The night was as dark as ink, dotted with countless stars, and the Liu family courtyard was illuminated by festive lights, making it exceptionally warm and inviting.
As midnight approached, the entire village was immersed in the joy of welcoming the New Year.
Liu Changqing, as the pillar of the family, meticulously carried out the ancient New Year's ritual in the courtyard.
With a solemn expression, he laid out offerings, lit incense, and the paper money turned to ashes in the firelight, drifting away with respect and longing for his ancestors.
With the booming of firecrackers, the new year quietly began amidst the deafening sounds of celebration.
At this moment, the atmosphere at home gradually became more relaxed, and the children's hearts began to stir with anticipation—for their New Year's money.
The "yasui" in "yasuiqian" (New Year's money) is also called "yasui" (yasui), which means to ward off evil spirits and ensure peace.
Following tradition, He Qunfang first gave her eldest sister, Liu Yue, a red envelope containing five yuan. Although it wasn't much, it was enough to make Liu Yue smile as brightly as a flower.
Afterwards, Liu Feng and Liu Fei also received red envelopes from their parents, their faces beaming with happiness and satisfaction.
However, just when everyone thought everything would proceed as usual, Liu Feng took out two red envelopes from his pocket and unexpectedly handed them to He Qunfang and Liu Changqing.
"Mom, Dad, this is a red envelope for you. I hope you stay young forever and that everything goes smoothly for you!"
This action instantly shattered the previously peaceful atmosphere. He Qunfang was surprised, but even more so, she was moved.
Her eyes were slightly red, and she said reproachfully, "What kind of child gives their parents a New Year's red envelope?"
But his words were full of satisfaction and pride.
Liu Feng insisted, "Mom, you and Dad don't need to work as hard as before. Your son has money and can start supporting you. Giving your parents a red envelope is only right."
Hearing her son's words, He Qunfang felt very warm and gratified.
In this society that values family traditions, the concept of "raising children to provide for old age" is deeply ingrained in people's minds.
He Qunfang was naturally happy to have such filial children, and she quickly praised them, saying, "My second son is the most filial of all!"
After she finished speaking, her gaze inadvertently fell on Liu Yue and Liu Fei, who were sitting to the side, as if to imply to them: Look at your second brother, when you grow up you should be as filial to your parents as he is.
Liu Yue and Liu Fei were touched when they saw Liu Feng giving his parents red envelopes.
Liu Changqing, who was standing to the side, was the first to open the red envelope given by Liu Feng. His eyes lit up when he saw a stack of brand-new ten-yuan bills neatly lying inside, a total of twenty bills.
He smiled like a child, immediately pocketed the money, and didn't forget to praise Liu Feng for being filial and sensible. He guessed that Liu Feng must have a lot of money, so he didn't refuse out of politeness.
"Where are you going? Give me your red envelope money." He Qunfang called out hurriedly when she saw Liu Changqing about to leave.
Liu Changqing mistakenly thought that he was being told to stop him from playing cards, and a sense of tension rose in his heart.
But when he heard He Qunfang say she would exchange her old money for his, he breathed a sigh of relief and readily agreed. After exchanging the money, he went out to play cards in high spirits.
Staying up all night during the Lunar New Year is a rare time for the adults in the village to gather and enjoy themselves.
They usually get together to play cards, but they play for small stakes, so He Qunfang generally doesn't pay much attention to them.
He Qunfang returned to her chair and slowly opened the red envelope Liu Feng had given her. When she counted the twentieth crisp ten-yuan note, a happy smile spread across her face.
Seeing this, Liu Yue wasn't about to be outdone. She blinked her big eyes, looked at Liu Feng, and said sweetly, "Second brother, you gave Mom and Dad red envelopes, what about mine?"
Liu Feng smiled slightly. He was prepared and took out two more red envelopes from his pocket, handing them to his sister and brother.
When Liu Yue opened it, she was surprised to find that it contained brand new one-yuan bills. Although the face value was not large, there were quite a few, a total of twenty bills. She was both surprised and delighted. Her eyes crinkled as she said to Liu Feng, "Second brother, your sister really loves you so much!"
Liu Fei was equally happy. He counted his red envelopes repeatedly, his eyes sparkling with happiness.
New money always makes people happy to see and feel good to touch, and there's so much of it. This year, they received the most New Year's money they've ever received.
On this night filled with laughter, the family spent a warm and unforgettable Lunar New Year's Eve together.
As the new year approaches, they look forward to new hope and a bright future.
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