"Mom, we can buy a TV when we have money." When Yu Zihan thought of those Spring Festival Galas, she still had a lot of nostalgia in her heart.
The Spring Festival Gala is now all the rage. On New Year's Eve, it's not just a table full of delicious food that keeps people entertained, but also the Spring Festival Gala. On this special stage, countless performers sacrifice family time to bring joy to those watching on television, dedicating their efforts to presenting a feast of art. In the 1980s and 1990s, the Spring Festival Gala became a highly sought-after form of entertainment in a world lacking in cultural life.
"Okay, Mom will buy Zihan whatever she wants." Yu Meijuan didn't know what the Spring Festival Gala was, but she knew that anything worth her daughter's memory would have to be good. Satisfying her daughter's wishes was her greatest goal in life. So she agreed without hesitation.
There was no TV, no lively atmosphere, but with my mother's cooking and company, this New Year's Eve was still very meaningful. At midnight, mother and daughter ate dumplings and set off firecrackers. Then they fell asleep. When they opened their eyes, it was already 1986.
Yu Zihan opened her eyes and saw a purse lying quietly beside her pillow. She could tell it was her mother's handiwork. She picked it up, opened the purse, and saw a brand new ten-yuan note inside. It was her mother's lucky money. She gladly accepted it. She wanted to receive her mother's lucky money forever, forever and ever.
Yu Zihan was not immersed in her happy thoughts for long when she was awakened by the sound of firecrackers. She quickly put on the new clothes her mother had prepared for her and got out of bed.
Seeing her daughter newly dressed, Yu Meijuan's face lit up with a bright smile. Yu Zihan was wearing a high-necked off-white sweater knitted by Yu Meijuan from coarse wool. Over her, she wore a bright red corduroy smock. Yu Meijuan added her own touches to the smock, creating two visible pockets and embossing the edges with matching fabric. The collar also had a ruffled hem, a look that suited Yu Zihan's age. She wore black straight-leg pants and a pair of black T-strap leather shoes.
Yu Meijuan wore the same off-white sweater as her daughter, and a navy blue suit made of Decca fabric. The top had a blazer collar, revealing the white sweater. She wore straight-leg suit pants and a pair of black leather shoes.
Yu Zihan was so happy to see her mother in her new outfit, so intelligent and graceful. Words could not describe her happiness.
"Happy New Year, Ms. Yu." Yu Zihan brought greetings from the year 1986.
"Happy New Year, Zi Han." Yu Meijuan greeted her daughter with a smile.
"Let's eat first, and then go to our neighbors' house to wish them a happy new year." Yu Meijuan patted her daughter's shoulder and began to bring the steaming dumplings to the table.
The breakfast was simple, freshly cooked dumplings and some braised meat that was not finished last night.
After dinner, it wasn't even eight o'clock yet. The two of them placed a plate of sunflower seeds, peanuts, and various candies on the coffee table in the living room. This was for entertaining neighbors visiting for New Year's greetings, so Yu Meijuan arranged it very neatly. Besides the sunflower seeds and peanuts, the table also had a pot of vibrant greenery called the evergreen.
This is Evergreen
After Yu Meijuan's decorations, the house looked elegant, unlike anything you'd find in a small town. After packing everything up and filling her and her daughter's pockets with candy, Meijuan headed out. Their first stop was Aunt Wang's house at the entrance of the alley. After they settled into their new courtyard, Aunt Wang had been very caring towards Meijuan, so of course, their first stop was to visit her home during the New Year's celebrations.
Arriving at Aunt Wang's front door, it was ajar, and it was clear that it was ready for people to come and pay New Year's greetings. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, every household warmly entertains visits from relatives and friends.
"Sister Wang, I've brought my daughter to wish you a happy new year." Yu Meijuan shouted at the gate, her voice rising to the top of her lungs. This was also a way to tell the people inside that someone was coming in.
"Hey, come in quickly, come in quickly." Aunt Wang's voice came from inside.
The mother and daughter hurried in and saw that several neighbors were already sitting in Aunt Wang's living room, chatting. The children, with candies in their mouths, were lighting firecrackers in the yard.
When the children saw new neighbors coming in, they ran in together and shouted to Yu Meijuan: "Happy New Year, Auntie. Happy New Year, sister." Yu Meijuan said to them gently: "Happy New Year, Happy New Year." Then she took out candies from her pocket and distributed them to the children.
The children took the candies without hesitation and ran away.
Aunt Wang was very pleased with Yu Meijuan's behavior. She was generous, unlike the others who were very stingy. The children gave them New Year's greetings for nothing, but they couldn't even get a piece of candy.
"Oh, it's different when you have money in your hands. You are so generous." A sarcastic voice broke the harmonious atmosphere.
Yu Zihan and her daughter looked towards the person who made the sound.
This person was the woman who had been causing trouble for them on their first day. Later, they learned that this woman's name was Zhao Yumei. Her background was similar to Yu Meijuan's, but the Zhao family's background was nowhere near as rich as the Yu family's. Theirs was just a wealthy family in Qingcheng.
During the movement, everyone in her family was exiled to remote areas. Zhao Yumei, unwilling to follow her family into hardship in the impoverished countryside, hurriedly married Li Gang, a small-time laborer. Li Gang's parents were also honest workers. They had four sons, Li Gang the eldest, and three younger brothers, each two years older than him. None of the three younger brothers had jobs. They were all sent to the countryside during the movement.
When Zhao Yumei first married Li Gang, she found life very stable. She knew her family's situation well. It was uncertain whether her family would return, and she knew she had to be either a dragon coiled or a tiger crouched. Li Gang's younger brothers had all moved to the countryside, and the house was large enough for them. With three of the four members earning a salary, they lived a comfortable life.
She was also very good at getting pregnant, and within a few years she gave birth to three grandchildren for the Li family. She was a great contributor to the Li family. In the Li family, her words were the rule.
But the good times came to an abrupt end when Li Gang's brothers gradually returned to the city. Their return to find work and marriage made life difficult for the Li family. Meanwhile, members of the Zhao family died during the movement, leaving Zhao Yumei, without her family, alone. As Li Gang and his brothers married and had children, the family crowded into their small courtyard. Her temper gradually worsened, and her harsh nature became apparent. She was rude not only to her own family but also to her neighbors.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
