Entering the twenty-fourth day of the lunar month, it is time to start preparing for the New Year after sweeping the house.

On the twenty-fifth day of the lunar month, the air of the whole wind and village is filled with a sweet glutinous rice fragrance. This is the glutinous rice dumplings that the people in the village are going to fry and eat only during the New Year.

The Li family also fried glutinous rice dumplings today, and early in the morning, everyone began to get busy.

There are many people in the family, and there are a lot of glutinous rice dumplings prepared. Li Bangguo and Li Weiye were in charge of the spoons in the two kitchens, looking at the oil in the pots.

Li Yuedi and Liang Xiaomei each had a kitchen, adding firewood in front of the stove and starting to heat the oil.

Ye Xiaoyu and Li Weiyan brought a large vat with glutinous rice flour that had been milled in the early morning.

There is also a bucket of boiled brown sugar water next to the tank, which is used to drink glutinous rice flour.

"Xiao Chen, Xiao Xi, you two come over and help pour the sugar water." Li Weiyan shouted.

"Eh, here we are." Lin Zichen, who was cleaning up the dustpan outside the house, carried the dustpan back to the house, took two clean cups from the kitchen and prepared to scoop the sugar water.

Murong Kuo held a glass of lightly mixed sugar water and sat on the side to watch Li Weiyan and Ye Xiaoyu go about their work. Seeing that Li Ge didn't come to help, but asked the two younger ones in the family to help, he glared at Li Ge and said, "As the eldest brother, he didn't take the initiative to help, but asked his younger brothers and sisters to help, which is embarrassing." ”

Li Ge was depressed and explained with a smile: "Master, aren't we washing our hands and waiting to pinch glutinous rice dumplings, besides, Xiao Chen and Xiao Xi help pour sugar water every year at home, and the two of them know how much sugar water to pour at one time, you suddenly asked a few of us to help, didn't you let us help!" ”

Li Yu also answered with a smile: "Yes, Grandpa Murong, the division of labor in our family has always been very fair, and these two jars of glutinous rice noodles will have to be kneaded into glutinous rice balls by a few of our brothers, how big do you say our work." ”

When Murong Kuo heard this, he nodded clearly, his expression was a little embarrassed, but he didn't want to say sorry to his apprentice because of his face.

Li Ge still knows his master, and when he saw Murong Kuo sitting at home with an impatient expression, he knew that Murong Kuo wanted to go out for a walk: "Master, if you feel bored staying at home, you can go out for a walk by yourself, remember not to go too far." ”

When Murong Kuo heard Li Ge's words, he immediately stood up energetically: "Okay, then I'll go out for a walk." ”

Lin Zichen looked up and said to Murong Kuo while pouring sugar water: "Grandpa Murong, you have to remember to avoid the big flowers of the fat girl's house, otherwise it will be miserable to be chased by it again." ”

"Got it, got it." Murong Kuo said impatiently, but in fact, he was so embarrassed that he hurriedly fled from the Li family.

Looking at Murong Kuo's slightly wolf figure, Lin Zichen and the others laughed out loud unkindly.

It's no wonder that the Li family told Murong Kuo so much, it's really that Murong Kuo's "destructive power" is too strong. It's only been a few days, and the chickens and dogs tossed by the wind and Zhuang have jumped.

In the early morning, I followed Liang Xiaomei to the vegetable garden and said that she wanted to pick vegetables, but she brought back the weeds as vegetables, which made Li Yuedi and others cry and laugh.

After a while, he rushed with Lin Zixi to feed the chickens, and saw that a hen's hair was very good-looking, and he wanted to pull one out, but he was chased by the big rooster of the Li family who drank the well water first and hid all over the yard.

Unable to toss the Li family's animals and plants, Murong Kuo hit the other small animals in the village with his idea.

No, a few days ago, I saw a few puppies under the big peanut of the fat girl's house, and I thought it was cute and wanted to take one back to Li's house to raise, but I was chased by the dog's mother Dahua, and ran around the entire Zhuangzi a few times before returning to Li's house safely.

Speaking of Murong Kuo's fun, he can fill several pieces of paper.

