In mid-February of 1964, today was New Year’s Eve, and every household had a reunion dinner.
The Zhou family’s New Year’s Eve dinner was as sumptuous as in previous years.
The family did not have any children this year because they had an extra child, Zhou Xiaobai, and a younger sister, Zhou Shuqing, was married off.
The New Year's Eve dinner was a reunion dinner. Zhou Shuqing and Xu Yiming did not go to Nanjianzi Hutong to have dinner together. After all, this was their first reunion dinner after their marriage, so they naturally had to celebrate the New Year in their own small home.
Naturally, it’s not that lively at home.
After dinner, Zhou Shuqing suggested going to her elder brother, and Xu Yiming nodded in agreement.
As soon as they went out, Uncle Liu's house across the street said hello to the Chinese New Year and asked the young couple, why are they still going out for the Chinese New Year?
"Go sit over at my eldest brother's house. Uncle Liu and Aunt Liu, you guys eat first while we leave first."
After the young couple left, Aunt Liu said enviously:
"The children of the old Zhou family are really prosperous, and their daughters are marrying so well. I heard that Xu Yiming, the uncle of the Zhou family, is going to be the deputy chief of the security department? I don't know what kind of dishes they had at their New Year's Eve dinner just now, so
It tastes really good."
"So what if I'm the deputy section chief? That's someone else's family, not ours."
Uncle Liu curled his lips, his fat face full of contempt and disdain.
Speaking of which, he was a seventh-level worker, but none of his three children inherited his intelligence and ability, which made him very angry.
So, during the Chinese New Year, the Liu family heard the cry of children again.
It’s really not easy to be Uncle Liu’s son.
The doors and windows of several houses in the middle courtyard and front yard were basically closed, and no one was seen.
The Meng family is quite lively. They are probably drinking at the bar.
When Zhou Shuqing and his wife arrived home, it was Ah Fu who opened the door.
Entering the living room, Ding Qiunan was chatting with Huang Xiaohua. To be precise, he was doing ideological work for the latter.
When Zhou Shuqing heard about the topic of marriage, she became very interested and helped persuade Huang Xiaohua.
With her joining, Huang Xiaohua gradually wavered. Maybe getting married is not such a scary thing.
Neither Zhou Jimin nor Xu Yiming participated, but were chatting aside, no different from usual.
The black and white TV in the living room is playing a TV series that was shown before.
What about the Spring Festival Gala? It’s still early.
As for current TV programs, they are often fried, and there are very few new TV series released every year.
The main reason is that there are too few people engaged in the entertainment industry, and in this era everyone is striving for excellence. It is not possible to complete the filming of a TV series by just posting pictures.
The children were bored. It was so cold outside and they didn’t want to go out.
So, I ran over to Zhou Jimin to tell a story.
"Let your fourth uncle tell you stories. He has written so many stories, so he must be good at telling stories. Come on."
Zhou Jimin wanted to mess it up, so he didn't agree and instead threw the blame to the fourth child.
When the fourth child heard this, he stopped repeatedly, but Zhou Qingxian and others had already come over to surround him.
Most of the chirping sounds were flattering sounds, which made the fourth child feel a little carried away.
Well, let’s try to talk about it.
As a result, in less than half an hour, five children were successfully hypnotized.
Seeing this scene, Zhou Jimin and Ding Qiunan's eyes suddenly lit up. The fourth child has two brushes. If the child is too naughty and doesn't want to sleep in the future, he can send the fourth child to help hypnotize him.
But the fourth child is very depressed, what's going on?
Isn’t the story he told difficult to listen to?
His elder brother comforted him and said, the story you told is not unpleasant, but it is a bit cumbersome and lengthy.
Different from writing, storytelling is still very particular. If you want to tell it well and attractively, you must work hard on the words.
Just like storytelling, storytelling, cross talk, etc., they all rely on sound to convey information, but they have different forms and methods of expression.
The fourth child, who seemed to understand, nodded, and then said, "Brother, after the New Year, I am also fourteen years old. Can I publish it?"
