Rebirth 2004: I can make money by writing.

The next morning,

The village was gently shrouded in a layer of light morning mist, like an ink painting.

The sunlight shines through the clouds and through the morning mist, casting a warm and soft light, coating the fields, houses and trees with a faint golden hue.

Last night, Hao Qiang did not write anything. He took a rare opportunity to relax. After drinking, he took a shower, called Han Qingying and Qiu Yuqing in turn, and then drove the car into the yard. He took the New Year's goods out of the car and emptied the car.

His mother was afraid that the car would be deliberately scratched if it was parked outside, so she asked him to park in the yard as much as possible.

The walls of the house have been raised and the tops of the walls have been protected, so it is not easy for thieves to climb in.

At around six or seven o'clock, Hao Qiang woke up naturally when he smelled the fresh scent of earth and the fragrance of flowers and plants in the air.

Occasionally, the calls of poultry can be heard in the yard, and a few crisp bird calls can be heard from behind the building, accompanied by the rustling of leaves in the breeze. These sounds are intertwined together, like a wonderful natural symphony, which makes people feel relaxed and happy.

It’s great to sleep at home. The room is spacious, the floor is high, and it is ventilated from north to south, so the air flows smoothly. When you wake up the next day, you feel full of energy.

Hao Qiang got up, rinsed his mouth and had breakfast. The breakfast was the lean meat porridge cooked last night. It had a soft texture and tasted even more delicious after adding some chopped green onions.

"Son, tomorrow is New Year's Eve. Today is market day in town. Do you want to go to town and take a look?

Your aunt and I will go to town to buy some New Year's goods. We need to buy fireworks, rice dumplings, pork belly..." Liu Fengqing sat aside, leisurely making a shopping list. There were quite a few New Year's goods to buy.

Every two days, their town has a market day.

There are no market centers in the rural areas where they live; all trading activities are concentrated in the town streets.

Hualong Village is only three or four kilometers away from the town. If you have a car, it only takes seven or eight hours to drive there.

There are 14 natural villages in the town with a population of about 50,000.

A few years later, after merging with the neighboring town, the town's population exceeded 100,000.

However, with the advancement of urbanization, many people who went out to study chose to stay in the city and no longer return to the countryside, and their household registration was also transferred to their place of work.

At the same time, some families with better economic conditions also purchased properties in the city and moved their household registration out.

By 2020, the town's registered population had dropped to more than 70,000.

During the Chinese New Year, those who have purchased property in cities and towns usually return to their hometowns to celebrate the New Year. On market days, the lively atmosphere in the town remains unabated, filled with a strong sense of the New Year and local flavor.

"Mom, how many rice dumplings should our family make this year?" Hao Qiang asked casually while enjoying breakfast.

The rice dumplings in my hometown are huge in size and square in shape. Each dumpling is stuffed with about half a pound of glutinous rice, two or three taels of peeled mung beans, two or three taels of pork belly and other rich fillings.

This kind of rice dumplings needs to be cooked for seven or eight hours.

After being cooked, a zongzi can weigh up to one or two kilograms, which is enough to become the staple food of a family and meet the needs of a meal.

Unlike the New Year customs in many provinces, Hao Qiang's hometown is not keen on making dumplings or eating wontons.

On the contrary, big rice dumplings play a vital role here.

Locals are not used to making bacon. Due to climate issues, there are often humid days, which makes it easy for it to become moldy.

The customs in Hao Qiang's hometown are completely different from the New Year's customs in the north. Similarly, northerners may also feel unfamiliar with these southern traditions.

"We'll probably make about twenty. There was a funeral at your grandmother's house last year, so we can't make rice dumplings for three years. We want to send a few over," my mother explained.

"Oh."

Hao Qiang nodded to show his understanding. In their place, two gifts are usually prepared when visiting relatives during the Chinese New Year: one is chicken and duck, and the other is two big rice dumplings.

There is a special rule when sending zongzi: if there is a funeral in the family, then zongzi cannot be made within three years, and in the first year, other relatives and friends cannot send zongzi either.

"I'll go buy some fireworks and firecrackers and drive you and my aunt there. There are so many New Year's goods, it will be inconvenient for you to carry them back." Hao Qiang said.

