Two generations of military wives compete for time

My uncle Chen Haoyu, sitting in a slowly rotating wheelchair, is enjoying the meticulous care of his entire family, with a happy smile on his face.

Military flowers, supporting the army, loving the army, strengthening the army, military swallows, and military pigeons gathered around my great-uncle grandfather, looking at the wheelchair curiously. Military pigeon said coquettishly: "Great-uncle grandfather, what kind of wheelchair is this? I want to sit in it too."

Hahahaha, everyone laughed together.

"Jun Ge, little kids have little kids' cars, and old kids have old kids' cars. They are different. You are a little kid and you cannot ride in an old kid's car." said grandma Chen Yalu.

"Grandma, it sounds like you are telling me a tongue twister," Qiangjun said. Hahaha, everyone started laughing again.

"Children, listen to me, our great uncle just came back from the hospital and needs to stay in bed to rest. Only by resting well can he recover quickly, so we can't disturb our great uncle's rest. Do you understand?" Qian Yizheng said.

Grandpa Lu Kaipu said, "Children, come with me to the restaurant and let's discuss the New Year's Eve, okay? Today is the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, which is the Little New Year. This day is regarded as the beginning of preparations for the New Year, and it carries people's good wishes for bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new, as well as welcoming good luck and fortune." Everyone followed Grandpa Lu Kaipu and walked towards the restaurant.

"According to customs and traditions, there are things to do, such as sweeping the house, making dumplings, buying New Year's goods, pasting window decorations, pasting couplets, bathing, getting a haircut, offering sacrifices to the Kitchen God, steaming flower buns, steaming rice cakes, and making new clothes.

Only if we all act together, divide the work, cooperate and work together, can we have a happy, peaceful, joyful and meaningful Spring Festival. "Grandpa Lu Kaipu said as he walked.

"Great-grandfather, I want to learn how to cut and paste window paper-cuts from great-grandmother." said Junhua.

"Okay, Han Shiyan, Junyan, Junge, Xiangxiang, are you willing to learn how to cut and paste window paper-cuts from me? This year's task of cutting window paper-cuts is heavier. I want to cut more window paper-cuts and give them to the Lu Mansion, Wang Mansion, Yang Mansion, and Kuang Mansion."

Several girls happily accepted the invitation of their grandmother Chen Yalu. Qian Yiyun said: "After get off work, I will take Maomao with me and actively join the paper-cutting work group."

Cutting and pasting window paper-cuts is a traditional activity during the Northern New Year. The patterns of window paper-cuts are diverse, such as magpie climbing a plum tree, three yangs bringing good luck and two dragons playing with a pearl, which symbolize good luck and add to the festive atmosphere.

"Great-grandfather, should the job of sweeping the dust be done by boys? Then I will sign up to join the dust-sweeping team." Yongjun asked.

"Yongjun is right. The work of sweeping the dust is best done by men. Ming Yuanhui, Li Baoguo, Qian Baogui, Yongjun, Aijun and Qiangjun, as the main force, will be responsible for a thorough cleaning of the houses in the Chen Mansion. Please raise your hands if you agree." Grandpa Lu Kaipu said.

Ming Yuanhui, Li Baoguo, Qian Baogui, support the army, love the army, and strengthen the army, all said in unison: "It is our duty." Everyone looked at each other and smiled.

"Grandpa Kuang and Grandma Huang are old. Should we go and help Grandpa Kuang sweep the dust?" Ming Yuanhui added.

"There is also Aunt Wang Min's house and Aunt Yang Ruolan's house." Yongjun said.

Ming Yuanhui, Li Baoguo, Qian Baogui, support the army, love the army, and strengthen the army, all said in unison: "Good. Dust-sweeping working group, muster up your energy, prepare for battle, and come on."

Sweeping the dust is a custom of cleaning the house, which means sweeping away the old things and welcoming the new year with peace and joy. People will thoroughly clean their houses to remove the dust accumulated over the year and welcome the new year with a clean and tidy environment.

Sister Hao Xia led Bo Xiang and Boxin, carrying a basket, and brought flower buns to the Chen residence: there were goldfish and lotus flower buns, symbolizing surplus year after year; there were cattle and sheep flower buns, symbolizing the prosperity of the five domestic animals; there were date buns for offering sacrifice to the Kitchen God, symbolizing good weather for the working people; there were wheat straw buns, symbolizing a good harvest, and so on.

