With things having gone this far, Liu Junbo and Ning Ruoruo simply couldn't stay any longer.
Li Zhen got angry and brought the two of them to Li Xiangdong's place.
"Xiangdong, I called home to tell them about their relationship in advance, but I couldn't get through. I also needed the train tickets urgently, so I decided to do it first and tell them later."
Li Zhen felt a little apologetic for bringing the person back without discussing it with her family.
Li Xiangdong didn't care about that; he was curious about something else entirely: "Why did Ning Ruoruo come back with you?"
"It's a long story. Ruoruo was studying at the high school next to our school. We met less than a month after I arrived in Yanjing."
"Sigh, this happened so suddenly. Her maternal grandfather suddenly retired from his post, and her stepmother said it was all her fault, so she kicked her out. Ruoruo originally wanted to rent a small house near the school, but that place was too dilapidated. It was just a shed built on the street. She would freeze to death living there in winter. I had to persuade her to come back to our house for the New Year."
"Let's talk about it after the New Year. Ruoruo is really too pitiful."
Li Zhen sighed. This child's life is really hard. He has only had a short time of good days before he was kicked out again.
Li Xiangdong clenched his fists. This Zhou Yicheng is heartless! He actually let his second wife drive out his bloodline!
"Fourth Sister, don't worry, let Ruoruo stay here with me. I'll find a way to help her after the New Year."
"Yeah, I knew you could help her. Oh, and Junbo too. He was supposed to go visit Uncle Liu for the New Year, but all the train tickets to Cangshan are sold out. If he goes back to his hometown, he'll have to trouble the villagers, and they're not well-off these days, so he came to our house..."
Li Xiangdong patted his fourth sister on the shoulder, "Fourth sister, you did the right thing! It's never wrong to lend a hand when someone is in trouble. I think we shouldn't go to our parents' place. Let's spend the New Year here. It's spacious and lively!"
I don't know what Li Xiangdong, Liu Junbo, and Ning Ruoruo said, but the two of them settled down and even helped Li Lan prepare New Year's goods, such as fried dough twists, small twisted dough sticks, and meatballs.
The courtyard house is filled with the aroma of oil and meat every day, and Liu Junbo's happy smile stretches from ear to ear. "I can't get this much delicious food in the school cafeteria!"
Although universities nowadays don't charge tuition and even offer subsidies, you still need to pay for your own meals in the cafeteria and use food coupons.
Without any financial support, Liu Junbo's life wasn't very comfortable; he usually ate only a plate of vegetarian dishes and a few coarse flour steamed buns.
Around 7 p.m., Li Jin and Zhao Sufang arrived at Li Xiangdong's house and sincerely invited Liu Junbo and Ning Ruoruo to stay at their home. "Good children, your uncle's house is also a new house, and it's very spacious!"
Liu Junbo laughed heartily and said, "I compared the two this morning, and the east side is more spacious. Let's stir things up here!"
Zhao Sufang held Li Zhen and Ning Ruoruo's hands tightly. "Your sister-in-law said that guests came to our house. She said a few words to them, and when she saw that we weren't home, she came directly to the landlord's house. As soon as your father and I got back, we rushed over here."
Li Jin and Zhao Sufang went to a wedding today and just got back.
Li Xiangdong glanced at his parents' expressions and chuckled. Liu Yuxiu's skills had improved considerably.
This is a sinister move; he wants to see what this couple is up to.
Li Jin and Zhao Sufang came and left together; neither of them picked them up.
Li Jin was very unhappy, but since it was the New Year, he didn't show much dissatisfaction except to ask Zhao Sufang to send over more delicious food.
...
February 6, 1979, Lunar New Year's Eve.
Early that morning, every household was busy cleaning their yards, putting up couplets, the character "福" (good fortune), hanging decorations, and window decorations.
"A new year begins, and everything is renewed!"
"May the three yangs bring prosperity to every household, and may spring grace the nine regions and the four seas!"
Liu Junbo put down his brush and blew on the ink on the couplet in his hand. This was the last one. He had written six in one morning. There was no other way; Li Xiangdong's house was too crowded.
As soon as it gets dark, every household turns on all their lights, which stay on all night until dawn on the first day of the new year.
This is also a custom in Huichuan, called "lighting lamps to illuminate the year." The brighter the lamps, the more wealth and good fortune one will have in the new year.
This year's New Year's Eve dinner was held at his own home because Liu Junbo and Ning Ruoruo were there, and Li Xiangdong had also invited Grandma Jiang and Doctor Gu over.
The New Year's Eve dinner was hot pot, which was simple, convenient, and warm. After everyone finished eating, they started making dumplings. Everyone watched TV while making dumplings, and those who were free ate sunflower seeds, peanuts, and drank tea.
There are still four years until the first live broadcast of the Spring Festival Gala. Tonight's broadcast is the "Welcoming the Spring Festival Gala," which includes song and dance performances, crosstalk, storytelling, Peking Opera, and games. It will be broadcast in a pre-recorded format.
After making dumplings, people gradually arrived at Li Xiangdong's house with peanuts, melon seeds, and small stools to watch TV.
Li Xiangdong opened the door for everyone with a smile, his hands behind his back.
"Grandpa's here! Where's Grandma? Why isn't she here?"
"Ahem, I'm making dumplings. Come over in a bit!"
Li Xiangdong helped Li Jinshan into the house and sat him down in the best spot on the kang (a heated brick bed) to watch TV.
"Oh, Auntie, please come in!"
...
The room quickly became crowded with people, so Ning Ruoruo, Liu Junbo, and the others went to another warm room to play cards.
Grandma Jiang, Doctor Gu, Ning Ruoruo, and Liu Junbo were playing a card game called "Upgrading," while Li Xiangdong watched from behind Grandma Jiang.
Grandma Jiang and Doctor Gu were novices, and they didn't play very well in the first two games. But soon they became skilled and beat Ning Ruoruo and Liu Junbo several times!
At midnight, people go home to set off firecrackers and cook dumplings. After eating these dumplings, the elderly and children who can't stay up any longer can finally rest.
Only energetic young men and women will continue to stay up all night on New Year's Eve.
Li Jinjia.
Li Jin and Zhao Sufang sat on the kang (a heated brick bed), while Douzai jumped around beside them. Li Weijun and Liu Yuxiu sat on stools.
With Li Ping and the others not home, the once lively house suddenly became quiet and deserted.
Li Weijun was organizing a game of black cards with four people, but Li Jin wasn't interested. He waved his hand and said, "You've finished eating dumplings, go home now. Douzai should go to sleep too."
Before Li Weijun could say anything, Liu Yuxiu said with a big smile, "Dad, look, my second brother and the others are only thinking about their own happiness. They don't even come to keep you two company during the New Year. We can't be so inconsiderate."
Li Jin gave her a questionable look, then smiled, "Alright, you can sleep in the west room. We'll get up at five tomorrow to cook dumplings."
"Yes, Dad!"
Liu Yuxiu readily agreed, then took Douzai to the west room. Li Weijun brought in the spittoon, closed the door for his parents, and went back inside.
Snowflakes began to fall outside at some point, drifting down like goose feathers, and soon the rooftops were all white.
Amidst the heavy snow, people welcomed the new year.
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