Traveling through ancient times: living a different life

After the first month of the year, the two students came back from school and the whole family was in high spirits. The Chinese New Year was just a few days away and the whole family was busy.

There is market tomorrow and the children are clamoring to go to town, but the weather is so cold. Although there has been no rain or snow in the past two days, the sky is gloomy and windy. If we follow them out, it will definitely not be possible.

The next day, although the sky cleared up, the cold wind made it difficult to feel warm.

The two brothers drove a ox cart to the town to buy New Year's goods. The children were roasting charcoal fire and eating snacks in the house, looking very comfortable.

Grandpa went to invite people to slaughter the New Year pig at home. Qinghui and grandma put away the necessary preparations first, and in order to take care of the feelings of the animals in the backyard, they arranged to slaughter the pig in the front yard.

There were many families slaughtering pigs during the New Year, so they had to line up. Zheng the butcher, his son and grandfather hurried over.

The three little ones were wearing cotton coats, cotton pants, cotton shoes, hats, scarves, and gloves, fully armed with standard cold-proof gear, and stood at the door of the main room watching the pig-slaughtering show.

The two little ones were held in their mother's arms and watched.

Zheng the Butcher is about 40 years old, tall and strong, over 1.8 meters tall, with a big face, thick eyebrows and big eyes, a bit like Lu Zhishen in Water Margin. His son is about 20 years old, and looks more like his mother. He is about the same height as his father, with a handsome appearance, but also a strong build.

The father and son went to the backyard, tied up the pig, and quickly put it on the old door panel. They killed the pig before it could even make two squeals. They placed a large wooden basin under the pig's neck with some salt in it. The pig's blood flowed into the basin, filling most of it.

Butcher Zheng and his son cut up the pork skillfully, and it was obvious that they were experienced hands at this job with years of experience.

My grandfather gave him 20 cents and two pounds of meat as a thank you for slaughtering the pig.

After the father and son left, my grandparents and my fourth uncle put the pork in a large basin and carried it to the main room. My fourth uncle fetched water and washed the door panels and the floor clean.

Grandpa, grandma and the two daughters-in-law began to salt the meat, cut the meat, and stuff it into sausages. Tingsong went to the kitchen to light a fire, and the fourth uncle went to the yard to wash the pig's offal and intestines with hot water. After finishing the work for the pig, it was time to prepare lunch.

After dinner, grandma and Wang started to braise pig's head, pig's intestines and pig's liver according to the recipe given by Biyue. The rich aroma wafted through the yard, making people who had just finished lunch want to eat a few more bites.

Second Aunt, Fourth Uncle, Tingsong and Biyue were busy stuffing sausages and having a lot of fun.

Father and second uncle came back with New Year's goods, their faces red from the cold, and they were chilled all over. As soon as they arrived at the gate, they smelled the aroma of braised meat, which made the two brothers even hungrier.

Grandma cut the braised sausage and liver, mixed it with other ingredients, and asked them to eat it. The two of them held the warm steamed buns in their hands and ate the braised meat. The greedy three little ones just wanted to eat more.

Biyue said, "You just had lunch. If you eat too much, you will have indigestion." The three brothers then behaved.

The father looked at his daughters with satisfaction. The three little ones listened to their elder sister very much.

We had a braised meal for dinner. The braised pig's head and pig's trotters took several hours to cook.

The whole family was satisfied with the meal, and several elders suggested opening a braised food shop next year, which will surely be very popular.

The day after tomorrow is New Year's Eve. Today we start killing chickens and ducks, making meatballs, and stewing the cleaned chickens and ducks. Fourth Uncle and Tingsong go to write Spring Festival couplets.

Biyue drew a cartoon pig wearing a skirt on a piece of white paper with a colored pencil, just like Peppa Pig in her previous life. She then pasted it on her door. When a few children saw it, they clamored to have one too.

"I was born in the year of the pig, so I drew a beautiful pig and named it Peppa. Do you know what your zodiac sign is? Find out before you draw."

"I'm a piggy too."

"I do not know."

"Mom! What am I?" Tingbai asked his mother.

"You are my son, what else could it be? Haha...! You are born in the year of the tiger."

Everyone in the family laughed.

Tingyuan looked at his mother, and then Second Aunt said, "Yuan'er was born in the year of the Ox."

The younger ones now understand and ask their sister to help them draw.

So they drew their respective zodiac signs with colored pencils, and everyone happily pasted them on their doors.

The elders at home were also very happy to see it.

The day before New Year's Eve, the house is completely tidy and clean. All the main dishes are prepared. Tomorrow I just need to stir-fry two vegetarian dishes and some freshly made home-cooked dishes.

On New Year's Eve, the kitchen had cooked two vegetarian dishes, freshly braised pork and minced pork and egg soup, and all the other dishes were heated up and served on the table.

Bi Yue ordered a roll of firecrackers on the system and asked her fourth uncle to set them off. The sound of the firecrackers woke up the quiet mountain village and brought joy and festivity.

The men at the table all poured a small cup of Wuliangye. Grandpa took a sip and praised the wine for being so delicious. The three brothers also took a sip and praised the wine for being so rare. The fourth uncle looked at his niece, and Biyue understood immediately. She winked at the fourth uncle, and the fourth uncle also understood the meaning.

Grandma, her two daughters-in-law and the children drank juice and yogurt.

The whole family raised their cups, and Grandpa said: "I wish the whole family peace and happiness!" Grandma: "I wish the whole family good health and harmony."

"I wish Fourth Uncle will pass the high school entrance examination next year." Bi Yue said with a smile as she looked at Fourth Uncle.

"Yes, I wish fourth brother to be admitted to high school next year." The two brothers pointed their wine glasses at their younger brother and expressed his wish.

"Thank you, my two brothers, my little niece, and especially my parents and my two sisters-in-law for your encouragement and support over the years. I would like to offer a toast to you all. Let me drink first."

With excitement and gratitude in his heart, after taking a sip, Fourth Uncle's face immediately turned red. This is a 52-degree liquor. The alcohol content of ancient liquor was not so high. This is a heavy drink. It's amazing. I admire him.

The father and his sons were all drunk. Those who had wives were helped to their respective rooms to rest. Biyue and her brother helped the fourth uncle to his room and took out the spiritual spring water from the locker to feed him.

Tingsong took off his uncle's shoes and socks, covered him with a quilt, and let him have a good rest.

Grandma and her two daughters-in-law were cleaning up the dishes, and the children were running around in the yard. The weather was nice today, and there was still some sunshine at noon.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, the men in the family woke up, and Grandpa said:

"This wine is really strong. This wine from the immortal world is the first of its kind in Dachang."

"You can drink it at home now, but you dare not take it out." said the second uncle to the grandfather.

"Many of Yue'er's things cannot be taken out casually. It is better to be careful." Father said to grandfather and second brother.

Fourth uncle originally wanted to ask his niece to give some good wine to the headmaster, but that plan may have been ruined.

When it came time to distribute lucky money, the elders sat down, and the four grandchildren and one granddaughter began to kowtow from oldest to youngest.

"I wish grandpa and grandma good health and good luck!" Grandpa and grandma gave two red envelopes to the eldest grandson, followed by Biyue, Tingwei and the two younger ones.

Then came my parents, my second uncle, my second aunt, and my younger uncle.

The four children went to the side to count their New Year’s money, opened the red envelopes, and shouted happily, there were so many copper coins!

Although Biyue has the body of a child, the soul of an adult in her twenties. She is not as excited as those brothers, but the atmosphere of the New Year infects her and makes her feel satisfied and happy.