My Taoist nun girlfriend is from the Republic of China era, 1942.

Chapter 89 Happy New Year, Chen Xiaomiao

Lunar New Year's Eve.

A thin mist descended upon Jiangcheng, obscuring the winter morning sunlight and shrouding the entire city in a milky white veil.

A faint smell of sulfur lingered in the air, probably because someone couldn't contain themselves last night and set off a string of firecrackers to signal the start of the event.

Chen Xiaomiao got up early, cleaned her face, changed into a Chinese-style red trench coat with a horse-face skirt, wore snow boots, and tied her hair into a high ponytail with a red ribbon, looking neat and energetic.

Like a diligent little bee, she did a final check of the house before leaving, making sure everything was in order, and also tied a festive red scarf around the neck of the idiot.

"You idiot, you'd better behave yourself when you go to Grandpa and Grandma's house today. No shouting, no tearing the house apart, understand?"

With a "woof," the idiot circled around Lu Yuan and Chen Xiaomiao wildly, its tail wagging so fast it became a blur.

This stupid dog knows it's going out today, and it's so excited it's almost talking like a human.

The two drove onto the street. Most of the shops along the way were already closed, and lanterns were hung on the streetlights on both sides. The green belts were also decorated with lanterns.

Although the festive atmosphere of the New Year is getting worse every year, the "respectability" that a provincial capital should have is still present.

As Lu Yuan drove, he asked curiously, "Xiao Miao, how did you celebrate the New Year in the past?"

“We’re on the mountain, and we start preparing for the Kitchen God Festival on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month.”

The master would take us down the mountain to buy things, write Spring Festival couplets, and steam lots and lots of white flour buns. We would also put red dates inside the buns for good luck.

On New Year's Eve, we would set out offerings and kowtow to the Three Pure Ones, then my fellow disciples and I would stay up around the brazier to welcome the New Year. Our master would tell us stories and give us lucky money, even if it was only a few coins..."

Chen Xiaomiao's tone was full of nostalgia as she kept talking about it until she got off the bus.

As an older residential community, Qingheli Community has a much stronger festive atmosphere than other communities.

Every household had brand-new Spring Festival couplets and the character "福" (good fortune) pasted on their doors, and dried cured meat and sausages hung on their balconies. The sounds of children playing and adults shouting mingled together, creating a vivid and lively scene of everyday life.

As soon as Lu Yuan got downstairs, he saw his grandmother, Sun Yumei, chatting with several old neighbors by the flower bed.

"Oh, Director Sun, your son Xiaoyuan is back!"

The sharp-eyed Aunt Li spotted Lu Yuan first, her voice booming.

Hearing the sound, Sun Yumei turned around, her gaze passing over her grandson and going straight to Chen Xiaomiao beside her, her face wrinkled into a flower shape.

She rushed over to greet Chen Xiaomiao, warmly taking her hand and asking after her with concern, "Xiaomiao's here! Were you cold on the way? Come on, come upstairs!"

That enthusiasm made it seem like Lu Yuan was the one who brought it back on the way.

Happy New Year, Grandma!

Chen Xiaomiao greeted them politely, then smiled sweetly at the grandmothers and aunties who were watching the commotion: "Happy New Year, grandmothers and aunties!"

"Wow, that girl is really pretty!"

"Is this your granddaughter-in-law? Director Sun is so lucky!"

The neighbors' praises rose and fell, making Sun Yumei overjoyed, and she straightened her back a bit more.

"It's still far from settled, but we'll let you know when the time comes and you can come to the wedding!"

As she spoke, she gripped Chen Xiaomiao's hand even tighter, as if declaring her ownership.

The door to the upstairs room was wide open, and the sound of chopping filling came from the kitchen.

Lu Jianguo, wearing a comical floral apron, poked his head out of the kitchen when he heard the noise, revealing a big smile.

"Little Miao is here!"

He put down the kitchen knife, wiped his hands on his apron, and was about to leave.

"Lu Jianguo, you haven't even washed your hands!"

After being yelled at by Sun Yumei, Lu Jianguo shrank back and sheepishly retreated into the kitchen, shouting out through the door.

"Xiao Yuan, brew a pot of tea. Don't use the tea leaves on the coffee table; get them from my bedroom!"

Lu Yuan put his things down and, as if familiar with the process, found some tea leaves and started boiling water.

Chen Xiaomiao took off her coat, rolled up her sleeves, and habitually went into the kitchen.

"Grandpa, let me help you make dumplings!"

"Oh, no need for you, go and rest!"

Sun Yumei couldn't bear to let her do it, so she pressed Chen Xiaomiao down on the sofa and turned to walk into the kitchen.

