Li Rong didn't make bacon for sale this year, but she still made some for her own home.
The day before the New Year, Li Rong packed some dried bacon and called Zhao Qingsong: "Take this to Director Wu, and then go to the county town to buy some toffee and so on."
Zhao Qingsong nodded, hugged Li Rong and kissed her: "Daughter-in-law, it's great to have you, otherwise I would have forgotten."
"Don't forget the favor," Li Rong said, "Director Wu has been so helpful to you this year. It's Chinese New Year, so I'll give you some sausages. Don't let go of the favor."
The next day is New Year's Eve.
Li Rong is now the key protected person in the family. Mother Zhao does not let her work. At most, she is allowed to sit in front of the stove and watch the fire.
He Xing gave birth to two children. When they were about to give birth, Zhao's mother also did not let her work.
Therefore, she did not feel that Zhao's mother favored one over the other, and the relationship between the grandmothers and sisters was not affected at all.
Zhao Qingsong is still making Spring Festival couplets as he did last year.
Daniel is now one year older, almost ten years old, and is starting to learn to do these jobs.
He surrounded his father and Zhao Qingsong and followed them to work.
"Why are they long and not round?" Daniel went to school and would recognize some figures. Seeing that the Spring Festival couplets Zhao Qingsong and the others cut out were all long, he asked.
To be honest, Zhao Qingsong didn't understand why. He smiled and asked Daniel to ask his father.
Zhao Qingyang is a tall and big man, but he doesn't know these things. When he was a child, his family used to do this.
In the end, it was Father Zhao who explained the origin.
Dan Niu and Er Niu listened very fascinated.
Li Rong happened to be helping and listened to a story.
It's really interesting.
What Li Rong knew in modern times is different from what she knows now. Sure enough, some things have experienced the baptism of time and the faults of the times, and it is difficult to pass them down intact.
Father Zhao and Brother Zhao posted paper cuts on the windows and red paper on the furniture in the house.
Zhao Qingsong posted door couplets outside.
This year I also bought a red lantern, because it has writing on it.
Two big red lanterns with the word "福" written on them.
If Li Rong wanted to buy one, she would definitely buy one with the word "cai" written on it.
The red paper pasted on the old and heavy wall next to the door last year turned white and became brittle. Zhao Qingsong tore it clean and pasted new Spring Festival couplets on it.
Lanterns were hung in front of the courtyard gate, and Spring Festival couplets were posted.
The flavor of the new year is getting stronger.
New Year's Eve is really a day for the whole family to stay together and get busy.
At around five o'clock in the evening, after a busy day, we finally started to have New Year's Eve dinner.
Li Rong was the most leisurely, and worked hard on two bowls of rice while eating.
After the meal, except Zhao's mother He Xing who went to wash the dishes, everyone else sat in the main room around the stove to keep warm.
The round dining table was cleared and candies and cookies were placed.
Li Rong ate a lot in the evening. I was afraid that she would feel uncomfortable after overeating, so I didn't let her eat biscuits and told her to eat them later when she was hungry.
Although Li Rong and his wife have made a lot of money now, in fact, Mother Zhao, He Xing and the others have never had a meal as full and satisfying as this time this year.
The whole family gathered around the stove, eating melon seeds and talking about some of this year's events.
Sometimes he laughs, and sometimes he sighs.
Li Rong glanced at her watch. It was already seven or eight o'clock: "Are there no opera singers this year?"
She remembered it last year.
Father Zhao shook his head: "It's snowing outside. It's really strange this year. It snowed on New Year's Eve. The team notified us that we won't come back until the snow stops."
"Auspicious snow heralds a good year, and it will be the same next time."
Mother Zhao thought Li Rong wanted to watch it, so she said, "If I don't come by then, ask my second brother to take you to the county town to watch a movie."
The custom of watching the New Year's Eve in Dajiang Village is very strong. Li Rong knew about it last year. Except for children, adults basically wait until the snack fire is finished before going back to the house to sleep.
There are no entertainment programs, and there is no Spring Festival Gala to watch.
Li Rong thought that this night would be difficult, but she didn't expect that for a big family, you would say a few words and I would say a few, and the time would pass by quietly.
Li Rong had a watch so she could keep an eye on it, so she said something when it was almost nine o'clock.
Mother Zhao went to get some flour, and the whole family sat on the kang making dumplings.
Li Rong usually went to bed early, and if she thought she could still stay awake, now she was pregnant and kept leaning against Zhao Qingsong, yawning.
Zhao Qingsong asked her to go take a nap first: "Pregnant women are the same as children. You can sleep when you want. I'll wake you up when the dumplings are ready."
Li Rong vaguely remembered where she had heard this sentence. After a while, she realized, wasn't this what He Xing said when Er Niu fell asleep after returning from the theater last year?
This year, the two cows didn't feel sleepy at all, and they were very energetic while making dumplings.
She didn't want to go to sleep, so she pinched Zhao Qingsong's arm: "Are you energetic?"
Zhao Qingsong gave her a smile: "No...haha...you pinch yourself to be energetic."
Li Rong hugged Zhao Qingsong's arm: "I won't go to sleep."
"Okay, okay," Zhao Qingsong smiled fondly.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the two younger children in the family were ordered not to disturb Li Rong, so Li Rong had a peaceful sleep.
Even Zhao Qingsong slept well.
Li Rong woke up at nine o'clock, and when she opened her eyes, she saw Zhao Qingsong's chin and the stubble growing on it.
She stared at Zhao Qingsong's handsome face for a long time. The stubble that emerged did not affect Zhao Qingsong's appearance at all, but made him a little more wild.
Extremely sexy.
Li Rong licked her lips and was once again obsessed with the man's beauty.
After admiring it, Li Rong stretched out her hand to pinch Zhao Qingsong's nose: "Wake up~ don't sleep~"
Zhao Qingsong grabbed Li Rong's rebellious hand, put it on the bed, and hugged Li Rong into his arms: "Stop making trouble and sleep a little longer~"
"It's past nine o'clock!" Li Rong laughed at him, "Daniu and the others must be awake, why don't you get up and hand out red envelopes."
"Ignore them," Zhao Qingsong's voice was low and sexy, buried on the side of Li Rong's neck, "Let the money stay in my pocket for a while longer!"
On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Zhao Qingyang accompanied He Xing and her two children back to her parents' home.
Mother Zhao was afraid that Li Rong would feel homesick and uncomfortable, so she went into the house and talked to Li Rong for a long time, saying that she would definitely let Zhao Qingsong take her home to visit relatives next year.
Li Rong smiled, plans could never keep up with changes.
It is now 1976, next year 1977, the child is still young, and Li Rong has to prepare for the college entrance examination, and it will be even more difficult to say by then.
Zhao Qingliu also came back with her husband and children.
Since the last time they finished eating Zhao Qingliu's wine, they moved out, and Li Rong and them didn't see each other again until today.
Li Rong was surprised when they met.
Zhao Qingliu's mental state is so good now. Together with his two little ones, his face has grown some flesh, and his body bones are not as skinny as before.
She is as tall as a lotus flower, and her eyes are big and lively. She is no longer as timid as before, looking down at others in panic.
Sure enough, after leaving the old Li family who lived in Shumo, their life became better.