Chapter 347 – Setting Off Firecrackers

Zhou Yimin and the other quickly finished preparing the dishes, and with the table slowly filling up, this meal could be considered pretty decent even in a place like Beijing—perhaps even on a national level.

Of course, it still couldn’t compare to those truly wealthy, invisible elites. After all, people who can accumulate such vast wealth surely have extraordinary connections, so it’s no surprise that they have access to rare and exclusive ingredients.

The old man sniffed the fragrant aroma in the air and said, “Yimin, your cooking has improved again!”

Just the smell alone was enough to make one want to dig in immediately.

“Old man, are you saying that my usual cooking isn’t good?” Zhou Yimin’s grandmother asked at that moment.

The old man immediately broke out in a cold sweat. If he didn’t answer properly, it would be hard to have a peaceful New Year.

“Grandpa, Grandma, let’s eat! Otherwise, the dishes will get cold,” Zhou Yimin quickly stepped in to defuse the situation.

The old man shot him a grateful look.

Zhou Yimin’s grandmother didn’t press further and let the matter go.

The three of them sat down together, with little Qianqian lying nearby.

Today, Third Uncle’s family hadn’t come over.

The old man said, “Let’s eat!”

“Yimin, since it’s New Year’s Eve dinner, can we have a bit of alcohol?”

Ever since he’d tasted Moutai, he’d never forgotten the flavor. But knowing how precious it was, he had held back from asking. Still, it was New Year’s Eve tonight, and he couldn’t help wanting a taste.

Zhou Yimin had already anticipated it. “Grandpa, I knew you’d want to drink. But this will be the last time—starting tomorrow, we’ll follow the plan strictly.”

He pulled out a bottle of Moutai and a jar of Nu’erhong. The Nu’erhong was meant for Grandma—the alcohol content in Moutai was a bit high for her, and Nu’erhong was more suitable.

This Nu’erhong had been snagged in a flash sale today—he had bought a hundred jars in one go.

The old man recognized it instantly. “This is Nu’erhong, isn’t it?”

Nu’erhong is a locally renowned traditional rice wine from SX City. It’s a type of huangjiu (yellow wine) made from glutinous rice and contains a variety of amino acids beneficial to the human body. In the damp, chilly winters of Jiangnan, people often drink it to stay warm.

The wine is brewed with water from Jian Lake in front of the house, producing a fragrant aroma that travels for miles. The brand, which dates back to the Jin dynasty, has a history passed down for over a thousand years.

As recorded in Records of Southern Plants by Ji Han of Shangyu in 304 AD during the Jin dynasty, Nu’erhong was a customary item among wealthy families when daughters were born or married.

Legend says, upon hearing their daughter’s very first cry, a father’s heart would melt, and he’d take the glutinous rice harvested from three mu of land to brew three jars of Nu’erhong. These would be carefully sealed and buried under the osmanthus tree in the backyard—like the deeply hidden love of a father. Whenever he missed her, he’d walk a few steps around the tree, as if grounding himself.

When the daughter turned eighteen and got married, the wine would be unearthed and gifted as part of her dowry to her husband’s family.

According to Shaoxing custom, the first three bowls drawn from the jar must be offered to the daughter’s father-in-law, her own father, and her husband respectively—symbolizing blessings for longevity, health, and family prosperity.

“Grandpa, impressive! You recognized Nu’erhong with just one look,” Zhou Yimin gave him a thumbs-up.

The old man admitted honestly, “I’ve had the honor of trying it once, but I’m not really used to the taste.”

“This one’s for Grandma, not for you,” Zhou Yimin said.

He first opened the bottle of Moutai. As soon as it was poured, its rich aroma filled the air.

The old man inhaled deeply, as if intoxicated just by the smell, cradling the glass like a precious treasure. Zhou Yimin then poured Grandma a cup of Nu’erhong.

He also poured himself a glass of Moutai.

“Come, everyone raise your glasses—Happy New Year’s Eve!” the old man said, lifting his glass.

Zhou Yimin chimed in, “Yes, Happy New Year’s Eve.”

The New Year’s Eve dinner passed in a joyful atmosphere.

Just then, the sound of firecrackers caught Zhou Yimin’s attention, so he stepped outside.

He saw Laifu, Laicai, and their sister Laifang playing with firecrackers. Zhou Yimin couldn’t help but warn, “Laifu, Laicai, be careful—especially Laifang.”

Upon hearing that, Laifu quickly assured him, “Big Brother, don’t worry!”

Zhou Yimin then went to the store and bought them two strings of fifty-shot firecrackers to play with.

What’s the point of New Year if there are no firecrackers?

Laifu accepted them and quickly said, “Thanks, Big Brother!”

The three of them started setting them off nearby, each holding a lit incense stick. Using incense was much more convenient than striking a match each time—not to mention cheaper and easier.

As Laicai set off the firecrackers, Laifu immediately covered his ears, but their younger sister Laifang wasn’t scared at all. Instead, she watched intently as Laicai lit them.

The firecrackers went off one after another, and Laifang showed no fear. On the contrary, she was thoroughly enjoying it.

Soon, the sound of firecrackers drew other children from the village. Most of them had already eaten, and upon hearing the explosions, they couldn’t help themselves—they ran out to see who was setting them off, hoping to get a chance to join in.

It wasn’t like in later years, when firecrackers and fireworks were banned in many places, making the New Year feel a lot less festive.

The surrounding kids saw that it was Laifu and his siblings playing, but felt a bit shy about going over to ask if they could have a few to light.

At that moment, one of the firecrackers Laicai lit failed to go off. He was about to go check on it when another kid beat him to it and snatched it up before he could get there.

Laicai wasn’t pleased. Even if it hadn’t gone off, it was still his firecracker. That kid hadn’t even asked.

“Dogzi, put my firecracker down!” he shouted and prepared to chase him.

But Dogzi wasn’t having it. “You already lit it and it didn’t go off—so it’s not yours anymore.”

He ignored Laicai and ran off.

Because Laicai’s pocket was shallow, some of the firecrackers that Zhou Yimin had given him fell out as he ran.

The kids around them widened their eyes. If Zhou Yimin hadn’t been standing there watching, they probably would’ve rushed to grab them.

“Laicai, your firecrackers are falling out,” Laifu called out, quickly warning him.

If he didn’t do something, they’d all fall out soon.

Laicai heard him, looked down at the firecrackers on the ground, and stopped chasing Dogzi. The priority was to gather the ones that had fallen. If someone else picked them up, it’d be a case of losing a watermelon for a sesame seed.

He quickly picked them all up and finally breathed a sigh of relief. But something felt odd—normally in this kind of situation, the firecrackers would’ve been snatched up in seconds. Yet this time, no one moved.

It was only because all the other kids were watching Zhou Yimin.

(End of Chapter)