The Chinese New Year was supposed to be the most festive festival, the men were dressed neatly and congratulated each other with a smile, the women were dressed up in groups to chat with melon seeds, and the children walked into a string of door-to-door New Year's greetings to ask for red envelopes and snacks.

However, this year's Wangjia Village is quite quiet. Although every household has posted red couplets, hung red lanterns, and people have changed into new clothes, and they will smile and congratulate each other when they meet, but everyone invariably lowered their voices when they spoke, as if they were afraid of disturbing someone! Children who were supposed to play in groups were also confined to their homes.

The reason is, of course, that Wan Fang's family is holding a funeral. People have died, the mourning hall has been set up, according to the rules monks and Taoists should chant the scriptures for seven days and seven nights to cross the dead before being buried, but the third day of the coffin is the first day of the New Year, and the monks and Taoists also have to go back for the New Year, so the surface of Wanfang's house looks quiet, and the sad cries that come out from time to time inside are a little scary!

When Ling'er and the old lady went to Xiaohuzi's house to pay New Year's greetings, they took a few more glances at the courtyard, and the alley full of red and happy colors suddenly became more snow-white fluttering in the wind, which looked extremely desolate.

The old lady pulled Ling'er into the courtyard and said in a low voice: "Ling'er, don't look at it!" On the first day of the Lunar New Year, you should be happy! ”

Hu Ziniang welcomed the two into the house, and saw that there were still a few women who came to visit the door for the New Year, they were chatting in a low voice in front of the stove, and Hu Ziniang pulled Mrs. Yang over and sat down. Ling'er sat down for a while and went to find Xiaohuzi, who was in the next room, where a group of men were also drinking and bragging in front of the fire!

Ling'er looked at the little tiger and called it out, found a corner and squatted down, and said in a low voice: "Little Huzi, what's going on in the yard over there?" Ling'er pointed in the direction of Wan Fang's house.

Xiaohuzi frowned: "It's nothing, I just beat gongs and drums and chanted scriptures for a day and a night the day before yesterday, and it was quiet yesterday!" Alas, really, why do you have to hold a funeral during the New Year, so my mother won't let me go out, and this year's New Year's money is gone! Hey, Ling'er, why are you here? Your mother didn't detain you at home? ”

"No, our house is far away from here, it's not in the way, I'm going to pay New Year's greetings to my master later, by the way, Sister Yue'er, are you going?"

Xiaohuzi said with envy: "It's so good! If I want to go, my mother won't let me go! Forget it, let's talk about it in a few days! ”

The old lady stayed at Xiaohuzi's house for about two quarters of an hour, then left with Ling'er to pay New Year's greetings to several neighbors who often came and went, and finally arrived at the village chief's house.

As soon as Ling'er entered the door, Yue'er rushed over with a cheer: "Oh, Ling'er, you are here!" ”

"Yue'er, be quiet!" Grandma Gui reprimanded with a tiger face, then greeted the old lady in a low voice, welcomed the two into the courtyard, and closed the courtyard door.

Yue'er waited for the two old ladies to enter the house, pulled Ling'er and ran into her own room, and when the door was closed, Yue'er breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Alas! Finally, I can talk well! Really, what kind of funeral is there for the New Year, so I can't even say it well! Hey, Ling'er, why do you say everyone is afraid of the dead? If one person dies, the whole village will not dare to celebrate the New Year! ”

Ling'er thought for a moment: "Perhaps... Maybe everyone feels bad luck and doesn't want to be contaminated! You see, when we encounter filthy things while walking, don't we have to pinch our noses and avoid walking? ”

Yue'er slapped her face: "Ah, so that's the case!" But for the New Year, it's not fun to stay at home at all! Hey, Ling'er, I think other places are quite lively, or... Let's call Xiaohuzi and go to the town together, okay? ”

"Don't, Sister Yue'er, we only went there the day before yesterday, and besides, my mother and your grandmother won't agree!"

Yue'er pouted: "But it's really boring in the house, and the New Year is even more deserted than usual!" If I had known, I wouldn't stay here, and I would have gone home with my mother! I really miss the big stove, the big kang head, and the big steamer at home, ah! There is also New Year's money and New Year's money! Woo~~~ Ling'er, I'm losing! This year, I didn't have to pay for the New Year's money of my father and sister! ”

Yue'er, who is obviously four years older than Ling'er, is very coquettish, which makes Ling'er a little overwhelmed, she comforted casually: "Sister Yue'er, don't be like this, go back in a few days, and let your father and sister make up for it!" ”

"Hey, yes, let them make it up, and double it, hehe! By the way, Ling'er, how much money did your father and mother give you for the New Year this time? And the red envelopes for New Year's greetings? Take a look! ”

Ling'er smiled awkwardly: "Hehe, there's nothing to see, it's definitely not as much as you!" ”

"How do you know if you don't see me, take it out and take a look!" Yue'er rummaged around Ling'er for a while, and sure enough, she found the red envelope given by her father and mother as soon as possible, she opened it excitedly, and each of the two red envelopes contained three copper coins.

Yue'er counted and counted, and said dissatisfiedly: "Ling'er, why are there so few?" You can't buy two good flowers for three pennies! ”

Ling'er took the red envelope and smiled flatly: "Sister Yue'er, you don't know the situation of my family, and I definitely can't compare with you!" But as long as there is a red envelope, I am very happy, this is my father's heart, not much! ”

"That being said, it's really very small! Hey, I'll show you the red envelope that my grandparents gave me! Yue'er took out two delicate purses from her arms, found a tray and poured out the copper coins inside, and then counted them one by one. Ling'er glanced at it, and sure enough, there were quite a lot, and it was estimated that there should be about a hundred Wen!

Ling'er sat on the side and looked at it with a smile: "Sister Yue'er, Master and Grandma Gui really love you, give so much at once!" By the way, your cousins and cousins also got a lot, right? ”

Yue'er paused, pouted, and said, "Them! Hmph, they didn't even come this morning to pay New Year's greetings, but a few boys came! However, my grandmother didn't give me as many red envelopes, only 20 wen per person, and I watched my grandmother's bag with my own eyes! ”

Ling'er smiled, didn't ask any more, and chatted with Yue'er until the old lady came to call her at noon, and then went home with the old lady.

The funeral of Wanfang's family did not end until the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, so the village was silent until the morning of the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, and the village soon became lively. Everyone spoke loudly, and there were many people who came out of the door, and the smiles on their faces were indulgent without scruples, and the children were jubilant, and after a while, they gathered a large group, and ran to that side shouting.

Looking at the excitement outside, Ling'er, who didn't want to go out, was also kicked out of the yard by the old lady and asked her to go to the village to play with the children. Ling'er couldn't help it, there weren't many familiar children in the village, she went to Xiaohuzi's house first, but Xiaohuzi went to his grandmother's house with his mother in the morning; When I went to the old village chief's house again, I saw that the door was closed, and I heard from the neighbors that the old village chief and his wife were picked up by Ling'er and his mother!

When passing by the open space in the middle of the village, I saw a group of children surrounded by the old yellow fruit tree, and everyone was noisy and shouting, as if they were scolding someone?

Ling'er got closer and listened to the onlookers scolding the broom star, bad luck, and causing everyone to not be able to celebrate the New Year or something! When she climbed onto a stone table next to her and looked inside, it was Wang Shengwan and her younger brother who had just lost her father who were surrounded and scolded by everyone!