A Young Woman's Heart

My mother took over the remote control and tuned it to the channel that was playing the CCTV Spring Festival Gala.

The screen is displaying a countdown to the start of the Spring Festival Gala.

In this era of limited entertainment, the greatest happiness is for a family to wait together for the Spring Festival Gala.

Thinking about it again, with so many people across the country watching the Spring Festival Gala just like me, I felt an even stronger sense of participation.

Although they were staying in their own homes, it felt as if they were already immersed in a sea of ​​people.

"Oh dear, it's the New Year, why don't you turn on all the lights?" The father walked around the house and turned on all the light switches at once, making the house seem brighter than ever before.

Of course, this is also thanks to the newly installed fluorescent lights.

If it were a regular incandescent bulb, it probably wouldn't be this bright.

"Knock knock." Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Mo Xueyao, wearing large slippers, ran to the door and pushed it open. Standing outside was Li Wanyan's mother, Pan Jiexiang.

"Auntie's here!"

"Yes, Xiaoyao, Happy New Year." Pan Jiexiang smiled gently, took out a red envelope from her gray down jacket, and handed it to her.

"Ah, no need, no need..." Mo Xueyao said this, but her eyes revealed a hint of longing.

"Yes, yes, it's the New Year, after all." Pan Jiexiang smiled, her lips pursed – she was clearly wearing lipstick, and her lips looked much redder than usual.

"Really, you don't need to..."

"Alright, take it. Why be so polite with your auntie?" Pan Jiexiang gently tapped Mo Xueyao's head and stuffed the red envelope into her pocket.

Mo Xueyao struggled symbolically for a moment before reluctantly accepting it, but the uncontrollable smile on her face completely betrayed her.

"You're here, Jiexiang!" Her father, who had just finished washing his hands, greeted her warmly as he came out of the washroom, clearly having told her in advance that he would be coming.

It would be strange if Pan Jiexiang didn't come during the Lunar New Year.

After all, her only close relative is now at Mo Xueyao's house.

"Jiexiang, sit here. Let's have a good chat today."

"Good."

"Mom." Li Wanyan came closer affectionately, like a child, and gently rubbed her mother's cheek.

"Alright, everyone, take your seats! Let's get ready for the New Year's Eve dinner!"

"Let's give out red envelopes before we eat. Here, this is for Yan Yan, and this is for Yao Yao." Yang Xiaoyu took out two thick red envelopes from the large room and handed them to the two of them.

After receiving the red envelope, Mo Xueyao couldn't wait to open it and take a look. Inside were only one-yuan and two-yuan coins, and only a few five-yuan bills.

"Oh dear, so little."

"You think it's not enough? Then give it back to me."

"Tch, it's better than nothing. What about Dad's?"

"Didn't your mom give you one? I have to give one too!"

"Of course! Dad's Dad, and Mom's Mom!"

"Alright, here you go!" Without hesitation, the father pulled out his wallet, took out two hundred-yuan bills, and generously slapped them on the table in front of Mo Xueyao and Li Wanyan. "One hundred each!"

"Yay! Dad's the best!" Mo Xueyao said, deliberately raising her eyebrows at her mother.

Her mother rolled her eyes at her, annoyed: "No matter how much it is, it's just a little something from your parents. Also, you have to save this money for tomorrow."

"There's not much of a chance to spend it today."

The atmosphere at the dinner table gradually became lively, and the father took the opportunity to stand up—

"Come on, come on, it's New Year's Eve, let's have some drinks!" Father laughed heartily, picked up a bottle of ordinary red wine bought from the supermarket, bent down and searched for a corkscrew for a long time before finally managing to open it.

The dark red wine was poured into an elegant stemmed glass, adding a touch of both Western and traditional charm to this traditional festival.

The father poured himself a full glass, poured half a glass for Mo Xueyao, and only poured a small amount for his mother, Li Wanyan, and Pan Jiexiang.

"Come on, cheers!"

His mother couldn't help but laugh when she saw him pouring the wine like that: "How can you pour wine like that? Red wine is always poured in a little bit, but you poured a whole glass. You have no class at all."

"What's with the fancy stuff? It's just a glass of red wine. Drink it however you like. Cheers!" The father raised his glass and shouted again.

The first to respond was Mo Xueyao. She stood up, stretched out her arm, and let her cup clink against her father's.

