Chapter 22: New Year Greetings

“Mom, we have money now, we can buy a TV.” Yu Zihan thought of those Spring Festival galas, and her heart was filled with many memories.

The Spring Festival gala was popular now; on New Year’s Eve, the festive atmosphere wasn’t just about the feast but also about the gala itself. On this special stage, many performing artists sacrificed their time with family to bring joy to those watching on TV, putting on an artistic feast. In the 1980s and 1990s, the Spring Festival gala became one of the most appreciated forms of cultural entertainment in people’s sparse cultural lives.

“Great! Whatever Zihan wants, Mom will buy for her.” Yu Meijuan didn’t know what the Spring Festival gala was, but she knew that whatever her daughter cherished must be something good. Fulfilling her daughter’s wishes was her greatest goal in life, so she agreed without hesitation.

Without a TV and the lively scenes, but with her mother’s cooking and company, this New Year’s Eve was still very meaningful. The mother and daughter had dumplings and set off firecrackers at midnight. Then they drifted into sleep, and when they opened their eyes, they had arrived in 1986.

When Yu Zihan opened her eyes, she saw a small pouch quietly lying beside her pillow. She could tell it was her mother’s handiwork. She picked it up, opened the pouch, and found a brand new ten-yuan bill inside. This was her New Year’s money from her mother. She happily accepted it, wishing she could receive her mother’s New Year’s money forever and ever.

Before she could fully immerse herself in this happy thought, Yu Zihan was jolted awake by the sound of firecrackers. She quickly put on the new clothes her mother had prepared for her and got out of bed.

Seeing her daughter dressed so nicely in front of her, Yu Meijuan’s face radiated a brilliant smile. Yu Zihan wore a high-neck, beige sweater knitted by her mother, topped with a bright red coat made from plush fabric. This coat featured two patch pockets designed by her mother, with the edges adorned with matching fabric. The collar was ruffled, perfectly suited for Yu Zihan’s age. She wore black straight-leg pants and a pair of black T-strap shoes.

Yu Meijuan also wore a matching beige sweater, with an outer outfit made of dark blue fabric from Decathlon. The top had a small blazer design that revealed the white sweater underneath, while the bottom consisted of straight-leg suit pants. She also wore a pair of black shoes.

Seeing her mother in new clothes, looking so sophisticated and elegant, filled Yu Zihan with joy that words couldn’t express.

“Happy New Year, Ms. Yu!” Yu Zihan greeted her with the first greeting of 1986.

“Happy New Year, Zihan!” Yu Meijuan smiled back at her daughter.

“Let’s eat first, then we’ll go to our neighbors to wish them a Happy New Year,” Yu Meijuan said, patting her daughter’s shoulder as she began to serve the steaming dumplings on the table.

The morning meal was simple: freshly cooked dumplings along with some leftover braised meat from last night.

After breakfast, it was still not yet eight o’clock. The two of them placed a plate of sunflower seeds, peanuts, and assorted candies on the coffee table in the living room. This was to entertain the neighbors who came to pay New Year visits. Therefore, Yu Meijuan arranged everything neatly. On the table, along with the snacks, there was also a vibrant green plant called “evergreen.”

This is Evergreen

With Yu Meijuan’s arrangement, the home appeared elegant and completely unlike a typical house in a small county town. After tidying everything up, she and her daughter put some candies in their pockets and headed out. Their first stop was Aunt Wang’s house at the end of the alley. Since Aunt Wang had taken good care of them after they moved into the new yard, it was only right to visit her first for New Year greetings.

When they arrived at Aunt Wang’s front door, it was slightly ajar, indicating that she was ready to welcome guests for the New Year. On the first day of the New Year, every household warmly entertained visits from friends and relatives.

“Sister Wang, I’ve come with my daughter to wish you a Happy New Year!” Yu Meijuan called out loudly at the door, signaling to those inside that they were coming in.

“Ah, come in, come in!” Aunt Wang’s voice came from inside.

The mother and daughter quickly stepped inside and saw several neighbors already gathered in Aunt Wang’s living room, chatting casually. The children were popping firecrackers in the yard with candy in their mouths.

When the children saw new neighbors arriving, they all rushed in and shouted loudly at Yu Meijuan, “Auntie, Happy New Year! Sister, Happy New Year!” Yu Meijuan warmly responded, “Happy New Year! Happy New Year!” and then pulled out some candies from her pocket to share with the kids.

The children eagerly took the candies and ran off.

Aunt Wang watched Yu Meijuan’s actions with satisfaction; she was generous. Unlike the few sitting nearby, who were quite stingy, the children greeted them but received not even a piece of candy in return.

“Oh dear, having money in hand makes a difference; you really are generous,” a sarcastic voice broke the harmonious atmosphere.

Yu Zihan and her mother turned to look at the source of the voice.

It was the woman who had caused trouble for them on their first day moving in. Later, they learned that this woman was named Zhao Yumei. Her background was similar to Yu Meijuan’s, but the Zhao family’s standing was incomparable to the Yu family’s; they were merely a wealthy family from Qingcheng.

During that movement, her family was sent to remote areas. Zhao Yumei didn’t want to suffer in a poor place with her family, so she hurriedly married a young worker named Li Gang. Li Gang’s parents were honest workers, and they had four sons. Li Gang was the eldest, with three younger brothers, all two years apart. None of the younger brothers had jobs and were sent to the countryside during the movement.

When she first married Li Gang, Zhao Yumei lived a stable life. She understood her family’s situation, and whether they would return was uncertain; during this time, if you were a dragon, you had to coil; if you were a tiger, you had to lie low. With Li Gang’s brothers sent to the countryside, their house was enough for them to live in, and with three out of four family members earning wages, they lived quite comfortably.

She was also quite fruitful, giving birth to three grandsons for the Li family over several years. She was regarded as a significant contributor to the Li family and was someone whose word counted.

However, the good times abruptly ended with the return of Li Gang’s brothers to the city. Their return for jobs and marriages made life difficult for the Li family. Meanwhile, Zhao Yumei’s family members had not survived the movement and had all died, leaving her without her maternal family. With Li Gang and his brothers getting married and having children one after another, the whole family became cramped in the original small yard, causing her temperament to gradually become irritable, revealing her harsh character. She was not only rude to her own family but also sharp-tongued and bitter towards the neighbors.