Zhuang Zhimeng encouraged Jiang Yanxia: "Xiazi, you sang very well, we all like it."
An Qingbai agreed: "Yanxia sang well!"
Su Mengmeng also praised her, saying, "Xiazi, you sang quite well. Please sing more often in the future; we'd love to hear you sing!"
Jiang Yanxia was greatly encouraged when she saw that Zhuang Zhimeng and the other two praised her: "Great! If you want to hear it, I'll sing it for you again when I have the chance."
All three nodded in agreement.
Zhuang Zhimeng also performed a magic trick. She thought of a small magic trick from later generations, static electricity matches, and used the matches she had just used as props.
After her performance, Su Mengmeng and Jiang Yanxia both asked her how she did it.
Zhuang Zhimeng appeared cryptic, saying, "It can only be understood intuitively, not explained in words."
She was too embarrassed to say it; if she did, the anticipation would be gone. It's an easy magic trick, after all.
An Qingbai did notice her little actions, but he didn't point them out. He certainly wouldn't undermine Zhuang Zhimeng, otherwise he would definitely suffer the consequences. He wouldn't do something so foolish.
When it was An Qingbai's turn to perform, he told a story he had heard on the radio. He said that he would come over and listen to storytelling with Zhuang Zhimeng whenever he had free time.
Everyone seemed very interested; it really was quite interesting.
Jiang Yanxia and Su Mengmeng both knew that Zhuang Zhimeng had a radio that An Qingbai had repaired.
However, they also knew that An Qingbai sometimes listened to the radio at Zhuang Zhimeng's place, so they didn't feel comfortable coming over specifically to listen. They would only listen when Zhuang Zhimeng happened to be playing the radio during meals.
By the time An Qingbai finished telling his story, it was already quite late. Although it was New Year's Eve, he was supposed to stay up all night, but he really couldn't stay up that long.
Su Mengmeng and Jiang Yanxia said goodbye and went back to sleep, and An Qingbai also said goodbye to Zhuang Zhimeng and went home.
On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, just as dawn broke, someone knocked on Zhuang Zhimeng's courtyard gate.
When Maoqiu and Maotuan heard the sound, they started barking. Zhuang Zhimeng patted their heads to stop them from barking.
She got up early, just in case someone came to pay New Year's visits. She put on the new clothes she had made and opened the courtyard gate.
The village children came to wish her a Happy New Year.
"Happy Chinese New Year, Sister Zhimeng!"
"Happy New Year to you all too. Come inside with me. I have some candy, melon seeds, and peanuts. Grab some and have some."
"Thank you, Sister Zhimeng!"
The children each grabbed a handful and then stopped. After sitting for a while, they told her they were going to visit other people's homes for the New Year, and then they all rushed off to visit other people's homes.
It sounds like they went to Jiang Yanxia's house next door.
After a while, Jiang Yanxia came to find Zhuang Zhimeng. "Zhimeng, Happy New Year! Are you all ready? We should go to the village to pay our respects."
"Happy New Year! All packed up, Meng-ge, let's go together later."
Su Mengmeng and An Qingbai met at the entrance, exchanged New Year's greetings, and then went inside together.
Upon seeing Zhuang Zhimeng and Jiang Yanxia, Su Mengmeng greeted them with New Year's greetings, "Big sister, Xiazi, Happy New Year!"
An Qingbai also wished them a Happy New Year: "Zhizhi, Yanxia, Happy New Year!"
"Brother Qingbai, Happy New Year, Meng Ge'er!"
Jiang Yanxia greeted An Qingbai and Su Mengmeng with New Year's greetings: "Brother An, Brother Meng, Happy New Year!"
Once everyone had arrived, they went to pay New Year's visits together. First, they went to the homes of several village leaders, then to Aunt Wang's house, Uncle An's house, and then to the educated youth settlement to offer New Year's greetings. Finally, they went to An Qingbai's house to offer New Year's greetings to Shi Meiling and An Tanxiao.
