It's dark. In Gao's house, in addition to an electric lamp that had just been replaced with a hundred candlelight bulbs, there was also an oil-burning lantern hanging from the middle beam, a large kerosene hanging lamp, and four glass palace lamps painted with figures. The lights of various colors not only illuminate the painting screen on the wall and the portraits of the ancestors of the Gao family wearing Qing Dynasty court clothes on the shrine very brightly, but also the joints of the square brick-paved land can be seen very clearly.

It's time for New Year's dinner. Two large round tables were placed in the middle of the hall, and on the tables were neatly placed ivory chopsticks, silver cups, spoons, and plates. Under each plate is a red slip of paper with the names of each person, such as "old lady" and "aunt Chen". Next to each table stood three servants: two poured wine and one served. The maids, maids, and so on in each room are also waiting on the side. A dish to come. From the kitchen to the outside of the hall under the window of the upper left room, it was placed on the square table with a bright corner lamp (also known as a glass lamp), and then the older maid brought it in, handed it to the servants Su Fu and Zhao Sheng, and brought it to the table.

After eight plates of cold dishes and two plates of melon seeds and almonds were placed on the table, the hosts gathered in the hall large and small, led by the old lady Gao, and took their seats, and everyone found their seats, and soon they were all seated.

The above table is full of elders, counting in order, it is the old lady, Aunt Chen, the eldest wife Zhou, the third old man Keming and the third wife Zhang, the fourth old man Ke'an and the fourth wife Wang, the fifth old man Keding and the fifth wife Shen, and there is also a guest who is the aunt of Juexin, Mrs. Zhang, exactly ten people. At the table below are Juexin and his younger siblings, plus Juexin's wife Li Ruijue and Miss Qin, there are a total of twelve: the male is Juezi, Juexin, Juemin, Juehui in the long room, Jueying in the third room, Juequn and Jueshi in the fourth room; The female is Shuzi, there is Shuhua in the long room, Shuying in the third room, Shufen in the fourth room and Shuzhen in the fifth room, Shuying is the oldest, fifteen years old, Shuzhen is twelve years old, and Shufen is the youngest, only seven years old. It's all business as usual. There are also Jue people in the third room and Jue Xian and Shufang in the fourth room, all of whom are still too young to sit down. Juexin's child Haichen was on the table, and the old lady hoped that there should be four generations of people who had the New Year's dinner here, so he asked Juexin and his wife to bring Haichen to the table, and let him sit in Ruijue's arms and eat a little food casually, and sit for a while.

The old lady picked up the wine glass, looked at the four seats, and saw that the hall was crowded with people, and there were smiling faces everywhere, knowing that he had so many children and grandchildren, and understanding that his hope of "four generations in the same house" had been realized, so a satisfied smile appeared on his face, and he took a big sip of wine. He looked up again at the table below, and saw the younger generation laughing and drinking merrily. It's called "Bring the wine!" There's a shout, "Pour it for me!" "It's all fresh, crisp sounds. Two servants, Yuan Cheng and Wende, ran around with small wine jugs. "Eat less, and see if you're drunk! Let's eat more vegetables! The old lady exclaimed with a smile. He heard Juexin's response on the table, and unconsciously picked up his glass again, and took a sip of wine with a happy and relaxed mood. At this moment the wine glasses on the table were raised, but they were put back on the table with the old lady's glass. At this table, except for the old lady, everyone sat upright. The old lady raised his chopsticks, everyone followed the chopsticks, his chopsticks were put down, and everyone's chopsticks were also put down. Occasionally, one or two people talked, but it was only a short two or three sentences. The drunken old lady noticed this situation and said, "Don't be so restrained, it's good for everyone to talk and laugh." Look at how lively their table is. Our table is quiet and quiet. It's all your own family, don't be restrained. He lifted up his glass, drank the rest of the wine, and said, "You see, I am so glad tonight!" He smiled and said to Keding: "You are young, it doesn't matter if you eat two more cups a year." He instructed Li Gui and Gao Zhong: "You pour more wine for your aunt's wife, master, and wife!" This unusual pleasure of the old lady brought a little life to the table, so Ke'an and Keding, Wang and Aunt Chen raised their fists one after another, gulped down the wine, and moved their chopsticks diligently.

