In Shanghai, people usually say goodbye to the year on the 29th of the lunar month, what’s called Little New Year1A traditional festival a few days before Lunar New Year, often marking the start of New Year preparations like cleaning and worshiping the Kitchen God.
That morning, Ning Jianguo took Xiaobei back to the old house in Jiande Lane, starting the annual general cleaning spree. By evening, they would prepare a full table of dishes for the ancestors, light incense, and pray for a safe and peaceful year.
Xiaobei had assumed Sister Xiao Mei would be going back to her hometown for the New Year. He and Ning Jianguo had planned that, since no one was around to take care of Grandma, they’d bring her back to the Workers’ New Village. Though her leg was still in a cast, Grandma could already get out of bed and walk around with a cane.
But when they went to Jiande Lane a couple of days earlier to pick her up, they were surprised to find Xiao Mei had no intention of leaving.
“My parents are gone. I’ve always lived at my brother’s house… My sister-in-law doesn’t like me much. Going back home for New Year isn’t fun. I’d just be doing chores for them. It’s better to stay in Shanghai and take care of Grandma.”
When the little master asked why she hadn’t bought a ticket home yet, Xiao Mei was busy washing Grandma’s bedding. She gave a bitter little smile as she spoke.
Sunlight caught in the wooden basin, and a soap bubble shimmered with rainbow colors, drifting onto Xiao Mei’s shoulder-length hair.
Xiaobei suddenly realized that Xiao Mei was actually quite delicate-looking, just not very fashionable. She hadn’t done her hair since coming to Shanghai and wore clothes that looked like they had traveled straight from the 1970s or ’80s.
In reality, many girls her age who came to Shanghai for work dressed very stylishly, full of youth. Perhaps Xiao Mei had mostly stayed in the old lane taking care of Grandma, surrounded by middle-aged and older neighbors, which made her seem out of place.
“Xiao Mei, come down!”
Ning Jianguo rushed in and saw her standing on a stacked stool, holding a feather duster and trying to reach the 《Three Friends of Winter》2A traditional Chinese painting motif featuring pine, bamboo, and plum, symbolizing resilience and perseverance; a typical decoration for the Lunar New Year. painting hanging in the main hall. He quickly waved her down.
“What if you fall? Let me handle it.”
Xiao Mei smiled sheepishly, jumped down from the stool, and shyly smoothed her hair. “I already cleaned the glass windows. I remembered Grandma saying we should replace the hall painting for the New Year, so I wanted to take it down first. That way, when you arrived, Brother Jianguo, we could hang the New Year painting right away.”
“Sister Xiao Mei, we agreed to clean together. How can you do all the work by yourself?”
Xiaobei said this, pulling a hat folded from newspaper out of his pocket and putting it on his head.
For today’s general cleaning, Fan Xia had folded a whole bunch of paper hats last night. When the father and son went out this morning, the uncle and nephew downstairs were already wearing those hats and working away with great enthusiasm.
“Aiya, you’re paying me to do this work, aren’t you?”
Seeing Ning Xiaobei pick up a broom as if he was about to start sweeping, Xiao Mei quickly snatched it from him.
“Xiaobei is a student. How can he do this kind of work? I’ll do it. You two go upstairs and keep Grandma company. I’ll have everything done in no time.”
“Xiao Mei, don’t spoil him. Middle school students nowadays are supposed to develop in ‘morality, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics, and labor3 A standard Chinese educational principle’. This kid’s PE grades are already a complete mess, at least let him make up for it in the labor aspect.”
There was no helping it. Ning Xiaobei had the mindset of an old man. How could he run around the field like real kids? His grades were good in every subject, except for PE, where he only barely passed. One extra step and he’d already feel tired. Luckily, most of his classmates were the bookish type who were better with words than with physical activity, so he didn’t stand out.
Ning Jianguo opened his jacket, took out a red envelope, and handed it to Xiao Mei. “Here, this is for you. Happy New Year.”
“Aiya, big brother, I can’t take this, I really can’t. You’ve already paid me this month’s wages. I’ve even sent half of it back to my hometown.”
Xiao Mei waved her hands quickly.
“Hey, if our factory hadn’t been doing poorly this year, we’d normally give out year-end bonuses anyway. Just think of this as your bonus from me. No need to feel embarrassed, this is Shanghai custom. Even the helper at Wu family’s house gets a red envelope.”
