Crossing the famine, I am a poor fish, and my descendants have to work hard

People in the north stay up all night on New Year's Eve.

That is, we will eat after lunch until around 12 o'clock in the evening.

To prevent drowsiness, everyone will go to rest and sleep after lunch.

When you get up at around 3 o'clock, you'll start chopping stuffing and making dumplings.

This year's dumpling filling is celery and pork.

This has always been Zhao Yuanzhen's favorite.

Because there were so many people eating, everyone helped to make dumplings.

Some clean copper coins are also stuffed into the dumplings. Whoever eats them will have a prosperous new year.

"Grandma, I will definitely eat it. I want to eat a lot of it."

"Okay, then Zijin will have a prosperous new year."

"Hey, grandma, how many should we pack?"

"There are nine of us in total, so we packed nine."

"Is that so? Then I'll just eat one. What if I eat too much and others can't get any?"

"Our Zijin is such a sensible and good child."

This little guy is very sensible.

Although 9 people have a large appetite, there are also many people making dumplings.

Zhao Yuanzhen, Zhang Qingyan, Lan Ying, Bai Wei, Bai Zhi, Qian Xiaohui, Li Zhijuan. Everyone got started.

Since we have to eat dumplings on the morning of the first day of the New Year, let’s make them together today.

So it took us more than an hour.

Place the wrapped dumplings on the sorghum stalk curtain and cover them with clean gauze.

It's just past 6 o'clock now.

The kitchen sent over some snacks.

If you are hungry, you can eat some.

Seeing nothing to do, Zhao Yuanzhen thought, why not play cards.

In the past, during the Chinese New Year, when we went back to the orphanage, everyone would play cards and mahjong after finishing their work.

There was no mahjong in the Daliang Dynasty.

Zhao Yuanzhen bought a set of wooden mahjong and pretended to take it out of the bedroom.

Found a suitable square table and placed it there.

Invite everyone to come and play cards.

"Come on, let's play mahjong."

"Little sister, what is Mahjong?"

"It's just a kind of card, similar to Pai Gow, but the way to play is different."

"Well, then you teach us."

"Okay, let's play while I teach you. This is a stripe. One vertical stripe is one stripe, two vertical stripes are two stripes, and so on.

There is also this thing called a tube, which is the same as a strip. The number of dots represents the number of tubes. This is the word "wan". There are words on it, such as ten thousand, twenty thousand, etc.

The one with plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum painted on it is a flower. If you catch this, you can draw another card. If you catch 5 flowers, you can win the game directly.

This East, South, West, North, and Middle, the white board makes a fortune belongs to Thirteen Yao, of course, it can also be used as a pair,

The winning method of Mahjong is three consecutive straights, plus two identical pairs, or seven pairs, or three identical ones, or Thirteen Yaos, which is East, West, North, South, North, Center, White, One, Nine, One, Nine, Ten, Ten, Nine, Ten, Ten, and one more. Of course, there are other winning methods, let's try them out."

Everyone felt a little dizzy after listening to it, but they still started to learn with great interest.

I found that although it sounds difficult, it is actually very simple.

Zhao Yuanzhen, Zhao Yuanlan, Zhang Xinnian and Zhang Xinshu were the first to attack.

After a few rounds, Zhao Yuanzhen won in the first few rounds, but gradually the other three started to win more often.

Especially Zhao Yuanlan, his card playing skills became more and more proficient.

After playing for more than ten rounds, everyone became proficient.

"A little gambling is good for the mood. How about we raise the stakes?"

"Okay, mom, how do you add it?"

"Just pay according to the size of the Hu, one penny for one cent."

"Okay, Mom, you teach us how to calculate this score."

"Okay, Lan Ying, go to my room and get some copper coins and change."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Wife, please get me some too. I don't have any either."

Zhang Xinnian quickly asked Li Zhijuan for it.

"Sister-in-law, give me some too. I'll exchange some with you for silver."

