Chapter 387 New Year Festival
On New Year’s Eve, the whole family got up and lit the lights before dawn.
After washing up, they set off for the old house.
Today is Chinese New Year, and the whole family has to gather in the old house to have a reunion dinner, put up couplets on the door, and stay up all night.
It had been snowing for a day and two nights, and it was already covered in white outside, and the snow hadn't stopped yet.
Song Yuntang was wearing a cloak with a fur collar and holding the hot water bottle prepared for her by Xu Qingye. She stood under the eaves, looking at the heavy snow falling from the sky. There was not a trace of festive look on her face.
"Tang'er, what's wrong with you? Did Qingye make you angry?" After tidying up, Jiang took a sweater and came out of the house.
Song Yuntang turned his head to look at her, smiled and said, "Don't think too much, mother. Why would he make me angry?"
Jiang didn't believe it.
"Mom, you look unhappy."
"Not unhappy."
This year, there are disaster victims everywhere, some are sick and some are dead. Now there is a heavy snow, and the situation is likely to get even worse. I'm afraid it will trigger an epidemic.
After a pause, Song Yuntang continued, "I'm just a little worried about the shop in the county town."
Jiang held her hand to comfort her.
"We'll just stay at home for a few days after the New Year and then we'll go. There are two doctors watching over us, so it won't be a big deal. We still have to go to your grandparents' house early to help prepare the New Year's Eve dinner, so hurry up and leave."
Song Yuntang nodded.
"good."
The day was beginning to brighten.
There was snow piled on the ground, so even in the middle of the night it was still pitch dark. In the dim light, the family could see the road clearly, so they didn't turn on the lights.
Xu Yongwang and Jiang supported each other and walked in front, Xu Qingye held Song Yuntang's hand and walked in the middle, and Xu Wencheng was alone at the end, walking towards the old house with one foot deep and one foot shallow.
When they arrived at the old house, they happened to see He leading Huer into the yard.
Hu'er was wearing a new blue coat and tiger-head shoes today. His chubby cheeks swayed as he jumped, making him look very adorable.
"Uncles and aunts, do you think Hu'er's clothes look good?" The little guy squinted his eyes proudly, waiting for the adults' praise.
A couple of days ago, for fear that he might get his clothes dirty, He let him wear his old clothes. But today, for the New Year, she changed him into all new clothes.
Jiang smiled and said, "It's beautiful, just like the dolls in New Year paintings."
After hearing this, Huer ran into the house with excitement on his face.
"Grandpa, Hu'er is wearing new clothes today. Can you take a look at them and see if they look good on you?"
Hu's laughter came from the room.
"It looks good. Our Tiger looks good in anything he wears."
Once we arrived at the old house, everyone had a clear division of labor.
Xu Yongfu helped Xu Yuande prepare things for the sacrifice, while Xu Yongwang helped Jiang and Zhang prepare the reunion dinner. Hu was in poor health, so she talked with the younger generations in the house.
The grandchildren are generally not asked to do anything for the family reunion dinner. They only need to take care of the elderly and children, and after the meal, help to close the door of the house.
As the sound of firecrackers rang out outside the house, the reunion dinner was ready.
After the simple sacrificial ceremony, the whole family sat around two tables in the main hall, and almost all the chicken, duck, fish, mutton and pork were served.
After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, and after pasting the couplets on the door of the old house, they all went about their own business.
Jiang and Xu Yongwang stayed in the room and talked with Hu and Xu Yuande.
Xu Wencheng pestered Xia Ning to practice Kung Fu with him.
Song Yuntang suddenly had an idea, took a shovel, and led Huer to make a snowman in the yard. Seeing this, Xu Qingye took the shovel from her and helped.
The two men led Hu'er to build five snowmen of different shapes in the yard. Hu'er ran around the snowmen with excitement on his face.
Several cousins and their wives stood under the eaves and watched.
Hu, Jiang and Zhang exchanged glances with each other, and the three of them looked out the window.
The scene in the yard brought smiles to the faces of the three people.
…
The first day of the New Year is spent at home, and the second day is spent visiting my parents’ home to pay New Year’s greetings.
After several days of heavy snow, it finally stopped yesterday afternoon. However, because the weather was too cold, the snow did not melt much overnight.
The melted snow turned into ice on the road.
It is not convenient to travel on this kind of road with a carriage. If you ride a horse, you are worried that the horse's hooves will slip in the snow. If you walk such a long distance, your shoes and socks will get wet. Seeing that the weather was really bad, Song Yuntang decided to wait for two days until the snow melted before going to Rongshu Village.
Many people in the village took advantage of the heavy snow to go into the mountains.
There is not much food at home now, so I want to take advantage of the heavy snow to go into the mountains and hunt some game to satisfy my hunger.
Xu Yongwang also followed Xu Yongfu into the mountains.
In the evening, I took a wild rabbit home to keep company with the wild rabbit that the villagers gave me that day.
Xu Yongwang laughed.
"When you go to the county town, take these two rabbits with you. I heard that rabbit meat is also a nutritious food."
Jiang also smiled and said, "Fortunately, we grew a lot of vegetables last year. When we go back to the county town, we can pick some radishes and cabbages from the fields. Now the weather is so bad, I'm afraid we may not be able to buy vegetables to eat even if we go to the county town."
Xu Yongwang said, "Don't take too much. If they wilt after a few days, they won't taste good. If Dad is free, I'll send you some fresh ones every few days."
After all, it was the intention of the two elders, so Song Yuntang did not refuse.
After they all went to the farm, the couple could only stare at each other at home. They must have wanted to visit the county town occasionally.
It would be nice to let them run over there from time to time.
All the snow on the ground had melted, and it was already the fifth day of the first lunar month.
Song Yuntang prepared the things he was going to take to Rongshu Village early in the morning and asked Xu Qingye to help load them onto the carriage.
After making hand oil last time, I gave a can each to Zhao, Wang, and the grandmother Lin from the Song family.
He also brought some food and meat to his home and to the families of his grandparents, uncle and second uncle.
I also prepared a red envelope for my little niece whom I have never met. When I was making clothes for Xu Yongwang and Jiang in the county town, I also made a set for my parents on my mother's side. This time I can bring them together.
In the village, it is considered extremely grand for a married daughter to give such a New Year gift to her family.
After putting the things on the carriage and having breakfast, Song Yuntang took Xia Ning and drove the carriage with Xu Qingye to Rongshu Village.
It was a time of chaos and war, and she didn't even dare to lift the curtain of the carriage along the way.
I was afraid that someone outside would see the food in the carriage and come to steal it.
At 9 o'clock in the morning, the carriage arrived at Rongshu Village, went around the big banyan tree at the entrance of the village, drove forward for some distance, and stopped at the door of the house.
Many people leaned their heads out from the gates of their homes and looked at where the carriage was going.
Seeing the carriage stopped in front of Song Jinbao's house, he immediately guessed who the owner of the carriage would be.
After all, everyone already knew that Song Yuntang had bought all of the Huang family's land in Shili Village.
Now, she has truly turned the tables and become a landlord.
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