Chapter 37

On the 29th of the twelfth lunar month, it was also very busy.

In the morning, a large wooden steamer was borrowed from the Feng family, and the glutinous rice that had been soaked overnight was placed inside. A pot of water was boiled on the stove, and a special wooden rack was laid on top, with the steamer placed on the rack. A large fire was lit to steam the rice.

Once it was steamed, the steamer was tied with a rope, and Feng Zhenchang and Feng Dongming carried it to the communal stone mortar in the village. Feng Jiasheng was waiting there with three sticks, as his family had just finished making their rice cakes.

Feng Yiping scooped the glutinous rice into the stone mortar, and the three adults began to pound it with the sticks. Making rice cakes requires strength and skill, and the people involved need to be in sync.

It went something like this: they took turns, one person lifting a stick while the next one brought it down, in a continuous motion. If the coordination was poor, two sticks might be lifted at the same time, and the uncooked rice cake could be lifted by the sticks.

The three of them chanted simple slogans and pounded for about ten minutes, until they were all sweating. One batch of rice cakes was finally done. They lifted the sticks, scooped up the rice cake, and placed it on a wooden board that had been sprinkled with powder. Feng Zhenchang handed his stick to Dongming, who dipped his hand in a basin of cold water and then grabbed the stick in the rice cake. Dongming pulled it out with effort, bit by bit.

Once all three sticks were removed, Feng Yiping carried the wooden board home. At home, a large tray was already prepared, and Mei Qiuping examined it. "This year's glutinous rice is good, and the rice cakes are well-made."

She didn't stop working, and while the rice cake was still hot, she kneaded it into several large cakes and laid them on the tray. After they cooled slightly, she cut the cakes into long strips. These could be fried in oil or boiled in soup, which is a common way to eat them in the countryside.

Of course, with so many, they wouldn't be finished by the end of the first lunar month. If left out, they would dry and crack. So, the leftovers were immersed in well water. This way, even in the summer, they would remain whole and wouldn't turn sour.

The long strips could also be cut into thin, regular slices and fried in hot oil. Once fried, they resembled shrimp chips and tasted good. In the past, when everyone was poor and couldn't afford snacks, every family would fry some during the New Year.

Some families would add chili powder to a batch of glutinous rice, and after making the rice cakes, they would cut them into slices, fry them, and sprinkle salt on them, turning them into a dish.

At noon, Feng Jiasheng and Dongming were invited to eat. Feng Zhenchang called some more people from the village, and in the end, ten people sat around the table.

This year, all the debts were finally paid off, and Feng Zhenchang was in high spirits. He was particularly enthusiastic about encouraging everyone to drink. The meal lasted until after 2 PM, and they drank five bottles of bottled liquor. In the past two days, every family had a lot to do, and later, many women came to look for their husbands, which finally ended the meal.

After cleaning up the table, the family got busy again. Feng Zhenchang, who was slightly tipsy, used the seasonings he brought back from the provincial capital to make some braised meat. Feng Yiping and his mother prepared to fry a snack.

This snack is also sold in stores, called "cat's ears," but in their area, it is more elegantly called "cloud fruit."

It's quite simple to make. Red sugar is dissolved in hot water, and then used to knead the dough. Some people even add eggs. Once the dough is ready, it is placed on a hot stove to rest for half an hour. The dough is then rolled into sheets, rolled up, and cut into thin slices, which are fried in oil over a low flame. When they change color, they are ready to be scooped out. They are sweet and fragrant, and children who come to pay New Year's greetings love them.

After frying the cloud fruit, they fried glutinous rice balls. This is a local specialty, different from the famous Huizhou dish of the same name. It is made by mixing glutinous rice flour, rice flour, and wheat flour, then rolling the mixture into small round cakes about the size of a teacup mouth, about one centimeter thick. These are then fried in oil until golden brown. Each time they cook, the balls are placed on top of the pot and boiled in the soup. Feng Yiping particularly enjoys this.

After frying the glutinous rice balls, they fried radish balls, and then steamed fish cakes. In short, there was a lot to do.

These days, every household in the village was busy. The fires in the stoves were almost never extinguished, as everyone was preparing food for the New Year. Usually, they would save on oil, but now, every household was making various fried foods, and the village was filled with various aromas.

The dishes they made were not particularly expensive, but they required time and effort, especially since there were many fried dishes, which were rarely made at other times, making them seem more special.

Families with tape recorders, like the Feng Weidong family, turned the volume up to the maximum and played festive songs from morning till night.

