Chapter 407: Year-End Approaches

The morning light on the twenty‑ninth day of the twelfth month was especially cold.

When Li Ping'an opened his eyes, the paper window let in a faint crab‑shell blue glow.

Outside the house was silent; even the sparrows that usually rise early curled up under the eaves, unwilling to come out.

He sat up and heard Lin Xueqing's light footsteps coming from the main hall.

There were also the faint clinks of pots and bowls.

The flavor of the New Year seeped out, little by little, from these trivial sounds.

He pushed the door open, and the cold air slapped his face.

The snow in the courtyard hadn't melted, glimmering a pale blue in the morning light.

At the base of the west wall, honeycomb coal covered a straw mat, resembling a line of sleeping soldiers.

The cellar entrance was sealed with a wooden board, hiding the winter's provisions inside.

Li Ping'an took a deep breath.

The air held the crispness of snow, the smoky scent of coal, and… the taste of the year.

"Dad!"

Li Yaozong ran out from the inner room, his small face flushed with excitement.

"The Steel Rolling Mill is giving out benefits today! I want to go with you to the Steel Rolling Mill."

Lin Xueqing came out holding hot water, shaking her head with a smile.

"That child has been thinking about it for several days."

Xiao Nuanqing also came out, wrapped in a thick cotton coat, looking like a little cotton ball.

"Nuanqing is going too!"

Li Ping'an lifted his daughter and brushed his stubble against her little face.

"Go, everyone go."

Steam rose in the Steel Rolling Mill's auditorium.

The workers lined up, smiles on their faces.

Giving benefits at the year's end is the happiest thing of the year.

When it was Li Ping'an's turn, the old accountant handing out benefits pushed his glasses.

"Li Chief, you get a pound of pork, two towels, and some soap; this is the benefit for cadres."

He wrapped the meat in newspaper and carefully tied it with straw rope.

The meat was Pork Belly, with alternating fat and lean, clearly red and white.

In the winter of 1965, this was top‑quality New Year provisions.

An old worker waiting in line beside them saw it and clicked his tongue twice.

"Being a cadre is better, a pound of meat. We only get half a pound."

His tone was a bit sour, but mostly envious.

Li Ping'an said nothing, took the items, and nodded.

When he reached the auditorium entrance, he ran into Wang Dahu.

He was carrying a pound of meat, his face blooming with a smile.

"Chief, the meat this year is really good!"

"Hmm," Li Ping'an looked at the meat in his hand, "Your family has many children; is it enough to eat?"

Wang Dahu scratched his head.

"Enough! Add some cabbage and wrap dumplings; it'll last several meals."

The two chatted as they walked out.

Passing the Workshop, he saw Xu Damao coming out of the Logistics Department.

He also carried meat in his hand, but his complexion was not very good.

Seeing Li Ping'an, his steps faltered, and he tried to go around.

Li Ping'an called out to him instead.

"Damao."

Xu Damao froze, turning around.

"... Li Chief."

"Did you collect the benefit?" Li Ping'an asked.

"Got it," Xu Damao lifted the meat in his hand, "Half a pound."

He spoke slowly, each word seeming to squeeze out from between his teeth.

Li Ping'an nodded.

"Happy New Year."

After saying that, he pushed the cart and left.

Xu Damao stood where he was, watching his back, his eyes complicated.

At the Siheyuan entrance he met Yan Fugui, who envied, "Ping'an, you got the benefit back; cadres are great— a pound of pork and a towel."

Li Ping'an: "The Steel Rolling Mill's performance is good this year; everyone gets one."

Back home, Li Ping'an handed the meat to Lin Xueqing.

Lin Xueqing took it and weighed it.

"Quite a lot. Shall we stew it tonight?"

"No rush," Li Ping'an said, "We'll keep it, eat on the thirtieth."

He walked to the corner of the main hall and took out two cloth bags from the cabinet.

They had been prepared long ago.

