Chapter 94: Celebrating the New Year
As dawn broke, the village echoed with popping sounds from all directions, rising and falling in a continuous rhythm.
Wen Nuan Nuan was awakened by the noise.
Glancing at the window gauze, she saw it shimmering brightly under the snow’s reflection.
Snow had been falling intermittently for days, piling up nearly knee-deep. The worries that had weighed on the villagers’ hearts had eased considerably, and every household was now welcoming the New Year.
The room was warm and cozy. The four in the other room must have risen early to boil water and prepare breakfast.
Nuan Nuan quickly rolled out of bed, washed up, and put on a set of water-red buttoned garments. She then selected her favorite translucent jade hairpin to tie up her hair. This hairpin was her most cherished piece, reserved only for trips to the city to make a good impression. At home or while gathering vegetables in the mountains, she never wore any valuable items, fearing they might get damaged or lost—she was serious about her work.
But today was different—it was New Year’s Day. New clothes and fine accessories were meant to bring good fortune for the coming year.
Pushing open the main hall door, a gust of cold wind rushed in. Nuan Nuan shivered and hurried toward the kitchen.
“Eldest Brother, Little Brother, why have you lit so much charcoal?” she asked cheerfully as she entered the warm kitchen, greeted by the sight of the four figures of varying heights crowded into the small space.
Was it because of the New Year? Even the charcoal fire seemed to burn more vigorously than usual!
She had noticed earlier that the snow on the courtyard path had been cleared and piled onto the vegetable plot beside it, forming a mound nearly half a person’s height.
There were also many bamboo stalks of varying thicknesses.
“Sister-in-law, we’ll be setting off firecrackers later. The popping sounds you hear all over the village come from burning bamboo joints. With plenty of firewood and bamboo in the mountains, buying firecrackers would be a waste of silver,” explained Leng Yun, his small face beaming with a smile.
Ah, living off the mountains—they avoided spending silver whenever possible.
Nuan Nuan nodded. “Why have other households already started, but not ours?”
“Eldest Brother said he was afraid of waking you. We’ll do it after you’ve slept well.”
Even Nuan Nuan, who considered herself thick-skinned, couldn’t help but blush with embarrassment at being caught sleeping in again. “Then let’s hurry up and do it!”
Since Leng’s Mother had passed away this year, their local customs forbade them from putting up red spring couplets or red paper-cuttings. They simply skipped these two traditions, but other activities were still permissible.
“Let’s have breakfast first,” Leng Xiao suggested.
Following his gaze, Nuan Nuan noticed red bean porridge and large steamed buns warming in the pot.
She immediately understood—they had been waiting for her.
On days when they needed to go up the mountain, they would eat breakfast early and head out to work. But today, being New Year’s Day, waiting to eat together symbolized the auspicious wish for family reunion.
Warmth filled Nuan Nuan’s heart as she happily went to fetch breakfast.
A simple wooden table was set up in the kitchen. On cold days like these, they often ate their meals here, cozy and warm.
After breakfast and setting off the real “bamboo firecrackers,” the five of them divided tasks to prepare the New Year’s Eve dinner.
Nuan Nuan took charge of cooking, Leng Xiao tended the fire, Leng Tian kneaded the dough, while Leng Chen and Leng Yun wrapped dumplings.
They prepared three types of dumpling fillings: cabbage with fresh pork, chives with vermicelli and pork, and mushroom with shrimp and assorted delicacies.
The chives, vermicelli, and pork filling was meant for pan-frying, to be used later for making egg-wrapped dumplings.
After preparing the dumpling fillings, Nuan Nuan began cooking the New Year’s Eve dinner.
A whole old hen was simmered with ginseng slices over a charcoal stove.
A whole large fish was stewed with tofu puffs and frozen tofu, surrounded by golden cornmeal pancakes.
Shredded pork in Beijing sauce was served with thin pancakes, finely sliced cucumber strips, and scallion shreds.
