The crackling, the sound of firecrackers, New Year's Eve is here.
Dao Chi's mouth twitched as he looked at the man who was having a great time holding incense in one hand and fireworks in the other.
Uncle and nephew, who is the uncle and who is the nephew?
At this time, the front door of Waijiufang was already ablaze with red. Cui Hao set off a few of the five thousand firecrackers.
Now there are several woven baskets more than two feet high at my feet, filled with fireworks of various colors. They were sent by Cui Hao's entourage before dark.
In the neighbors and neighbors, there are many children peeping out to look at the fireworks outside the nine-bedroom apartment. The people living in this area are ordinary people. Even if they are celebrating the New Year, they are just setting off firecrackers. Expensive and gorgeous fireworks like this,
Very little is released.
Cui Hao set off a few more "colorful" fireworks. Seeing that Dao Chi just stood aside, he raised his eyebrows and said, "Erlang doesn't like fireworks? What do you like to do, tell your uncle?"
Dao Chi smiled and said: "It's not that I don't like it, I just think watching from the side is more realistic than setting off fireworks with my own hands."
Cui Hao laughed and said: "Hao Erlang, he has a blessed life. Even if you like to watch it, my uncle will show it to you."
One person was particularly dissatisfied with the slowness of the fireworks, and asked Jingzhe, Erzhu, and the two followers he brought standing next to him to set off fireworks with him.
In a moment, colorful fireworks soared into the sky, leaving streaks of gorgeous light in the dark night sky.
Not far away, there were faint cheers of children.
The fireworks were gorgeous and so beautiful that people couldn't take their eyes away. The fireworks event lasted for a quarter of an hour before the sky returned to calm. There was a faint smell of saltpeter in the air and a layer of red debris on the ground.
Cui Hao looked at Dao Chi and saw a smile on his face. He finally felt satisfied and took Dao Chi back to the yard.
Last year's New Year's Eve, the outer house was deserted. Shun Niang followed the Zhang family to the capital. There were only two grandsons, neither of whom were talkative, so they had the New Year's Eve dinner quietly.
This New Year's Eve, there is an extra Cui Hao.
Early this morning, Cui Hao became an uninvited guest and came to the door empty-handed. He pitifully told Wang Ning that he was "alone" and the inn was deserted, so he came to the door shamelessly.
Although Wang Ning was a little wary of Cui Hao, it was difficult to kick someone out during the Chinese New Year, so she allowed him to stay.
The Taoist idiot admired Cui Hao. Cui Hao was not as straightforward as he appeared. He also came to celebrate the New Year. If he came here proudly with a big bag and a small bag, Wang Ning would certainly not chase him away, but he would never
Such a good face.
The old lady pitied the poor and cherished the weak, and even though she was wary of Cui Hao, she could only feel pity for him when he was alone during the New Year.
When the uncle and nephew returned to the upper room, the dinner table had been set and the floor was full.
Cui Hao looked at the dinner table with bright eyes, and his eye circles became red after reading it.
Half-table meat dishes such as fish cake meatballs, braised fish, poached meatballs, steamed pork with rice flour, steamed pearl meatballs, steamed white meat, and crispy pork with three delicacies are all common home-cooked dishes in Anlu.
Both Wang Ning and his grandson are vegetarians, so half of the table of meat dishes was obviously specially prepared for him.
Seeing this, Wang Ning's face became more and more kind. She asked Cui Hao to sit down and said, "I don't know what you like to eat, so I asked someone to make a few more. It's not easy for you to be away from home these years."
Cui Hao raised his head, then grinned and said: "My nephew loves it all, thank you, auntie. After all these years outside, the food here is fine, but after this bite, I still think the food here is good."
Wang Ning said with a bit of pity: "People are humble when they leave their hometown, and it's so cheap to make a living outside.
If you get tired outside, just go back to Anlu and live in peace. Even if you are not as good as making money outside, it is better to live peacefully and comfortably."
When Cui Hao heard this, he was a little stunned. After a while, he forced a smile and said: "My nephew also wants to go back to his hometown to enjoy his leisure time, but the business in Jiangnan is not popular for the time being. But there is no guarantee that he will come back in two years.
If we settle down, my aunt may find my nephew noisy."
When Wang Ning saw his expression was different, she sighed in her heart and said, "How could it be? I wish you could come here often. Erlang also needs the guidance of his elders."
As expected, Cui Hao's attention was diverted by his nephew. He looked at Dao Chi with a bit of dissatisfaction, and said in a complaining tone: "Mother, Erlang's temper is too boring, like a little old man. At this age, he should
When it’s noisy.”
Wang Ning smiled and said: "Erlang has grown up. After tonight, Erlang will be fourteen."
Cui Hao said with some regret: "It would have been better if my nephew had come back a few years earlier. This uncle is here. I missed Erlang when he was a child in the blink of an eye. I don't know if he looks like me back then."
Hearing these words made people feel sad in their hearts. Wang Ning said: "My nephew, Uncle Xiao, is definitely not wrong."
Only then did Cui Hao smile, pick up the wine pot, fill it up for Wang Ning, and said: "With your mother-in-law's love and care, Erlang is more blessed than my uncle. Here, my nephew would like to toast my mother-in-law and wish her a long life."
Wang Ning picked up the wine and ate, and then the banquet began.
A New Year's Eve dinner was enjoyed by both the guest and the host.
After dinner, Cui Hao accompanied Wang Ning's family to watch the New Year.
