The white ones are like jade, the pink ones are like clouds, the red ones are like flags, and the purple ones are noble. The water surface is dotted with waves and is as warm as green.
Pieces of emerald green lotus leaves float slightly in the wind.
The leaves of water lilies are even more lovely, spread flatly on the water...
Lu Xingxin held his breath and savored the unique original innocence of this small Huineng mountain village.
Little Huineng and her parents were holding hands and sitting by the pool, with a water lily looking at them and smiling.
The water lilies are as white as jade, as green as green, as white as snow, with no impurities at all. Xiao Huineng responded with a smile and quietly interpreted her thoughts...
Xiao Huineng's mother was born in the rural village of Jiulang Village, Xinzhou, Lingnan. When she was young and unmarried, she suffered a lot. She studied medicine with her grandfather and collected Chinese herbal medicine from the mountains. Grandpa Li Xianghe has excellent medical skills. He has been practicing medicine for more than 30 years and has cured countless cases.
Lu Xingxin, Li, and Xiao Huineng would sit in the pavilion at the base of the lotus pond to enjoy the shade on moonlit nights. Xiao Huineng would always cling to his parents and listen to his father tell stories about how he was an official in the north. Please pray for the people. Xiao Hui can see that her father looks very engaged every time he talks...
…
The sun and moon cycle, and the annual Spring Festival is approaching again.
On the morning of the 28th day of the Lunar New Year, Lu Xingxin said to Xiao Huineng: "Neng'er, you stay at home and accompany your mother to weave cloth, while my father goes to the market to prepare some New Year's goods and comes back to celebrate the New Year."
It is the nature of a child like Xiao Huineng to be lively and playful. When Xiao Huineng heard that his father was going to the market, he took Lu Xingxin's hand and shouted, "I want to go to the market with my father."
Lu Xingxin had no choice but to nod in agreement.
Seeing that her father had agreed, Xiao Hui jumped up and said, "My father and I are going to take advantage of the market!"
At that time, in the eyes of little Huineng, his father, who was as tall as a mountain, was leading the way with big strides in front. Xiao Huineng, who had just reached his waist, was taller than his father.
They went to the Central Market, which sold the largest variety of New Year's goods and was also the liveliest at that time. Since they were walking there, it felt very far away.
The Jiji Market runs through several streets. There are hundreds of stalls, both standing and squatting. They are all small Huineng vendors who come from the countryside to sell New Year's goods. They sell all kinds of meat and poultry. , eggs, as well as various cereals and local specialties, all available in different categories. What adds to the festive atmosphere of the New Year the most are the chickens, ducks and geese tied up with fine hemp ropes, as well as the various fish jumping up and down in the big basin.
Little Huineng's father took him among these vendors, walking from one street to that street and back again.
Her family is not rich, so she has to be careful with her money. Lu Xingxin always balances price and quality to find the cheapest and most suitable New Year products.
Every time Xiao Huineng saw her father buying something, she would open the sack or flour bag she carried with her and put it in.
Xiao Hui could see that her father was buying day needles, mushrooms, vermicelli, yuba, etc., so she pointed to the farm dishes such as yellow buds, snow peas, onions, and garlic placed on the stall, and asked: "Dad, are these dishes like these?" Did you buy it?"
Lu Xingxin touched Xiao Huineng's head and said with a smile: "You can grow these vegetables in your own vegetable field, so you don't need to buy them. However, Xiao Huineng can buy any New Year's goods or not, but the flour for making dumplings must be Want to buy."
Xiao Huineng asked in confusion: "Dad, is flour so important?"
Lu Xingxin looked at the north and said with emotion: "It is a custom in my hometown in the north to celebrate the New Year. You must have dumplings to eat on New Year's Eve to have the flavor of the New Year."
"Yeah." Xiao Huineng looked at her father and understood immediately. No wonder, in the past few days, he had seen his father standing alone at the side of the gate, looking into the north... It turned out that his father's deep love for his hometown was melted into looking at his hometown.
After buying flour, on the way home, Lu Xingxin told Xiao Huineng about the New Year celebrations in his hometown——
The New Year celebrations come early in Fanyang, Hebei Province, where people have the habit of eating frozen dumplings during the New Year.
From the day of the Xiao Huineng New Year, every household begins to make dumplings. There is no problem with making as many dumplings as there is a large natural refrigerator outside, which can accommodate as many dumplings as you want.
Some people put the dumplings on the stack of dumplings to freeze after finishing making them. Naughty children climbed up the stack of dumplings to compete with each other to see whose dumplings were the most beautiful. Some people who are particular about their dumplings make good-looking dumplings and place them in a circle like a circle. Like flowers, very beautiful.
The dumplings covered with a curtain were frozen to the bone in less than ten minutes. The frozen dumplings are taken to the warehouse at home and placed in a jar. Most families have a small jar of frozen dumplings during the Spring Festival. When you are too lazy to cook, you can take a plate of frozen dumplings and cook them in a pot. It is delicious and easy to cook.
