Finally, we are going home for the New Year. This year, neither of us booked tickets with our classmates, but saved the money from buying a train ticket. The three of us drove back. Anyway, there is no charge for the expressway during the New Year, so we can spend at most some gas.

As a result, it happened to be heavy snow in the north on the road. The three of them were blocked on the highway for three days. They were hungry and cold and they wiped out all the snacks they prepared to bring back for the New Year and almost starved to death. Fortunately, the People's Liberation Army sent instant noodles.

Zi Yang and Lao Wang took the instant noodles handed over by the rescuers, and squatted on the ground with hundreds of "refugees" blocking the road, and they squatted on the ground and ate with tears in their eyes. The scene was quite spectacular. After dinner, they did not forget to be grateful, and nodded and thanked the PLA uncle for delivering noodles in the snow.

The road was finally open, but when I arrived home, it happened to be the big night. It was almost dark. Lao Wang put Zi Yang and Xiao Hei at the entrance of the village, and rushed to his own home in the next village without stopping.

Zi Yang's parents were very anxious. They read the news and said that there were still many people stuck on the road. They were surprised and happy to see their son - where did they pick up this half-baby?

Zi Yang told her parents that Xiao Hei was the younger brother of a classmate. The family had a car accident and his parents were dead. The classmate was seriously injured and was still in a coma in the hospital. There were no relatives at home, and he was only a living person. He was frightened and could not speak... Anyway, how miserable it was, he burst into tears. He said that Zi Yang's mother was serving her poor child with delicious food and drink. Zi Yang was left alone and no one cared about it, just like he was picked up.

People say that the process of expectation is the most beautiful. After returning home, Zi Yang's mood for the New Year suddenly cooled down.

As we grow older, the New Year loses its flavor. The Spring Festival Gala makes people doubt life. Only the dumplings made by my mother can still taste the long-lost New Year flavor.

At two o'clock in the morning, a few firecrackers sounded sporadically from afar. Then the sounds became more and more. After a while, the neighbors also began to set off firecrackers, and the whole night was boiling with the sound of firecrackers.

Suddenly, there was an explosion in the yard, and Zi Yang's father also set off firecrackers in the yard. Zi Yang sat on the kang, surrounding the quilt, and the earthen kang under his body was burning hot, and his butt couldn't sit still.

Xiao Hei got up at some point, wearing Zi Yang's big cotton jacket, Zi Yang's cotton gloves, Zi Yang's velvet hat, covered his ears and watched Zi Yang's father set off firecrackers, his face filled with a smile he had never seen before.

The rumbling sound exploded for an hour or two and finally stopped. Zi Yang's father hung two big red lanterns on the gate of the courtyard. The door opened wide. After a while, the New Year greetings of pedestrians gradually came from the street.

According to custom, after the firecrackers are set off in the early morning of New Year's Eve, the juniors and young people from all major families in the village will form gangs and go to the elders' homes to pay New Year's greetings and kowtows.

In the living room, Zi Yang's father had already hung up the family tree of his ancestors made of red silk cloth. The 2-meter-long red silk was densely written from top to bottom. On the table, pig heads, chickens, fish, and three animals were offered, pastries, fruits and sugar were placed in a full table. Two red and thick candles were lit up, making the hall red.

After setting off the firecrackers, Zi Yang's father shouted Zi Yang and kowtowed to his ancestors!

Dad raised the wine glass and sprinkled half a cup from left to right on the ground. He raised it and recited loudly. The ancestors blessed the elderly in the family to be healthy, the children to have a successful academic career, the crops are not sick, the disasters are great harvests, life is prosperous, everything goes well...

After giving advice to the ancestors, he should kowtow to the genealogy according to principles, but the old Li family abandoned the indecent posture of kneeling and bowing a few years ago, and instead bowing one, two, and three.

Zi Yang followed lazily and silently in his heart, bowing to bless his parents with good health and all the best.

Bow twice, I will be lucky next year and will be successful in the make-up exam.

Three bows... I don't know what to ask my ancestors for blessings, but suddenly I thought of Su Rui...

Forget it, that's all. My ancestors have received so many blessing applications and should be quite busy this year.

Xiao Hei followed Lao Li's father and bowed with his butt, with a look of piety on his face. Thinking of Xiao Hei's three bows and nine bows in the temple, Zi Yang couldn't help but feel more pity for his life experience.

When Grandpa Xiao Hei was there, he should have taken him to worship his ancestors, right? Their Iron Cavalry Army should have quite a lot of customs, but unfortunately, no one could inherit the tradition once Huangshan left.

After worshiping his ancestors, he started eating the god-giving dumplings cooked by Zi Yang's mother. Zi Yang's mother ate a few pieces of tofu in the dumplings and laughed and said repeatedly: Blessed, blessed.

Xiao Hei ate a few coins from the dumplings, and Zi Yang's father laughed: Make big money, make big money.

Zi Yang didn't eat anything. Thinking of all the things that have gone wrong this year, he lie on the kang and sulked. He looked at Xiao Hei angrily and couldn't help feeling jealous. You're making a lot of money, you're making a lot of money!!!

