Cheng Yaoyao and Xie Zhao's first New Year arrived amidst fireworks.
The two thanked the old man selling wontons and, seeing that it was getting late, they headed back. The International Hotel was still bustling with several rickshaws parked at the door.
Xie Zhao held Cheng Yaoyao's hand and asked, "Are you cold? Do you want a taxi?"
Cheng Yaoyao felt warm all over after eating and shook his head: "No, let's go together. Today is the first New Year's Eve we spend together."
Cheng Yaoyao's voice was sweet and soft, like melted honey, revealing undisguised attachment. Xie Zhao intertwined his fingers with hers, stuffed his hands into his coat pockets to warm them, and whispered after a long while, "There will be many more in the future."
Cheng Yaoyao said: "Then we have to bring grandma, Xiao Fei, and Jian Jian."
"..." Xie Zhao rarely said a romantic word, but Cheng Yaoyao didn't understand romance, so he nodded helplessly: "Okay."
Cheng Yaoyao's rosy lips suddenly curled up, and he whispered into Xie Zhao's ear: "But I like you the most."
Xie Zhao shuddered suddenly, and his ears turned red at a speed visible to the naked eye. He quickened his pace and walked in front of Cheng Yaoyao, saying coldly: "I know."
Cheng Yaoyao chased after him: "Xie Zhao, I saw you laughing secretly."
"no."
"Yes! You're still laughing, turn around!"
It was already past one in the morning when the two returned home. Xie Zhao carried Jiaoqibao on his back, supported her knees with one hand, and took out the key with the other hand to open the door.
Cheng Yaoyao boasted that he would walk back by himself, but halfway through he asked for someone to carry him. Fortunately, there was no inspection team on patrol tonight, otherwise he would have been arrested and interrogated if he had to carry a spoiled brat on his back.
After entering the room and putting her on the bed, Cheng Yaoyao woke up immediately: "I want to wash my face and brush my teeth."
Xie Zhao really wanted to pinch her face, so he gave in and gently pinched her soft cheek: "Pretending to sleep again."
There was still half a bottle of hot water left in the kettle, so Cheng Yaoyao finished washing up. Cheng Yaoyao sat in the quilt, watching Xie Zhao brush his teeth and wash up with cold water, and then poured the water back. Cheng Yaoyao quickly lifted the quilt: "Come up quickly."
"Wait." Xie Zhao took out a bottle of wine from his luggage bag and went to bed. His skin was still stained with cold water, but his breath was warm, and the quilt became warm in a short while.
The two sat opposite each other. Cheng Yaoyao put his feet in Xie Zhao's arms to keep them warm. He looked at the wine in Xie Zhao's hand curiously: "You're still drinking during the New Year's Eve?"
"It is the custom of my family that we have to drink every year to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new." Xie Zhao opened the lid of the wine and handed it to Cheng Yaoyao.
Cheng Yaoyao took it and sniffed it, then took a sip from the bottle. The wine tasted light and sweet, so he took another big sip before saying, "What kind of wine is this?"
Xie Zhao said: "Drink slowly, this wine is very strong."
Cheng Yaoyao handed him the bottle: "Here."
Xie Zhao also tilted his head back and took a big gulp from the bottle.
They couldn't sleep tonight because of the New Year's Eve celebration. The two of them sat opposite each other, drinking and chatting aimlessly. After a while, Cheng Yaoyao felt dizzy, while Xie Zhaoling's lips were stained with wine, but her eyes became brighter as she drank.
Cheng Yaoyao muttered, "I can't drink anymore... I'll lie down for a while. I don't want to sleep. You have to wake me up."
Cheng Yaoyao leaned on Xie Zhao's shoulder, not knowing when she fell asleep. When she woke up, she was lying on Xie Zhao's legs, while Xie Zhao was sitting against the wall, with the quilt wrapped around them. Xie Zhao was sleeping soundly with his eyes drooping. From Cheng Yaoyao's perspective, she could only see his tall and straight nose.
Cheng Yaoyao gently pushed Xie Zhao, but he didn't wake up. Instead, he hugged Cheng Yaoyao tighter. The wine bottle rolled to the ground, and the remaining wine was spilled, and the room was filled with the slightly sweet smell of wine.
Cheng Yaoyao finally managed to break free from his arms. Xie Zhao immediately opened his eyes and said in a hoarse voice: "Sister?"
"Hey, sleep a little longer." Cheng Yaoyao pushed Xie Zhao to lie down and stuffed the pillow behind his head. Xie Zhao drank most of the bottle of wine last night, and he slept sitting up all night, so his body must be stiff and uncomfortable.
