Chapter 14: New Year's (Part 2)

  There is also a very beautiful legend about the sacred insect.

  It is said that a family in the village married a daughter-in-law in the cold winter month, this family was relatively wealthy, and eight strong men were invited to carry eight large sedan chairs to welcome the bride.

  The weather was extremely cold, and a toad on the road was shivering with cold. The bride saw it pitifully and took the toad back to the flower sedan chair to warm it up.

  The sedan chair on the way back was getting heavier and heavier, and eight strong men finally carried the sedan chair back to the groom's home.

  The crowd welcomed the bride back home with joy, and the bride asked her mother-in-law where the grain storehouse was. The mother-in-law thought the bride would be a good housekeeper, so she took the bride to each of the grain storehouses, and the bride secretly put the god bug in the grain storehouse.

  Because of the silkworms, the bride took her mother-in-law to see the silkworms. Seeing that the silkworms were doing well, she advised her mother-in-law to open the granary for three days to relieve the villagers. The silkworms naturally wanted to repay the bride's kindness of saving their lives. The villagers heard the news and were overjoyed, and these few days were bustling with people carrying loads on their shoulders and backs.

  Three days later, the bride opened the granary and found that the grain inside had not decreased at all.

  From then on, people made a dough figure in the shape of the divine insect every New Year's Day and wedding day to commemorate it, placing it in the grain storehouse as an offering. It was called "Sheng Chong" (ascending insect), also known as "Sheng Chong", "Divine Insect", or "Remaining Insect". This symbolized a full granary and a prosperous life.

  Many ordinary objects have been given a mysterious color and auspicious meaning by the masses, also reflecting the wisdom of small people living at the bottom.

  After finishing the noodles, Zhao Juan also made some Four Happiness Balls and cured sausages, which were far better than their usual meals.

  Time flies, and before you know it, it's already the 30th of the first month.

  On the thirtieth of January in rural areas is also a big day, in the afternoon new Spring Festival couplets are posted on the door, and auspicious characters are also posted on the main wall to show a joyful atmosphere.

  Indeed, after pasting up the red couplets, the house looks much brighter.

  Song Jie found all of this so novel, she had never really celebrated Chinese New Year before. In her past life when she was a child in the orphanage, they were lucky if they could just get enough to eat, and only when some kind-hearted people donated would they be able to have a decent meal of dumplings. Every meal of dumplings in her memory seemed so precious, and even when she grew up, she still loved eating dumplings the most, because that was her most luxurious enjoyment.

  Worked hard and pinched pennies to finish university, wishing time could be split in two to spend. Finally found a stable job despite the hardship, and met her Prince Charming Liu Dong.

  Living in a big city, the pace of life is particularly fast. The New Year's holiday only has three days off, and spending time with Liu Dong is not enough, let alone having a normal New Year's celebration. Besides, the two are not wealthy, so it's just eating dumplings and watching the Spring Festival Gala.

  She thinks she doesn't care about anything else, but as long as she can be with her loved one, no matter how bitter it is, it's sweet.

  Never thought that in the end, I lost both work and love...

  It wasn't until now that Song Jie suddenly remembered she hadn't had a proper New Year's celebration yet, and what was with the endless regret in her heart? Fortunately, heaven gave her another chance to relive it, and this time she mustn't have any regrets.

  After sticking up the Spring Festival couplets, Zhao Juan wrapped two more dumplings. The local customs are a bit different here, and people also eat dumplings on New Year's Eve.

  The mother and daughter had a delightful dinner of dumplings in the evening, and the taste was just as delicious as they remembered.

  From the time of eating, the streets were filled with the sound of firecrackers. "Boom boom" was particularly lively, and this also had a tradition, which must be set off before meals, and then eat, it has been a long-standing tradition.

  New Year's Eve was a bit boring, no Spring Festival Gala, lacking a lot of fun. Zhao Juan and Song Jie didn't stay up late either, they went to bed early because they had to get up early on the first day of the new year.

  It's too early to say how early it is. I have to get up at more than 2 o'clock in the morning and go out to pay New Year's greetings at more than 3 o'clock.

  This is going to be the death of Song Jie, originally people are small and aware. Sleeping early doesn't mean getting up early! Zhao Juan used threats and temptation, it's not easy to get her out of bed.

  Song Jie sat up dazedly and said to the air before opening her eyes: "Mom, Happy New Year."

  Zhao Juan looked at him with a mixture of anger and amusement, and replied: "Alright, alright, here's your New Year's money."

  This is also a custom. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, when children wake up and see their parents for the first time, they must greet them with "Happy New Year", and then receive red envelopes containing money.

  Hearing about the lucky money. Song Jie suddenly opened her eyes, got up with a start, and looked around: "Where is it? Where is it?"

  Zhao Juan, who was in a bad mood after the New Year's celebration, didn't want to tease her anymore and directly stuffed the money into Song Jie's hand. Song Jie unfolded it and saw that it was two jiao, which was the first money she had ever earned herself.

  She took a look left and right, she had never seen the coins of this period in the 1970s before, now her eyes were opened. Decades later, there are even specialized collectors buying this kind of coin, far exceeding the original amount by many times, they have become antiques. Should I collect some to sell in the future?

  Zhao Juan saw her daughter's little money-loving appearance, with eyes fixed on the money, and couldn't help but pour cold water: "Put this New Year's money in your pocket first, press it down, and give it to me after we finish paying our respects. Don't lose it."

  A basin of cold water was poured over her head, and Song Jie had gone through this before. She had it all in her hands, but it wasn't hers after all, what a scam.

  However, all the children in the village are like this. The New Year's money they receive must be handed over, and only a very small number of extremely spoiled children will be left with two coins by their parents.

  Looking at Zhao Juan's solemn expression, Song Jie's face twisted for a moment, and this hasn't even been covered up yet...

  Song Jie put on her new dress made of red floral print fabric, which she thought was particularly rustic, and followed Zhao Juan out the door with a skip.

  When she arrived at the door, Song Jie was still shivering with cold, and it was really too cold. The sky was still pitch black.

  Every household hangs a red lantern at the door, emitting a faint light that shines on the ground and casts a shallow halo. On the road, there are also neighbors hurrying to and fro, who, no matter how far away they see each other, always greet with "Happy New Year" as their first words, and stop to chat for a couple of sentences when meeting familiar faces.

  At this time, in the cold air, Song Jie seemed to smell a strong New Year's atmosphere.

  Some homes didn't have bright lanterns, Song Jie was puzzled and asked Zhao Juan what was going on. Zhao Juan never evaded children's questions and answered them seriously. She told Song Jie that the homes without lights might be because the people were still sleeping and hadn't gotten up yet, or it could also be because there was a recent death of an immediate family member in the household, so they weren't entertaining relatives and friends.

  Of course, if it still hasn't gotten up by this point, that would be truly too lazy, and this household will become the village people's gossip for a year, receiving secret contempt.

  Song Jie was silent, it turns out there are also winding roads!