Chapter 38

Not long after falling asleep, it was just past midnight when the sound of firecrackers began outside. Similar to the New Year celebrations later, people at that time would vie to be the first to light the incense, and here, everyone would compete to be the first to set off firecrackers.

During the New Year, everyone would have the New Year’s meal very early in the morning. Before the meal, they would offer a string of firecrackers to their ancestors.

At this time, on New Year’s Eve, everyone would get up very early, and basically, they would finish eating before it was even light. Those who waited until after dawn to set off firecrackers and have the New Year’s meal would be considered lazy by others.

Later, after a dozen or twenty years, these customs became less and less observed. It became increasingly rare to have the New Year’s meal in the middle of the night, and when a family occasionally did so, people would mostly laugh. Most families would have a routine similar to their usual days, just a bit earlier, getting up around five or six in the morning.

After only a few hours of sleep, Feng Yiping was woken by his mother at around five. When he opened his eyes, it was still pitch black outside.

But the early morning seemed different today. Perhaps it was the continuous sound of firecrackers and the bubbling of the pot in the kitchen, which filled the air with the scent of the New Year, making Feng Yiping feel a bit tipsy and intoxicated.

It was very cold, and Feng Yiping shivered as he quickly got dressed. When he opened the kitchen door, the heat and aroma hit him. Although they had argued the night before, there was no trace of it now. Feng Zhenchang was tending the fire, and Mei Qiuping was cooking. The two were talking and laughing softly, in harmony and happiness.

Feng Yiping had just washed his face when the Feng family next door started setting off firecrackers, which lasted for a long time. Feng Zhenchang added a piece of wood to the stove and said, "At least eight thousand shots."

Mei Qiuping said, "That’s probably true, and I bet the Feng Weidong family won’t be far behind."

During the New Year, people not only competed over the timing of setting off firecrackers but also over the duration. The longer the firecrackers lasted, the better the family’s conditions were, meaning they were wealthier. The two families next door, the Feng Jiaxun and Feng Weidong families, had always been competing in this way.

After the dishes were cooked, Feng Zhenchang prepared to offer them to the ancestors.

He turned off the electric light in the hall and lit a candle. He placed the table facing the door, and Feng Yiping helped put the dishes on the table. At this time, no cilantro or other seasonings were added to the dishes. Then, Feng Zhenchang neatly arranged the best chairs around the table, picked the straightest chopsticks from the chopstick holder, and placed the wine cups without any chips, pouring in the wine.

While pouring the wine, he spoke softly and devoutly, then took the yellow paper with copper coins printed on it and burned it in the fire basin next to the table. He then called Feng Yiping out from the kitchen.

Feng Yiping came out, walked to the table, and knelt down, bowing three times with respect. He heard Feng Zhenchang mutter, "May he be safe and smooth in the coming year."

After the yellow paper was burned, the father and son opened the door and went to set off the firecrackers. Upon returning, they moved the stools, touched the chopsticks, poured the wine on the ground, and the ceremony was complete. Finally, they collected the dishes.

Feng Yiping bowed with a willing heart.

Regarding the custom of offering to the ancestors during the New Year, Feng Yiping didn’t know if other places did the same, but he assumed it was common in China, though the forms might differ.

He remembered once arguing with a colleague who sneered at this practice, calling it typical superstition. Feng Yiping believed that mourning and remembering ancestors during the New Year, acknowledging their nurturing and teaching, and hoping for their protection in the coming year, was a tradition passed down for thousands of years, a part of Chinese culture, and not at all superstitious.

He countered the colleague, who admired Western culture, "According to your logic, when Westerners go to church for a midnight mass on Christmas Eve, is that also typical superstition?" The colleague who admired Western culture was speechless.

After putting the dishes back in the kitchen and heating them in the pot, they added scallions, garlic, chili powder, and monosodium glutamate to complete the New Year’s meal.

