Chapter 79

From December 18 to 22, 1978, the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party convened the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee, sounding the clarion call for China's reform and opening up.

This important meeting also brought a fresh breeze to society, and the New Year's celebrations this year were different from previous years.

A month before the Spring Festival, Lin Qiangsheng's family began to prepare for the New Year. Ten days before the Spring Festival, the car factory distributed welfare items such as ribbon fish, rice, and soybean oil to the workers. The workers experienced the treatment of state-owned enterprise employees for the first time, and everyone's face was filled with genuine joy.

Before 1978, there were no early markets in Bincheng. People had to go to large farmers' markets to buy New Year's goods, and they had to purchase with coupons. After the early market was established, people could buy whatever they wanted by paying. Although there wasn't much vegetables at the early market, people often spent several hours wandering around.

January 28, 1979, was the Spring Festival.

This morning, the whole family started cleaning. Lin Qiangsheng swept both inside and outside the house and cleared the snow outside the yard.

Father was washing vegetables in the kitchen. Mother and elder sister were tidying up the house and cleaning the windows. The window glass in both rooms was wiped clean and bright.

After Lin Qiangsheng finished sweeping, he also went to the kitchen to wash vegetables. This year, they prepared more New Year's goods, and Father found it a bit difficult to handle alone.

Although there weren't many vegetables available now, Lin Qiangsheng had a way to make this Spring Festival more enjoyable. He got a lot of mutton and seafood and even had the restaurant slice the mutton. With vegetables, meat, and hotpot, the Lin family would have a great Spring Festival!

After tidying up, they started making dumplings. Mother and elder sister took care of everything, and no one else needed to help. Kneading dough, mixing fillings, and rolling skins, they worked quickly.

This year, the Lin family had two types of dumplings. In addition to the usual cabbage filling, they also had celery filling. Lin Qiangsheng had to go to the early market several times to buy the celery.

"Xiangrong, why hasn't Qiangdong written a letter this Spring Festival? What's going on?" Xu Hongmei asked while making dumplings, turning to Lin Xiangrong who was helping.

Usually, during holidays, the eldest son, Lin Qiangdong, would write letters home, but this year, they didn't receive any letters. Xu Hongmei was worried.

Lin Xiangrong shook his head and said, "Don't worry! Qiangdong is fine. He must be on a mission and can't communicate with us!"

This was possible. In the past, when the army had a mission, they would go to remote areas and lose contact for a while. The family could only guess that Lin Qiangdong's unit was on a mission.

Lin Qiangsheng looked at his parents and, seeing his sister glare at him, opened his mouth and said, "Don't worry, Mom and Dad. My brother will be fine."

Lin Xiang thought Lin Qiangsheng would mock his brother as he used to, because their relationship wasn't good in the past.

Xu Hongmei, Lin Xiangrong, and Lin Xiang all looked at Lin Qiangsheng in surprise. Lin Qiangsheng smiled and said, "Maybe in a few months, my brother will get a promotion!"

Lin Qiangsheng's elder brother, Lin Qiangdong, was obedient, smart, and sensible, the kind of child other parents would envy.

Lin Qiangsheng was always compared to his brother, which he resented, so he disliked his elder brother. However, in his previous life, after joining the army, he received a lot of help from his brother, and their relationship gradually improved. This time, Lin Qiangsheng naturally spoke well of his brother.

Xu Hongmei, realizing this, smiled and said, "Yes! Thanks to Qiangsheng's good words. It's good that nothing happened!"

Lin Xiangrong nodded and said, "It's possible he's on a mission and can't contact us for now."

Lin Qiangsheng knew that his elder brother, like many rocket officers, was rapidly promoted and later participated in the Sino-Vietnamese War. Fortunately, his brother wasn't injured in the war and was later promoted to company commander. After retiring, he became the chief of a police station.

Lin Xiang then asked, "Dad, are you and Mom and my little brother really going abroad for an inspection after the Spring Festival?"

She was shocked when she first heard the news. For Lin Xiang, the concept of going abroad was completely foreign. She was surprised that her parents and little brother would suddenly go abroad.

Lin Xiangrong nodded, patted the flour off his hands, and smiled, "Yes! A few days ago, we received a notice. After the Spring Festival, those going abroad will attend a class to learn about foreign customs and safety. Your mother and brother will also participate. We'll study well and not embarrass our country abroad!"

Xu Hongmei smiled, happy about the class.

Lin Qiangsheng rolled his eyes and said, "It's just a bunch of provincial foreign trade people exaggerating to scare everyone!"

Lin Xiang was surprised and asked, "Really?!"

