「In Li Family Village」
First thing in the morning, the matriarch was already bustling about.
"Xiao Bao, go fill the water vat. Get plenty of extra firewood, too. We'll be using the stove a lot today, so we don't want to run out. Also, find a long stick and tie the firecrackers I bought to it. We'll set some off before dinner," the matriarch called out, giving orders from the courtyard.
This past year had been a mixed bag for the family. On the one hand, her son had returned and found a good job. On the other, they'd been swindled out of a huge amount of money and grain by the Old Jiang Family. Thinking about it all, both the good and the bad deserved to be marked with a bang. That was why she'd gone to the market before the festival and bought two of the longest strings of firecrackers, ready to be set off on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
