Back to 1980: Please Love Me Again

Chapter 105 The Rooster Crows
On the thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month, the world gathers.

In the past two years, Pingyang County has set up fairs in some relatively large villages, usually every five days.

That is, every five days, an episode will be held.

For example, the market in Shandongtou Village is held on the second, seventh, twelfth, seventeenth, 22nd, and 27th of every month (lunar calendar).

The market at the Zheshan Commune is held on the fourth, ninth, fourteenth, nineteenth, 24th, and 29th of each lunar month.

Usually, among the six days of each market, four days are small fairs and two days are big fairs.

On the day of the big fair, there are more vendors who come to sell things, and more people who buy things.

The [-]th day of the twelfth lunar month is a special day.

On this day, there will be a fair wherever there is a fair.

This is specially prepared for people who can't afford New Year's goods but have to buy something for the occasion.

Or if you suddenly think of something at home that you haven't bought, you can hurry up and buy some.

Not only the market, but even the supply and marketing cooperatives must be open on the morning of the [-]th day of the twelfth lunar month.

The Zhao family had already bought enough things to buy, but they still went to the market in Shandongtou Village with great interest.

This is their most prosperous year.

When I got home at noon, Zhao Wenmu, who had nothing to do, played with Zhao Zimeng, Zhao Ziting, and Xiaonuan.

In the afternoon, the sky gradually darkened, and there were snowflakes in the sky.

At the beginning, the snowflakes were finely broken, and it was really "sprinkling salt in the air".

Then the snowflakes became bigger and bigger, falling down one by one, just in response to the phrase "if the catkins are blown by the wind".

The fluttering snowflakes made everyone feel better.

After all, the auspicious snow heralds a good year!

On the afternoon of New Year's Eve, there is one of the most important and serious annual activities.

That is ancestor worship.

That is to say, invite the family hall.

There was a lot of snow, and soon there was a thick layer of snow on the ground, but this did not affect people's enthusiasm for ancestor worship.

"Inviting family hall" means holding a ceremony to invite the deceased ancestors and relatives to go home for the New Year.

This matter was concentrated in the Zhao family's old house.

Zhao Xuehai set up the table and incense table in the old house, arranged the tribute respectfully, and hung up the family hall painting, that is, the family hall scroll, a painting that depicts the family's hereditary reproduction and the courtyard and New Year's characters.

For example, in the Changwei area, there is a saying that "a surname has a family tree, and every household hangs a family hall".

The offerings on the table are also very particular. The chicken and fish must be neat and whole. Respectfully.

Zhao Wenmu also placed the prepared pig's head here.

Although the three animals are not very standard, but the ancestors are magnanimous, as long as the descendants are sincere.

The pig's head is naturally the greatest sincerity.

Then put birthday peaches, fruit plates, snacks, and the most important thing is dumplings and wine to entertain the ancestors; and the first dumplings cooked every New Year's Eve are naturally used to honor the ancestors.

The yard has been strewn with hay, and a barricade is placed at the gate to stop the ancestors' mules and horses from running out, and also to prevent the blessings of the family from running out.

Once it is properly arranged, it is time to "welcome the family hall".

In previous years, Zhao Wenlin would go to the street, burn some paper money, light a stick of incense, say something respectfully, and invite the "old man" home.

This year Zhao Wenlin wants Zhao Wenmu to go.

Zhao Wenmu refused to accept his resignation.

Generally speaking, this task is completed by the elders in the family or the eldest son or grandson.

The head of the family can too.

But Zhao Wenmu thought that he didn't meet any of these criteria.

If you want to bring everyone to make money, he is the person in charge, and he admits this.

But when it comes to family affairs, he is definitely not the person in charge, nor is he qualified.

"Brother, you should come."

Zhao Wenguang also felt that Zhao Wenlin should come.

Zhao Wenlin didn't say any more, he took paper money and long incense, and went out respectfully.

When Zhao Wenlin came back with incense, he put it in the incense burner on the big table in the main room, served fruit snacks and dishes, and put the paper money on the table in the family hall to burn. The welcome is over.

From then until the afternoon of the second day of the new year when the ancestors are sent away, no one can sit on the two chairs in the main room, because that is where the ancestors sat.

If you go to someone else's house to pay New Year's greetings during the Chinese New Year, if you take these two seats, the owner of the house will be unhappy.

After everything is done, everyone stays at home with peace of mind and prepares for the New Year's Eve dinner.

The local New Year's Eve dinner is very simple, just a hearty dinner.

Around eight o'clock in the evening, everyone sat and chatted after dinner.

There is no TV at home at the moment, and even if there is a TV, there is no New Year's Eve party.

The Spring Festival Gala did not appear until several years later.

Everyone just turned on the radio and chatted while listening to the radio.

The little ones fell asleep early.

As it was approaching twelve o'clock, Liu Xiumei woke up the two sleepy little ones. The adults had already made dumplings.

As soon as the twelve o'clock bell struck, there were firecrackers everywhere outside.

Zhao Zimeng was carrying a bamboo pole with long firecrackers hanging from it.

Zhao Wenmu lit a cigarette, took a puff, then lit the firecracker with the cigarette, covered his ears and ran away.

Zhao Wenlin came out and covered his son's ears.