As expected, Xie Zhao heaved a sigh of relief as soon as he lay down, still holding onto Cheng Yaoyao, and asked, "Where is my sister going?"
Cheng Yaoyao had no choice but to say, "I'm not leaving. I'll pour you some water."
After much persuasion, Xie Zhao finally let go. Cheng Yaoyao put on Xie Zhao's sweater, which was long enough to cover her thighs. She poured half a cup of Lingquan and fed it to Xie Zhao: "Get up and drink some water."
Xie Zhao didn't want to open his eyes, but couldn't resist Cheng Yaoyao's coquetry, so he forced himself to sit up and drink a mouthful of cold water. As soon as the water entered his mouth, he felt an indescribable coolness and sweetness, which instantly dispelled the headache and dizziness brought by the hangover.
Xie Zhao drank several mouthfuls of the spiritual spring water, and felt relaxed all over, and fell asleep again. Cheng Yaoyao had gone to bed early yesterday, but he stayed up until dawn.
Cheng Yaoyao shook the thermos, it was empty. She simply put a basin of spiritual spring water, squeezed a towel and pressed it on Xie Zhao's face, and carefully wiped his face and hands. Xie Zhao had deep eyebrows and tan skin with a healthy glow. After being wiped, his eyebrows looked even darker. He looked very fierce when he didn't smile. Cheng Yaoyao was very scared when she first saw him, but now she likes him more and more.
Cheng Yaoyao lay on the bed and looked at his handsome and peaceful sleeping face, tracing his eyebrows and eyes with his fingers at a vague distance. Xie Zhao was tickled but he just snorted and turned his head away. Cheng Yaoyao laughed out loud, his heart filled with love.
Cheng Yaoyao whispered to Xie Zhao: "I'll go buy you some breakfast."
Xie Zhao also responded to Cheng Yaoyao's voice in his sleep. He moved slightly and turned his face towards her.
Cheng Yaoyao couldn't help but smile and kiss him, then he changed his clothes, pushed the door and went downstairs.
Today is the first day of the Chinese New Year, and the breakfast shop at the entrance of the alley is open as usual, with the aroma of Shengjian wafting from far away. Cheng Yaoyao was about to walk over, but he saw a familiar figure, and he was startled and quickly dodged.
Why did Dad come here to buy breakfast? The tube building where Cheng Yaoyao lived was only one street away from the Cheng family. The Cheng family always bought breakfast from the old shop on the other side, so Cheng Yaoyao made a detour to come here. How did he bump into him again?
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Cheng Zheng, wearing a new woolen coat and with a slightly hunched back, was queuing up to buy Shengjian. Cheng Yaoyao felt a lump in his throat for some reason and couldn't help wanting to go over to him.
But Wei Shuying and Cheng Nonuo also came over. Both of them were dressed up. Cheng Nonuo had powdered her face, and her pale face could be seen from a distance. As soon as she came over, she affectionately took Cheng Zheng's arm.
Wei Shuying said in a loud voice: "Oh, there are so many people here. Nono, help your dad make soy milk! Let's eat it quickly so we can go visit relatives!"
Cheng Yaoyao hid back immediately.
They bought a plate of shengjian and three bowls of soy milk. The family of three sat at a small table at the door, eating and chatting. They looked very happy. Cheng Yaoyao watched for a while, then turned around and went to the breakfast shop at the other end of the alley.
Cheng Yaoyao returned to the hut, Xie Zhao was still sleeping peacefully. She put the breakfast she bought on the table and sat down beside the bed.
Xie Zhao woke up when he heard the door ring. He had originally closed his eyes, waiting for Cheng Yaoyao to come over and tease him, but after waiting for a long time he could not help but open his eyes, only to see Cheng Yaoyao sitting in a daze with his hands on his chin, and a bad expression on his little face.
Xie Zhao called out, "Sister."
"Xie Zhao!" Cheng Yaoyao rushed to his chest.
Xie Zhao's chest shook, he chuckled, and lifted Cheng Yaoyao's chin with his fingers: "I'm here. What's wrong?"
Before he finished speaking, Cheng Yaoyao's eyes turned red and two tears rolled out, falling on Xie Zhao's vest, leaving some stains.
Xie Zhao was so shocked that he sat up suddenly, hugged her and asked, "What's wrong? Who bullied you?"
Cheng Yaoyao shook her head dejectedly. Xie Zhao carefully checked her expression and clothes and found nothing unusual. He stopped asking questions and just hugged her quietly. After a long while, Cheng Yaoyao said gloomily, "I miss home."
Xie Zhao immediately said, "I'll go back with you. Your uncle must be worried these days."
"No!" Cheng Yaoyao shook his head, "I want to go back to Tianshui Village."
