There was a burst of firecrackers, and the alley became lively again.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, I visit each other on the street and say hello to each other.
Just when I got up to clean up, there was a knock on the door.
Yang Xiaotao opened the door and saw several children appearing at the door. The leaders were Yan Jiefang and Wang Xiaohu, followed by seven or eight children. When he saw Yang Xiaotao, they all shouted, "Brother Tao, happy New Year!"
The sound was neat and clearly rehearsed.
Yang Xiaotao also knew the meaning behind this, and immediately took out a porcelain plate from the room, which contained melon seeds, peanuts, and a few embellished white rabbit toffee.
This was specially prepared by Yang Xiaotao to add a bit of New Year flavor.
Seven or eight children looked at the White Rabbit candy. Everyone wanted it, but none of them reached out.
Yang Xiaotao smiled and picked out the toffee himself, then took one each and put the rest on the plate.
Several children got milk candies, laughed happily, and ran to other people's houses.
A piece of candy is how children feel about the Chinese New Year.
Simple child.
After closing the door, Yang Xiaotao went to Uncle Chen's house to sit, then left the courtyard and walked to Zhou's house.
Along the way, there was an endless stream of lively crowds, and the atmosphere of celebration came to our faces.
Even Xiaowei, who was squatting at the collar, felt a sense of joy, which made Yang Xiaotao speed up his pace involuntarily.
In comparison, the Zhou family was more lively. The two girls also wore red silk ropes this year. Zhou Kui still wore the same clothes as before, squatting at the door and watching a group of children playing with firecrackers in the snow.
When Yang Xiaotao arrived, Zhou Kui came all the way to welcome him and sat down at home soon after.
The stove in the house was burning brightly, the iron kettle was boiling, and white gas was coming out.
Aunt Zhou took out the melon seeds and sat aside, talking about the New Year.
After a while, Zhou Peng came back from outside. He went out early in the morning and took his two sisters to visit relatives. Finally, he sent his sister back and went to the pigeon market outside the alley.
People who celebrate the New Year also have to eat and do business.
In this regard, the higher authorities just turn a blind eye or close an eye.
When Zhou Peng came back, he was carrying a small rooster in his hand, which was probably used by country people to exchange money.
"Brother Tao, you are here!"
Zhou Peng was also happy when he saw Yang Xiaotao. Zhou Kui brought back five eggs yesterday, which made his two sisters very happy.
No, I just had my wages paid, and I met someone who was in a hurry for money, so I spent one yuan and two to buy this chicken.
Yang Xiaotao nodded in greeting and finally looked at the little rooster. It was not big, just over two kilograms. Generally speaking, you cannot sell this kilogram unless you are in urgent need of money.
"I met her at the entrance of an alley. Her family wanted money to buy a wife for their children, so they came up and sold her."
"Stay here for lunch today."
Zhou Peng warmly invited, but Yang Xiaotao was also polite, "Then let's try Aunt Zhou's craftsmanship."
When I came to this world, apart from having a meatless meal at Yongjun Restaurant, I really haven’t had a good meal these past few days.
Back at Zhou's house, Zhou Kui plucked out the hair and broke his belly, and quickly picked it up.
After lunch, Yang Xiaotao sat for a while and then left.
Zhou Peng walked to the gate and said he would go to his house to sit there tomorrow, then waved and left.
This is the Chinese New Year, the younger generation pays New Year greetings to the elders, and the younger generation goes to the elder’s home.
After leaving Zhou's house, Yang Xiaotao felt a headache thinking about the guests tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.
The ingredients are easy to find and can be bought with money, but the problem is that he doesn't know how to cook.
"Forget it, let's go to the restaurant."
Yang Xiaotao finally gave up the struggle and planned to go to the restaurant to buy more cooked food, the kind that could be heated at home and eaten.
Yongjun Restaurant is not closed, but there is not much business either.
When Yang Xiaotao walked in, the couple were sitting at the table drinking tea. When they saw Yang Xiaotao coming over, they immediately came forward enthusiastically.
"Sister, brother, have a great New Year."
"Happy New Year, little comrade!"
