The New Year's Eve dinner is still the same as last year. Each family takes some meat and everyone cooks it together at the old man's house and eats the reunion dinner.
Su Mo brought fish and mutton this year, and made braised fish and mutton soup; the first house brought a chicken this year, and made braised chestnut chicken; the second house brought a rabbit and a portion of pork, and made braised rabbit meat and steamed rice noodles. .
Seeing that her three daughters-in-law had brought so much meat, Li Yue'e prepared meat-wrapped dumplings, chopped the fillings, and asked Su Mo to bake pancakes.
Dinner was also lively.
After dinner, it’s time to pay New Year greetings. Each family paid New Year greetings and handed out red envelopes in turn. The younger ones had to kowtow. The two younger ones were still too young, so Su Mo taught them to bow their hands.
Not to mention, it was done in a stylish way and made the adults laugh.
It was perhaps the first time that An An felt such an atmosphere. Today, An An was very well-behaved, very cooperative in everything, and did whatever she was asked to do.
The family gathered at Lu's house until around ten o'clock. Seeing that the children were all sleepy, they went home.
Lu Xiaolan had been living with Su Mona recently, so she also went back with Su Mo.
When they arrived at Su Mo's place, Lu Xiaolan took out two more red envelopes and stuffed them into two little hands.
"Xiaolan, you just gave it to me, why are you giving it again?" Su Mo waved her hand, wanting to take the red envelope back to Lu Xiaolan.
Since Lu Xiaolan returned to her parents' home after her divorce, she has paid 15 yuan for food every month. She only has a salary of 24 yuan and usually buys things from home. How much money can she save?
Lu Xiaolan held Su Mo down and said, "Third sister-in-law, please don't. This is what I want to do as an aunt. This year, it has been really troublesome for you and third brother."
"Xiaolan, we are a family and we don't say such things."
"Yes." Lu Xiaolan nodded, "I am lucky to have a family like you."
During the three-day holiday during the Chinese New Year, service industries such as supply and marketing cooperatives do not have holidays. It will be Lu Xiaolan's turn to be on duty tomorrow. After Lu Xiaolan fetched water and washed herself, she went to the kang to rest.
An Lele was already sleepy and fell asleep shortly after coming back.
Su Mo couldn't sleep for a while, so she opened two small red envelopes.
There were four 2-yuan envelopes, probably from the eldest and second bedrooms. It was probably because she had received 2-yuan seals last year that she also gave 2-yuan seals to the two younger ones this year.
Two envelopes worth one yuan were sent by Lu Xiaolan for the first time.
There are also four envelopes worth ten yuan, given by Lu Boming and Lu Qing'an.
I don’t know if it’s the same for everyone, or if it’s just her side that’s thicker. If everything were the same, there were seven grandchildren in the family, and the older generation would have to spend a lot of money to give out red envelopes.
Su Mo also opened the two envelopes Lu Xiaolan gave her just now, which were also ten yuan each. Su Mo sighed, this cost Lu Xiaolan almost a month's salary.
Thinking that there was still a lot of cloth that her eldest aunt had brought over before, Su Mo was going to ask Li Yue'e to get a piece of cloth and make Lu Xiaolan a new dress.
*****
On New Year's Day, Lu Xiaolan went to work after breakfast.
In the commune supply and marketing cooperative, each person has to work two days of work. Lu Xiaolan does not have to go back to her parents' home this year, so she works on the first and second days of the first grade and rests on the third day of the third grade.
Su Mo also got up early and was busy, first making bone porridge for the two little ones on the small stove, and then stewing the mutton bought at the supply and marketing cooperative.
The weather is very cold this year. When Uncle Geng comes over, you can have a bowl of hot mutton soup first.
After finishing, Su Mo went back to the house and saw that An An had stood up and was taking trembling steps on the kang. Lele was sitting on the side, clapping his little hands to cheer his sister.
It’s so great that my sister An, just over seven months old, has started to walk.