Only after hearing that others received one too did Xiao Mei wipe her hands on her pants and accept the red envelope with both hands.
“Alright… then I’ll send it back home to help my brother build a house.”
“What house are you building? After lunch, go to Nanjing Road or Huaihai Road and buy yourself a new set of clothes and shoes. Then go to the hair salon at the entrance of the lane and get your hair done. That’s what New Year should look like.”
Ning Jianguo said with a smile.
“Exactly, Sister Xiao Mei. Don’t send all your money home every time you get paid. You said it yourself, your brother and sister-in-law don’t treat you we—”
Before Ning Xiaobei could finish, he felt a kick to his calf from Ning Jianguo and immediately shut his mouth.
Xiao Mei’s eyes reddened. She nodded, then turned and went back behind the main hall.
“Grandma, I’m here to see you!”
After talking with Xiao Mei, Ning Xiaobei ran up the stairs to the second floor.
No sooner had he gone upstairs that Grandma Ning, who was sitting on the sofa, turned around and raised her right index finger to her lips, signaling Ning Xiaobei to keep quiet.
“Grandma, what’s wrong… ah! Azi…”
Seeing the little ball of orange fur curled up at Grandma Ning’s feet, Ning Xiaobei almost cried out loud. He quickly covered his mouth with both hands, eyes wide as he looked at her, full of confusion.
“It came back suddenly last night… I was lying in bed listening to the radio when I heard a thump-thump sound outside the second-floor window. At first, I thought the wind had blown tree branches against the glass. But then I seemed to hear a very, very faint meow. So I called Xiao Mei upstairs to open the window…”
Grandma lowered her voice and pointed at the floor. “Then Azi whooshed in and curled up right there to sleep. We had the oil heater here at night, so it was nice and warm. It’s been sleeping ever since. Even this morning, when Xiao Mei moved the heater away and draped a small towel over it, it didn’t notice. Ah… Azi must have suffered outside. Poor thing.”
When Ning Jianguo went up to the second floor, he saw his mother and his son sitting side by side on the sofa, both with tearful eyes.
Azi’s return was the biggest piece of good news for the New Year. The little guy slept all the way until the afternoon, then, completely at ease, ran to the corner of the staircase on the first floor and happily devoured the cat food personally cooked by Ning Jianguo.
To celebrate its return, Ning Jianguo really splurged this time. He cooked a whole crucian carp just for it, letting it enjoy a taste of the New Year too.
“In a bit, Xiaobei, you stay home with Grandma. I’ll take Azi across the street to that newly opened vet station for a checkup. Its leg seems to be limping a little, we should have a look.”
Ning Jianguo pointed at Azi, who was rubbing against his leg. “And it’s way too dirty. It’s New Year, just like people, it needs a wash.”
“Dad, that’s not called a ‘vet station4兽医站 (shòu yī zhàn) : older, basic, practical term; often for livestock or simple treatment; feels outdated or rural.,’ it’s called a ‘pet hospital5宠物医院 (chǒng wù yī yuàn) : modern, urban term; focused on pets (cats/dogs); implies better care, facilities, and a more family pet mindset..’”
As Ning Xiaobei spoke, he hooked Azi’s tail lightly with his shoe.
Pet hospitals were something new in the area over the past couple of years. At some point, keeping dogs had suddenly become very popular in Shanghai, and facilities for cats and dogs had sprung up along with it.
When Grandma Ning first heard that supermarkets even sold cat and dog food, she was shocked, saying those animals were living more delicately than people.
In the afternoon, Xiao Mei went out to shop for clothes. The father and son replaced the hall painting, then took out the brass candlesticks that were only brought out once a year, inserted bright red candles, and placed them on the altar table.
After finishing all that, Ning Jianguo went into the kitchen to cook, while Ning Xiaobei sat facing Grandma Ning, watching TV and folding silver foil, preparing to burn it later for the ancestors.
“I heard a lot of people went to the factory to make trouble today. Is that true?”
Grandma’s soft hands seemed almost magical, before long, a sheet of silver foil had turned into a plump, ingot-shaped yuanbao6offerings burned for ancestors during rituals in her hands.
“Yeah… it’s been going on for several days already. Today, since it’s the day to bid farewell to the year, there were fewer people.”
Ning Xiaobei spoke with a heavy heart.