There are also frozen fruits. Generally, Fanyang people have two or more jars in their homes, which contain dumplings and frozen fruits. Frozen fruits are mainly frozen pears, but also frozen apples and frozen crabapples.
Then there are the ice bricks.
Speaking of ice bricks, Lu Xingxin felt a dull pain in his stomach.
He said to little Huineng: "That was caused by eating ice bricks secretly when he was little. Before the Chinese New Year, my mother would buy one or two boxes of ice bricks and put them in the jar, and tell them not to eat them first. , that was for the Chinese New Year. However, he couldn't help but ate one every day, and by the time his mother went to get the ice bricks during the Chinese New Year, there wouldn't be much left.
People born in Fanyang, Hebei Province, can see flowers in spring, summer and autumn. The winter in the north is too long, so they think of ways to be romantic, melt them with red candles, pinch out the flowers while they are hot, and then stick them together. On the branches, such flowers are more durable. There are also flowers soaked in water. In winter, people start to stand on the street and sell flowers soaked in water. I bought two folded paper flowers and put them in a bottle of water. They were just pieces of paper, but when they saw the water, they unfolded and bloomed.
There are not only these flowers that decorate the home, but also many red flowers made by clever women. Every household has a door curtain when entering, as well as quilt curtains, tablecloths, and sofa backrests, which can almost cover them all. There are all kinds of embroidery and crochet ornaments everywhere.
People in Fanyang, Hebei Province are very particular about covering their faces with cloth, and are particularly good at covering up the poor and ugly with beautiful curtains. This is also one of the face-saving characteristics of northerners.
The new clothes for the New Year are prepared years ago. Whether you have money or not, new clothes for the children are a must. Wrap the new clothes and put them on the quilt on top of the hot bed, which is both eye-catching and seductive. People who are looking forward to wearing new clothes quickly are looking forward to the New Year coming soon.
People in Fanyang, Hebei Province also love to post couplets on the front door, second door, and all doors. Some people even post couplets on their bedrooms. Therefore, there are many couplets in the north.
Our Fan Yang family in Hebei often writes couplets during the Chinese New Year. My mother first uses white flour and starch to paste it. Then, my father tears off the red paper and writes the couplets. After writing a couplet, my father quickly takes it and pastes it. The speed of pasting the couplets must be fast, otherwise the paste will freeze. After pasting, you need to warm the couplets with your hands, otherwise they will fall off after a short time.
On New Year's Eve, children in Fanyang, Hebei Province put on new clothes early in the morning.
My mother always said, wear new clothes in the afternoon, otherwise they will get dirty before the New Year.
The snow in Fanyang, Hebei Province is almost always new. There are happy children wearing new clothes on the snow. The sound of running squeaking, accompanied by the laughter of children, mixed with one or two firecrackers, the New Year is really coming. Arrived like this.
Every family is very particular about the New Year’s Eve dinner on New Year’s Eve. Chicken and fish are a must, and our family’s New Year’s Eve dinner also includes meat from wild animals. Generally, children will have the New Year's Eve dinner patiently and abide by the rules of the family on the 30th night. After the meal, they will run out and run around wildly all night without feeling cold at all. Therefore, for Fanyang people, the night of the 30th is the least cold night in the northern winter.
On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, most families eat frozen dumplings. You have to eat early, otherwise you will be stuck in bed with New Year greeters, which is very embarrassing.
The fifth day of the Lunar New Year is also a big day of the Spring Festival. Dumplings are also eaten and firecrackers are set off on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year. Eat noodles on the seventh day of the lunar month. On the tenth day of the lunar month, some people eat dumplings and some people eat cakes. On the fifteenth day, every household has the same treatment as the New Year's Eve night, lighting lanterns and setting off cannons. The only difference between the New Year's Eve and the New Year's Eve is the diet. Eat bean buns, especially sticky bean buns, or eat Yuanxiao.
The night of Fan Yang’s fifteenth year is very lively. Ice sculptures and ice lanterns are usually lit on the fifteenth day. Coupled with a bright moon in the sky, reflecting the white snowy land, the night of Fan Yang’s fifteenth year in Hebei Province is like a city that never sleeps, bright and bright. of.
The New Year in Fanyang, Hebei Province is indeed long. Almost the first month of the year feels like the New Year. Lu Xingxin can’t remember some of the customs. He remembers that on the 17th and 27th of the first lunar month, noodles are eaten. Only on the second day of February when the dragon raises its head, the adults are busy reminding the children that the new year is over.
On the way home, Lu Xingxin talked endlessly to Xiao Huineng about the New Year celebrations in his hometown in Fanyang, Hebei Province. As he talked, he unknowingly returned to the village.
