When a baby turned one month old, their head had to be shaved, and the hair they were born with was collected to make a writing brush. Some families who were less particular simply threw it away.
Ye Xiaoxi had been sleeping soundly, but while her hair was being shaved, she was moved this way and that. With all the noise around her, she ended up being woken.
She looked left and right in bewilderment, then her lips puckered and she cried. Her little whimpers only made everyone laugh even more happily.
Ye Yaodong chuckled too, soothing her and telling her it would be over soon.
After her head was shaved, Mother Ye gently rolled a red egg back and forth over it three times, reciting a few auspicious phrases. This represented a red official's hat, symbolizing future success and promotion to high office.
Although they were not holding a banquet, they could not skip the proper rituals.
"Oh, there, there. Don't cry. Time for a bath."
Once the rituals were finished, Mother Ye carried the baby off to bathe her.
Ye Eldest Sister-in-Law and Ye Second Sister-in-Law helped prepare the two tables of food for lunch, and Ye Huimei came over to help too. She was just over four months pregnant, still not far enough along for it to affect her work.
With the women working together, preparing two tables of dishes was more than manageable. Most of the seafood and fish only needed steaming or blanching, so they just had a few meat dishes to cook. It saved a great deal of trouble.
After a simple lunch, Father Lin, Lin Mother, and the others held the baby a little longer before the family prepared to leave.
Even Eldest Sister-in-law Lin and Lin Second Sister-in-law had each happily prepared