Unlike the Ning family, who had already prepared for this possibility, most of the factory workers had never expected that such a big factory could just shut down overnight, that the support they had relied on their whole lives could collapse just like that.
Worse still, after hearing that some of the leaders had bought factory equipment at low prices and were planning to start their own businesses, many veteran workers were so furious that they rushed into the workshop and used their bodies to block the machines, refusing to let anyone take them away.
“No! This is state property! How can it fall into private hands? It’s all you bunch of bastards who ruined a perfectly good factory! My father and I both belonged to Third Factory. You’re cutting off our roots!”
Many people at the factory had worked for two generations, devoting their entire lives to the shoe factory and the garment group. The older employees all shed tears. Even just hearing Ning Jianguo recount it, Ning Xiaobei felt a deep ache in his heart.
But there was no helping it. It was part of the country’s industrial upgrading, an unavoidable step in development.
“Before the New Year, quite a few people agreed to buy out their years of service, right? Two thousand a year, ten years is only twenty thousand. It looks like a lot now, but what about in a couple of years…?”
Grandma Ning was glad she had already retired, at least her monthly pension was still guaranteed.
“But those who bought out their years of service at least have some money to get through the New Year. Those who’ve been put on unpaid leave… they really don’t know how they’ll manage. Even people like the factory director and section chiefs who stayed behind to handle the aftermath don’t seem to be getting paid anymore.”
“I heard these past few days some people even brought ropes to the workshop director’s house, threatening to hang themselves?”
Grandma Ning really had all kinds of sources for news.
“Yeah… the police were called. But it didn’t help. Today it’s one person, tomorrow another. The director was at his wits’ end and said, ‘Why don’t we all just go hang ourselves at the factory director’s house together?’”
“The factory director can’t do anything either… it’s not just your dad’s factory like this. Even in our lane…”
Grandma lowered her voice even more. “So many workplaces have collapsed. Old Master Song’s grandson, Aunt Yang’s daughter, all those textile factories and food supply factories are all going under. Every night there’s shouting, smashing bowls, cursing. I bet tomorrow, on New Year’s Eve, hardly anyone will even set off firecrackers.”
After all, fireworks were never cheap, and without jobs, people didn’t have the mood for them anyway.
“What about that Xiao Zhao who’s close with your dad? How’s he doing? Did he also buy out his years of service?”
Grandma’s eyes shifted as she asked.
“Uncle Zhao? He’s doing great. Turns out he already had a backup plan. He opened a clothing shop with someone else, over on Xiangyang Road, selling women’s clothes brought in from Guangzhou. Business is booming. Right after the employee meeting, he voluntarily bought out his years of service and used the money to stock up on goods.”
Before the New Year, business on Xiangyang Road was booming. Not only were Shanghai locals coming to buy new clothes for the holiday, but there were also plenty of tourists from other places. The clothes and shoes there were much cheaper than in regular department stores, and the styles were newer. In just those ten-odd days, Uncle Zhao made a big profit.
Because Fan Xia kept saying that Ning Xiaobei’s 21-inch color TV was better than the 18-inch one downstairs at his uncle’s place, Zhao Jingwen simply went out and bought a 32-inch Panasonic color TV before the New Year. He figured this would stop his nephew from sticking to the Ning family’s living room like a shadow all day and would finish his homework and go back home already.
Who would’ve thought that after the TV arrived, Fan Xia started complaining that the new one was too big, the colors too bright, making his eyes dizzy. He still refused to leave the Ning house, which left Zhao Jingwen completely speechless.
“Xiao Zhao is a quick-witted man. If only he and your dad could balance each other out. Your dad is just too wooden.”
Grandma Ning nodded, then glanced toward the kitchen. She leaned closer to Xiaobei and asked in a low voice, “That Auntie Wang you mentioned before… how far has she and your dad gotten now?”
“Tomorrow for New Year’s Eve dinner, Auntie Wang is bringing her daughter to our place to eat.”
Ning Xiaobei reported excitedly.
“Really? That fast?”
Grandma Ning was overjoyed. “Your dad has finally woken up to it?”
“Not really…”
Ning Xiaobei said awkwardly, “I told Auntie Wang that for the New Year, it’d be too quiet with just the two of them, so they might as well come upstairs and have New Year’s Eve dinner with us. My dad’s cooking is really good, no worse than a restaurant.”