Han Shiyan was so excited when she saw it that she took out her camera and kept taking pictures: "Aunt Hao Xia, how come you are so clever and skillful? It looks exactly like the real thing, even better than the real thing. It's simply amazing. It's so worth watching. The more I look at it, the more I like it."

"Shi Yan, you're too kind. We women who come from the countryside have learned how to make flower steamed buns from our grandmothers, aunts, and mothers since we were young. We are used to it. The ones I make are simple and easy to make. There are many complicated and difficult ones. If you want to take pictures, you can go to my hometown if you have a chance. There is a store that specializes in flower steamed buns. They can make all kinds of them." Sister-in-law Hao Xia explained with a smile.

Seeing Junhua and the others cutting paper-cuts, Bowen curiously approached his grandmother Chen Yalu and said, "Grandma, I want to learn how to cut paper-cuts, too."

Sister-in-law Hao Xia quickly grabbed Bowen's hand and said, "Don't make trouble, little kid. You can learn when you grow up."

Grandma Chen Yalu said: "It's okay. She is at the age when she likes to explore. Just let her learn. Children have flexible brains and learn faster than adults." Bowen jumped up happily.

Sister-in-law Hao Xia said, "Bowen, learn from grandma well and don't play around." Bowen nodded to his mother and joined the ranks of cutting paper-cuts.

"Happy New Year, Sister Hao Xia. You are so good at making flower steamed buns. Thank you." Qian Yizhen said as he and Ming Yuanhui and Li Baoguo carried the New Year's goods they had just purchased to the kitchen.

"Yizhen, why are you being so polite? My mother-in-law said that she and Chen Zhuoran have almost finished writing the couplets for the Chen Mansion, Wang Mansion, Kuang Mansion, Yang Mansion, and Lu Mansion. After they are finished, they will ask Bo Xiang and Bo Wen to deliver them to the door. Don't let old man Chen Haoyu write it this year, let him recover from his injuries." Sister-in-law Hao Xia said.

"Thank you so much. All members of our window paper-cutting working group are working hard to cut window paper-cuts for the Chen Mansion, Wang Mansion, Kuang Mansion, Yang Mansion and Lu Mansion. After they are finished, they will be delivered to your door by Military Flowers, Support the Army, Love the Army and Strengthen the Army." Grandma Chen Yalu said to sister-in-law Hao Xia.

"Grandma, look, I cut a magpie climbing a plum tree. Please give me a praise." Han Shiyan said excitedly while holding up his paper-cut work.

"Good, good, good, good." Grandma Chen Yalu was delighted when she saw Han Shiyan's smiling face.

Wang Min came to Chen's house carrying a big bag of new clothes: "Military Flowers, Support the Army, Love the Army, Strengthen the Army, Military Swallows, Military Pigeons, come here quickly, try on the new clothes your aunt bought for you to see if they fit. Qian Baogui bought you a cotton monkey, and I specially bought you a large size." The children gathered around happily.

"Children, thank your aunt and uncle quickly," Qian Yizheng reminded.

"Yizhen has good news for you. Wang Wei is coming back to celebrate the New Year. He will arrive at the railway station in the northern provincial capital at 2 p.m. on the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month. Please send a car to pick him up." Wang Min said.

"Okay, this is great news. If there are no special circumstances, I will drive to the station to pick you up myself," said Qian Yizheng.

"Yizhen, after the Spring Festival, I'm going to sign up for a driver's license test. There are still very few private cars now, so I want to keep up with the trend and buy a car. When the time comes, please help me choose a mid-range car. Yang Ruolan's luxury car is too eye-catching." Wang Min said.

"Aunt, our dust-sweeping team will go to the palace tomorrow to help you sweep the dust. Now we are officially notifying you." Yongjun said.

"Okay, all the staff in the palace warmly welcome you and express their gratitude." Wang Min said.

"Aunt, our work group for cutting and pasting window paper-cuts will bring our own window paper-cuts to the palace the day after tomorrow to paste them. Now we are officially notifying you." Junhua said.