There were four more people, Aunt Song and Ye Fang, Lu Jing, who had grown up during the New Year. A large round table was filled with people, eating the hot pot that Song Qiu mentioned that no one had ever eaten before, dipped in spicy sauce and peanut butter, and everyone ate
Feeling comfortable all over.
The servants also gathered around the table to eat the hot pot. It was always hot from the table to the table, and no matter how long it took, it never got cold.
The reunion dinner started in the middle of the afternoon and lasted until nightfall.
The people below were busy cleaning up, while Song Qiu and others were sitting in the hall drinking tea, cracking melon seeds and eating fruits.
A curtain was hung on the door of the hall to block the cold wind outside, and a charcoal pot was placed inside. It was so hot that I only wore a small coat and didn't feel cold at all.
Old Yuan and Sister Song sat on the Arhat chairs at the top, one on the left and the other on the right. Below, on the left and right, Song Qiu'aling, six, sat three on each side.
Looking at the children below, Mrs. Yuan smiled and narrowed her eyes, took out the New Year's bag that she had prepared long ago, and waved to everyone to come up and receive the New Year's money.
Aunt Song had also been prepared. She had no descendants in her life and had saved a lot of money. She came here to recuperate old Yuan's health, but it was also to provide for her old age, and she also received monthly payments. There was nothing she could do.
use.
Looking at these juniors, especially Song Qiu, she regarded her as her own junior from the bottom of her heart. She had already planned in her heart that she would die of old age here, and in the future, all the things in her hands would be left to her.
Song Qiu and Aling are two girls.
Song Qiu took the lead, and everyone came forward one by one to wish them a happy New Year. May the two elders have the same success every year, and may the pines and cypresses stay green forever.
Then each person received two thick New Year's packages.
Everyone was talking and laughing, and it was a lively gathering.
After a while, the chief butler Du Chuanfu came with all the people in the house to kowtow to the old lady and the two girls and pay New Year greetings.
Song Qiu asked Lan Yi to bring up the red envelopes that had been prepared long ago. Everyone had them all.
This is the first year spent in this new house. All the lanterns are lit and will not be extinguished all night long. Song Qiu also asked Du Chuanfucai to buy a lot of fireworks and set them off in the spacious garden.
Fireworks shot up into the sky, and the whole Songshan Village became lively.
Thousands of houses were lit with lights, and at midnight, Du Chuanfu and his people set off firecrackers. Other houses in Songshan Village also set off firecrackers one after another. The sound of firecrackers was so loud that it shook the sky.
It's the beginning of another new year.
After eating a few glutinous rice balls, everyone went to rest except those who had to stay up all night to watch the lights.
Song Qiu slept with Mr. Yuan, and the grandfather and grandson lay on one side, so close that they could breathe within easy reach.
Old Yuan had already yawned a few times. Now he washed up and lay on the bed, but couldn't fall asleep for a while.
"Aqiu, are you asleep?"
"Not yet, milk, what's wrong?"
"It's okay, I just can't sleep and I want to talk to you."
When Song Qiu heard this, he simply wrapped himself in a quilt and sat up. He took out the fire stick placed under his pillow and blew it on.
"Nai, what do you want to say? I'm listening."
A beam of firelight shone between the beds, reflecting the red faces of the grandfather and grandson.
Old Yuan looked at her granddaughter's red face and immediately laughed, "I just want to talk. It's good to talk while lying down. Please lie down quickly, be careful if you catch a cold."
After Song Qiu listened, he put out the fire and lay down, listening to old Yuan's words with his ears.
But Lao Yuan smiled and said: "I don't know what to say. Okay, go to bed quickly. You have to get up early tomorrow. You can't sleep in late on the first day of the new year."
Seeing that her mother would talk and stop talking for a while, Song Qiu also sighed and said softly: "Nai, do you miss my father and my parents again?"
In the darkness, Old Yuan's expression became nostalgic, "I want to."
I don’t just miss them.
She turned her head to look at her granddaughter next to her. It was too dark and she could only see her outline but not her face.
"It's okay. It's the New Year's Day. We eat and talk lively, but I can't help but think and sigh. It would be great if they were all still here."
After saying that, she smiled, reached out and patted her granddaughter, "Go to sleep."
Song Qiu turned around, hugged her grandma's arms, and closed her eyes, "Grandma, go to sleep soon."
Today, she climbed mountains and waded rivers to visit graves and burn paper. She was already tired. Now she closed her eyes, calmed down, and fell asleep soon.
Listening to her little granddaughter's slight snoring, Mrs. Yuan sighed softly, but continued what she just said in her heart. If they were still here, everything would be different now.
She smiled silently, stopped patting her granddaughter, tucked her in, and closed her eyes.
With the New Year and the new atmosphere, everyone put on new clothes early in the morning, including the servants, who all kept their new clothes to wear today.
Today, the door is wide open, and a lot of melon seeds and fruit snacks are prepared in the hall, waiting for the children in the village to come to visit and pay New Year greetings, so they can eat them.
On the first day of the new year, the village visits each other to pay New Year greetings. No family will be stingy on this day. The melon seeds and peanuts at home are all put out for the children to grab.
Of course, only babies who are not yet married are treated like this. Those adults are embarrassed.
Just like last year, Lihua and Zaohua came first with Stone Egg.
Li Ji's shop was closed on the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, and the Li family all returned to the village to celebrate the New Year, and would not return to town until the eighth day of the lunar month.
Song Qiu waited for them to arrive before running out with them towards the village.
In August this year, she and Lihua are going to get married. On the first day of the new year, they won't be able to visit each other all over the village like this.
So, this year is the last time.
Ah Ling took Lu Jingye to put some in there. Sahuan ran the fastest and was the first to go to Grandma Mo's house.
There were only about twenty households in the village, and they were all gone in a short time.
When they arrived at the village chief's house, they grabbed melon seeds and candies and were about to leave, but Mr. Tang stopped them. After giving each of them a red envelope for the New Year with a smile, he waved for the others to go first, leaving Song Qiu to talk.
Song Qiu sat down on the stool, looked at Mr. Tang, and listened to what he said.
Mr. Tang said: "Our village has been running a village school for more than half a year. It uses a room in the village ancestral hall and has about twenty children. Uncle Mingde personally teaches them. There are no books or anything."
I thought, I would teach them how to read first, see if they learn well, and then make plans. Not to mention, there are really many good prospects who are good at reading.
Your uncle Mingde has discussed it with me. In the end, he is not knowledgeable enough and needs enlightenment. No matter how much he learns, he will not be able to teach him."
"The grandpa thought, since there are good seedlings, it is not enough to just learn to read without writing. The village ancestral hall is a bit narrow after all. I want to set up a village school seriously so that all the children can learn.
It would be even better if they could have a table to sit on, be able to read and write, and have a good gentleman come back to teach them."
When Song Qiu heard this, she understood what Taigong meant by looking for her.
Immediately he said: "Grandpa, I have already told you that if you need my help in the future, just ask me."