After simmering a pot of old chicken soup all afternoon, there was also steamed fresh fish in clear water, braised pork ribs, braised rabbit meat, braised deer meat, and then a few stir-fried dishes. Small tomatoes and cucumbers were also served on separate plates.
After the meal, Shen Xiaoyan felt like her stomach would burst. It wasn't that she was greedy, but the food was simply too delicious.
After dinner came the watch-keeping, which was rather boring.
However, they also had to make dumplings, so it wasn't too tedious.
Shen Xiaoming rolled the wrappers, while Shen Xiaoyan and Zheng Wei worked together to fill them. In just half an hour, all the dumplings were made.
Each and every dumpling was neatly arranged on a sieve, which Zheng Wei took out and placed in the courtyard. It hadn't snowed that night, but it was extremely cold. Leaving the dumplings outside overnight would freeze them solid.
With no television or computer, after making the dumplings, the three of them could only sit around and chat. It wasn't even midnight yet, and Shen Xiaoming was already struggling to stay awake.
Shen Xiaoyan watched Shen Xiaoming's little head bobbing like a chick pecking at rice, and couldn't help but want to laugh. She didn't laugh out loud but tugged on Zheng Wei's arm.
"Carry Xiaoming back to his room to sleep."
Zheng Wei had already seen Shen Xiaoming's state. Hearing Shen Xiaoyan's words, he got off the kang, put on his shoes, and held Shen Xiaoming in his arms.
Perhaps because he was young, Shen Xiaoming didn't wake up. He just smacked his lips, muttered something unintelligible, and tilted his head to continue sleeping.
Under the eaves of the courtyard, a bright red goat-horn lantern was hung every two meters, with a candle lit inside, so Shen Xiaoyan didn't worry about Zheng Wei not being able to see the way.
After Shen Xiaoyan washed up and lay down on the bed, Zheng Wei walked in.
"Did you settle Xiaoming down?" Shen Xiaoyan, covered by the bright red quilt, only showed her head and asked Zheng Wei, who was walking in.
"En. I wiped his face, took off his clothes, and put him on the kang bed. I've also covered him with the quilt and added firewood to the kang." Zheng Wei replied.
Hearing this, Shen Xiaoyan chuckled. "I only asked you one question, why are you rambling on about so much?"
Zheng Wei said matter-of-factly, "Isn't it because I'm afraid you'll worry? Yet you find me rambling."
Shen Xiaoyan's eyes were full of smiles, and she said softly, "With you, I have no reason to worry."
As soon as the words left her mouth, Shen Xiaoyan regretted them slightly. The words were too direct.
Zheng Wei, however, was very happy. He walked to the edge of the kang and gently patted Shen Xiaoyan's head. "Wait for me, I'll go wash up."
Shen Xiaoyan's face flushed, and she turned her head to lie further into the kang. "Who's waiting for you? I'm going to sleep."
Zheng Wei ignored her and went to wash up. When he returned, took off his clothes, and lay down on the bed, he found that Shen Xiaoyan had indeed fallen asleep.
Looking at Shen Xiaoyan's flushed, sleeping face, a warmth surged in Zheng Wei's heart. He gazed at Shen Xiaoyan for a long time, and finally, he only bestowed a kiss on her cheek, then held her in his arms and closed his eyes to sleep.
Shen Xiaoyan felt that the night passed extremely quickly. She felt as though she had just closed her eyes when she heard the distant sound of firecrackers popping.
Although she didn't want to get up, she knew it was time to wake up.
After getting up and dressed, Shen Xiaoyan went to the kitchen to boil water, preparing to cook the dumplings later.
Zheng Wei, meanwhile, went to Shen Xiaoming's room to wake him. He had slept late last night and had to get up early today, so he figured Shen Xiaoming hadn't woken up yet.
When he entered Shen Xiaoming's room, he was indeed still asleep. Zheng Wei waited for a while, estimating that Shen Xiaoyan had already boiled the water, before calling Shen Xiaoming to wake up.
