In the past, a family would be considered wealthy if they had eight dishes during the Chinese New Year.
Life is indeed much better this year. The family income has increased, so we can afford to eat fish and meat during the New Year. We are not worried about not being able to finish a large table.
Jiang Wanyue couldn't wait to try the steamed dish. It tasted so good that she couldn't help but eat several bites.
Then her chopsticks reached out for the whole fish.
Although she deals with fish every day, to be honest, she doesn't eat fish very often.
And it was mainly Song Huaizhi who cooked, and the fish was basically used to make soup. After drinking too much fish soup, he also wanted to eat fried fish.
She thought that the fish belly should be left for the children who were not picky about bones, so she picked up the fish head herself.
Unexpectedly, just as she cut off the fish head, a scream came from the side.
It was Hu Zhaodi who shouted, "Wanyue, this fish cannot be eaten!"
Jiang Wanyue was so frightened that the fish head fell on the table. She said in horror: "Why can't I eat it? Is it not cooked? Or is it poisonous?"
"You have been in our brigade for eight or nine years, how come you don't know the customs here?" Hu Zhaodi said, "This fish should be kept until the seventh day of the first lunar month before it can be eaten."
"Ah?" Jiang Wanyue was incredulous. "Although the temperature is low, it should have gone bad after being left for so many days."
"Of course it won't go bad." Yang Yulan said, "This dish means abundance every year. You cut off the fish head. You said, hey, this..."
"Don't talk nonsense." Zhou Xiugui said with a straight face, "In the past, we had this rule because we didn't have enough supplies and every household was poor. A fish dish looked good on the table, so we kept it on and off every day until the seventh day of the New Year. This year, our family is better off and we have money. How could we be reluctant to give up a fish? Wanyue, you can eat it if you want. It's not a problem."
Jiang Wanyue picked up the fish head and put it in her own bowl, smiling and saying, "Let's eat together. Only then can we have surplus every year."
While chatting during the meal, she learned that a long time ago, when the Xiaojing Brigade had not yet opened the river, they did not eat live fish during the New Year, but a wooden fish made of wood. Whenever there were guests at home, the wooden fish would be served on the table, and everyone tacitly agreed not to touch the fish so as not to expose the host's remaining dignity.
She couldn't help but sigh again that this era was really too poor.
Fortunately, she lives in the new century and has experienced the prosperity of her motherland. She knows that her motherland will definitely get better, so she has the confidence to start a career here.
After it gets dark, we have to stay up until midnight before we can go to rest.
The children were picking up firecrackers everywhere outside. The ones that had not exploded from previous firecrackers were picked up by the children.
The adults sat in the main room. Television was not popular at that time, and there was no Spring Festival Gala. They could only sit there and chat about this and that.
Song Dahai talks about the village’s harvest.
Zhou Xiugui was talking about family matters.
The men talked about things outside.
The sisters-in-law were chatting about the children and the stove. Each of them held wool in her hands and knitted sweaters while talking.
Jiang Wanyue also bought wool and needles in the county, and learned very seriously from her sisters-in-law. She was smart, willing to learn, and had strong hands-on skills. After spending most of the night, she knitted a scarf that was just right for Yingzi to wear, which was comfortable and warm.
Soon, it was midnight.
Every household began to set off firecrackers to celebrate the arrival of the new year.
Jiang Wanyue also hurried home, took out a string of firecrackers, and lit them at the doorstep. Amid the crackling noise, the lunar year 1975 arrived.
The children were tired from playing and fell asleep as soon as they touched the bed.
The next morning, Jiang Wanyue woke up to the sound of firecrackers. People would rather not eat meat than save money to buy firecrackers, hoping that the new year would be smooth.
"Huaizhi, Yingzi, Huazi, Happy New Year!"
Jiang Wanyue sat up and wished the children a Happy New Year.
"Happy New Year, Mom."
"Happy New Year, Mom."
"Mom, okay, okay..."
Huazi is still in the babbling stage. He can’t speak clearly and just talks nonsense.
Jiang Wanyue fished out three red envelopes from under the pillow and handed them over: "This is New Year's money, your own money, buy whatever you want, but Huazi, you are still young, so your mother will keep your New Year's money for you first."
Huazi was confused and didn't know what to do with the New Year's money, so he happily handed it over.
Song Yunying opened the red envelope and saw a dollar inside. She jumped out of bed happily and said, "Great! I have money now!"
Song Huaizhi also opened it and saw another one-dollar bill. He carefully folded the money and put it into his brand new pencil case.
The first day of the first lunar month is the day to pay New Year’s greetings.
When the younger generations came to pay New Year's greetings to Jiang Wanyue, she gave each child 1 cent.
She herself went to pay New Year's greetings to the elders of the Song family. Not only that, she also went to pay New Year's greetings to Tian Youliang and Principal Zheng. Then she went to the commune on the way to inquire about Secretary Qin's home and brought a box of candied cakes to pay New Year's greetings to Secretary Qin.
If the buses had been closed on New Year's Day, she would have gone to the county to wish all the factory directors and leaders a happy new year.
These are interpersonal relationships and must be maintained well. If the fishery is to become bigger and stronger in the future, it will depend on the support of these people.
The second day of the first lunar month is the day when married girls return to their parents' home to pay New Year's greetings. Jiang Wanyue doesn't have a parents' home, so she simply goes to the educated youth site to join in the fun.
The educated youth could not go home for the New Year, so they were playing cards to entertain themselves. When they saw Jiang Wanyue coming over, they were all stunned.
Jiang Wanyue only lived here for a few months when she first went to the countryside, but soon got married and never came back.
In fact, she was not very familiar with the people at the educated youth site.
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