"Okay, wait, I'll get it."

After a while, the copper coins and loose change arrived in the account.

They started to fight eagerly.

After fighting all night, everyone except Zhao Yuanlan lost.

Zhao Yuanzhen lost more than 5 taels, Zhang Xinnian lost more than 8 taels, and Xin Shu lost more than taels.

Zhao Yuanzhen: No, how could I lose? I am a mahjong veteran, but I lost to a novice who had just learned for a while. It must be bad luck.

Zhang Xinnian: My uncle is really a profiteer. He counts cards so accurately. How can I win every time?

Zhang Xinshu: My skills are not as good as others.

Zhao Yuanlan: I accidentally had too much fun and won more.

A few people who lost the game stopped playing and left the table to eat some snacks and fruits as they were a little hungry.

It's past 11 now. We can have dinner in a little while.

After chatting for a while, the kitchen started to prepare the meal.

The New Year’s Eve dinner consists of 16 dishes.

4 desserts: chestnuts in syrup, yam with jam, glutinous rice and red dates, and taro milk jelly.

4 cold dishes: tofu with green onions, crystal pork elbow, ginger and fermented black beans, and cold spinach.

4 stir-fried dishes: stir-fried lamb with green onions, stir-fried meat with mushrooms, stir-fried cabbage with bacon, and stir-fried sausage with celery.

4 stews: beef in sour soup, tofu stew, soy sauce chicken, and roasted whole fish.

Add a big bowl of dumplings.

These dishes were all prepared by Qian Xiaohui based on the ingredients and recipes, and each one was delicious and flavourful.

Zhang Xinbai and his friends waited until 12 o'clock and lit firecrackers.

After returning, several people came to Zhao Yuanzhen and Zhao Yuanlan and knelt down in unison.

"I wish you a happy new year, a long life, good health, and everything goes well."

"All right, all right. May you be safe and happy, and everything goes smoothly. Lan Ying, bring the red envelopes over here. I'll give you some money to ward off evil spirits."

Lan Ying came over with the box, and Zhao Yuanzhen stuffed one into each person's box. When it came to Zijin's turn, she stuffed two into the box.

There are 10 gold leaves in each red envelope.

"I wish my uncle a happy new year, a long life, good health, and everything goes well."

"Okay, I wish you a happy new year and everything goes well."

Then they took out red envelopes, each of them gave 100 taels of silver, and Zijin gave 200 taels.

"Thank you, mother, and thank you, uncle."

A few of them felt a little embarrassed. They were so old, and still had to collect money to ward off evil spirits.

"Take it. As long as I'm here, you're all still children, and you should have money to ward off evil spirits."

"Thank you, mother."

"Brother, Happy New Year, may everything go smoothly and all goes well in the new year."

"My little sister is the same. She is happy every day and everything goes well."

Then he gave her a big red envelope.

There are 1000 taels of silver notes inside.

"Thank you, brother."

"You will always be my little sister. As long as my big brother is here, you will have money to ward off evil spirits."

"Okay, thank you, big brother. Then let's start staying up all night and eating the New Year's Eve dinner."

"it is good."

Everyone sat down and poured themselves a drink or wine.

"I wish you all the best in the new year."

"I wish you a happy new year and prosperity."

Everyone said their blessings, and in the cheerful atmosphere, Zhao Yuanlan received the first copper coin.

They were followed by Zhang Xinshu, Zhang Zijin, Li Zhijuan, Qian Xiaohui, Zhang Xinnian and Zhang Xinbai.

Zhao Yuanzhen didn't get any.

No, isn't this unreasonable? Everyone in the family has it, but I don't?

Is my luck so bad now?

Zhao Yuanzhen muttered to herself.

After the New Year's Eve, everyone quickly packed up and went to bed because they had to go to pay New Year's greetings the next morning.

Zhao Yuanzhen gave Lan Ying and Zhang Qingyan each a big red envelope.