It's just that Wang Ning is over sixty years old after all, so she can't stand it until midnight. When the sound of banging at the fourth watch can be heard outside, the old man is already shaking a little.
Dao Chi persuaded Wang Ning to rest and took Cui Hao back to the east chamber.
Cui Hao's face was not dull, but it also lost the smile he had when he went to the bedroom. His face became heavier. He looked at Dao Chi and hesitated to speak.
The Taoist idiot saw the clues and said, "Uncle...is he going back to Jiangnan?"
Cui Hao smiled bitterly and said: "Yes, there are still things over there that I need to watch over. I just hate that I have no future and can't take you with me."
The Taoist Chi said: "Uncle has a career to take care of, and I also have studies to work hard on. When I finish all these things, we can always reunite."
Cui Hao sighed and said: "That can only be the case. It's all because I came back in a hurry. I thought my sister and you were living a good life in the Wang family, but who would have thought that it would be like this these years." At this point, he brought the
He said with hatred: "Wang Qinghong, that sanctimonious hypocrite, did not even care about family relations in order to curry favor with the Yue family. Huh, such a despicable and shameless villain, how long can he be proud of himself?"
Dao Chi didn't want to mention that, so he changed his subject and said, "Uncle, before the end of next year, I may have gone to Beijing. If uncle can spare the time to come to the capital, we will also set off fireworks."
When Cui Hao heard this, his eyes showed some yearning, but he still hesitated and said: "This uncle can only try his best to see, but he can't guarantee it."
Dao Chi heard this and his heart trembled. He just mentioned this just to distract the conversation. If Cui Hao's business was really inappropriate, how could he let him take risks in Beijing. Therefore, he quickly made up for it: "Uncle only sees
It’s not cheap. It’s the same thing when my nephew grows up in two years and goes to Jiangnan to visit his uncle.
Cui Hao's brows relaxed slightly and said: "I went to Wuchang Mansion a few days ago and asked someone to go to Huguang to study. He will leave you a place as a tribute student. When you finish taking care of the affairs in the palace, do you want to
When I come to Beijing, I will pay him a visit."
When the Taoist idiot heard this, he was surprised and said, "When did uncle go to Wuchang Mansion?"
A while ago, although Dao Chi was busy helping out in the palace, the uncle and nephew still found time to meet a few times. On the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, Cui Hao even took Dao Chi to see a Sanjin house in Xicheng.
, was purchased by Cui Haocai, who took his entourage to settle there.
Cui Hao said: "I went on the 17th of the twelfth lunar month and came back on the 22nd."
The Taoist idiot was speechless for a moment.
It was nearly 300 miles from Anlu to Wuchang Mansion, and there were people asking for help in the process. Cui Hao just heard that he wanted to enter the Imperial College, so he spared no effort and ran around like this.
This kind of love was so heavy that Dao Chi felt a little ashamed in his heart.
He clearly knew that Cui Hao wanted to rip his heart out, but he was wary because his whereabouts abroad were a mystery.
The Taoist idiot raised his head and said with a bit more solemnity on his face: "Uncle, my mother lost my father and abandoned me, so I am a very unlucky person. In this world, the only people who care about me are my grandmother and my uncle. I don't ask for my uncle to be rich.
Dagui, I just hope that my uncle can be safe and sound, and don’t let me lose my family again and feel lonely."
These words made Cui Hao's expression change in shock.
Looking at his nephew with a solemn expression, he felt as if his chest was stuffed with cotton. There were thousands of words in his heart, but it was hard to say anything.
He stopped the smile on his face, touched the Taoist idiot's head, and said: "Good people don't live long, and disasters live for thousands of years. My uncle is not a good person, and he will definitely live a long time. As long as Erlang doesn't dislike his uncle."
The Taoist Chi said: "My uncle is my closest relative and respected elder. I only have respect and love for my uncle."
Cui Hao heard this and smiled again on his face, saying: "That's right, I'm just waiting for Erlang to be filial to me in the future..."
The two uncles and nephews chatted and laughed until dawn.
Cui Hao threw a purse to Dao Chi and said, "This is the New Year's money prepared by my uncle for you." After saying that, he stretched, yawned, and said, "I'll go back and rest first. You still have to go here."
I went out to pay New Year greetings, and I took a moment to take a nap."
The purse was bulging but extremely light. Inside were several pieces of paper. In addition to the title deed and house deed of the third-in house in Xicheng, there were also several personal deeds.
"Uncle?" Dao Chi looked at this and really didn't want to accept it.
We have only met this uncle for half a month, but I have given him so many things.
Cui Hao waved his hand and said: "It's just a house, don't get tired of it. I don't know when I will come back next time. What should I do with an empty house? The two servants came with the house when I bought it. I took a look.
For a while, it's still an honest duty. When you enter Beijing, you can't help but bring some people with you. Make preparations in advance and save yourself from being hasty when the time comes."
The lamp was already lit in the upper room, and Mrs. Wang Ning had already gotten up.
Cui Hao went over to report, but he didn't even use breakfast, so he yawned and left.
Dao Chi is still sleepy here, but there is no time to sleep. There are many places to go today, including the Eighth Taiye's house, uncle Liu's house, and uncle Ning Biao's house. Because he has obtained the title of student member, he is registered in the county school.
, I also want to go to the county magistrate’s house to pay New Year’s greetings.
Due to the mourning of Mrs. Wang, the clan members are all in service, so there is no need to go to the clan clan this year; as for the twelfth clan, it is because Wang Ning has mentioned to Wang Yang before that Taoist idiots will not visit again, so there is no need to go there.