As soon as it was dawn, Nohai opened his eyes.

Get up, make up the futon, put the extra door panel in the corner of the shop, pour a cup of cold tea from last night to wake up, and then go to the well in the backyard to get two buckets of water, Nuohai began to clean the shop.

After sweeping the front shop, Nuohai came to the backyard again, and the doors of the two wings were still closed, Nuohai thought about it and simply started chopping wood.

When the firewood was in the stove and the light of the fire gradually brightened, the door of one of the wings opened, and the yawning little ring held the copper basin, and looked at the young man in the back kitchen with some numbness:

"You're up so early?"

At this moment, before dawn, the young man sitting in front of the stove stood up a little crampedly, bowed his head and said nothing.

In terms of age alone, seventeen or eighteen-year-old Xiaohuan is naturally much older than the thin boy, Gu Huai has already said that the boy will be a guy in the shop from now on, for Gu Huai's words, Xiaohuan has always been obedient, so I never thought about whether it was a good thing or a bad thing to have an extra mouth in the shop.

Seeing that the boy was still as restrained as these days, she smiled: "It's hard work, is the water boiling?" ”

"Burn... It's burned," the boy stepped out of the way, "and it's time to cook." ”

"I'll bring water to the young master, and I'll cook later."

"I... I'll do it. ”

Xiaohuan, who was scooping water, laughed and said, "You want to grab this too?" I'm a little idle when you're here these days, I'm a maid, and you don't have to do that. ”

"Oh."

There was a squeak in the courtyard again, and Gu Huai, who walked out of the door, looked up at the sky, and it was estimated that it was a sunny and good weather again.

Seeing that the boys and girls were in the kitchen, he stretched: "They all got up early." ”

"Young Master up? When the water is boiled, do you make perfume first or..."

"No hurry, it's closed for a day off today," Gu Huai washed his face with the water brought by Xiaohuan, "It's also the Chinese New Year's Eve... Even if you recruit child labor, you have to talk about labor law on holidays. ”

He wiped his face: "Let's go shopping together, buy some more food and come back, Nuohai, you go to the front and hang up the sign, just write that the owner will open after the year." ”

"There's food in the kitchen."

"You have to eat something different for the Chinese New Year, right? Although I'm still a little poor, I can still afford the hot pot," Gu Huai said with a smile, "Besides, I don't get paid at all, and I always feel a little hard in my heart, so I have to buy you some gifts or something." ”

"I don't really need to..."

"It's decided," Gu Huai put down the towel and was refreshed, "I'll set off after eating, isn't there a lantern festival today?" It's always time to check it out. ”

Xiaohuan's eyes finally appeared with some excitement: "Okay! ”

After breakfast in a hurry, the three of the master, servant and man set off like this, starting from the south of the city where the shop is located, to the most prosperous Dongcheng, the street is full of pedestrians, and occasionally there is a dragon dance team passing through, people's faces are full of smiles, and the whole Beiping is filled with a festive atmosphere.

I pulled two good cloths for Xiaohuan and Nuo Hai to make clothes, and bought some Xu Kum Kee rouge for Xiaohuan, although the little maid has always refused to ask for it, but it can be seen that the little maid is still quite happy, and even Nuo Hai, who has been pursing his mouth tightly as if he has a deep hatred for this world, rarely has a happy look.

Chinese New Year... Of course, it has to feel a little bit of a New Year, right?

After coming to this world for so many days, Gu Huai felt alive for the first time in a tangible and delicate way.

No one thinks about killing themselves all day in front of them, and no one knows the fact that they are traversers, they have saved some money in more than ten days after opening a shop, and there are two guys in the store, and the tide of the times can't be swept up on them, and there are no mortgages and car loans to make me depressed all day long.

It seems that if you don't pursue more things, it's not bad to just go on with your life?

The noisy human voice is a symbol of the mortal market, after noon, occasionally there are already firecrackers, probably Chinese New Year's Eve dinner is relatively early, the red lanterns that have been hanging on the street for several days are still so bright, walking on the road, smelling full of human fireworks.

Took Xiaohuan Nuohai to eat something at the food stall, bought vegetables and guessed the lantern riddles for a while, cheered for the passing dragon and lion dance team, and enjoyed the performance jointly launched by the merchants of Miyagikou at the border of the east and north of the city.

Putting down the things he was carrying, he lit the lamp in the small shop, pushed the small ring with a small mouth out of the kitchen, and Gu Huai rolled up his sleeves and began to cook.

People take food as the day, the most important thing for the New Year, naturally should be the Chinese New Year's Eve meal, this era of food is not so many tricks, the gap between the rich and the poor is too obvious, resulting in the people in the market can eat the best meal of the year during the New Year, a little family of what big fish and meat is inevitable, even if it is a bitter day, to this day can not be bitter children.

However, Gu Huai didn't plan to let Xiaohuan cook some dishes that would be fashionable for the New Year's Festival today, on the contrary, he missed the taste of that world a little.

And winter... Naturally, you should eat hot pot.

After a while, the steaming cauldron was brought out, and the rising heat and spicy taste made Xiaohuan a little curious: "Young Master, what kind of food is this?" ”

"There are many names, but the word 'hot pot' is the most appropriate," Gu Huai served the spy with the dishes, "the dishes can be eaten quickly when they are put in the pot, spicy and cold, and they are the most suitable for eating in winter." ”

Pressing the somewhat restrained Nuohai to his seat, Xiaohuan had already prepared the meal, and the three of them sat down around the table, just as night fell, the sound of fireworks sounded all over the city.

"Unload the door panel and eat hot pot with fireworks, which can be considered emotional."

"It's snowing, young master."

"Ruixue Mega Year, good sign."

"Nuohai, I'll help you measure your length later, the young master said that you are wearing his old clothes a little long, let me make another one for you."

“... Oh. ”

"By the way, why did you forget this," Gu Huai patted his forehead and took out two red envelopes from his sleeves, "For yours, one for each person." ”

Snowflakes fluttered again in the night, the thin and tender mutton rolled in the red soup and set its shape, the careful little maid picked it out and put it on the plate for Gu Huai, Gu Huai picked up the chopsticks and put it on the white rice, and the familiar taste made his brows slowly stretch.

It's already very similar, although there are still some seasonings that can't be found, but it's really a happy thing to be able to eat hot pot in such a winter.

The one who felt the most should be Nuohai, who was still wandering in Beiping City a few days ago, being bullied by other gang-forming teenagers, chased by street vendor owners, and wandering to a foreign country, probably never thinking that one day he could sit like this and eat Chinese New Year's Eve.

A small shop, some weak and thin scholars, a pretty and lovely maid, and a taciturn young man, this shop that has not yet been named, after all, has some taste of home because of the fireworks.

And the thirty-first year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty has passed like this, and from tomorrow, it will be a new year.

The first year of Jianwen.