Chapter 346 — It’s Snowing

Early the next morning, just after waking up, I heard Grandpa exclaiming, “It’s snowing!”

This snowfall gave many people a sense of hope.

In the North, snow in the winter symbolizes spring rain, which is why there’s a saying: “A timely snow promises a good harvest.”

This year had been far too dry. Zhoujiazhuang was doing relatively okay, but other villages were struggling. Everyone had been waiting for snow!

So, when the old man saw the snow, of course he was thrilled.

When Zhou Yimin heard the news, he instantly perked up.

In his previous life, he had lived in the South and had never seen snow. For Southerners, snow probably holds a kind of natural allure. Even a warm bed can’t compare to the magic of snowfall.

Before long, he was outside, watching the snow drift down from the sky. Judging by how thick it was, it must have started in the middle of the night—there was already a good ten or so centimeters on the ground.

Zhou Yimin lay right down in the snow, feeling incredibly comfortable. It was soft, just like lying on clouds.

“You’re wearing so little and lying in the snow? Aren’t you cold?” his grandmother called out as she stepped outside, just in time to see him sprawled out.

Zhou Yimin was a little stunned. He was wearing a military coat, which was very warm—he didn’t feel cold at all.

Military coats these days were no worse than the down jackets of later years. As long as it wasn’t raining, you wouldn’t feel cold in one.

“Grandma, I’m not cold at all. Look how many layers I’m wearing.”

There’s just something about elders—they decide whether you’re cold or not, regardless of what you’re actually wearing.

The kids in Zhoujiazhuang were up bright and early. Now that it had snowed, there was no way they were missing out on a good snowball fight.

Kids didn’t have as many toys as they would in the future, so they played with whatever they could find.

Zhou Yimin went out to walk around. If he had a phone, he’d absolutely be posting to his Moments feed—but unfortunately, he didn’t.

He hadn’t been out long when he saw a group of village kids playing in the snow.

The brothers Laifu and Laicai were among them.

Just then, a snowball came flying out of nowhere and accidentally hit Zhou Yimin.

The kids froze, worried he might scold them.

But Zhou Yimin wasn’t mad at all. He simply bent down, scooped up some snow, rolled it into a snowball, and gently tossed it back—a playful “counterattack.”

The kids let out a breath of relief and jumped into the “battle” with renewed enthusiasm.

Everyone was having a blast.

Some of the young adults saw Zhou Yimin joining in and felt a sudden surge of nostalgia—like their DNA had been activated. They joined in too.

More and more people got involved, all laughing and playing like they hadn’t in ages. If it weren’t for the fact that everyone could now eat their fill, no one would dare spend energy on such a physically demanding game.

After all, the more you moved, the more energy you burned, and the faster you got hungry.

Eventually, Zhou Yimin suggested, “Why don’t we play sandbag toss?”

Sandbag toss is a game that needs at least three people. You use something soft but weighted—without hard edges—as the “weapon.”

In a designated playing area, two groups stand on either side and take turns throwing sandbags at those standing in the middle. If someone in the middle gets hit, they’re out. If they catch a sandbag thrown at them, they get a “life.”

The players are split into two main teams—one to throw and one to dodge. The throwers divide into two subgroups and stand at each end of the field, with the dodgers in the middle. The two throwing sides take turns trying to hit the dodgers. Once all the middle players are out, the teams switch roles, and the game starts again.

Everyone immediately agreed to Zhou Yimin’s idea, and the teams were quickly divided.

The game began. Zhou Yimin’s team started as the throwers, while Zhou Dafu’s team was in the middle dodging.

Zhou Yimin’s very first throw hit a little kid who hadn’t even reacted yet.

More and more players were eliminated. Whether it was luck or skill, Zhou Dafu somehow managed to survive until there were only three players left.

Zhou Yimin said, “Let’s get Dafu out next.”

“Uncle Sixteen, that’s not fair! Can’t you leave me for last?” Zhou Dafu immediately protested.

Zhou Yimin didn’t hesitate. “Nope.”

Hearing that, everyone on Zhou Yimin’s team aimed for Zhou Dafu. At first, he managed to dodge, but as he got tired, his reflexes slowed. Eventually, he got hit and was out.

Before long, Zhou Dafu’s whole team was eliminated.

Now the roles were reversed. Zhou Yimin’s team had to dodge, while Zhou Dafu’s team took the offensive.

Zhou Yimin got eliminated right away.

Even he didn’t expect it. Zhou Dafu totally set him up. Before he could react, a sandbag hit him squarely.

Just goes to show—happy times fly by. It felt like they had barely started when it was already noon and time for lunch. If the kids didn’t head back soon, their parents would start looking for them.

At that point, the little ones would be in trouble. The older kids like Zhou Dafu wouldn’t be too affected, though.

The day passed quickly.

Two days later, Zhang Jianshe brought his whole family to Zhoujiazhuang to visit Zhou Yimin’s grandparents.

Zhou Yimin guessed that Uncle Zhang had carved time out of his busy schedule for the trip. The research institute kept him very occupied—last time Zhou Yimin had visited, he’d had to wait a long while to see him.

The old couple was delighted to see their granddaughter-in-law. They brought out all the good food in the house to treat them.

Seeing how well Zhou Yimin looked after his grandparents made Zhang Jianshe and his wife even more pleased with him.

After lunch, despite the snow, Zhang Jianshe’s family headed home.

By the 28th day of the lunar month, every household was busy cleaning.

“On the 28th, scrub the grime”—an old saying that’s stuck around to this day. People choose this day to thoroughly clean their homes. It’s said to be the day when the Kitchen God ascends to Heaven to report to the Jade Emperor on how mortals have lived over the past year.

To make a good impression, families would do a full cleanup on this day so the Kitchen God would see and remember.

“Scrub the grime on the 28th” rhymes nicely and fits with folk customs. But according to tradition, the New Year’s cleaning starts on the 23rd and continues through the 28th or even the 29th.

“On the 23rd, sun your quilts and wash your clothes; on the 24th, clean up the edges of the house; on the 25th, sweep and dust; on the 26th, clean the livestock pens; on the 27th, wash inside and out; on the 28th, wipe down the household clutter; on the 29th, carry out all the junk.”

In folk belief, the word for “dust” (尘) sounds like “old” (陈), so sweeping out dust before the New Year also means sweeping out the old and welcoming the new.

As preparations for the New Year wrapped up, the 30th arrived in the blink of an eye.

Everyone was incredibly busy, focused on making New Year’s Eve dinner. In the Northeast, dumplings are a must-have for the New Year.

Zhou Yimin planned to make three kinds: lamb and scallion, fennel and pork, and chive and egg dumplings.

These three fillings were considered a real treat at this time of year.

Zhou Yimin helped out, and after over an hour, the dumplings were finally ready. Then they moved on to the rest of the dishes.

New Year’s Eve dinner is the final meal of the year. Every family brings out the best they have.

It’s a way to reward yourself for a year of hard work—and a way to express hopes for the coming year: that life gets better, work goes well, and loved ones stay healthy.

(End of Chapter)