60s: I have a store

Chapter 516 Bonfire Party
The afternoon sun shines on Zhoujiazhuang, covering the village with a layer of warm yellow gauze.

Zhou Yimin was lying on a rocking chair in his yard when he heard a familiar voice calling out from the gate: "Yimin!"

He looked up and saw the old branch secretary walking in with steady steps.

Zhou Yimin got up from the rocking chair and greeted him with a smile: "Old Party Secretary, what do you want to talk to me about?"

The old branch secretary did not hide anything and said directly: "Yimin, the villagers have been working hard recently. I was thinking about finding a way to reward everyone, but I didn't have any ideas for the time being, so I thought of coming to you to discuss it."

Zhou Yimin frowned slightly and fell into thought. In this era of limited supplies and lack of entertainment activities, it is indeed not easy to let everyone relax.

Suddenly, common team-building scenes in later generations, such as expansion training and theme parties, flashed through his mind.

But these are obviously not realistic in Zhoujiazhuang. But at that moment, he had a flash of inspiration and an idea came to him - bonfire party!
With a few changes, the idea of ​​having everyone gather around a big campfire, singing and dancing together, and eating meat sounds very tempting.

Zhou Yimin's eyes lit up and he explained his idea in detail to the old branch secretary.

After hearing this, the old branch secretary slapped his thigh with excitement and smiled brightly: "Yimin, your idea is great! This method can not only make everyone happy, but also bring our villagers closer together. It's great!"

The old branch secretary rubbed his hands excitedly and continued, "Besides, we don't have to worry about meat. The security team went hunting in the mountains yesterday and killed a wild boar. Although it's not very big, it's more than enough to entertain everyone."

The old branch secretary's eyes were filled with joy. He had been worried that there would be problems with food supply when preparing for the party, but now a big worry has been solved.

The two then had an in-depth discussion about the details of the bonfire party.

The first thing was to arrange the venue. The old Party secretary suggested: "Let's set up the bonfire in the threshing ground in the center of the village. It's spacious and can accommodate all the villagers. It will be lively when everyone gathers together."

Zhou Yimin nodded in agreement and added, "We can decorate the bonfire with some colorful strips of cloth or paper lanterns so that it will light up at night and create a more festive atmosphere."

The old branch secretary's eyes lit up and he quickly said, "That's a good idea. Let's do as you say. I'll arrange for a few strong young men to collect materials and build a bonfire."

Next is the preparation of food. Zhou Yimin thought for a moment and said, "Wild boar meat is the main dish. Part of it can be stewed to make pork stewed with vermicelli, which will make everyone warm and satisfied. The other part can be cut into thin slices and roasted on an iron rack over the campfire, sprinkled with salt and spices, which will definitely be very fragrant."

The old branch secretary nodded repeatedly and asked, "Besides wild boar meat, what else do you want to eat?"

Zhou Yimin smiled and said, "We grow a lot of corn and sweet potatoes in our village. We can roast them by the campfire. They are fragrant and sweet. I'm sure everyone will like them. In addition, we can prepare some homemade pickles to eat with them. They will relieve greasiness and stimulate appetite."

The old Party secretary slapped his forehead and said, "Yes, yes, yes, you are very thoughtful. I will arrange for the women to prepare pickles and pick out some good corn and sweet potatoes."

In terms of entertainment activities, Zhou Yimin suggested: "We can prepare some simple musical instruments, such as gongs, drums, and erhu, and let villagers who can play musical instruments play at the party to add to the atmosphere. We can also organize some small games, such as singing competitions and folk songs, so that everyone can participate and have fun."

After hearing this, the old Party branch secretary said excitedly, "This is a good idea. Many people in our village are good at singing competitions and folk songs. I will notify everyone and let everyone prepare in advance."

Staffing is also an important issue.

The old Party Secretary said, "I plan to let Brother Zhao be responsible for the construction and maintenance of the bonfire. He is a down-to-earth person and will definitely be able to make the bonfire burn brightly.

Aunt Li and Sister Wang are responsible for cooking. They are good cooks and the meals they make will definitely suit everyone's taste.

Also, let Aqiang bring a few young people to take charge of the order on the scene to ensure that everyone can have fun and be safe. "

Zhou Yimin nodded in agreement and added, "Assign a few smart kids to pass things around and run errands, so that everyone can be more worry-free."

