In the blink of an eye, it was the twenty-fourth day of the lunar month, and this day was a small year, although the small year was not as grand as the Chinese New Year's Eve, but it was also an important day of the year.

According to Chen Xuejiao's idea, the small year is to warm up for the Chinese New Year's Eve, and only after the small year, the atmosphere of the year is getting stronger and stronger, and there is an expectation for the big year in my heart.

In the new year, the stove should be sacrificed and the stove prince should be sent.

Chen Xuejiao is no stranger to this custom as she was last year.

However, there is still joy in my heart, no matter what age it is, how old it is, not only Chen Xuejiao, but all the descendants of Yan and Huang should have the desire and enthusiasm for the New Year in their hearts.

As early as entering the lunar month, Chen Xuejiao's family discussed, this year's big house is single, and they don't celebrate the New Year with the upper room, even if it is in the way of Old Man Chen's face, they only go to sit and sit when they have a reunion dinner.

Early in the morning, Li Shi lit the stove to boil the Kanto sugar, and Chen Qi'an smeared the boiled sugar on the mouth of the stove prince. Li smiled and told Chen Xuejiao the reason, this is to use Kanto sugar sweetness to stick to the mouth of the Lord of the Stove, so that he will not speak ill of his family in the Jade Emperor when he ascends to heaven.

Chen Xuejiao listened to this explanation and laughed out loud.

"Don't laugh too loudly, it's annoying the Lord of the Stove." Li lovingly stroked Xue Jiao's head.

Last year, the sacrificial stove was with the upper room, and the second elder in the upper room, especially Mrs. Chen, had many rules, and a little inadvertently touched Mrs. Chen's scales, no matter who she was, she would be scolded by her, so last year, whether it was a small year or a big year, Chen Xuejiao felt that there was a little bit of unhappiness in the excitement.

And this year, Chen Xuejiao's family celebrated the New Year by themselves. Although Li and Chen Xiucai are natives of ancient people, the rules are not as important as going to the house, and they occasionally say the wrong thing. In exchange for a reminder, Li will not have any scolding.

Therefore, Chen Xuejiao feels that this year's year is much more festive than last year, and she has to do as she likes.

However, the big rules still have to be observed, for example, you can only speak auspicious words, and for example, you must abide by the rules of "men do not worship the moon, women do not worship the stove". At the time of the sacrificial stove. The female dependents of the family, from the Li family to Chen Xuejiao, Xueru, and Jinghao, could not participate, so Chen Xiucai could only take Chen Qiping and Chen Qi'an to burn incense and worship in front of the Lord of the Stove.

After Chen Qi'an sealed the mouth of the Lord of the Stove with Kanto sugar. and on the table in front of the statue of the king of the stove, put sugar melons, water, beans, and straw; Among them, the last three are prepared for the mount of the Stove King's ascension.

The family is getting better and better than last year, milky white grapes, candy peanuts. There is a lot of food in the fruit saucer. As soon as the plate had gone to the lower half-floor, the stone went to the town to buy it and make up for it.

Rao is like this, Li still made fried noodles and fruits, fried dumplings and leaves, boiled sweet potato candy sticks, and steamed snow-white steamed buns.

After the small year, there are only six or seven days left until the Chinese New Year's Eve.

The New Year's goods were purchased, the gifts were also sent, the half-chambered sheep ordered by the town were sent early, and the Li family ordered the stone to chop the mutton into small pieces of meat and hang it under the eaves. Five pigs raised at home. I sold four of them, and I killed one of them and kept them for food. gave the Li family ten catties, the Wang family ten catties, the Wen Ying family ten catties, the Han family ten catties, and Huang Xiucai went back to his hometown and gave Jia's sister-in-law five catties.

The private school has long since ceased classes. Chen Qi is at home every day, eating a small bun, clinging to Chen Xuejiao.