The old lady saw the many excited red faces in front of him, and heard the laughter of the Jinquan order, his heart became more lively, and he picked up the glass of wine that he had just poured and took a sip slightly. The past began to come to him. He thought about how he had studied hard in the past, gained fame, worked as an official for many years, created this great business, bought a lot of land, built houses, and gave birth to these children and so many grandchildren, granddaughters, and great-grandchildren. The family reads and knows etiquette, everything goes well, and if it continues to prosper and develop like this, in another generation or two, their Gao family does not know how to become a prosperous family. …… Thinking so, he smiled unappretently, took another long sip of wine, put down the glass, and said, "I won't eat it, I'll get drunk after two glasses of wine." It doesn't matter if you eat more. He also commanded: "Pour more wine for the aunts, masters, and wives." ”

At the table below, at the table of the younger generation, it is indeed much more lively, as my grandfather said. The chopsticks almost never stopped. A pot of vegetables was served, and after a while, only an empty pot remained, and the younger Juequn and Jueshi knelt on the chair, put down their chopsticks, and changed the spoon to use because it was inconvenient to carry the vegetables.

"It's not okay to grab vegetables like this, we can't rob your man's house. Look at Grandpa's table of Dosven, you eat so fast, where is it like eating New Year's dinner! Juexin's wife, Li Ruijue, said with a smile that she had already put Haichen down and asked Sister-in-law He to take her outside.

Zhao Sheng, the servant of the fourth room, had just brought a pot of stewed abalone fillets, and the thirteen-year-old Jueying took a piece and put it in his mouth, he laughed when he heard Ruijue's words, and hurriedly put down his chopsticks and said, "Sister-in-law is so pitiful!" Let's not eat it, just give her a little leftover. So the whole table put down their chopsticks and smiled. Juehui, who was sitting diagonally opposite Ruijue, stood up and pushed the basin in front of her, and said with a smile: "Sister-in-law, I will invite you to eat this basin alone." ”

Ruijue saw that the eyes of the people at the table were focused on her face, and she blushed slightly, pushed the basin in front of Juehui and said, "Thank you for your kindness." But I don't like seafood, so I'd better ask you to eat it for you. ”

"No! I can't replace. If you don't eat, you'll be punished for drinking," Juehui said, standing up.

"Okay, sister-in-law should be punished for drinking," everyone agreed.

Ruijue waited until everyone's voices quieted down before slowly justifying: "Why should I be punished for drinking?" If you are happy to eat and drink, you might as well think of another way to eat wine. Let's do it anyway. ”

"Okay, I'm in favor," Juexin chimed in first.

"What order?" Qin, who was sitting under Ruijue, asked.

"I have a sign in my room. Shout Mingfeng to bring the sticker," Ruijue proposed.

"I don't think I have to go and get the sticker, just make a simple order," Juemin said.

"Then it's going to be a flying flower order," Jean said precipitously.

"I'm not coming," exclaimed eight-year-old Juequn.

"Neither will I," Shufen said as seriously as an adult.

"Who wants you to come! Okay, the fifth brother, the sixth sister, and the sixth brother don't count. Nine of us," Ruijue said.

At this time, Juehui dropped a chopstick on the ground, and Yuan Cheng hurriedly picked it up and brought it clean. He took it and put it on the table, and was about to speak, when he saw that everyone agreed with Jean's proposal, so he stopped speaking.

"So let me start with that. Third cousin, you eat and drink first! Qin said as she looked at Juehui and smiled.

"Why should I eat wine? You didn't even say anything," Jue Hui covered her glass with her hand.