Xie Zhao lowered his head to look at her. Cheng Yaoyao's peach blossom eyes were red, and she lowered her thick and curly eyelashes and said sullenly, "I miss my grandma and Xiao Fei."
Xie Zhao was silent for a while, and without asking any more questions, he said, "Okay, I'll take you home."
After they finished breakfast, they started packing. Cheng Yaoyao left the Cheng family with only a small box, and he didn't leave anything valuable. Xie Zhao didn't have much stuff either, so he packed it up quickly. The two took a last look at the small house where they had lived for only a few days but left many memories, locked the door and left.
The train compartment was empty on the first day of the Lunar New Year. Cheng Yaoyao leaned on Xie Zhao's shoulder, and the two held hands, looking at the desolate fields passing by outside, their hearts filled with attachment to each other and the joy of returning home.
When Cheng Yaoyao woke up again, the barren fields outside the window had turned into green mountains and clear waters. In the south, there is always greenery no matter how cold the winter is. Cheng Yaoyao opened the window and shouted out, "Lin'an City, I'm back! Tianshui Village, I'm back!"
Her shout was blown away by the wind. When she turned around, her smiling eyes met Xie Zhao's calm and smiling eyes.
The train rumbled and whistled as it sped forward. It was the first day of 1977.
The train stopped briefly in Lin'an for five minutes, leaving behind a pair of beautiful young men and women. The young man was tall and handsome, wearing an ordinary coat, carrying a military green handbag and a small exquisite suitcase in his hands, while the girl was wearing an exquisite overcoat and leather shoes, and her face was so beautiful that people could not take their eyes away.
.
The two of them walked on the streets of Lin'an City, and suddenly they became luminous bodies that moved forward, attracting people's attention. This was the feeling of returning to a small town from a big city, but for the first time, Cheng Yaoyao felt that this feeling was not unpleasant.
After a few months, this old town seemed to be forgotten by time, but Lin'an City was no different from when she left. The only difference was that the streets were cleaned up and some big red papers were posted to celebrate the New Year.
Xie Zhao took Cheng Yaoyao to the supply and marketing cooperative first, and the two of them watched in front of the dim sum counter. Cheng Yaoyao asked curiously, "Didn't we buy dim sum from Shanghai?"
Xie Zhao explained: "I'm afraid someone will come to visit this year."
Cheng Yaoyao understood and it was not good to let anyone know that Xie Zhao went to Shanghai. Cheng Yaoyao looked at the counter. In addition to the old four items, there were several more different snacks: kidney bean cake, osmanthus cake, Fuping hanging persimmon, cookies...cookies?
Cheng Yaoyao frowned: "This cookie..." The cookie was a small rectangle, dotted with grapes, and looked very familiar.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the salespersons were particularly patient and enthusiastic: "Here are the new snacks! You came early, otherwise the queue would be so crowded that it would break the door threshold!"
"Do you like it?" Xie Zhao saw Cheng Yaoyao staring at the snacks, so he said to the salesperson, "One pound of each."
The salesperson said happily, "Okay!" This pound of cookies costs seven yuan, persimmon cakes are five yuan per pound, kidney bean cakes and osmanthus cakes are four yuan per pound. Xie Zhaoguang spent twenty yuan on these snacks.
Xie Zhao bought another pound of milk candy and another pound of assorted candy, also known as mixed candy. He then asked Cheng Yaoyao, "Sister, are these enough to entertain the guests? Is there anything else you want to buy?"
"Idiot." Cheng Yaoyao finally came to his senses and forgot about the cookies. He counted on his fingers and said, "Buy some melon seeds and peanuts, and some wine. You always get drunk after drinking white wine, so buy some beer."
"Weigh some sunflower seeds. Grandma has bad teeth."
"Soda, Xiao Fei wanted to drink soda last time."
Cheng Yaoyao pushed Xie Zhao aside and started buying things seriously. Xie Zhao's eyes flashed with a smile and followed behind to pick up the things and pay for them.
The Xie family's courtyard was half-closed, the old wooden door was scrubbed to a shine, and pumpkin vines poked their heads out from the courtyard wall, reflecting the white walls and black tiles, giving it a unique ancient charm. Before I got close, I saw a small orange head suddenly pop up from the top of the wall.
"Um!"
Cheng Yaoyao chuckled, raised his index finger to his lips, and Jianjian didn't understand what she meant. He jumped down from the wall and lingered around her feet. Cheng Yaoyao walked to the gate of the courtyard with a smile, pushed it open, and shouted, "Grandma, Xiaofei, I'm back!"
The laughter and joy in the yard suddenly died down.
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