After completing the various preparations for the New Year at home, or for those young people who didn't want to help, they gathered in the threshing field or on the hill, chatting excitedly about the year's events.

The children enjoyed these days even more, running from the front of the village to the back, holding various firecrackers, and lighting them unexpectedly. The adults who were startled didn't get angry.

During the New Year, even the most strict adults were more lenient with their children, rarely scolding or hitting them. If a child cried at home during the New Year, it was considered a bad omen. So these days were truly a paradise for children, with good food, drinks, and play, and even if they did something wrong, their parents wouldn't scold them.

While they were still frying the glutinous rice balls, Feng Hongbing's mother brought over a small tray of fried sesame sticks from her family. They had also fried cloud fruit but not the balls, so she brought a bowl of balls back.

Such a situation is rarely seen now. With more money in everyone's hands and a wider variety of goods available in the market, families are less willing to spend so much time and effort. They simply buy what they need and spend the New Year at home, eating snacks and watching TV, with fewer people going out or visiting each other, making it less lively than in the city.

Finally, after all the work was done, they had to prepare dinner. In the evening, a large group of guests was invited, including Uncle and Feng Mingzhi. As they started drinking, Feng Zhenchang remembered something and went to the kitchen to bring out a dish of stewed lamb and carrots, which he placed on the table. Mei Qiuping's face immediately changed.

In the countryside, on one hand, people are very generous and sympathetic. If a family doesn't have enough meat for the New Year due to various reasons, they don't have to worry, as many families will rush to help.

On the other hand, they can be very petty. For example, if one family serves three-yuan cigarettes to guests and another serves two-yuan cigarettes, it might lead to gossip for years, with comments about being stingy or not knowing how to behave.

Feng Zhenchang, who had been drinking, was also unreasonable. "Why can't I eat it? Besides, the reason they don't have lamb on their table is that they didn't buy it."

Mei Qiuping countered, "The Feng Zhicheng family bought it. Did you eat it when you went to their house?"

The Feng Zhicheng family ran the village processing workshop and were considered a well-off family in the village.

Feng Zhenchang stiffened his neck. "You cooked it in the kitchen, and everyone could smell it. How could I face them if I didn't bring it to the table?"

Mei Qiuping, while clattering the dishes loudly, complained, "You can't stand having a little money. With a little money, you don't even know who you are."

Seeing her words becoming more and more excessive and Feng Zhenchang getting increasingly angry, Feng Yiping wished he could throw the troublesome lamb leg to the dogs to save the trouble.

Feng Yiping knew that when they argued, it was useless to try to mediate. Neither would listen. It seemed that arguing was their norm, with a fight every few days, followed by a cold war, and then they would reconcile and forget the past, only to repeat the cycle a few days later. Their life went on like this, day by day, year by year, and they were probably used to it.

He still didn't fully understand his parents' world. They often argued when together, but when apart, they missed each other terribly. When his son was born, during the month of confinement, Mei Qiuping went to help take care of him, leaving Feng Zhenchang alone at home. They talked on the phone at least once a day. Although they were reluctant to spend on long-distance calls, they didn't say much, just asking about the day, if they were tired, what they had eaten, and how they slept. Despite the repetitive conversation, the deep concern was evident.

Of course, it might also be true that distance creates beauty.

Now, with such troublesome parents, what could he do? Feng Yiping called out loudly, "Mom, let it go, say less."

Seeing his face, Mei Qiuping finally stopped.

Feng Yiping then said to Feng Zhenchang, "Dad, it's time to cook the meat."

They had already heard someone setting off firecrackers. According to custom, when cooking the meat for the New Year, a string of firecrackers should be set off. They could also hear the sound of "dang dang" from many households, which was the sound of making paper money.

Making paper money involves using a mold to print copper coins densely on the yellow paper bought for the ancestors.

Although Feng Zhenchang was still angry, he followed the custom and took the prepared meat from the barrel, washed it, and put it in the pot to cook. He then lit a cigarette and went outside to set off a string of 800 firecrackers.

Feng Yiping and his mother didn't idle either. They prepared the vegetables for the next day, boiled some hot water to clean them, and set them aside.

Once the meat was cooked, as per tradition, Feng Zhenchang cut a few slices of lean meat and called Feng Yiping to eat. He and Mei Qiuping also ate a slice each, a mix of lean and fatty.

While everyone was still in a good mood, Feng Yiping said, "Dad, Mom, should