1417：鸡飞狗跳的庄家

    小巷的街道被扫的很干净。

    年关将至，小巷里的各家各户都开始准备着过1981年的这个新年，市里的百货商店，人满为患。

    周末。

    庄家父母跟庄桦林一道来到小巷，带着依旧面容黝黑的鹏飞，向鹏...

    小巷的街道被扫的很干净，这是因为在即将过的新年里，每个人都想要让自己的家和生活环境都像是一片洁白的winters冻。ZhuangJie,ZhuangJing‘shusband,waswalkingalongthestreetswiththeirchildren,lookingforwardtoweingtheNewYear.Thehousesinthesmallalleywerealldecoratedwithfestivelightsanddecorations,makingthewholeareafeelwarmandcozy.

    Astheywalked,ZhuangJiecouldn‘thelpbutnoticethateveryonearoundhimwasbusypreparingfortheholiday.Somepeopleweredecoratingtheirhomeswithcolorfullanternsandstreamers,whileotherswerecookingtraditionaldishesinthekitchen.Thestreetswerefilledwiththedeliciousaromaofroastingchestnutsandsteamingdumplings.

    ZhuangJiesmiledtohimselfashewatchedhischildrenplayingwiththeirfriendsinthestreet.Theywerehavingsomuchfun,laughingandchasingeachotheraroundpletelycarefree.Hefeltgratefulforthismoment,surroundedbythepeopleandthingsheloved.

    Astheyturnedacorner,ZhuangJiespottedalargebannerthatread“HappyNewYear“inboldletters.Belowit,therewasapictureofacoupleholdinghands,withthecaption“Wishingyouahappyandprosperousnewyear“.ZhuangJiecouldn‘thelpbutfeelasenseofnostalgiawashoverhimashelookedatthebanner.ThiswashisfirstNewYear‘sEvewithouthisfamily,anditfeltespeciallybitter.

    Butfornow,hepushedthosethoughtsasideandfocusedonthepresentmoment.Hesmiledathisasbusypreparingdinnerintheirkitchen.“Hey,how‘sdinneingalong?“heasked,tryingtolightenthemood.

    “It‘salmostready,“shereplied,herfaceflushedfromcooking.“Whydon‘tyougograbsomefreshairwiththekids?It‘sabeautifuldayoutside.“

    ZhuangJienoddedandheadedoutintothestreetwiththeirchildren.Thesunwasshiningbrightlyoverhead,castingawarmglowovereverything.Hebreathedindeeply,feelingthecoolbreezefillhislungs.Thiswaswhatheneeded?amomentofpeace,surroundedbythepeopleandthingsheloved.

    Astheywalked,ZhuangJienoticedthatthestreetswerefilledwithpeoplefromallwalksoflife.TherewerevendorssellingtraditionalNewYear‘streatsliketangyuanandniangao,aswellasmusiciansplayinglivelytunesontheirinstruments.Theatmospherewaselectric,fullofenergyandexcitement.

    ZhuangJiefelthismoodliftevenfurtherashewatchedagroupofchildrenputtingonaminiatureplayaboutthelegendoftheMonkeyKing.Theywerealldressedupincolorfulcostumes,theirfacespaintedwithexaggeratedsmilesandeyebrows.ZhuangJiecouldn‘thelpbutchuckleattheirantics,feelingasenseofjoythathehadn‘tfeltinalongtime.

    Astheafternoonworeon,ZhuangJiemadehiswaybacktohishouse,feelingmorerefreshedandrejuvenatedthanhehadallweek.Hetookadeepbreathashesteppedinside,gratefulforthissmallsliceofhappinessinanotherwisedifficultworld.

    Butjustashewasabouttoheadintothekitchentohelpwithdinner,heheardaknockatthedoor.Itwastheirneighbor,Mrs.Wang,whohaebearingagift?abeautifulbasketfilledwithfreshfruitsandvegetablesfromhergarden.ZhuangJiesmiledwarmlyather,feelinggratefulforthissmallactofkindness.

    “Thankyousomuch,Mrs.Wang,“hesaid,takingthebasketfromher.“Thisisexactlywhatweneededtobrightenupourday.“

    Mrs.Wangsmiledbackathim,hereyesshiningwithwarmth.“IjustwantedtowishyouallahappyNewYear,“shesaid.“AndIhopethatthissmallgiftcanbringalittlebitofjoyintoyourlives.“

    ZhuangJiefelthisheartswellwithgratitudeashelookedatMrs.Wang.Thiswaswhattheholidayseasonwasallabout?connectionmunity,andkindness.Andinthismoment,surroundedbythepeopleandthingsheloved,hefelttrulyalive.

    ButjustashewasabouttothankMrs.Wangagain,motionbrokeoutoutside.Thestreetwasfilledwithpeopleshoutingandpointing,theirfacesaglowwithexcitement.ZhuangJiefollowedtheirgazeandsawastrangesight?alargetruckhaddrivenintothealley,anditwasdecoratedwithcolorfulstreamersandlights.

    Thetruckwasemblazonedwithagiantbannerthatread“ChenXue‘sBirthdayParty“.ZhuangJie‘seyeswidenedinsurpriseasherealizedwhomustbedrivingthetruck.ChenXue,theiroldfriendfromschool,haebacktotownfortheholidays.

    ZhuangJiecouldn‘thelpbutfeelasurgeofexcitementashewatchedChenXueclimboutofthedriver‘sseat,hisfaceradiantwithhappiness.Hewascarryingalargecakeandabunchofballoons,whichheproceededtoinflatewithaloudwhooshingsound.

    AsChenXuemadehiswayintothealley,ZhuangJiecouldn‘thelpbutfeelasenseofnostalgiawashoverhim.Thiswasthefirsttimethey‘dseenChenXuesincegraduation,anditfeltlikenotimehadpassedatall.Theyexchangedwarmhugsandgreetings,theirfacesfilledwithsmiles.

    Therestoftheafternoonwasspentinabluroflaughterandcelebration,asChenXuebroughthisinfectiousenergytotheparty.ZhuangJiewatchedwithamusementasChenXueproceededtosetupaministageinthealleypletewithamicrophoneandaloudspeakersystem.

    Astheyalltooktheirseats,ChenXueraisedhishandsforsilence.“Okay,everyone,“hesaid,hisvoiceboomingacrossthestreet.“It‘stimeformyspecialbirthdayperformance!“

    ThecrowderuptedintocheersasChenXuebegantostrumalivelytuneonhisguitar,themusicsendingshiversdownZhuangJie‘sspine.Hefelthisheartswellingwithjoyashewatchedtheirfriendperformwithsuchpassionandenthusiasm.

    Andthen,justastheywereallgettingcaughtupinthemoment,everythingchanged.Aloudnoiseechoedthroughthealleyway,makingeveryonejumpinsurprise.ThelightsonChenXue‘struckflickeredwildlybeforegoingoupletely,plungingtheareaintodarkness.

    ZhuangJiefelthisheartsinkintohisstomachashewatchedtheirfriendstumblebackwards,hisguitarslippingfromhisfingers.Itwasasiftimehaetoastandstill,andallthatexistedinthismomentwasChenXue‘sprecariousbalance.

    Withouthesitation,ZhuangJiesprangforwardtohelphisfriend.Thesoundofhisvoicecarriedacrossthestreet,calmandclearevenamidstchaos.“ChenXue,areyouokay?“heaskedfirmly.

    Butbeforetheycouldanswer,afaintcryechoedthroughthenightair?thecriesthatcamefromnoplacebutthosewhowerecloseby.