In the next few days, the villagers of Zhoujiazhuang were busy.

The guys in charge of building the bonfire looked everywhere for suitable wood. They dragged the thick tree trunks to the threshing ground and carefully stacked them into the shape of a bonfire.

The women were busy preparing food. They cleaned the wild boar meat, cut some into large pieces for stewing, and cut some into thin slices and marinated them for roasting.

Corn and sweet potatoes were also carefully selected and neatly placed.

The villagers who could play musical instruments took out their precious instruments, wiped them clean, tuned them, and prepared to show their skills at the party.

During the preparation process, the villagers spontaneously pooled their money to buy some red paper, cut it into various shapes, and made lanterns.

The children helped, happily painting the lanterns and drawing simple patterns on them.

For a moment, the village was filled with laughter and everyone was looking forward to the upcoming bonfire party.

When the old branch secretary saw this scene, he knew that his efforts were not in vain. It seems that if there is a chance in the future, he should prepare more for such activities.

After several days of intensive preparations, all preparations for the bonfire party were finally ready.

The villagers of Zhoujiazhuang were full of anticipation, looking forward to the arrival of night and this joyful feast that belonged to them.

Soon, the day of the bonfire party arrived.

Early in the morning, as the sun just started to shine on the village, the villagers woke up from their sleep, looking forward to the grand event in the evening.

The children ran around the village excitedly, discussing with each other what delicious food they would have in the evening and whether there would be any fun games.

While working, the adults would look up at the sky from time to time, silently hoping that time would pass faster.

This is the first time that I feel time goes by so slowly. I have been working for such a long time, but it is only less than an hour.

As the villagers of Zhoujiazhuang worked enthusiastically, time passed quietly and soon it was time to finish work.

Everyone hurriedly put down their farm tools and did not take time to rest. They went home to take a shower, washed off the sweat and acid smell of the day, changed into relatively clean clothes, and prepared to welcome the happy time in the evening.

As night fell, a huge bonfire had been built in the threshing ground in the center of the village.

The firewood was neatly stacked and sprinkled with a little kerosene, waiting to be lit. Next to the bonfire, there were several long tables made from door panels, filled with all kinds of food.

The stewed wild boar meat is fragrant, with large chunks of meat soaked in rich soup and dotted with emerald green onions. The wild boar meat on the grill is sizzling with oil, and the golden skin has an attractive luster and emits a burnt aroma. There are also baskets of corn and sweet potatoes, quietly waiting to be put into the campfire.

The villagers came to the threshing ground one after another and sat around the campfire.

Everyone looked at the delicious food on the table, swallowing saliva unconsciously, their eyes full of desire.

If the old branch secretary hadn't spoken yet, I'm afraid everyone would have been eager to start eating.

The old secretary stood by the bonfire, watching the people drooling with greed, and shouted with a smile: "Let's eat!" As soon as he finished speaking, the villagers started eating. At first, everyone was so hungry that they didn't care about chatting and devoted themselves to eating.

The chopsticks quickly moved across the plate, picking up pieces of wild boar meat and putting them into their mouths. Everyone ate voraciously, their cheeks bulging.

In order to have this big meal in the evening, many people deliberately did not eat enough at noon, just waiting for this moment to feast. For a while, the only sounds in the threshing ground were the clattering of bowls and chopsticks and the sound of people chewing food.

After a "battle" that swept away everything in its path, everyone's stomachs were gradually filled and a sense of satisfaction filled their hearts.

At this time, Zhou Yimin stood up, cleared his throat, and said, "Everyone has almost finished eating, next, let's play some games!"

As he spoke, he took out a box that he had prepared in advance from behind him.

Everyone in Zhoujiazhuang looked at the box, confused.

They had never heard of playing games at a bonfire party, but many people had excitement in their eyes. Who would want to miss such an opportunity to show off?
Zhou Yimin smiled and began to explain: "Inside this box, there is a note with the performance items written on it. Whoever is drawn will have to perform that item."

When everyone heard this, they felt both curious and nervous.

I didn't expect that this time it would be so "big". If I draw an event that I'm good at, I can show off my skills in front of everyone. But if I draw some difficult events that I'm not good at, I will just be embarrassed.

