Comfortable life in Siheyuan

On New Year's Eve, the atmosphere of the New Year is as strong and warm as strong liquor. The smell of gunpowder from firecrackers permeates the streets and alleys, as if adding a touch of warmth to the cold air.

People were wearing simple cotton-padded clothes, and the simple smiles on their faces were like the winter sunshine, warm and kind.

The temple fair is undoubtedly the highlight of the Chinese New Year. People flock to the temple fair like a tide to taste traditional snacks. The sour and sweet taste of candied haws and the fragrant noodles with soybean paste are intertwined, leaving people with endless aftertaste.

The children held windmills in their hands and frolicked among the crowd like butterflies, adding a bit of liveliness and joy to the temple fair.

The Liu family was also very lively today. My brother and sister-in-law all returned home to reunite, and the family was happily cleaning up the house. Liu Qingshan took out the red paper he had prepared long ago and wrote the Spring Festival couplets in a casual manner.

He thought for a moment and finished it in one go: the first line is "Work hard and strive to be the best", the second line is "Strive to make progress and move forward", and the horizontal banner is "Everything is new".

In the courtyard, the third uncle had already set up his battle formation, waiting for everyone's melon seeds and peanuts. In the middle courtyard of the He family, Tian Xiuyun shouted into the house: "Zhuzi, take the red paper and go to the third uncle to write a couplet." Silly Zhu responded happily and hurried to get the red paper.

He Yushui looked at the leisurely He Daqing and said dissatisfiedly: "Dad, don't just hold Niu Niu, the house needs to be cleaned up for the New Year! You cook lunch, I want to taste your cooking skills!"

He Daqing quickly agreed: "Okay, I'll make some simple dishes for lunch, and you go to the cellar and get some cabbage and potatoes." He Yushui turned around and walked towards the cellar without saying a word.

After a while, He Yushui came running over in a hurry, panting and said, "Sister-in-law, why are there so many missing cabbages in the cellar? There's a hole in the middle."

"I don't know. I haven't been to the cellar for a long time. Was it bitten by a rat?" Tian Xiuyun looked confused, thinking that a small piece of the cabbage heart was gnawed by a rat.

"Sister-in-law, how could a mouse pick on the heart of the cabbage? It's dug holes inside." He Yushui looked at her sister-in-law anxiously.

"It should be the kids in the yard who stole the food. This is basically the case!" He Daqing said slowly.

"That must be the Jia family. Their family conditions are not very good, and the child is greedy." The sister-in-law said in a low voice.

"Then I have to tell Qin Huairu that she can't do this." He Yushui said as he prepared to go out.

"Wait a moment, don't be anxious." Tian Xiuyun grabbed He Yushui and persuaded him, "Yushui, there is no evidence for this matter, it's not easy for you to go find someone. Besides, today is New Year's Eve, it will make people feel uncomfortable if you talk about it. It's just a few cabbages! Forget it."

"But..." He Yushui wanted to say something but was interrupted by Tian Xiuyun.

"Yu Shui, listen to your sister-in-law. Her considerations make sense. There's no need to get upset over such a small matter." He Daqing echoed.

"Okay, I'll listen to you." Yu Shui replied sullenly.

At this time, Sha Zhu, who had just finished writing the couplet, walked in. He looked around the room and asked in a low voice, "What's going on? It's New Year's Day, why are you all so depressed?"

"It's nothing, just a small matter." Tian Xiuyun told Sha Zhu everything that happened.

"Hey! So that's what happened. It was probably done by that kid Banggeng. You have to be considerate of him. Life is not easy for a widow with three children. Listen to your sister-in-law and don't bother about it." Sha Zhu said carelessly.

At this moment, every household in the yard was putting up Spring Festival couplets. The Liu Qingshan brothers were one applying paste while the other was pasting them up.

"Brother, look at this and see if it's right." Liu Qingshan narrowed one eye and gestured at the position on the door.

"A little to the left. Well... a little more, good!" After looking at it carefully, my brother nodded with satisfaction.

At this time, the smiles on the faces of Liu's father and mother in the house were as bright as the warm spring sun and never faded.

At the same time, in Liu Haizhong's home in the backyard, the atmosphere was a little tense.

"Go, both of you go and put up the Spring Festival couplets. Make sure they are pasted neatly and straight." Liu Haizhong sat on a chair and instructed his two sons in a serious tone.

"Okay!" The two brothers Guangtian and Guangfu agreed in unison and took quick action.

When he got outside, Guangfu couldn't help but lower his voice and said to his brother, "Brother, do you think our dad will be angry today like he was on Mid-Autumn Festival, on New Year's Eve?"

Guangtian frowned and responded softly, "It's hard to say. Today's situation is a bit special. The family across the street has returned. Old Liu must be unhappy. So we have to be careful and don't make him angry, otherwise we will suffer."

Guangfu sighed and continued to mutter: "When will this life end for us? When can we move out of this house? I really don't want to stay here any longer."

Guangtian also looked worried after hearing this. He shook his head helplessly and said, "I want to, too! But what can we do now? If we don't rely on him, I'm afraid we won't even have enough food to eat, let alone move out."

As night falls and the lights come on, the sky gradually darkens. At this warm moment, every household is busy preparing a sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner. The kitchen is filled with aromas, the table is filled with delicious food, and the family gathers together, laughing and talking, welcoming the arrival of the new year together.

The deaf old lady was also taken away by Sha Zhu and celebrated the New Year with them.

At this time, the whole compound was filled with a joyful atmosphere except for Liu Haizhong's house.

Qin Huairu of the Jia family was happily eating dumplings with her three children. "Mom, how can she celebrate the New Year alone when grandma is not here?" Banggeng looked at his mother curiously while eating delicious dumplings. Jia Zhang had always regarded Banggeng as the apple of her eye, and at this moment, Banggeng was still thinking about his grandma.

"Your grandmother has delicious food in her hometown, so don't worry." Qin Huairu said casually. She herself came from the countryside, and she knew the situation in the countryside very well. Jia Zhangshi must be hungry all day long, and she can't fill her stomach even for a day.

"Then can grandma come back for the New Year?" Banggeng asked timidly, lowering his voice.

"Banggeng, do you want your grandma to come back?" Qin Huairu asked with a smile.

"I haven't seen grandma for a long time..."

"Then when we grow up, we can go see grandma, okay?" Qin Huairu lightly postponed the matter of seeing grandma to the future. She didn't want that old witch to come back. Now she had the final say in the family, and she didn't want anyone to suppress her.

"Okay! When I grow up, I will take my sister to visit grandma."