Chapter 97 New Year’s Day 1

Chapter 97 New Year’s Day 1

On a winter morning, the sky was bright, and the sun shone through the thin clouds onto the cold earth. All around was quiet, with only the occasional cold wind blowing through to bring coolness. The mountains in the distance were shrouded in a thin layer of white mist, looming like an ink painting.

New Year's Day, the first day of the new year.

According to custom, no one is allowed to work on this day and must rest the whole day.

It is said that if you start working on the first day of the new year, you will have to work throughout the year and be busy all year long.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, people do not touch the kitchen knife or cook new meals. Instead, they eat the leftover food from New Year’s Eve, which means there will be surplus every year.

Do not sweep the floor or take out the trash. Sweeping the floor and taking out the trash on this day means sweeping out the wealth in your home.

People lay on the warm wooden kang, enjoying this rare leisure time.

The fire in the fire pit was not extinguished, but it burned slowly after being covered with ashes. The next day, when the ashes were removed, they were full of burnt charcoal, which could be lit with more firewood. The four dogs lay beside the fire pit, enjoying the warmth and sleeping comfortably with their eyes closed.

The adults finally had a day off and just wanted to lie down and not move. They were so full of energy that they would "whoosh" out and "whoosh" back to lie down again.

It’s good to be young and energetic. No matter it’s the coldest winter or the hottest summer, children don’t want to lie down anymore.

Today I finally don’t have to be ordered around by the adults, so I must have some fun.

Lin Zisu curled up in her warm bed, playing games in her dreams. She ordered a bunch of takeout and was about to eat a big meal.

"Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap!"

The sudden noise startled her and she sat up, rubbed her eyes, opened the privacy curtain of the car window, and squinted at the yard.

Lin Zisu wrinkled her face, quickly pulled the privacy curtain and fell onto the bed.

Shen Xianglan listened to the popping sounds outside and nudged her daughter with her foot, "What's wrong? Your dad and the others are buying firecrackers!"

Lin Zisu replied with two words in a dying voice, "Gyro..."

The adults on the wooden kang, hearing the clacking sound of the spinning tops, felt veins throbbing on their foreheads. They wanted to grab the children and give them a good beating.

I silently said to myself, on the first day of the new year, I must not hit my children, I must not hit my children...

Lin Xianwen sat up, opened a corner of the tent, and stuck his head out. In the yard, children, both big and small, were playing with spinning tops.

There are 4 spinning tops, and a group of children take turns to play with them. The children who don't get a turn play hide-and-seek in 5 yards.

There are very few options for entertainment.

but. . .

Lin Xianwen put on his clothes and pants and climbed down the ladder of the roof tent.

"Knock, knock, knock..." There was a knock on the car door.

Lin Xianwen: "Mom, open the door."

Shen Xianglan: "..."

"Sister, do you want to go out and play?" Lin Xianwen rushed into the bathroom and washed up quickly.

Lin Zisu: "...It's so cold, what's fun to do?"

A few minutes later...

"Hammer, paper, scissors, whoever wins gets to play." Lin Zisu stretched out her hand and gestured what hammer, scissors, and paper were.

Seven people played paper, scissors, hammer, and elimination. After several rounds, only two people were left: Lin Zisu and Lin Xianwen.

The two siblings competed in a one-on-one final. After three rounds, Lin Zisu won.

She proudly took the whip and top that her cousin reluctantly handed over to her, "Watch me play, and learn from me."

The men sleeping in the same room looked at Shi Yong with resentment. It seemed that there was not enough carpentry work, so they all had time to make spinning tops.

Shi Yong closed his eyes tightly, turned over and faced the earth wall, automatically ignoring the burning gaze.

Everyone got up one after another after 9 o'clock. The children in the yard were really noisy.

The women came to the fire pit room, used fire sticks to dig away the ashes to reveal the burning charcoal inside, added firewood, and fanned the fire.

We lit a fire, heated up last night’s soups, steamed buns and pancakes, and everyone had their breakfast.

The children were sweating from playing. Shen Xianglan frowned and said to the women, "If you sweat, wipe your back with a dry towel. Otherwise, the sweat will cool down and your clothes will get wet, and you will catch a cold!"

Women all know that alternating hot and cold weather can easily lead to catching a cold, especially when clothes are soaked with sweat and the cold, wet clothes stick to the back.

After breakfast, they were taken back to the house to wipe their backs, and if their backs were wet, they would change into inner clothes.

Lin Zisu threw the bone to Dahei, looked at her father and said, "Dad, don't you have to go to check the charcoal today?"

Lin Youcai wiped his mouth and said, "The six earthen kilns were all sealed yesterday. We will open them to collect charcoal in two days. Don't worry... We are not made of iron. Let's take a good rest for two days first."

Lin Zisu: "What are you going to do later? It's so boring!"

Shen Xianglan: "Bored? You were having fun just now, and I can't call you back."

Lin Zisu: "That's not it... It's a rare opportunity, let's savor it and experience it."

Lin Youcai looked at his daughter with amusement: "We will go to make money later, will you two come?"

Lin Xianwen: "That's a must!"

After breakfast, the dogs walked in front and the people strolled behind. The village and the mountain were not far apart, just a few minutes' walk.

There was a group of people, mostly children, and each family sent an adult representative to express their appreciation.

Going up the mountain to make money is like going for an outing, just strolling around. When returning, pick small branches with green leaves and put them in your hair, and then break off a branch or a small trunk to take back.

The branches and wood you bring back from playing mean you will gain wealth and bring money home.

This is the custom of celebrating the New Year in the south, but it is not popular in Nan County. Everyone heard from Lin Youcai that since they have nothing to do, the first day of the New Year is to pray for good luck and make money!

After walking around the mountain, Lin Zisu passed by the backyard and looked at the muddy ground covered with branches, grass and leaves. She wondered, "Is this a trap?"

Lin Youfu laughed, "Su girl, you have good eyesight! You saw through it at the first glance!"

"...Hehe." Lin Zisu smiled and said nothing. What kind of eyesight is needed? This is a trick of trying to cover up the truth. Anyone with good eyesight can see it.

When everyone returned to the yard, Lin Xianwen had another idea. Since everyone was free, they might as well tell a story.

Lin Youcai checked Zhao Xi's leg injury and found that the wound had healed well and there was no infection or inflammation.

Li Juhua and Butcher Zhao breathed a sigh of relief. As long as the leg was okay, it would be bad for the child to be so young and suffer from a leg disease.

Lin Youcai went to see Lin Lizheng again. The old man was in good condition. "Lizheng, everyone needs to stay here for at least a month. Those who are more seriously injured can go back on the road when they are almost well."

Lin Lizheng: "Okay, if we can stay here safely, we'll stay longer. There are mountains and water here, but it's a pity that we don't have a household registration here, otherwise..."

Lin Youcai shook his head and said, "There are many mountains here, and not many fields. The environment is good, but all the people in this village have left. There must be a reason we don't know."

Lin Lizheng: "Alas, the journey is too difficult and hard."

Lin Youcai: "Don't worry, village chief. Everything will work out when we get to the bridge."

In the fire pit room, there were people surrounding it in three layers. Lin Youcai came over and was startled, and hurriedly asked: "Honda Shu, what's wrong? What happened?"

Lin Honda saw Lin Youcai's excited face and said, "Your child is telling a story inside. Alas, I can't squeeze in. Why don't we just go to the yard and tell it so that everyone can listen."

Lin Youcai: "Ah? What's the story?"

Zhao Zhuang grabbed his head and turned around, "What was it... like us, going to a faraway place, what is a Western tour?"

Lin Youcai: . . . . . .