After the twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth days of the lunar month, it is the last day of the 21st year of Dading, "Chinese New Year's Eve." The villagers of Lijia Village have survived this famine year, and the wild vegetables that can be eaten near the mountain side are dug up by the villagers after the autumn. After the heavy snow closed the mountain, the villagers only ate one meal a day, and in order to save food, they didn't even go out of the door, and all cats hid at home for the winter.

It is only during the Laba Festival and the New Year that the village is lively. Today is Chinese New Year's Eve, and the doors and windows of every household in the village are missing the window grilles and couplets that were common last year, and only occasionally you can see the rising cooking smoke, drifting away in this cold winter.

As for Situ Yan's family, of course, it is different from the depression in the village, early in the morning, Situ Yan prepared sacrifices and went to the grave of the ancestors with the Li family brothers. Li Dalang, as in previous years, talked about everything that happened this year with Li Dazhu. Maybe the tomb was repaired not long ago, so this time the ancestor worship was less sentimental and more warm, and even the crying Shiro smiled at Li Yang's grave. If people really have spirits in heaven after death, they will be happy to see their sons living better and better.

After returning home, Situ Yan went into the clean room and boiled hot water with snow water, and everyone took a bath to wash away the bad luck of the year. This year, no one in the family made new clothes, and the two sets made last year can still be worn. Only take out the new underwear and socks that you made before and change them into for the rest of your family, even if you wear new clothes to add to the celebration. Li Dalang took Erlang and a few people to paste window flowers in the house, sticking blessing characters and couplets. The courtyard door was not posted according to Situ Yan, so as not to be the only one in the whole village, and it was too conspicuous, so the couplet Fu was pasted on the door of the main house. As for the window grille, of course, one is pasted on the window in each room. Originally, Li Dalang wanted to post it a few days ago, but it was delayed because the fourth grandfather passed by.

After the water was boiled, the four brothers entered the clean room together, and although they did not have new clothes to wear, they were still giggling happily, and the laughter spread from the clean room to the stove room.

Situ Yan, who was preparing a reunion dinner in the stove room, was also infected by this nice laughter, and the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned. She was happy to make the people around her happy, at least at this time she thought that grandma might be smiling like that.

For the rest of the village, this year is not as good as last year. But for Situ Yan's family, this year is much stronger than last year, they just came last year, and they didn't even have a field, although they found a livelihood and made money for more than two months, but they didn't have the food at home this year, and they had cash on their bodies. So just like last year, Situ Yan still prepared six dishes and one soup. I found the smoked fish and smoked chicken that had been prepared in the morning. I made a braised elbow, which is the favorite dish of the four brothers of the Li family, and of course it has become a must-have main dish on Chinese New Year's Eve, naturally the japonica rice with a side dish.

In the interval between preparing the reunion dinner, Situ Yan also took out the garlic sprouts that had been saved for more than a month from the ring, filled them with the minced pork into dumplings, and put the white noodles on the side of the shelf to wake up.

Situ Yan had a reunion dinner prepared by one person last year, and there were five people crowded in the stove room at this time, but it was a little crowded.

"It's really almost ready here, why don't the brothers go into the house first?"

"No, you cooked it by yourself last year, Xiao Wu, and I want to help this year." Li Erlang was afraid that his little sister would be tired, so he insisted on staying to help.

"Yes, I'll stay too." Saburo and Shiro spoke in unison.

"What about the clothes that you changed haven't been washed?" Situ Yan just wanted to find an excuse to kick a few people out of the stove room.

"Little Five, I've washed it all." Li Dalang's words choked Situ Yan didn't know how to continue.

"Then go back to the house and read, haven't you read it today?"

"Little Five, we read it when you went to the clean room just now."

"Then, then," Situ Yan suddenly really didn't know what to let a few people do.

"Little Wu, don't even think about letting us out. Otherwise, you can go to the backyard and check out the 'carrots' and 'snow wolves', and we'll take care of the rest." The four brothers looked at Situ Yan with a smile, they had slowly understood this little sister, and of course they knew that Situ Yan didn't want them to be tired when they let them out, but in the same way, they didn't want her to be tired.

"Okay, the four of you bullied one of me." Situ Yan pretended to be angry.

"Xiao Wu, you said it, you can't be angry during the New Year, you can't use foul language, you can't fight, so ah, you are pretending to be angry, we are not afraid." Li Sanlang can now tell when the little sister is really angry and when she is just pretending.

Situ Yan glared and blinked twice, what does it mean to lift a stone and hit her own feet, she was deeply moved at this time. Seeing that the four of them could not be persuaded, it was up to them.

After the reunion dinner, it was almost dusk, and the white snowflakes fell lightly with the wind, washing away the depression of the land and purifying the hearts of the world. "'Ruixue Mega Year', I really hope that next year will be a good year." Looking at such a landscape, Situ Yan silently made a wish in her heart.

Li Dalang first lit a "longevity lamp" in the hall, which means that longevity is prolonged and incense is continuous. I lit incense and bowed to the south, south, south, and northwest, and worshiped the gods and Buddhas of the heavens, and then sat down and had a reunion dinner with the family.