Others also raised their glasses, and the glasses clinked together, making a crisp sound.

Then, Mo Xueyao downed the glass of red wine in one gulp and gently licked the dark red liquid from her lips.

Combined with her slightly sharp teeth, for a fleeting moment, she possessed a somewhat eerie beauty.

"Haha, you actually drank it all in one go?"

"Isn't this a toast?!" Mo Xueyao glared at her father. "No, Dad, you have to finish yours too!"

"Okay, okay, I'll drink too!"

After downing a whole glass of red wine, the father's face immediately turned rosy.

The mother, standing to the side, reminded him with dissatisfaction, "Alright, drink less. You can't hold your liquor."

"It's strange, isn't it? I'm not a very good drinker, but how come Xiaoyao can drink so much?"

"This is called atavism."

"Hey Mom, if you don't know what 'atavism' means, don't talk nonsense..."

"Don't just drink!" Pan Jiexiang smiled and pointed to a large table full of delicious dishes. "Eat some food!"

"Come on, come on, eat, eat, but don't finish all the fish, okay?"

"What?"

"This is called 'May you have abundance every year,' don't you understand?"

"Tch—" Mo Xueyao drawled out.

Just after eight o'clock, the sound of fireworks and firecrackers could be heard outside the building.

The fireworks were fine, but the continuous firecrackers were so loud they hurt your ears.

But that's the New Year, it only happens once a year, so it's only right to have some fun.

"We're going to set off fireworks after dinner!" the father shouted, his face flushed like a child. "Hey, I bought several boxes of fireworks this time, plus a dozen boxes of those small, fancy ones, and four thousand-shot firecrackers..."

"Do you have any cylindrical fireworks?" Mo Xueyao asked excitedly.

"Yes, of course! We bought thirty or forty!"

"Why did you buy so much?" Even a thrifty mother can say things that are a bit of a downer.

"What's wrong? It's Chinese New Year, of course it has to be lively!"

"I'll take some out later! I'll go out and set off fireworks with my friends!"

"Row!"

"Going out in the middle of the night..."

"Oh dear, it's Chinese New Year!" The father slammed his hand on the table, clearly a bit drunk. "Today, I'm in charge!"

……

Chapter 157 Fireworks in the Clouds (Part 1)

(One)

In fact, Mo Xueyao has spent many New Years at home in the city.

Eating New Year's Eve dinner in the city like this, watching the Spring Festival Gala together in a joyful atmosphere, is the most familiar feeling.

Celebrating the New Year in the countryside offers many traditional festivals, but celebrating it in the city also brings its own unique joys.

We had only eaten half of our meal when the Yu family from across the street came over to offer their New Year's greetings.

"Our two families are quite destined to be together." The father beckoned Yu Shu over. "Oh, Yu Shu, Yu Shu, why are you always so afraid of me? Do you remember when you were only two or three years old, your uncle held you?"

Yu Shu shyly hid behind Mo Xueyao, only revealing half of her face.

"Your family has had a lively year."

"Have you eaten yet? Come on over to my house! I have so much food, we can't possibly finish it all!"

"Haha, I have so many at home too!"

The adults' conversations always drifted to real life, and before long, they asked Mo Xueyao and Li Wanyan if they would be taking the college entrance exam next year.

"Yes, next year—"

"Dad, it's this summer."

"It's next year! This year only begins after today!"

"cut……"

"Oh well, their grades are good anyway, so I don't need to worry about them. It doesn't matter if they don't get into the best schools, as long as they get into decent universities. I've already prepared their tuition fees!"

"Haha, you really treat your goddaughter just like your own daughter."

"Oh my, she's my own daughter!" the father said with a big laugh, and tried to pour more wine into his glass, but his mother stopped him.

"You should drink less."

"It's a rare occasion to be happy, so drink more! Right?"

“Yes,” Yu Shu’s father nodded. “Come on, Ali, let’s drink together!”

"Come on, come on—"

When drinking, what you need most is someone to drink with.

Otherwise, even the best wine will turn into a pile of liquid with only bitterness and spiciness when you drink it.

The adults chatted at the dinner table, while the children escaped to the sofa.

You don't necessarily have to watch the programs broadcast on the Spring Festival Gala, but you definitely have to have them on, just like background music, they're indispensable.