The sun is shining, and on the day of the beginning of winter, the city of Annam Province is a prosperous scene. Four stands a year, spring, summer, autumn and winter. As one of the four stands, the beginning of winter is a seasonal node that the Chinese people attach great importance to, meaning that they will always enjoy a good harvest and recuperate in the season, and look forward to the prosperity and auspiciousness of the coming year through winter recuperation.

If you don't eat dumplings in the beginning of winter, the New Year will not be good! This is a popular phrase in the central and northern parts of China.

This is because dumplings are derived from the saying "the time of handover". The thirtieth day of the Chinese New Year's Eve is the turn of the old year and the new year, and the beginning of winter is the turn of autumn and winter, so the dumplings at the time of "handover" cannot be eaten.

In the small courtyard in the western suburbs, Chen Bing took everyone to be busy, and he didn't look lazy at all. Three large round tables are neatly placed in the courtyard, and everyone sits around the table regardless of whether they can make dumplings or not, which is also the order of the boss Ye Chen.

Watching everyone play and play, looking at the white flour on the faces of the big men, Ye Chen was indescribably happy in his heart. In the blink of an eye, he has been in the rivers and lakes for more than half a year, looking back on the past half a year, although he is often in danger, he can also turn danger into a disaster every time, just because of the brothers in front of him.

Ye Chen watched for a long time, but he didn't see the four of them, and then he came to the room of several people, and no one answered when he knocked on the door for a long time. At this time, Chen Bing saw Ye Chen's movements, so he shouted to Ye Chen: "Chenzi, those four little monsters are not here, they all went out early in the morning." ”

Ye Chen looked at Chen Bing suspiciously, and asked, "Do you know where you went?" ”

Zou Hu, who was covered with flour next to him, said: "I guess I went to see Kui." ”

Ye Chen nodded and said, "Brothers, be nimble, we'll go see Kui later." ”

The crowd, who was still elated, suddenly lost their voices, and Ye Chen didn't say any more comforting words, turned around and walked into the room. Originally, when he was in Nameless Town, whenever he encountered this kind of festival, Ye Chen would stay at home quietly alone, and make three meals a day in the morning, noon and evening very carefully.

Once during the Mid-Autumn Festival, Chen Bing considered that Ye Chen was lonely alone, but he didn't go to his house when he asked him to go to his house, so Chen Bing discussed with Uncle Chen, Chen Bing spent the holiday at home at noon, and went to Ye Chen's house next door to accompany him at night. But when Chen Bing entered Ye Chen's house in the afternoon, he found that this kid didn't know what he was cooking, but it was fragrant. Seeing Ye Chen's busy appearance, Chen Bing joked at the time: "Chenzi, you are much richer than my family." It was originally just an unintentional joke, but it stopped Ye Chen, who was still busy at the time. Chen Bing also saw Ye Chen's loss, thinking that what he said hurt him, so he quickly diverted the topic, and used all the five buckets of rice in his heart just to amuse Ye Chen.

Later, when Ye Chen and Chen Bing sat on the top of the courtyard wall at night and chatted, Ye Chen laughed: "Bingzi, the reason why I lock myself in the house to fry this and that during the New Year's holidays, is because I want my father's spirit in the sky to see that their son is doing well and has not suffered, so that his second elder can rest assured over there." ”

------

Chen Bing, who was in the courtyard, watched Ye Chen walk into the room, and felt a little distressed in his heart. He wanted to go in and see Chenzi several times, but with his understanding of Ye Chen, it was better to let him stay quietly by himself for a while at this time!

After a while, Ye Chen walked out of the room and smiled at everyone who was still working hard: "Brothers, boil a pot of boiling water to cook dumplings!" ”

Hu Jie responded with a smile and said, "Boss, the water has already been boiled, just wait for your order to cook dumplings!" ”

Ye Chen smiled and said: "Okay, the dumplings are in the pot, the first team prepares the pots and pans, the second team prepares the carriage, and we go up the mountain to eat the dumplings!" ”

No one asked why they went to the mountains to eat dumplings, because they all knew it. There is also a brother named Kui who fell asleep on it, how could everyone forget about such a big thing as Lidong.

Half an hour later, Ye Chen and the brothers came to the tombstone on the top of the mountain, and they saw four expected people.

Chen Bing stepped forward and said, "Brothers, why did you come quietly by yourself, do you think we will leave Kui alone here and ignore it?" ”

The four of them looked at the people behind Chen Bing stupidly, there were carriages, food boxes, and paper money in the hands of Ye Chen and Zou Hu!

Wei put down the wine in his hand, got up and stood up and bowed to everyone, Ye Chen walked to Wei and said, "I don't want to exclude us in the future, we have been together for so long, you also know what kind of temperament everyone is." What's more, they are all brothers who have experienced life and death, and our hearts are also fleshy. After speaking, Ye Chen squatted down, lit a knife of fire paper, and muttered in his mouth: "Brother, it's winter, my brothers are afraid that you will be alone, so I will accompany you." ”

Chen Bing also stepped forward and squatted next to Mei, picked up a papier-mâché figure and threw it on the fire, and said, "Brother, this is the little daughter-in-law I helped you find, and I don't know if it's cold at night over there, if it's cold, let her warm the quilt for you." Originally, I said that I would go to Lixiangyuan together, but now I can only go to my younger brother alone. ”

None of the more than 20 men behind him squeaked, just sat quietly on the ground and watched, and Wei also sat in front of Kui's grave again, and said to Kui: "Kui, today is the beginning of winter, the brothers are here, and you are not alone now." ”

Ye Chen echoed: "Yes! I heard the old man say that if you don't eat dumplings in the beginning of winter, the New Year will not be good. The brothers were afraid that this would come true, so they all got up early in the morning to make dumplings. I heard you say before that you like beef with wine, and today I specially wrapped you with beef dumplings. Then he turned his head to Wu Youtian, who was carrying the food box, and shouted, "Old Wu, bring Kui's dumplings." ”

Wu Youtian ran over to open the food box, took out two plates of dumplings and a pot of reed wine, and said, "Brother, it's not enough." ”

It may be that God was moved, or it may be that Kui has a spirit in the sky, a strong wind is blowing in front of the grave, and the burning paper money keeps spinning in the air, as if Kui is telling Ye Chen and his brothers, Lao Tzu likes it very much!

Looking at the rotating paper money, Xiao smiled and said, "Kui said, thank you for coming to accompany him." He's hungry and wants to eat dumplings now! ”

Ye Chen turned his head to look behind him and said loudly: "Kui said that he was hungry and wanted to eat dumplings, let's not let Kui wait for a long time, let's go together!" ”

Everyone opened the food box one after another, sat on the ground, ate dumplings, drank reed wine, and was very happy. I don't know who started and sang the song "Hometown":

That year, there were snowflakes in the snow, and I left my hometown crying;

The long bumpy road of life, just to pursue what I want in my heart;

When I woke up in a dream, my hair turned white, and I didn't dare to think about where my home was;

------