Chapter 711: New Year’s Eve

Time flew by, and in just a few days, it was the Little New Year. The sound of firecrackers echoed endlessly throughout the village. On this day, people worshipped the gods, and every household had prepared offerings. A cut of meat, a bowl of rice, a chicken, a fish, a bowl of lotus root, and some rice cakes were what most families prepared.

Those who were well-off prepared more, while those with less prepared what they could. All that mattered was sincerity.

The Thorne family’s preparations were, of course, lavish. On this day, Raina was generous. She would do her best to place the finest food on the offering table for the gods to enjoy.

After lighting incense, burning paper ingots (not to be confused with their dog, Dollar), setting off firecrackers, and kowtowing to the gods, the ritual of worship was finally complete. Then came the Little New Year’s Eve feast. After that, all that remained was the wait for New Year’s Eve.

All the children eagerly awaited New Year’s Eve. On that day, they could wear new clothes, eat delicious food, and receive money in red envelopes. Even if they misbehaved, the adults wouldn’t scold or hit them. No matter how angry anyone got, they had to suppress it; you couldn’t punish children during the New Year festivities. These few days were truly a child’s paradise, a time to play to their hearts’ content.

New Year’s Eve finally arrived, and the entire village was brimming with festive cheer. Even Linden Golding’s family had hung up lanterns and decorations. The death of Linden’s mother hadn’t brought them lasting sorrow. After all, before she died, she had lost her mind, fighting with her own grandchildren for food, refusing to work, and eating more than ever. It’s often said that a long illness tests the devotion of any child, and moreover, Linden had already held deep grievances against his mother. So, when she finally passed, his family felt a sense of relief more than anything. They were finally free.

On this day, Frederick Thorne and his wife came down for the celebration. Lana Steiner’s belly was pointed and high, and everyone who saw her said she was sure to have a son. Raina was even more certain, because Tang Xiaonan had already predicted it would be a baby brother.

Lana Steiner’s due date was in the next few days. Raina had suggested she just stay with her own family for the New Year to avoid the hassle of traveling back and forth. But Lana felt that since she usually lived with her parents, it was important to return to her husband’s family for New Year’s Eve. Besides, she was in great shape, and the doctor had advised her to walk around more before the birth to help with labor.

This year’s reunion dinner was the most complete the Thorne family had ever been, and the most populous. All four siblings were gathered, and with the new additions to the family, they filled two whole tables. The house was packed to the brim. Byron Thorne was incredibly gratified; old men like him love nothing more than a house full of children and grandchildren. ’It would be even better to have four generations under one roof,’ he thought. He didn’t dare dream of five, but if he took good care of himself, who knew? It might just happen.

In his excellent mood, Byron Thorne gave red envelope money to every child—fifty cents each. The old man was being quite generous this year; in the past, it had only ever been ten cents.

Goldie Thorne was even more generous, giving each child a whole dollar. This earned him several sharp glares from Raina, who secretly resolved to take his money from him for safekeeping as soon as the holiday was over. Otherwise, her third son would just squander it all again.

After the reunion dinner, the Thorne household became even livelier. Many villagers had come over to watch the Spring Festival Gala. They had heard long in advance that the gala would be broadcast that night and had arranged with the Thornes to come watch. Naturally, Byron Thorne and Raina agreed. New Year’s Eve was supposed to be lively, after all. A lively home brings good fortune!

(Author’s Note: There really was a Spring Festival Gala in 1979. Yang Jie, the director of the famous TV series Journey to the West, was one of the gala’s directors. However, televisions were not yet common, so not many people knew about it.)

Tang Xiaonan got to experience a truly old-school Spring Festival Gala. Though the equipment was primitive and the stage set was simple, the consummate skill of the performers made the show vibrant and exciting—no less captivating than the grander galas of later years. The threshing ground was packed with villagers, and some had even climbed into the trees for a better view. The comedy skits and crosstalk acts had everyone roaring with laughter, some to the point of tears.

That night, the entire village of Millstone Peak was filled with joyous laughter, and a smile graced every face.

However, the next day brought an even greater joyous event for the Thorne family. In the middle of the night, Lana Steiner went into labor. They rushed her to the local clinic on a tractor.