Early in the morning of Chinese New Year's Eve, before dawn, the chimneys of every household in the village began to float out of the smoke, and the Shen family finished breakfast, first cleaned the medicine shop in the front yard inside and out, and then the courtyard and the corners of each house.

After all the boxes containing medicinal materials were put in place, Grandpa Shen took his eldest grandson Shen Chuanbai to continue to stay in the pharmacy, the Shen family's pharmacy is open all year round, Grandpa Shen always said, it doesn't matter if you are sick for the New Year or the holidays!

The men hung red lanterns on the eaves of the courtyard and outside the courtyard gates, set up the altars for the sacrifice in the halls, and erected a pole more than one person high outside the courtyard gate to hang firecrackers to explode when they were ready, and then began to study whether to build a brazier or a small bonfire in the middle of the courtyard!

Mother Shen boiled a large pot of paste, ready to let it cool so that her sons could paste the blessing characters and the couplets on the inner and outer doors, and then together with her second aunt Zheng, she took her daughters and daughters-in-law to prepare offerings for ancestors and food for the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, in addition to wrapping out the dumplings to be eaten in the middle of the night and the morning of the new year.

The family talked and laughed for a short day, and lunch was only a quick one.

Just after Shen Shi in the afternoon, there was no one to be seen on the dirt road in the village, so Grandpa Shen and the eldest grandson closed the front door of the medicine shop, went back to the house to wash their hands and change their clothes, and prepared to sacrifice their ancestors!

Set up the offering candlestick, invited the family tree to kowtow again, and burned paper money outside the courtyard, it was already dark after these busy days, the Shen family brothers lit the red lanterns inside and outside and the brazier in the yard, taking advantage of this red atmosphere, the Shen family's Chinese New Year's Eve meal began!

Grandpa Shen first lifted the cup, talked about the big and small things in the family this year, talked about the vision for next year, and finally gave the juniors a red envelope for the New Year.

Shen's father and Shen's mother, who came in second place, followed by Shen's second uncle and second aunt, the juniors saluted the New Year, said auspicious words, and happily collected the New Year's money.

In fact, the red envelopes given by the Shen family members are not big, but they are just dozens of copper plates to ask for good luck, but the juniors are still very happy, as if they got dozens of taels of silver instead of copper plates!

When he was still at the dinner table, Shen Luzhu felt that this year's New Year's money didn't seem right, it seemed to have become lighter, and while Shen's mother and sister-in-law were cleaning up the dishes and chopsticks after dinner, he went back to the room and opened the red envelope to take a look, it was not a copper coin, but a tael of silver, and three red envelopes were just three taels!

Shen Luzhu hurriedly ran into the stove room, and saw that only Shen's mother and second aunt Zheng were cleaning up, so they came over, and the second aunt Zheng asked her when she saw this: "Didn't my sister-in-law say that you will have a holiday for the New Year, and you won't be used to help with work, why are you still addicted to work, and you don't let me come secretly?" ”

"My niece came to ask my second aunt and aunt, is the family's harvest this year particularly good, why did I give so much money for the New Year, I have to coax my brothers to buy me candy to eat!"

Zheng smiled and nodded his nephew's forehead: "You little money fan, it turns out that you secretly went back to the house to check the money!" ”

Mother Shen washed the last plate, shook the water on her hand, and looked at her daughter's face, this is her last Chinese New Year's Eve at home!

Suddenly, I felt a little sad, and I hurriedly wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes with my sleeve: "I know that I bullied you a few brothers, and the whole family only has more money for the New Year, be careful I will tell them a few to go later, and turn around and let them pester you to buy candy!" ”

Seeing Shen's mother secretly wiping away tears, Shen Luzhu still didn't understand anything, thinking that he was about to get married, it was the last Spring Festival at home, and the elders gave more!

During the Chinese New Year, she didn't want to make Shen's mother sad, so she hurriedly stepped forward and hugged Shen's mother's arm and coquettishly: "No, no, no, A-Niang can't tell Brother them!" Second aunt, help me stop A-Niang! ”

Zheng smiled and teased: "Then I have to see who of you mother and daughter gives more benefits!" ”

"How can the second aunt take the opportunity to rip off the bamboo?" Shen Luzhu said and hugged Zheng with his other hand!

