New Year's Eve Fireworks
The 30th day of the twelfth lunar month, Lunar New Year's Eve.
Around five in the morning, while it was still pitch black, sporadic firecrackers could be heard downstairs, like tentative whistles. Lin Feng lay in bed and could hear his mother, Zhang Fen, already busy in the kitchen—the sound of chopping filling becoming more frequent, the slight clanging of pots and pans, and her hushed conversation with his father. The prelude to the new year quietly began in the darkness.
When he got up, his father Lin Jianguo was already in the living room, making a paste with flour under the dim light. His movements were a little clumsy, but very serious. When he saw Lin Feng, he pointed to a brand new spring couplet with the word "Fu" in the corner. "After a while, I'll have breakfast."
Breakfast was a simple bowl of glutinous rice balls, symbolizing family reunion. Lü Yi was woken up sleepily, and his eyes lit up when he saw the plump white rice balls in the bowl. He ate with gusto, oblivious to the sesame filling on his lips. Zhang Fen looked at him with loving yet pitying eyes, constantly adding more to his plate, "Eat more, child."
After dinner, putting up Spring Festival couplets became the first "New Year's activity" for the whole family (including Lü Yi). Lin Jianguo held the bowl of paste, Lin Feng held the couplets, and Zhang Fen directed from the side, "A little higher on the left," "Hey, straight, straight." Lü Yi was assigned the task of putting up the "Fu" character. He held the "Fu" character upside down and gestured on several door frames with an unusually serious expression, as if he was carrying out some important mission. In the end, he put it up a little crooked, but Zhang Fen kept saying, "Good, Fu has arrived, Fu has arrived!" Only then did he grin.
The sunlight slowly dispelled the chill, illuminating the slightly festive front door adorned with red paper. Neighbors came and went in the stairwell, exchanging New Year's greetings, and the air was filled with the aroma of stewed meat from each household.
In the morning, Lin Feng dragged Lin Zhang Fen to the market not far from home for one last shopping trip. The market was bustling with people and noise; live fish jumped in basins, vegetables were fresh and bright, and long queues formed in front of the cooked food stalls. Zhang Fen shrewdly picked and chose, bargained, and stuffed the purchased items one by one into the basket Lin Feng was carrying. Lin Feng followed silently, watching his mother's satisfied smile as she saved a few dollars, and watching the ordinary faces around him busy preparing for a sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner. A faint, indescribable ripple stirred in the cold lake of his heart.
Back home, the real work began. The kitchen became Zhang Fen's absolute domain. Stewed chicken, braised fish, fried meatballs, steamed pork belly... a variety of complex aromas layered upon each other, permeating every corner. Lin Jianguo was in charge of helping out, peeling garlic, washing vegetables, and cleaning fish scales. Lü Yi also wanted to help, but almost spilled a bowl of freshly mixed minced meat. Zhang Fen, both amused and exasperated, "invited" him out of the kitchen and assigned him to wipe the table and set the table.
Lin Feng stood at the kitchen doorway, watching his parents' perfectly coordinated figures inside. Steam blurred the glass window, obscuring the traces of time. He suddenly remembered that in the original owner's memories, this scene played out every year. Only, the "Lin Feng" of the past might have complained about being bored, or perhaps hid in his room playing on his phone. But now, standing here, he was like an accidental intruder, recording this warm, earthly warmth that seemed so out of place in his complex world.
In the afternoon, Monkey called to wish him a Happy New Year in advance. The background noise on the phone indicated that his family was also busy preparing. The two chatted briefly, and Monkey winked and reminded him not to forget his "task" for the third year of junior high school. Lin Feng gave a vague reply.
As dusk approached, the sound of firecrackers echoed in the distance. All the lights in the house were on, making it brightly lit. A disposable plastic tablecloth covered the round table, and cold dishes were already laid out: glistening aspic, dark brown beef, vibrant green cold-dressed bok choy, and glistening fried peanuts. The television was on, playing a festive song and dance program, at a low volume, serving as background noise.
"Dinner's ready!" Zhang Fen brought out the last dish, a steaming hot steamed sea bass, and placed it in the center of the table. The fish was sprinkled with shredded scallions and chili peppers, and drizzled with hot oil, sizzling as it went, symbolizing "abundance year after year."
The four men sat down around a table. Lin Jianguo took out a bottle of ordinary baijiu (Chinese liquor), poured himself a glass, and looked at Lin Feng and Lü Yi. Lin Feng shook his head. "I'll just have water." Lü Yi Yi's eyes lit up. "Uncle, can I try some?" Lin Jianguo smiled and poured him a small half-glass as well.
Zhang Fen kept serving food to everyone, especially Lü Yi and Xiaoya (although Xiaoya wasn't there, Zhang Fen kept saying, "That child should eat more"), while she herself barely ate a few bites. She chattered on about the trivial things that had happened over the past year, the changes in the neighbors' families, her concern and hidden pride in her son's work ("Working with Lawyer Zhou, he'll be successful"), and her invitation to Lü Yi to "come often in the future."
Lin Jianguo a man of few words, drinking silently and occasionally chiming in with a few words, but his facial features were much softer than usual. Lü Yi was clearly a little excited, his face flushed from drinking, and he became more talkative, though his words were incoherent, but he kept praising the food, which made Zhang Fen laugh non-stop.
Lin Feng ate and listened quietly. The food tasted homey and hearty, just like the "New Year" he remembered. He looked at the wrinkles on his parents' faces, smoothed out by the lamplight and their smiles, and at Lü Yi's eyes, which were bright with warmth and without any gloom. His stomach felt warm, and beneath the icy lake in his heart, something seemed to be slowly flowing.
The New Year's Eve dinner lasted a long time. Outside the window, the sounds of firecrackers and fireworks grew more and more frequent, and dazzling lights occasionally illuminated the night sky.
After clearing away the dishes, the family moved to the sofa to watch the Spring Festival Gala. The skits and song and dance performances were lively and entertaining. Zhang Fen watched with great interest, laughing along and commenting, "That girl is really pretty," and "That young man's acting is really funny." Lin Jianguo started to doze off as he watched. Lü Yi didn't understand anything, but she was caught up in the lively atmosphere and laughed along, especially interested in the magic show, clamoring to "expose the trick."
As midnight approached, Zhang Fen brought out dumplings with coins wrapped inside. Lin Feng ate silently as they steamed, when suddenly his teeth gently grazed something. He spat out a clean, shiny 50-cent coin.
"Oh my! Xiao Feng got some! What a good omen! May the coming year be smooth sailing and prosperous!" Zhang Fen clapped her hands happily.
Lin Feng looked at the oily coin in his palm; its cool metallic touch seemed to carry a kind of warm blessing.
Outside the window, the midnight chimes seemed to be drowned out by the deafening sound of firecrackers. Fireworks burst wildly in the night sky, a riot of colors that illuminated the entire county as if it were daytime, only to vanish in an instant, leaving behind only the smell of gunpowder and a new silence.
"Happy Chinese New Year!" Zhang Fen said loudly, her eyes slightly moist.
"Happy New Year, Mom and Dad," Lin Feng said.
"Happy Chinese New Year! Auntie, Uncle, Boss!" Lü Yi shouted the loudest.
On television, the host led the audience in a countdown, which was met with thunderous cheers.
On this grandest night in this ancient country, within the confines of this ordinary family home, the old year departs amidst a deafening roar, and the new year, carrying countless familiar expectations and clamor, arrives as scheduled, stepping on the fragments of fireworks. Lin Feng, this outcast who walks the edge of darkness and light, also temporarily immerses himself in this deafening, passionate warmth belonging to ordinary people.