Chapter 516: Chapter 400: New Year’s Festival

New Year’s Eve is a day of family reunion for thousands of families, and this year’s New Year’s Eve became a reunion festival for the entire village.

The Old Captain, who managed things, had planned on the day they slaughtered the New Year’s pig to have a good celebration this year, to sweep away bad luck and hope for a good harvest in the coming year. He specifically kept a pig for New Year’s Eve.

In the communal kitchen of Zhang Family Village, many daughters-in-law, big and small, started getting busy in the kitchen. Each of them showed off their skills, deciding to put together the must-have four main dishes of pork knuckles, carp, ribs, and chicken. If there weren’t enough pork knuckles, pig trotters would do; if there weren’t many mother hens, they were chopped into small pieces with more mushrooms added; if there were not many ribs, more radishes were added.

The smell wafted out in waves, surrounding the village children who, with noses in the air, were unwilling to leave, eagerly waiting for nightfall.

The Old Captain, holding a long pipe, took a turn inside and outside the village. Smelling the fragrance in the air, he nodded in satisfaction. But he pondered over delaying the dumplings a bit in the evening so everyone could first fill up a little, otherwise, there really wouldn’t be enough for everyone to eat in one meal. As for the remaining few bean buns and steamed buns, they could be given to the children; the adults would make do with cornbread.

Looking at the group of drooling children in front of him, he looked up at those behind him and slowly left the canteen, as the matter of ancestral sacrifices still needed to be discussed with the old clan leader and others.

As the old year ends and the new one begins, those in Zhang Family Village couldn’t grasp the Old Captain’s worries. Every household joyfully pasted New Year’s paintings, couplets on doorways, hung ornamental money, and window paper, reveling in however they could celebrate.

Zhou Jiao was particularly delighted. At this moment, she merrily stuck a red paper with “Bountiful Harvest” on the grain storage, looked inside at the emptiness, and creatively placed a basket of multicolored grains inside. On the bicycle, she pasted “Safety in and out,” and on the chicken pen, she wrote “Eggs aplenty”—whatever came to mind, she pasted it.

Standing in the yard, Zhou Jiao looked at the red “Fu” characters on the walls and door, the red window paper, and her son, playing in the snow dressed all in red. There was a rich feeling of the New Year, brimming with festivity.

Zhang Guoqing came out from the kitchen and, seeing the joyous Zhou Jiao, smiled knowingly.

“Son, stop playing for now. We’re going to gather things and head to the old house.”

Ping’an saw him and happily pounced on him.

Zhang Guoqing joyfully spun around a few times holding his son, embraced his wife, and headed to the living room. He asked, “Tonight, we’re going to have New Year’s dinner in the village. Should we bring anything along?”

“Let’s ask Dad and Mom later, see what the two elder brothers’ families are doing. We’ll add some to what they’re bringing, just don’t stand out too much. Are we really not keeping vigil with Dad and Mom tonight?”

“Not being home for the New Year vigil feels off. Let’s see if Dad and Mom will come over later, if not, then forget it. The Old Captain in the village also wants everyone to finish their New Year’s Eve dinner early, so each household can take a bowl of dumplings back for the vigil.”

Zhou Jiao picked up a set of new clothes and four different kinds of gifts prepared for Mr. Zhang and Mother Zhang, and said with a smile, “We won’t be at the old house tonight, so I guess they might come over to our place. Let’s go check first.”

“Did you get the lucky money packets ready for Dad and Mom?”

“Yes, one person got 9.9 yuan. It symbolizes longevity, right?”

Seeing her blink with uncertainty, Zhang Guoqing rubbed her head, “Perfect, just right.”

Zhou Jiao said proudly, “Besides this, I also prepared a new 10-yuan bill for Mom, ranging from one fen to one jiao, so she can give out lucky money during the first month of the lunar year.”

Zhang Guoqing wiped the child’s face, applied some Harry Oil, and, picking him up, said with a smile, “Haha, that’s good. When Mom sees someone she likes, she can give them one jiao, and if she doesn’t, she can give them one fen.”

The couple leisurely headed to the old house with the child.

Before they even reached the main room, they heard Zhang the Second’s hearty laugh.

