Back to my 1980s

"I didn't buy it."

Meng Qinghe's response was crisp and clear.

Zhao Hua thought about it. After all, it was the first privately owned shop in the village, so he had to give them a string of firecrackers. He wanted to show some ceremony.

While it's still early, there's still time to buy it at the town's supply and marketing cooperative. However, he was a little curious: even if Meng Qinghe couldn't remember this, Meng's father should have been able to.

He looked at Meng Qinghe and asked, "Why didn't you buy any? Firecrackers are something that people set off for weddings, funerals, and other celebrations. They're there to make a noise and bring good luck. Not to mention, if you set off a string of firecrackers for your business opening, people will come out to watch the excitement and know that you've opened a small shop. It saves you the trouble of advertising."

Meng Qinghe pursed her lips, smiled brightly, and said, "The money is in my hands. My father didn't say anything, so I didn't buy it..." But there was a hint of stiffness in her smile.

After laughing, she said awkwardly, "Then what should we do? Should we go to the village store to buy it now?"

Zhao Hua looked up at the ceiling and thought for a moment, then said, "I've never seen firecrackers at the sales point. I only see them displayed during the Chinese New Year. They probably aren't selling them now."

He turned to look at Meng Qinghe and continued, "But I also want to buy you a string of firecrackers as a congratulatory gift for your opening. I'll bring them to you from town."

After saying that, he stood up and stamped his foot, saying, "How much do you want to buy? I'll go now, and I'll come back just in time for lunch. Great, another morning has passed by."

Meng Qinghe rolled her eyes at him, turned and ran back into the inner room. A moment later, she came out again and whispered, "Let's go! Let's buy firecrackers!"

"Are you going too?"

"Yeah, have you ever seen anyone have their firecrackers bought by someone else for Chinese New Year?"

"Isn't it because they were all going to the market that they didn't ask anyone to bring them for them?"

Meng Qinghe scolded, "Hey, why are you so long-winded? Aren't we going to leave or not? It's almost lunchtime!"

Zhao Hua scratched his head. Bringing one more person wouldn't make a difference. With Meng Qinghe's physique, sitting in the back seat of his car was no different than sitting alone.

He thought for a moment and warned, "Then you can't fall asleep again this time. If you do, I'm not taking you next time no matter what."

Meng Qinghe was speechless upon hearing this, and lowered her head without saying a word.

Since she didn't speak, Zhao Hua assumed she agreed and didn't say anything more, heading towards the old house with Meng Qinghe.

At that moment, Zhao Ru was counting money in Zhao Hua's room at the old house. After thinking for a moment, Zhao Hua went into the inner room and said to Zhao Ru, "Little sister, Qinghe's convenience store is opening this afternoon. I'm planning to buy some firecrackers for her. Do you want to send her a string?"

Zhao Ru paused in counting the money, looked up at Zhao Hua and asked, "Why are you giving out firecrackers for the opening?"

"Then what should we give? We have to show our appreciation. Shops in the city set off firecrackers when they open for business."

Zhao Ru looked at Zhao Hua suspiciously, then thought about it and realized that firecrackers were indeed set off in the village whenever there was a celebration. She nodded slightly and said, "Then I'll send one too."

She stood up and put the money on the table, then sat back down two seconds later, saying, "You take it for me. I haven't finished counting the money yet, so I won't go with you."

Zhao Hua laughed and said, "Even if you want to go, I can't take you. Meng Qinghe isn't prepared, so I'll have to bring her along this time."

"Qinghe is here too? Where is she?" Zhao Ru turned her head and leaned out the door.

"She didn't come in, so I came over to tell you. After all, you two are closer, and I thought you should send her a gift, so I came to ask."

Zhao Ru squinted at Zhao Hua and said sarcastically, "Closer to me? I don't think so. These days she's been asking me all sorts of questions about you. Brother, let me tell you, your engagement is getting closer and closer. If something goes wrong now, hmph, let's see how you clean it up."

A thousand thoughts raced through Zhao Hua's mind. In a daze, he felt that Zhao Ru's image overlapped with that of her in her thirties, and it sounded so much like the tone of her later lectures to him.

His expression hardened as he stared at Zhao Ru's face, tentatively asking, "Imperial Jade Liquor?"

Zhao Ru looked bewildered and said, "Brother, what did you say? Do we have to give away wine for the opening?"

Seeing that her expression didn't seem fake and that she was genuinely confused, Zhao Hua immediately said irritably, "Mind your own business! You're trying to lecture me! What trouble could I possibly cause? I've always been so honest and law-abiding."

After saying that, he glared at Zhao Ru again. He was lectured before he came back, and he was lectured again after he came back. What a waste of his time coming back!

Not satisfied with glaring at him, she took a few steps forward and pinched Zhao Ru's tender face.

Zhao Ru waved her little hand to shoo Zhao Hua away. Seeing Zhao Ru's excited gestures, Zhao Hua laughed heartily, withdrew his hand with satisfaction, lifted his clothes, and strode away.

……

After lunch, Zhao Hua and Zhao Ru each carried a string of firecrackers towards Meng Qinghe's house. Zhao Ru's strings had 100 firecrackers, which cost 15 cents each.

Zhao Hua, on the other hand, was using a string of five hundred shots for one yuan.

Many people in later generations grew tired of the sound of firecrackers, and like the mythical beast Nian, they greatly disliked anyone setting off firecrackers.

However, firecrackers in later generations are indeed annoying. A single string of firecrackers can start with ten thousand explosions, and many strings are set off at once. Some people even specifically buy firecrackers with firecrackers attached to the end, which is indeed very disturbing to the public.

Things are different now. Nowadays, it's considered quite respectable to set off 500 firecrackers for a business opening. It's really about having a festive atmosphere. The firecrackers only go off for a short while, and people won't hide inside when they hear the noise. Instead, they'll come out to see what's going on and why the firecrackers are being set off.

Zhao Hua nodded and smiled at several villagers who looked over with curiosity along the way, as if to say hello.

Before long, a group of children, whose eyes lit up at the sight of firecrackers, appeared behind them.

However, due to Zhao Hua's past "prestige," no one went up to ask them where they were going with the firecrackers; they just followed behind them expectantly.

Actually, these kids knew without being asked that they were heading towards the educated youth settlement. The red brick house at the settlement had long been known throughout the village, which was why they kept following Zhao Hua.

Zhao Hua's house has already had half a wall built. The bottom wall is easy to build, but the top wall will require scaffolding.

He still vividly remembered the experience of his misstep, so he had no desire to participate in the construction of the house. At this moment, there were only two young apprentices in the house; the others had gone home for dinner and hadn't come over yet.

The two of them must have come here to seek shade after finishing their meal at home, Zhao Hua secretly guessed. He guessed it wasn't just because they wanted to get some shade, but also because Meng Qinghe would occasionally come out to enjoy the cool air.

For example, at this time, Meng Qinghe and his father were hiding under the shed to cool off.

Zhao Hua found it amusing to himself. He nodded to the two apprentices and then led Zhao Ru to the side of the shed.

"You haven't moved your things out yet?" Zhao Hua asked Meng Qinghe with a sweet smile.

Meng Qinghe was puzzled by his laughter and quickly looked down and turned around to check if there was anything wrong with her body.

This afternoon she put on the new dress that Zhao Ru bought for her.