"You don't care, you just have to eat and drink. …… I'm talking about 'going out to see the flowers'. Look at whether it's time for you to eat and drink! ”

Everyone counted in order, except for Shufen, Jueshi, and Juequn, and the three in the middle were not counted, and the word was Juehui, so they all shouted: "You should eat wine." ”

"You are playing tricks on me. I don't eat! Juehui shook her head and said.

"No, third brother, you have to eat. The wine order is as strict as the military order, and it cannot be disobeyed," Ruijue urged.

Juehui had to take a big sip of wine. A smile immediately appeared on his face, and he said to Jean triumphantly, "Now it's your turn to eat." ——Spring breeze peach and plum blossom day. ”

From Juehui's counting, the fifth one was indeed the qin. So Qin silently took a sip of the wine glass, and said, "The peach blossoms are falling like red rain", and Shuying, who should be sitting under her, should eat wine. Shuying said "The season of falling flowers is another time", and it is time for Shuhua below to eat and drink. Shuhua thought about it for a while, and said, "If you stay in the forest, the flowers are like a brocade", count them, except for Shufen, Juequn and other three people, count Shuzhen, Jueying, Juehui, and just count Juemin. So Juemin ate the wine and said, "The Peach Blossom Lake is a thousand feet deep." Then Juexin ate wine and said, "Enjoy the flowers and return to the horseshoe fragrance", and Ruijue should eat wine. Ruijue said: "Last year, the flowers were goodbye," and Shuying should take it, Shuying ate the wine and said: "Today's flowers bloom for another year." "Then it was Sook-jeong's turn. Shuzhen took a sip of wine with shame, and reluctantly said: "The shepherd boy refers to Xinghua Village." Counting down, Rui Jue should eat wine, Rui Jue smiled, and said, "Dongfeng is powerless and a hundred flowers are left", Jueying should eat wine. Jueying picked up the cup and ate up the rest of the wine inside, and said "tears when I feel it".

"No! No way! Five-word poems don't count. Something else," Ruijue said nonchalantly. Shuhua chimed in. But Jue Ying must not say it again. Juehui shouted impatiently:

"Don't do it. You always like to choose sentimental verses that make people unhappy to hear. I said it would be much happier to make an emergency password. ”

"Okay, I'll be the first to agree, and I'll do the Nine Pattern Dragon Shi Jin," Jueying clapped his hands and said, he felt that this was a wonderful way to break the siege.

The emergency password has finally been adopted. Ruijue was elected as an officer, and after everyone decided who they were, the commander asked, "Who can eat and drink?" ”

"The head of a leopard eats wine," the piano said.

"Lin Chong doesn't know how to eat," Juemin, who was Lin Chong, hurriedly said.

"Who eats and drinks?" Jean then asked.

"The Nine-Tattooed Dragon will eat wine," Juemin replied hurriedly.

"Shi Jin doesn't know how to eat," Jueying immediately continued.

"Who eats and drinks?" Juemin asked.

"Walkers eat wine," was Jueying's reply.

"Wu Song doesn't know how to eat wine," it was Juehui who did Wu Song.

"Who eats and drinks?" Jue Young asked forcefully.

"The Jade Qilin will eat wine," Jue Hui said in one breath.

"Lu Junyi doesn't know how to eat," Qin was drinking tea, and quickly spit a sip of tea on the ground and replied with a smile.

"Who eats and drinks?" Juehui looked at her and asked with a smile.

"Little Whirlwind eats wine," Jean replied, looking at Ruijue.

"Chai Jin doesn't know how to eat," Ruijue said unhurriedly.

"Who eats and drinks?" Jean asked with a smile.

"Dominatrix eats wine," Ruijue replied solemnly, pointing at Juexin.