"Are you so impatient?"
The fourth child, who had been suppressed for a long time, was already ready to make a move.
The age of fourteen is the time when youth is in its prime. It is very rare to not be as rebellious as other children.
"Brother, I really think I'm ready. You can't always prevent me from publishing, right? Then what I write can only be used as a footrest?"
"Haha, don't think so much. I'm not a feudal parent. If you think it's okay, just publish it. I support you."
"Really?"
The surprise came so quickly, the fourth child couldn't believe it.
It wasn't until his elder brother nodded again that he jumped up happily, but was immediately stopped by his elder sister-in-law's look.
Because Zhou Qingxian and the others were asleep, if he woke them up, he would have to let him continue to coax them to sleep.
After he was happy, he ran back to his room and brought two books he had written over.
"Brother, can you help me correct it?"
"It's Chinese New Year and you asked me to help you with your correction? What do you think? You don't want me to have some leisure time, right?"
Come and try it soon.]
The fourth child chuckled and touched his head, but made no sound.
How could he not know whether his elder brother is idle or not?
He is obviously a scientific researcher, but what he does every day has nothing to do with scientific research.
Aren’t serious scientific researchers supposed to stay in the laboratory all year round?
But his eldest brother is on the good side. He is on business trips, often comes home and messes around, and occasionally has trouble with his family, so he is quite free.
Zhou Jimin was speechless, glared at Ding Qiunan, Zhou Shuqing and the others who were snickering, took the fourth child over, and said:
"Whenever I'm free, I'll help you correct it after I'm done."
"Okay, thank you, brother."
Another year passed quietly.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Zhou Jimin and his family went out for a stroll again. They went to the nearby Summer Palace to see the scenery, and in the afternoon they went to the Forbidden City to pay homage to history.
From the second day of the Lunar New Year to the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, this period is the time to visit relatives and friends.
Unlike those in the south who love to play mahjong and poker, people here in the capital love to chatter.
When a bunch of people get together, it’s inevitable to chat.
There are also old men who like to play chess, play with birds, etc. Not to mention, the lives of people in the capital are still colorful.
On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, Zhou Jimin returned to Peking University to visit Duan Xuefu.
The latter complained that he should not always bring so many gifts to his door, causing him to not know what to do with them every time.
"Teacher, I just wanted to express my feelings. I don't have much, just some daily necessities."
"Come here, you carried two bags of fifty kilograms of flour for me, and you told me there isn't much?"
However, even if Lao Duan blows his beard and glares, there is nothing he can do.
I’ve brought all the gifts, so I can’t really refuse them, right?
Facing the rogue Zhou Jimin, Duan Xuefu was helpless.
After every warning and reminder, Zhou Jimin still refuses to listen. What can he do?
Not long after Zhou Jimin sat down, Ren Jiuzhang came to the door.
The two brothers haven't seen each other for a long time. When they met here today, naturally they had a passionate conversation.
In the past few days during the Chinese New Year, Zhou Jimin had the same routine every day, just meeting and chatting with different old friends.
Happy time is always in a hurry, and in a blink of an eye it is already the seventh day of the Lunar New Year.
By this day, the taste of the New Year has become very dull.
I guess it’s the Lantern Festival, so I can reminisce about it for a while, and then the year will be completely over.
Zhou Qingxian and her five little ones are each one year older.
But as I get older, I'm still so naughty and mischievous, as if I haven't grown up yet.
No, during the day, they took Ah Fu out to buy firecrackers, and then blew up the cow dung on the roadside.
What a coincidence, Qin Huairu, who was passing by that road at that time, just came out of the intersection, and then her pants were splashed by flying cow dung.
Knowing that they were in trouble, Zhou Qingxian and the others quickly ran away.
They were hiding in the street corner on the other side, but they didn't let Qin Huairu see it, so they were able to escape.
It's a pity that there are only so many children in the nearby streets, so the neighbors naturally saw them.
So, Qin Huairu came to the door.
Demand compensation.
