On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, we eat the leftovers from the New Year's Eve dinner; this is called "picking blessings," and it is considered auspicious.
After eating three meat dumplings, a small piece of pig's trotter, and a little bit of tender white fish while her mom watched, Zhao Meimei was full and wanted to dash outside to play.
Liu Xiue quickly stopped her: "Meimei! This moment, you're coming with me to open the shop. You need to help me pull out the screws."
When Liu Xiue's grocery store closes at night, an iron plate needs to be fixed around the glass cabinet outside. A screw is used to fasten it from the inside. Without entering the store and removing the screw, the iron plate can't be unattached.
Zhao Meimei pulled out the wire from inside while her mother tugged on the iron plate from outside. Once the grocery store opened, Zhao Meimei followed her mom to light the small stove.
Liu Xiue took out the oranges she brought from home and placed them on the stove to roast. Seeing something to eat, Zhao Meimei wasn't in a rush to leave. She sat next to her mother, helping to turn the oranges with a small spoon.
Zhao Meimei coughed; she had mild rhinitis since she was little. Her mother took her to the hospital for a prescription, and back home, she dripped medicine into her nose. The bitter liquid trickled down her throat into her mouth, and Zhao Meimei found it disgusting, refusing to use the medicine.
Liu Xiue, having nothing else to do, heard Aunt Zhao talk about using roasted oranges as a home remedy for cough when she delivered old clothes to her. Trying it out and finding it effective, she continued giving them to Zhao Meimei.
Fresh oranges were roasted on the stove's iron wall until they became soft. Peeled and eaten while hot, they tasted sweet with a hint of bitterness, actually quite delicious.
Zhao Meimei loved these, and whenever Liu Xiue roasted oranges, she'd eagerly watch from the side. When anxious, she'd help turn them with a little spoon.
Zhao Meimei ate two hot oranges, burped, and satisfactorily bid her mom farewell, intending to play with Da Bao and the others.
Liu Xiue quickly took out the braised pig's trotter she had prepared, glanced at the clock hanging on the shelf, and handed it to Zhao Meimei: "There were fireworks banging half the night last night. Your Grandma Zhao surely didn't sleep well. By now, she's probably up. Meimei, go deliver the pig's trotter to Grandma."
Zhao Meimei grabbed the pig's trotter and spun around to run.
Liu Xiue shouted from behind: "Don't forget to wish Grandma a Happy New Year and say a few auspicious words. Don't accept lucky money if Grandma gives it!"
Zhao Meimei, with nimble feet, was already far away in a few exchanges.
Zhao Meimei, familiar with the way, turned towards Building Three, and stood in front of Aunt Zhao's door, banging and shouting: "Grandma! Grandma! It's Meimei!"
Zhao Meimei knocked for a long time, but no one came to open the door. Doubt filled her heart, as the old lady would usually respond and hastily open the door upon hearing her knock. Today, however, there was no movement at all.
Zhao Meimei forcefully slapped the door twice more, leaned her ear against it, listening for a while, yet received no response.
Eager to go out to play, Zhao Meimei grew impatient, kicking the door, slapping and calling for Grandma at the top of her lungs.
A neighbor from the middle apartment heard the noise, opened the door, and saw it was Zhao Meimei, smiling: "Meimei, what are you up to this early morning with all the clatter?!"
Despite being mischievous usually, Zhao Meimei knew enough manners in front of outsiders and quickly sweet-talked: "Hi Auntie, Happy New Year!"
Chuckling, her neighbor dashed indoors to grab a handful of candy and stuffed it into Zhao Meimei's pocket: "Meimei, Happy New Year."
Zhao Meimei turned back to knock on the door once more. Her neighbor, also puzzled after looking over, remarked, "Mrs. Zhao usually wakes up by now; I hadn't heard the adjacent door opening."
The neighbor helped knock and called a couple of times, then told Zhao Meimei, "Perhaps your Grandma Zhao went out; maybe check back later."
Zhao Meimei, having no other option, politely said goodbye to the neighbor and turned to walk back.
Still holding the braised pig's trotter, she hadn't completed her mother's task yet and needed to return to deliver it.
Zhao Meimei kicked the snow on her journey, accumulating a thin layer of snowflakes on her thick boots. She stopped, turned to look at the first-floor balcony of Building Three, her black eyes darted around and brightened up, then she dashed towards the back of the building.
Zhao Meimei stood outside Aunt Zhao's house by the greenbelt-facing window, tiptoeing to look inside. She was too short, unable to reach the windowsill even with her hand raised.
Placing the bag with the braised pig's trotter on the ground, Zhao Meimei began bunny-hopping upwards, trying several times, but only saw the wall before her eyes.
As Zhao Meimei hopped up and down, a neighbor passed by and called out: "Zhao Meimei, up to mischief again?"
Zhao Meimei turned to look and recognized him, someone who had a good relationship with her father, promptly greeting: "Hello Uncle Li, Happy New Year!"
Upon hearing the New Year's greeting, Uncle Li cheerfully responded: "Happy New Year, Meimei, here, take some pocket money."
Zhao Meimei declined, waving her hands: "My mom doesn't allow me to accept pocket money from others."
Uncle Li laughed: "Am I 'others'? I'm your Uncle Li, here, take it."
Uncle Li insisted on giving the money to Zhao Meimei, and she finally accepted it.
Uncle Li asked her: "What are you doing here?"
Zhao Meimei squinted, frowning: "My mom asked me to deliver pig's trotter to Grandma Zhao, I knocked, but no one answered, I wanted to see if anyone's inside, Grandma Zhao usually stays in her bedroom."
Upon hearing this, Uncle Li leaned closer, stood on tiptoe, and peered through the window glass. The sunlight outside was too bright, glaring at the glass, obscuring the view. He shaded his eyes with a hand, peered again, froze, his complexion changing instantly, and he shouted: "Oh no!" then turned to Zhao Meimei: "Meimei, quick, go home and call your dad to come help, your Grandma Zhao has fainted on the floor!"
"Ah!" Zhao Meimei was startled, and upon hearing Uncle Li telling her to fetch her dad, she dashed back towards home, halfway back realizing she needed to head for the grocery store first.
Liu Xiue was busy selling goods, just handing over some change and exchanging New Year pleasantries with the customer when Zhao Meimei's small head popped up under the counter, hanging her arms over the window and shouting inside: "Mom! Mom! Something's wrong!"
Liu Xiue sternly scolded: "Zhao Meimei! Mommy is conducting business, don't cause trouble!"
Zhao Meimei, initially frightened and having sprinted all the way here, shouted in one breath, paused, caught her breath, and urgently cried out: "Mom, Grandma Zhao has fainted at home, Uncle Li told me to fetch Dad!"
"What!" Liu Xiue, alarmed upon hearing, hastily yelled at Zhao Meimei: "Quickly come in here to watch the store, I'll fetch your dad."
Zhao Meimei entered the grocery store, leaned over the sales window, watching her mother swiftly dash back home. Before long, her mom, dad, and neighbors Uncle Bai and his wife, hurriedly ran towards Building Three.
Zhao Meimei leaned over the window, cheering: "Go Dad, Mom, go!"
Liu Xiue, unable to decide on either crying or laughing, ran while shouting back at Zhao Meimei: "Take care of the store!"
"Got it!" Zhao Meimei responded, pulled her head back, and closed the small window.