“Well, speak of the devil, and the devil appears. Xiao Wu, you two came just in time. I gave Dad and Mom lucky money, but they wouldn’t take it.”

“Mom, you and Dad take it. It’s for good luck and longevity, to ensure both of you live to a ripe old age,” said Zhou Jiao as she placed the items down, and took the child from her.

Mother Zhang, smiling, shook her head, “Give it when we’re older, we don’t need it now.”

Not seeing anyone besides Zhang the Second, Zhou Jiao said, “Your brothers are very filial to you and Dad, so accept it happily. It’s convenient to keep it by your side; use it to buy candy for the kids to play with.”

Finished speaking, Zhou Jiao motioned to Zhang Guoqing’s pocket and went to the kitchen.

Zhang Guoqing, noticing, reached into his pocket, smiled, placed Ping’an on the kang, and took out a wad of new bills and two red envelopes, handing them to Mother Zhang along with the gifts.

“What’s this, Xiao Wu?”

“Mom, don’t push back and forth. Didn’t you see Jiao Jiao was frightened away? These new bills are for you to give as lucky money, and the two red packets are for good luck. There isn’t much in them, you and Dad should keep them.”

Mr. Zhang reached out for the wad of money, delightfully passing it to his wife, “Take it, it’s rare for the kids to give this much. You can use it to give lucky money when you visit your mother’s family during the first month.”

Zhang the Second joked, “Mom, when you go to Uncle’s house, give more to those you like, and if it runs out, just ask Xiao Wu for more. Xiao Wu, why didn’t you let us know when you exchanged for new money?”

Zhang Guoqing only smiled, without answering. Zhou Jiao hadn’t specifically exchanged for new bills; she just happened to receive lucky money from relatives in Beijing and remembered to exchange it at the post office.

He couldn’t elaborate. His son’s lucky money was much more at his father-in-law’s, and if not for fear of attracting undue attention, the county’s postal office staff would likely be astounded.

Zhang Guoqing changed the subject, asking what their family should bring over to the village for tonight, as going empty-handed with so many people didn’t seem appropriate.

Mother Zhang chuckled, as she’d already prepared their share of food for the village early on, wondering how her silly son forgot they donated both an old sow and many chickens.

When the evening meal bell rang early, Mr. Zhang led the entire family to the canteen.

At that time, the canteen was bustling, much like during the grand ceremonies of ancestral worship in previous years.

Numerous tables were squeezed together, with each table having four main dishes, a stew of pork knuckles and trotters, braised carp, ribs stewed with radish, chicken mushroom soup, pork sauerkraut stew, and a three fresh vegetables dish.

This rare, luxurious New Year’s Eve dinner made everyone forget their worries, leaving them all smiling broadly, men and women, young and old. Despite ribs stewed with radishes being more radish than ribs, despite the chicken mushroom soup having only one or two pieces of meat, despite the braised carp being only for symbolism and untouched, nothing could dampen everyone’s New Year joy.

The village’s only remaining jar of wine was offered to the elders at the table. The fun-loving young people poured hot water pretending it was wine, finding joy in hardship.

The kitchen ladies and aunties brought out several trays of main dishes—cornbread and corn pancakes. Adults received five cornbreads and two pancakes; children received two cornbreads and two pancakes. Fortunately, corn porridge was available to fill up at night, adding some more festivity to the New Year feel.

The happiest were the kids, who received an extra bun and two sticky bean buns.

Amidst cheers and shouts from the children, worried they might miss out, attracting laughter from those around.

If asked, Zhou Jiao might say this is less substantial than previous pig slaughter dishes. But everyone simply wanted happiness, reunion, and the pleasure of celebrating the New Year.

The hunting session before the New Year in Zhang Family Village had a good benefit. Unlike other places, families near mountains didn’t lack in oil or water. So now, everyone aimed to give all identifiable pieces of meat and bones to the kids.

No adult was willing to reach out into the dishes. Even the few troublesome people in the village wouldn’t dare upset everyone on this day.

This was the children’s festival, a day elders used to reunite with their descendants over countless years.

In homes with elders, saving a piece of meat just to watch their grandchildren with joy – isn’t that also a form of love?

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep