original age

It's been a long time since Chinese New Year. I forgot how long ago I stopped updating, I am always on and off like this, lucky to be able to continue writing here. Matt City is very accommodating, you can come back anytime, and leave anytime.

Reminds me of Tashi Ram Duoduo's "Seeing and Not Seeing".

You see, or you don't see me, I'm there, neither sad nor happy.

It's a bit self-talking, but I think I was born to write, because writing is something I do spontaneously and enjoy doing it.

When I realized this, I felt that I should persevere well. I started reading books and journaling regularly. Journaling is an activity that started in middle school and has continued to this day. Writing a diary is for yourself, but writing an article for yourself and others is still a little different.

So I came back here to write an article.

I was not able to go home for Chinese New Year this year.

In December last year, I had already bought the air ticket. I originally planned to fly home for quarantine and take the online exam as soon as the study week arrived. After the exam, it was just before the Lunar New Year.

The plan could not keep up with the changes, because the epidemic was out of control, and the flight was cancelled. If you buy a new ticket, the price will be frighteningly expensive. Expensive air tickets are one thing, and I have to do PCR at my own expense. After confirming that it is negative, I can enter the country. All kinds of expenses add up, and I really don't want to go home. It just so happens that I have a roommate who can't come home because of some schoolwork, so I have someone to accompany me.

Later, when I told my parents what I thought, they didn't say anything, thinking that this situation was inevitable anyway.

My eldest brother was also in Singapore and couldn't come back. I told him that if I had to buy a new ticket, it would be expensive. He said he could sponsor my ticket. Someone can spend money for me, and I can accept it with confidence. I'm very happy, but I don't think it's worth the money, so I still don't plan to return it. It wasn't because I didn't have money that I didn't go home in the first place.

Then my roommate and I started to think about how we are going to spend the new year and what to cook on New Year's Eve.

Later, it was a pleasant surprise that the senior who did not go home invited us to his house for a New Year's Eve dinner.

It is true that the epidemic is raging, and it is also said that many people should not gather together, but we still gather together, 5 people. When the senior asked us if we wanted to eat together, he explained who would come and let us know that we were at risk of being infected. It's odd to say that. Because no one can guarantee 100% immunity from infection. When everyone was invited, it was considered to have signed an invisible disclaimer.

Because it was really sad for two people to eat.

Knowing that my New Year's Eve dinner is lagging behind, my mood is also cheerful.

At that time, I was still taking the final exam, but I was already planning what New Year cakes to make.

As soon as the exam was over, I followed the seniors to buy vegetables, and I bought the materials for making New Year cakes by the way.

The exams are over, so my semester has come to an end, and there are still a few days before the new year, so I start making New Year's cakes.

I'm more of a fryer, and my roommates are responsible for baking.

While frying, I opened a can of wine and poured it into a glass with ice. I ate freshly baked fried food while drinking. The alcohol made me inexplicably high, and the fried food was delicious. I was very happy that day. It's the same as making New Year's cakes at home.

This year's cake I call it fried seaweed. A piece of spring roll skin, smeared with egg liquid, covered with a sheet of seaweed, then wiped with egg liquid, and then covered with a piece of spring roll skin. After cutting into small pieces, deep fry. It's a bit complicated, but it's easy for me, maybe because I like to eat, so it's not too much trouble.

The New Year's Eve dinner was very rich, beyond my imagination.

The senior's cooking skills are very good. He is in charge of cooking, and other guests are responsible for bringing some bits and pieces of assistance. For example, my roommate and I helped to cook rice, a senior helped to cook dessert, and the others bought drinks and fruits.

After the New Year's Eve dinner is full, we will go home.

My mom called first, then my dad.

Talk about everyday life. Mom and the second brother talked about how many New Year's goods the family bought, and then kept some for me, waiting for me to come back. I suddenly remembered that my family only cooks bamboo shoots soup once a year. I like it very much. I asked my mother to freeze a bowl for me. I want to drink it when I get home. My mother said, you are stupid, you take up more space in the freezer, and I will cook it for you when you come back.

It's a pity that I couldn't go home, but I'm so happy to think that I still have a home to go back to.

And then there's my dad's phone call. My parents, my mom and my second brother are all at home, I don't understand why they call me separately XD

It was close to 12 when my dad called me, he was having a late-night snack, and he was out in the hallway to watch the dogs and fireworks.

My father said that there will be no firecrackers this year, the house is so deserted, and the dog is scared every time.

The dog in the house has always been afraid of the sound of firecrackers bursting, and always has a runny nose and shivering. If I was at home, I would move a chair and sit next to its nest, and its head would burrow between my calves, and I would clamp my calves and cover its ears with my calves.

Near 12 o'clock, my dad said, hang up first, there are firecrackers here, I can't hear clearly, happy new year.

I was across the phone, listening to the sound of firecrackers on the other end. My side is deserted because it is a Malay area.

When it was close to 12 o'clock, I called the ambiguous object. In fact, I was very afraid that he would not pick up, and I was also afraid that he would have other people counting down with him, so I didn't have time for me.

The sound of firecrackers on his side was also continuous, but unlike my dad, he hung up the phone first. He ran to find the earphone, talked to me on the phone, and then watched the fireworks, and asked me if I wanted to watch the fireworks? He filmed it for me. At 12:00, he told me, Happy New Year.

One day after Valentine's Day, I confessed to him and was rejected. I cried for three days.

The first day of the new year this year was my first natural awakening, because there was no sound of firecrackers at all, and I slept brightly. I think this experience is quite special, haha.

Still not finished, on the first night of the new year, the senior made an appointment for dinner. My roommate and I were the same, we went to his house after cooking.

The senior was generous and didn't charge for vegetables, and we were a little annoyed. Later, we brought the New Year cakes we made to his house. I think the senior is kind-hearted enough to open a shelter. It is very comfortable to listen to him. I have never seen him get angry.

The group of people gathered together because of the seniors are also extremely empathetic people. Maybe because of their older age. Some people rely on the old and sell the old when they are old, but they don't. On the contrary, they have more tenderness given by the years, and they will not embarrass me and my roommates who are younger.

When I came across a word in English that I couldn't understand while playing the game, I asked, and they would answer me patiently.

It's not like some people will say, wow, you don't even know that.

Yes, some people, the so-called "some people" I met, many of them were the same age. The senior and his friends are about 6 years older than us and are PhD students.

And also because they were rolling around in school for many years, we also heard a lot of gossip about professors. It just so happened that we all came from the same faculty, so we probably knew each other's professors.

So this New Year, I gained some friendships with my big brothers and sisters. It is also special. It is very rare for degree students to have fun with PhDs. Usually, they will not encounter them in class at all.

During the New Year period, parents and friends all make phone calls to pay New Year's greetings online.

Everyone said to me at the same time, fortunately you have someone to accompany you there.

Yes, it's really fortunate, I'm really grateful.

It's hard to imagine that the first year I lived without being at home was actually spent alone. I can't stand it.