Dayong slept for a long time. Both children woke up. His snoring had not stopped. Wang Ying stood in the yard, squinting at the sun. The orange sunset stretched her shadow very long.

The days are short in winter, and it will be dark if you don't wake up.

Dayong said, if you don’t stay at your parents’ house at night, you still have to do New Year’s shopping. You know you need to do New Year’s shopping, but you still fall asleep? It’s true for several brothers in the family. They know clearly that the New Year is coming, so they can’t just prepare something? This is what they do

They are back. If they don’t come back, will the New Year be over?

Wang Ying slapped Shi Dayong's butt twice: "Dayong, Dayong, what time is it? You're not going home today, are you?"

The snoring stopped, Shi Dayong turned over and muttered dissatisfiedly: "Ask me to sleep a little longer."

"Still sleeping, still sleeping! Look at the sky, are you still going shopping?"

Speaking of shopping, Shi Dayong woke up completely. Yes, there were still so many things to do, but he couldn't sleep anymore. He turned over and started to do it, drooping his head to wake up from his nap, then rubbed his face with his hands, and turned over

bed.

Wang Youyuan woke up early and continued to write his couplets at the table. Hearing Shi Dayong's voice, he raised his head and glanced: "Aren't you going to sleep anymore?"

"I won't sleep anymore, there are too many things to do." Shi Dayong put on his shoes and said goodbye to his father-in-law: "Dad, we have to leave. We will come back after the New Year."

Huh? In previous years, I stayed at my parents’ house and didn’t go home until the New Year’s Eve. What happened this year? Why did I leave so early? “You’re not staying at home today?” Wang Youyuan asked.

"I can't live anymore. I haven't bought anything at home. Tomorrow will be the New Year's Eve. If you don't buy it, you won't be able to buy anything." Shi Dayong helped An An put on her big coat and wrapped a scarf around her face, revealing a pair of big round eyes.

.

After not seeing each other for a year, Xiuzhi couldn't bear to leave after just a short visit. She discussed with Shi Dayong: "Why don't you let Yingzi and the three of you stay at home for a while? You can pick her up tomorrow so that it won't delay your Chinese New Year?"

Wang Ying didn't want to leave. In her mother's family, she was a little princess. In her husband's family, she was the boss of the girls. Not only did she take good care of her children, she also had to cook for the whole family. What was even more annoying was that the family had finished their meal.

, pushed the bowl on the table, and didn't even help you clear the bowl. No one cared whether you were busy or not, and no one even asked you whether you, the cook, had eaten, or whether you were hungry?

Wang Ying looked at Shi Dayong pitifully: "How about you pick me up tomorrow?"

Shi Dayong could see Wang Ying's intention. He also knew that he felt sorry for his wife. Since Yingzi didn't want to leave, he would just stay for one night. At worst, he would have to make another trip tomorrow. The journey was not too far anyway.

When I was going home, I passed by the town. Although the town was not big, there were a lot of things for sale. Shi Dayong walked around and his hands were full of food and drink.

, the sun has already set in the western mountains, the dusk is dim, gray stove smoke is on the roof, the trees are slightly floating, it is dinner time, Shi Dayong speeds up and rushes home.

When we entered the village, there were already people squatting on the threshold holding sea bowls to eat, taking a few sips before chewing pickles, and then looking up and around for a while.

I knew this man, and his surname was Shi. According to his seniority, Shi Dayong had to call his second uncle: "Uncle, it's time for soup!" Shi Dayong was the first to say hello.

"Well, have you drunk it?" the second uncle replied, lowering his head and taking a sip along the edge of the bowl. They are all fellow villagers, and they always say this when they meet at this time. After one mouthful of food, he realized that the person coming was Shi Dayong.

, he stood up quickly: "Hey, Dayong, have you just arrived home? Is your mother's family here?"

