New Year's Eve was cold.
Starting from six o'clock in the evening, the subdued night sky began to drift with flurries of snow.
In a bungalow, an elder walked to the door, looked up at the snow, and exclaimed,
"A timely snow promises a good harvest, a good omen indeed!"
It meant that in the coming year, the crops would be plentiful and the farmers could enjoy Good Days.
Xue Yuantong, with cotton shoes on her feet, pitter-pattered outside, clutching a handful of firecrackers in her hand.
She flung a firecracker onto the ground, producing a crisp "Pop!"
These were throw-down firecrackers, no need for a flame, simply throw them on the ground, and they would make a sound.
As a child, Xue Yuantong, with her "immense strength," always grasped throw-down firecrackers to scare people and almost always succeeded.
Aunt Gu stood behind Xue Yuantong, reminiscing clearly about many years ago when she had bought ribbon crackers for Xue Yuantong – the kind connected by a string.
