The meal looked perfect, with rice paired with meatballs, topped with a layer of yellow, diamond-shaped slices of egg.

Chen Lina handed the meal to Nie Bozhao and said, “Alright, call the kids in and let them bow to their mother.”

Nie Bozhao turned and called his three sons into the room.

Nie Weimin recognized that this was his mother.

He took the incense, lit it carefully, and bowed while gazing at the photo.

His eyes were a bit red.

Er Dan, holding the incense, broke it in his hand and, having long forgotten his mother, followed Nie Weimin’s example by lighting the incense and bowing.

Only San Dan was too scared to go.

He clung to Chen Lina’s leg and said, “Mom, I’m scared.”

“She’s also your mother. It’s the New Year, and she wants to see you. Hurry up and bow to her. She just wants to know you’re healthy and happy, without illness or disaster.”

“You’re just tricking us,” Nie Weimin wiped his nose, his head lowered. “Materialists don’t believe in ghosts or gods. My mom’s been cremated. According to her wishes, her ashes were scattered over the three major bases in the mining district. This is recorded in the district’s annals.”

The boy was wise beyond his years.

“Even if there are no ghosts or gods, she’s still your mother. It’s a custom to light incense during the holidays to show you remember her and haven’t forgotten her. It’s like when the teacher enters the classroom, and you stand and greet them. Now go, give her a bow.” Chen Lina said.

The woman in the photo was smiling, and the image was so clear you could even see the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.

How should I put it?

Besides having somewhat masculine features, Sun Gongsheng was actually quite beautiful.

Her short hair, lightly curled, showed she had once been full of vigor on the vast desert and when the entire base was filled with men.

“You still won’t go to change the shells?” Chen Lina closed the little study room door and said, “Come, let me tell you a story.”

“Hmm, you always have stories. Tell me.”

“It’s a story from the past. It was told to me by your father, Nie Weijiang. He said that when he was young, you were always working outside, and only the elders took care of him at home.
During the New Year, because he was paralyzed, he couldn’t get up. His second brother wanted to buy fireworks but couldn’t afford them, so he stole a firecracker from next door, took it outside behind his back, and the three of them lit it.

The one who took him there was probably your biological mother, Huang Guilan. When she found out, she told you, and you beat him with a belt. He ran away and didn’t return home for several years.

Your son, becoming involved with the underworld, had his origins in a firecracker.” Chen Lina said.

In the past, there was no Chen Lina to follow Nie Bozhao to the base, and it was Huang Guilan who took care of the children.

Huang Guilan, a little older than a yellow flower, was more refined, but Er Dan was a rough and careless character.

It’s easy to imagine how, with Nie Bozhao being busy outside all day, he would find out his son had been stealing and fighting, and inevitably, he would end up punishing him.

Nie Bozhao truly didn’t want to hear about these past events—the joyful family reunion, the warmth and harmony.

Hearing it now, it seemed strangely sorrowful.

“Alright, it’s just a few fireworks. Why do you have to bring up that old apricot tree branch from the past?”

“That was you. The first half of your life was a failure, but the second half was glorious because you had me.”

“No, Comrade Chen, I’m going to make a few fireworks and blast that apricot tree branch out of existence. Of course, I’m also a materialist and don’t believe in ghosts or gods. I just want you to know that if I, Nie Bozhao, want to do something, there’s nothing I can’t accomplish.”

And just like that, he decided to make fireworks.

When Nie Bozhao set his mind on something, people could hardly imagine what he would do next.

For example, he planned to make his own fireworks and show them off so his sons could impress all the kids at the base. So, he went to the laboratory.

After coming back, he took out some gunpowder from behind the bookshelf in his study, grabbed a few sheets of waste paper, and prepared the fuses himself.

He then started making fireworks in his study.

“Dad, can you really make fireworks?” Er Dan was so excited he could hardly contain himself.

“The most important thing about fireworks is the gunpowder. I have the gunpowder. I’ll roll it in paper, tie the fuse, and that’s a firecracker,” Nie Weimin, though outwardly calm, was so excited he kept rubbing San Dan’s little head. “Dad, can you add more gunpowder? I want to scare the dog and money away so they won’t dare leave the house.”

“No, I want to blow them up so they don’t dare leave tomorrow.”

Normally, Nie Bozhao would not indulge them, but it was the New Year, so he thought, why not help the kids out?

On the red paper, he placed a little bit of gunpowder—one gram each.

He took the powder, crushed it, and then showed Nie Weimin the things he had brought back from the laboratory, explaining one by one: “This is potassium nitrate, a strong oxidizer. It helps the combustion process and makes the fireworks burn brighter. Now, watch as I add it.”

“Dad, can potassium nitrate be eaten? Is it sour?”

“Er Dan, go pour me a cup of tea, quickly.”

“This is magnesium powder, used in military illumination shells because it has a low ignition point and can create a bright flash, illuminating the whole area as brightly as daylight. And this is barium nitrate, which also glows during combustion, but it gives off a green light. You’ll see in a moment.”

With that, Nie Bozhao rolled up the homemade firecracker, glued it with paste, and father and son waited for the firecracker to dry.

As the sky darkened, he asked Nie Weimin, “Do you want to light it, or should I?”

“I’ll do it,” Nie Weimin said, taking the firecracker outside. “Er Dan, Money Qian Godan, come and see my firecracker. I have one now, and I’m going to scare you so badly you won’t dare leave for three days.”

“What kind of firecracker is so impressive it can scare me for three days?” Jumping with excitement, Qian Godan ran out.

Chen Tiantian, Xiao Jinbao, and the children from Grandma’s house also came to the door to watch the excitement.