The mother and daughter and the concubine in the stove room made a mess!

As soon as the time arrived, the Shen family lit the firecrackers that were raised high outside the courtyard, and with the sound of this lively firecracker, the dumplings of Chinese New Year's Eve were also put into the pot together, and the family ate dumplings lively, said auspicious words to each other, and went back to the house to rest.

Shen Luzhu washed his face and was about to go to sleep on the kang, when he suddenly remembered the purse that Chu Yi gave her a few days ago, and hurriedly turned it out of the kang cabinet on one side.

She didn't open her curiosity before, but she almost forgot it today, there was only one copper coin in her purse, and the copper coin used for spending on weekdays was not the same, one side was engraved with the six-character mantra of Buddhism, and the other side was 'longevity and wealth', both sides were decorated with yin and yang fish patterns, I think it should be the temple to ask for the money to drive away evil spirits and pray for blessings, this New Year's money is quite special!

After the fifteenth day of the first month, the New Year is basically over, until the beginning of spring is the most idle time of the year for the peasant family, the Chu family and the Shen family are busy these days, if nothing else, Chu Yi is about to marry Shen Luzhu into the door!

In the past few days, the Chu family has been busy arranging a new house for Chu Yi, the courtyard of the Chu family is flat, the five rooms of the main house are longer, and the two rooms on each side of the house are shorter, and the main house is facing the courtyard gate, and the two rooms on the east side of the hall house live with Grandpa Chu, and the west side was originally lived by Uncle Chu's family.

Chu Yi originally took Chu Yi to live in the outer room of the East Wing, and now that he was going to get married, Grandma Chu led Chu Xiuxiu and arranged the empty house where Chu Yi's father and mother lived in the East Wing into a new house.

On the seventeenth day of the first month, the Shen family wanted to send Shen Luzhu's things to the Chu family in advance, the Shen family's parents really felt sorry for their daughter, the Chu family's dowry in addition to tea, wine, pastries, etc., the others were given to Shen Luzhu, which was counted as her private property and sent to the Chu family, and also added a lot of dowry, which included a set of mahogany furniture that Shen Grandpa invited someone to play, which was bought by Shen's father, a dresser inlaid with a copper mirror, a ten-bed dragon and phoenix quilt sewn by Shen's mother and second aunt Zheng, two large wooden boxes, and some rice, flour, oil and other ingredients. It was used for Shen Luzhu to make breakfast for his in-laws early in the morning on the second day of his wedding.

Such a rich dowry is still rare even in these relatively wealthy villages nearby.

Shen Luzhu watched these things being carried out of her door one by one, she didn't know that the elders had prepared so much for her in private, and she was unexpectedly filled with parting emotions, if only the marriage date could be later, later!

On the eighteenth day of the first lunar month, Dingzi Day, there are no taboos, everything is appropriate!

Yesterday, Shen Luzhu slept with Shen's mother in her own room, and the mother and daughter snuggled up and chatted until midnight, and Shen's mother was amused by her and cried and laughed!

The result of sleeping too late was that Shen Luzhu was urged by Shen's mother several times before he reluctantly left the bed!

After washing and eating the noodles specially cooked for her by Shen's mother, Shen Luzhu changed into a wedding dress sewn by herself, sat on the kang and was given makeup on her face by her second aunt Zheng, and then Shen's mother invited the Quanfu woman in the village to comb Shen Luzhu's hair

"Once you comb your hair, you don't have to worry about being rich; The second comb is combed to the hair, disease-free and worry-free; Three combs to the hair, many sons and many longevity; then comb to the end, raise the case and raise the eyebrows; The second comb is combed to the tail, and the wings fly together; Three combs to the end, forever knotted and concentric; There is a head and a tail, and we are rich and prosperous in this life! ”

After everything was ready, he only had to wait for the groom to come to the door to get married, and Shen Luzhu stayed in the house, greeting the ladies who came to marry from time to time.

