Siheyuan: There are three little cats at home

Chapter 470: New Year’s Eve, bustling with excitement
The morning of New Year's Eve is not cold, and the sun rises early in the east.

Every household in the compound was already busy at just after eight o'clock.

Xu Qing was in his house in the backyard, writing Spring Festival couplets for Liu Haizhong, the second uncle who came to the door early in the morning. Xu Damao stood in the courtyard and asked Qin Jingru to quickly put up the window grilles.

The second aunt was carrying a piece of tofu and preparing to cook. When she saw Shazhu coming from the middle courtyard early in the morning, she shouted to Xu Qing to go to Xu Qing's house in a hurry, saying that Xu Qing was writing Spring Festival couplets for her family and would come back later.

Silly Zhu held the red paper under his arm and responded with a smile. He didn't listen to the second aunt at all. He glanced at Xu Damao and Qin Jingru with a cigarette in his mouth and went straight into Xu Qing's house.

In the middle courtyard, Yi Zhonghai and Auntie were cooking in the kitchen, one lighting the fire and the other kneading dough to make steamed buns.

They entrusted the couplets to two sisters, Xiaodang and Huaihua.

Bangge's calligraphy has always been ugly, hard to use, and never easy to show to others.

At this moment, Xiaodang and Huaihua, urged by Jia Zhang, were writing Spring Festival couplets to be posted at home.

Qin Huairu asked Banggian to sit in the kitchen and light the fire, and then pour the boiling water from the pot into the thermos bottle.

But Yan Bugui, who writes well in the front yard, can't even earn a pack of cigarettes in the courtyard.

I could only take my granddaughter Niuniu with me in the small study, spread the newspaper on the table, take out the brush and red paper, and write for myself, and by the way, write down what was to be posted at the main entrance of the compound.

But I was still thinking about whether my daughter Yan Jiedi would come back early in the morning.

In fact, he had some confidence in his heart. After yesterday, he knew that Yan Jiedi would not come back.

But I still have thoughts.

However, Yan Jiedi never came back.

At around four o'clock in the afternoon, Yan Jiefang and Yan Jiekuang's family returned to the compound with their children, preparing to spend New Year's Eve with their parents. The third aunt took Yan Jiefang's youngest son and ran to the alley to look around twice.

The result is naturally disappointment.

He never went out again after that.

Liu Haizhong, on the other hand, had been full of joy all day long since Liu Guangtian and his three brothers had brought their families back to spend the New Year with him in the morning.

With his hands behind his back, he walked around the courtyard, looking at the grandchildren playing with Xu Hongzhi, and felt happy.

Xu Qing didn't go out today. He was already thirty years old. Why did he go to the streets? After writing Spring Festival couplets in the morning, he, Aiguo and Feng Ming posted Spring Festival couplets on their house, and then went to the old lady's house with Sha Zhu to put the Spring Festival couplets Also posted it.

In the past few years since the old lady was away, Xu Qing still looked at and wrote the Spring Festival couplets on the door.

And the Spring Festival couplets on the door of Xu Damao's house who lived in the backyard were naturally looking for him.

As for money, Xu Qing never wanted it.

The second uncle Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao each got two packs of cigarettes, but they didn't refuse either.

This is a practice that the third uncle made before, in the name of running fee.

To put it bluntly, I just don’t want to help in the hospital for free, and I want to be sweetened by being transgender.

After all, Yan Bugui is a master who only takes advantage and refuses to suffer losses. Everyone in the compound has become accustomed to it over the years.Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao ask Xu Qing to write Spring Festival couplets every year. Yan Bugui has not been able to earn a single cigarette in these years.

But Xu Qing can get several packs every year.

In fact, Xu Qing didn't care about it at all. It didn't matter whether he was given or not. He was not short of cigarettes and money to buy cigarettes.

The price of cigarettes has hardly increased in recent years. Economy cigarettes without handles still cost eight cents a pack, and those with handles still cost a few cents a pack.

The change is not without change, but the increase by a few points will not have much impact on people living in the city.

Furthermore, more than a year after the reform, the city's economy does not seem to have changed much, but in fact it is no longer the same as before.

