Chapter 9
Don't be greedy, kids, it's New Years after Laba.
In a blink of an eye, it is the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.
Chen Wu's memory of the Laba Festival is a small bowl of Laba porridge.
Chen Wu had never celebrated the New Year with Zhuang Weimin and Chen Fangli, a temporary couple.
When other people's families were reunited, his parents went back to the countryside to be reunited with their real family.
Therefore, Chen Wu never looked forward to the New Year. The reunion festival, which is of great significance to others, is just an extremely ordinary day when his parents are absent for him.
In contrast, he likes the Laba Festival very much. On the day of Laba, Chen Fangli will go to the street to buy some rice, peanuts, red beans, etc., and cook them slowly in a pot, adding a small spoonful of sugar, which is a rare delicacy in a year.
At that time, Chen Wu was just childish, thin and small. But compared to his peers, he is not as sensible as a child. As soon as Chen Fangli entered the kitchen, he followed to help Chen Fangli wash the rice.
In the white smoke rising from the pot, Chen Fangli's gentle and beautiful face became blurred.
A child's memory is short, and Chen Wu would think of his mother from time to time. It's just that recently he couldn't even remember Chen Fangli's appearance, only a few residual memories remained in his mind.
...
On the evening of the seventh day of the seventh day, Aunt Zhang began to get busy. After the Laba porridge goes through the fire, it will start cooking in the middle of the night, and then hang it on a low heat until the next morning, before the soft and glutinous Laba porridge comes out of the pot.
Chen Wu took the initiative to run to the kitchen to help Aunt Zhang.
His skinny paws were black, but Aunt Zhang didn't dislike him at all, she handed him a pot of red beans and asked him to wash them. Chen Wu happily accepted the order, sitting on a small stool and carefully rubbing grains one by one.
Aunt Zhang was digging pits for the red dates, while teasing Chen Wu: "Xiao Wu, are you afraid of ghosts?"
Chen Wu shook his head: "I'm not afraid, my mother said ghosts are fake!"
Aunt Zhang pretended to be serious and told Chen Wu the story of "Chidou fights ghosts".
Chen Wu was not afraid of those hideous ghosts, but giggled instead. As soon as he made a sound, he remembered what Zhu Jindong said about his quarrel last time, so he quickly covered his mouth and gave Aunt Zhang a wink in a low voice: "Aunt Zhang, please keep your voice down, brother Jindong will come and scold you!"
Aunt Zhang shook her head helplessly: "Where is the young master? Don't be too afraid of him."
It was rare for Chen Wu not to show an expression of approval, but instead said sternly: "He is super fierce! He has scolded me several times."
Aunt Zhang thought it was a little funny. She watched Zhu Jindong grow up since she was a child. Compared with the bear kids from other families, she has a good temper.
"You are not afraid of evil ghosts, but you are afraid of the young master. Could it be that the young master is more terrifying than evil ghosts?"
Chen Wu nodded seriously: "He is much scarier than ghosts, I dare not even look him in the eye."
Aunt Zhang was about to answer a sentence when she suddenly saw Zhu Jindong standing at the door of the kitchen with a gloomy expression on her face, and she didn't know how much she had listened to what she had just said.
Aunt Zhang wiped her hands on her apron, and quickly stood up: "Young Master, what are you doing here?"
Chen Wu hurriedly looked back and fell off the stool in fright.
Zhu Jindong snorted coldly and said, "Aunt Zhang, I'm a little hungry, come here for some supper."
Aunt Zhang hurriedly responded, put down her work, and served Zhu Jindong a bowl of noodles. Zhu Jindong walked towards Chen Wu while waiting, squatted in front of him, and looked down at Chen Wu: "I'm scarier than a ghost?"
Seeing his unkind expression, Chen Wu's heart was pounding with fright, his eyes were evasive and he dared not speak.
Unexpectedly, Zhu Jindong didn't let him go at all: "Are you polite? Watch me talk!"
Chen Wu could only bite the bullet and look at Zhu Jindong.
Zhu Jindong's eyes were dark and heavy. When Chen Wu stared at it, he felt that there was a fierce light inside, and after only a second, he quickly looked away again.
"Yes, I'm sorry, Brother Jindong."
"Did I ask you to apologize? I told you to look at me, can't you understand me?"
Chen Wu was so wronged that he was about to cry, he was timid but seldom cried. When Zhuang Weimin took it out on him in a bad mood, he never cried.
But now hearing Zhu Jindong's fierce tone, his eyes turned red.
While Chen Wu was thinking that he had become squeamish after coming to his new home, he was also thinking about why he was so unlovable, brother Jindong always wanted to scold him.
Aunt Zhang cried seeing the child being bullied, so she hurried over to smooth things over: "Young master, your noodles are almost ready, go and eat them quickly. Chen Wu is young and ignorant, so don't be serious with him." ."
Zhu Jindong couldn't hear the protective meaning in Aunt Zhang's words, and was immediately angry and puzzled.
His own mother was like this, and so was Aunt Zhang who was a half-mother. Why did she keep saying that he bullied Chen Wu.
Where did he bully Chen Wu? This curly-haired duckling is cowardly and disobedient, why can't he say a few words about him? It didn't hurt him a single bit, so why is it more precious than the little girl?
He was angry, but Zhu Jindong respected Aunt Zhang very much, and didn't bother to talk to Chen Wu, and went out with hot noodles.
Chen Wu looked at his leaving back, and still felt a little lingering fear.
Brother Jindong is really scary!
...
The next day, Laba Festival.
Kang Lanxin and Teacher Wang Qiang came to visit early in the morning.
Zhou Youwei had made an appointment with two tutors before, and the two children's tutoring will last until the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. Although they came to visit, Zhou Youwei wrapped big red envelopes for the two teachers.
Kang Lanxin just smiled faintly, while Wang Qiang seemed very excited.
After a few people chatted in the living room for a while, Aunt Zhang brought up the Laba porridge that had been boiled all night for everyone to taste.
Chen Wu was also given a bowl, and sat in the corner, drinking in small sips. The soft, glutinous and sweet taste made him very satisfied.
The north wind is blowing outside, and in the warm room, the TV is playing nursery rhymes: "Don't be greedy, children, it's the New Year after Laba. Laba porridge, in a few days, mili lala 23. 23 , Tanggua sticky, twenty-four, sweep the house, twenty-five, make tofu, twenty-six, cut the meat, twenty-seven, slaughter chickens, two..."
Zhu Pengpeng sat in Zhou Youwei's arms, learning nursery rhymes from the TV, and recited them clearly.
Kang Lan was full of smiles, and Teacher Wang kept praising her.
Sitting alone in the corner, Chen Wu also followed in a low voice, nodding his curly head from time to time.
It's a pity that everyone's eyes are on Zhu Pengpeng. Compared with the glamorous heroine, he is just an insignificant buffoon.
As soon as Laba was over, every household began to sweep the courtyard and hang up red lanterns.
The prelude to the Spring Festival has kicked off, and the taste of the new year is getting stronger every day.
However, Chen Wu found that his vision became more and more blurred recently.
The author has something to say:
Chen Wu: Well, Brother Jindong is so fierce! Want to cry, wronged>_<
Zhu Jindong: Baby, wait for me for a few more years, I'm really gentle! (Except in certain places, hehehe...