Grandma Ning kept nodding as she listened.
“At first Auntie Wang felt embarrassed, but later she agreed. She even said she’d cook that day and let me try her cooking. Grandma, pretty impressive of me, right?”
“Xiaobei, good child.”
Grandma was so moved she pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her eyes. “If your dad really ends up with that Xiao Wang, and has someone to keep him company in the second half of his life… even if I were to die right now, I could finally rest easy.”
“Grandma, what are you saying? It’s New Year, you’ll live a long life.”
Ning Xiaobei burrowed into her arms, acting cute in an exaggerated, almost childish way.
“Besides, Azi has come back. Everything will get better.”
………………
Ning Xiaobei’s plan was perfect. In his imagination, on New Year’s Eve, his dad and Auntie Wang would be together in the kitchen — You cut the meat, I pick the vegetables; You stir-fry, I make the soup — like Dong Yong and the Seventh Fairy7Dong Yong and the Seventh Fairy (董永和七仙女) — a famous Chinese folktale about a mortal man and a heavenly maiden who fall in love while working together, bonding through labor, deepening their feelings, full of a kind of simple, earnest romance.
Meanwhile, he and Chang Leyun would sit in the living room, eating sunflower seeds and watching TV. He might not have studied music and dance like her, but he was good at socializing. He would definitely charm this little sister and make her accept him.
So when Ning Xiaobei placed the glass dish filled with candies and snacks onto the coffee table and heard a knock at the door, he happily ran over to open it.
“Boss, Happy New Year!”
Dressed head to toe in bright red, like a walking red envelope, Fan Xia stood at the Ning family’s doorway, holding up a huge cake box wrapped in colorful ribbons, grinning from ear to ear.
Standing behind him were Zhao Jingwen, hands in his pockets, and the Wang mother and daughter, both dressed in festive clothes.
…Why are there four people?
Ning Xiaobei froze on the spot.
“Ah! You all came! That’s wonderful! Hey, don’t bother taking off your shoes, just come in, it’s not like my house has strict rules.”
Ning Jianguo poked his head out of the kitchen, holding a big ladle.
“Jingwen, come help me gut this fish, quick!”
“I’ll do it. I’ll do it!”
Wang Yihong hurriedly took off her coat. Today she wore a pink turtleneck sweater, which made her look noticeably younger.
“Hey, don’t touch anything. Sit and watch TV. You’ll get all greasy, your freshly done hair will be ruined! How are you going to visit relatives tomorrow?”
Zhao Jingwen didn’t even give her a chance. Like he’d done it a hundred times before, he went straight into the kitchen, slipped on rubber sleeves and gloves, and started working.
“Then… Lele, you and the two brothers watch TV. Mom’s going downstairs. I was in such a rush earlier, forgot the fruit basket.”
Chang Leyun nodded obediently and sat on the sofa peeling candies.
“Fan Xia, why are you here? Aren’t you going home for the New Year?”
Seeing the adults gone, Ning Xiaobei grabbed Fan Xia, who was trying to lift the cake box, wrapped his arms around his neck, and asked through gritted teeth:
“Didn’t your new mom just finish her postpartum confinement last month? Your dad’s taking her and your little sister back to her hometown in Chongming for the New Year.”
Mentioning this new little sister, Fan Xia couldn’t stop smiling. The little girl was beautiful, has big eyes, high nose, and always smiling.
The key thing: her skin was snow-white, completely different from Fan Xia’s, a real Snow White. He bragged to everyone now about his little sister, making his classmates, all only child, envious.
“Then why aren’t you going to Chongming with them?”
Could it be that because Fan Jian had a new snow-white child, he didn’t want his old, dark-skinned kid anymore?
“No, Uncle Ning said I should stay and celebrate the New Year with you, Uncle, Lele and her mother this year. My dad was actually a bit disappointed I couldn’t go to Chongming,”
Fan Xia said with an innocent face. “Boss, I stayed in Shanghai out of respect for you. My new mom told me that New Year in the countryside is lively and more fun than the city. I actually really wanted to go.”
Ning Xiaobei turned to glance at the bustling kitchen, and for a long while couldn’t get a word out.
Comrade Ning Jianguo!
How can you not even take care of your own happiness!
………………
Author’s Note:
Ning Xiaobei: cheeky move
Ning Jianguo: reverse cheeky move
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