After being polite, Yang Xiaotao went straight to the topic.
Two plates of braised pork, two plates of twice-cooked pork, two roast chickens, and thirty steamed buns, which directly completed today's meat and vegetable quota, made the couple burst with joy and said that they could get off work early.
Give money and tickets, pack up and leave.
Before leaving, the eldest sister also gave me a bottle of sorghum wine, saying it was homemade and free of charge.
The Chinese New Year is very lively.
Yang Xiaotao accepted it politely, but still gave him fifty cents.
Not to mention the salary that was just paid, Silly Zhu also compensated me with ten yuan yesterday, which I can use just in time.
As for how to live in the future, not to mention there is a canteen in the factory, just go home and be alone, why can't you deal with it?
This is typical, one person is full and the whole family is not hungry.
Leave the restaurant, walk to a deserted corner, and put the packed meals and steamed buns into the storage space.
Stop and go, or walk aimlessly, feel the city after the snow, feel the city during the New Year, and feel the free air.
Perhaps this new country is still going through hardships at this moment, but its majestic vitality is destined to achieve its future achievements. This is a country full of vitality and a country with high-spirited people.
Yang Xiaotao kept thinking, walking around and looking around, and he didn't know when he came to a house.
It's not that the house is unique, but the items placed around the house are a bit special.
This is a waste recycling point.
These days, even those who collect waste need state intervention. Not everyone can collect it, and not everyone can pick up trash.
At this time, several children ran over happily carrying a bag of soda bottles, and handed them to a man in a yellow coat. The man just weighed it, took out two cents and handed it to the leading child, and then the child ran away with a smile.
He opened it and said he was going to buy firecrackers.
Yang Xiaotao thought about it and walked in. The man looked at Yang Xiaotao and stepped forward with a smile, "Comrade, what do you want?"
"Hello, comrade, I was passing by here and wanted to ask if we have any scrap books here?"
"Trash book?"
"Well, I'm a high school student and I want to find some books to read."
"Oh, that's it. Come in then."
The man invited Yang Xiaotao in. Yang Xiaotao dug into his pocket and found that except for a few candies, there were no cigarettes prepared.
“Next time you go out, prepare a pack of cigarettes!”
Keep it in mind and walk into the house.
"This place is quite messy. Someone will take care of it after the Chinese New Year. It will be better by then."
"By the way, my name is Huang Daniu, you can call me Huang."
The man spoke boldly, and Yang Xiaotao called out, "Brother Huang."
The two of them walked to a place, and Huang Daniu pointed to a wooden box in the corner.
"Someone took care of the broken furniture two days ago. I took a look and found that there were some books in the box."
"I originally planned to take it home to wipe my child's butt, but since you want it, take it."
Yang Xiaotao looked at the wooden box, which was half a meter square and had several holes in it. It was obviously quite old.
"Brother Huang, thank you very much."
In the past few days, I have read through the high school textbooks at home again, and there has been no movement since the credits have reached 180. This is still the result of familiarity. If I want to accumulate more credits, I can only find other ways.
Yang Xiaotao also tried to learn from other aspects. After all, reading is only a part of learning.
The most straightforward thing is to practice calligraphy. Find the notebook from school, take out the pen and start practicing.
However, this practice of calligraphy is a water-based effort and will not have much effect in a short period of time.
After the system prompted me to give 5 points of credits, there was no progress for a long time.
Obviously, the fastest way to earn credits at this stage is reading books.
As for the people in the courtyard, probably only Yan Fugui’s family has books.
But Yang Xiaotao didn't want to get too involved. Yan Fugui could only be said to be calculating and greedy for petty gains. Compared with Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong, he was pretty good.
But even so, he didn't want to get entangled. The Yan Fugui family were all calculating people, so if they got entangled, they would be in a lot of trouble.
I originally thought that after work started, I would ask the director to issue a certificate and go to the library to apply for a borrowing card, but I didn't expect that there would be books in this recycling point.
"You're welcome. The boys in my family stopped going to school after elementary school. They are naughty and mischievous all day long. They get headaches when they read."
"Wiping their butts, some of them can't afford it, so I might as well give it to you scholars."
