Chinese New Year's Eve in 1923 arrived, and during the old calendar year, both the government and shops were closed, everyone was busy visiting relatives and friends, buying New Year's goods, and the activities of the Crescent Society were temporarily suspended, resting for half a month, and waiting until the fifteenth day of the first month before opening.

On the afternoon of Chinese New Year's Eve, the car factory closed the car in advance and left work, according to the old rules, today the car factory does not collect money, how much is pulled by the coachman's own, which is equivalent to giving everyone a red envelope for the New Year, the coachmen are happy to go home for the New Year, Chen Zikun also followed Baoqing and Xing'er to the Willow Hutong Miscellaneous Courtyard to celebrate the New Year.

Although Baoqing and his family are in charge of such a large car factory, and there are at least several thousand yuan in the account, they don't dare to spend a penny, because this business belongs to Chen Zikun, and there are Xiong Xiling's shares in it, and the two of them are only in charge of it, they didn't even buy a new house, and they still live in the courtyard.

Now there are not many neighbors in the courtyard, first the two Yan Hong Niang left, then Uncle Xue died, and then moved away almost the neighbors, and now only the Baoqing family, the Xing'er family, and Zhao Dahai's family are left.

The winter courtyard is shrouded in the atmosphere of the New Year, the dilapidated gate is pasted with brand-new couplets, every corner is cleaned by the diligent housewives, the stove of Baoqing's house is steaming, the pot is boiling water, Xing'er is pulling the bellows while handing firewood, Xing'er Niang and Baoqing's mother are busy making dumplings, and the dumplings filled with pork and leeks are fragrant.

In the pot house of Zhao Dahai's house, Dahai's daughter-in-law was busy chopping vegetables, Dahai Niang was stir-frying, and Aunt Wang was serving dishes, and she was very busy.

The men sat and talked in the hall, there were only three families left in the courtyard, these three families came and went a lot on weekdays, and they were closer than a family, now that Uncle Xue is gone, Chen Sanpi is not on the stage again, and only Uncle Zhao is left among the elders who can be in charge of the family.

Uncle Zhao sat in the chief, then Chen Zikun, Baoqing, Chen Sanpi, Chen Guoer, Chen Sanpi is self-aware, and only sits at the last seat, Zhao Dahai's son Zhao Ziming is ten years old this year, in the third grade of junior high school, and he is half a man, and he brought a small bench to sit next to his grandfather.

Thinking of the deceased Inspector Xue, as well as Li Yaoting who was far away, and Zhao Dahai, who was missing, everyone sighed for a while, since Zhao Dahai's accident, Uncle Zhao's hair has been all white, this Chinese New Year, his son has no news outside, and his mood is not much better, there are eight cold dishes on the table, a pot of wine, he only drinks wine and does not eat vegetables, and sighs after taking a sip of wine: "The sea is a child, and he does not come to write a letter." ”

Chen Zikun persuaded: "Uncle Zhao, don't worry, Brother Dahai has a lot of friends, and he can't suffer anywhere." ”

Chen Sanpi echoed: "Yes, yes, yes, a good man and three gangs, the sea may not know where to make a fortune, maybe I will marry a daughter-in-law for you." ”

"Dad, what are you talking nonsense!" Guo'er put the chopsticks down, his eyebrows twisted together, he is now a middle school student, and he is no longer a child, so he is qualified to sit with adults.

"Yes, yes, daddy is talking nonsense, daddy should slap his mouth." Chen Sanpi lightly slapped his face a few times, and continued to smile.

Uncle Zhao smiled and greeted everyone: "It's a disappointment, it's a disappointment, it's the New Year today, don't mention those unhappy things, come, drink." ”

Everyone drank a cup together, and began to discuss the business of the car factory and Baoqing's marriage, after the New Year, the three-year filial piety period will be over, and the wedding date of Baoqing and Xing'er should also be set.

While chatting here, the hot dishes in the kitchen were brought up, chicken, duck and fish, as well as hot dumplings, Chen Zikun beckoned: "What, you guys come to eat too." ”

"We've eaten." Xing'er flicked her big braid and went into the pot house again, according to the rules of her ancestors, women were not allowed to go to the table.

After three rounds of drinking, it was already dark, and someone began to fire guns outside, Zhao Ziming suddenly jumped to play with the guns, Guo'er also responded, Chen Zikun got up and said, "Go, let go of the guns." ”

In the past, during the Chinese New Year, Zhao Dahai led the children to set off the cannons, this year Zhao Dahai was not at home, and the cannons were bought by the daughter-in-law of the sea, only a string of small whips were hung on the treetops like dead snakes, and it was over with a crackling explosion, which was not enjoyable at all.

"You're so stupid, you should have broken it up and put it away, that's interesting." Although Guo'er is eighteen years old, she is still a child in her heart, and when she saw that the firecrackers were over, she couldn't help but blame Zhao Ziming.

Zhao Ziming was young and ignorant, and suddenly cried with a sad face and asked his mother for money to buy artillery battles. was stopped by Uncle Chen.

"If you want to fight, we have it!"

A cart full of artillery was pulled out of the house, not only firecrackers and two kicks, but also Western flowers, which Chen Zikun paid for them, Guo'er and Zhao Ziming's eyes lit up when they saw it.

So they happily set off the cannons, the two of them held the lit cigarettes in their hands, and they were very happy, and under the dead trees at the entrance of the courtyard, the red confetti was spread in a thick layer, and the sound of firecrackers suppressed all the neighbors.