As soon as An Qingbai got home, he called out, "Dad, Mom, Zhimeng and the others have come to wish us a Happy New Year."
The three followed him into the house. Zhuang Zhimeng greeted An Tanxiao and Shi Meiling, saying, "Uncle, Aunt, Happy New Year!"
Jiang Yanxia and Su Mengmeng also stepped forward to greet them: "Uncle Tan Xiao, Aunt Meiling, Happy New Year!"
An Tanxiao responded: "Okay, all is well, Happy New Year to you all!"
Shi Meiling warmly greeted them: "Happy New Year! Happy New Year! Here's a red envelope for each of you! You just finished paying your respects, right? Have some dumplings here!"
"Thank you, Auntie. We won't eat here. We packed everything yesterday, so we'll eat at home."
Jiang Yanxia and Su Mengmeng initially didn't want to accept the red envelopes, but Shi Meiling insisted that they take them, after which they thanked her, saying, "Thank you, Aunt Meiling!"
"You are considered the younger generation, so giving you a red envelope is just a token of our appreciation for the New Year."
"You guys really aren't eating here? Zhimeng, don't be so polite, Auntie. And you two too, since you're close to Zhimeng, it's fine for you to eat here."
"Auntie, let's go back to eat, you don't need to bother!"
Jiang Yanxia also persuaded Shi Meiling: "Yes, Aunt Meiling, you don't need to worry about us, otherwise we would be too embarrassed to come over."
Seeing that they weren't actually going to eat dumplings there, Shi Meiling didn't insist any further.
Zhuang Zhimeng and the other two sat for a while before going home. An Qingbai asked Zhuang Zhimeng to persuade them to stay at home.
Seeing that An Qingbai was distracted, Shi Meiling said to him, "Third brother, why don't you go play with Zhimeng and the others? I can tell your heart isn't at home!"
Seeing that her mother's expression wasn't joking and that her voice was filled with excitement, An Qingbai asked, "Mother, are you really letting me go? Don't you need my help at home?"
"Go ahead, go ahead!"
Shi Meiling waved her hand, and An Qingbai couldn't wait to run off to find Zhuang Zhimeng.
Shi Meiling also complained to An Tanxiao, "Look at the third brother, his heart has already flown to Zhimeng!"
"This shows that he and Zhimeng have a good relationship. Otherwise, it would be troublesome if they were like the second son and his wife. They either don't talk to each other all day or they are arguing. Their lives must be miserable!"
"That's true. When relationships are good and the family is at ease, life gets better and better."
"That's right. We won't get involved in their affairs. Let them get along on their own. How they get along is up to them."
"That's right, how they get along is up to them! I heard from the third brother that Zhimeng is coming over for dinner tomorrow."
"Then we'll entertain him. We've prepared a lot of things for the New Year at home. Let's cook some of Zhimeng's favorite dishes. Didn't Third Brother tell you what Zhimeng likes to eat?"
"That's right, the third brother said that Zhimeng loves to eat fish, so let's cook her a fish, and then cook a few of my signature dishes?"
"It's up to you. Zhimeng will definitely not mind whatever you make. Last time she came to our house for dinner, she seemed to really enjoy your cooking."
"Alright, then we'll arrange it my way!"
An Tanxiao nodded.
Back home, Zhimeng started cooking dumplings, and this time An Qingbai was in charge of the fire.
Normally, when An Qingbai is around, he's the one who tends the fire; when he's not, Jiang Yanxia does it. Su Mengmeng needs to practice more before she can trust him to tend the fire.
Each person had a plate of dumplings, and Zhuang Zhimeng also picked out several cloves of Laba garlic to eat with them. Anyone who didn't have enough could get more.
An Qingbai and Su Mengmeng also drank some baijiu (Chinese liquor), and they enjoyed it very much. They didn't dare to drink too much, otherwise it wouldn't be good if they got drunk and acted crazy during the New Year.
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