Lin Qiangsheng nodded and said, "They like to praise foreign countries, saying how prosperous and advanced they are. They also scare people, saying not to be dazzled by the material wealth of developed countries and not to lose yourself in their material pursuits. They also say it's unsafe abroad, how chaotic it is, and that foreigners have guns and that all black people are robbers. They scare themselves for no reason. What kind of mentality is that?"

Lin Xiangrong glared at his son and said, "How do you know? Don't talk nonsense! How could they deceive us?!"

Lin Qiangsheng smiled and laughed, and his mother, Xu Hongmei, and sister, Lin Xiang, also laughed, thinking he was just joking.

After making the dumplings, they put all the dumplings in the storage room to freeze, so they could cook them directly in the evening.

The family had a simple lunch and rested for a while. At around two in the afternoon, they started preparing the New Year's Eve dinner.

This year's New Year's Eve dinner was extremely abundant, incomparable to previous years!

Dishes served one after another included stir-fried meat with black fungus, stir-fried meat with cauliflower, stir-fried meat with celery, stir-fried meat with mushrooms, braised carp, chicken stewed with mushrooms, and steamed rice.

Father fried a large bowl of shrimp chips and small fish. Lin Qiangsheng cooked salted shrimp and put the previously washed seafood and mutton into the hotpot. He also brought a large bowl of pork and beef offal to the kang (a traditional heated bed), as the dining table was too small.

"Such a big table of dishes!" Mother Xu Hongmei looked at the table and was stunned for a moment.

Lin Xiang, looking at the colorful dishes, exclaimed, "Wow! When did our life get so good?! Little brother, take a photo!"

"Click" Lin Qiangsheng took a family photo of the 1979 New Year's Eve dinner.

Lin Qiangsheng looked at the dishes with satisfaction, nodded, and said, "That's about it! This is the future well-off life! People will often eat like this in the future!"

Father Lin Xiangrong shook his head and said, "Too wasteful! This table of dishes costs as much as our family's annual food expenses! How much did the seafood and tickets cost, Qiangsheng?"

Lin Xiang giggled, patted Lin Qiangsheng's shoulder, and said, "Dad, don't worry! Our Qiangsheng is very rich now, a big capitalist! Do you know, Mom?"

Xu Hongmei hit Lin Xiang, scolding her for speaking without restraint. In the past, the couple found it strange to see Lin Qiangsheng busy, wondering what he was doing, but gradually they felt he was enjoying it and didn't say anything.

In the evening, the whole family changed into new clothes bought by Lin Qiangsheng from the state-owned store.

Father Lin Xiangrong wore a dark gray suit, Mother Xu Hongmei a red wool coat, elder sister Lin Xiang a cashmere sweater and a dress, and Lin Qiangsheng a leather jacket and jeans. Each of them also had a pair of black leather shoes, polished to a shine.

The whole family, dressed in new clothes and shoes, felt very strange at home! It was as if they were going to a formal occasion. The serious and funny appearance made the whole family laugh.

Xu Hongmei smiled and said, "Try them on, but take them off when eating. The clothes Qiangsheng bought are not suitable for wearing at home!"

Lin Xiangrong looked at his wife, then at his suit, nodded, and praised Lin Qiangsheng, "The clothes my son bought are nice! They look good!"

Xu Hongmei smiled at Lin Xiangrong and praised, "You look ten years younger in this suit!"

Lin Xiangrong looked at his wife and smiled, "Really? I think you look ten years younger in that red wool coat, so beautiful!"

Lin Qiangsheng and Lin Xiang looked at each other and smiled.

The whole family happily enjoyed the New Year's Eve dinner. The fish was delicious, the chicken was delicious, and the seafood was large and flavorful.

Lin Xiang held a large shrimp in each hand, unable to eat them fast enough. Lin Qiangsheng gnawed on a chicken leg, chewing hard, savoring the pure, delicious chicken flavor.

On the night of New Year's Eve in 1979, the Lin family's television was brought out again. Even the cold weather couldn't stop the enthusiasm of the neighbors!

Lin Xiangrong had to move the TV to the yard, cover it with a coat, and place two firepots beside it!

There were very few TV programs, only one channel, showing traditional programs like "The Taking of Tiger Mountain by Strategy," "Shajia Bang," and "The Red Lantern." The TV station broadcast them casually, and the audience watched with great interest.

On New Year's Eve, in the dry cold outdoors, the neighbors, young and old, watched the TV despite the cold, cheering and clapping for the exciting performances. The cheers and applause echoed from the yard to the house and outside, attracting more people.

At around nine o'clock, the TV programs ended, and the neighbors laughed and dispersed, going home to eat dumplings.

Visiting relatives, setting off firecrackers, and exchanging gifts were also essential. The Lin family's neighbors also came to the factory manager's house, bringing an egg, a handful of sunflower seeds, and peanuts as New Year's gifts.

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