Amidst the sound of firecrackers, the new year is here!

After the firecrackers were burned out, several people stood in the yard and listened to the sounds from all directions for a while.

Back at the house, the first pot of dumplings has been cooked.

It is also necessary to offer gods and ancestors first, and then give everyone a bowl of dumplings.

If someone cannot go home for some reason, a bowl should be served for him to express his missing.

In addition, an extra bowl should be served to symbolize the prosperity of the population.

Then, everyone packed up and had a rest.

There are only two big kangs in the old house. There are so many people in the old Zhao family, and there is nothing particular about it. They just huddle together and sleep with their clothes on.

Before five o'clock on the first day of the new year, the adults got up.

To cook dumplings, to worship the gods of heaven and earth and ancestors again.

Also make a great meal.

When the sky is dark, the big guys start to pay New Year's greetings. For everyone who comes to pay New Year's greetings, the host will invite them to eat some food and drink wine.

From the perspective of future generations, so many New Year greetings come and go, one table of meals does not know how many people will be served, and even the chopsticks are not necessarily rewashed, which is a very unhygienic behavior.

But in this era, it is a happy thing to be able to eat hearty dishes.

As for hygiene, it's really not that particular.

Of course, people who pay New Year's greetings will not really sit down and eat and drink.

Just eat a few mouthfuls.

Otherwise, how could a table of food be eaten by so many New Year greetings?

New Year's greetings are the highlight of the first day of junior high school.

It's a children's carnival.

Before dawn, children or young juniors set off together.

First, go to give New Year greetings to your closest elders, such as grandparents.

And the elders want to give lucky money to the younger generation, which is what the children have been looking forward to for a long time.

A few or even a dozen juniors knelt down on the spot and kowtowed to their elders.

This kind of scene is a typical picture of Qilu New Year greetings.

After paying New Year's greetings to my parents, I went to other elders and elders in the village.

Basically only the elderly will stay at home and do not need to go out.

Middle-aged people go out to pay New Year's greetings to the elderly.

Young people and children go out to pay New Year greetings to middle-aged and old people.

There are also some younger but older people who also need to go out to pay New Year greetings to their elders.

In short, it is nesting dolls, one nesting one after another, and the chain is endless.

When you meet each other, you should first say Happy Chinese New Year, and then wish each other good wishes and say some auspicious words.

In the homes of some elderly people, not only the house is full of people, but even the small yard is often full of people.

People who come to pay New Year's greetings even have to wait outside.Wait for a group of people inside to come out before the others go in.

In this way, New Year greetings in batches.

After the New Year's greetings, the children who got the first wave of New Year's money can go to buy cannons, Ertijiao, candied haws, and play around.

Of course, most of the New Year's money will be taken away by parents in the name of "I will keep it for you".

The reason why it is said to be the first wave of New Year's money is that as I go to my grandma's house and various relatives visit, I will receive a lot of New Year's money.

The afternoon of the first day of the new year is the most leisurely time during the whole year until the Lantern Festival.

Everyone will get together to chat and play cards.

Young people will go to dams, bridges and other places to party.

It can also be regarded as a blind date place in disguise.

After all, in this day and age, there are not many opportunities for young people to get together and talk casually.

In previous years, Zhao Wenmu was a bum in the village who wouldn't associate with serious people.However, this year is different. Whether it is an elder or a peer, they will greet him when they meet.

When he went to Zhao Xuelei's house to pay New Year's greetings, Zhao Xuelei forced him to drink two glasses of white wine.

Not to mention Song Guanjun and Zhao Wenyuan, the elders of the two families simply treated him as an elder, Zhao Wenmu couldn't refuse, so he had to drink a few more glasses of wine.

When I got home, I couldn't walk steadily.

He could feel the admiration and love of the villagers for him, who wouldn't like this?

When Zhao Wenmu returned home, he picked up his little daughter and wanted to kiss her.

I knew that the little boy would hide back by shouting "Dad, smelly smelly".

Zhao Jing is lighting a fire. I spent New Year's Eve in the old house, and the new house has not lit a fire for two days, so it is a bit deserted.

The daughter refused to give a kiss, so he had to drag his daughter-in-law to ask for a kiss.

Zhao Jing was poking the stove, and was annoyed by him, so she put her hips on her hips and scolded him:
"Zhao Wenmu, go to sleep!"

"Okay!"

As soon as he heard the word "Zhao Wenmu", he felt as if he had been beaten with chicken blood, and picked up Zhao Jing and was about to go to the bedroom.

Zhao Jing was taken aback by him.

On the first day of the first lunar month, in broad daylight, someone might come to visit.

What is this guy up to? !

"what?!"

She struggled and shouted hastily.

"Dry!"

Zhao Jing was so angry that he rolled her eyes.

Fortunately, Zhao Wenmu took two steps and put her down with a smile.

"Daughter-in-law, I will sleep for a while, and we will also go to the dam in the afternoon."

After saying that, Zhao Wenmu went into the room to sleep.

When I woke up, it was already three o'clock in the afternoon.

Zhao Jing left a meal for him, and the little girl was sleeping, and she was sitting quietly beside her, knitting gloves for Zhao Wenmu.

A window paper-cut of a rooster crowing is laid out on the large table in the study.

The new year is here.

(End of this chapter)