Xing'an Mountains 1984: Starting from climbing mountains to support the family

Chapter 173: New Year's Eve, making lanterns for the little kids
After the family of eight finished their meal, Liu Xueting and Dani cleaned up the dishes and then made dumplings to prepare the New Year's Eve dinner.
Dumplings are indispensable for the New Year’s Eve dinner in Northeast China, but it is not just dumplings, but a whole table of dishes. Dumplings are only the staple food after drinking.

Chen Weidong was also busy, preparing to make a lantern for each of the little girls. In the village, children are keen on holding lanterns and running around the village during the Chinese New Year.

In their previous life, the little girls couldn’t even eat well during the Chinese New Year, let alone go out to play with lanterns. Of course, Chen Weidong wanted to make lanterns for his daughters himself.

"Dad, why are you making paste again? Aren't the couplets already pasted?"

Sanni, along with the two little girls, Sini and Wuni, ran over with their short legs and asked in a baby voice.

"Dad, let's prepare to make lanterns. Do you like playing with lanterns?"

Chen Weidong said with a smile.

"Think! Think!"

"Si Ni wants to play with lanterns!"

"Wuni wants it too!"

When the little girls heard that their father was making lanterns, their big watery eyes lit up and they immediately came over.

"Okay! Everyone gets a share. Since you guys are here, you can help Dad with the work!"

Under Chen Weidong's instructions, the little kids went to the sorghum stalk pile happily to pick sorghum stalks.

call!call!
I saw the little kids running around busily.

"Okay, that's enough! Stop pulling."

Chen Weidong was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, and asked them to find some straw. The little girls were eager to stomp the straw and bring it over.

Then Chen Weidong pulled out straight broom sticks to make the frame of the lantern. Sanni, Sini and Wuni, three little girls, squatted beside Chen Weidong, staring blankly.

Chen Weidong first tied eight squares with sorghum stalks, and then strung four squares with four broomsticks.

Two of them are used as the top of the lamp, two are used as the bottom, and the other four squares are used to form a square shape, which are tied around the center.

Next, put a horizontal beam in the middle of the second square at the bottom of the lantern, and insert a thin iron nail in the middle of the beam to hold the candle. Cut the red paper, split it into blocks, and carefully glue it together. Finally, cut a bunch of red paper tassels and attach them under the iron nail. Then a small lantern is completed!
"Wow! Dad is so awesome! What a beautiful lantern."

Before the glue had dried, the three little girls held the lanterns and looked at them again and again in confusion.

"Sister, come and see the lanterns that Dad made! They are so beautiful."

Si Ni Nai called out.

"Dad, that's awesome!"

Listening to their innocent words, Chen Weidong couldn't help but feel a little proud.

After a while, Da Ni, Er Ni, and Xiao Liu also ran over.

"Sixth sister, you can't touch me!"

"Wow!"

"..."

"Everyone has a share, don't worry."

Looking at the happy smiling faces of the children, Chen Weidong felt as sweet as if he had eaten honey.

Soon, except Xiaoliu, all the other little girls had a small lantern.

"Dad, when will it get dark?"

"I want to light a lantern and go out and play!"

"It's dark now, it's still early! Wait until the glue dries up before playing with it, or Dad won't be responsible if you break something."

With the lanterns, the little girls looked forward to the dark. Even Si Ni put the small candle in the lantern before it got dark and waited.

Why isn’t it dark yet? I couldn’t help myself, I lit a candle and stared blankly.

When Liu Xueting saw this, she immediately said, "Si Ni, you lit it before it turns dark. It's a waste of wax! I won't give it to you when it burns out."

Upon hearing this, Si Ni quickly blew out the cigarette and waited.

Soon the family finished their New Year’s Eve dinner, and the little girls couldn’t wait to go out and play with their lanterns.

"Wait a minute!" Chen Weidong took out a stack of red envelopes from his pocket, each containing 20 cents, and gave one to each child, saying with a smile: "Today is New Year's Eve, the day to get rid of the old and welcome the new. According to the old custom, I have to give you lucky money to help you celebrate the New Year."

"Dad, what is a New Year's gift?" Sanni asked as she took the red envelope.

"Ya Sui is also called Ya Sui, which means to ward off evil spirits and ghosts and bless peace."

Chen Weidong said, "It is said that in ancient times, there was a monster called 'Sui', which would come out on New Year's Eve, sneak into people's homes, and touch the heads of sleeping children. Any child whose head was touched by 'Sui' would have a headache and fever, and eventually become a fool. Therefore, every family would light a lamp and stay awake all night on New Year's Eve, which was called 'guarding against Sui'."

"An old couple had a child in their old age, and they treated him like a treasure. On the night of the 30th, they were afraid that the 'evil spirit' would harm their child, so they took out eight copper coins and placed them next to the child's pillow. In the middle of the night, the 'evil spirit' really came and tried to touch the child's head, but was frightened by the light of the eight copper coins next to the pillow and ran away! From then on, people would give children some money on the night of the 30th to help them get lucky and pray for safety."

Xiao Wu said fearfully, "Dad, is there really such a monster as 'Su'?"

Chen Weidong said: "Of course there are, so you must not run around at night, otherwise, if you are touched on the head, you will become a fool!"

Hearing this, not only Xiaowu was scared, but the other children were also scared.

Even the most courageous Erni and the conspicuous Bao Sini turned pale with fear, pursed their lips tightly, and dared not speak.

"Don't you want to go out and play with lanterns? You can go now."