In addition to vegetables, meat, and rice on the table today, of course, an extra "wine" was added. This is the high-quality wine that Situ Yan specially bought for Li Dalang in the county town.

"The eldest brother has already done the crown ceremony this year, he is an adult, of course, how can there be less wine on this reunion dinner, Xiao Wu will fill you with a bowl, but this wine will hurt your body if you drink too much, just this bowl."

"Okay, okay." Li Dalang happily said two "good" words in a row. He really feels like a family member at this time, looking at the little sister who poured him wine, his heart is beautiful.

"Little five, give me a bowl too, I can be regarded as a second household, and I will be an adult in two years." Li Erlang looked at the wine and was a little greedy.

"Okay, today's New Year, I'll pour some for the second brother, but I can only drink half a bowl, and I'm not allowed to go crazy when I'm drunk." Situ Yan's San Lang and Shiro pointed at Erlang and laughed. Jiro didn't care either, looking at the wine in the bowl and licking his lips.

"The third brother, the fourth brother and I can only drink tea, this is the eight-treasure tea I specially cooked, it's delicious, and when the eldest brother and the second brother have drunk the wine, drink a bowl of this, and it can also relieve hangover." Big brother, you are a family member, and you will say a few words about this first sip of wine. ”

"I won't say it, it's better for you to talk about it. You are the housekeeper of this home. ”

"Okay, I'll just say a few words, this year, my brothers get up before dawn, and they can't sleep when it's dark, and the eldest brother and the second brother have to live in a shack for the crops in the field. The third brother and the fourth brother not only take care of the land in the backyard, but also feed the pigs and chickens, the family can have a good harvest this year, the japonica rice and meat dishes that can be eaten at the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner are all hard work of the brothers, the fifth brother thank you big brother, thank you second brother, thank you third brother, thank you fourth brother! Situ Yan touched everyone with the tea bowl, and then raised her head and drank all the tea.

"The eldest brother and the second brother can only take a sip, and this wine has to be tasted slowly." Situ Yan saw that Da Lang and Erlang were about to do it all, so she hurriedly reached out and took the bowl in their hands.

Li Dalang looked at the little sister sitting beside him, listened to the little sister's words, and his heart warmed, "Xiao Wu, the most tired person this year is you, usually busy cooking for us, thinking about the livelihood of the family." From the beginning of the year to the autumn harvest, even on Chinese New Year's Eve, you don't have to rest. I'm ashamed to be a big brother, thank you. Li Dalang picked up the wine bowl and touched it with Situ Yan, took a big sip of wine, and choked on tears.

Erlang also picked up the wine and touched Situ Yan first, "Xiao Wu, I eat the rice you cook every day, and now I am taller than Xiao Yang'er, I can't speak, and I can't read as well as the three and four children." But I only want to say one thing, as long as I live, I will be good to you, my eldest brother and younger brothers. ”

San Lang and Shiro saw that their brothers had spoken, and they also picked up the bowls, "Little Five, Big Brother, Second Brother, we respect you." With my brothers, I and the fourth child have a home, and with the fifth child, I know what life is. I must study hard, so that Xiao Wu and my brothers can live a good life in the future. ”

"Yes, I will be like the third brother, study hard and work hard. I also want to make money for my brother and Xiaowu, and then we will eat white noodles every day and japonica rice every day. ”

The words of several people moved Situ Yan's heart, everyone has her in their wishes, and she is really content. She didn't care if these words could be true, because from the time she wanted to be nice to these four people, she was destined to ask for nothing in return. But this extra warmth is the most touching, even a layman like her, who has seen through the world and said cold, can't help but have red eyes.

"Okay, let us work hard as a family to farm together, study hard, practice martial arts together, and live together. Come brothers, take another sip. The five of them touched the bowl together, and then they began to eat the reunion dinner.

After eating the reunion dinner, Situ Yan and a few people made dumplings together, followed by the New Year's Eve, stepping on the New Year, and waited until the time of the child, Li Dalang led his younger brothers to set off the cannonball, the sound of the cannonball sounded, and suddenly attracted a lot of children in the village, looking at the children who were picking up the cannonballs at the gate of the courtyard, Situ Yan felt a little sad, took out the snacks at home, and gave them a piece, which urged them to go home, so as not to worry about the adults.

After sending the children away, the family ate reunion dumplings again, and greeted each other for the New Year, and Li Dalang sent a red envelope to everyone, and this Chinese New Year's Eve was over.

Compared with the festivities of Situ Yan's house, the Pingnanhou Mansion in the capital of Nanwu is brightly lit all night, the maids and slaves are busy inside and outside, the men are drinking wine and listening to the music, and the women get together to play leaf cards. It's just that in the midst of such a bustle, there is a person sitting alone in the garden pavilion, pouring himself a drink.

"Young master, Master Hou sent someone to invite you over."

"It's so hard to get quiet in the middle of nowhere. Hey, I don't know if that interesting little baby is doing well? The little baby in Duanmu Xuan's mouth of Pingnan Hou Shizi is Wu Jin's sister Situ Yan, and he doesn't know why, he thinks of the little girl he has never met on such a night. He laughed self-deprecatingly, drank the wine in his glass, and then got up and went back to the front yard.

Some people are lonely on such nights, some people are happy, this is life.