Soon, the elderly couple's chatter could be heard coming from the kitchen.

"Look how sensible Xiao Miao is, she knows how to help as soon as she arrives."

"That's... unlike your grandson, who walks in like a big shot."

"That's your grandson too!"

……

Chen Xiaomiao sat on the sofa, listening to the sounds coming from the kitchen, watching the colorful Spring Festival special program on TV, and munching on the apple that Sun Yumei forced on her, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

The dog lay sprawled at her feet, chin resting on its front paws, its blue eyes fixed on the television, seemingly contemplating its existence.

A few minutes later, Lu Yuan came over with a teapot: "What are you daydreaming about?"

Chen Xiaomiao muttered softly, "Your grandpa and grandma are too kind. I feel uncomfortable just sitting here eating without doing anything."

Lu Yuan poured her a cup of hot tea: "Relax, it's our own home, no need to be so polite."

"Oh."

The phrase "our own home" made Chen Xiaomiao blush slightly.

A moment later, Sun Yumei returned to the living room with a plate of freshly washed strawberries, glaring at Lu Yuan and scolding him: "All you do is sit there and do nothing, you don't even know how to peel an apple for Xiao Miao!"

"Isn't she eating it right now?" Lu Yuan pointed to the half-eaten apple in Chen Xiaomiao's hand.

"Then go to the kitchen, there's plenty of work to do there, don't just stand here in the way!"

Without saying a word, Sun Yumei pulled Lu Yuan into the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Lu Jianguo was humming off-key Peking Opera tunes as he painstakingly mixed dumpling filling.

Upon seeing Lu Yuan enter, he immediately pushed the basin in his hand forward, striking a pose as if he were pointing out the flaws in the landscape.

"Come on, Grandpa will teach you today... When it comes to making filling, the key is to knead three times and stir nine times. You have to do it in one direction with even force so that the filling will hold together and be chewy!"

Lu Yuan glanced at the bowl of dry minced meat and reminded him, "Old man, did you forget to add water?"

"Nonsense, I just let them go!"

As Lu Jianguo spoke, he casually picked up a bowl of water and quietly added some water to it.

Chen Xiaomiao couldn't sit still any longer, so she threw the apple core she had just finished eating into the trash can and slipped into the kitchen.

"I'll help out, I know how to roll out the dough!"

Seeing her resolute attitude, Sun Yumei had no choice but to find her a job.

Standing before the cutting board, Chen Xiaomiao wielded the rolling pin with unparalleled skill.

With a press and a turn, a dumpling wrapper of uniform thickness and size is formed in a speed that is dazzling.

Sun Yumei and Lu Jianguo watched in amazement, praising the man nonstop.

Lu Yuan was relegated to a corner, tasked with the incredibly simple job of adding chopped scallions and ginger to the dumpling filling, while also having to endure his grandfather's "guidance" from time to time.

"Chop the scallions finer! What you're making are scallion segments!"

"Ginger powder! Not ginger chunks!"

……

Before we knew it, it was evening, and thanks to Chen Xiaomiao, the "granddaughter-in-law," the New Year's Eve dinner was surprisingly lavish.

In the center sits a steamed sea bass, symbolizing "abundance year after year"; around it are braised pork, four-happiness meatballs, boiled shrimp, braised beef... the table is piled high with food. Freshly cooked, steaming hot dumplings are divided into several plates, emitting an enticing heat.

Lu Jianguo took out his treasured wine, filled a glass for Lu Yuan and himself, and poured drinks for Sun Yumei and Chen Xiaomiao.

"Come on! On New Year's Eve, let's have a toast as a family!"

The old man raised his wine glass, his face glowing.

The four cups clinked together, making a crisp sound.

The Spring Festival Gala was playing on TV, and the festive music and the hosts' introductions provided the perfect background noise.

After a few rounds of drinks, Lu Jianguo's face flushed red, and he began to criticize: "What kind of nonsense is this? It's noisy and chaotic, and there's no festive spirit at all."

Lu Yuan nodded in agreement: "Indeed, it's getting worse every year."

Only Chen Xiaomiao watched with great interest.

After the song and dance performance came the crosstalk. The two performers took turns talking, delivering one joke after another, and the audience below the stage cooperated perfectly, laughing uproariously right on time.

Chen Xiaomiao was completely confused. She nudged Lu Yuan's arm and whispered, "Lu Yuan, what are they laughing at? What is 'involution'? What is 'factionalism'? What is 'Hakimi'?"

