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,lookingforwardtowelcomingtheNewYear.Thehousesinthesmallalleywerealldecoratedwithfestivelightsanddecorations,makingthewholeareafeelwarmandcozy.

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

ZhuangJiesmiledtohimselfashewatchedhischildrenplayingwiththeirfriendsinthestreet.Theywerehavingsomuchfun,laughingandchasingeachotheraround,completelycarefree.Hefeltgratefulforthismoment,surroundedbythepeopleandthingsheloved.

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

Butfornow,hepushedthosethoughtsasideandfocusedonthepresentmoment.Hesmiledathisasbusypreparingdinnerintheirkitchen.“Hey,how‘sdinnercomingalong?“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,whohadcomebearingagift?abeautifulbasketfilledwithfreshfruitsandvegetablesfromhergarden.ZhuangJiesmiledwarmlyather,feelinggratefulforthissmallactofkindness.

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

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

ZhuangJiefelthisheartswellwithgratitudeashelookedatMrs.Wang.Thiswaswhattheholidayseasonwasallabout?connection,community,andkindness.Andinthismoment,surroundedbythepeopleandthingsheloved,hefelttrulyalive.

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

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

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

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

Therestoftheafternoonwasspentinabluroflaughterandcelebration,asChenXuebroughthisinfectiousenergytotheparty.ZhuangJiewatchedwithamusementasChenXueproceededtosetupaministageinthealley,completewithamicrophoneandaloudspeakersystem.

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

ThecrowderuptedintocheersasChenXuebegantostrumalivelytuneonhisguitar,themusicsendingshiversdownZhuangJie‘sspine.Hefelthisheartswellingwithjoyashewatchedtheirfriendperformwithsuchpassionandenthusiasm.

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

ZhuangJiefelthisheartsinkintohisstomachashewatchedtheirfriendstumblebackwards,hisguitarslippingfromhisfingers.Itwasasiftimehadcometoastandstill,andallthatexistedinthismomentwasChenXue‘sprecariousbalance.

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

Butbeforetheycouldanswer,afaintcryechoedthroughthenightair?thecriesthatcamefromnoplacebutthosewhowerecloseby.