And everyone in the village knows that Murong Kuo is Li Ge's master, and they also have admiration for Murong Kuo. I thought that Murong Kuo would be a strict old man, but I didn't expect it to be a fun-loving old child. The whole Fenghe Zhuang had a lot of interesting conversations because of his arrival, but it made the Fenghe Zhuang people spend a hilarious winter.

Murong Kuo walked out of Li's house and did not go to the fat girl's house to see the puppies, but ran to Li Hui's house to see the calves.

"Grandpa Murong, why are you here?" Li Hui, who was kneading glutinous rice dumplings, looked at Murong Kuo in surprise, got up and prepared to wash his hands to entertain Murong Kuo.

Murong Kuo waved his hand: "I'll come over to see your calves, you continue to be busy." ”

When Li Dafu and the others heard this, they were immediately under pressure.

Li Hui also said with a worried face: "Grandpa Murong, the cow happened to be there today, don't go and see it, our cow's temper is not very good." ”

When Murong Kuo heard this, he remembered that every time he was either pecked by a chicken or chased by a dog, he suddenly felt that he must have made a conflict with an animal, so he sighed in disappointment: "Hey, since that's the case, then I'll go back first." ”

Li Hui was still thinking about how to persuade Murong Kuo, but in the blink of an eye, Murong Kuo had already left, and he suddenly had a feeling of unreality.

Murong Kuo returned to Li's house, and the Li Ge brothers had already begun to knead glutinous rice dumplings, Murong Kuo immediately changed his frustrated mood when he saw this, and ran to wash his hands and came to help.

Kneading glutinous rice dumplings is very simple, kneading the glutinous rice balls with sugar water and kneading them into rice balls.

Murong Kuo learned very quickly, and the glutinous rice dumplings pinched out were the same size, and even Ye Xiaoyu and the others couldn't help but praise them when they saw them.

Murong Kuo, who was praised, suddenly soared in confidence, swept away the previous shame, and pinched it more energetically, and everyone looked at each other and smiled when they saw this.

The whole family was busy all day together, and baskets of hot glutinous rice dumplings were fried and placed in the warehouse.

In the evening, there was an extra stack of steamed fried glutinous rice dumplings on the table, and Murong Kuo killed four or five by himself.

When Murong Kuo raised his chopsticks and wanted to eat the sixth, Li Ge hurriedly stopped: "Master, this glutinous rice dumpling has just been fried, and it is very hot, you better eat less." ”

"Yes, Brother Murong, there are still a lot of them in the warehouse, so eat less tonight, otherwise your throat will be uncomfortable tomorrow." Li Bangguo also persuaded.

Murong Kuo touched his full stomach and nodded.

Li Ge served half a bowl of rice to Murong Kuo, and put a lot of green vegetables in the bowl.

The Li family's green vegetables are delicious, and gradually Murong Kuo doesn't eat meat, but only likes to eat the green vegetables grown by the Li family.

The glutinous rice dumplings were prepared, and the next few days were also very busy. On the twenty-sixth day of the lunar month, Murong Kuo followed the people from the village to the fish pond to watch the net fish, and when he came back, he carried a big carp in his hand, saying that it was given by the people from the village.

On the twenty-seventh and eighth days of the lunar month, Murong Kuo followed Li Bangguo to the town's bazaar to buy New Year's goods.

On the twenty-ninth day of the lunar month, Murong Kuo was a little too busy, and he went to Zhang Zicheng's house to watch the pig killing for a while, and then ran home to watch Li Bangguo grind tofu.

At noon, the Li Ge brothers took the cut red paper and prepared to go to the old man who could write calligraphy in the village to write couplets.

Seeing this, Murong Kuo hurriedly asked curiously, "Where are you going with the red paper?" ”

Li Ge replied with a smile: "Go find someone to write a couplet." ”

"Couplet? Just leave it to me. Murong Kuo patted his chest and said.

Li Ge was stunned for a moment, and then patted his head: "Oops, I almost forgot that you can also write calligraphy, master." In that case, the couplet will be handed over to you, master. ”

"Okay, okay, get all the pen and ink ready." Murong Kuo spread the red paper on the table in the hall.