Feng Zhenchang drank wine, while Feng Yiping and his mother drank cola. This was the first time they had bought this foreign soda, and Mei Qiuping enjoyed it very much. The two kept putting food on Feng Yiping’s bowl, but it was already full, so he had to block it and say, "You eat, I know how to serve myself."

Feng Zhenchang took a sip of wine and picked up a piece of beef with his chopsticks, saying, "It’s just that Yuxuan, who was supposed to come back, didn’t."

Mei Qiuping also said, "She’s spending the New Year alone again, I wonder how she’s doing."

Later, this only sister deeply hurt Feng Yiping’s heart. Although these events hadn’t happened yet, he still had a knot in his heart. He comforted them, "Didn’t the girls in the village say that her godmother in the city insisted she stay there for the New Year?"

Mei Qiuping said, "I know the conditions in the city are better than in the countryside, but the New Year is always better at home, especially since we bought so many things this year."

Feng Zhenchang also said, "No matter how good it is elsewhere, it can’t compare to home."

Feng Yiping thought, "Sister might not see it that way," but he said, "Let’s do our best now and strive to settle in the provincial capital in the future. How can we be worse than others?"

Feng Zhenchang and Mei Qiuping laughed, "Come, let’s have a drink. It’s good that Yiping has ambition. Yes, let’s do our best and settle in the provincial capital. You can also marry a girl from the provincial capital."

Feng Yiping laughed and drank a large bottle of cola, thinking to himself that he would definitely find a wife from the county, preferably from the neighboring county.

Focusing on eating and drinking, the large pot of rice was left untouched. By the time the family put down their chopsticks, it was already bright outside.

It started snowing, lightly and gracefully. Feng Zhenchang said, "It looks like next year will be a good year."

There was nothing much to do today. In previous years, creditors would come to the door in the afternoon, but this year, there were none.

Feng Zhenchang had one more thing to do today: write the Spring Festival couplets. As a landlord’s son, he had few legacies, but his education and beautiful calligraphy were among them. Although there were many literate people in the village, only Feng Zhenchang could write good calligraphy.

As in previous years, besides his own family, several other households asked him to write the couplets.

Feng Yiping was called to help cut the paper. After cutting, he had to fold it into seven sections. Of course, he couldn’t write the couplets, but he had a book of couplets.

Those who came to collect the couplets were full of compliments, saying his writing was better than what they could buy on the street. Although Feng Yiping knew these were just polite words, he noticed that Feng Zhenchang was still very pleased. Indeed, for people of their age, being literate and able to write such good calligraphy was rare, and it was something he could be proud of.

With a full stomach and constant snacking, they had a simple lunch. Feng Yiping, who rarely ate much, only had a little more than half a bowl of rice. After putting down his bowl, he looked for more sunflower seeds, finding it amusing and remembering a phrase his son used later, which fit perfectly, "I’m not hungry, my mouth is."

The snow wasn’t heavy, and it hadn’t settled on the ground yet. Most adults stayed indoors, except for some children who went wild in the snow. After eating and drinking, they sat by the fire, feeling warm and drowsy. However, during the New Year, there were many taboos, and sleeping during the day was considered unlucky. Feng Yiping decided to take out his winter vacation homework and finish the remaining part in the afternoon.

In the evening, they had the New Year’s Eve dinner. Before the meal, they set off firecrackers and locked the door to avoid being disturbed. The New Year’s Eve dinner must include pig’s feet, and as usual, there was a large table of dishes. After eating a bowl of pig’s feet, they were already full.

In the evening, the CCTV Spring Festival Gala was on, and Feng Hongbing invited Feng Yiping to watch it at his house. Feng Yiping thought that on New Year’s Eve, the family should stay at home, so he said he wanted to go to bed early and watch the replay when he went to visit the next day.

Feng Zhenchang stirred the firewood in the hearth to make it burn brighter and said, "We should buy a TV this year."