Inside each were a wind‑dried chicken and a wind‑dried duck.

The chicken and duck had been wind‑dried in the Spiritual Spring Space for over two months, their skins turning golden and firm, emitting a faint salty aroma.

"I'll deliver them to Li Pingle now," Li Ping'an said, tightening the cloth bags, "You take the children to buy New Year goods; after I finish delivering, I'll go straight to the market to find you."

Lin Xueqing was a little worried.

"If I deliver them like this, could it…"

"I'll be careful." Li Ping'an stuffed the cloth bags into the bamboo basket on the back of his bicycle, covered them with old newspaper, "Pack them in cloth bags so they aren't visible from outside. The Li Pingle house is nearby; we'll be there in a moment, and no one should notice."

He pushed the cart out the door.

Lin Xueqing stood at the doorway, watching her husband's silhouette disappear into Hu Tong Kou.

The uneasiness in her heart gradually subsided. Her sister's house was much livelier than this Siheyuan.

People came and went in the lane, all buying New Year supplies.

Li Ping'an steered the cart into a Small Alley and stopped in front of a courtyard gate.

He knocked on the door.

The door opened, and Li Pingle poked his head out.

"Brother? Why did you come?"

"Deliver some things." Li Ping'an pushed the bamboo basket into the doorway, "Go in and speak."

In the courtyard, Chen Jianghe was shoveling snow.

Two children were playing in the snow under the eaves, their little faces frozen bright red.

Seeing their uncle, they both rushed over.

"Uncle!"

Li Ping'an patted the children's heads and took out the cloth bags.

"Home‑made wind‑dried chicken and duck, a dish for your New Year."

Li Pingle took the cloth bags, touched them, and his eyes lit up.

"So sincere? Brother, where did you get them?"

"I had someone bring them from the countryside," Li Ping'an said vaguely, "Take them in and keep it quiet. The year's prospects are poor; if people find out it'll cause trouble."

Chen Jianghe understood with a nod.

"Understood, brother. Rest assured."

Li Pingle brought the cloth bags into the inner room and stored them carefully.

When he came out, his eyes were a little red.

"Brother, these years… thanks to your support."

"We're family; why say that?" Li Ping'an patted his sister‑in‑law's shoulder, "Bring the kids to the house for New Year dinner; your sister‑in‑law will make dumplings."

"Ah!"

After sitting for a while, Li Ping'an stood up to take his leave: "I'm leaving; your sister‑in‑law and the children are buying New Year goods and are still waiting for me!"

When pushing the cart out, he deliberately went around to the other end of the lane.

He drove as carefully as a ten‑thousand‑year ship.

The market was a sea of people.

Li Ping'an pushed the cart, struggling to make his way through the crowd.

Finally, he found his wife and child in front of a fabric stall.

Lin Xueqing was selecting fabric, holding a piece of hidden‑blue cotton cloth in her hand.

"Ping'an, how about this piece? Make a new coat for Li Yaozong."

Li Ping'an took it and felt it.

The fabric was thick and the color just right.

"Fine."

He picked another piece of floral fabric to make a cotton jacket for Xiao Nuanqing.

When paying, the clerk handed over a fabric ticket.

"A three‑chi fabric ticket, and I owe you two mao."

Lin Xueqing carefully kept the fabric ticket.

These days, fabric tickets are even more valuable than money.

The family went to a side‑goods shop again.

Using the ticket, they bought half a jin of white sugar and two liang of sesame paste.

And a small packet of Sichuan pepper and spices.

All are essential for the New Year.

Li Yaozong stared at the candy counter, his eyes not blinking at all.

Li Ping'an walked over and bought half a jin of fruit candy.

He wrapped it in oil paper and slipped it into his son's pocket.

"Eat it sparingly."

The child nodded heavily, his small hand tightly covering the pocket.

As if protecting a treasure.

On the morning of New Year's Eve, Li Ping'an's family rose early.

