After the children went out, they exchanged their snacks with their friends and got some firecrackers in return, which they wanted to throw around for fun.
Not long after, Guo Haochen ran home crying.
The people who were sitting in the main room chatting didn't pay much attention to the crying of a child, but the crying sound was getting closer and closer.
Deng Qingling heard the cry of her eldest son, so she hurried out the door and saw her eldest son running in crying.
She walked quickly to Guo Haochen and asked anxiously: "Haochen, why are you crying? Did you hurt yourself when you fell?" As she spoke, she rolled up his trouser legs.
"Wow, my hand hurts, woooo." Guo Haochen said as he raised his hand.
Deng Qingling saw that the thumb and index finger of his right hand were very red and swollen, especially the black blister at the tip of the index finger, and her heart was filled with heartache.
"Don't cry, come into the house, mom has applied some medicated oil on you and it won't hurt." Deng Qingling reached out to wipe his tears and pulled him into the house.
Originally, Liang Xueying and Guo Jianping also wanted to follow them into the house, but when they saw the twins coming back, they hurried forward.
Liang Xueying asked: "Xixi, what's wrong with your brother's hand?"
"My eldest brother was trying to learn how to play with firecrackers from others. When we told him to put it on the ground and light it, he didn't want to and insisted on lighting it with his hands. His hands were not quick enough, so the firecracker exploded before he could even throw it away," said Guo Haoxi.
"You can't play with firecrackers anymore, do you hear me?" Guo Jianping said with a stern face.
Although it is normal for children to be a little naughty, Guo Jianping recalled that someone once made a homemade cannon and had his hand blown off.
Firecrackers are such dangerous things that children should not play with them. I can’t control other people’s children, but my own children should not play with them, at least for the next few years. They are not quick enough and yet they try to learn to play with firecrackers from others. I hope my eldest son can learn his lesson this time.
It was the first time for the twins to see their father so serious. They were a little scared and nodded obediently.
In the room, Deng Qingling disinfected Guo Haochen while asking him how he got it.
"I went to play with firecrackers, and it exploded in my hand." Guo Haochen sobbed softly.
"Do you know how to be scared this time? You are not allowed to play with firecrackers anymore." Deng Qingling said as she applied medicated oil on him and pulled him out of the main room.
"Okay, I understand." Guo Haochen said.
After the farce, it was completely dark, and the children stayed at home obediently to celebrate the New Year.
There are many programs at night. Children eat snacks and listen to stories on the radio, while adults play cards and chat.
At around eleven o'clock, the children fell asleep on the table one after another.
Deng Qingling had no choice but to go back to the room with the children to sleep early, since it was almost time anyway.
They didn't sleep for long before twelve o'clock arrived.
The sound of firecrackers was heard everywhere, and it was particularly loud in the quiet night, waking up Deng Qingling. Fortunately, the child was not woken up and was still sleeping like a pig, snoring.
…
Because they did not visit relatives on the first day of the Lunar New Year and only walked around the village, Deng Qingling and her sons did not get up very early and got up at around nine o'clock.
After breakfast, the children followed Guo Youxing and Guo Jianping out to pay New Year’s greetings.
Deng Qingling played cards with Liang Xueying and others to pass the time.
Soon the day passed.
The second day of the Lunar New Year is the day when married women return to their parents’ home, and it is also Guo Jianjun’s wedding day.
Deng Qingling and the others got up around six o'clock in the morning to prepare.
There are only five tables of people at today's banquet. The only person from the bride's side is Li Guoqiang, and the others are all close relatives of the Guo family.
The dishes were prepared by Guo Jianping and Deng Qingling, with the help of Uncle Big and Uncle Second, while Liang Xueying, Guo Youxing and others entertained the relatives.
As noon approached and more and more guests arrived, the dishes began to be served.
There are six dishes on each table: fried sauerkraut with oil residue, fried cabbage with pork belly, stewed chicken with potatoes, tofu with green onions, steamed eggs, and steamed dried fish with fermented black beans.
During the meal, Guo Jianjun and Li Chunyan wore green military uniforms with big red flowers on their chests as they walked towards the guests and toasted them. Someone behind them held a tray with peanut candies on it. Every time they toasted a table of guests, they brought out two handfuls of peanut candies and put them on the table.
"This new sister-in-law is a perfect match for our Jianjun. I heard that she also works in a textile factory. It's really fate that they are together." Aunt Guo said.
"Who says it isn't true! The children in Xige's family are all promising, and both his son and daughter-in-law are capable." said Guo Ergu.
My own child is not bad either. Although he is not as good as my nephew from my mother's side, he is also a good accountant in the brigade. It's just that my husband... Alas, why do I think about this on such a happy day?
After dinner, Li Guoqiang also went home. After the guests left, everyone started to clean up. They divided the work and cooperated with each other. Some people cleaned up the dishes, some wiped the table and swept the floor. Later, they served some dishes for the eldest uncle and the second uncle to take home.
Deng Qingling and Guo Jianping were tired after a day of work. They ate something in the evening, took a shower, and went back to their room to sleep.
Rest at home on the third day of the Lunar New Year. Local custom requires returning to one's parents' home on even-numbered days, so Deng Qingling did not return to her parents' home.
Early in the morning on the fourth day of the New Year, Deng Qingling and Guo Jianping took their children back to their parents' home. Liang Xueying and Guo Youxing also returned to their parents' home. Guo Jianjun accompanied Li Chunyan back to her parents' home.
Even Guo Yu, the single woman, did not stay at home. Instead, she went to the county town with Guo Jianjun and others. She had to go back to work on the fifth day of the New Year.
Time flies, and the Lantern Festival is here in the blink of an eye.
Deng Qingling and Liang Xueying made three flavors of glutinous rice balls, including Liang Xueying’s favorite meat glutinous rice balls, black sesame glutinous rice balls, and sesame and peanut filling glutinous rice balls.
As soon as the glutinous rice balls were cooked, Guo Haochen boasted that he wanted to eat three big bowls.
"If you want to eat three bowls, then I'll eat four bowls. I just want to eat more than you, a little, a little, a little." Guo Haoxi said as he stuck out his tongue.
Guo Haochen was so angry that he slapped him. Guo Haoxi was not willing to admit defeat and slapped him back. So the war between the two little brats began again.
"Stop! If you keep fighting, none of you will be able to eat." Deng Qingling scolded.
As expected, as soon as the words "stop" were spoken, both Guo Haochen and his brother stopped.
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