"My mother is back too, we arrived yesterday." Shi Dayong was tired after leaving for a while. He put the things in his hands at his feet, took out a cigarette from his pocket and handed one to her.

The second uncle waved his chopsticks: "Come eat, don't smoke anymore, you can eat it, don't eat it together, just eat it together."

"No, I'm not hungry yet. I just came back from my father-in-law's house." Shi Dayong put the cigarette in the corner of his mouth, blocked the wind with his clothes and struck a match.

The second uncle looked at the things around Shi Dayong, and his eyes shone with envy: "Why did you buy these things? Can they be eaten?"

"Not much, we don't have anything at home. Second uncle, what do you like to eat? How about you take two to go?" Shi Dayong knelt down and rummaged through the things at hand.

"No, no, no, no, I don't need anything. I bought a lot of things for the Chinese New Year." I am envious, how can I ask for other people's things casually? The second uncle hurriedly put the bowl aside and pressed Shi Dayong's hand.

hand.

After giving in for a moment, Shi Dayong saw that his second uncle really didn't want it, so he was no longer polite. The two exchanged a few words, and Shi Dayong took the things and went home.

Ruicheng's family came back in the afternoon. When Xiaolan saw her grandma back, she happily threw herself into Sun Xiufang's arms: "Grandma, grandma, you won't come back until you are old. I miss you."

This child's pain was not in vain. He hadn't seen her for a long time and he still knew how to kiss her. Sun Xiufang was very pleased, and the wrinkles on her smiling face twisted into a chrysanthemum: "My dear, grandma misses you too."

Strange to say, to the old woman, all daughters-in-law are the same, no matter how far they are, maybe because He Xiaoxia is the first daughter-in-law to marry into her family, Xiaolan is her first grandchild, and Sun Xiufang is very fond of Ruicheng.

My daughter-in-law is better than Dayong's wife, and she loves my granddaughter Xiaolan more than the other granddaughters in Dayong's family.

The eldest brother comes back every year to celebrate the New Year, and he will definitely come back this year. Ruicheng calculated that his mother and his eldest brother would be home in the next two days. Sure enough, as soon as he entered the door, he saw his mother busy. He put aside the gift Xiaolan returned and said to himself

He walked to the panel and looked at the flower buns made by his mother: "Mom, you are back. Where is my eldest brother?"

"He's going to his father-in-law's house." The Chinese New Year steamed buns at home haven't been steamed yet. Sun Xiufang made the noodles in the morning. Now the noodles are boiling. She steamed several fish noodles and made several noodles. She didn't know.

She dug out some red dates from somewhere and made some large-flowered date steamed buns.

She was busy with her hands and feet this day, counting so many things that she had not yet prepared. The vegetables that should be fried had not yet been fried, and the dumpling fillings had not been chopped. Dayong said that he came back from shopping in the afternoon, and he still didn’t know what he bought?

"Mom, I'll do it, you take a break." He Xiaoxia cleaned her hands and started to help knead the dough.

"Don't get involved." The daughter-in-law came back, so she was helpful. Sun Xiufang breathed a sigh of relief and said, "There are radishes at home, but not potatoes. If you have them, wash them first and cut them into thin strips."

, let’s fry the meatballs, how old are they? Why haven’t you prepared anything for the Chinese New Year?”

"Yes, yes, there are a lot of radishes planted in the vegetable garden. This year's radish harvest is good, but they are all buried in the soil for fear of chaff. I will dig them out right now." Speaking of this, He Xiaoxia was a little embarrassed. She and Ruicheng

After discussing it, we were thinking about whether it was time to buy things for the Chinese New Year, but Ruicheng refused to let him buy it. Ruicheng said that his eldest brother and the others would definitely come to celebrate the New Year, and he would ask him to buy it when he came back. He was working outside and had some in his hands.

Money, we who have been working hard to save some money, how can we not spend it?

He Xiaoxia went to prepare the ingredients for the croquettes, and Sun Xiufang steamed the steamed buns in her spare time. This was the only stove in the house that she used for frying, frying, and boiling water for cooking.

According to the proportions of previous years, He Xiaoxia washed a large pot of radish, cut it into thin strips, chopped some green onions and ginger into it, and was reluctant to put in pure white noodles. She added some miscellaneous noodles, salt, and pepper noodles to mix well, poured cottonseed oil into the pot, and her mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

Two started croquettes.

The fragrance of the radish balls gradually overflowed. The sons, who were busy with their own affairs, began to gather involuntarily towards the oil pan like ants attracted by honey. You pinch one to taste, and I pinch one to taste. First

The pot meatball disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Sun Xiufang chased her sons out: "Let's all go, let's go. This fried food can't keep up with Xun's eating speed. If we continue to eat like this, when will we be able to eat enough?"

When Shi Dayong came back with his bags packed, under the bright lights, the family was bustling with people coming and going. This was the atmosphere that the Chinese New Year should have. A smile appeared on his face unconsciously and he shouted: "Come and pick me up quickly."

Pick me up!" As soon as he finished speaking, Rui Quan ran out: "Brother, what did you buy all these things for?"

Ruicheng followed his brother and came to take the things from Dayong's hand: "Brother, how can I buy some money?"

"Hey, brother, are you back?"

Ruicheng looked behind Shi Dayong but saw no one: "Brother, where are my sister-in-law and nieces?"

"The children's mother-in-law wants to keep them overnight and asked me to pick them up tomorrow."

"Uncle!" Xiaolan ran out of the kitchen with a glossy mouth and raised her little face and shouted loudly, "Uncle."

Dayong squatted down and opened his arms: "Hey, Xiaolan, come and let me hug you."

Xiaolan threw herself into Dayong's arms, hugged Dayong's neck, and looked behind Shi Dayong. She didn't see the little figure she expected, and couldn't help but feel a little disappointed: "Uncle, where is my sister?"

"Sister, I'm coming home tomorrow, and I have a little sister to play with you, okay?"

"Oh, two sisters? Uncle, isn't he a younger brother?" When Shi Dayong came to pick up Shi Youtian, he told everyone that Yingzi was pregnant. Everyone thought it was a boy. When Rui Quan got home, he said to Xiaolan: "You

Auntie has a little brother in her belly." Xiaolan remembered it in her heart at that time.

He Xiaoxia put the meatballs into the pot and came out to say hello with both hands full: "Brother, you are back. Where is your sister-in-law?"

"She's at her parents' house. I'll pick her up tomorrow."

When Sun Xiufang heard that Wang Ying did not come back, she felt very dissatisfied and muttered: "How busy is the family? She would be lazy and hide at her parents' house without coming back."

She mumbled loudly, deliberately letting Shi Dayong hear her. Shi Dayong pretended not to hear her, and walked into the house holding Xiaolan in his arms.

Rui Quan was sorting out the things Shi Dayong had bought. He had a piece of candy in his mouth and said with emotion that it would be great if his eldest brother came back. Now he had everything. When he saw his eldest brother coming over with Xiaolan in his arms, he hurriedly filled Xiaolan with an orange segment.

Mouth: "Xiaolan, eat some candy."

After saying that, he knelt down and put aside the chicken, fish, meat and eggs, put a piece of melon seeds and pear sugar, and put the vegetables together. I was sorting them out when I suddenly found Ergua pig in the water. This thing is good. It is stewed with pepper and aniseed and soy sauce. Don’t mention it.

It's so fragrant. It's the pig intestines inside. It's too troublesome to clean up the pork belly, but it doesn't matter. If you want to eat it, why worry about the trouble?

Thinking of the fragrant smell of meat, Rui Quan's mouth watered. He didn't tidy up other things. He poured the pig meat into a large vegetable basin and started to tidy it up. As he tidied it up, he thought happily: After finishing the meal, let's stew it on low heat.
Chapter completed!