After eating the dumplings, Zi Yang's mother packed the table, placed vermicelli mixed with pork liver, bean sprouts and shredded pork on the coffee table, and dug a plate of pork ribs. Zi Yang's father took out a bottle of Laobai Dried, two pairs of chopsticks, and two wine cups... These were prepared for the New Year's greetings. When they came, they would always invite people to sit down and brag together with the right friendship. Although they met every day in the village, it seemed that only the New Year's Day was the real visit to relatives.

After a while, there were crowds of people at the door, and a large group of people came in to pay New Year's greetings.

Before the person arrived, a loud voice shouted in the hall, "I wish you a New Year to Grandma." Although Zi Yang's mother was only in her forties, because of her seniority, some men in her thirties and forties had to call her fourth grandma. As soon as the leader shouted, everyone in the yard also shouted loudly, "I wish you a New Year to Grandma." Most of them were teenage boys, who were young children from all families with relatively close ties.

Zi Yang's mother laughed, "Thank you, thank you."

A loud voice shouted again, "I wish you a happy New Year to Grandpa Fourth." A large group of people followed, and Zi Yang's father laughed, "No, no, no."

The leader's loud voice had already walked into the hall at this time. A man in his thirties and forties was still covered in the cold air of the night. Zi Yang's mother called someone to come and sit on the sofa.

The man saw Zi Yang lying on the kang with a tilted edge: "Hey, my uncle is back? When will I come back?"

Zi Yang pretended to be asleep with his eyes closed and studied outside all year round. His communication with the villagers became increasingly unfamiliar. Many people just had a familiar face and couldn't even call their names. In addition, the difference in seniority and age, the conversations were always awkward, so they simply pretended to be asleep. It was better to see each other than embarrassing.

Zi Yang's mother smiled and said, "I came back last night, and I almost got stuck in the road."

The middle-aged man continued to sigh, "Oh, it's not easy!"

Zi Yang's father greeted everyone, come, "Drink some wine."

"Hey, don't drink, don't drink. I just drank at xx's house in the village. I have to continue to transfer these kids, and there are still several left left. " I turned back to the hall and pointed to the genealogy and said to the younger generation, "That's who is our grandfather, who is brother to our great-grandfather, and then I studied it over and over again.

"Come on, kowtow to our ancestors together." The people in the room knelt down in a dark way.

After getting up, he said, "I'll kowtow to Grandma Four," and then the dark people in the room knelt down again. Zi Yang's mother hurried over to support her, no need to do it.

Everyone got up in turmoil, "I'll kowtow to Grandpa," and the room was dark and kneeling down again.

Zi Yang's mother held the man and refused to let him kowtow again, "Oh, why are you doing so polite? Just sit down and kowtow to me. Old man, hurry up and have some wine!" Zi Yang's father rubbed his hands beside him and laughed.

In Ziyang's hometown, New Year's greetings and visiting graves are all men's affairs, and women generally do not participate. It seems that men are superior to women. In fact, most of the families who are in charge of the family are women's families, so the people who welcome guests have become girls.

Zi Yang's father smiled on his face, waved his hand and gestured, "Come on, drink some, drink some."

The man waved his hand and said, "I really won't drink it anymore. There are several more stores in the future. We have to leave, otherwise we will not be able to transfer."

Seeing the guests off, Zi Yang's mother sat on the sofa with a smile on her face and sighed, "Xiaoluer comes every year and brings a group of young men. This family is getting more and more prosperous."

Then he looked at Zi Yang who was getting up and said, "You two don't go out for a walk. Jian Weigra from your uncle's family and Xiao Jun'er from your uncle's family go out to pay New Year's greetings every year..."

Zi Yang said, "Forget it, most people don't know each other anymore, and I don't know what to shout after I go."

Zi Yang's father also said, "That's right, our family has a high seniority, so there is no need to go out."

Zi Yang's mother said again, "The old Li family in the south of the village is the same generation as us. They are not young anymore and come to pay New Year's greetings every year. If you don't know each other, can't you go with you Jian Weigra? He leads the New Year's greetings every year."

Jianwei is the son of Zi Yang's second uncle's family, a few years older than him. Although the two families are close relatives, Zi Yang's mother had a few fights with her sister-in-law when she was young, and now she still has a grudge in her heart, so she doesn't usually walk around.

Zi Yang has been studying since he was a child. Jianweigra is about ten years older than him. After graduating from junior high school, he returned to the village to farm. The children can make soy sauce. Every time he sees Zi Yang, he calls him uncle intimately.

"Oh, I'm not familiar with them. Everyone has no common language and can't speak together."

As I spoke, there were several waves of New Year greetings at home. Sometimes there were two groups of people who met each other, and each wave had a leader. Then they also greeted each other according to seniority, and then showed off to the younger generation behind them, who is who, what is the seniority, what is your name?

When they were old, they sent their younger generations to go out to pay New Year's greetings. A few older ones would sit and chat with the host, eat a few bites of food and drink a few sips of wine.

