Going home for the Chinese New Year with a year-end bonus of 100 million

The twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month.

There are four days left until Chinese New Year's Eve.

Yang Fan woke up before dawn.

He lay in bed and could hear his parents getting up and moving around in the next room, as well as the soft clatter of pots and pans in the kitchen.

In rural areas, the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month is the most important market day of the year.

This is the last big market day before the Lunar New Year, and people from all around will flock to the town to buy the last batch of New Year's goods.

Yang Fan put on his clothes and pushed open the door.

In the yard, Yang Jianguo was already wiping the car.

Although the car was very clean, he wiped it again and again with a cloth, his movements as meticulous as if he were handling some precious object.

"Dad, so early." Yang Fan walked over.

Yang Jianguo raised his head, a rare smile appearing on his face:

"You're awake? Your mom's cooking. We'll head out after we eat. If we're late, the market will be crowded, and parking will be difficult."

Just then, Wang Xiuying poked her head out from the kitchen: "Fanfan, Xiaoya, time to wash up and eat!"

Breakfast was simple: porridge, pickled vegetables, and a few boiled eggs.

But the family ate very quickly.

"Mom, please eat slowly," Yang Ya said.

"We can't be slow," Wang Xiuying said between bites. "We have to go early. There are a lot of people at the market today. If we go late, all the good fish and meat will be gone."

Yang Jianguo finished his meal in a few bites, put down his bowl, and said, "Let's go."

After locking the door, the family of four got into the car.

The car drove out of the village and onto the country road.

Sure enough, it was completely different from usual.

The usually deserted country roads were bustling with traffic today.

There were cars with out-of-town license plates, agricultural tricycles, motorcycles, and pedestrians.

Everyone was heading in the same direction—towards the town.

On both sides of the road, you can occasionally see vendors selling balloons and candied hawthorns, who have already started setting up their stalls.

The children held the adults' hands, their eyes fixed on the colorful toys, chattering away.

"Brother, look how lively it is today!" Yang Ya leaned against the car window, looking outside. "Our town hasn't been this lively in a long time, has it?"

Yang Fan nodded, gripping the steering wheel: "Yeah. Everyone goes out to work for a year, isn't it all for these few days? Of course it's lively."

These words were spoken in a plain tone, but everyone in the car understood.

After a year of hard work away from home, returning home for the Spring Festival is the true picture for most rural people.

The car was moving very slowly because of traffic congestion.

When we finally arrived in town, it was packed with people.

The streets of the market were lined with stalls. There were vendors selling Spring Festival couplets, New Year pictures, candies and melon seeds, chicken, duck, fish and meat, fruits and vegetables... a dazzling array that stretched as far as the eye could see.

The sounds of vendors hawking their wares, haggling over prices, greetings from acquaintances, and children's laughter mingled together, like a pot of boiling water, steaming hot.

"My God, so many people!" Yang Ya exclaimed.

"It's the same every year," Wang Xiuying said. "Let's go, let's buy some Spring Festival couplets first."

We parked the car a little distance from the market.

The family got off the bus and joined the crowd.

Wang Xiuying and Yang Jianguo walked in front, while Yang Fan and Yang Ya followed behind, quickly starting to carry things in their hands.

"This couplet is nice, the calligraphy is good." Wang Xiuying stopped in front of a stall.

"Auntie, you have a good eye! This was written by an old master craftsman, and the meaning is also good—'May the door welcome blessings from spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and may the house gather wealth from east, west, north, and south!'" the stall owner introduced enthusiastically.

"How much?"

"Fifteen sets."

"Ten yuan, I'll buy two sets."

"Alright, alright, here you go!"

Transaction.

Next came sunflower seeds, peanuts, and candy.

"How much are these sunflower seeds?"

"Raw is eight yuan, cooked is ten yuan."

"Give me five catties of roasted [peanuts]. And what about peanuts?"

"Peanuts Twelve".

"Give me three catties."

Yang Fan, standing behind, silently took out his phone to scan the QR code and pay.

We traveled and bought things along the way.

At the fruit stand, Wang Xiuying picked out apples: "These apples look good, how much are they per pound?"

Six pieces.

"Five yuan, I'll buy more."

"Auntie, this is already the lowest price..."

"Give me ten catties."

Yang Jianguo was picking oranges on the other side, while Yang Ya was picking tangerines.

Yang Fan stood to the side, never putting his phone back.

"Mom, is that enough?" Yang Fan looked at the growing number of bags in his hands. "If we buy any more, we won't be able to carry them all."

Wang Xiuying then came to her senses and looked at the full load of things in her son and daughter's hands, feeling a little embarrassed:

"Oh dear, I can't stop buying... Okay, let's buy these first. Oh right, I haven't bought the firecrackers yet."

"We'll buy the firecrackers separately later," Yang Fan said. "Let's put these things in the car first, otherwise they'll be too heavy to carry."

"OK."

The family, carrying large bags and small packages, struggled to squeeze through the crowd and head towards the parking area.

Just as she reached the car, Yang Ya suddenly remembered something: "Brother, since our whole family is here today, let's take a family photo! We agreed on that before."

Yang Fan was taken aback.

Yes, a family photo.

The last time he took a family photo was the year he graduated from junior high school.

Later, I went to university and started working, and I came back less often, so I never filmed again.

"Okay." He nodded. "Dad, Mom, shall we go to the photo studio and take a family photo?"

Wang Xiuying and Yang Jianguo exchanged a glance, both feeling a little embarrassed, but their eyes also held anticipation.

"What are you taking pictures of? I'm getting old..." Wang Xiuying said, but her hands were adjusting her clothes.

"Shoot," Yang Jianguo declared decisively. "Let's go."

The photo studio in town is small and located on an old street.

The owner was a middle-aged man in his thirties, wearing glasses, and was organizing his camera.

"Boss, let's take a family photo." Yang Fan walked in.

"Alright! How many are in your party?" The owner looked up, saw a family of four, and smiled. "Oh, a family. Come on, this way please."

The background is a simple landscape painting. Several chairs are placed in front of it.

"Uncles and aunties sit in the middle, and the children stand in the back," the boss instructed.

Wang Xiuying and Yang Jianguo sat down somewhat awkwardly. Yang Fan and Yang Ya stood behind them.

"Okay, look at the camera—smile—"

"Click."

"One more, relax—"

"Click."

After the photo shoot, the boss looked at the pictures on the camera and smiled, "Great photos! The whole family looks great! When do you need these photos?"

"Can I pick it up tomorrow?" Yang Fan asked.

"Tomorrow afternoon then," the shopkeeper said. "There are a lot of people taking photos today, so there'll be a queue for printing."

"Okay, we'll come pick it up tomorrow."

After paying, I walked out of the photo studio.

Wang Xiuying was still a little uncomfortable: "Was my smile too stiff just now?"

"No, Mom, you look so beautiful when you smile!" Yang Ya said, taking her mother's arm.

"Exactly," Yang Fan said. "Take a look at the photos tomorrow; they'll definitely be beautiful."

After loading their purchases into the car, the family prepared to go home.

We encountered several villagers on the road, all carrying large and small bags.

"Old Yang, you bought so much!"

"Yes, it's Chinese New Year."

"Oh my, is this Xiao Fan? He's grown so much! I heard he's making a lot of money out there?"

"No, no, Uncle, you flatter me."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, they each got into their cars and went home.