An An also walked for a while, sat down to rest for a while, and then continued walking. Even if he fell, he would get up and continue. He seemed to have a temperament that could endure hardships.
"An'an, take a rest when you are tired. Your hands and feet are still weak, so don't get hurt." Su Mo looked at it for a while and reminded.
An An nodded and staggered for a while before sitting down to rest.
Then, looking at Su Mo, he moved his lips several times before saying, "Mom, I'm hungry."
Su Mo's eyesight was very good, and when she saw An An's ears turning red quickly after calling out "Mom", she burst into laughter. An An's ears turned redder when she saw Su Mo smiling.
Seeing her mother smile, Lele quickly crawled to sit next to her sister and followed her sister's example, "Mom, I'm hungry."
"Okay, I get it. Baby An'an can speak today, which deserves praise." Su Mo smiled and went out, took out the steamed eggs for the two little ones in the morning, took a small spoon, and poured them one spoon at a time. Spoon feed to two little ones.
In the middle of the morning, Geng Changqing came over and took many things. Coming with him were his guards.
Su Mo said yesterday that Geng Changqing would come today and let the three elders come to her place for dinner. Li Yue'e was already here at this time. When she saw Geng Changqing coming, she said hello and went back to call Lu Qingan and the others.
The kang in the west room had been burned by Su Mo early in the morning and was now warm. Su Mo welcomed the people into the west room and brought two bowls of hot mutton soup for the two of them to drink first to warm themselves up.
After Lu Boming and others came over, Su Mo asked a few people to chat in the west room, put the child in the west room for them to watch, while she and Li Yuee started cooking.
The mutton soup was already soft and tender. Su Mo bought a big fat chicken from the supply and marketing cooperative before the holiday, divided it into two halves, made half of it to braise chestnut chicken, and half stewed mushroom vermicelli on the small stove, and made braised pork.
Geng Changqing brought beef. Su Mo happened to have bean sprouts the year before, so he made some boiled beef.
These days, cattle are farmers’ best friends, so beef is very rare and hard to come by. Su Mo has been studying for more than a year, and this is the first time she has eaten beef.
Then I fried two large pots of green vegetables, and the staple food was rice.
Geng Changqing’s guard’s eyes really lit up after eating so much. I usually eat in the canteen every day, and only occasionally go to a state-owned restaurant for a meal. Secretary Geng's niece's cooking skills are much better than those of the chefs in state-owned restaurants.
Geng Changqing is also busy. He has eaten and will go to the city later. The three elders didn't bother much. They chatted for a while after the meal and then went back.
After everyone left, Geng Changqing motioned to the guard to wait for him outside the car, and then he took out three red envelopes. The obviously thicker one was given to Su Mo, and the other two were given to two smaller ones.
"New Year's money." Geng Changqing said with a smile, "I'm quite busy these days and I haven't even bothered to take care of you. I heard from Changzheng that you also want to be transferred to Yangcheng with the army?"
Su Mo nodded.
"It's been a month. Is there any news about his work arrangements?"
Su Mo shook his head, "No news yet. He called half a month ago and said he was going to special training. He hasn't called yet. He probably hasn't finished the special training yet."
"I do have a job here. The Foreign Trade Center in Yangcheng needs translators. If you want to go, I can recommend you."
"However, I can't guarantee whether you can succeed in this job. It all depends on you." After all, translation is not something that just anyone can do. You must have this ability.
"If you want to go, I will ask them to send you a sample, and you can translate it and send it over. If there is no problem, they will send you an exam notice. You must pass the exam before they can arrange a job for you."
Su Mo's eyes lit up, this is a good job. Not only is she good at it, but she can also get in touch with outside things, and she can also accumulate a network of connections. After the reform and opening up, she will have ready-made connections to use.
"I want to go. Uncle Geng, please recommend me." Su Mo nodded fiercely.
Geng Changqing smiled, "Okay, then you wait for my news."
"I have something to do in the city, so I'll leave first. It's cold outside and the child is still in the house, so don't send her away." After that, he left with the guard.
