Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

The room was warm and cozy, with the light flickering, but the outside was a completely different scene.

It's snowing again in Xiangyashan. The snow fell lazily at first, like crumpled dry cotton wool, one flake after another.

Even the wind was too shy to make a sound, only daring to sway slowly against the withered branches of the old tree.

The dry spiderwebs under the eaves are so fine they let light through. When the snow falls on them, it doesn't press them down, but rather wraps them up, like embroidering a layer of white lace on an old scarf, making a soft sound, like the snow slowly breathing in from the clouds. The spiderwebs just tremble slightly, letting the snow fill them.

But the tin bucket leaning against the wall wasn't so lucky.

The wind suddenly changed, taking on a sinister force, whipping up hard snowflakes that pelted against the metal sheet with a crisp, crackling sound, bouncing high into the air.

The bucket wobbled and crashed against the courtyard wall with a loud bang, each impact carrying a fierce force, as if someone were forcefully throwing pebbles into an iron pot.

Why? Why do you treat me like a child when you're wrapping that soft spider web, but like a whip when you hit my hard metal shell?

The wind seemed to have heard the tin bucket's mutterings and immediately became violent.

Suddenly, a huge cloud of smoke rose up, and the snow that had been falling slowly just moments before instantly turned into a barrage of flying sand and stones, pelting everything in its path.

The soft snow on the spider web was whipped into pieces and hurled towards the tin bucket by the strong wind.

The metal bucket was smashed with a loud clang, its opening filled with snow, and it shook even more violently. Finally, it thudded into the snowdrift with a muffled thud and then lay still.

The wind howled, tearing all gentleness to shreds. The snow no longer fell slowly, but poured down, venting its anger. All the resentment from the injustice just now turned into a sky full of violence.

The wind and snow pounded against the trees, the earthen walls, and the frozen puddles, each thud carrying a fierce "Is it fair now?" force, engulfing the entire Ivory Mountain in a white, chaotic mist...

……

On the morning of the thirteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, Lin Chen yawned as he started the car. Today they were going to the market together to buy New Year's goods.

The dirt road outside is bright and shiny, and doesn't look slippery, but you'll immediately stumble when you step on it, and you have to walk very carefully.

It's already late to go to the market at this time. The villagers of Xiangyashan have already taken donkey carts or squeezed into tricycles to the market in Songshan Town. Every household is preparing for the New Year.

This year, Xie Dajiao won't have to suffer. Lin Chen drove steadily, carrying the three women, slowly heading towards town.

The car's heater was blowing hot, creating a completely different world compared to the freezing cold outside; it was incredibly comfortable.

Xie Dajiao sat in the passenger seat with several large plastic woven bags at her feet. It seemed she was preparing to do a big shopping spree today. She had found these bags two days in advance, fearing that she would have nowhere to put all the things she bought at the market.

She leaned back in her chair, her smile never fading, and turned to chat with Lin Chen, saying with a sigh:

"Having a car is definitely more convenient. In previous years, going to the Songshan market in winter was a real ordeal!"

"At first, we rode in a donkey cart, and we had to cover ourselves with a tattered quilt. Later, a bunch of people from the village squeezed into a tricycle, and the road was so bumpy and uneven. After a trip to the market, our hands and feet were numb from the cold, and we couldn't feel our toes. This year, we're really benefiting from your help."

Lin Chen rested one hand on the steering wheel, looked straight ahead, a faint smile playing on his lips, and casually replied:

"This is nothing. In the future, if it's cold and you need to go to the market or run errands in town, just call me. It's no big deal."

Wang Xiaomeng and Xie Xiaomei sat close together in the back seat, whispering to each other with their heads close together. They held hands and occasionally peeked out the car window.

Wang Xiaomeng spoke softly and gently, and started the conversation first:

"In previous years, I would go to the market with my dad, and I would shiver from the cold the whole way. This year, we went together, and my dad was overjoyed."

Xie Xiaomei's eyes sparkled as she looked around:

"And have you noticed? We haven't even reached the market yet, and there are already so many people. This year's market is definitely going to be more lively than ever!"

Wang Xiaomeng looked out the car window, nodded slightly, and smiled in agreement:

"That's right. This year, every family in the village plans to stock up on more New Year's goods. Life is better now, so the New Year's atmosphere is naturally stronger."

As they were talking, the car arrived at the entrance to the Songshan Town market. Lin Chen found a flat open space to park the car. As soon as he opened the car door, the lively atmosphere outside, along with the cold wind, rushed towards him instantly, and he couldn't block it.

Before getting out of the car, Xie Da wrapped himself in a thick scarf, covering most of his face except for his eyes.

"Xiaomei, you two keep a close eye on your aunt, make sure she doesn't get jostled by others."

"Don't worry, Brother Chen."

The market stretched as far as the eye could see, densely packed with colorful stalls, one next to another, so crowded that there wasn't a single gap.

The whole street was bustling with noise and chaos, yet it was exceptionally festive and lively. Vendors shouted their wares, villagers bickered over prices, bicycles jingled, and children chased and played, creating a chaotic mix of sounds that only highlighted the lively atmosphere of the New Year's market.

The frozen soil on the ground was as hard as blue bricks, with patches of black and white.

People coming and going to the market were all breathing out white breath, and they walked with small, careful steps, afraid of slipping. But no one complained about the cold or the crowd. Their faces were full of joy as they shopped for the New Year.

Lin Chen and his group hadn't been here much, but Xie Dajiao was a regular; she knew roughly what each stall sold.

