I make a living solving crimes.

It started raining while we were eating the New Year’s Eve dinner.

There is less snow and less rain this winter. Because it is winter, it is not enough to pour down rain, but only sprinkled down in wisps like spider silk.

The rain was so fine that you couldn't see it until the sound of it dripping down the green tiles from the eaves reminded you that it was coming.

It accumulated into beads on the tiles, then was pulled into lines and dripped down, hitting the bluestone slabs in the yard, splashing a few petals and then merging into the accumulated water, reflecting the light from the house for a very short moment.

Grandpa Chang put down his wine glass, looked at the dampness rising outside the window, and sighed heavily: "It would be great if this was snow."

Auspicious snow indicates a good harvest. If there is a heavy snow on the night of New Year’s Eve, it will be a joy.

Unfortunately, there is very little rain and snow this year. Although the old man does not farm, he has lived in the countryside all his life and naturally understands what this means.

I'm afraid there will be a severe drought next year.

The most important thing is that the food in the big pot has been eaten up.

That’s why Chang Wei said, the warehouse is empty and the well is empty.

"I gave Uncle Thirteen a bag of food during the day, and I will go back before I leave after the New Year."

Grandpa Chang shook his head and said, "We can only help in times of emergency, not in times of poverty. We'll talk about it when we can no longer survive."

Uncle Thirteen's father and Grandpa Chang are both the old lady's sons, and are ranked fifth or sixth in the family. Well, Grandpa Chang is also the sixth.

Even though he was his own nephew, the old man did not ask Chang Wei to help him endlessly.

The old lady didn't say anything.

As long as her son is around, she doesn't interfere in the affairs of the family. When she gets old, she shouldn't complain and just enjoy her life peacefully.

Whether to help or not, or how to help, my son will naturally handle it.

When the New Year’s Eve dinner was almost over, the phone rang.

It was Fan Tuaner who called and asked Chang Wei to wish a happy new year to the elders at home on his behalf.

In the end, she did not mention what happened on the second day of the Lunar New Year.

Girls have to save face after all.

Besides, she's really not in a hurry.

The most important thing is that she knew that Chang Wei cared about his family very much. Because he was going south after the Chinese New Year, he didn't even arrange to be on duty in order to spend more time with his family.

Fan’s mother said that a good man is one who loves his family.

When he said this, his eyes drifted towards Fan's father with a warning.

Mr. Fan, who stayed in the military camp six days a week, had a bitter face and dared not say a word.

This phone call seemed to start the New Year greetings mode, and then calls came one after another.

They were all old acquaintances from the Dragon Group or the Beijing Public Security System. Even Ji Xiaowang called from Tianjin and said he would return to the team on the fourth day of the New Year.

Wu Jimao said that in order to make this phone call, he walked six miles, stuffed three packs of cigarettes into his pocket, and finally asked someone in the commune to find the telephone.

Chang Wei expressed his gratitude and cursed "idiot" after hanging up the phone.

He was not being tactful in taking credit for his achievements and said it so directly.

Do you still want me to reimburse you?

Sitting in front of the phone answering one call after another, he inexplicably thought of his past life.

At that time, he was still in high school, and programmable telephones had just been introduced. His family spent 2,800 yuan in initial installation fees to buy a quota. On New Year's Eve, they would call each other to wish each other a happy new year.

Later, as mobile phones became more popular, people didn’t want to make phone calls anymore and just sent group text messages.

The Internet has shortened distances, but it also seems to have distanced people from each other.

When the phone stopped ringing, Yang Min and Chang Da had already cleaned up the kitchen. The family sat at the 8-immortal table, eating melon seeds and peeling peanuts. After Chang Long hinted many times, they finally started the popular part - giving the girl change.

This time you have to pay New Year's greetings before receiving the New Year's money.

Although Chang Wei is the pillar of the family, he is not married and is not even eighteen years old, so he still has his share, and as the eldest grandson of the eldest son, he is the first.

When it was almost Chang Long's turn, she rolled her eyes, ran to the kitchen, got an old enamel basin and put it on the ground.

He kowtowed so hard that the earth shook.

The old lady and Grandma Chang were both delighted.

After getting the lucky money, she opened it and took a look, then carefully put it into her pocket. She drove around Chang Wei, blinking her big eyes and sending out Morse code - money!

In the past, my eldest brother would share his New Year’s money with Chang Tian and Chang Long. Now that he is working and earning money, he should give more.

Chang Wei was well prepared and took out a thick stack of red envelopes from his pocket.

He gave it to the old lady and grandparents first.

The elderly can also use it to relax themselves.

Then came my mother and Chang Da, followed by my younger brothers and sisters. As for Chang Xiaoman, she had no concept of money and was just joining in the fun.

Chang Wei got more than 30,000 yuan from Lou Hongyang. Now he is rich as hell and all his deals are in the form of Big Black Ten.

When it was almost Chang Long's turn, he paused, took out a specially prepared red envelope from his pocket, and solemnly placed it in Chang Long's palm, "This is a token of my heart, big brother."

Ordinary red envelopes are made of red paper, but the one given to Chang Long was actually a red purse, and it looked heavy.

The little girl took it, squeezed it, and shook it. She heard the sound of metal colliding inside and laughed so hard that her eyebrows and eyes were invisible.

When I opened it, there were one-cent and two-cent coins inside, and occasionally some five-cent coins, which added up to exactly eighty cents.

The girl unceremoniously poured the eight cents into the purse of her cotton coat, raised her head and said, "I've accepted the money, you can take the gift back."

Chang Wei was so angry that he laughed. He asked curiously, "Don't you think it's too little?"

"If there's more, it's not mine." Chang Long said as a matter of course: "Just wait and see. Second brother will have to give the money to mom tomorrow morning. She will definitely say, I'll save it for you and give it to you when you grow up."

After that, she asked, "Brother, has your mother returned all the New Year's money you received as a child?"

Chang Wei said nothing and gave the little girl a thumbs up.

Grandpa Chang came over with a pipe in his hand, "Xiao Wei, come here and talk to Grandpa."

"Okay." Chang Wei went over to him, "Grandpa, what's the matter?"

The old man took a few puffs of his pipe and said in a deep voice, "Go back and find the people from the street office to see if they can open a door on the east side of the wall. From now on, people won't have to go in and out of the house through the yard."

Chang Wei frowned and asked, "Is it that someone in the courtyard is gossiping about this?"

The old man shook his head. "Who dares to gossip about you behind your back now? Not to mention that you are the director, even if it happened before the New Year, there were many people protecting you."

Chang Wei's reputation reached its peak years ago.

In the past, people in Gulou called him "Youhu", which just meant that he was young.

Now, my family has a child who is growing up. I hope he can be as free as the wind.

Countless families treat him as their own son and will not tolerate anyone saying a word against him.

"Then what are you doing?"

"There are many troublemakers in this courtyard, and some of the uncles are not easy to deal with. They wanted me to come out and seek justice several times, but I rejected them all. You will be away on a business trip for half a year soon. I plan to close the door and let the children go to school through the side door."

"Then did the elder sister come from the front yard and walk around outside?"

"Well, and now that you're married, you should just live a good life and respect your elders. Why do you always go back to your parents' home?"

The old man had lived a life of clarity and insight, so Chang Wei naturally would not refute what he said.

There is a dead end alley to the east of Yard No. 95, and the end of the alley is outside the courtyard. In the future, the three uncles will fence off this place to store the garbage they pick up.