Chapter 55
It was already 11 o'clock in the evening when they returned from the theater after watching the show. The father and daughter hurried to take a shower, wash their hair and wash their clothes before midnight because according to old customs, no cleaning activities should be carried out on the first day of the Lunar New Year, otherwise money would be lost.
As the countdown ended, the big clock in the living room made a "ding ding ding" sound, announcing that the first day of the new year had arrived!
At the same time, bursts of deafening firecrackers came from outside the window, as if the whole city was shrouded in joy and happiness.
Every sound of firecrackers is like a warm welcome to the New Year, immersing people in the strong festive atmosphere.
Su Miao also pulled his father to the gate of the yard to set off firecrackers. The neighbors in the alley were also at their doorsteps at this time, greeting each other with smiles.
The red firecrackers hanging on the gate of the courtyard looked like a soaring fire dragon. Su Yuan was carefully lighting them with the incense sticks inserted at the door.
As the fuse burned, the firecrackers began to crackle. Su Miao jumped up excitedly, covering his ears with his hands, but his eyes were fixed on the string of flashing sparks.
More and more people came out to set off firecrackers, and the sound of firecrackers became more and more frequent, so loud that even people standing face to face and shouting could not hear each other's voices. It was like a grand concert, which made people's hearts excited.
The smoke from the exploding firecrackers filled the air, emitting a unique smell of gunpowder. Su Miao felt this breath that symbolized prosperity, and his heart was filled with joy.
Although there were only a father and his daughter at home, this year's New Year was not lonely at all. All the necessary rituals were observed, and the food was more sumptuous than in previous years.
Although we don’t have radios and televisions at home now, it’s not boring either. We can feel the strong festive atmosphere as soon as we go out.
After happily spending the first day of the New Year, on the second day, the father and daughter locked the courtyard gate, the hall door and the room door, and then went on a two-day trip to Nanning.
Ning County is a county under the jurisdiction of Yongcheng City, only more than 60 kilometers away from the urban area of Yongcheng City, but the roads are not well built yet, so it takes two hours to get there by bus.
After breakfast, the father and daughter went out. Because there was no place to help watch the bus at the station, they had to walk for half an hour to the bus station.
Su Yuan was carrying a square shoulder bag across his shoulder, which contained his and Su Miao's spare clothes and documents. Since they were going to stay overnight in Yongcheng, they had to bring their ID cards and household registration books.
He was carrying a large bag of New Year's goods, which he was going to give to Liu Ming's house when he passed by.
When they went over, Liu Xiaobao and a group of children were playing with spinning tops at the gate of the yard, and Liu Zhaodi was watching from the side.
There were three families living in their yard. After Liu Xu moved in, she had always lived in the same room with Liu Zhaodi. Because of this, Liu Zhaodi felt that her aunt belonged to her alone.
Seeing Su Miao at this moment, he immediately shouted: "What are you doing here!"
Su Miao rolled her eyes speechlessly and said coldly, "Call your dad out, don't waste my time."
Liu Zhaodi was stunned. She felt that Su Miao was really crazy now. She would never dare to speak like this before.
"You can yell if you want to. What does my family have to do with you? Why do you come here? I'm afraid you're not here to eat and drink for free!"
It was a peaceful time of the year. Liu Zhaodi's untimely voice successfully attracted the adults. Besides Liu Ming, there were several neighbors who lived in the same courtyard.
Seeing Liu Ming coming out, Su Miao took the big bag from his father's hand and handed it to him, then spoke quickly as if reciting a text.
"Uncle, this is a New Year's gift for your family. I wish you a happy New Year! I have something to do at home so I won't bother you. Happy New Year, uncle! Say hello to my mom and aunt. Goodbye."
After saying that, he took his father's hand and quickly left this dangerous place.
Liu Ming stood there in a daze, and before he could react, the father and daughter had already walked away.
A neighbor came over and patted him on the shoulder to bring him back to his senses. When he opened the big bag, he saw that it was full of high-end candies and biscuits.