But this kind of stimulation makes everyone more eager to try.

Zhou Yimin took the lead in inviting the first villager to come on stage to draw the lottery.

Zhou Daqiang volunteered, strode forward, rubbed his hands on his clothes, trying to wipe off the sweat on his palms, then carefully reached into the box and began to search inside.

His eyes were tense and expectant, and he kept muttering: "I must draw an easy one, I must draw an easy one..."

Finally, he pulled out a note, slowly unfolded it, a smug smile instantly appeared on his face, and he read loudly: "Sing!"

Zhou Daqiang likes to hum a few lines on weekdays, so this is a piece of cake for him.

He cleared his throat and a folk song full of rural flavor came out of his mouth. Although there was no instrumental accompaniment, his simple voice had a unique charm, which attracted applause from the villagers below the stage.

When others saw this scene, it seemed that the projects in the box should not be that difficult. After all, Zhou Daqiang was famous in the village for having smelly hands.

Whenever there was something to be decided by drawing lots in the village, he never won the draw. Since then, the rumor that Zhou Daqiang had "stinky hands" spread in the village.

Next, Aunt Li was also invited to the stage.

She walked forward shyly, her steps trembling slightly. Aunt Li was not very good at performing in front of others, and she was very nervous.
She reached into the box with a trembling hand, hesitated for a long time, and then pulled out a note.

When she opened it, her face turned pale instantly. The note read: "Stand upside down for one minute."

Aunt Li looked at the note and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She was already old and it was difficult for her to even bend over, let alone stand upside down.

When the villagers in the audience saw Aunt Li's expression, some couldn't help laughing, while others encouraged her: "Aunt Li, don't worry, just give it a try!"

Aunt Li was helpless. Under the gaze of everyone, she tried to stand upside down. But as soon as she raised her legs, she fell heavily.

Her face flushed, she smiled awkwardly and said, "I'm too old to do this job."

Seeing this, everyone did not make things difficult for her and let her leave the stage with a smile.

Then, Lai Fu was called to the stage by Zhou Yimin.

Lai Fu is a lively and active child, and his eyes are full of excitement at this moment.

He skipped to the box and reached out to grab a note.

When I unfolded it, I saw the words "Imitate three animals" written on it.

Lai Fu's eyes lit up and he immediately got into the mood. He first put his hands on the ground, hunched his body, and made a "woof woof" sound from his mouth, imitating a puppy. His appearance was so lifelike that it made everyone laugh.

Then he stood up, spread his arms, and imitated the flying of wild geese, making a "ga ga" sound with his mouth.

Finally, he squatted on the ground, clenched his fists in front of his chest, and imitated a gorilla beating its chest and stamping its feet, which made the children in the audience laugh so hard that they fell over, and the adults also applauded and praised him.

The next person to come on stage was Uncle Liu. Uncle Liu was shy and his face turned red when he came on stage.

He slowly reached into the box and pulled out the note. When he saw the content on it, his brows furrowed. It turned out that the note said "Tell a story about your own adventure."

Uncle Liu scratched his head, thought for a moment, and then began to talk about his experience of accidentally getting lost when he went into the mountains to collect herbs when he was young.

His voice was trembling a little, but he was very engaged in the speech. Everyone listened with great interest, as if they were there themselves.

After he finished speaking, there was warm applause from the audience. Uncle Liu smiled embarrassedly and quickly walked off the stage.

When Ah Hua went on stage to draw the lottery, she prayed silently in her heart that she would draw a simple item.

She pulled out the note, opened it and saw that it said "dance".

Ah Hua likes dancing normally. Although she has no professional training, she stepped forward confidently when she heard about this project.

She danced lightly to the cheerful drum beats, her figure graceful and her face filled with a bright smile.

The villagers beat the rhythm for her, and the atmosphere became more and more lively.

As the game progresses, more and more villagers get involved.

Some people were asked to "recite a poem in dialect", and they recited the poem with a strong local accent, giving it a unique flavor.

Some people drew the task of "performing a skit". Although the props were simple, the lively performance made everyone laugh.

The entire bonfire party continued with laughter and joy. The light of the bonfire illuminated the faces of every villager. Everyone was immersed in this rare happy time, temporarily forgetting the fatigue and troubles of life.

(End of this chapter)