"I also wish you a happy new year and all the best."

"Thank you, Madam."

"Okay, go back to bed. You have to get up early tomorrow morning."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Yes, sister-in-law."

It's almost 2 o'clock now.

Zhao Yuanzhen also hurried to sleep, otherwise she would have to get up.

Sure enough, before I got out of bed in a daze, I heard the sound of people greeting each other on the New Year in the yard.

Get up quickly, wash up and go out.

Then I saw people kneeling in the yard to wish a happy new year.

"Happy New Year, Second Aunt, Second Mother, and Second Grandma."

Those kneeling are all younger ones.

"Happy New Year, get up quickly, Lan Ying, red envelope."

Lan Ying handed over the red envelope. The younger generation received one red envelope, and the younger generation received one red envelope plus a customized bracelet of money to ward off evil spirits.

"Thank you, Second Aunt/Second Mother/Second Grandma."

"You're welcome, come inside."

Then he led everyone into the house.

"Qingyan, pack some candies and dried fruits for them."

The custom of paying New Year's greetings is to put some dishes in the pockets of the children who come to pay New Year's greetings. Usually they are filled with melon seeds. Zhao Yuanzhen's family has a lot of dishes, and Zhang Qingyan grabbed some of each.

The children were all very happy, holding their filled little bags.

Lots of sugar.

You can save it and eat it slowly, it can last for a long time.

Several waves arrived one after another throughout the morning.

Zhang Xinbai, Zhang Xinnian, Zhang Xinshuo and Zhang Zijin from the family also went out to pay New Year's greetings.

Qian Xiaohui and Li Zhijuan also followed the young wives in the village to pay New Year's greetings.

This is how New Year’s greetings are celebrated in the village. Everyone makes an appointment to go together, one group of men and one group of women.

Men have to kowtow when entering the courtyard.

Women don’t need to do that, just say some auspicious words.

Zhao Yuanzhen also wants to go to pay New Year's greetings, but she can go tomorrow.

After the afternoon, no one came to pay New Year's greetings.

Finally I can take a break.

Zhang Zijin and the others also came back.

"Grandma, look, my pocket is full. There are so many delicious foods."

The small cross-body bag Zhang Zijin was carrying was stuffed full and looked bulging.

Everyone in the village made a lot of money this year, dozens of taels.

Therefore, I would buy some candies, dried fruits and the like during the Chinese New Year, and give a lot to every child who came to pay New Year's greetings.

"And I also received a lot of red envelopes and strings of money for warding off evil spirits."

Then he stretched out his hand, and on his wrist hung more than a dozen strings of money for warding off evil spirits.

"So many! Zijin is awesome!"

"Hehehe, there are also red envelopes. Great-grandfather, great-grandmother and the village chief have all given them."

Handed all the red envelopes to Qian Xiaohui.

Qian Xiaohui helped him take them out and count them, and told him how much they were.

The great-grandfather and great-grandmother got 2 cents, the great-grandfather got 50 cents, and the rest of them together got 45 cents.

"Mom, please save it for me."

"okay, got it."

The Chinese New Year is the happiest time for children. The family bought firecrackers. Usually they burn bamboo, but during the Chinese New Year, they bought real firecrackers.

Zhang Zijin asked for some and prepared to play with them with his friends.

Qian Xiaohui gave him a lot of instructions, fearing that he might hurt himself.

Seeing that there was nothing to do in the afternoon, I went to catch up on my sleep.

So sleepy.

I slept for more than 4 hours yesterday.

This is really tiring for a middle-aged or elderly person.

Seeing Zhao Yuanzhen go to sleep, Zhao Yuanlan and several others grabbed Li Zhijuan and went to play mahjong together.

It’s good to be young, you never feel sleepy.

When Zhao Yuanzhen woke up, they had been playing mahjong for the entire afternoon.

The result is still the same.

Zhao Yuanlan won the most.

My uncle is so awesome, he is such a great card player.