Chapter 21 New Year’s Eve
Early in the morning on New Year's Eve, Yu Zhiyuan took two pieces of yellow paper, took out a coin, and smashed the paper money on the table with a small hammer.

Yang Xuemei took out a basket and put three bowls in it, each containing a piece of meat, a fish, and two large meatballs.

Two more plates were placed there, as well as a cloth bag containing five steamed buns and five apples.

He took another bottle of wine, two wine glasses, a pack of cigarettes, and a box of incense and put them into the basket!

Yu Zhiyuan put the yellow paper into the basket, carried the basket and pushed the bike out of the yard and rode towards the cemetery.

When they arrived at the old couple's grave, they placed offerings, lit incense, poured wine, and lit cigarettes.

Only then did he light up the yellow paper.

Filial piety should not be neglected.

While burning paper, I chatted with the old couple about life at home.

Pour the wine in the cup in front of the tomb, and put the incense and smoke into yellow paper and burn them.

He knelt down and kowtowed three times to the old couple.

Then I packed up and left.

After entering the courtyard, I saw a group of people gathered around the table in front of Yan Bugui's door. Yan Bugui was writing couplets for everyone!

Just as I was about to go home with my cart, I heard Yan Bugui say, "Zhiyuan, your family hasn't written it yet. Grab a handful of peanuts and I'll write it for you!"

Hearing this, Xu Damao pulled Yan Bugui's arm and winked at him.

When Yu Zhiyuan heard this, his face turned dark and he pushed the cart away.

After returning home, he parked the car in the ear room and handed the basket to Yang Xuemei.

Go wash your hands before eating.

After dinner, I held my daughter at the table and taught Qiaoqiao to read picture books.

As soon as it was past noon, Yang Xuemei started to get busy, peeling potatoes and picking celery leaves.

When Yu Zhiyuan saw that the time was almost up, he took a chicken, split it in half and stewed half of it in the pot. He also cut the beef and stewed it on the small stove behind the stove.

I went to the vegetable cellar and secretly took out ten shrimps. When I had almost finished cleaning them, I went to the old lady next door.

"Old lady, what's the matter? Are you going to spend the New Year with my family this year?"

"Your uncle asked me to go to his house, saying that it would be a lively place with a lot of people. I hope you and your family of four can have a peaceful New Year."

"Okay, I'll send you dumplings tomorrow morning. Please prepare Qiaoqiao's New Year's money."

"Okay, brat, go back and get busy. I can smell the fragrance."

When you get home and see that the chicken is almost done, add the soaked dried mushrooms, and prepare the sliced ​​pork, chopped green onions, and shredded ginger.

When the chicken is ready to stew, pour it into a small aluminum pot and place it in front of the stove to prevent it from getting cold.

The fish is also stewed.

The potatoes and beef are ready and put in a bowl.

Place in a large basin of hot water.

Heat oil in a pan, stir-fry meat with celery, braise prawns, and finally make meatball soup.

The dishes were served on the table. It was Yu Zhiyuan’s first New Year’s Eve dinner in this era, and it was really good!

Yu Zhiyuan was peeling shrimp for his daughter while mumbling: "Eat more and grow faster. Next year you can take care of your younger brother, and the year after that you can go to school."

"Brother? Where is my brother?"

"My little brother is in mom's belly. He won't be able to meet you for another eight months."

"Why are you in your mother's belly? Was you eaten by your mother?"

Yang Xuemei heard this and chuckled: "It's not that he is still young, there is a little house in my belly. He needs to grow up slowly before he can come out of my belly to play with you."

"Small, how small is he?"

Yu Zhiyuan gestured with his fist and said, "It's only this big, so don't worry. When he grows up and leaves the house, you can play with him, okay?"

Qiaoqiao nodded, took the shrimp with her hands and ate it, while looking at Yang Xuemei's belly.

"I was so busy this year that I forgot. After the Chinese New Year, take some time to take a family photo, and also take a photo of your daughter. Do it every year in the future. Remember to remind me."

Yang Xuemei responded, and then said to Qiaoqiao: "I see, Qiaoqiao also remembers this, did you hear me?"

The three were chatting when they heard a knock on the door.

Who could it be at this time?
It’s getting dark!
Yu Zhiyuan went over and opened the door, and saw the old lady standing at the door with a cane.

"What's going on? Please come in quickly. Qiaoqiao, get a stool and add a pair of bowls and chopsticks. Would you like a drink, old lady?" The old lady sat down and sighed, "Have a drink, hey!"