"Oh! Your niece is thinking about you! These good things are not easy to buy!"
"Yes! Yes! Mingzai! Although your sister is divorced, I think your ex-sister-in-law is a really good person!"
"Of course! If it were any other family, after a divorce, they wouldn't even let their children come to pay New Year's greetings! Not to mention such an expensive gift. Why didn't you give them a red envelope just now?"
Liu Ming twitched his stiff lips and cursed inwardly, "What a clever little bastard! Giving him a gift in front of so many people made him speechless. If it was in private, he would definitely scold her. She made so much money and yet gave such a shabby gift."
He thought the high-end candies and snacks were shabby, and when he got home and took out the contents from the bottom he was furious. Most of the bag was popcorn sticks, and the colorful colors were exactly the same as his current expression.
At this time, the father and daughter who had already arrived at the station were still laughing. Su Miao said, "Dad! What do you think of my idea? I'll spend a little money to achieve a big thing. It will make others think I'm polite, and at the same time disgust Liu Ming."
Su Yuanzheng's original intention was to help his daughter build a good reputation. He didn't stop her from stuffing popcorn sticks into the bag, and he thought she was very clever. He suppressed a smile and said, "What if he takes out the bag in public? Wouldn't that give him away?"
"I don't know him yet. He wants to hide any good things as soon as possible, for fear that others will share them. Once he takes something into the house, I can't guarantee whether it is the original one when he takes it out. Even if he does, others may not believe it."
Su Yuanzheng gave his daughter a thumbs up.
During the Chinese New Year, the station is still bustling with people, and many small vendors sell water and food at the door. People are willing to buy at the station entrance because the prices sold in the convenience stores inside are really too high.
At this time, most people were returning home late. There were very few people like Su Miao who went to the city. There were only a few people who came from the city to work and wanted to go back to celebrate the New Year. The father and daughter also experienced the fun of the reverse Spring Festival travel rush.
The two-hour journey was in a sleeper berth. The conductor had a stack of plastic bags in her hand. If anyone was really carsick, they could ask her for them to avoid vomiting in the car.
Su Miao lay on the shaking bus with the window next to him open a crack. It was not cold today and the breeze on his face felt very comfortable. He listened to the songs played by the driver and fell asleep in a daze.
"Getting ready to go downtown! Is anyone getting off the Xiyuan roundabout?"
"Master! We'll stop at Hulu Bridge in a while. There's something under the carriage. Please help me open the door."
…
Su Miao was awakened by the sound of conversation. He opened his eyes and looked out the window. The bus had already entered the city, and the originally bumpy dirt road had turned into a flat and wide street.
There are shops on both sides of the road, pedestrians are dressed neatly and appropriately, and there are several times more bicycles and cars than on Ning County Street. At the large intersection, you have to wait for more than a minute for a traffic light.
It was the Chinese New Year, and red lanterns were hung on every tree along the road, creating a very festive atmosphere.
Seeing his daughter wake up, Su Yuanzheng said, "Miaomiao, where should we get off? Should we go to the station first and then find the way?"
Su Miao recalled the city environment at this time in his previous life and said, "The bus will pass Chaoyang Square in a while. That's the city center. We'll get off there. There's a guesthouse a little further ahead. It's a bit expensive, but the environment is nice. Let's book a place to stay first and then go out for a walk."
"Miao Miao, how do you know so clearly?" Su Yuanzheng had no impression that his daughter had ever been to Yongcheng.
"Many of my classmates often come here to play. They talked about it when they returned to school."
Su Miao's words made Su Yuanzheng feel a little guilty again. He had never brought his daughter to the city to play even though she was so old. She must have been very envious when she heard her classmates talk about it.
Su Miao didn't notice the change in her father's mood. She looked out the car window at the street in her memory. It was strange yet familiar, and she felt an indescribable sadness in her heart.
In her previous life, her life began a new chapter when she came to this city and also ended in this city.
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