By the time Shen Xiaoming was ready, and they both walked into the kitchen, Shen Xiaoyan had just finished cooking the dumplings and was scooping them into bowls.
"You two go set off the firecrackers, and you can eat dumplings when you get back," Shen Xiaoyan said without turning her head, hearing the footsteps behind her.
"Okay, I'll go," Shen Xiaoming said happily at the prospect of setting off firecrackers. He turned and ran towards the main courtyard.
Zheng Wei didn't follow immediately. Instead, he took the wooden tray from Shen Xiaoyan and walked outside with it.
Shen Xiaoyan followed closely behind, also carrying a wooden tray.
It was not yet dawn, and as they reached the door of the main house, they could vaguely see that Shen Xiaoming had already arranged the firecrackers.
Shen Xiaoming's face was wreathed in smiles as he looked at them and said, "Eldest Sister, Brother-in-law, you two go inside first. I'll light them now."
Shen Xiaoyan agreed, and she and Zheng Wei took a few steps towards the house. When they turned back to look, they saw Shen Xiaoming running back, and the sound of firecrackers was already coming from behind him.
The three of them stood in the house watching the firecrackers explode outside, smoke mingling with flying paper scraps. The New Year's atmosphere was thus palpable.
According to the custom of Baiyun Village, after cooking dumplings on the morning of the first day of the year, the family doesn't eat them first. Instead, a bowl is first presented to their elders, along with New Year's greetings. If a child delivers the dumplings, they can also receive a lucky money.
However, this had nothing to do with Shen Xiaoyan and the other two, as they had no elders to deliver dumplings to.
After the three of them finished their dumplings, the sky outside had truly brightened.
There was no need to visit elders' homes for New Year's greetings. The families of their friends, the Pans and the Liangs, were likely busy at this time, so it wouldn't be appropriate for them to visit.
Shen Xiaoyan thought for a moment and then said to Zheng Wei, "Should we go visit the village head's home?"
Zheng Wei nodded approvingly. "We should."
Although they didn't live in the village, they were still part of Baiyun Village, and maintaining a good relationship with the village head's family was beneficial.
The three of them changed into their going-out clothes and stepped outside. However, as soon as they reached the outside of the courtyard, two small figures rushed towards them.
Shen Xiaoming, seeing the approaching pair, exclaimed happily, "It's Da Gang Ge and Bai Yan Ge!"
Shen Xiaoyan also saw the approaching figures clearly. It was Wu Da Gang and Bai Yan. She was just curious why these two were here at this time.
"Happy New Year, Sister Xiaoyan, Happy New Year, Brother Zheng. Happy New Year, Xiaoming."
As the two approached, they smiled and offered New Year's greetings to Shen Xiaoyan and the other two.
Shen Xiaoming quickly reciprocated, "Happy New Year, Brother Da Gang, Happy New Year, Brother Bai Yan."
Shen Xiaoyan smiled and greeted them, then took out two red envelopes from her sleeve and handed them over. "Happy New Year. Here, this is for your lucky money."
The two accepted them with smiles, not refusing.
The red envelopes were made from red paper that Shen Xiaoyan had bought herself. Each contained six liqian, which she intended to give to the village head's granddaughter later when they arrived.
It was fortunate that she had prepared some extra, otherwise, she would have been in an awkward situation.
"Why are you two here?" Shen Xiaoyan asked.
"We've come to wish our older siblings a Happy New Year." Their words were very sweet, and they didn't say their parents had sent them, only that it was their own initiative.
Even without them saying it, Shen Xiaoyan could guess. She didn't dwell on it and said, "Xiaoming, why don't you stay and keep them company? Your eldest sister and I can go by ourselves."
"Sister Xiaoyan, where are you planning to go?" Wu Da Gang had already noticed that Shen Xiaoyan and the other two were about to go out, so he quickly asked.