The custom here is that before New Year's Eve, they have to burn incense and worship Buddha in front of the village temple and their own incense table, and in the early morning they have to perform the ceremony of burning incense and worshiping Buddha again at home, and every household has to set off firecrackers.

Although these procedures are somewhat cumbersome, they allow local people to remember their ancestors and traditions. Even if they earn a lot of money away from home, they will still follow these customs when they return to their rural homes.

Hao Qiang believes that this tradition is very meaningful. Going back to his hometown every year to burn incense and worship Buddha can not only remind him of his ancestors but also keep in touch with his brothers and sisters of the same generation.

Otherwise, without such opportunities, there may be no interaction between the younger generations, and over time, they may forget their ancestors and traditions.

"Yeah, I think so too." Liu Fengqing showed a relieved smile. She had been worried that her son would be lazy and stay at home all day and not want to go out.

If you have a car at home, it will be very convenient during the Chinese New Year.

The weather is still a bit cold today, and it would be uncomfortable to ride a bike.

After a while, his aunt came to his house. When she heard that Hao Qiang was going to drive away, she was very happy and turned around to go home and call her son.

Around eight o'clock, Hao Qiang drove his car and took his mother, cousin and aunt to the town.

It was my aunt’s first time riding in a luxury car. She was amazed at the interior decoration and even after sitting in it, she was too embarrassed to lean back on the seat.

On the way, I met many people from the same village who were on the road, and they looked at the Porsche driving smoothly on the road with envy.

A few minutes later, the car arrived in town.

The town is not big, with only two streets, less than one kilometer in total length.

At a glance, you can see a surging crowd of people, shoulder to shoulder. It is estimated that there are more than ten thousand people coming to the market today.

Young people who work outside take advantage of the Spring Festival to return home and flock to the streets to enjoy this rare lively atmosphere.

The streets are lined with stalls, and farmers bring out their own specialties, waiting expectantly for customers to choose.

Hao Qiang's Porsche stood out on this busy street, instantly attracting people's attention and discussion.

"Who's that handsome guy driving the car?"

"Wow, it's a Porsche! The license plate is from Yuecheng, and the handsome guy driving the car must be Hao Qiang!" The young man who worked outside recognized the car and saw Hao Qiang in the driver's seat through the window.

"That's awesome! A million-dollar car and a mobile villa. He's really made a fortune."

There were so many people going to the market that the car could only move slowly, but we still tried to park it near the downtown area.

There are a lot of New Year's goods to buy, so they need to be transported in batches, so that they don't have to walk too far.

When the car was almost reaching the center of the town, Hao Qiang saw that the crowd ahead was so crowded that he could hardly drive forward.

He had no choice but to stop the car in an open space, open the back door, and let his mother and aunt get out.

"There are so many people!" Hao Jian exclaimed after getting off the bus.

"Come buy New Year's goods early! Tomorrow isn't market day. It's New Year's Eve, and everyone's busy preparing the New Year's Eve dinner. Who has time to come out?" said my aunt. "Having a car is much more convenient. Aqiang's car is so comfortable to sit in."

After Hao Qiang got off the car, the people around him looked at him.

A young man greeted him: "The big boss of Yuecheng is back, is that Hao Qiang?"

Hao Qiang saw someone waving and greeting him, and he smiled and nodded in response.

When the people around saw Hao Qiang nod in acknowledgment, their enthusiasm was instantly ignited and there was more discussion.

"Oh, it's really him, tall and handsome, so elegant."

"He makes millions of yuan a month. He might even be the richest man in the county. And he's a graduate of a prestigious university. He's awesome."

"Boss, are you hiring? Can I hang out with you?"

……

Liu Fengqing never thought that her son would attract the attention and welcome of the people around him when he went out on the street, and she felt particularly proud.

"Brother Qiang, you are so popular, just like a star." Hao Jian, who is over 1.7 meters tall, put his arm around Hao Qiang's shoulders and walked together, following behind the two elders as a delivery boy.

My aunt turned around and praised him, "Aqiang is a famous person now. Even the leaders in the town are not as popular as him."