Today we will go to the bathhouse to take a bath.

This is the New Year's custom.

Wash away the year's dust and grime, and welcome the New Year clean and fresh.

The bathhouse at the alley mouth already has a queue.

They are all nearby neighbors, carrying baskets with spare clothes.

Sha Zhu was also in the line; seeing Li Ping'an, he grinned.

"Brother Ping'an, are you here to bathe too?"

"It's the New Year, we need to be clean and fresh." Li Ping'an smiled.

"Sure, you're particular about it." Sha Zhu lowered his voice, "I heard Xu Damao came yesterday too, bathed for an hour and scrubbed off two catties of dirt."

The people around laughed.

Steam filled the bathhouse.

White mist filled the air, obscuring everything.

Only the sound of splashing water and the bath attendant's loud calls could be heard.

"Back-scrubbing— which attendant will scrub backs—"

Li Ping'an brought his son into the men's bath.

The water in the pool was scalding, steaming until bodies turned red.

Li Yaozong didn't dare to go in, only sitting at the edge to soak his feet.

Li Ping'an lifted him down.

"What's a boy got to fear from hot water?"

The child gritted his teeth and submerged his body in the water.

Soon his little face was flushed red, like a ripe apple.

After bathing, they changed into clean clothes.

He felt three catties lighter overall.

As they went out, they ran into Yi Zhonghai.

The old man was alone, carrying a small basket.

Seeing Li Ping'an, he nodded.

"Ping'an, you brought your son to bathe?"

"Yeah, First Elder, you're here to wash up too?"

"Wash up." Yi Zhonghai's voice was hoarse, "To welcome the New Year clean and fresh."

He paused.

"I heard... Xu Damao was investigated by the Security Section?"

Li Ping'an didn't respond.

"Investigating them is good." Yi Zhonghai muttered to himself, "Some people, if not given a lesson, don't know how high the sky is or how deep the earth."

After saying that, he turned and entered the bathhouse.

His stooped back resembled an old tree bent by snow.

In the evening, smoke from cooking rose in the courtyard.

Every household was preparing the New Year's feast.

The aromas of meat, vegetables, and fried foods mingled together.

They filled the whole courtyard.

In the west wing, Lin Xueqing was busy in the kitchen.

Meat simmered in the pot, filling was chopped on the board.

Li Ping'an was putting up New Year prints in the main hall.

It was the traditional "abundance every year": a chubby child clutching a big carp, smiling auspiciously.

Li Yaozong helped brush paste, while Xiao Nuanqing handed up the prints from below.

"Dad, it's crooked!"

"Move it a bit to the left!"

The two children directed, their little faces serious.

Once the New Year prints were up, the house instantly filled with festive spirit.

Li Ping'an stepped back two paces and took a look.

He nodded in satisfaction.

Outside the window, the sky grew dim.

In the distance, sporadic firecracker sounds could be heard.

Some children couldn't wait and set off small firecrackers early.

Pop, pop.

Crisp and bright, as if heralding the arrival of the New Year.

Lin Xueqing brought out the first dish.

Red-braised pork, glossy and oily, steaming hot.

Next came stewed cabbage with tofu, sour cabbage with pork, and a plate of fried peanuts.

Finally, a large bowl of dumplings.

Plump and white, like ingots.

The family sat around the table.

Li Ping'an poured the yellow wine.

"Come, it's New Year."

The four cups clinked together.

The sound was soft, but warm.

"Wishing our family peace and safety, and the children health and happiness," Li Ping'an said.

"Peace and safety," Lin Xueqing repeated.

The children also followed suit: "Health and happiness."

Under the warm yellow light, light was reflected on all four faces.

Outside, the cold wind still blew.

Inside, it was warm like spring.

This siheyuan, this city, both welcomed the new year on this night.

And the days belonging to Li Ping'an's family continued.

In every ordinary morning, in every simple meal, in this ordinary yet precious time, it flowed quietly.