Courtyard House: After disbanding the Elderly Care Gang, I went to the countryside to cultivate immo

"Let's get ready to eat!" Wei Jun looked out the window at the deepening twilight, rubbing his hands together, his face full of anticipation.

The four of them worked together to bring out the dishes and place them on the kang table.

In the center is a large bowl of braised wild rabbit meat, bright red in color and with a fragrant aroma. The broth is thick and rich, and it is garnished with bright red chili peppers.

Next to it was a large pot of stewed pheasant and hazel mushrooms, with golden broth, tender chicken meat that fell off the bone, and mushrooms that had absorbed all the essence. It was steaming hot.

A plate of stir-fried sauerkraut and glass noodles with roe deer meat is oily, savory, and fragrant, with the sauerkraut being refreshing.

A plate of stir-fried cabbage with vinegar was the only vegetarian dish.

A small dish of pickled vegetable shreds drizzled with sesame oil is refreshing and helps to cut through the richness of the dish.

There was also a steaming pot of potato and radish soup, the broth milky white in color.

Although there weren't many types of dishes, the portions were all quite large.

The two bottles of liquor that Lin Shengli brought were also poured into four rough porcelain bowls.

The four people took off their shoes and climbed onto the kang (a heated brick bed), sitting cross-legged around the kang table.

The kang (heated brick bed) was warm and cozy, and on the table were the fruits of their labor all day. Outside the window, firecrackers were exploding and the whole village was bustling with noise, but inside the house, it was a quiet and warm reunion for the four of them.

Lin Shengli had gained considerable prestige in the village during this period, and the three educated youths, including Li Kuiyong, respected him. When they saw that all the dishes were served, they stared at Lin Shengli, who did not refuse and took the lead in raising his wine bowl.

His gaze swept over Li Kuiyong's excited face, Jiang Yuanchao's gentle eyes, and Wei Jun's expectant smile, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart.

"Brothers," he said in a low voice, "today is New Year's Eve of 1968. It's the first New Year that the four of us have spent away from home in Heisonggou Village. These past six months have been tough for everyone, but we've all made it through."

He paused, looking at the steaming dishes in front of him: "This meal, this chicken, this rabbit, the meat in these dumplings, we earned it ourselves from the mountains, with our own hands and sweat."

"Come on!" Lin Shengli raised his voice, his eyes gleaming. "For us to gain a foothold in Heisonggou Village! For us to have a prosperous New Year through our own abilities! And for the four of us from all over the country to be able to gather here and become brothers! Cheers!"

"Cheers!" Li Kuiyong shouted excitedly, tilting his head back and swallowing most of the baijiu in his bowl. It was so spicy that he grimaced, but his face was full of pleasure.

Jiang Yuanchao and Wei Jun also solemnly raised their bowls and took a big gulp of the wine in them.

"Eat! Eat!" Wei Jun, the head chef, enthusiastically urged, picking up a trembling piece of rabbit meat, soaked in broth, and stuffing it into his mouth. He squinted as he chewed, mumbling indistinctly, "Mmm...delicious! Damn, it's so delicious! All my afternoon's work was worth it!"

Li Kuiyong went straight to the pot of pheasant stew with mushrooms, scooped up a piece of meat with the skin still attached and a large mushroom, blew on it, and eagerly took a bite. The chicken was stewed until extremely tender, almost falling off the bone, and the mushrooms had soaked up the broth, making them exceptionally delicious, mixed with the unique rich aroma of roe deer oil. He sighed with satisfaction, "Worth it! All this hard work today, just for this one bite, it's all worth it!"

Jiang Yuanchao ate relatively politely, but his chopsticks never stopped moving, especially his fondness for the dish of roe deer meat stir-fried with pickled cabbage and glass noodles.

The pickled cabbage cut through the greasiness of the meat, and the glass noodles soaked up the broth, becoming smooth and chewy, which made him eat several bites in a row.

Lin Shengli tasted every dish and was filled with emotion.

The taste may not be top-notch, but the sense of groundedness, fulfillment, and affection it embodies surpasses any delicacy.

As they ate, they chatted about the interesting and embarrassing things that had happened in the past six months, their feelings about this land as they went from being unfamiliar with it to becoming familiar with it, and their vague hopes and anxieties about the future.