Chen Xuejiao put on a new pair of jackets and trousers, and tied a purse embroidered with peonies on the corner of her skirt, which was stuffed full, rose pine nut candy, steamed shortbread with fruit filling, and creamy melon seeds.

Cutting window flowers is the grandest folk custom in Xuzhou Province to welcome the New Year, and before the Chinese New Year's Eve, every household sticks window flowers.

Among the little girls in the entire Maoshan Village, Chen Xueru and Jing are very skillful, and the cut window flowers are the best. There was such a clumsy housewife, so she took the red paper and came to Chen Xuejiao's house, and asked Chen Xueru and Jinghao to help cut the window flowers.

Chen Xuejiao ate rose pine nut candy and turned the window flowers that had been cut at Chen Xueru's feet with her hands.

There are magpies and plums, swallows wear peach willows, peacocks play peonies, lions roll hydrangeas, three sheep open Tai, and there are fish in the year of the lotus. One of the fat babies holding fish is the most lifelike, a snow-white fat doll, a bulging little face, surrounded by a red belly pocket, a little red on the forehead, a pair of little fat hands, riding a big golden carp.

"This window grille is so beautiful, who is it for?" Chen Xuejiao took it in her hand, looked at it again and again, and couldn't put it down.

"It was the daughter-in-law of the pillar who asked me to cut it." Chen Xueru was cutting the five blessings in her hand, and the corners of her mouth twitched and said a little shyly, "If it really comes true, the daughter-in-law of the pillar will feel more at ease." “

Zhuzi's daughter-in-law is a young daughter-in-law in the village, who is now working in Chen Xuejiao's duck egg shop, and is an extremely neat and virtuous daughter-in-law. She has a very good relationship with Zhuzi, and the only regret is that she has passed the door for two or three years, and her stomach has not moved so far. If it weren't for the pillar, her mother-in-law would have seen her unpleasantly and sent her back to her parents' house.

It is customary in Xuzhou Province that on the night of the thirtieth day of the Chinese New Year's Eve, a fat doll riding a carp is pasted on the window, and it is easy to conceive a fat boy in the spring of the next year.

Whether it is true or not, Chen Xuejiao feels that it cannot simply be called superstition, because it represents the Zhuang family's expectation for a better life.

Chen Qiping sat on the small machine under the bed, sitting upright, holding a brush in his hand and writing and typing, dipped in a hand of ink, and suddenly raised his head and said: "My sister also cut a big fat doll riding a big fish for the third aunt, and add a younger brother to us in the coming year." “

"Just say it." Chen Xuejiao nodded Chen Qiping's brain, "Your unaware sleep writing is crooked." “

"Bang, bang, bang" three knocks came, Chen Xuejiao jumped out of bed to open the door, only to see Chen Xuewa wearing a new dress and new pants, rubbing her hands and teeth and standing at the door: "I'll learn to cut window flowers with Sister Xueru and my cousin." “

Chen Xuewa was still holding a stack of red paper under her armpit, and it looked like a snow when the sky was cloudy outside, so Chen Xuejiao hurriedly pulled Chen Xuewa into the house.

"What a handsome big fat doll." Chen Xuewa took off her shoes, climbed into bed, looked at the window flower that Chen Xuejiao took just now, looked at it, praised it, took a pair of scissors from the sewing basket, and Chen Xueru was head to head, followed by scissors and scissors to cut the window flowers.

Everyone was talking and laughing warmly. While cutting the window flowers, peanuts and sweet potatoes were also put in the stove, and the baked peanuts were fried and the sweet potatoes wafted out of the fragrance. Chen Xuejiao took out the iron tongs from the outside, blew off the red skin with peanuts, put them on the plate, and everyone pinched and ate them with their hands.

Chen Xuejiao loves sweet potatoes, took out the largest sweet potato, didn't care about the heat, peeled it and stuffed it into her mouth.

