi's eyes widened: "Mom, you're amazing! We ate even more lavishly today than at Dong Chunling's wedding!"
Zhao Sulan waved her hand: "Hey, it's nothing. I was just worried that the two of us wouldn't be able to finish it, so I held back and didn't cook all the dishes."
Mingxi didn't hold back in praising her mother: "Mom, Mom, how are you so amazing? How can you cook so many dishes? You cook them so well, I can tell they must be delicious just by smelling them. I don't think the chefs at the factory are as good as you. No, they're not even half as good as you..."
Once Mingxi starts talking, it's like a machine gun, he keeps bragging non-stop.
Although Zhao Sulan knew that Mingxi was exaggerating, she couldn't help but feel happy when she heard it.
She curled the corners of her lips and said, "Alright, stop joking around and let's eat."
She picked up her chopsticks, ready to eat, when Mingxi said, "Hey, Mom, say a few words before we eat."
Zhao Sulan: "Ahem, shall I say a few words?"
Mingxi nodded vigorously, and Zhao Sulan said, "Ahem, this year has been the year with the biggest changes for our family. First of all, you started working, which immediately eased our family's financial situation. Moreover, you also took over my job and started doing matchmaking for people."
She paused for a moment, then continued, "At first, I was reluctant to let you do this job. It wasn't suitable for a young woman like you. And introducing people to potential partners is not an easy job; you're likely to get complaints easily. I didn't expect you to do it so well, even better than I did when I first started. Maybe you were born for this. Before, I was too eager to protect you, and I underestimated you."
Zhao Sulan: "I've been reflecting on this all year. You've grown up and are an adult now. I shouldn't still treat you like a child and always do things that I think are for your own good..."
As Zhao Sulan spoke, her voice lowered, and her eyes began to redden. She wiped away her tears and smiled, saying, "Look at me, I've gone off-topic. I was talking about the changes in our family this year. The biggest change in our family this year is that you started working and grew up. Our family's economic conditions and future development are both improving step by step. I don't have much else to say, just one sentence: I hope next year will be even better!"
After saying that, she picked up the cup and downed it in one gulp.
Fortunately, the drink in the glass wasn't alcohol, but the soda Mingxi bought today; otherwise, if Zhao Sulan had been drinking like that, something bad would definitely have happened.
Zhao Sulan put down her cup, her eyes still red. After hearing Zhao Sulan's words, Mingxi's eyes also began to moisten.
She was an orphan in her past life, never had any family, never knew what maternal love was, and could not understand why Zhao Sulan could be so good to her.
But the moment she saw Zhao Sulan shed tears, she suddenly felt like a thief, stealing the maternal love that originally belonged to Mingxi.
For some reason, the moment I realized this, tears involuntarily streamed down my face.
Mingxi lowered her head, pretending to drink water, but actually to hide her tears. She quietly wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, then raised her head again with a smile on her face.
"Mom, you're right, next year will definitely be better and better!"
Zhao Sulan certainly noticed Mingxi's unusual behavior, but she didn't think much of it, assuming Mingxi was just embarrassed to let her know she had cried, so she didn't dwell on it.
She called out to Mingxi, "Eat your vegetables, eat your vegetables!"
"Mm!" Mingxi nodded emphatically and picked up her chopsticks.
"Delicious, delicious! These ribs are so good!"
"If you like it, eat more. There's more in the pot if you're not full."
"Enough! Enough!"
Mingxi focused intently on the ribs, but of course she wouldn't neglect other delicacies because of her preference for ribs; she was a wise ruler who treated everyone equally.
After a whirlwind of eating, Mingxi slumped in her chair, burping, "Burp, no, I'm really stuffed, so full I can't eat anymore, I can't eat anything else..."
Zhao Sulan: "If you're too full, get up and take a walk to digest."
Mingxi waved her hand: "I can't even stand up right now, I need to sit for a while and digest slowly."
Zhao Sulan twitched her lips and said helplessly, "You child, you can't eat like this even if it's delicious. It's not like we'll never have another meal. If you like it, I'll make it for you another day. If you eat like this, you'll get sick."
She shook her head, stood up, and said, "I remember we still have hawthorn pills at home. Those things help with digestion. Wait for me, I'll go find them for you."
Zhao Sulan went into the inner room and searched for a while, and actually found it. She took the wax pill out, squeezed it with both hands, and the wax pill was crushed, revealing a black pill about the size of a silver dollar inside.
When Mingxi saw the huge meatballs, she was instinctively intimidated.
"Mom, is it okay if I don't eat?"