Chen Weidong smiled.

Liu Xueting rolled her eyes at Chen Weidong.

Woo!
Just at this moment, the north wind was howling outside, like ghosts wailing and gods howling.

The little girls were so frightened that they instantly huddled together.

Chen Weidong laughed loudly, "Look at your lack of ability. Where are there any sneaky people in this world? Even if there are, don't be afraid. Didn't I give you New Year's money? With the red envelopes, even the most powerful sneaky people will be scared away!"

All the children believed it and quickly put the red envelopes into their pockets and patted them hard.

But the little girl didn't dare to go out.

"Don't listen to your dad. Is your dad trying to scare you?" Liu Xueting said with a helpless smile.

"Dad, you are such a bad guy!"

"Bad!"

"..."

Chen Weidong smiled and said, "Okay, let's go play!" "Dani, Erni...are you home?"

At this moment, Xiaohua's voice suddenly sounded outside.

"Sister Xiaohua is here to play with us!" Wu Ni called out in a baby voice.

Chen Weidong opened the door.

Xiaohua and Goudan, two little kids, came in holding a lantern and came to play with Dani and the others.

Soon, the little girls and Xiaohua Goudan went out to play with lanterns.

Without the little girls, the room suddenly became quiet.

Chen Weidong hung the lantern at the door and then helped Liu Xueting clean up the dishes.

After washing the pots and dishes, Chen Weidong was preparing to have some lovey-dovey time with Liu Xueting.

"Weidong! Are you home?"

Just then, the eldest brother's voice suddenly sounded outside.

"Brother, sister-in-law! Come in quickly!"

Chen Weidong opened the door. Standing outside the house were Chen Weihai and his sister-in-law Yang Xuehua.

"Sister-in-law, happy New Year!"

"Brother, happy New Year!"

"Weidong, Happy New Year, Xueting, where is the child?" asked sister-in-law Yang Xuehua.

"Weidong made a few lanterns, and the little girls went out to play with them."

Liu Xueting said.

"Weidong, today is the New Year's Eve, what are you and Xueting doing? Why don't you turn on the radio? It's so boring!"

Chen Weihai said to Chen Weidong.

Chen Weidong then realized that his elder brother and sister-in-law came over to listen to the radio. However, Chen Weidong was being intimate with his wife and did not feel bored.

"Quick! Weidong, turn on the radio and listen to the Spring Festival Gala!"

Chen Weihai said anxiously.

The Spring Festival Gala began in 1983. Although the people in Jiuqutun have never watched it, they have heard it and know that they can listen to it on the radio.

Seeing his elder brother's impatient look, Chen Weidong turned on the radio helplessly.

Then the four of them ate melon seeds while listening to the gala!

Then the eldest brother, the eldest sister-in-law, and Liu Xueting all burst into giggles.

"What is it that makes you so happy?"

Just then, the door was pushed open and Chen Guangtian and Wu Xiuqin walked in.

"Dad, Mom!"

"Dad, Mom! We are listening to the Spring Festival Gala in Weidong. The skit is so funny. Come and listen!" Chen Weihai called out.

Upon hearing this, the two of them hurried into the house and listened to the radio.

After a while, Bingzi and his wife, and Wang Guofu also came to visit.

The whole house became lively again!
Listening to the Spring Festival Gala, chatting, and eating melon seeds, peanuts, and pine nuts!

Chen Weidong smiled and said, "It's rare that it's so lively today. There are quite a few dishes left today. I'll fry two more. Let's prepare a few dishes and drink, talk and listen!"

"You can have this!"

"Great! I need a bite to eat tonight!"

Several people agreed.

While we were preparing the food and wine, a few more acquaintances from the village came.

All of a sudden, Chen Weidong's house was packed with people, and there was a large table full of people.

There were too many people, so Chen Weidong just heated up the leftovers. He was too lazy to cook one by one, so he just took a big pot and stewed a full pot of meat. He also took two large cabbages, put them in a basket, and cooked them directly later.

After the dishes were ready, a group of people gathered around the big pot and started eating.

We listened, ate, drank and talked in a very good atmosphere.

After a while, the six little girls waited until the lanterns went out and came back!

"Dad, there are so many people at home!"

"grandparents……"

The little girls all greeted them obediently. Even Wu Xiuqin, who didn't like girls, praised her, which made them very happy.

"..."

It was almost dawn.

Chen Weidong opened the door and sent everyone back, only to find that it had snowed again without him noticing!
Ruixue is a prosperous year.

It snowed on New Year's Eve, which was a good sign for a good harvest.

Soon everyone dispersed, Chen Weidong and Liu Xueting cleaned up the dishes! The little kids were all trying hard to resist sleepiness.

Before we knew it, it was twelve o'clock and bursts of firecrackers were heard outside.

Chen Weidong opened the gate, took a bamboo pole and firecrackers and went outside.

Pick up the firecrackers, lean the bamboo pole against the wall, take out the match from your pocket, and light the firecrackers.

Chen Weidong quickly picked up the bamboo pole, picked up the firecrackers, and listened to the crackling sound.

Amidst the smoke, snowflakes as big as goose feathers fell one after another.

When the little girls heard the sound of firecrackers, they all became alert, except Xiaoliu who was already asleep.

Children all like to keep vigil, and little girls are no exception. Keeping vigil means staying up all night on New Year's Eve until dawn. However, the result is predictable. They all fall asleep before 2 o'clock...

(End of this chapter)