Hands-on time arrived, and everyone gathered around the table.
The chicken soup in the pot was stewed to a creamy white, tempting everyone's appetite.
But since this was their first time having it, they seemed a little lost.
"Just add whatever you want to the pot, cook it until it's ready, but be careful not to scald yourself,"
Qiao Duo'er demonstrated first, picking up a beef roll and putting it into the pot.
Everyone followed suit and quickly got the hang of it.
The people here had a custom: the longer the New Year's Eve dinner lasted, the better.
The fire kept burning, there was no worry about the food getting cold, so they ate at a leisurely pace for more than an hour, each person fully satisfied.
For the majority among them, this year held significant meaning—it was a turning point in their lives.
Before this year, life was bleak; after this year, there was only happiness and joy.
