Granny Sun put on her thimble. Taking advantage of the 29th day of the lunar month, she tidied up all the items in the house that needed mending and washing, making them look brand - new. All this was for the sake of the custom of "not touching needles and threads in the first lunar month", hoping for a prosperous year ahead without the need for mending, a good omen for a well - off life.
On New Year's Eve, at sunset, the New Year's Eve dinner was served.
Naturally, Li Ying took charge of cooking.
Chicken, duck, pork, beef, mutton, fish, and shrimp were all on the table. The stoves in every household hardly had a moment of idle time.
The roasted ducks, smoked chickens, braised pork elbows, and stewed lamb chops were steaming with delicious aromas. These were all for the family to enjoy behind closed doors. The relatives they visited were all fellow villagers they saw every day, so there was no need to be overly particular about the dishes. As long as they tasted good, that was enough.
The whole family was having dinner merrily. The most particular dish on the table was called the "Spring Plate".
The so - called "Spring Plate" was made by selecting leeks, rape, and coriander, washing them and tearing them apart without cutting them. Then pickled garlic and shallots were added as accompaniments, arranged in an attractive pattern on the plate.
Since these five kinds of seasonal vegetables were all pungent, warm, and dispersing ingredients, this Spring Plate was also known as the "Five - Pungency Plate".
Li Ying also cut some fresh green vegetables, artemisia annua, and radish tops. She steamed a plate of sliced cured meat and deep - fried a basket of golden and crispy dough twists.
When rendering lard, the fried lard residue was chopped finely, mixed with pepper and oil - fried spices, then rolled into a thin pancake and baked until it was fragrant. She also steamed a basket of tender spring pancakes.
In the middle of the Spring Plate, an incense stick was lit, and a paper flower was placed on the top of the incense stick for ancestor worship.
This Spring Plate, as a "gift for the passing year", was meant to ward off diseases and disasters and ensure peace and good fortune in the coming year. Although it was made of very common farm vegetables, the fresh green color stood out among the rich and greasy meat dishes on the table.
Rolling a few kinds of side dishes and dough twists in the spring pancakes, one could enjoy the refreshing and crispy taste in the mouth. The sour and spicy pickled garlic and shallots whetted the appetite.
After nightfall, having had a sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner, every household took out the sugarcane they had prepared in advance, with the leaves still at the end.
The male members of the family tied paper lanterns to the part of the sugarcane near the leaves. Carrying these high - held lanterns, they led their families to the town, waiting for the fire - dragon parade and the god - procession team.
Looking around, on both sides of the streets and alleys, the tall sugarcanes formed a long "sugarcane alley". Even the usually unremarkable small alleys were brightly lit, as bright as day.
Li Ying also carried Mianmian and followed the crowd, standing on tiptoe and looking forward eagerly.
In the distance, gongs and drums were beating, people were shouting, flags were fluttering, sugarcane lanterns were held high, and the stars were shining brightly. The inky black night sky was illuminated with countless fireworks!
In the god - procession team, the young and strong village men dressed up as gods from all directions, supporting the over - several - feet - high bamboo - woven bodies of the gods. They marched majestically through the sugarcane alley. The villagers made way one after another, holding their sugarcane lanterns high. For a moment, it was hard to tell whether the shining lights were lanterns or stars.
Mr. and Mrs. Li, the bamboo - craftsman couple, shouted to Li Ying over the noisy firecrackers, explaining that the word "lantern" was a homophone for "male offspring" in Chinese. Carrying sugarcane lanterns and walking through the sugarcane alley was to pray for a prosperous family and a sweet life, just like eating sugarcane, with the days getting better step by step and as prosperous as a lantern.
Mrs. Li blushed slightly as she said this. Li Ying immediately understood and laughed, "So Sister Li is expecting good news!"
Mrs. Li, who was usually bold, now smiled shyly.
Just as they were chatting and laughing, the god - procession team had passed through the sugarcane alley merrily. Another group of villagers was coming with a several - dozen - meter - long fire dragon.
Fireworks on the fire dragon burst out countless bright sparks, dyeing half of the sky red like the setting sun.
Shihu bared his strong upper body and supported the huge dragon's head. Manipulating the bamboo pole in his hand, the dragon seemed to breathe and blink, looking extremely lifelike.
"The fire dragon is coming! Folks, may you receive blessings, make wealth, and have a happy family!"
As soon as the voice fell, the dragon's head rose high, and from its wide - open mouth, thousands of golden lights burst out!
They were not golden lights but fireworks, surging and vibrant, full of pride and vitality, embodying the wishes of every fishing - village villager for a better tomorrow. They soared straight into the sky!
The pre - arranged iron - flower show also soared into the sky at the right time. This small fishing village seemed like an ever - energetic city that never sleeps, determined to send its continuous warmth deep into everyone's eyes and hearts.
Li Ying was worried that such a grand occasion would scare Mianmian, so she carefully covered her ears.
But the little one wriggled free, flapping her hands and feet. Blinking her bright eyes, she excitedly babbled and laughed.
"Mom... Mom..."
Li Ying hugged her daughter tightly, looking at the golden flowers and stars in the sky that were hard to distinguish. Her heart seemed to be filled with surging tides.
This was where she belonged.
It would be nice if Lu Xunguang was here to share this lively and grand scene.
What was he doing at this moment? Keeping the New Year vigil? Or toasting and socializing with the merchants he didn't like? Had he ever looked up at the same moon in the sky as her?
A faint bitterness flashed through Li Ying's heart, but it was soon dispelled by the happy crowd.
Walking through the sugarcane alley, climbing the Yu Gate, and watching the fire - dragon parade, they didn't stop until the moon was high in the sky. This lively New - Year scene had just begun.
Back in the room, the dough had risen smoothly and was elastic. Li Ying prepared two kinds of fillings, meat and vegetarian, and made dumplings with Granny Sun to keep the New - Year vigil.
She also prepared some glutinous rice flour. She rolled sesame sugar and crushed peanuts into small balls. After dipping them in a thin layer of water and rolling them back and forth in a winnowing basket, the glutinous rice flour would stick to them layer by layer, turning them into round snow - like balls.
In the north, these were called "yuanxiao". If one kneaded more delicate glutinous rice flour into dough and wrapped the filling inside, it was called "tangyuan".
Since people had different tastes, Li Ying prepared both. After boiling the dumplings, she put the tangyuan into the pot. Tasting them together was also a custom in Li Ying's hometown, called "stars chasing the moon", symbolizing completeness.
After a whole night of busyness, when midnight finally passed, Mianmian was too sleepy to keep her eyes open and fell into a deep sleep. Granny Sun also felt tired.
Li Ying smiled and urged her to go back to her room to sleep. She and A Man slowly cleaned up the mess in the kitchen. The two sisters chatted casually, feeling quite at ease.
"Miss A Man..."
Just as they were chatting and laughing, Shihu's soft call came from outside the door.
Seeing his hesitant look, Li Ying knew that this silly boy must have come to meet her sister for a tryst. She waved her hand and smiled knowingly.
"Hurry up and go!"