Apart from anything else, when it comes to eating, urbanites will no longer go hungry.

In addition, salaries have been slightly increased.

Even apprentices who have just started working or college students doing internships can earn three or four yuan more every month.

It doesn't sound like much, but in these years when we haven't broken away from the planned economy.

An extra dollar can buy a lot more things.

And everyone who has worked in the compound for many years is living a better life.

Mrs. Jia Zhang no longer cried about poverty, and asked people in the courtyard to help her family.

During the Chinese New Year this year, not only did I buy a big rooster for Banggeng, but I also weighed ten pounds of pork for my family and bought a grass carp.

Qin Huairu survived. Banggan, Xiaodang, and Huaihua all grew up and worked.

She and her three children make money for the four of them.

Life at home is no worse than anyone else's.

Mrs. Jia Zhang has finally enjoyed the blessing of her grandchildren. She has food and drink, and people have become more easy-going. The previous acrimony has disappeared, and she can still smile at everyone she meets.

That is, the chicken intestines with a small belly and the habit of worrying about everything have not changed.

I always wonder when I see something nice bought by someone else, and think about how nice it would be if that thing were my own.

But all in all, compared to when he was poor before, Jia Zhang was much gentler to the people in the compound.

Today is New Year's Eve, Xu Qing, under the arrangement of his grandparents, sent some croquettes to every family in the compound.

For the first time, Jia Zhang was able to get ahead of Qin Huairu and asked Bang Gang to carry two pieces of tofu and go to the backyard to return the gift to Xu Qing's family.

This was never possible in the past.

When Qin Huairu saw this, she looked at her mother-in-law a little higher.

She didn't expect that her mother-in-law would do this today, which surprised her.

Smiling in his heart, he turned around and continued to cut the freshly cooked pork on the chopping board.

And just as Banggan was carrying two square pieces of frozen tofu in the bowl to Xu Qing's house in the backyard, Yi Zhonghai was also holding a large black pottery bowl with some fried cakes in his hand. He came out of the house and planned to go to the backyard as well. go.

As soon as Yi Zhonghai saw Bangge, he guessed that he was going to Xu Qing's house, so he and his son went to the backyard together.

At this moment, Xu Qing's house was full of people.

He sent croquettes to every house in the compound. How could everyone in the compound not bring some of their own things?

Xu Damao took a plate of pork head meat, and the gift in return was considered the most generous.

What came in the bangs were two flower buns, made by the second aunt. They looked playful, good-looking, and lovable.

Yan Bugui brought a smoked fish. He went out to catch the fish during the Chinese New Year. He had been keeping it in the enamel basin in the kitchen for the past few days. This morning, he asked the third aunt to watch it marinate and prepare it. Have New Year’s Eve dinner in the evening.

After Xu Qing sent croquettes to his house, he picked one that was neither too small nor too big and sent it over.

Everyone was sitting in Xu Qing's room, drinking two glasses of wine, chatting and laughing, and it was so lively.

It’s New Year’s Eve, nothing matters, only a prosperous New Year is the most important.

Silly Zhu didn't take anything. He stayed in Xu Qing's house in the backyard all day, and celebrated the New Year at Xu Qing's house in the evening.

If it weren't for Xu Qing's shouting, he would still be helping with the cooking in the kitchen.

In fact, there are Jinghong, Aiqian, Xiujuan and grandma, so there is no need for Silly Zhu to enter the kitchen.

However, Silly Zhu, a man who can't rest, has no other skills except cooking food that is full of praise.

Xu Qing asked him not to go to Yi Zhonghai's house during the Chinese New Year but to come to his own house.

Silly Zhu was embarrassed to sit and wait for the New Year's Eve dinner, so he went into the kitchen to help.At this time, Si Zhu saw people from all the houses in the courtyard. He took off his sleeves, took out a cigarette with a grin, handed one to Grandpa Xu Qing, and then gave it to the three uncles, and then gave it to Xu Qing, Xu Damao, and Xu Fengming. , and finally handed it to Banggeng.

Bangge doesn't smoke much, but even when he was a kid, he dared to do anything.

On the contrary, when I grew up, I never smoked in the compound before I went to work in the countryside.

