On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the sky over Liucun was gloomy, but the occasional snowflakes added a touch of poetic beauty to this joyous occasion.
In the kitchen of the Liu family's courtyard, the stove was burning brightly, and wisps of steam rose into the air.
He Qunfang was busy cooking dumplings by the pot. Two kinds of dumplings with different fillings were rolling in the boiling water: pork and scallion dumplings and chive and egg dumplings. They were mixed together and gave off an enticing aroma.
Liu Yue and Liu Fei, the siblings, could no longer contain their anticipation for the New Year. Dressed in their new clothes, they jumped and skipped around the house happily.
The eldest sister, Liu Yue, wore a pink cotton-padded jacket and light blue jeans, looking like a delicate little flower in spring, lively and lovely.
Liu Fei, on the other hand, wore a stylish jacket with an adorable little tiger embroidered on the chest, adding to the festive atmosphere of the Year of the Tiger.
He kept looking down and fiddling with the hem of his clothes, seemingly very satisfied with his new outfit, and showing it off to his sister with a hint of pride.
"Time to eat dumplings!"
At He Qunfang's call, everyone came to the kitchen to get dumplings.
On the stove, five bowls of steaming dumplings are neatly arranged, each dumpling plump and round, emitting an enticing aroma.
"Wow, this is delicious!"
Liu Fei picked up a steaming hot dumpling, blew on it, and eagerly put it in his mouth. After taking a bite, his eyes immediately lit up.
The dumplings have thin wrappers and generous fillings, bursting with juice, instantly bringing a sense of warmth and happiness to the New Year.
Liu Yue excitedly picked up a dumpling and put it in her mouth. It was filled with chives and eggs, and it was just as delicious. She chewed it carefully, her face full of enjoyment.
"Mom's dumplings are so delicious!" she exclaimed, chewing the dumpling filling with unclear speech.
This year's dumplings have more filling and meat, so they naturally taste much better than in previous years.
He Qunfang smiled happily as she watched the children eat so happily.
While reminding the children to be careful not to burn themselves, she picked up a dumpling and put it in her mouth, savoring the taste of the New Year.
Suddenly, a look of surprise appeared on Liu Feng's face. He slowly put down his chopsticks, picked up the half-eaten dumpling, and smiled mysteriously.
"Haha, I got a coin!" Liu Feng shouted excitedly.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at him curiously.
Liu Feng grinned and said, "Looks like I'm going to have a lot of good luck this year!"
Immediately afterwards, Liu Fei and Liu Yue also found dumplings with coins inside, and both of them showed surprised smiles.
He Qunfang looked at them happily and said, "This is a good omen. In the new year, our Liu family will surely have a smooth and prosperous year."
After breakfast, the villagers of Liucun began their annual New Year's greetings according to tradition.
They went from house to house to offer New Year's greetings.
Upon arriving at each household, the host would warmly greet them at the door, exchanging "Happy New Year" greetings and offering them cigarettes, candy, melon seeds, and other gifts as a token of good wishes.
Liu Changqing led the three children to their grandparents' house first.
As soon as they entered, the children shouted in unison, "Happy New Year, Grandpa and Grandma!"
Then, they respectfully kowtowed to wish each other a Happy New Year, their sweet voices echoing in the cold air, sounding especially warm.
Grandparents and their uncle's family were chatting around the brazier when their children and grandchildren came to wish them a Happy New Year. They smiled from ear to ear and quickly took out red envelopes from their pockets, wishing the children academic progress and peace.
Liu Changqing smiled and bowed to the elderly couple, wishing them a Happy New Year: "Mom and Dad, Happy New Year! I wish you both good health and a long life!"
Grandpa and Grandma happily replied, "Yes, yes, Happy New Year! May everyone be well!"
At this time, my second uncle's family also came over to offer their New Year's greetings.
Looking at Liu Changqing's Zhongshan suit, his second uncle praised, "Second brother, you look really smart in this new outfit!"
He then turned to the children and praised, "The three children are dressed so well too. This year you finally decided to buy them new clothes!"
Liu Xiaoling, standing next to Liu Yue, held her hand and said enviously, "Sister Liu Yue, your clothes are so beautiful, and I also like your jeans, but my mom won't buy them for me. Your mom really loves you!"
Liu Yue felt very pleased with the praise and comforted Liu Xiaoling at the same time.
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