The house was burning hot. Chen Xuejiao took off the gray squirrel jacket on the outside, and continued to pick peanuts for everyone to eat while soaking the heat on the sweet potato. Seeing that the other sweet potato was ripe, Chen Xuejiao peeled the skin and handed it to Chen Xuewa and said with a smile: "Why didn't you see the third uncle sacrificing to the king of the stove?" “

"My father sacrificed to the king of the stove, originally my mother said that we were separated, and I want to learn from you this year to celebrate the New Year. But now is the time to worship the king of the stove. Dad was called over by his grandfather, saying that our family would worship Dad alone, and he didn't feel good in his heart. Chen Xuewa's eyes darkened, "My mother can't say anything, you see, the little year has been spent together, and the big year will definitely be spent together." “

Worship the king of the stove, only men can worship. Sanfang has no son. There is only one big man in Chen Zifu, if he worships the stove king alone. It's really not a taste to look at.

Cai, who has always dared to argue with Mrs. Chen, is suppressed by her mother-in-law every time she is above her son.

"Well, if only I had a brother." Chen Xuewa held the big fat doll paper cut in her hand, and begged Xue Ru, "Sister Xue Ru, you can also cut one for my family." “

In any case, heirs, especially sons, are still a topic that cannot be avoided by a family, and Sanfang is naturally no exception. I usually don't feel the helplessness of not having a son, but it can be reflected when it comes to the New Year's Festival or worship. For example, today's sacrificial stove king, if the third room has a son, Chen Zifu naturally doesn't need to pay attention to the opinion of the upper room. This is just a small thing, if you encounter a big event, such as Chen Zifu or Cai's 100 years later, the daughter can't go to the cemetery to worship.

This is the helplessness of Sanfang, but there is no way, the whole era has such thoughts.

"Okay, I'll cut one for your house too." Chen Xueru said cheerfully.

"Xuewa, you don't care if you have a younger brother or not, as an older sister, you have to stand up in the future." Chen Xuejiao held Xuewa's hand and said.

Chen Xuewa nodded, and suddenly said angrily: "My father was sent to my aunt's house by my grandmother." “

The aunt in Xuewa's mouth refers to Wen Yan.

"What are you doing at my aunt's house?" I can guess that it must be a New Year's gift to Wen Yan, even so, Chen Xuejiao also asked.

"What else can you do?" Chen Xuewa said angrily, "Originally, my father didn't want to go, but my grandmother wanted to cry as much as my aunt wanted, saying that she would go every year, but she wouldn't go this year, which made my aunt feel so cold." You haven't seen it, my milk is crying, and she doesn't scold my father, I see, her trick is more powerful than scolding my father. ”

Now that things are different, Mrs. Chen has also learned to stab a soft knife.

"What's that?" Chen Xueru followed and asked.

"There are steamed buns, fried dumpling leaves, sweet potato candy bars, fried noodles and fruits, and two rulers, Shangfang did not kill pigs this year, the pigs were sold, or you gave ten catties of pork, and the milk also wanted to send it to my aunt, but I was stopped by the master, so I had to catch two roosters and two hens." Chen Xuewa simply put the half-cut window grille on the table, and snapped her fingers, "By the way, I also secretly saw the milk plug giving my father a bag of things, I guess eighty percent is silver, I have been in the room for so many years to make up for my sister-in-law and second uncle, and we will eat more food after going to the room." “

Mrs. Chen's partiality with Wen Yan, Chen Xuejiao's family felt that it didn't matter, anyway, they were not their own grandmothers, but Sanfang was different, they were Mrs. Chen's relatives, so one was far away from the other, of course, it made Sanfang feel cold.

"What kind of New Year's gift did my aunt bring to her grandmother this year?" Chen Xuejiao asked.

This year, Wen Yan did not come to give the New Year's gift, and Duan Erhu did not come, it is said that the people of Honzhuang brought it.

