The prosperous era of courtyard houses

Chapter 115, New Year’s Eve

Time flies by and it’s New Year’s Eve soon.

There was a heavy snowfall last night, covering the entire imperial capital with a layer of snow-white clothing.

Although the weather is cold, it cannot stop the enthusiasm of the people for celebrating the New Year.

Early in the morning, every household got up early, and they were all busy removing dust, sweeping snow, and cleaning.

Opposite Li Weiguo, the third uncle Yan Fugui moved an Eight Immortals table from his home early in the morning and placed it in the center of the yard, and then placed it with Spring Festival couplets, red paper, brushes, ink, paste and other equipment.

As soon as Li Weiguo opened the door, he saw the third uncle splashing ink, and couldn't help but walked over curiously.

"Third uncle, have a great New Year. Hey, have you laid out everything here?"

"Happy New Year, happy New Year, haha, that's right, it's better to post Spring Festival couplets as early as possible. By the way, Weiguo, you haven't prepared Spring Festival couplets at home yet, how about I write one for you? Not much, just give me fifty cents Just the retouching fee, hahaha."

The third uncle will not let go of the opportunity to make money. If there are more than a dozen households in the courtyard, as long as three or five households do business, they can still make a few dollars.

Li Weiguo smiled and didn't care about the three melons and two dates. It happened that he didn't prepare Spring Festival couplets either, so he said: "Okay, then you can write one for me. It has to be festive and auspicious, otherwise I won't pay the writing fee."

"Okay, please do it. I guarantee your satisfaction. After writing it, I will ask Jie Cheng and Jiefang to paste it up for you."

Winning the first order of business in the morning, the third uncle was instantly overjoyed and received one-stop service directly to his home.

"Okay, then I'm sorry to trouble you."

The third uncle was very agile when he had money to make. He wrote a couplet for Li Weiguo by dividing three by five and dividing by two.

The first line: everything goes well and good luck every year; the second line: everything goes well and everything goes well; the horizontal line: auspicious stars shine brightly.

Not to mention, the third uncle is quite reliable and his handwriting is decent. Li Weiguo doesn't understand calligraphy, so he just makes do with it. Anyway, he is better than those of them who have never touched a calligraphy brush.

Li Weiguo was not asked to help him. After writing, the third uncle called Jie Cheng and Jiefang brothers and posted it directly at his door.

Since the third uncle had taken care of everything about posting the couplets, Li Weiguo didn't care anymore. He just paid the money and let the third uncle arrange it. He picked up the broom and started cleaning the house. After the New Year, he had to clean it up.

At around two o'clock in the afternoon, Li Weiguo got on his bicycle and went out. It was New Year's Eve today and he had to pick up his master, Mr. Wang, to celebrate the New Year and have New Year's Eve dinner with him.

Master Wang Zhenhai's home is not far from here, and it can be reached in a few minutes. As early as 2017, Li Weiguo had made plans to have Master eat at his place on New Year's Eve and the first day of the Lunar New Year, so that the old man would not be alone. Deserted.

When I arrived at Master Wang Zhenhai's house, I didn't knock on the door. I just opened the door and went in. As soon as I entered, I saw Wang Zhenhai sitting there with a big horse and a golden sword, already waiting.

"Master, I'm here to invite you to my house for dinner."

"You brat, the New Year's Eve dinner is in the evening, why are you going there so early?"

Come on, this old man just likes to pretend. It seems that you have been waiting here for a long time and you still dislike me for coming early. Li Weiguo secretly rolled his eyes.

"If you go early, you can chat with the neighbors. It's better than drinking tea and looking at the sky by yourself. It's so boring. Let's walk, Master."

Hearing what Li Weiguo said, Old Li stood up and said, "Okay, take that bag and let's go."

Looking at the large package of things at Wang Zhenhai's feet, Li Weiguo said: "Master, there's no need for this! I have prepared all the things for the New Year, including fish, meat, chickens and geese, there is nothing missing. "

Although he didn't know what was in the bag, based on Li Weiguo's understanding of his master, it was definitely not simple. Old man Wang was like this. Even if he went to his apprentice's house for dinner, he would not go empty-handed.

"Let you just take it, there's so much nonsense."

"Uh okay then."

There was no other way, so Li Weiguo had no choice but to go over and pick up the bag, and then follow the master out.

The thing was still a bit heavy, weighing almost forty or fifty kilograms. Li Weiguo scanned it with his mind and saw clearly what was inside.

Good guy, the old man is quite willing to give up, two kilograms of pork belly, a white chicken, ten kilograms of white noodles, as well as various dry goods and candies, biscuits and other non-staple food, there are more than a dozen items, it seems that the old man spent years ago A lot of New Year's goods were purchased.

After exiting the gate, Wang Zhenhai turned around and locked the gate before heading home with Li Weiguo.

"Master, from the first to the third day of the Lunar New Year, why don't you live with me directly? My house is not small, so there is room to live."

"Forget it, I have something to do during the first few days of junior high school. I have to go out, so I won't go to your place."

"Oh fine."

Li Weiguo didn't ask where Old Man Wang was going. He would naturally say what he wanted to say, but from the first to the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, most people would visit relatives and friends. Maybe Old Man Wang was going to a friend's place.

Because they were relatively close, Li Weiguo drove his master Wang Zhenhai back to the courtyard in less than five minutes.

Back at home in the front yard, Li Weiguo first put the bag brought by his master on the dining table, then took a prepared large sack from the corner of the cupboard, put it on his shoulder, and then led his master Wang Zhenhai foolishly Pillar that house.

From the New Year's Eve to the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, Li Weiguo will eat at Shazhu's house, so he can just go to Shazhu directly with his food. There is no other way. He only has good food but not good craftsmanship. If he doesn't want to grievance, he has to contribute. .

It is now around three o'clock in the afternoon, and every household in the courtyard has already begun to get busy. They have begun frying lard, making dumplings, steaming steamed buns, and preparing for today's New Year's Eve dinner. The whole courtyard is full of joy.

In this year and age, people are more frugal and reluctant to waste electricity. They eat dinner before it gets dark. Because the New Year's Eve dinner will be more generous and requires a lot of preparation work, everyone starts early.

All the aunts and daughters-in-law in the courtyard and the wives from various families gathered at the faucet in the middle courtyard to kill chickens and pluck their feathers, and they were very busy.

The children in the courtyard also knew that after the Chinese New Year, there would be lucky money and delicious food soon. They were all as excited as if they had eaten honey, running around, and the whole courtyard was filled with laughter and laughter.

When they arrived at the main room in the middle courtyard, they led Master Wang Zhenhai into the room. They saw the old lady and the uncle already chatting here, while the Si Zhu brothers and sisters and the aunt were busy boiling water and scalding the chicken and plucking the feathers.

Because the four families are celebrating together, the first man and the old lady’s chickens are also raised together in Shazhu’s place. They will kill them and eat them together during the Chinese New Year.

For today’s New Year’s Eve dinner, I’ll kill one first and save the other three for the first to third day of the lunar new year.

In addition to poultry, the four families also put together the New Year's goods they bought during the New Year, and left them all to Shazhu to handle them.