This year, there's no 30th day of the twelfth lunar month, meaning the 29th is New Year's Eve. That morning, after breakfast, Liu's mother asked Liu's father to cut some red paper and take two eggs to Accountant Li's house to write the couplets and the Chinese character for "Fu" (meaning "blessing"). Accountant Li's original name was Li Defu. He had fled here with his brother during the war. He became the accountant of Liujia Village because of his beautiful handwriting and quick and accurate arithmetic.
"Xuemei, take your brothers and sisters to take a shower, wash their hair, and change their inner clothes. You can change into your cotton-padded jackets tomorrow morning."
After Xuemei finished taking a bath, she followed Xuemei and rubbed the clothes of the four siblings with soap nuts using the bath water.
"Mom, Qingya and I have already washed the clothes." Liu's father and mother have let their child learn to wash his own clothes since he was seven years old, but it is too cold in winter and it is usually Liu's mother who helps wash the child's clothes.
"Okay, you leave it there. After we change clothes, ask your father to take it to the river to wash it." In Xuemei's house, when winter comes, Liu's father feels sorry for Liu's mother, so he always asks Liu's mother to rub the clothes with hot water at home, and then he takes them to the river to wash them.
Because of this, many wives in the village envied Liu's mother, especially Second Mother Wang Shuihua, who was very jealous. It was only in the past two years, when her eldest brother Mingzheng took her second brother Mingwen to wash their own clothes in the winter, that Second Mother finally felt at ease. Liu's father was also targeted by some men in the village because of this, but Liu's father usually dealt with it with his fists.
"Xuemei, take your brothers and sisters to the firebox to warm your hair and keep it dry. Don't let them get cold."
"Okay, Mom, go get warm by the fire, you three."
…
"Mother, is the rice porridge ready?"
"It's ready. Take Xuemei and the others to put up the couplets. I'll kill the fish first."
"Xuemei, come here and help Dad check if the couplets are posted correctly."
"Brother, why are you here?" Xuemei asked Mingzheng who was walking over.
"Uncle, Xuemei, my mother asked me to come and see what dishes you're bringing over for dinner so she can make other dishes."
"My mother is in the kitchen. Go find her there."
"Dad, a little more to the left."
"What about now?"
"Dad, a little higher. It's OK."
"Auntie, are you killing fish?" Liu Mingzheng walked into the kitchen and said to his mother.
"Yes, your family didn't get any fish this year, right?"
"No, my mom just wants me to come over and tell you what you're cooking for dinner so she can cook something else."
"I'll make a fish and stew a pig's trotter. Oh, and take a basket of steamed bread home for your mother to steam for dinner tonight. It's made with tofu dregs and cornmeal."
"Okay, Auntie, I'll take it home first. You guys come over earlier."
Liu Mingzheng came into the yard with a dustpan of steamed bread. "Qingya, Ruirui, Feifei, do you want to come with me first? Your third brother and Juhua are at home roasting sweet potatoes and yams!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Qingya took her brothers and followed Liu Mingzheng to the old house.
After the couplets were posted, Xuemei watched the fire in the kitchen. Father and Mother Liu each took a bath and washed their hair. After Mother Liu finished, Father Liu carried the clothes to the river to wash. Mother Liu stayed home to cook dinner.
After the dishes were prepared, Liu's father worshipped the gods and invited the ancestors at home, and then Liu's mother and the other two went to the old house with New Year gifts and dishes.
Ever since Liu's father got married, the whole family would go to the old house to have a reunion dinner together on the afternoon of New Year's Eve.
"Dad, Mom, Grandpa, Grandma," Liu's father and mother Xuemei shouted.
"You guys are here, you can eat later."
"Dad, Mom, this is the New Year gift Xuemei's mom prepared for you." Father Liu handed it to grandma and said, this year Liu's mom prepared a pack of e-cigarettes, a bottle of wine, a box of mung bean cakes, and a dollar wrapped in red paper.
"Grandma looked at the things and said to Liu's mother, "What dishes did you bring today?"
"Mom, I steamed some chopped pepper fish and stewed some pig's trotters and kelp. I'm going to put them in the kitchen now. Don't let them get cold. Keep them warm in the pot."
Grandma then smiled with satisfaction and said, "I said there were no fish this year, but it turns out there are always more fish every year. Go quickly! Is Shuihua in the kitchen?"
"Sister-in-law, what delicious dishes are you making?"
"Sister-in-law, come here."
"Well, Shuihua, put the dishes I brought in the big iron pot steamer to heat them up first." Liu's mother took out a plate of chopped pepper fish from the basket. The whole fish weighed more than one kilogram; and a large bowl of pig's trotter and kelp, with seven or eight ounces of pig's trotter meat in it.
"By the way, these are the mung bean cakes for Mingzheng and his children, and this dried kelp. I found it when I went to the county town last time. It's good for children's health. Just soak a little and you'll have a bowl." Mother Liu took out a box of mung bean cakes and half a pound of dried kelp from a cloth bag and handed them to Wang Shuihua.
"Then I'd like to thank you, sister-in-law, on behalf of the children. Sister-in-law, please go sit for a while. I'll prepare this dish and then we'll eat."
"Okay, if you need anything, just give me a call and I'll help you."
After grandpa had worshipped the gods and invited the ancestors, everyone started to move the tables and chairs to prepare for dinner.
Grandpa Liu sat at the main table, with Liu Liu and his second uncle sitting beside him. Grandma, Liu's mother, and his second mother sat down one after another. Mingzheng was the only child sitting at the table; the others stood at the table, picking up their food and then eating off to the side. There were six dishes on the table: steamed fish with chopped peppers, pig's trotters stewed with kelp, braised pork, pickled beans and minced pork, egg soup, and green vegetables.
"We are living much better this year than in previous years. Now that life is better, you adults can't be lazy and have to work hard. The children are growing up now, so you have to try your best to make sure they have enough to eat. Guangda and Guanghui, you two brothers have to unite, bring your wives with you, and let your children unite as well." Before eating, Grandpa Liu said.
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