"Here, Uncle Ma, this is your Four Happiness glutinous rice balls."
"Is one bag not enough for your six-person family? No worries, this bag has 8 pieces, it should be enough."
"Here, Aunt Liu, this is your Four Happiness glutinous rice balls."
"Your sister is joining you for New Year’s, and 8 pieces aren’t enough for 12 people?"
Standing nearby, Zhao Rong put her hands on her hips, ready for battle: "Liu Xiajuan, you can eat them, but don’t take them away. My Huaihuai just got off the high-speed train around 5 o’clock and only finished making these rice balls. Originally, they were all wrapped for Director Qin at the orphanage. We’re only giving you a bag out of neighborly kindness, and you’re still not satisfied."
"It’s just one bag, do you want it or not? If not, give your bag to Qin Moutou."
The neighbor surnamed Qin, standing behind Liu Xiajuan, was overjoyed.
Liu Xiajuan quickly took the rice balls, smiling apologetically, "Yes, yes, of course we want it. Huaihuai really worked hard. Come over to Aunt Liu’s for peanuts during New Year’s, okay?"
The neighbor surnamed Qin looked disappointed.
The distribution of the Four Happiness glutinous rice balls continued until 11:31. Grandpa Qiao had already taken his first share during the regular distribution. The second share he sneaked back to take at 11:48.
A secretive exchange at the door, Qin Luo watched through the peephole to make sure it was Grandpa Qiao wearing a cap who took the rice balls before feeling reassured.
Having completed her task, Qin Luo was still immersed in the joy of striking it rich today. She bounced to the bedroom door and asked Zhao Rong, "Mom, are we going to the bank to cash the check tomorrow morning?"
"And after cashing the check, are we taking the family van to Grandpa and Grandma’s, or are we taking the bus?"
"We’ll take the bus from the station. You know the way to your Grandpa and Grandma’s, no point in bumping that old van of your dad’s to pieces."
"And you can’t tell them about my New Year’s Eve gift for Grandpa and Grandma tomorrow night. I want to surprise them at the dinner table!"
"Okay, okay, as you say. Now go to bed; your brother’s been asleep for a while now. We’ll have to go help make snacks at Grandpa and Grandma’s tomorrow." Half-asleep, Zhao Rong agreed to every request her daughter made.
Qin Luo happily went back to her room to sleep.
New Year’s Eve, clear skies.
After distributing the Four Happiness glutinous rice balls, Qin Huai washed up and went to bed, having sweet dreams all night. Upon waking, he glanced at the two packed suitcases in the living room and sat down with the red clothes Zhao Rong had bought him for New Year, waiting in line to shower.
This is how it is during New Year; everything needs washing—clothes, bed sheets, curtains, and even the cats and dogs if you have them; they all go to the pet shop for a wash.
On New Year’s Eve, before the reunion dinner, everyone gets cleaned from head to toe. In their drafty old countryside house, bathing is chilly, so the Qin family all bathe in the morning and don new clothes before heading out.
Even though afterwards, Qin Huai will still go to the countryside to make snacks, steaming buns in a kitchen wreathed with steam like a celestial paradise, making the morning bath seem pointless...
Never mind, bathing in the morning is just right.
With his new red clothes for New Year on his lap, Qin Huai started reminiscing about the ridiculous dream he had last night.
He dreamt that he transformed from Master Qin into Xiao Qin, making snacks all night. Not only did he have to make snacks, but he also had to serve tea to a grandmaster, bustling around, chopping wood, stoking the fire, and cleaning the kitchen.
Oh, and the grandmaster in the dream was having a great time.
When Qin Huai makes snacks every New Year, it’s usually only his sister helping with the wood and fire, while their parents clean the kitchen—no tea serving or dashing around.
As Qin Huai was lost in thought, Qin Luo finished her New Year’s Eve bath, cheerfully running out of the bathroom in a red cotton-padded jacket from head to toe, brimming with festive spirit.
Qin Huai glanced over; even her socks were red, matching his pair.
Probably because Zhao Rong bought them as a three-for-ten-yuan deal at the county clothing store recently.
Now Qin Luo, round, fluffy, and as red as a berry, joyfully exclaimed, "Bro, Happy New Year!"
"Mom and I are going to the bank. Do you need your check cashed?"
"No rush for mine, you go ahead." Qin Huai went in to shower.
Fifteen minutes later, the Qin family of four, decked out in cheerful, round, fluffy red attire, gathered at Qiu County’s only bus station and boarded a dusty, un-air-conditioned minibus to head back home.
The rural roads were not easy to navigate, and since Qin Congwen dawdled a bit on the way out, by the time they bought tickets, only the back seats were left.
In the last row, the two jubilant, fluffy, round Qin siblings sat like red lanterns, wearing warm but not particularly insulating red cotton jackets, bouncing along with the bumping bus.
One of the red lanterns was gnawing on corn.
Bought outside the bus station, New Year’s prices had gone up to eight yuan apiece. Having already devoured two high-speed rail meals, a lavish Qin Luo bought a corn cob and a tea egg, becoming the bus’s biggest eater.
"Bro, do you want a tea egg?" Qin Luo asked.
Qin Huai shook his head, afraid the bumpy ride might make him throw up if he ate halfway through. Seeing Qin Huai decline, Qin Luo happily alternated bites between the tea egg and corn.
"Bro, what snacks are we having tonight?"
The Qin children were . On New Year’s Eve, they didn’t care much about the main courses at dinner. It didn’t matter; no one really ate the photogenic dishes like pork knuckles, grouper, lobsters, abalone, and scallops—they were just for show.
The focus was on the snacks.
They just loved eating the snacks.