North Family Letters

On New Year's Eve, according to a long-standing tradition, the six sisters, despite the vast rift between them, still had to return to their old home for a family reunion. This deep-seated belief from the older generation meant that no matter how ugly their private affairs were throughout the year, on New Year's Eve, close relatives had to gather together for dinner. No one dared to break the rule in public, but everyone knew in their hearts that this Spring Festival gathering had long lost any of the warmth of previous years.

A cold wind swept across the old courtyard wall, the yard overgrown with weeds and littered with fallen leaves. In previous years, the six sisters would return early together to sweep the yard, put up Spring Festival couplets, steam buns, cook vegetables, and chat and laugh, filling the house with lively chatter. This year, however, it was unusually quiet. The six of them deliberately arrived at different times.

The eldest sister, being the most courteous, arrived first and silently cleaned the main room, started the fire, and washed the vegetables, her brow showing weariness. As the eldest sister, she had always thought of harmony among her sisters, yet she was the first to be disheartened by the financial entanglement. The second sister followed closely behind, sitting quietly in a corner, not interfering in trivial matters, saying little, her eyes indifferent, having long seen through the fact that money is the ultimate test of a person's heart.

Then the fifth and fourth sisters arrived together. They didn't say a word the whole way, and when they entered, they only greeted each other softly, looking reserved. Finally, it was Xiaoman, the youngest. She was the most innocent and remembered the past affections, but she couldn't forget the argument either. She entered with her head down.

The third sister was the last to arrive. She was dressed in brand-new clothes, carrying a few simple New Year's gifts, and had a slightly arrogant expression. Ever since she took most of her father's savings, gold and silver belongings, and secretly coveted the rent from the old house, she always believed that she had worked hard and deserved it, and never felt that she owed her sisters anything.

All six sisters were present. They lived in the same old house, the number of people was the same, their positions were the same, but their hearts could no longer be together.

The kitchen, once bustling with activity, was now filled with the usual hustle and bustle. Six people would huddle together, some cooking, some washing dishes, some plating, joking and chatting about everything under the sun. Now, only a stifling, oppressive silence remained. The eldest sister busied herself, no one speaking to her. The fourth sister reached out to help chop vegetables, turning to find the third sister leaning against the doorframe, hands empty, listlessly observing. Their eyes met briefly, then quickly looked away without a word.

Fifth Sister, reserved by nature, felt indignant but was not good at arguing. She simply washed the dishes in silence, deliberately avoiding Third Sister's gaze the entire time. Xiao Man, the youngest, carried the dishes back and forth. She missed her childhood companions the most. Thinking of how Third Sister used to dote on her the most, and now the contrast was stark in her eyes, her nose tingled with tears, but in the end, she dared not say anything.

A table full of New Year's Eve dinner, with chicken, duck, fish and meat, was abundant, but it was the most agonizing New Year for the six sisters.

The group sat down one by one, exactly six people. No one touched their chopsticks or exchanged pleasantries, no one passed food to each other. The Spring Festival Gala on TV was festive and lively, and the sound of firecrackers outside the window contrasted sharply with the deathly silence inside. The clinking of bowls and chopsticks was clear and jarring. Everyone ate with their heads down, not daring to say a word, for fear of bringing up savings, belongings, or the old house, and shattering the superficial peace once again.

The third sister ate with composure, but remained stubbornly opinionated. She felt that she had served her father the longest, so it was only right that she received money and gifts. She only secretly resented her other sisters for being narrow-minded and envious of what she had gained. She no longer reminded her sisters to eat more vegetables as before, nor did she laugh and joke with everyone. Her face was cold and distant.

Fourth Sister's eyes held a deep resentment, her expression devoid of emotion. Though bound by blood and sitting close by, they acted like strangers. All the grievances, resentment, and disappointment weighed heavily on her heart, with nowhere to confide. Fifth Sister occasionally glanced up at the indifferent Third Sister beside her, her heart filled with disappointment. They used to work together wholeheartedly, but now, with self-interest at stake, their bond was worthless.

The eldest sister sat in the main seat, taking in everyone's expressions. She looked at her six sisters sitting side by side, who had endured hardships together since childhood, supporting each other, yet in their old age, worldly matters and money had created rifts between them. She wanted to say something conciliatory, but the words caught in her throat. Having experienced conflict and strife, she understood that if people were unwilling to compromise, no amount of persuasion would be effective.

The second sister sipped her tea calmly. She saw things most clearly, neither arguing nor complaining, having long since let go of gains and losses. But deep down, she knew this meal was merely a show for outsiders. The so-called reunion was nothing more than six people, each with their own worries, forced together.

Xiaoman, being the youngest, couldn't help but steal glances at everyone. In the past, during the New Year, the six sisters would huddle together, cracking melon seeds, chatting about everyday life, sharing new clothes, and talking all night long while lying in one bed. Now, everyone was silent, politeness, defensiveness, and indifference hidden in their eyes.

After dinner, the six of them sat side by side in the main room watching TV, in the same spots they'd held for years. Their shoulders were barely an inch apart, yet their hearts were worlds apart. No one fed each other snacks, no one huddled together for quiet chatter. Each person was glued to their screen, their minds elsewhere from the program.

Occasionally, someone would strike up a casual conversation, talking about the weather or their children's jobs. The conversation was brief and stiff, a question-and-answer exchange followed by a long silence. Everyone tacitly agreed not to mention their father, money, or the past conflicts that had caused such a rift.

The children, not understanding the thoughts of adults, playfully asked their six aunts why they weren't speaking. Everyone remained silent, and no one answered.

As night deepened, it was time for each of them to go home. The six sisters rose, without saying goodbye or making any promises for next year. They avoided each other's eyes, quickly packed their things, and went their separate ways.

No one tried to persuade them to stay, and no one said a single comforting word.

The lights were still on in the old house, and the bright red Spring Festival couplets were glaringly obvious.

This is their first Spring Festival after they divided their assets and developed a rift between them.

The rules and the form of family reunion remained unchanged, but the deep sibling affection that had been rooted in their hearts since childhood shattered silently and completely during the New Year's Eve dinner.

From now on, year after year, we will still gather together for the Spring Festival.

But everyone knew that every meeting from then on would be a facade of reunion, but inwardly desolate.

Six sisters, sharing the same bloodline, can never go back to the way things were.