And so the crowd laughed. It was Juexin who was the second mother of the dominatrix, and he chose this nickname in order to make his younger siblings laugh, and now it is said by his wife, which makes people laugh even more. Juexin said with a smile: "Sun Erniang doesn't know how to eat. He didn't wait for Ruijue to ask, and hurriedly said, "Zhiduoxing knows how to eat wine." ”

"Wu Yong doesn't know how to eat," Shuying said.

"Who eats and drinks?" Juexin hurriedly asked.

"Sister-in-law eats wine," Shuying replied without thinking.

The audience burst into laughter. Everyone shouted in unison: "Punishment! Penalize! Shuying had no choice but to admit her mistake, asked the servant to change a glass of hot wine, and raised the glass to take a sip. And the crowd went on and on, and the faster and faster they spoke, and the more they were punished. Those who would like to eat will eat wine, and those who cannot eat will be replaced by tea, and these young men and women laugh merrily, forgetting everything, until the time of the feast is dismissed.

After the break, most of the people were a little drunk. Jean followed her mother home. Originally, Juemin, Juehui, Shuying, and Shuhua had encouraged their mother to leave Qin here for the New Year, but Mrs. Zhang said that there was something at home and finally brought Qin back. Ruijue wants to go back to the room to take care of Haichen. Juexin, Juemin, and Shuhua all drank too much and wanted to go back to the house to sleep. So they were not in any mood, and they went back to their rooms. So such a big mansion seemed very calm again. There were only a few servants and maids left in the hall to clean up and clean up.

Juehui also has a sense of alcohol. He felt a fever on his face and a fever in his heart. He didn't want to sleep. Outside, the sound of firecrackers like thousands of horses galloping was sent to his ears. He couldn't sit still in his room, so he walked out. There are a few sedan chairs in the hall. Three or four palanquins sat on the threshold of the porter and whispered and chattered. The firecrackers in the mansions next door were louder. He stood in the hall for a moment, then walked outside. As soon as he reached the gate, the sound of firecrackers stopped, and occasionally one or two scattered cannons went off, and the smell of sulfur was everywhere. There were still a pair of large red paper lanterns hanging at the gate, and although there were burning candles in them, they only cast a hazy red light on the ground, and some vague shadows.

There was silence in the streets. The wreckage of bursting firecrackers lay messily in the middle of the street, emitting the last of their heat. I don't know where I heard a low cry.

"Who's crying? Will anyone be crying when these thousands of families are happy? Jue Hui's drunken spirit gradually faded away, he thought in dismay. He searched carefully in all directions with his eyes, and saw a dark shadow next to the large stone jar on the right. He walked over with curiosity.

A begging child, dressed in a dirty and tattered cloth coat, leaned against a stone jar and cried in a low voice. He buried his head, his hair scattered across the water. When the child heard the footsteps, he looked up at Juehui. Juehui couldn't see the child's face clearly. The two of them stood facing each other, neither of them speaking. Jue Hui heard only his own rapid breathing and the low cry of a child.

It was as if someone had poured a scoop of cold water on Juehui's face. He distinctly heard the silver round in his pocket. A strange, never-before-seen emotion took control of him. He took out two and a half silver coins, put them in the child's wet hand, and forgot to say to himself, "Take it, go and find a warm place." It's cold here. …… It's cold in here. You see you're shaking so much. You can buy some hot food to eat. ”

After he finished speaking, he strode into the mansion without waiting for the child to answer. As if he had done something untold, he fled in a hurry. He walked through the patio inside the gate, and suddenly the mocking face of his eldest brother appeared in the darkness, and he said, "Humanitarian." But the face was immediately gone again. When he walked into the second gate and walked towards the hall, someone seemed to whisper in his ear in the silence: "Do you think that by doing this, you can change the face of society?" Do you think that by doing this, you will be able to save that child from freezing and starving for the rest of his life? …… You, you hypocritical humanitarian! ”

He walked inside with his ears blindfolded in horror, and he went into his room, collapsed on the bed, and muttered to himself, "I'm drunk, drunk." ”