The Li Ge brothers hurriedly took the pen and ink.

Murong Kuo laid out the paper, thought about it, and picked up the pen and wrote quickly.

Murong Kuo's handwriting is very good, majestic and atmospheric, and he knows at a glance that it is a master's level.

Putting down the ink pen in his hand, Murong Kuo blew the ink on the paper, and said to Li Ge and the others: "It's done, take it and paste it on." ”

"Grandpa Murong, your handwriting is so good!"

"Yes, it's dozens of times better than what the old man in the village wrote!"

Everyone looked at Murong Kuo's writing and praised it one after another.

Murong Kuo raised his head happily: "Of course, I have been writing this brush for decades, can it be bad?" ”

When Li Ge and several people heard this, they said yes again and again, and took the couplet and went to the door to paste it.

Murong Kuo saw that there were still some small pieces of red paper on the table, so he picked up a pen again and wrote various four-character New Year's greetings on each piece of paper, and then pasted one on the door of each room in the Li family.

"Eh, Li Ge, Li Ji, who wrote your couplet? This word is also too imposing. Zhang Zicheng came to Li's house with a plate of pig's blood, and at a glance he saw the couplet posted on the door of Li's house.

Li Ji replied with a smile: "This is Grandpa Murong's own handwriting." ”

Zhang Zicheng's eyes widened in surprise, and as he walked into the house, he asked, "Really, can you ask the old man to help me write a couplet." ”

Li Ge looked at Murong Kuo and said, "You have to ask my master about this." ”

"Ask me what?" Murong Kuo raised his head and nodded to Zhang Zicheng.

Zhang Zicheng swallowed his saliva and said to Murong Kuo a little nervously, "Mr. Murong, can you also help me write a couplet?" ”

"Oh, this thing, okay, then bring your red paper, and I'll write it for you right away."

"Okay, okay, I'll go back and get it right away." Zhang Zicheng stuffed the pig red in his hand into Li Ge's arms, turned around and ran home to get the red paper.

Zhang Zicheng soon returned to the Li family, and Murong Kuo asked Zhang Zicheng about his expectations for the coming year.

Zhang Zicheng thought for a while and said, "I hope my daughter can be admitted to a good university next year." ”

Murong Kuo nodded, thought about it and quickly wrote the couplet.

Zhang Zicheng took a look, thanked him happily, and left with the couplet.

Every household in Fenghezhuang posted couplets at this time, and when they saw Zhang Zicheng coming back from Li's house with a stack of red paper, he hurriedly asked what it was, and Zhang Zicheng showed off the couplet that Murong Kuo wrote to himself to everyone.

When everyone saw it, they all thought that Murong Kuo's handwriting was beautiful, and they all took red paper to Li's house to beg Murong Kuo to write couplets.

Murong Kuo did not refuse, and wrote a couplet with a wave of his hand.

There was an endless stream of people who came to ask for couplets, and they all broke the threshold of the Li family.

The Li family didn't say much when they saw that Murong Kuo had finally found something capable, and Ren Murong Kuo was happy.

After sending the last person to ask for a couplet, Murong Kuo happily put down the ink pen in his hand.

"Master, take a sip of tea and take a break." Li Ge delivered a cup of hot tea just in time.

"Grandpa Murong, I'll rub your shoulders." Lin Zixi also obediently stepped forward to help Murong Kuo massage.

"Hehe, good, good." Murong Kuo laughed heartily, enjoying everyone's service.

In the evening, Murong Kuo also followed the men of the Li family to the ancestral hall to worship the ancestors, and only after dyeing the smell of firecracker smoke was he willing to go home to take a bath and prepare for the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner.

"Master, come and try on this dress." Li Ge came to Murong Kuo's room with a thick cotton coat in his hand.

Murong Kuo took the clothes and gestured at himself, and nodded: "You bought this?" ”

Li Ge smiled and said: "My mother made it herself, saying that the clothes you brought looked too thin, and I guess I made one for you without keeping warm." ”

The clothes Murong Kuo wore were all high-end goods specially bought by his two sons, and they looked thin but very warm.