This matter itself was Zhou Qingxian's fault, but Zhou Jimin didn't want to see Qin Huairu, so he asked Huang Xiaohua to send him away.
Qin Huairu still wanted to open his mouth to the lion, but Huang Xiaohua was not easy to mess with. A word of love almost made Qin Huairu half angry to death.
Just 90% new overalls, that’s it?
In the end, Qin Huairu had to accept the compensation. After all, her overalls were not brand new and they could be worn again after being washed.
So, this is no different from buying a pair of pants for free.
What she regretted was that after finally catching the Zhou family, she unexpectedly failed to take advantage.
What a loss!
After Qin Huairu left, Zhou Qingxian and the other five little guys were in bad luck.
All change must be turned in. You are not allowed to buy firecrackers without permission. In the following time, you will do your homework every day.
They originally wanted to beg their parents' forgiveness and withdraw these punishments by acting like a spoiled child.
However, no, this time, they were miserable.
From the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, Zhou Jimin never left the house. He just stared at the five little ones every day, asking them to do homework and play games. In short, he couldn't stop.
It wasn't until the Lantern Festival that they were briefly allowed to go out and play.
Even so, they cannot travel alone, but are taken out by their father.
Basically, he never leaves the sight of adults for a moment, so he can't do any small tricks.
The troublemaker has become a little sheep. The five little guys can hardly hold it in anymore, so they can only have fun in the park.
Maybe they have been recuperating recently. They played all day long and were still not sleepy at night. They just pestered their father to tell stories.
Zhou Jimin also wanted to fool him and asked the fourth child to help tell stories.
But the five little guys were not happy and rejected his proposal.
"Dad, you haven't told us a story for a long time, why don't you tell us a story."
"How long has it been? Didn't I tell you when I was twenty-nine years old?"
"That's half a month, it's been a long time."
In this case, Zhou Jimin had no choice but to tell them stories.
It is said that during the Republic of China, there was a storyteller who had not yet married in his thirties...
As soon as he said a few words, the little one interrupted and said, Dad, can you please stop talking about the Republic of China? We have heard it so many times that our ears are tired of it.
"Are you tired of hearing that? Then I won't talk about it?"
It's impossible not to tell a story. Even Ding Qiunan is looking forward to it. If he dares not to tell it, he will tell it to Ding Qiunan before going to bed later.
She is almost six months pregnant, and her temper is like that of a child, changing at every turn.
Zhou Jimin didn’t dare to mess with Ding Qiunan, who was so difficult to maintain.
After all, the world is big, and the mother carrying her baby is the biggest.
Since no one is willing to listen to stories set in the Republic of China, let’s listen to the island in the south.
"It is said that there was a taxi driver on the island, and that night he took a female passenger who was drinking."
"As soon as she got on the bus, the female passenger asked the driver, do you believe in love?"
The little ones immediately looked disgusted because they didn't like these love stories.
On the contrary, they will like stories like "A Piao" and "Adventure and Excitement" more.
"The driver didn't even look back and just said, "I'll throw fifty yuan into the car."
Pfft!
Ding Qiunan was the first to laugh, and the third child and the others also laughed. Only the youngest and the others did not understand.
"Dad, can you please stop telling these stories? Can you tell the story of Ah Piao?"
"How can I tell you so many stories about Ah Piao? Aren't you afraid that you won't be able to sleep if I tell you too much?"
"Don't be afraid!"
"Okay, I'll tell you a zombie story, listen carefully..."
It’s still set in the Republic of China, because this time it’s about the movie Mr. Zombie.
Although the text is not as graphic as the movie, Zhou Jimin has been telling stories for so many years, and he still has some experience and understanding.
The story was a bit long. It lasted for more than an hour and made Zhou Jimin drink several sips of water.
After finishing speaking, Zhou Qingyi was the first to raise her hand and asked, Dad, when you encounter a zombie, can you just hold your breath? Then I can hold it for a long time.
"How long is a long time?"
"At least it will be a long time."
The little guy has no concept of time. He just asks questions and answers quickly, and she can’t react.
