New Year's Eve, the snow continued to fall all day, piling thicker on the roads.
On the 28th, the Xu Family was bustling with activity. Today, Xu Qinghe and Xu Yuchun were slaughtering a pig together. The two families shared a pig, something that was unimaginable in previous years. To buy ten pounds of meat a year was already considered a luxury.
But now, they don't feel that way. The Qingsong Furniture Factory allowed them to earn money, giving them confidence. The pig was fattened with leftover food from the factory and occasional pigweed brought by Ji Ying and Xiong Xihua, making the pig both plump and robust.
In past years, during New Year's, several families would often slaughter one pig together and divide the meat among them. The day of slaughtering was the happiest day for both adults and children, symbolizing having meat to eat.
Even the poorest families could satisfyingly have meat on this day.
