Chapter 348 – It’s the New Year

When Zhou Yimin saw this scene, he was overjoyed. He headed back into the house and brought out two strings of fifty-shot firecrackers.

Then, he loudly called out, “Everyone come line up!”

This sort of behavior would absolutely get slammed in the future. If even one child got hurt, he’d be the one in trouble.

But the children, hearing Zhou Yimin’s words, immediately knew he was handing something out.

They all came running over, scrambling to line up, and soon, the line was neat and orderly.

Zhou Yimin began handing out the firecrackers to the kids in line—each child got two or three. Of course, it couldn’t compare to what Laifu and the others received—after all, they were Zhou Yimin’s younger siblings.

Even if not by blood, they were still cousins!

The children all thanked Zhou Yimin once they received their firecrackers.

Gouzi watched this and was filled with regret. If only he hadn’t rushed up earlier to grab a firecracker—maybe he could’ve gotten one too? But it was too late now.

With firecrackers in hand, the children eagerly began lighting them.

In an instant, the entire Zhou Family Village was filled with the crackling sound of firecrackers.

Winter nights come early, and before the firecrackers had even been going for long, darkness had already fallen.

Zhou Yimin brought out some fireworks he had bought from the store. He hadn’t lit fireworks in ages—not since the modern era, where many cities banned fireworks or limited them to designated areas.

Just as the old man and Grandma Zhou were watching TV, Zhou Yimin pulled them outside.

He lit the fireworks in the courtyard.

As the fuses caught flame, one by one, the fireworks shot up into the sky, bursting open in radiant blooms.

Fireworks and firecrackers are part of the traditional cultural heritage of the Chinese nation. For thousands of years, they have run through the veins of the people just like the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers.

From state ceremonies to weddings and funerals, from the birth of a baby to the death of an elder, firecrackers and fireworks are always part of the occasion.

They encapsulate the ingenuity of the Chinese working people over millennia, fulfilling unique roles and creating a culture all their own.

For Chinese people, the Spring Festival is a tremendously important holiday. Welcoming the New Year amid the sounds of firecrackers is a romantic Chinese tradition that’s lasted thousands of years.

Fireworks aren’t just a symbol of New Year’s festivity—they’re also a spiritual expression drawn from traditional tales: used to scare away the Nian beast, to ward off illness and evil.

When villagers in Zhou Family Village heard the fireworks bursting in the sky, they couldn’t help but come out for a look. It was obvious who was lighting them—Zhou Yimin. After all, he was the only one in the village who could afford fireworks. In this era when even getting enough to eat was a struggle, who had spare money for firecrackers and fireworks?

Still, that didn’t stop the villagers from watching!

It had been ages since they last saw fireworks. The last time was… the last time.

It was only here in the village that Zhou Yimin could indulge so freely.

When the old man and Grandma Zhou saw the fireworks, they didn’t complain about missing the TV. Instead, they stood at the door quietly, watching the display.

The fireworks didn’t last long and were soon finished.

With no more to see, everyone went back inside to warm up. Especially lying on the heated brick bed—it was hard to describe just how comfortable it was.

In the modern-day Northeast, there’s central heating, and houses are so warm you can wear a T-shirt while eating popsicles.

Back inside, the old man and Grandma Zhou continued watching TV.

Zhou Yimin, a little bored, watched with them. Once the program ended, they all went to their rooms to sleep.

The next morning, Zhou Yimin was jolted awake by the sound of firecrackers. There was no helping it—on New Year’s Day, every household lights firecrackers to usher in the new year. Families in better financial shape buy the louder ones; those less well-off buy smaller ones.

In some modern cities, firecrackers go off all night long—making sleep impossible.

As soon as he got up, Zhou Yimin saw the old man lighting firecrackers and immediately covered his ears.

Soon, the crackle of explosions filled the air.

Boom, boom.

Then Zhou Yimin saw Grandma Zhou washing something with cold water and rushed over. “Grandma, why aren’t you using hot water?”

He had already mentioned it before, back when the weather wasn’t this cold, and Grandma Zhou had agreed readily, saying she would start using hot water for dishes or other chores.

He had seen many women’s knuckles dislocated and swollen from using cold water in the winter. Washing with cold water in this kind of weather causes frostbite and leaves behind joint problems.

Grandma Zhou gave an awkward smile, caught in the act. “It’s not that cold right now… using hot water wastes firewood, doesn’t it?”

Whether burning wood or coal, it either costs money or means going up the mountain to chop wood.

“But it’s not like we can’t afford it. From now on, you must use hot water for washing.” Zhou Yimin said this very seriously.

Hearing the seriousness in her grandson’s voice, Grandma Zhou knew there was no room for argument. “Okay, okay, I’ll do as my good grandson says.”

Then she turned around, went in to fetch a kettle of hot water, and poured it into the cold basin before continuing to wash the dishes.

The First Meal of the New Year

For the old folks of Beijing’s inner city, the most important part of New Year’s Day is eating dumplings, especially in the morning.

Since it’s traditionally said that no knives should be used on New Year’s Day, the dumplings must be prepared on New Year’s Eve.

It’s customary for the whole family to gather on New Year’s Eve to make dumplings together. Once midnight passes, they begin eating, and the leftovers become the first meal on New Year’s Day.

In Beijing, New Year’s Day involves more than just visiting relatives. There’s also the tradition of getting up early for dumplings. Afterward comes the New Year visits, and the home must be stocked with snack trays filled with nuts, seeds, and other treats for guests.

Zhou Yimin took the dumplings that had been made the night before and started cooking them.

The best part about the north is that the freezing weather turns your courtyard into a natural refrigerator. Leftover meat or anything else can just be left outside without spoiling.

Once the dumplings were cooked, Zhou Yimin, the old man, and Grandma Zhou sat down together to enjoy the first meal of the New Year.

After they ate, Zhou Yimin didn’t feel like going out to visit anyone, so he just stayed home.

The old man then pulled out a thick, bulging red envelope. “Yimin, this is a red envelope from the two of us.”

Even though there wasn’t much money inside, it was a heartfelt gift.

Grandpa and Grandma Zhou also gave two envelopes to Qianqian.

Zhou Yimin didn’t refuse and took them right away. This was the first red envelope he had received since crossing over into this world.

He didn’t care how much money was inside—it was the sentiment that mattered.

Nowadays, kids love New Year’s visits. Red envelopes meant lucky money, which they could use to buy firecrackers—or which their parents would just confiscate.

In the modern world, it became trendy for parents to “safekeep” your lucky money until you turned eighteen.

(End of Chapter)