"Jiao girl, did your mother-in-law send so more good things this ti?"
Zhou Jiao was slowly making her way with a package when she encountered an old lady from the courtyard.
With a face full of curiosity, the old lady looked her over, and Zhou Jiao smiled and said, "There was a ntion of children’s clothes in the letter a few days ago, but I haven’t opened it yet. Are you heading downtown?"
"No, my second daughter-in-law gave birth to a big baby boy early this morning. I need to rush over to see the baby."
"Oh, that’s wonderful news. It’s such great timing, the baby’s here just in ti to celebrate the New Year with you all. He’ll surely be a filial child in the future."
The old lady laughed heartily, "Jiao girl, you really have a way with words. Thanks for the kind wishes. When the baby turns one month old, I’ll invite you to have so noodles."
Zhou Jiao nodded with a smile.
"Can you handle it? Why didn’t you let your aunt help? Do you need to help you carry it back?"
Zhou Jiao quickly stopped her, "It’s just a small bag, no need for help. Quickly go see the little baby, he’s still waiting for you, his dear grandma."
The old lady waved at her with a smile and hurried off.
Zhou Jiao watched her leave, dealt with a few familiar faces passing by, and then hastened her steps ho.
The people were incredibly warm and welcoming, many with unfamiliar faces, and she hadn’t interacted much with them. If it weren’t for her good mory, she really wouldn’t have recognized which family they were from.
If Zhang Guoqing hadn’t been taken away by her dad to see the world in other places, Zhou Jiao wouldn’t even want to step out the door. With New Year’s Eve approaching, there were too many people coming and going.
When she got ho, no one was there. Even Ping’an had been taken to visit the Wen family by Old Mrs. Cheng, and Aunt Chen had already left at dawn with tickets to shop outside the Big Courtyard.
Busy, everyone was busy, and Zhou Jiao felt that if she didn’t move, she’d practically be shutting herself in for a retreat at ho.
After cutting open the package, inside was a set of cotton clothes and pants for Ping’an, a set of woolen sweater and pants for Zhang Guoqing, and the rest were fur neck wraps, leather gloves, and plenty of thick socks.
As soon as Zhou Jiao saw it, she knew Ping’an’s clothing was once again a New Year’s gift from the pregnant Lin Juhua. For three consecutive years, she didn’t know where all the cotton ca from.
Mother Zhang had knitted a set of woolen clothes herself, which Zhou Jiao had seen before. The fur items should be New Year’s gifts from Huang Cuilan.
Mother Zhang was thoughtful. Last ti, Zhang Guoqing ntioned being a soldier was tough, with training every day, and he wore holes in several pairs of socks. This stack of thick socks must have been prepared by her mother-in-law.
Zhou Jiao shook her head with a smile.
A few days ago, Zhang ili and her sisters had already sent quite a few things, and now with the in-laws, she wondered if her own offerings back ho for New Year’s would seem too few.
In the afternoon, after taking a nap and waking up, Aunt Chen was already busy in the kitchen.
"Auntie, when did you co back? Why didn’t you wake up?"
Aunt Chen laughed, "Why wake you? I’ve put everything I bought in the living room, take a look and see if there’s anything we missed. While I’m still here, you better check quickly."
Zhou Jiao nodded. Seeing Aunt Chen busy preparing dinner, she didn’t linger long. She just suggested that after she’s done with what she’s doing, she should hurry ho to celebrate the New Year.
This year’s atmosphere for the New Year was different from previous years. If it wasn’t for the couplets everywhere in the Big Courtyard, the red lanterns, and the occasional sound of firecrackers, Zhou Jiao might have forgotten tomorrow was New Year’s Eve.
Thinking back to the past, when every ho had wafting aromas, all those scenes were no more.
In the evening, Zhou Xiaozheng returned with Zhang Guoqing, followed closely by Ping’an, happily arriving ho with a bag of red envelopes, finally adding so cheer to the otherwise quiet holiday.
At the dinner table, the family gathered together for an early New Year’s Eve al. Unable to be together year after year on New Year’s Eve, the family had now beco accustod to going with the local customs.
Zhou Xiaozheng picked up so food and placed it in Zhou Jiao’s bowl, "Don’t be reserved in the canteen tomorrow night. Dad won’t be by your side, rember to stay with your grand-aunt."
Lin Lishan laughed, "Let them stay with my little sister, wouldn’t that an it’s all old folk at that table? Better to stay with the young folks, if they’re hungry, they can co ho and cook for themselves."
Zhou Jiao rarely saw her dad put down, and she laughed, "There’s also Auntie and her folks, we’ll decide depending on the situation then. It’s our first communal New Year, can be a bit chaotic."
Zhang Guoqing chuckled, "The kitchen team has it all arranged in advance, nothing to worry about. I’ve heard, Dad can even join us for a few bites in the canteen before he leaves. Mom, you’re the one most hard-hit, I guess the Art Troupe will rush through one or two tables before organizing programs."
"Yes, sa as every year, I won’t join the hustle of the other troupes, I’ll take so people to the grassroots."
As for Lin Lishan’s work matters, the family had no opinion. Over the years, no one knew the processes better than she did.
Zhang Guoqing suddenly rembered sothing, and laughed, "This year’s New Year is quite entertaining. So days ago, there was a suggestion to avoid superstitions during the Spring Festival, but what about couplets and peach wood charms? Advocating against extravagance, yet everyone’s waiting for the city-wide powerful dumplings with pork stuffing tomorrow night; telling folks not to roam around too much, yet the temple fair starts on the first day of the new year; don’t drink before work, but even if you wanted to get drunk now, there’s no alcohol. Behind closed doors, people have plenty to say, grumbling without end, yet no one dares to say it out loud, having to applaud in agreent."
Zhou Xiaozheng snorted with a shake of his head.
Zhou Jiao also laughed and shook her head, "You wouldn’t know since you weren’t ho. An old classmate phoned recently saying that this communal New Year is the most aningful, boasting non-stop to ."
Lin Lishan gave her a puzzled look, "That classmate of yours being able to make phone calls shows her family is doing well, but no need to boast to you. Does she know where we live? Silly girl!"
The family laughed heartily at her words.
Zhang Guoqing explained to her on the side, "They probably think we live similarly to their family since it’s just one phone for the whole building."
Zhou Jiao nodded, "None of us ever brought classmates ho, and rarely discussed family matters outside. They just know our parents are in the military."
This was very much like what their daughter would do, Zhou Xiaozheng understood with a smile.
However, that classmate was indeed a bit of a bookworm - to have gotten into a famous university, but not necessarily very high in IQ. No wonder their Jiao Jiao never liked associating too much with those people.
Zhou Jiao initially intended to share what high assertion this classmate made that day, but after her mom’s comnt, she lost interest. The Big Courtyard indeed had differences from the outside world, considering their family’s conditions, no wonder her mom sounded so different.
What is a ’communal New Year’? Her mom didn’t understand it, never lived outside, and in the military, it’s essentially one big community, she overlooked the essence.
Inside the Big Courtyard, there was its own system of supply and demand, they had halls for watching movies, while out there, they relied on cinema tickets from parents’ work units or the local street committee.
One communal New Year, where the street committee’s power was overwhelming, organizing everything from ticket distribution to purchase books, to organizing cleaning, holding fun activities. Lots of room to maneuver.
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