Joy of the New Year

The peach tree in the corner of the yard had begun to bloom. Mr. and Mrs. Liem were busy setting up the tray of offerings to see the Kitchen God off to heaven. Sticky rice with gac fruit was placed on a bright red tray under a golden boiled chicken. Fresh chrysanthemums were placed tightly in two porcelain vases on either side of the altar. Three sets of paper clothes and dragonfly-wing hats were neatly arranged on the altar table. Three golden carps swam gracefully in a basin of water on a stool beside them.

Almost at the end of the incense offering, the clock struck noon. Mr. Liem prayed and waved his hand to urge his wife to light the fire to burn the votive paper while he hurriedly carried the basin containing three carps to the ditch on the village road to release them.

It was still drizzling and wet. Mr. Liem's ​​wife was busy in the house, using a tray to cover herself from the rain and burning votive paper, when suddenly the landline phone inside the house rang loudly. She was flustered and about to run in to pick up the phone, but looking at the pile of half-burnt votive paper, she lingered to try to cover it so it could burn out. After a while, the fire died down, she threw the tray into the corner of the porch and hurriedly ran in to grab the phone, afraid that she might not be able to answer it and wouldn't know who was calling. She had just put the receiver to her ear and said hello when she heard her son's annoyed voice on the other end of the line: "Oh, what are you doing taking so long, Mom? I told you to use your cell phone for convenience, but you still won't let me!" Mrs. Liem hummed a few sentences and then immediately changed her tone cheerfully: "Yeah, so... what did you call me for? I'm in my twenties so I can go home so you can tell me to cut leaves to wrap the cakes. Well, I pack it for the kids so they like it. I don't see you guys eating much these days!...”.

After Mrs. Liem finished speaking, her son hesitantly said, “I called to tell you that my family and the children will not be able to come back this Tet holiday, so please don’t make things complicated and cause trouble, and then no one will have anything to eat.” Mrs. Liem heard her son speak but didn’t understand what was going on, so she stammered and asked again, “Oh, so… why not come back…? There’s a distance between Hanoi and here that we can’t come back during Tet, what’s the matter, son?...”. Her son then calmly explained, “Oh, it’s just that this Tet holiday my husband and I booked tickets for the children to go on a trip to Singapore. We’re leaving tomorrow, so you two can just stay home and celebrate Tet.”

The son said something more and then hung up, but Mrs. Liem could no longer hear anything. She put the phone down and stood there, staring blankly out at the rain and wind, as if she had lost her soul.

- Hey, why don't you set the dishes and just stand there like a statue?

Mr. Liem had already released the fish and returned home. Seeing his wife acting strangely, he guessed that she must have been so touched by the sight of such a full tray of sticky rice and chicken, and the fact that she was alone with the two of them. Thinking of this, he immediately consoled her:

- Oh, it's okay, they'll all be back in a few days. Let's eat first.

Mrs. Liem knew that her husband was hot-tempered, so she did not dare to tell him about what her son had just told her over the phone. She sat down to eat with him, her mind in turmoil because she knew that this year her family would not have Tet. Mr. Liem held the whole chicken leg and pressed it into her hand, urging her to eat. Out of respect for her husband, wanting to make him happy and also wanting to hide the feelings of resentment in her heart, she tried to swallow the piece of chicken that was stuck in her throat. Suddenly, tears welled up in her eyes, and she cried out loud in her sorrow and grief. Mr. Liem panicked and put down his chopsticks, looking at her in shock:

- What's wrong, ma'am? What's wrong?

Mrs. Liem knew she had revealed her feelings to her husband, but now it was difficult for her to hide them from him. She was confused and trying to find a way to change the subject to make him feel better, but Mr. Liem became more worried:

- Or if you feel unwell, should I call them to take you to the hospital?

Before he could finish his sentence, Mr. Liem stood up and rushed towards the landline phone. Seeing that, Mrs. Liem also stood up and grabbed his arm to stop him:

- No, no… I'm fine… Don't call them…

Mr. Liem stopped and looked at her, even more surprised. He realized that she was hiding something unusual from him. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder and asked seriously:

- Actually… what are you hiding from me?

- It's... because it's...

Mrs. Liem was hesitant, not knowing how to choose the right words to tell him so that he would understand and accept without getting angry and making a big fuss in the house, making the neighbors laugh. Just then, the phone rang again, Mr. Liem was about to pick it up to answer, but Mrs. Liem was quicker:

- Let me hear…

On the phone, a childish voice was heard, and Mrs. Liem could only hear a few words: "Grandma, tomorrow my family will return to our grandparents...". Mrs. Liem could not believe her ears, she leaned close to the phone and said loudly: "What?... Tomorrow?... Where is your father?...". The phone was silent for a moment, then her son's voice came: "Yes, it's me! We canceled the trip! Because the two of them refused to go and insisted on returning home to celebrate Tet with their grandparents!"...

Mrs. Liem put down the phone, her face relaxed and bright. Her eyes could not hide the joy that was present. Mr. Liem saw her appearance like that and was even more surprised:

- What's wrong? What happened?

- I'm fine. I just feel like Tet is coming!

- Oh well… it's Tet, why not Tet?

He glanced at her, then they both smiled, making their old faces suddenly look young again. Outside in the yard, the rain had stopped, the sun was shining, and the warblers were chirping on the peach blossom branches. Spring had come to the doorstep.