"Horse riding? Wouldn't that take longer? Xiaoyi, you are so awesome!"
The other four little guys were not to be far behind, and they all said that they could hold their breath for a long time.
After they all finished speaking, Ding Qiunan explained with a smile that holding his breath for a long time only meant that his lung capacity was good, but it didn't mean anything.
Moreover, she also said that there are no zombies in this world, your father lied to you.
"Mom is lying, how can there be no zombies? Even if there are zombies, don't try to lie to the children."
The five little guys unanimously opposed it and became loyal fans of the story of Mr. Zombie.
At this time, Zhou Jimin was pestered by his fourth son, asking if he could tell it again? He really wanted to write something like this.
"This is a niche book that no one wants to read. It also tests your writing skills. Fourth child, you still need to practice more."
"Brother, you have to give me a chance to practice, right?"
"Okay, you can digest it yourself first. Anyway, I don't want to talk about it anymore. It's very tiring."
"Dad, drink water." Zhou Qingxian ran over and brought a glass of water, which greatly comforted Zhou Jimin.
"Okay, okay, I'll drink water, but dad has already drank water all night tonight, and he doesn't want to continue drinking, otherwise he will turn into a big buffalo."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Qingxian's little face was immediately filled with disappointment.
When she brought the water, her purpose was not that simple.
I just hope that her father can continue telling stories, but unfortunately her father has already said that he can no longer drink water.
That is to say, no more stories.
However, despite this, the next thing happened, the five little guys who had just finished their homework all turned in their homework together.
Then when their father praised them and asked them what rewards they wanted, they immediately talked about it and mentioned several rewards.
For example, I bought firecrackers to play with, went out to find cauliflower to play with, listened to stories, etc.
"No problem, let's go play with the cauliflower. You can't buy firecrackers. Otherwise, if your mother finds out, you won't be able to peel off your skin tonight."
"Yeah, you can go out and play."
So, Zhou Jimin drove and took five little kids to Yongqiao Hutong, not far from Peking University.
An Zesheng is not at home, only Xiaolicai’s mother and grandparents are at home.
When Zhou Jimin and the others arrived, Xiaohuacai was writing.
"Ah, Xiaoxian, you are here, that's great."
In the Sanheyuan, when Xiao Huicai saw Zhou Qingxian and the other five, she immediately cheered, threw away her pencil, and ran directly to join them.
Bao Jielian next to her suddenly turned dark.
"An Ran, come back here and look at your pencil. Where did it go?"
Her roar almost scared the spirit out of Little Cauliflower.
Then she hurriedly came back, picked up the pencil, put it back, and then looked at her mother carefully.
Zhou Jimin and his five children all fell silent, especially the little ones, who looked at Bao Jielian with fear.
At the same time, he also gave Xiaocai a sympathetic look.
As a pregnant mother, Bao Jielian's temper is not very good, and she is like this even when there are guests. It is easy to imagine.
Cauliflower should live in dire straits, right?
At this time, Zhou Qingxian and the others were very happy. Fortunately, their parents were really good to them.
As the saying goes, happiness comes from comparison.
Through the miserable little appearance of Xiaocai, they realized that they were really living in honey.
Her grandparents came over and coaxed Bao Jielian away.
Otherwise, Xiaocai Cai will shed tears.
However, with the company of Zhou Qingxian and the others, after a while, Xiaocai Cai started to play like a normal person.
Tired of playing, I heard the story of zombies and looked at Zhou Jimin hopefully.
"Uncle, can I go to your house to take classes? I don't want to stay at home anymore."
Taking classes is fake, but listening to stories is real.
Looking at her expectant eyes, Zhou Jimin couldn't bear to refuse.
But he knew better that Bao Jielian needed company even more at this time.
"Well, I'll ask your mother later. If your mother agrees, then you can come to my house to take classes. If not, my uncle won't be able to help you."
"Thank you uncle, you can definitely do it."
Xiaohuacai was so happy that Zhou Qingxian and the others also cheered.
They are really naughty little guys, but when he saw their happy smiles, Zhou Jimin also smiled.