Chapter 18

When Jiang Jiang stepped outside, she found the village children busy picking up leftover firecrackers to set off. Fengzhen and Shuanzhu were among them.

During the festival, collecting firecrackers was considered a “daring adventure” for the boys every year. Two little girls were standing nearby, covering their ears in fear.

Suddenly, with a loud bang, a firecracker exploded, scattering red bits everywhere.

Zhang Yueju’s eldest son, Shuanzhu, was eight years old and attended primary school in the village.

He was well-proportioned and dressed neatly. His younger brother, Tiezhu, was six and had just started first grade.

Both boys were full of energy, and during the New Year festivities, the adults tried to refrain from assigning chores or scolding the children. These few days were their happiest, as they spent their time running around and playing with the older kids.

Jiang Jiang didn’t join in; instead, she stood to the side, watching them play.

Children like her, without parents, were rare in the village. She had to come up with various ways to survive each day, leaving her with little time to play freely.

Moreover, she wore tattered clothes, and Yinhua and Jinbao often spoke ill of her in front of the other village kids, making them reluctant to play with her.

“Jiang Jiang, you’re up?” Fengzhen spotted her immediately.

“Mm-hmm.” Jiang Jiang felt a bit embarrassed; she was the only one who had slept in so late.

“Come play with us!”

“Jiang Jiang, here’s one for you.” Shuanzhu handed her a firecracker on a string.

Jiang Jiang took the firecracker. Having watched from the sidelines, she knew how to play with it.

She squatted down close, lit it, and quickly covered her ears before scurrying away to a safe distance, crouching down in anticipation of the bang.

With a loud “bang,” the firecracker exploded, and the cheers of the surrounding children were infectious. Jiang Jiang couldn’t help but smile in delight.

“Let’s go ice fishing! Jiang Jiang, come with us!”

“Okay! Here, this is the candy Grandma just gave me. Let’s share it!” Jiang Jiang offered the candy in her hand to everyone.

Although the fruit candies weren’t as delicious as milk candies, they were still sweet treats. In this time of scarcity, any kind of candy was cherished, and the group of children happily shared the sweets before eagerly pulling Jiang Jiang along to play.

—o—o—o—

By the afternoon, the village adults gradually came over to call their children back home for dinner.

On New Year’s Eve, known as the big night before the new year, families woke early to start their preparations: washing vegetables, cutting meat, boiling dishes, and frying snacks, all bustling with excitement.

While it was busy, the atmosphere was filled with joy and laughter, a celebration of family togetherness and hopes for the future.

The family began preparing for the New Year’s Eve dinner that afternoon. The meal was not just food; it was a solemn ritual that marked the farewell to the old year and welcomed the new one.

When Jiang Jiang and the others returned, the dishes were nearly finished. The stove was lined with neatly wrapped dumplings, and there were a total of ten dishes prepared: stir-fried cabbage with vinegar, pork rib, and lotus root soup, braised pork ribs with radish, stir-fried celery, sautéed cabbage, chicken with potatoes, fried meatballs, braised preserved fish, oil cakes, and dumplings.

Each dish held a meaning of peace and completeness, symbolizing a wish for a safe and perfect year ahead.

The pork rib and lotus root soup were clear and sweet, while the oil cakes were filled with brown sugar, soft and sweet with each bite.

The vinegar stir-fried cabbage was tangy and appetizing, and the fried meatballs were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, a favorite among the children. The adults, however, loved the chicken with potatoes the most.

The potatoes were stewed until soft, the chicken fragrant and tender, soaking up the rich broth.

The fragrant braised preserved pork ribs with radish and the stir-fried cabbage cooked in chicken fat added a fresh sweetness to the meal.

Every New Year’s celebration required a fish dish to symbolize abundance, but fresh fish was hard to find in the northern winter, so they used preserved fish as a substitute.

The fish was delicious, and dipping steamed buns in the braised fish sauce was simply delightful. There was also stir-fried celery, crisp and sweet, representing hard work and prosperity.

Everyone ate heartily, consuming at least two bowls more than usual. Such a sumptuous meal was a rare treat.

The dumplings were served only after finishing the first nine dishes. Jiang Jiang sat beside her parents, savoring her first lavish New Year’s Eve dinner.

The adults drank wine while the children enjoyed orange juice. Under He Guijuan’s watchful eye, Jiang Jiang drank half a bowl of soup and ate plenty of dishes, warming her stomach before finally sipping a small cup of orange juice.

The orange juice was both tangy and sweet, and Jiang Jiang savored it slowly, taking tiny sips from her cup.

After dinner, the adults sat down to drink tea and chat while the children played their games outside.

Fengzhen taught Jiang Jiang how to play with a string, something Jiang Jiang had never done before.

However, she had a good memory and learned quickly, managing to grasp the game after just one demonstration from Fengzhen.

At first, it was just Fengzhen and Jiang Jiang playing, but soon Tiezhu and the others joined in.

Shuanzhu suggested they form a line, passing the string back so everyone could participate in the game.

—o—o—o—

Around eight o’clock, Guijuan came out with a smile, calling them in.

“It’s time to eat dumplings!”

The children rushed inside in a flurry, gathering around the pot, where plump, white dumplings floated enticingly.

The dumplings were filled with pork and cabbage or chives and eggs. The dumpling wrappers were soft and chewy, while the filling was juicy and tender.

Having already eaten dinner, He Guijuan was concerned the children might not finish, so she only served them a few dumplings in each bowl. Yet, her worries were unfounded; they were all back with empty bowls within minutes.

“Take smaller bites; be careful not to hurt your teeth. Let’s see who is lucky enough to find the coin in their dumpling,” Zhang Yueju reminded with a smile.

Jiang Jiang loved dumplings and felt enveloped in the warm atmosphere. Her face lit up with a happy smile.

Just as Jiang Jiang picked up a dumpling to take a bite, she saw her mother place another dumpling in her bowl. Surprised by the sudden addition, she felt a strange premonition.

She took a gentle bite with her chopsticks, and sure enough, she had bitten into a coin.

“A coin! Jiang Jiang found a coin!” Tiezhu exclaimed, quickly spotting the coin in her bowl.

“Look at the coin!”

Once it was confirmed that Jiang Jiang was indeed the one who found the coin, the other children gazed at her with envious eyes.

Finding a coin in a dumpling was considered a lucky sign—perhaps indicating good fortune in the coming year.

Fengyin’s expression darkened, and in frustration, she stabbed her dumpling with her chopsticks, crushing it in her bowl.

“How unfortunate; I didn’t get a coin dumpling again.”

Jiang Jiang, with a cheerful smile, sweetly offered, “You can have mine, Tiezhu.”

“I don’t want it! You found it; I want to find one myself!”

“Tomorrow morning is the first day of the new year, and we’ll have more dumplings. I’ll make extra dumplings with coins so everyone can find one!”

At He Guijuan’s words, the children’s spirits lifted.

Jiang Jiang washed the coin she had found and tucked it into her pocket, feeling as if she had just tasted honey—her heart full of sweetness.