"What can there be, it's just a few worthless fruits, and that's it, the milk is still on display." Chen Xuewa pursed her mouth and quietly approached Xue Jiao, "Sister Xue Jiao, let me tell you, my grandmother scolded you, scolded you for being stingy, nominated and said uncle, it doesn't matter if you say anything and don't give it to her, but my aunt is my father's sister-in-law, and I won't give it to my aunt at all this year." “

Chen Xuejiao laughed when she heard this, they made shoes and socks and clothes for Old Man Chen last time, but they didn't give them to Old Mrs. Chen, of course she had an idea in her heart. This year, Dafang naturally didn't give Wen Yan any New Year's gifts, why give it to her, she didn't have Chen Xuejiao in her heart.

Mrs. Chen naturally understood in her heart that since she had passed the hall last time, she also knew that Dafang only respected her stepmother's name, but she had no respect for her as a person. If she gives, she will have face, if she doesn't give it, she will have no face, and she can't fight for it when she cries, it's all up to Chen Xuejiao's family.

"I'll just say it, my sister-in-law hasn't even given Sister Xuejiao and me a piece of candy all these years, and she was caught and scolded by the milk." Chen Xuewa pursed her mouth, "She scolded and scolded, and turned to Sister Xue Jiao, saying that if it wasn't for Sister Xue Jiao's bad work, she wouldn't have to go through the hall at all." also said that the eldest aunt gave the workshop female workers a New Year's gift, but she didn't say it to the sister-in-law, and there was no human touch at all. “

The salted duck egg workshop was stopped after Laba, and the female workers in the town's embroidery shop did not stop until the twenty-ninth year because they were all lonely and widowed. Chen Xuejiao's family had already purchased New Year's goods and sent them to them, five catties of pork per person, five catties of sugar, four-color pastries, a jar of salted duck eggs, and an extra ruler for the female workers in the embroidery workshop. Chen Xuejiao's family is the most generous owner in Baitu Town, and it is even more generous than the New Year's gift given to the guys by Qingfeng Village. When they were preparing for these New Year's gifts, they didn't hide it from others at all, the salted duck egg workshop was in the Chen family's compound, and on the day of the New Year's ceremony, it was lively and lively, which naturally fell into the eyes of Mrs. Chen, and she could only nag behind her back when she was unbalanced, but she no longer dared to say it to the big house in person.

"She nagged and nagged, and we lived our lives anyway." Chen Xuejiao said disdainfully.

"The second and fourth uncles don't come to the house, so if you want me to say, it's better not to come, they are like vampires one by one." Speaking of Chen Zichang, Chen Xuewa saw it very thoroughly at a young age.

Chen Xuejiao smiled, as for whether they came or not, it was not Dafang's concern, anyway, they would not celebrate the New Year together.

Before the thirtieth year of the Chinese New Year's Eve, it is necessary to sweep the dust.

After lunch, Chen Xuejiao's family began to sweep the dust.

Although Chen Xiucai was a scholar, he was very neat in his work, and he took Chen Qi'an and the stone to climb to the roof and swept the entire roof.

Here, the Li family took Chen Xueru, Chen Xuejiao, and Jing Hao to clean up the house inside and out, scrubbed the stove cleanly, and even swept the wooden board cover on the well platform in the yard.

The whole house is also a snow cave, and all the rooms are replaced with new ones, vases with flower arrangements on the table, bed curtains, mattresses, and cushions, which should be dismantled, and washed, and I have been busy all day.

Qi Ping shouted that he hung two big red lanterns under the eaves, but he did not light them now, and waited for the thirtieth year of the Chinese New Year's Eve.

The tables and chairs are covered with tung oil, the room is filled with the fragrance of tung oil, the mirror table, the hanger and dresser are all scrubbed, and the washbasin and kettle are scrubbed with the bright and shining eyes.

Everyone worked together until the lights were lit at 10 o'clock, and then they cleaned up.

There was a light snow at night, and early the next morning, Chen Qi'an opened the door and suddenly exclaimed: "...... What are you doing here? (To be continued......)