Before Mei Qiuping could speak, Feng Yiping quickly said, "We’re not at home most of the time, and the TV would just sit there. It’s not necessary. Besides, TVs get better and cheaper every year. We can buy a better one next year."

This year, the state had fully liberalized the price of TVs, but a 14-inch black-and-white TV still cost over a thousand yuan, and a 17-inch color TV cost over two thousand. Feng Yiping genuinely felt that buying a TV now was not cost-effective.

Mei Qiuping didn’t object, "We should still buy a TV so that Yiping doesn’t always have to go to others’ houses to watch." She was always generous with Feng Yiping.

Taking advantage of his parents’ good mood, Feng Yiping cautiously proposed renting a house near the school where he could cook his own meals. He was growing and needed better nutrition. Additionally, living outside would allow him to use his evenings more efficiently, whether for studying or writing. He particularly pointed out that if he lived outside, he could write more articles.

This year, he had earned over four thousand yuan, which was a strong argument, especially for Mei Qiuping.

Actually, he found it hard to get used to the current dormitory. The thought of staying there for another two and a half years was unbearable.

Feng Zhenchang said, "Now we can earn some money each year, unlike before. Your main task is still to study well. Don’t let earning some manuscript fees affect your studies."

Feng Yiping said, "I know, I will focus on my studies."

Mei Qiuping said, "Yiping has a point. Look at how thin he is. Eating pickled vegetables all the time at school is not good."

Feng Zhenchang said, "Then maybe we should talk to the Kaiming family. They live right across from the school, which would be very convenient."

Feng Yiping immediately objected, "It’s convenient to stay at Uncle’s house, but it’s not that close. I don’t want to cause any trouble. Besides, Lin Hui is a girl, and if I go there often, others might talk."

Actually, Feng Yiping was mainly worried that if he had to eat at Lin Hui’s house but still live at school, his plan would fall through.

"Then how about buying a bicycle and going to Meijia Bay every day?" Feng Zhenchang suggested.

"Each round trip would take about an hour, and it wouldn’t save time. It would also cost more," Feng Yiping said.

Mei Qiuping looked at him and said, "Then let’s look for a place in the town. The school is close to the town, and it wouldn’t take more than ten minutes by bike."

During the New Year, with his son’s outstanding performance last year, the two adults didn’t want to oppose him. Feng Zhenchang thought for a moment and said, "Alright, but it won’t be possible this semester. We’ll wait until the summer, when we have some money."

Feng Yiping said, "Okay, but I can earn the money myself."

Mei Qiuping also said, "Yiping, you’ve helped the family by writing articles and earning manuscript fees. We know it’s not easy. Now that your father and I can earn some money, you don’t need to work so hard. Focus on your studies; that’s your top priority now."

Feng Yiping had to explain again, "I know what’s important. Writing now doesn’t interfere with my studies."

Feng Zhenchang said, "That’s good. We know you’re sensible. We keep telling you to focus on your studies, and it’s good that you remember. So, let’s agree that during the summer, we’ll look for a place in the town and buy a bicycle, okay?"

"Okay," Feng Yiping was very happy. They finally agreed! He was most worried that his parents wouldn’t let him live alone, but they didn’t even mention it.

Actually, he didn’t know that since Feng Yiping had shown his parents a way to earn money and had earned three to four thousand yuan, they already treated him like an adult. Rural children mature early and usually learn everything they can do at home by elementary school, so living alone was not a problem. If it were a girl, the parents might be more concerned, but for a young man, what could go wrong? Besides, Feng Zhenchang and the others had already planned to have Mei Jianzhong check on him regularly if he lived outside.

"An old saying goes, 'One night connects two years, and the fifth watch divides two years.' According to tradition, one should stay up all night on New Year’s Eve, but no one does that anymore."

Sitting around the hearth, they talked about family matters until around 11 PM, when they couldn’t stay awake any longer and went to bed.

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