The pheasant pieces marinated in salt were deep-fried until crispy, fragrant and flavorful.
Pepper salt shrimp, braised pork with small abalone, sweet and sour pork ribs, beer duck, and a mixed platter of braised meats—each dish was served in generous portions.
The minced pork and eggplant hotpot, radish balls and lotus root balls, shredded pork in garlic sauce, spinach in superior broth, lettuce in oyster sauce, tiger skin green peppers, and sour and spicy shredded potatoes—each vegetable dish offered a distinct flavor.
When Wen Nuan Nuan usually cooked, her primary consideration was whether the food could be finished. Today, however, she didn’t need to worry about that at all. The goal was to have leftovers—to symbolize abundance year after year!
When all the dishes were laid out on the table, steaming hot and aromatic, Wen Nuan Nuan poured milk and orange juice for the three little ones, a small cup of green plum wine for herself, and for Leng Xiao—well, just tea.
The moment their cups clinked together, everyone was beaming with smiles.
Leng Yun, with his childish face, was lively and cheerful: “Sister-in-law, I hope we can be together every year from now on!”
“I hope we can always have enough to eat and wear!” Leng Tian, ever the pragmatist, spoke plainly and honestly.
Leng Chen, already quite steady, said: “I hope our family stays healthy and free from disasters.”
Wen Nuan Nuan responded to each of them in turn, then turned her gaze to Leng Xiao.
Leng Xiao’s phoenix eyes were deep and intense as he met her gaze directly: “My only wish is that we may meet often.”
Scholars are truly cultured, so refined!
How poetic.
Wen Nuan Nuan marveled inwardly for a moment before diving back into exchanging well-wishes with the three little ones.
In Tongcheng, night fell especially early. Fortunately, the dumplings had been prepared ahead of time. During the New Year, it wasn’t necessary to eat them as a proper meal right away. As soon as darkness fell, two large basins of dumplings were boiled—one filled with mushroom, shrimp, and three-delicacy stuffing, and the other with cabbage and fresh pork stuffing. Additionally, a large portion of pan-fried dumplings with chives, vermicelli, and fresh pork wrapped in egg was prepared.
“Come on, come on! Second Brother and Little Brother wrapped five copper coins inside. It’s time to see who has the best luck!” Wen Nuan Nuan cheered with a laugh.
“I wrapped some! I know! I’m definitely going to get a coin!” Leng Yun chimed in excitedly.
Leng Tian quickly offered a trade: “Little Brother, give me one with a coin! Second Brother will buy you candy!”
“The candy Sister-in-law gave me is delicious. I don’t want yours. I’m going to give Sister-in-law one with a coin!” Leng Yun wasn’t having any of it.
“I don’t need you to give me one. I’ll rely on my own luck!” Even though she had never picked up more than ten yuan in her life, Wen Nuan Nuan was now brimming with confidence!
Such a rare thing had happened to her—how could her luck be bad?
Moreover, she felt that since coming here, her luck had been improving.
The three of them stared intently at the basins of dumplings, almost wishing they could see through the wrappers to spot which ones held the coins. Even Leng Chen, who had been watching them with a smile, rolled up his sleeves and joined in.
“That’s right! Children should be lively and innocent, not acting old and serious like your eldest brother at such a young age.” Wen Nuan Nuan was quite pleased to see Leng Chen joining in.
Leng Xiao smiled faintly but didn’t comment.
After the four of them analyzed the three basins of dumplings back and forth, the result was—
Clink.
Leng Xiao bit into a coin.
The room instantly erupted into chaos, buzzing with excitement!
“It’s fine, there are still four more!” Wen Nuan Nuan comforted the three little ones while also reassuring herself. It was only natural for someone with great fortune to take the lead.
Clink.
Leng Xiao bit into another coin.
“Don’t panic, stay calm! There are still three left! Everyone, eat quickly.”
Clink.
It was still Leng Xiao.
“Don’t get flustered, it’s really not a big problem. There are still two more!”
Clink.