This is much better than the two brothers Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu, who secretly learned to smoke just after graduating from junior high school.

Silly Zhu drank a glass of wine, smashed it in his mouth, took a puff from the cigarette, looked at Liu Haizhong with a red face and said:
"Second uncle, all three of your boys have come back to spend the New Year with you and my second aunt. Don't just have fun. Have you prepared the New Year's money for your grandchildren tonight?"

Liu Haizhong saw that Shazhu was thirty years old and was still being rude, so he snorted:
"Silly Zhu, you kid, don't worry about me. Just pay attention to your own personal problems and get a wife as soon as next year. Let everyone in our courtyard be happy. That's the business."

Silly Zhu bared his teeth and said with a smile: "Second uncle, if you really care about me, you can introduce me to my second aunt."

Liu Haizhong was speechless for a moment. He picked up the pork head meat with his chopsticks and stuffed it into his mouth without saying anything.

In order to find wives for Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu, his hair almost turned gray.

After finally getting his sons married, he didn't want to have to deal with that kind of thing again.

Yan Bugui turned his face away, not daring to look at Si Zhu.

When Sha Zhu asked him to help introduce Banggan's math teacher Ran Qiuye, he was not willing at all.

Years passed by and now Silly Zhu has transformed and will soon be the canteen director in the factory.

Yan Bugui wanted to introduce Sha Zhu to the young female teacher from his school, but he couldn't bear to do so.

He just smoked cigarettes by himself.

Xu Damao raised his eyelids and poured a round of wine for everyone from the wine bottle. He was indifferent to whether Silly Zhu was getting married or not.

Xu Qing, Patriot, Feng Ming, and the three brothers did not follow what Sha Zhu and the second uncle said.

Xu Qing knew that as soon as Lou Xiao'e came back, she would definitely get married to Sha Zhu.

It’s just not easy to say it in front of everyone in the courtyard.

Before it got dark, everyone went back to their homes and sat in their houses to eat New Year's Eve dinner.

In the middle courtyard, except Silly Zhu, everyone gathered together to celebrate the New Year.

Silly Zhu is in Xu Qing's house.

In the past, the two families spent the Chinese New Year together, and Shazhu didn't feel uncomfortable at all.

After helping Xu Qing and Patriot, Jinghong and Fengming put the food on the hot bed in the front room, they teased Xu Hongzhi:
"Boy, guess which dishes I cooked for today's New Year's Eve dinner?"

Xu Hongzhi held his chopsticks and looked left and right, his head shaking like a rattle.

"Uncle Yuzhu, aren't you making things difficult for me? My father, my second uncle, and my third uncle all cooked with you. Except for the dishes that my mother, my second aunt, and my third aunt cooked, I can't tell the difference at all. come out."

Silly Zhu let out a laugh and said:
"Boy, more than ten years ago, when I asked your third uncle to guess, he just copied them with chopsticks and tasted them one by one."

As he said that, Shazhu winked at Xu Hongzhi and said, "Don't be stunned, pick up your chopsticks and eat big. There are so many good things, you won't be able to finish them tonight, and you are not allowed to sleep."

Xu Hongzhi said with a smile: "Uncle Yuzhu, don't lie to me. I won't sleep tonight because of the New Year's Eve."

Silly Zhu said happily, "Okay, you are smart enough. If you can survive the whole night tonight, I will give you a big unity card for my money."

Xu Hongzhi nodded, looking happy and confident.

As a result, firecrackers to welcome the New Year were set off just early in the morning.

Xu Hongzhi huddled in front of his great-grandfather and great-aunt, followed by his sister Xu Qiaoxin and cousin Hongfu, and fell asleep.

Xu Qinghe, Aiguo, Feng Ming, and Shazhu didn't sleep. The four of them drank and fisted until dawn.

At around seven o'clock in the morning, Jinghong, Aiqian and Xiujuan cooked the dumplings they had made last night.

The family had breakfast with Silly Zhu.

In the morning, everyone in the compound sat in the backyard, eating melon seeds and peanuts, chatting and watching TV.

Xu Qing moved the color TV set at home into the courtyard.

The weather on the first day of the first lunar month was very good, sunny.

No one went to the streets, they just had a lot of fun together in the courtyard.