Western ceremonial flowers are even more beautiful, brilliant fireworks in the air into a colorful and bizarre piece, like a goddess scattered flowers, the whole alley people come out to see the Western scenery, one by one the faces grow into mouths, dumbfounded.

The gate of the courtyard was also full of people, and the daughter-in-law of the sea muttered to herself: "Oh my God, how much does this cost?" ”

Chen Sanpi continued: "This kind of foreigner artillery battle, one will cost an ocean, and Da Kunzi will put at least twenty yuan at this time." ”

"Mom, you can really waste money." Everyone was speechless, but their hearts were quite comfortable, and it was also a skill to be able to waste money, which showed that people had a good time.

Suddenly, Chen Zikun saw a familiar face in the crowd disappearing, so he pushed the thatched house and walked away, and finally found the person again, and followed him to a secluded corner.

"Brother Dahai, why don't you come back into the house?" Chan asked.

That person was Zhao Dahai, who had been on the run outside for a while, and he had become thinner, his beard was stubble, his body was dirty, but his eyes were even brighter.

"I've been here a few times, there are always sneaky people staring at the alley, so I didn't make a mess at home, today's New Year, I wonder if those people should go, how do you know it's still there, it's really fucking dedicated, by the way, is there smoke?"

Chen Zikun simply handed over a box of big front doors, and Zhao Dahai ordered a beautiful cigarette and smoked it: "Alas, it's the New Year, I'm really homesick." ”

"So what are you going to do? It's not a problem to hang out like this all the time. Chen Zikun said.

"There's no way, I have to leave at a glance, there are still tasks in the organization." Zhao Dahai smoked a cigarette and looked at his son who lit a cannon in the alley, his eyes were full of reluctance and pity.

"Brother Dahai, what kind of organization are you?" Chan asked.

Zhao Dahai paused for a moment, but still replied: "I'm a ** member." ”

……

Zhao Dahai finally didn't go home, because the police department and the gendarmerie had been staring at Willow Hutong, and he just glanced at his family affectionately from a distance, and then disappeared into the night.

Chen Zikun told their family the news that Zhao Dahai had come, and Uncle Zhao was angry and burst into tears: "This is a rebellion, during the Qing Dynasty, there were still few revolutionary parties killed in the vegetable market, Dahai is an unfilial boy, I don't have this son!" ”

The daughter-in-law of the sea cried and wiped the earth, and the mother of the sea was even more crying, as if her son had embarked on a road of no return, Zhao Ziming tilted his little head, looked at the adults puzzled, pulled the corner of Chen Zikun's clothes and asked: "What did my father do, he didn't dare to go home?" ”

Chen Zikun stroked Zhao Ziming's head and said, "Your father didn't do anything bad, he just did what he had to do with his conscience." ”

……

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Chen Zikun was woken up while still asleep.

"Boss, a telegram from Shanghai." It was the bachelor Wang Dongliang who called in the courtyard, after Chen Zikun came back from the courtyard last night, he saw Wang Dongliang sitting alone by the stove in the wing room and drinking stuffy wine, so he accompanied him to drink a jar of wine, and he was still dizzy, Wang Dongliang had already gotten up to chop wood and boil water to clean the yard, it seems that this kid has a very good amount of wine.

Chen Zikun hurriedly put on his clothes and signed for the telegram, which was taken by Jianbing from Shanghai, with only one line on it: Happy New Year, send money quickly.

With a big head for a while, Chen Zikun subconsciously touched his pocket, empty, he gave all the money on his body to Zhao Dahai last night, and now he is penniless.

Since Jianbing followed him, Chen Zikun only knew that there are still such a woman in the world who can spend money, in Jianbing's words, she will always lack a set of clothes in her wardrobe, and when she was an Oiran in Shanghai, she bought hundreds of brocade silk clothes, and after going to the United States, these clothes are gone, and he bought a lot of fashionable dresses, and now those dresses are out of season, not popular, and when he encounters the old calendar and New Year, he must not buy a few sets of clothes that can be put on the table.

Although Jianbing is taken care of by Li Yaoting in Shanghai, but it is always a little uncle, and he can't count on everyone else, Chen Zikun had to go to Baoqing to ask for money, Baoqing didn't say a word, and immediately took out 200 yuan from the cabinet and asked him: "Is it enough?" ”

Chen Zikun smiled bitterly and shook his head, according to the speed at which Jian Bing spent money, two hundred yuan was only enough for her expenses for two weeks.

At this time, Baoqing was dumbfounded, and said in his heart, Da Kunzi, what kind of daughter-in-law are you looking for, it's just Tianhuo, a ruined star, two hundred oceans is enough for a small family's expenses for a year, and it won't be able to live for a month with you.

This can't be helped, during the old calendar year, the Bank of China was closed, and the deposit could not be withdrawn, even if you want to send money, you have to go to a foreign bank in Dongjiaomin Lane to handle it.

Helpless, Chen Zikun had no choice but to take the 200 yuan to the HSBC Bank in Dongjiaomin Lane, and when he came out after finishing his errands, he saw two people coming out of the Japanese Zhengjin Bank opposite, the man was short and dunden, the suit and leather shoes were full of spring breeze, the woman was tall, and the mink Qiu was full of extraordinary bearing, the two got into the car and roared away, Chen Zikun couldn't help but be stunned, why did the woman look so much like Yao Yilei.