On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, Li Ye's courtyard was once again thrown into pandemonium.
Hao Jian, Jin Peng, Wang Jianqiang, and Li Dayong had all brought their children. Together with Older Sister Li Yue's son Little Dun'er, Li Ye's younger sister Xiao Youan, Little Pouch, and Little Treasure, more than a dozen children whom even dogs despised had gathered in one place. It would have been strange if they did not kick up a fuss.
Beijing had not yet banned fireworks and firecrackers. The children first set off a chaotic barrage of crackling explosions, and only settled down after Grandma Wu Juying came out to shout at them several times.
Grandma did not dislike the children for being naughty. She was genuinely afraid they might blow something up and get hurt. Children these days wanted to try everything—blowing up bottles with firecrackers, tree hollows, even latrine pits. None of that was unusual.
On New Year's Eve, the public toilet in the alley had fallen victim to someone's mischief, drawing a storm of curses from the neighbors.
Now that more than a dozen children had suddenly appeared at the Li family home, if they set off firecrackers for another whole day, would not every unsolved case from the past few days be pinned on them?
Being forbidden from setting off firecrackers during the New Year instantly took away more than half the children's fun. There were not many interesting things left to do.
So Little Pouch's eyes rolled, and with a wave of her little hand, she led the children running toward the doghouse.
"Our husky had puppies! Let's go see the puppies!"
The children surged toward the doghouse like a dark cloud, startling Li Ye into running over to warn them, "Stay away from that mother