Without the constraints of elders, without the gaze of outsiders, there is only the honesty and relaxation between brothers.

Laughter echoed through the small room in bursts.

After a few rounds of drinks, most of the dishes had been eaten.

Outside the window, the sound of firecrackers grew more frequent, and night had completely enveloped the earth.

"Is it almost done? Time to cook the dumplings!" Wei Jun glanced at the leftover food on the table, then looked out the window. "I heard from the village elders that dumplings should be eaten right when the firecrackers are loudest at midnight; that's called 'snatching the year,' it's auspicious!"

"Cook!" Li Kuiyong couldn't wait any longer and jumped off the kang (a heated brick bed) to boil water.

The water in the large pot quickly boiled, and the plump, white dumplings were carefully pushed into the bubbling water.

Cover the pot and wait for the water to boil again. Then pour in a ladle of cold water. Repeat this process three times.

When the dumplings float to the surface, plump up like a flock of little white geese, they are cooked.

The dumplings were scooped up with a strainer and filled four large plates. Each one had a thin skin and a generous filling, the dark filling inside faintly visible.

"Time to eat dumplings! Let's see who can find the coin in their dumpling!" Wei Jun shouted excitedly. While making dumplings, they had specially washed a five-cent coin and wrapped it in one of the dumplings. Whoever found it would have good luck in the coming year.

The four people sat down again, ignoring the heat, and started eating the dumplings.

Suddenly, Jiang Yuanchao cried out "Ouch!" and covered his mouth, spitting out a shiny coin.

"Hahaha! Yuanchao got to eat! Yuanchao will have good luck next year!" Li Kuiyong laughed loudly.

Jiang Yuanchao looked at the coins in his hand and smiled. He carefully wiped them clean and placed them on the kang table. "Thank you all for your kind words. I hope that next year will be smooth and peaceful for us all."

The dumplings, eaten with the original broth, warmed me right up.

After finishing the last dumpling, the four of them leaned contentedly against the kang cabinet, rubbing their round bellies, almost too tired to move.

The sound of firecrackers outside the window reached its peak at this moment, and cheers and children's laughter could be heard from near and far.

"Let's go! Let's set off some firecrackers too!" Li Kuiyong perked up again, jumped off the kang (a heated brick bed), and took out a small string of 100-shot firecrackers and a few "ma leizi" (a type of firecracker) that they had pooled their money to buy from the cabinet.

"We can't just listen to what others say; we need to make a splash ourselves!"

The four people, dressed neatly, came to the courtyard.

The air was chilly, but my heart was warm.

Li Kuiyong held a firecracker in his hand, lit it with a piece of firewood he pulled from the stove, and threw it out.

"Crackling sound—!!!"

A rapid and loud explosion rang out in the courtyard of the educated youth settlement, with flashes of fire, flying scraps of paper, and the smell of gunpowder filling the air instantly.

After setting off the firecrackers, they set off two deafening "ma lei zi" (firecrackers). The four of them had red noses from the cold, but they were laughing very happily.

Back inside, we sat down again on the warm kang (heated brick bed) and brewed a pot of strong tea.

The New Year's Eve vigil has begun; there is no television, no radio, and not much entertainment at all.

They continued chatting, talking about the New Year customs of their respective hometowns, sharing anecdotes from their childhood, and dreaming about the future.

Sleepiness gradually crept in, but no one wanted to go to sleep first. According to the old custom, people stayed up until after midnight to welcome the true arrival of the new year.

"The New Year is here!" Jiang Yuanchao raised his hand, glanced at his watch, and spoke with a solemn sense of ceremony.

"It's been 1969." Li Kuiyong raised his head and looked out at the boundless darkness.

Wei Jun yawned, but a smile played on his lips: "In the new year, I hope we can still have meat to eat, wine to drink, and brothers to be together, just like this year!"

Lin Shengli didn't speak, but looked at the three young faces in front of him, which looked tired but incredibly vibrant under the oil lamp, and his heart was filled with strength.

"Happy New Year, brothers," he finally said softly, raising his long-cold teacup.

"Happy New Year!" the other three said in unison, their teacups clinking together softly.