Only in the third year of junior high school do I go out to visit relatives and friends, or go to the streets for temple fairs.

On the eighth day of the first lunar month, Xu Qing went to Dongdan's own grain station early in the morning and opened the door.

Hui Lihua, Luo Hongjuan, and Li Shuzhen asked when they saw Jinghong not coming:
"Sister Jinghong, won't you come over today?"

Xu Qing nodded and said, "No, Hongzhi didn't finish his homework during the winter vacation, so he's watching it at home."

After celebrating the New Year, Er Mazi was dressed new from head to toe and grinned happily:
"Qingzi, my wife is also at home watching my two children do their homework. The bastards have only played during the winter vacation and haven't touched a word yet."

Sanhuzi's daughter-in-law arrived late with Meijuan, and after paying New Year's greetings to Xu Qing and everyone, she said:
"Isn't that right? My family hasn't opened a shop today. I plan to let my unlucky son finish his homework in the past few days and then take it to the shop to help."

Er Mazi smiled and said: "Sister Wang, you saw that Qingzi always brought Hongzhi here last year, and you want your son to follow San Huzi to repair the car."

Sanhuzi's wife heard this and said:
"Well, if my son doesn't go to school well and only knows how to play with the boys in his class, he might as well learn the craft of repairing cars from his father when he was young. If he doesn't go to school when he grows up, I will follow His father set up a stall for him and asked him to repair his bicycle."

Xu Qing asked Er Mazi to move the stove set up in the grain station outside, and then said to San Huzi's wife:
"Sister Wang, now that the country is reopening, the situation will only get better and better in the future. Let's make great strides forward. We can't repair cars. This year, the shop that repairs cars is the only one. On the way here, I saw several new ones opened. Family, when your child grows up to repair the car, I'm afraid he will have to go to the county seat."

Sanhuzi's wife held the millet that Meijuan had just poured into the dustpan and said:
"Hey, who knows what will happen in the future. The Chinese New Year has just ended, and everyone on the street is wearing colorful clothes. But what will happen in the future, who can say for sure?"

Xu Qing patted her chest and said, "Sister Wang, I can do it."

Sanhuzi's wife only thought that Xu Qing was teasing her, and shook her head with a look of disbelief.

Xu Qing smiled and said nothing more. It didn't matter whether he believed it or not. Anyway, the economy would get better and better in the future. He knew it very well.

Hui Lihua on the side said to Sanhuzi's wife: "

Sister Wang, you have forgotten that our shopkeeper has studied in university and knows many people. What he said is absolutely correct! "

Sanhuzi's daughter-in-law changed her mind and said with a grin showing her teeth that were not very white:
"Yeah, it seems like I really can't let my son repair cars with his dad."

Er Mazi came back from outside the grain station, patted the dust on his hands and said:
"That's natural. Repairing a car is as tiring as working in a workshop. I haven't studied much, but I plan to let my son study more and become an official when he grows up. If he dares not study hard, I'll slap him with the sole of my shoe! "

Luo Hongjuan used the feather duster to dust off the windows and high places of the grain station, and snorted coldly at the second half of Er Mazi's sentence.

"Er Mazi, you beat your children at every turn. Is there a father like you?"

Er Mazi and Luo Hongjuan didn't get along very well. They had occasionally had disputes a few years ago. At this time, Er Mazi directly retorted:

"Comrade Luo Hongjuan, how I educate my son is my business. I don't bother you to worry about it. You should take good care of your child."

"Hey, Er Mazi, my sister said you are not happy even after a few words. What's the matter? After a new year, my temper has grown a lot."

Luo Hongjuan poked Er Mazi with a feather duster.

Er Mazi could only apologize and said with a smile: "Oh, I was wrong. Your criticism is right. I will change it in the future, right?"

Luo Hongjuan put away the feather duster and rolled her eyes at Er Mazi, "Look at you!"

Er Mazi muttered something and hid outside the grain station, basking in the sun. When he saw someone walking towards him carrying a vegetable basket, he grinned and said:

"Auntie, happy New Year. We just opened the door today. If you want white noodles or stick noodles, I can help you pack it."

(End of this chapter)