The entrance is lined with frozen food stalls, and further in are dried fruits and groceries. In the middle, there are dried goods and seasonings along a side street. At the very back, a sea of ​​red stalls sells couplets, the character "福" (fortune), and firecrackers.

Simple food stalls are set up everywhere along the roadside, with steam rising from fried dough sticks, tofu pudding, and soy milk, creating a white mist and carrying aromas from afar.

Lin Chen picked up the empty woven bag, turned around to look at the three people, and said carefully:

"There are more people than I expected, so don't get separated. Don't rush to push forward. If you get tired, we can find a food stall to sit down and rest for a while. It won't make a difference if we wait a little longer."

"Don't worry, Brother Chen, we're sticking with you tight. You won't get lost!"

Xie Xiaomei readily agreed, tightening her grip on Xie Dajiao's arm even more, as if afraid of being separated by the crowd.

"Xiao Meng, you better hold on tight to me. It's so crowded on this show, it'll be hard to find if we get separated."

Wang Xiaomeng nodded with a smile:

"I'll stay with you, I won't wander off, let's take our time."

The four of them slowly moved in with the flow of people, walking, looking and chatting. The first place they visited was the frozen goods section at the entrance, which is the soul of the Northeast New Year market, containing essential goods that are indispensable on the New Year's table.

At each stall, frozen pears and persimmons were piled up like small mountains, covered with a thick layer of white frost, as hard as stones.

The stall owner was a middle-aged man with a loud voice. He used a small wooden stick to tap away the ice shards from the pile of goods from time to time, and he shouted enthusiastically to attract customers:

"Frozen pears and frozen persimmons! Freshly caught! Seven cents a pound! All naturally frozen through, or your money back!"

Xie Dajiao was a seasoned market enthusiast. She knew her way around and squatted in front of the stall, calmly selecting goods.

I reached out and pinched each one, specifically choosing those with dark skin and thick frost, while haggling with the vendor about the price:

"Boss, weigh out some frozen pears and frozen persimmons for me. Pack them tightly, it's a long way, don't let them break on the bus."

The stall owner worked quickly, grabbing a shovel and stuffing goods into bags:

"Is this enough, little sister?"

"This isn't enough! Give us some more!"

"Okay!"

The vendor weighed and packed everything in one go, then smiled and replied after calculating the bill:

"Hey sis, you can have these persimmons. I'll be back at the next market day. We need to stock up for the New Year!"

Xie Dajiao took out some money and handed it over, then grabbed a few more frozen pears from the stall, smiling as she said:

"It's the Lunar New Year, so I'd like to bring you two more for good luck. I'll definitely come back to your place next time I go to the market."

The stall owner waved his hand cheerfully, showing no stinginess.

"Alright, alright! You're really good at bargaining, sis! I'll give you a free ride, let's keep in touch!"

The group chatted and laughed as Lin Chen, carrying heavy frozen goods, continued to explore the interior.

Further inside is the busiest dried fruit stall, with large sacks wide open, filled to the brim with freshly roasted dried fruit, its aroma so enticing that you can smell it from afar.

The glass jars were filled with colorful fruits, shrimp crisps, milk candies, and sorghum candies, creating a festive atmosphere. On the wooden table next to them, oven-baked fruit, peach crisps, and steamed rice cakes were neatly arranged, all traditional snacks from the older generation.

Xie Dajiao was very meticulous in her daily life. The group picked up some corn cobs, tasted them, and nodded.

"Hey Mao Ke, weigh out twenty jin for me!"

Lin Chen asked in confusion:

"Twenty pounds? Is that a lot?"

"What's so special about this? People will eat it as soon as it's placed here. How can we celebrate the New Year without it? This is how we celebrate the New Year. When guests come in, we grab a handful of these snacks, sit down, eat them, and chat. Just listen to me."

The melon seeds were 2.5 yuan per pound. After picking out the melon seeds, we chose candy. None of us looked at the cheaper candy, since Xie Dajiao's shop had it all. So we bought a few pounds of good candy, such as shrimp crisps and milk candy, filling a big plastic bag with all sorts of colorful candies.

Passing by a snack stall, the group picked out baked fruit, peach shortbread, and honey cake, perfect for snacking at home.

Around the corner is a stall selling bulk liquor; plastic buckets contain pure grain spirits, ten jin (5 kg) a bucket for fifteen yuan.

Lin Chen picked up two buckets and turned back with a smile, saying:

"The bottled liquor really doesn't taste as good as this loose baijiu. It's pure grain liquor that doesn't give you a headache. I really like this kind of liquor."

"Okay, then buy more. Isn't the New Year all about eating, drinking, and having fun?"

Xie Xiaomei nudged Xie Dajiao, stopping her from continuing:

"Oh dear, alcohol is best consumed in moderation. He really can't handle drinking too much."

Xie Dajiao understood and didn't say anything more; it was indeed quite fierce.

Walk through the food street and into the middle fork, and you'll find it packed with essential items for stewing dishes during the Lunar New Year.

The large sack contained hazel mushrooms, dried wood ear fungus, and daylily buds, all mountain produce that had been dried to lock in their freshness.

Loose Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, dried chili peppers, and the like were placed next to it.

Xie Xiaomei asked:

"Brother Chen, is it just the few of us for New Year's Eve dinner? If it's just the few of us, we don't need to buy too much."

Lin Chen thought for a moment and said:

"Prepare more. I'm not staying here now, but when I get back I'll call my uncle and his son and ask them where they're spending the New Year."

"OK!"