Seeing that Murong Kuo was silent, Li Ge thought that Murong Kuo disliked the clothes made by his mother, so he immediately asked nervously: "Master, don't you like it?" If you don't like it, don't wear it. ”

Murong Kuo shook his head, his eyes were slightly red, and said, "No, your mother's clothes are very good." I remember when your wife was still around, she would make me a new dress every Chinese New Year, but unfortunately, I haven't worn a hand-sewn dress for more than ten years. I've been a doctor all my life, but in the end, I can't even save my wife. ”

Murong Kuo couldn't help crying bitterly, Li Ge didn't expect a piece of clothing to actually arouse the master's sadness, and suddenly became in a hurry: "Master." ”

Murong Kuo just cried for a while and then wiped away his tears, put on the coat made by Liang Xiaomei, and touched the soft coat on his body, Murong Kuo seemed to have returned to the time when his wife was by his side.

"Let's go, go out for Chinese New Year's Eve dinner." Murong Kuo smiled and patted Li Ge's shoulder.

Li Ge nodded and followed Murong Kuo out of the living room.

When Li Bangguo saw Murong Kuo, he hurriedly greeted with a smile: "Brother Murong, come and help, it's going to be dinner soon." ”

"Eh, here we are." Murong Kuo responded heartily and stepped forward to help.

When Liang Xiaomei saw her eldest son coming out, she hurriedly stepped forward and asked quietly, "Age, does your master like the coat I made?" ”

Li Ge smiled and nodded: "Well, the master likes it very much." ”

"That's good, that's good." Liang Xiaomei patted her chest luckily, worried that Murong Kuo would not like it.

Li Ge smiled, pushed Liang Xiaomei into the kitchen, and said, "Mom, let's help too." ”

In the past, Chinese New Year's Eve dinner was usually prepared by the men in the family, but in recent years, Lin Zichen's cooking skills have become more and more exquisite, and more dishes of the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner were handed over to Lin Zichen, and some traditional dishes were handed over to Li Bangguo.

The last dish came out of the pot, and the Li family sat together lively.

Murong Kuo still sat in the first place, and Li Bangguo took the lead in holding the wine glass: "Come, tonight is Chinese New Year's Eve, let's all come to pay respects to the ancestors." ”

Everyone picked up their wine glasses and stood up, and after Li Bangguo said some words of blessing, everyone sprinkled the first cup of wine on the ground, which was regarded as a tribute to the ancestors and the gods of heaven and earth.

Everyone sat down, and Li Bangguo first raised his chopsticks: "Come on, come on, it's rare for Brother Murong to come to our house for the New Year this year, please don't be polite, eat and drink more." ”

"Okay." Murong Kuo raised his glass happily and drank it all.

Everyone said blessings to each other, tasted delicious food, and the atmosphere was warm and harmonious.

After eating and drinking, it is time for the children to look forward to the red envelope session.

This year, Murong Kuo was here, and he sat at the head of the hall with Li Bangguo and his wife, listening to the children and grandchildren come forward one by one to say New Year's blessings.

It was the first time for Murong Kuo to experience such a New Year's custom, happily listening to everyone say words of blessing, and then happily wrapped red envelopes for everyone.

At the beginning, Li Bangguo planned to give his red envelopes to Murong Kuo and send them to his juniors, but Murong Kuo turned around and asked Li Ge for more than a dozen empty red envelopes, and when he returned to the room, he wrapped them.

Lin Zixi was the last to step forward, respectfully saluted Murong Kuo, and said in a loud voice: "Happy New Year Grandpa Murong, safe year!" ”

"Okay, okay, come to the red envelope." Murong Kuo smiled and stuffed the last red envelope into Lin Zixi's hand.

"Thank you, Grandpa Murong." Lin Zixi thanked him and returned to his seat and sat down.

"Let's all go out to pay New Year's greetings." Li Bangguo waved his hand, except for Li Yuedi and a few women guarding at home, everyone else went out to visit the door.

"Brother Murong, let's go out for a walk." Li Bangguo smiled and invited Murong Kuo.

"Let's go, then." Murong Kuo made a gesture of please.

"Hahaha."

The two looked at each other and smiled, and walked out of the house side by side. R1152