"What's wrong with you? Why are you still sighing during the New Year's Day?"

Yang Xuemei took the wine cup and sat down and asked, "Yes, aren't we having New Year's Eve dinner at Uncle's house? Why do you seem unhappy?"

The two wives glanced at the two of them and said, "The eldest master and his wife, the meal cooked by Sha Zhuzi, plus the rain, the five members of the Jia family are very lively. As soon as the dishes were served, Zhang Cuihua and Bang Geng started to eat vigorously, their cheeks were bulging like balls, and they didn't stop using their chopsticks."

"Hey, Banggeng was pulled up by Jia Dongxu and kicked twice, Zhang Cuihua is in trouble, the mother and son are arguing! So I'm back. Sha Zhuzi also picked up two bowls of vegetables and went home."

After hearing this, Yu Zhiyuan and Yang Xuemei looked at each other in surprise. This family was really weird.

Pick up some food for the old lady and let her taste my cooking.

The old lady nodded while eating.

The old lady raised her wine cup and said, "Let's drink together, thanks to Yang Xuemei for washing my clothes recently."

Qiaoqiao also raised the cup of soda: "Let's go!"

Everyone burst into laughter when they heard this.

The old lady looked at Qiaoqiao and said, "Our Qiaoqiao is the best! You should stay away from the Jia family in the future. I don't think that Bang Geng is a good person, and Qin Huairu is also cunning. You should just live your own life behind closed doors."

Hearing this, Yu Zhiyuan nodded repeatedly.

"I heard that you want to arrange for your brother-in-law to work in the factory? If you owe someone a favor, I'll do it for you. I have some friendship with your Director Yang."

"Madam, that's not necessary. Everything has been arranged almost completely. If it doesn't work out, I'll ask you to help me."

Then he asked Yang Xuemei to cook dumplings.

After the meal, they lit a thick incense stick for Qiaoqiao and opened some firecrackers for her to set off in the backyard.

Yang Xuemei was afraid that the child might get hurt and didn't let him go.

The old lady advised: "Girls should not be too timid. It's okay, just play with it, be careful, it's okay."

Yu Zhiyuan went out of the house and watched Qiaoqiao put a few in. Seeing that she was quite capable of finishing it, he went back to the house to get the cabbage and vermicelli and started chopping the stuffing.

I have to make some vegetarian dumplings for a midnight snack.

Just after wrapping for a while, Qiaoqiao came into the room and said that they were finished.

When asked if she wanted more, Qiaoqiao said she would release it with Brother Zicheng tomorrow.

Let her read the picture book by herself.

Yang Xuemei, Yu Zhiyuan and the old lady make dumplings together.

It didn't take long to wrap up more than fifty vegetarian dumplings.

Seeing Qiaoqiao already starting to pray, he quickly took her to wash up and go to bed.

The old lady sat there and drank some water, but she couldn't bear it any longer.

Yu Zhiyuan quickly sent the old lady back to rest, and asked Xuemei to lie down for a while as well.

Yu Zhiyuan sat alone in the living room reading a book to celebrate the New Year.

It was half past eleven before Yu Zhiyuan got up to boil water and prepare to cook vegetarian dumplings.

Meaning: Have a simple year.

After cooking the dumplings and heating up the leftovers, I asked Yang Xuemei to get up and eat, and sent a few to the old lady.

After finishing his meal and cleaning up, Yu Zhiyuan went back to his room to sleep.

As soon as it was daybreak, Yu Zhiyuan got up, washed, changed the coal in the stove, and turned up the fire.

He emptied the urine pot into the public toilet outside and came back to feed the two chickens with the chopped food.

Seeing that Yang Xuemei was already helping Qiaoqiao get dressed, she went to the kitchen to fry the remaining dumplings to heat up the leftovers.

Seeing that the mother and daughter had finished packing, I asked them to have breakfast.

After breakfast, Qiaoqiao went next door to wish the old lady a happy new year. She kowtowed to the old lady and took the red envelope.

Yu Zhiyuan went home, took two bottles of Fenjiu and two fish, and rushed to Bi Zhengliang's house.

Go into the house, put down your things, and let the old couple sit down!
Yu Zhiyuan and Yang Xuemei knelt down and kowtowed, and then asked Qiaoqiao to kowtow as well.

Only then did I start chatting with Bi Zhengliang's family.

(End of this chapter)