It was almost dawn, and the New Year greetings were almost done. Some people started to set up mahjong tables at home, and a group of relatives started to gamble. Although the second master and third uncle were shouting clearly between each other, they won or lost on the gambling table, and they had a clear set of rules on the table and under the table.

The last wave of Zi Yang's family was a gray-haired old man. He was in his fifties and sixties. After sending the young men to go out for a walk, they sat on the sofa and started chatting with Zi Yang's mother.

Zi Yang's mother sighed, "Third Brother, are you still taking your children and grandchildren out for a walk at such an old age?"

The old man said, "There is no way. The young people nowadays don't understand the rules. Some people in a village can't even distinguish their seniority. I can hold on for a few more years. In a few years, I can't walk anymore, so I won't come out to relate to everyone."

Zi Yang's mother also sighed, "Yes, nowadays, children are all studying and working outside, and the rules of the older generation are no longer particular. When our family (pointing to Zi Yang lying with her mouth) comes back during the Chinese New Year, no one recognizes them, and even no one can call them."

The old man laughed and comforted Zi Yang's mother, "Now young people are more promising than us. They go out to explore and see the world. They are not like us, they will be digging mud in the ground all their lives."

"When will my eldest nephew come back? When will I go back? How old is this year? Have you brought my girlfriend back?"

Zi Yang's mother answered him one by one. When the old man left, Zi Yang's mother sighed again, "Look, the third brother is still coming out to make a move when he is old, you two..."

Zi Yang's father finally couldn't help but nagging and said to Zi Yang, "Let's go out and have a walk."

Zi Yang's mother followed behind and told, "No need to go to every family. Xieqin and Zu Mao, who are of higher seniority, often come to greet New Year's greetings. You can go and see Jianjun and Jianwei, and you can go around these close relatives of the families, don't have to talk too much, just stop and leave..."

Zi Yang and his father put on down jackets, gloves, and went out to pay New Year's greetings with flashlights.

Xiao Hei probably fell asleep in another room. In order to avoid the villagers from seeing it, he had to give some verbal explanations. Zi Yang asked him to hide inside and not be allowed to come out.

At this time, the New Year greetings are coming to an end. The streets are not as lively as before, but every household is still brightly lit, with lanterns hanging at the door, reflecting red couplets.

During the day, the sun shines the ground covered with ice and snow and makes the snow-covered ground moist and muddy. The bicycles press wheel marks on the ground. After the severe cold at night, it freezes into gullies. Zi Yang walks crookedly on the gullies.

The homes of several older generations are basically old houses. After years of baptism, the walls have been edifying by oil smoke and left traces of time, and the lights reflected have become dim.

The younger generation has a relatively new house, the home is bright and the decoration is more fashionable and modern.

Zi Yang's father basically talked to others and introduced his son. The master was generally very enthusiastic. Zi Yang couldn't remember so many generations, so he could only respond in ambiguously. Then, in front of the ancestral tablet, he bowed and bowed twice, and the master thanked him, and then sent him out.

After leaving a few houses, Zi Yang also sighed that although the appearance of his hometown has not changed much, the human atmosphere has been sublimated. The girls in several families are all dressed very fashionable, not much different from girls in big cities. Moreover, they do not wear makeup and face people with plain faces, making them look more beautiful and charming.

In this village that seems to be forgotten by modern times, this pure and beautiful scenery seems even more outstanding, which makes Zi Yang a little moved.

In front of a courtyard, Zi Yang's father stopped, the door was closed, and a trace of light seemed to be emitted from the room.

"The old village chief's home. Go in and take a look?"

This branch of the old village chief's family was a single family of three generations. The family was not very prosperous. In the generation of his son, he gave birth to two more daughters. After the old village chief passed away, the whole family was in a state of depression.

The two opened the empty door and went in. The ground was full of red and white firecrackers and paper scraps. The door of the main house was covered with lights.

Hearing someone coming in, the old village chief’s son came out: “Hey, the fourth brothers are here, come in, it’s a very cold day outside.”

"Happy New Year, happy New Year."

"Happy Chinese New Year uncle."

When I entered the main hall, I saw that the tablets were offering were similar to those in my family. The last person in the genealogy reads: 15th generation Li Hanji. This should be the old village chief.

After paying New Year's greetings, the village chief's son insisted on taking them to the inner room to sit. Compared with the lively bustle of most families, the old village chief's family had no guests, which seemed a little deserted.

My aunt was in poor health and was lying on the kang to recuperate for many years. When she heard someone coming to get up and say hello.

A girl stood on the ground. Zi Yang's eyes suddenly looked suffocating. She felt like a suffocating feeling in her heart. She was so tall, wearing a white down jacket, her crystal clear snow-skin shining with an ivory halo, and her black hair was combed into a long ponytail, which exuded fresh and natural beauty from the inside out.

"Xiaoli, call me brother - look, my two daughters are studying outside all year round, and they don't know how to say hello when they meet."

"Happy New Year, brother." The voice is as crisp as an oriole.

"Happy New Year, sister." Zi Yang's face turned red.
To be continued...