Lu Tong froze in place.
The bronze tray in front of her reflected a hazy brilliance under the candlelight of the small courtyard.
The woman sitting at the table stared at the large plate at her feet, piled high with persimmons and tangerines, her eyes slightly vacant.
Many years ago, when she was a little girl, on New Year's Eve, her mother would also set out a large plate like this, letting the children in the family break cypress branches in turn.
"Cypress, persimmon, tangerine," symbolizing "all is well."
Being young at the time, she always clamored to be the first to break a persimmon, but her small strength often made it difficult, resulting in juice all over her hands and dirtying her new dress.
She puckered her lips to cry, but her mother sternly stopped her, "It's New Year's Eve, crying brings bad luck!"
Lu Rou then leaned over and quietly pushed the dumpling wrapped with coins from her bowl into hers.