Nie Weimin placed the firecracker against the wall, lit the fuse, and watched it burn. As the fuse burned down, Qian Godan jumped up and said, “Hey, it’s a dud.”

“Yeah, the fuse has been burning for a while, but there’s no sign of anything happening.”

“Brother, I’ll go take a look. Could it be that Dad’s firecracker is really a dud?” Before Erdan could finish his sentence, there was a swoosh sound. It wasn’t very loud, but suddenly, a blue light exploded in the air. The light, like a shooting star, began to fall down one by one.

“Mom, quick, come look, the firecracker Dad made is so beautiful!” Nie Weimin jumped up and ran inside. “Dad, give me a few more, I want to scare the money-hungry kids so they’ll never dare leave the house.”

“What’s the rush? There are even better ones coming.”

It was just a firework, nothing extraordinary for Nie Bozhao, who was a jack of all trades in engineering.

Blue was just the most basic.

In his lab, there was everything.

By adding strontium nitrate, sodium salts, copper salts, and all kinds of chemicals to the gunpowder, bam, colorful fireworks went off one after another, each more stunning than the last, drawing all the adults and kids in the base outside.

Almost everyone gathered outside Nie’s house, looking up, eager to see what new tricks Nie Bozhao would come up with.

And Nie Bozhao did not disappoint.

One moment it was red, then blue, then red, blue, and yellow alternating.

The fireworks exploded and kept exploding.

Well, before everyone was heading to the movie tomorrow night, at least they all got their fill of eye candy.

But only Sandan noticed something was off.

He had been watching for a while when he suddenly tugged at Chen Lina’s sleeve. “Mom, our little sister is missing.”

She had been left outside during the day, then moved to the hall at night. The chubby little rabbit sister had been staying at home for a while, but Chen Lina searched inside and outside and couldn’t find her.

Next door, Sister Wang had just finished her postpartum recovery.

Every time a firecracker went off, her newborn would cry, and it was a son too. Sister Wang was extra cautious, watching over him in case anything happened, but then, the baby really did get a fever.

“Hey, Lina, what brings you here?” Sister Wang was checking the baby’s temperature when she saw Chen Lina enter.

“It’s the New Year. You must be exhausted,” Chen Lina said, putting half a plump chicken on the table.

“We got four chickens too, you know. You’ve got more kids, a bigger family, no need to bring me any,” Sister Wang replied.

Suddenly, Sandan’s loud crying filled the air. “Mom, sister is here! Sister!”

Chen Lina quickly turned and went outside.

A short while later, she came back holding a rabbit and placed it on Sister Wang’s kang. Right behind her, an old woman with a dark face followed. “Hey, Director Chen, that rabbit was caught by my grandkids outside. What gives you the right to claim it’s yours?”

“Sister Wang, we’ve been close for so long. If you need eggs or meat, I’ll send you some. But stealing my coal and my rabbit to eat? That’s crossing the line.”

“Mom, give the rabbit back!” Sister Wang was furious.

“This rabbit was caught by my grandkids outside.” Old Wang said.

“Rabbits caught outside have red strings tied to their legs. Sweetie, tell your grandmother, whose rabbit is this?”

“This is sister’s, me and Dadan raised her together.” Chen Tiantian burst into tears again. “Grandma stole coal from the neighbors, stole fireworks, now she’s even trying to steal our little sister to eat!”

Sister Wang was so furious she sat up. “Mom, I’ll take care of the kids myself. You leave after the third day of the New Year. I can’t put up with you anymore.”

Old Mrs. Wang said, “It’s just a rabbit. Our families are close, so what’s the harm if my kids eat it? You even said Tiantian could be your daughter-in-law.”

Chen Lina sneered. “That’s between our families, nothing to do with you. Return my coal, and the chicken I gave you is a gift. You better remember this. If you steal my coal or fireworks again, I’ll use the big stick next time.”

After Chen Lina left, Sister Wang stared at the chicken on the table, seething. “Mom, after the third day of the New Year, you should leave. Take those two boys back with you. You can’t live off my brother’s family by stealing things. You’ll ruin my reputation with everyone in the base.”

Carrying the little sister from next door, Nie Bozhao got excited and started teaching Nie Weimin how to mix gunpowder, glue the firecrackers, and launch fireworks.

“Well, here, separate the gunpowder, make the tube a bit longer, attach the fuse—that’s a chain firecracker.”

“Next, package the different chemicals separately, attach their fuses, and when everything is connected, boom! The fireworks all have different colors.”

Chen Lina watched and said, “Ah, so this is how fireworks are made. I’ve learned something new today.”

Nie Weimin was getting more and more excited, making one after another.

If Nie Bozhao hadn’t finally forced him to put the gunpowder away, he was planning to make a hand grenade next.

The clock struck midnight, the bell ringing, marking the arrival of the new year.

“Nie Weimin, take your brothers and go sleep over there.” The kids had filled up the big kang, and Nie Bozhao couldn’t do anything. So, he kicked Nie Weimin, trying to get him to leave.

Nie Weimin wasn’t having it. “No way, it’s New Year’s Eve, I’m sleeping with you guys tonight.”

Well, the smell of gunpowder, the aroma of meatballs from the kitchen, the stinky feet of the kids in the room, the wind and firecracker sounds outside—all mixed together.

Nie Gong crawled along the floor, like Dong Chunrui blowing up a bunker, tossing aside snoring kids, moving past those grinding their teeth, carefully carrying a fuse that could go off any second, and finally made it to his beloved’s side.

Lying next to her, holding her hand, he thought: “Comrade Xiao Chen, you’ve worked hard. Next year, we’ll keep up the good work.”

With the New Year’s Eve over, and the huge bell ringing at the office building, the new year had arrived.