Yan Xiaoqiang found another bottle of firecrackers, and Dongnan helped set out the chopsticks and bowls. Grandma Yan took out incense and candles, and wisps of smoke rose up, filling the room with the scent of sandalwood.
Yan Xiaonan looked at the smoke, her thoughts drifting away. Her parents from the 21st century must know she had perished. Fortunately, she still had her younger brother. She hoped they wouldn't be too heartbroken.
But who knocked me unconscious? I don't think I offended anyone. What happened? Oh well, I guess I'll just have to make the best of it and live my life.
Grandma Yan came over and picked up Nan Nan: "Baby, would you like to offer a stick of incense to the Yan family ancestors?"
Nan Nan nodded, and Cuihua slipped a strip of cloth under Yan Xiaonan's armpit to ensure the safety of Yan Xiaonan, who was not yet very good at walking.
Yan Xiaonan picked up a lit sandalwood incense stick and waved it up and down near the wild boar's head. Grandma Yan took it and inserted it into the incense burner, making the sandalwood fragrance even stronger.
Grandma Yan was overjoyed. It was as if her ancestors had appeared to her, telling her that Nan Nan was a treasure. She could smell the sandalwood incense filling the room, which had even masked the aroma of the meat.
Cai Min was upset again. Shouldn't the grandchildren be the first to perform ancestral rites? How could this little baby be the one to do it? Erqiang's mother must have something wrong with her brain.
But she had learned her lesson. She just rolled her eyes at Nan Nan, pouted, and Bei Nan on her left saw it all clearly. She gritted her teeth and walked towards the kitchen.
A moment later, he came in with a twig that was still glowing, and deliberately twisted his ankle, so that the twig touched Cai Min's buttocks.
Mars wasn't very big, and as a result, it was completely extinguished by the clothes. Since winter clothes were thick, Cai Min didn't feel that there was any problem.
Yan Erqiang clearly saw that Cai Min's pants had a black hole burned into them. The location was awkward; it would look bad if it wasn't patched, but it would look even worse if it was. The pants were ruined.
But Yan Erqiang was smart enough to keep quiet. He knew he had to go back tomorrow. Except for the Southwest, all the children in his third brother's family were strange. Leaving as soon as possible was the best thing to do.
Everyone except Cai Min and her two sons could see through Bei Nan's actions clearly. Dong Nan's eyes flickered, but Yan Xiaonan lowered her eyes.
Feeling a little guilty, Cuihua hastily finished her offering and quickly removed the incense, changed the set of bowls and chopsticks, and began her last dinner of the year—the New Year's Eve dinner.
Yan Erqiang was a little drunk. He had worked hard for more than ten years, but he didn't know who he was working so hard for. He decided to let himself get drunk for once.
The first day of the Lunar New Year arrives amidst the crackling of firecrackers, accompanied by fluttering white snow and smoke rising from the rooftops of every household. Is this a good year?
No, in just a few days, several people have already left the small Mushroom Village. In their hunger and cold, even Grandma Yan's wild boar offal couldn't do much good.
With all these upsetting things happening, the atmosphere at home was rather gloomy. Upon hearing this, Cai Min just wanted to leave this place as soon as possible; it was too terrifying.
After breakfast, Grandma Yan gave each of her two grandsons a dime as a New Year's gift. She also asked Cuihua to prepare a small bamboo basket containing a jar of lard, a dozen steamed buns, two pounds of wild boar meat, and the cotton-padded clothes that they had sent.
Southwest called his third uncle, who drove an oxcart to take them to the train station. Yan Erqiang looked at his old mother standing at the door to see them off, and at the cotton clothes in the bamboo basket. Overwhelmed with sorrow, he burst into tears.
Cai Min, however, was delighted as she carried the bamboo basket. She had made a profit this time; there was lard and wild boar meat, which she could take back for her parents to enjoy.
Halfway through the journey, Cai Min took two cents from the pockets of the two children. "Why would children want money?" she said, and confiscated the money.
Yan Ge was becoming more sensible, and although he was unhappy, he didn't make a fuss. But Yan Zheng wouldn't stand for that, and he suddenly burst into tears. This cry woke up Yan Erqiang, who was feeling melancholy in the autumn.
Looking at his son wailing, then at Cai Min's embarrassed face, and then at his third uncle's disdainful gaze, Yan Erqiang's mind began to race.
With a sharp slap, Cai Min was slapped hard across the face by Yan Erqiang. What a disgrace! It's just two cents, you can ask for it back home, why did you have to make a fool of yourself in your own hometown?
He glanced at Yan Zheng again, and was about to raise his hand when Yan Ge quickly covered Yan Zheng's mouth. Third Uncle also stopped the oxcart: "Hey, second son, today is the first day of the Lunar New Year. Your whole family is fighting, crying and making a scene on my oxcart. What do you mean by that?"
Yan Erqiang was stunned for a moment. Oh no, today is the first day of the Lunar New Year! How come he didn't think of this? Just as he was about to say something nice, he saw his third uncle throw their luggage off the oxcart one by one.
"You can go now. I'm also having bad luck. Today's work has been for nothing." Uncle San drove them off the oxcart, led the old ox around, and left.
The family of four stood there bewildered in the wind. Yan Zheng dared not make a sound anymore, and when Yan Ge looked at his parents, a hint of barely perceptible hatred flashed in his eyes.
Without a word, Yan Erqiang picked up the bamboo basket of luggage that belonged to him and his grandmother, carried it on his back, and started walking quickly, as if he wanted to abandon his wife and children.
Cai Min panicked. In the dead of winter, with no village or shop in sight, what was she to do with two children? She hurriedly picked up her luggage from the ground, dragged her two children along, and chased after them.
They managed to cover the distance that was more than half an hour away in just fifteen minutes. Yan Erqiang was still rational; although he walked very fast, he still left himself some leeway. Otherwise, Cai Min and her son would never have been able to catch up.
Yan Zheng sat on a chair at the train station, holding his younger brother in his arms. He was sheltered from the wind and snow outside, but he couldn't escape the sadness in his heart. He used to think that his mother was right and that his father was kind.
This visit to his grandmother's house provided him with a vivid lesson in contrast. His grandmother was much kinder than his maternal grandmother, and she would even give them expensive malted milk powder. She wouldn't scold them even if he took his sister's food.
My third uncle and aunt were much better than my aunt and uncle, yet they never made sarcastic remarks to them, nor did they secretly hide their food.
My older brothers weren't very enthusiastic towards me, but they were much nicer than my aunt's younger siblings; they never teased me or my younger brother.
Most importantly, Grandma's house had meat and fish to eat, and after a full meal, you could have a steamed bun made from two kinds of flour as a snack. Also, the house was very warm, unlike my own house which was always cold.
I really want to go to Grandma's house again. That's home, isn't it? When there's something delicious at my own home, Mom always takes it to my maternal grandmother's house. Even if I go with her, I never get to eat a bite.
The train finally pulled into the station. Yan Erqiang, carrying luggage, walked ahead with Yan Zheng, while Cai Min followed behind, supporting Yan Ge. The handprint on their faces was very obvious and drew attention.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
