Chapter 27 Chinese New Year 2
Master He Yuzhu’s home.
He Yuzhu returned to his master's house and walked in just in time to have lunch.
Because there was a New Year’s Eve dinner in the evening, I made a simple meal at noon.
After lunch, Xiaohu and Yuyu pestered He Yuzhu to build a snowman.
He Yuzhu was helpless, so he took the two of them to the yard to build a snowman. Seeing this, Fan Yao also followed out. Fortunately, the snow is light now, otherwise we wouldn’t be able to play.
He Yuzhu led them to roll snowballs first, and rolled two snowballs, one big and one small. I also found a carrot to make the nose, and two pebbles of about the same size to make the eyes. I found two branches and put them on to make arms. A not-too-ugly snowman stood in the yard.
Rain, Xiaohu and Fan Yao stood in front of the snowman, happily admiring their masterpieces. He Yuzhu secretly made a snowball and threw it on Yuyu.
Yu Yu was stunned for a moment by the snowball, and then screamed.
"Brother, you sneak attack." Yuyu yelled while making a snowball and throwing it at He Yuzhu.
Xiaohu and Fan Yao also reacted and joined Yuyu's side, throwing snowballs at He Yuzhu.
The yard was filled with laughter.
The master and his wife were also very happy when they saw the children playing wildly in the yard.
"It's time to sweat in a while. I'll make some ginger syrup for them." The teacher's wife said and entered the kitchen.
The four of them had a lot of fun and broke out in a sweat.
The master's wife finished boiling the ginger syrup and came out to stop him.
"Stop playing. I'm going to catch a cold in a while. I'm sweating all the sweat. Just stay in the house." The teacher's wife shouted.
After hearing what the master's wife said, He Yuzhu took the last snowball from the three people's hands and took them back to the house.
"Look at how sweaty you are from playing and how crazy you are outside even in the snow. Come in and wipe it for me, Zhuzi. You can wipe it yourself. Let's have a cup of ginger syrup later." said the teacher's wife.
After a while, the snow stopped and the streets started to become lively.
He Yuzhu took them out and went to the department store. I bought them small firecrackers, and I also bought a lot of firecrackers. On the way back, there was someone selling candied haws on a stick, and each of them had a candied haws on a stick.
When they got home, the mistress and the master were already busy, so He Yuzhu sent Yu Yu and the others to play by themselves.
"Master and Master, let me do it." He Yuzhu walked into the kitchen and said.
"No, just me and your master. You go and watch them and don't let them be naughty." The master's wife drove He Yuzhu out of the kitchen.
He Yuzhu looked at the master and his wife who were cooperating skillfully while chatting, and He Yuzhu did not disturb the two people's world again.
"Brother Zhuzi, Brother Zhuzi, please lead us to set off firecrackers." Xiaohu ran over with Yuyu, followed by Fan Yao.
"Okay, brother will take you to set off firecrackers." He Yuzhu said.
He Yuzhu first took out four incense sticks, one for each person. Some brought the dismantled firecrackers to the yard.
"You first do what I did, open the front of the fuse and remove the ammunition." He Yuzhu taught them how to handle the fuse, so that children can set firecrackers safely.
After they had disposed of a bunch of firecrackers, He Yuzhu saw that they had enough to set off and stopped.
He Yuzhu lit the incense for them and warned: "Put the firecrackers into the snow, light them and run away. Don't hold them with your hands."
Just like that, the small courtyard was filled with the sound of crackling firecrackers and the joyful shouts of children.
Before I knew it, it was getting dark.
"Everyone is back for dinner." The master's wife shouted.
"Coming." He Yuzhu responded.
"Okay, don't let go, come with me to wash your hands and eat." He Yuzhu greeted Fan Yao and the others.
He Yuzhu packed up the remaining firecrackers and took them back to the house. With three small hand washes.
When I came to the table and sat down, Master and Master prepared a table full of delicious food.
Pour warm rice wine for Master, Wife and yourself to relieve worries, and pour watermelon juice that you squeezed for Yu Yu, Xiaohu and Fan Yao.
"Come on, celebrate the New Year today. Let's all raise our glasses. Let's have a drink together. I wish our lives will get better and better in the coming year." Master Fan Dakang said as he raised his glasses.
"Cheers." Everyone raised their glasses.
"Okay, let's eat." Master Fan Dakang put down his cup and said.
During the meal, He Yuzhu led Yu Yu and the others to toast the master and his wife, wishing the master good health and his wife getting younger and younger.
Today, He Yuzhu drank with his master, and it was rare for him to drink without limit.
"Zhuzi, how is your study at Lu Cai? Are you sure?" Master asked.
"It's almost done. Let's see how they cook after the New Year. It won't take long." He Yuzhu replied.
"Zhuzi, I've been suppressing you and not letting you leave. You won't blame the master, right?" the master asked.
"No, Master and Mistress take care of me and Yu Yu as our own children. It's not too late for me to be grateful." He Yuzhu said.
"You are too young. You are only 17 years old after the new year. Although you are good at cooking, you cannot be a chef with good skills. People's hearts are sinister. You have too little experience. Shandong cuisine is just giving it a cold shoulder for the sake of the master. You didn't cause trouble, Master didn't care, and Master Sun didn't care. I just want you to experience this slowly." The master said, feeling a little drunk at the end.
"Master, I understand." He Yuzhu said.
"Zhuzhu, lend me your hand and help your master to the bed." The master's wife saw that the master was drunk and helped him to the bed to rest.
After settling down the master, he went out to see Yu Yu and Xiaohu, who were both sleepy. He Yuzhu said goodbye to his wife.
"Zhuzhu, why don't you sleep here tonight? It's snowing outside and it's difficult to walk." The teacher's wife said.
"If you can't, Master's wife, Yuyu and I can just go back. It's not far away."
The master's wife had to take care of the master tonight, and He Yuzhu declined the master's kindness.
"Then don't ride your bicycle. The roads are slippery and it's not safe for you to carry rainwater with you." said the teacher's wife.
"Okay, Mistress, I will carry the rainwater back." Although he could carry the rainwater back on his bicycle, he agreed to walk back in order not to worry Mistress.
After getting dressed for Yuyu, He Yuzhu carried Yuyu on his back and walked out.
"Zhuzi, please slow down on the road, don't fall." The master's wife walked to the door and asked.
"Master's wife, it's cold outside, please go back quickly." He Yuzhu said goodbye to his wife, carried the rain on his back and left.
The mistress saw He Yuzhu walking away before returning to the house.
"Brother, you haven't carried me like this for a long time." Yuyu lay on He Yuzhu's back and hugged He Yuzhu's neck tightly and said.
He Yuzhu thought for a while. Ever since he got a bicycle, he didn't seem to have to bear the rain much. He was busy learning to cook and had neglected the rain.
"If you want your brother to carry you, you have to tell him. Otherwise, how will he know? Whatever you want to do in the future, you have to tell him." He Yuzhu said to Yuyu.
"Well, brother, you are so kind." Yuyu said.
He Yuzhu felt the rain's strong dependence on him. Just like this, I carried the rain all the way back home.
After entering the house, he lit the fireplace and the fire pit. As the room gradually warmed up, he took off his thick clothes.
After washing Yu Yu's and his own feet, he lay down in bed early. Yu Yu held He Yuzhu in his arms, listened to his brother telling stories, raised the corners of his mouth slightly, and slowly fell asleep.