Huang Daniu is a generous person, of course, this may be because there is not much money in waste paper.
Yang Xiaotao took out 50 cents and stuffed it into Huang Daniu's hand. Huang Daniu was a bit expensive no matter what, but Yang Xiaotao was determined.
"Brother Huang, if you think it's too much, please help me keep an eye on it from now on. If you have any books, please keep them for me."
After hearing this, Huang Daniu accepted the money and promised to keep it for him.
Yang Xiaotao took out a few more White Rabbit toffees and said, "Give them to my nephews to try."
Huang Daniu smiled even happier now, accepted the toffee and sent Yang Xiaotao away.
Yang Xiaotao held the box, walked to the corner, opened it, and then closed it again, leaving only the empty box in his hand.
Xiaowei also came out, submerged herself into the box, and then got out again. Apparently she had no interest in the box.
With the harvest, Yang Xiaotao was in a good mood and walked towards the courtyard.
Arriving at the courtyard, the third uncle looked at Yang Xiaotao at the door and put his eyes directly on the box. There must be something inside such a big box.
"Xiao Tao, you're back? What did you buy? This is it?"
Don't reach out to hit the smiling person, not to mention that the third uncle has not provoked him these days, and he, Yang Xiaotao, is not a black-faced troll who always trolls whenever he sees someone.
"Third uncle, I went out and picked up a box of books."
Yang Xiaotao said, walking into the courtyard with his legs up.
"Book?"
Yan Fugui was startled, then remembered that Yang Xiaotao was also a senior in high school, and he only had a high school degree.
"If this kid finishes studying, he can also become a teacher."
Yan Fugui thought to himself, but picked up the fishing rod and walked out.
The plan for a year begins with spring.
Early bird gets the worm.
Yang Xiaotao came to the middle courtyard, and Si Zhu was happily talking to Jia Dongxu. Although he was still injured, it did not hinder his activities.
In Jia's house, Qin Huairu was steaming steamed buns, while Jia Zhang was still sitting at the door, basking in the sun.
When they saw Yang Xiaotao coming back with the box, several people looked at him. Jia Zhang even cursed, but her voice was much lower.
Yang Xiaotao didn't even look at it. If he got angry with this kind of person every day, wouldn't he become an angry bag?
When I got home, I took out the books and gave the box to Xiaowei. It was a place to hold things anyway and could still be used after some repairs.
Organize the books, most of them are about geography, and there are a few notebooks.
After opening it, there were scrawled writings inside, which were also about geology.
Obviously, the owner of these books is a geography student, but I don’t know whether he is a teacher or a student.
Yang Xiaotao arranged the books and started to light the stove to warm the house.
In the evening, someone knocked on the door again. When I opened the door, I saw Wang Dashan in the courtyard.
"Uncle Dashan, why are you here?"
Wang Dashan is five big and three thick, with a loud voice.
"Come and see if you have nothing to do. By the way, I asked you to come to my house for a drink tonight."
Yang Xiaotao was stunned for a moment, but seeing Wang Dashan's unkind words, he readily agreed.
Again, although there are many animals in this courtyard, they are not all bad people.
In this courtyard, even good people will become indifferent to protect themselves.
But don’t forget this world. This is a world far less full of interest and evil than later generations. Here, people’s living standards are low, but their spirits are rich.
Most people have a passionate heart.
It's just that several beasts of this era happened to gather in a courtyard.
Maybe the Wang family also has their own goals, but for Yang Xiaotao, he doesn't mind making friends with anyone as long as he can get along with them.
Yang Xiaotao would not be able to make friends with these people, but he would not alienate them either.
Isn't there a popular saying in the past life? The best way to deal with an enemy is to turn the enemy's friends into your own friends.
In the evening, Yang Xiaotao came to Wang's house carrying wine, along with several other people in the courtyard.
They didn't react much to Yang Xiaotao's arrival. They drank and ate without mentioning anything about what happened in the yard, but they also deepened their feelings at the wine table.
I also discovered that Yang Xiaotao is not so unhuman, he is also a human being of flesh and blood.