Lu Yuan had no time to explain the tired internet memes that had been adapted for the Spring Festival Gala to her, just as Zhao Qiang came downstairs and knocked on the door.

"Yuanzi, come downstairs and set off some fireworks! I've got a ton of Gatling guns, you'll have a blast!"

Lu Yuan immediately grabbed Chen Xiaomiao's hand: "Come on! Let's go get some fancy stuff too."

Chen Xiaomiao's eyes lit up: "What?"

"Set off firecrackers."

"Oh……"

The two put on their coats and went downstairs. Zhao Qiang was squatting on the open ground, preparing to light a long tube-shaped firework.

Qi Lili, heavily pregnant and bundled up like a bear, kept giving instructions in a rambling manner.

"Zhao Qiang, get away from here, or you'll hurt your daughter!"

"I know, I know!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a bright light shot into the sky with a "whoosh" and exploded with a "pop" in the night sky.

"Wow--!"

Chen Xiaomiao looked up and exclaimed in surprise.

Zhao Qiang chuckled and handed over the Gatling gun, saying, "Yuanzi, here, this is for you!"

Lu Yuan took it and lit the Gatling gun fuse.

"呲-"

In an instant, countless golden sparks shot out from the cannon barrel, accompanied by a series of crackling explosions, drawing dazzling trails of light across the night sky.

Startled by the loud noise, Chen Xiaomiao shuddered and instinctively hid behind Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan turned around and asked, "Want to give it a try?"

Chen Xiaomiao shook her head: "No, this thing sounds like the Japanese firing guns, it's really scary..."

"Let's give it a try, just like fighting the Japanese devils from the sky!"

"Fight the Japanese?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiaomiao hesitated before taking the "Gatling gun" from Lu Yuan, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping herself.

Lu Yuan chimed in from the side, "It's okay, it's the New Year, shout whatever you want..."

Chen Xiaomiao then took a deep breath, picked up the "Gatling gun," and let out a loud roar to the sky.

"You little devils... I am XXXXX!"

The lights in one of the apartments across the street suddenly went out, and Zhao Qiang came over and nudged Lu Yuan's arm.

"Yuanzi... could you ask your sister-in-law to keep her voice down?"

Lu Yuan asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"

Zhao Qiang pointed to the darkened window, both amused and exasperated: "That brother married a Japanese woman and brought her home for the New Year this year."

Lu Yuan:......

After the fireworks were finished, the four said goodbye.

Inside the house, the elderly couple were already feeling sleepy and were dozing off on the sofa. They only perked up again when they heard the door open.

"You're back? Go wash up and go to bed."

Sun Yumei pointed to Lu Yuan's room: "The bed is already made up. You two can make do for one night. If you need more blankets, just let me know."

After saying that, the old lady yawned and, supported by Lu Jianguo, went back to her room to rest.

Only Lu Yuan and Chen Xiaomiao remained in the living room.

The atmosphere was inexplicably subtle.

Lu Yuan coughed lightly, breaking the silence first: "Should you wash first or should I wash first?"

"You go first..."

Chen Xiaomiao walked into Lu Yuan's room with her head down and took out the pajamas she had prepared for the night.

Grandpa and Grandma's house only has one bathroom, and by the time the two of them finished showering, it was already 11:30.

Chen Xiaomiao stood awkwardly at the door with her long hair draped over her shoulders. Her face was flushed pink from the steam, like a ripe peach.

"What are you standing there for? Come in."

Lu Yuan had already lay down on the other side of the bed, with only a dim bedside lamp on.

Chen Xiaomiao slowly moved to the bedside, lifted a corner of the quilt, and carefully lay down next to Lu Yuan.

She thought she would be very nervous, but perhaps because she had already had the experience of "sharing a bed", she was unusually calm at this moment.

She even felt the bed was too cold and moved closer to Lu Yuan.

The two remained silent for a moment, listening to the intermittent sounds of firecrackers outside the window, until Chen Xiaomiao suddenly called out softly.

“Lu Yuan…”

"Ok?"

"So you're saying it'll be just as lively next year?"

"meeting."

"And the year after next?"

"Yes...we'll keep each other company, so the New Year won't be lonely."

Silence fell again in the room.

After a while, the sound of firecrackers outside the window began to grow louder and louder, and it was estimated that it had already passed midnight.

"Lu Yuan."

"Ah."

"May the Three Pure Ones above grant you boundless blessings, cleanse you of all old impurities, bring you good fortune in the new year, and wish you a happy new year, peace, and the long-lasting presence of the Dao."

Lu Yuan was speechless and hesitated for a long time before finally managing to reply.

Happy New Year, Chen Xiaomiao.

(End of this chapter)