Zhao Sulan: "No. You've eaten so much tonight, what if you get indigestion?"
With no other option, Mingxi had to obediently eat the hawthorn pills under Zhao Sulan's intense gaze.
Fortunately, this thing only looks bad; it tastes sweet and sour, so it's not bad at all.
After dinner, Mingxi and Zhao Sulan snuggled on the sofa to watch TV, a color TV they had recently bought.
The installation of this color TV was also thanks to Wei Ning's help.
He helped carry it back.
Right now, a spy drama is playing on TV. The protagonist is a member of our party who has infiltrated the enemy camp. The plot is thrilling and exciting. Ever since they bought the TV, Mingxi and Zhao Sulan have been waiting in front of the TV every day at the same time just to watch this drama.
Mingxi was watching TV and cracking sunflower seeds. As the two episodes ended, it got dark outside, and the sound of firecrackers popped up.
Mingxi curiously peered out the window, her eyes meeting those of Wei Ning, who had come looking for her in the courtyard.
She jumped up and opened the door, but then didn't know what to do. Wei Ning spoke first: "I'm ready. Do you want to come watch the fireworks with me?"
Mingxi: "Go!"
She took a few steps out, then suddenly remembered something, said "Wait for me to put on my coat," and hurriedly ran back into the house.
Mingxi quickly put on a coat, greeted Zhao Sulan, told her that she was going out with Wei Ning to watch the fireworks, and then came out again.
"Alright, let's go."
Wei Ning and Ming Xi walked out the door side by side. Once outside, Wei Ning took Ming Xi's hand, and Ming Xi was startled the moment their hands clasped.
Wei Ning's hands were slightly rough, and his palms were warm and seemed a little damp.
Mingxi tilted her head, her eyes meeting Wei Ning's. Wei Ning's eyes were innocent and pure as he asked, seemingly inquiring, "Is it alright?"
Mingxi couldn't help but complain, "You can't hold hands with someone like that too."
Even so, she didn't shake off Wei Ning.
Wei Ning led Mingxi out of the alley and walked for about ten minutes. Mingxi could feel that they were going further and further away from the alley, and there were fewer and fewer houses on the road.
If Mingxi didn't know who Wei Ning was, she would have suspected that he was trying to kidnap her.
They walked until they reached a wide open space, where Wei Ning stopped and said, "We're here."
Mingxi glanced around and recognized where this place came from.
This is an empty factory area to the east of the steel rolling mill. It was originally reserved for expanding the factory buildings when the mill was first built. A few years ago, when there was a housing shortage, the steel rolling mill applied to convert this area into a staff and employee housing complex.
However, after submitting the application to higher authorities several times, I haven't heard back.
This place has remained empty ever since.
Mingxi: "Why did you bring it here?"
Wei Ning: "Shall I take you to see the fireworks?"
Mingxi: "Where are the fireworks?"
There's nothing here.
Just as Mingxi was wondering, Wei Ning ran away. He went to the side, carried out a few cardboard boxes, and then took out a match from his pocket and lit it.
As Wei Ning moved, the firework fuse was lit, and then with a "whoosh," a silver light pierced the darkness and shot into the sky. With a "whoosh," a burst of fireworks bloomed in the sky, scattering golden stars and suddenly illuminating the world.
Mingxi looked up and saw that the next firework was ready. With a "bang", the flames bloomed in the sky like petals, one after another, turning the black sky into a curtain for the flames to splash freely.
Fireworks burst above Mingxi's head, and just then she heard Wei Ning's voice from not far away: "Is it beautiful?"
Mingxi turned her head to look, and Wei Ning's gaze happened to be looking over as well. Under the sky full of fireworks, Mingxi felt that his eyes were more dazzling than the fireworks.
She raised her hands, cupped them around her mouth like megaphones, and shouted to Wei Ning, "Beautiful!"
Wei Ning chuckled, raised his hand, and mimicked Ming Xi's gesture, making a megaphone. He then shouted something to Ming Xi.
The fireworks were so loud that Mingxi couldn't hear what Wei Ning was shouting.
After the fireworks ended and darkness returned, she asked Wei Ning again, "What did you just say?"
Wei Ning was unwilling to talk about it, so he just shook his head and said with a smile, "It's nothing."
Mingxi frowned.
This person never finishes speaking.
It's all so mysterious.
This is so intriguing!
How awful!
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Author's Note: Spoiler alert! The current Xiaoming is actually the original Mingxi, but Xiaoming has forgotten. The truth will be revealed in the next chapter.
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