Year 1983: I was a carpenter in Northeast China

The eight dishes included chicken, meat, fish, and ribs, and the last dish served was candied sweet potato.

Compared to what Xu Bei made for Zhou Qingwan and Xu Juan that day, and the ones he made later, he was quite skilled, and his syrup was even more perfect.

Zhao Fengying was the first to pick up a long, stringy piece of food while it was still hot, dipped it in a bowl that was half full of soda, and took a bite.

The scalding sweetness exploded on the tip of my tongue, making me gasp for breath and spit it out in my mouth.

"Oh my, son, you're getting better and better at cooking. If I'd known you had such a talent for cooking, I would have had someone send you to be an apprentice at a state-run restaurant."

Xu Bei chuckled, "I don't want to be a professional chef. It's fine to cook for my family occasionally. Xiao Juan, you should eat it while it's hot."

Xu Juan blew on a piece of candied sweet potato that had been soaked in soda, took a small bite, and said while chewing, "Brother, it's so delicious. Mom, I never dreamed I'd be eating this dish for New Year's Eve dinner."

"Of course, this dish uses a lot of oil and sugar, and if the heat is not right, the sugar will burn and turn bitter, or it won't be cooked enough to pull into threads." Zhao Fengying paused here, her expression becoming complicated, "Besides, I really couldn't bear to use it in the past."

Xu Bei didn't want to bring up those unhappy people and things during the happy time of the New Year. "Mom, let's not talk about those things. We're doing so well now. Even though it's just the three of us celebrating the New Year today, why don't you raise a glass?"

Zhao Fengying rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand and said with a smile, "Alright, then I'll raise a glass. I wish my son will win over Miss Zhou and bring her home soon in the new year, I wish my daughter's studies will get better and better... and I wish myself..."

Xu Bei and his sister exchanged a glance, then, as if on cue, they touched their glasses together and said, "Mom, I wish you peace, health, and happiness."

"...Business is getting better and better, and we're making more and more money."

Zhao Fengying laughed heartily, "You're absolutely right."

Next, the mother and daughter were also very satisfied with the other dishes Xu Bei made, praising them highly.

Xu Bei was also very happy. While chatting, drinking and eating, he unknowingly drank two more glasses.

After we finished eating and drinking and cleaned up, the clock showed that it was not yet two o'clock.

While his mother and sister were taking a nap listening to the radio, Xu Bei found a perfectly reasonable excuse—to help the carpenter burn down the house—and dressed up before heading to the newly purchased house.

Along the way, almost every household that passed by had bright red couplets and paper-cut window decorations, except for a very few that couldn't put up couplets, perhaps because an elderly person in the family had passed away. There were also large, unlit red lanterns hanging in the courtyards.

Every now and then you can hear the sound of firecrackers going off from the houses where people eat late, the cheers of children, and the laughter of adults calling out to come inside and eat.

Even the chilly air was filled with the smell of firecrackers and the aroma of various fried foods and stews.

Xu Bei thought this was what they called the nostalgic flavor of the New Year.

After all, in an era of relative scarcity, people lived frugally and only took out all the good things they had accumulated during the Lunar New Year to enjoy.

When material life becomes too abundant in later generations, and many things are readily available, the sense of anticipation and happiness will be lost.

After arriving at the new house, Xu Bei lit the stove and the hearth. Once the temperature inside had risen, he used an iron spoon to spread some paste on the stove and pasted up the couplets, money decorations, and the character "福" (fortune). Instantly, the festive atmosphere of the New Year was fully created.

However, considering the potential fire hazard, he did not light the candles inserted in the red lanterns in the yard.

After all, if no one lives here, if the wind is strong or the lanterns are lit, there won't be a chance to notice in time, which could easily cause losses and dangers to oneself or one's neighbors.

Later, when Xu Bei rode his bike home, dusk was already quietly falling.

Winters in the forest areas of Northeast China are like this, with nightfall occurring relatively early.

However, compared to before when it got dark at 3:30, it's already considered late.

Zhao Fengying and Xu Juan had also woken up and were listening to the radio, eating melon seeds, and playing cards on the heated kang in the east room.

After Xu Bei returned, he quickly took off his shoes, climbed onto the kang (a heated brick bed), and joined the game. The three of them played a card game known as "goucha" in Northeast China, and added a step where whoever lost had a sticker stuck to their face.

As a result, the battle became extremely intense and fierce.

Laughter could be heard from time to time from this low-ceilinged yet cozy room.

The poker game, in which Xu Bei won most of the time and Xu Juan had the most paper strips stuck to her face, only ended when the Central People's Broadcasting Station on the radio began broadcasting live footage of the first Spring Festival Gala.

Television ownership isn't that high these days, and it's perfectly normal for a household not to have a television.

Therefore, sitting around the radio to listen to the Spring Festival Gala is a unique way of celebrating the New Year in this era.

Unlike her mother and sister, who were experiencing the Spring Festival Gala for the first time and were both excited and thrilled.

Xu Bei, who later only watched the Spring Festival Gala as background noise and had no intention of actually watching it, became much more numb.

Even though this year marks the first time a live broadcast has been used, and a hotline has been innovatively set up to allow viewers to participate in requesting programs, he still finds it unoriginal.

It was more interesting to listen to the radio as Ma Ji, Jiang Kun, Wang Jingyu, and Liu Xiaoqing hosted shows, and to hear Li Guyi sing. The images of these people performing would automatically appear in Xu Bei's mind.

Although the party started at 8 p.m. and didn't end until after midnight.

However, Zhao Fengying and Xu Juan, who were used to going to bed early and getting up early, were still unable to keep up until the end.

After eating freshly made cabbage and pork dumplings and reheating leftovers from lunch, the mother and daughter couldn't hold on any longer and kept yawning.

Xu Bei simply took the radio back to his room, placed it on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), and crawled into bed to continue listening to the program.

However, once midnight struck and the New Year's Eve vigil ended, he turned off the radio and went to rest.

If you go to bed late, you'll naturally wake up late too.

The next day, the first day of the Lunar New Year, the family of three got up later than usual.

After having breakfast and finishing tidying up, it was almost nine o'clock, so Xu Bei made arrangements to go for a stroll in the streets.

Although there are few entertainment options these days, cinemas are open during the Chinese New Year, and ticket prices are a bit cheaper than usual.

In addition, there were folk dance troupes spontaneously organized by various units under the Forestry Bureau.

Since they had nothing to do today and no need to visit others, Zhao Fengying and Xu Juan naturally wouldn't be the type to spoil the fun, and readily agreed.

So, the three of them, dressed in new clothes, rode a bicycle, quickly locked the door, and headed straight into the street.

Before Xu Bei, carrying the person, even reached the square in front of the bureau building, he heard a series of rapid and festive drumbeats.

He immediately and subconsciously thought of lines from a skit filled with the sounds of gongs and drums, and couldn't help but smile knowingly, as if all that was missing was the sound of firecrackers.

Xu Bei quickened his pedaling pace, weaving through the crowd of people who were also cycling or walking to see what was happening.

From afar, one could see that a large number of people had already gathered in the square, completely blocking the square and streets in front of the Forestry Bureau building.

People in each Yangko dance team usually wear a brightly colored Yangko costume over their thick cotton-padded clothes, and their faces are covered with thick rouge and powder, making the makeup quite exaggerated.

But then, with exaggerated, rhythmic cross-steps, sometimes moving forward, sometimes backward, it looked so festive and joyful that the onlookers would burst into laughter, immersing the entire square and street in a jubilant atmosphere...