Affection for Sidaogou during the Famine

"After a busy year, this year's New Year is the least festive! Listen, there are fewer people setting off firecrackers on the streets this year.

We didn't put up couplets at home because we were in mourning, and many other families didn't put up couplets either. When I went out today, it was really deserted!

Now they are calling for the elimination of feudal superstitions and forbidding the practice of offering tributes to ancestors. Wait until midnight when everyone is asleep and there is no one outside, find a secluded place, and burn the ingots of paper money that I secretly folded for your parents."

Han Zhaozhao was eating melon seeds while chatting with the old lady. "Yeah, I remember this! I'll sleep in late tomorrow morning, and we won't go to the cafeteria to eat on the first day of the new year. There's nothing good to eat anyway.

Nai, think about it, during the Great Leap Forward and the Steel Production Campaign, many firecracker factories were closed down, and there were no firecrackers to sell, so of course there were few to buy.

What's more, in our capital city, technical backbones were drawn from all over the country to work on the projects. No one stopped working during the Chinese New Year and had the New Year's Eve dinner at the construction site.

As Beijing citizens, we can still stay at home and spend the New Year peacefully. Aren't we better off than those technical backbones from other provinces who have come to support us far away from home?

In this situation, who cares about the New Year atmosphere? Besides, as for the food in the cafeteria, it is very good to find a way to provide everyone with fish and buns, which can be regarded as the New Year atmosphere.

Nothing is more important than rushing the work! Didn’t they say that everything must be completed and put into use before National Day?

Leaders at all levels are under great pressure. This is a political task! If we fail to complete it, how can we present a gift to the National Day? The people of the whole country are watching!"

Compared to other families, the Han family had a lively New Year. The third son and the Niu brothers and sisters all came to chat and stay up with the grandparents and grandchildren.

In Niu Xiaoyun's words, they just wanted the Han family to have more snacks.

Persimmons, soft dates, and walnuts were all brought back from the mountains and dried by themselves. As for peanuts and melon seeds, the Han family built an oven and roasted them themselves using the land they had reclaimed and grown.

Compared to other families where there is nothing, it is much better for the whole family to just sit there and stare at each other.

"Without an iron pot, everything is inconvenient! The peanuts we shared were eaten raw by my dad." Niu Xiaoyun was eating roasted peanuts and cracking melon seeds, and was very disappointed with this New Year.

Even if several families shared the food, they had no pots to cook. It was so frustrating!

"Hehe, my dad said that the higher-ups are holding a meeting to discuss that after the Chinese New Year, the canteen might be shut down. Then, we can cook for ourselves.

By the way, when can we go and squeeze the soybeans for oil? I’m fed up with the cooking water in the cafeteria that has no oil or salt.”

Han Zhaozhao: "Why are you in such a hurry? Wait until the canteen is really disbanded. Now that the Great Steelmaking Movement is over, do you think we can go buy a pot?"

"I think it's okay. No one is eyeing other people's ironware anymore, so it should be safe to buy a pot now." The old lady has been feeling anxious for a while.

If you don't have a pot to cook, no matter how many ingredients you have, you can't use them. You can't even steam a steamed bun, let alone stir-fry a dish or cook a hot pot of noodles.

It is very depressing for a housewife who spends all day around the stove to have inadequate kitchen equipment.

There was only one clay pot left in their house, and they had been eating only stews and porridge this winter.

“I think it’s okay. This big cafeteria is like a rabbit’s tail—it can’t grow long.

Once it is disbanded, every household will be in urgent need of iron pans, and it might be a good time to buy one now."

Niu Xiaolian felt it was ridiculous. "A good iron pot turned into a slag lump, and I have to spend another seven or eight yuan to buy another one. What's going on?"

Xiao Sanzi said, "Sell the sorghum straw and buy hay - the more you mess around, the shorter it gets! What's the problem? Just let the whole nation work together!"

"Stop talking nonsense!"

"What are you talking about!"

"Oh my, that's not something you can say casually!"

Everyone present was shocked by him and tried to stop him.

Han Zhaozhao also said to Xiao Sanzi with a stern face: "Misfortune comes from the mouth, haven't you learned this saying?

Qian Xiaosan, don't make trouble during the New Year. Are you jealous of others parading with placards? "

Xiao Sanzi's face turned pale, and he realized that he had lost control of his mouth and had said something out of turn again.

Niu Xiaomin also advised, "Sanzi, you have to change your temper in the future and think twice before speaking.

After the New Year, we are one year older. We are not children anymore. If we say we are ignorant, no one will believe us.

If things get out of hand, it will implicate the family! Grandpa Guan is right, we should be careful in thinking, speaking and acting!"

"It's okay, right? I'm just talking at home. I don't talk much outside." Xiao Sanzi explained embarrassedly.

The old lady said meaningfully: "Child, the only thing to worry about is that habits become second nature!"

Everyone was silent.

The atmosphere is too tense, and the New Year's Day is a bit depressing.

Han Zhaozhao changed the subject, "Did your family get a portrait of the Chairman this year? Look, our family got the biggest one."

Niu Xiaoyun continued, "We also have one, but it's not as big as the one you have.

Not to mention, standing at the door and taking a quick look, it looks exactly like the real person. This portrait is so lifelike!"

"Haha, this is printed in color, how can it not look like it?..."

The New Year's atmosphere was very depressing and after a short while, everyone left early!

After midnight, the outside gradually fell silent. Han Zhaozhao went out alone, carrying a basket and a flashlight, like a ghost.

She thought there was no one on the street, but when she stepped onto the street, she was stunned. There were clusters of fires from the beginning to the end of the street.

No one spoke, and everyone stood a few steps apart. They drew a circle with a gap on the ground with a wooden stick and silently lit the paper ingots.

The firelight could not illuminate people's faces, and almost everyone wore a hat to cover their faces. It burned out quickly, the ashes went out, and they turned around and left.

Fortunately, Han Zhaozhao was a brave man, otherwise he would have been frightened. The bright and dim firelight made the faces of the people flicker, as if in another world.

Hey! It's a bit spooky!

Han Zhaozhao quickly burned the paper, scattered the ashes, picked up the basket and left. He didn't dare to run, for fear of making a noise.

Following the pace of a race walker, he quickly returned home and locked the door.

"Zhao Zhao, are you okay?" The old lady went to bed but couldn't sleep and kept waiting for her to come back.

"It's okay, grandma. Other families have gone to burn paper too. There are a lot of people on the street! You can go to sleep without worry!"

On the morning of the first day of the New Year, there were a lot of children coming to pay New Year's greetings, almost all the children in the entire alley came.

The old lady was very happy and generously gave each child New Year's money. It wasn't much, just five cents per person! In addition, each child's pocket was stuffed with peanuts, melon seeds, dried sweet potatoes, and this year there was an extra handful of soft dates.

"I told you! It's definitely worthwhile to come to Grandma Han's house to pay New Year's greetings. She keeps the sunflower seeds she grows in her garden for us to eat every year during the New Year."

"Hehe, this year is even better! There are more soft dates, which must be what Sister Zhaozhao brought back from the mountain.

Cui Chezi held his pockets tightly with both hands, fearing that the delicious food would fall out if he ran too fast. "My mother said that Grandma Han loves children, and if she doesn't eat it herself, she will leave it for us."

Little Qingzhu couldn't stop laughing, "I like Grandma Han and Sister Zhaozhao too. When I grow up, I will give them the delicious food!"

No matter what era, it is the happy children who look forward to the New Year.