Today, the Shen family's work of receiving female dependents was handed over to the second aunt Zheng and sisters-in-law, and Shen's mother has been by her daughter's side, and she will tell her what she thinks, Shen Luzhu saw that her aunt was talking and was about to wipe her tears, and hurriedly picked up a handkerchief to help Shen's mother wipe her tears: "Auntie, don't cry, my daughter will go and tell Daddy and Grandpa that my daughter is not married!" "After that, I really got up and was going out!

Seeing this, Shen's mother still remembered wiping her tears, patted Shen Luzhu's arm, and hurriedly pulled her to sit down: "It's nonsense!" It's hard to decide on a family affair, and the ceremony has passed, how can anyone say that if you don't marry, you won't marry! ”

Shen Luzhu saw that Shen's mother could divert her attention, and what would happen after being beaten a few times, so he hurriedly continued to make persistent efforts: "My daughter just wants her father and aunt to be happy, if her daughter is unhappy that her daughter is married, then her daughter will not marry for the rest of her life!" ”

"Who said that A-Niang is not happy, A-Niang is happy, and finally married you off!"

Shen Luzhu hugged Shen's mother's arm, leaned his head on Shen's mother's shoulder, and comforted softly: "Then A-Niang is not allowed to cry anymore, and my daughter is not going to come back, but just across the river, A-Niang can rest assured that her daughter will come back if she has nothing to do in the future, and A-Niang will not be able to bother me!" ”

As he was talking, the eldest daughter-in-law Zhou and the second daughter-in-law Zhao entered the door: "Auntie, the new aunt has come to the door, and she is being stopped in the front yard by her husband and brothers, and Auntie has to go to the hall to wait for the new aunt to see you later!" ”

"The two of us are accompanying our sister-in-law, don't worry!"

Chu Yi wore a robe and dress today, with a big red flower hanging on his chest, standing in front of the Shen family's courtyard with his back to the sun, looking particularly handsome, in order to embarrass the groom's official, the courtyard door of the Shen family was blocked by the children of each family inside, Zhao Cheng and Chu Ping, who were the guests, had to lie on the wall of the Shen family, sprinkled candy and copper coins into the courtyard, and opened the door with the children!

After entering the hospital, the team to welcome relatives was stopped by the brothers of the Shen family, and under Chu Yi's repeated assurances, they finally entered the hall to meet the Shen family members.

Shen Luzhu was helped into the hall by his sisters-in-law, and said goodbye to everyone in the Shen family with Chu Yi, Shen's mother covered her daughter with a red hijab, and finally left the Shen family with Chu Yi's back in the reluctant gaze of the Shen family!

According to custom, the bride from her mother's house to her mother-in-law's house, her feet are not allowed to touch the ground, if most of the girls in the town will sit in a rented sedan chair, the dirt road in the village is not easy to walk, and the groom is generally used to carry it. Shen Chuanbai and Shen Songjie were afraid that Chu Yi would lose his physical strength halfway and fall on his sister, so they did not stay at home to use the mat, but protected them all the way, and only quietly returned after seeing their sister enter the gate of Chu's house safely.

Chu Yi carried Shen Luzhu across the brazier in front of the Chu family, and put people down when he entered the hall, at this time the Chu family hall had been arranged into an auditorium, and the house was full of relatives and villagers who came to Tianxi, and the grandfather and grandmother of the Chu family sat on the main seat.

Today, Mrs. Qin, who was wearing a festive flower jacket, stood in front of the hall, and saw that the two newcomers were already in place, and hurriedly ordered the onlookers to wait quietly for the auspicious time.

At three o'clock, Mrs. Qin cleared her throat and said loudly: "The auspicious time has come, salute!" ”

When Chu Li and Chu Xiuxiu heard this, they took two futons out and put them in front of Chu Yi and Shen Luzhu.

"Worship heaven and earth!"

"Second worship high hall!"

"Husband and wife worship each other!"

Shen Luzhu covered her head, she could only see her toes, but fortunately, from the beginning, there was a little girl next to her who had been supporting her, and Chu Yi also reminded her in a low voice from time to time, so she successfully finished worshipping!

"Licheng, send it to the cave room!"