Pop! Pop! Pop!!
At the entrance of Gu Village, the old locust tree is bombarded with firecrackers hanging from its branches, popping incessantly and peeling its bark.
A son-in-law who had returned with his wife to visit her parents catches a kid picking up firecrackers, giving the kid a piece of candy and curiously asks if there is any special occasion happening.
The kid, with skyward pigtails, pockets stuffed with unexploded firecrackers, and a large handful in hand with no place left to hold anything else, opens his mouth wide.
With no other choice, the son-in-law shucks the candy for him and feeds it to the child.
"Ahh—mm!"
The child swallows the candy and sweetly says:
"Second Master Gu is hosting a feast at his house, inviting everyone in the village to eat for free. There's roast chicken, pig's feet, braised pork, goose legs, and sugar glutinous rice cakes..."
