小巷的街道被扫的很干净。
年关将至，小巷里的各家各户都开始准备着过1981年的这个新年，市里的百货商店，人满为患。
周末。
庄家父母跟庄桦林一道来到小巷，带着依旧面容黝黑的鹏飞，向鹏...
小巷的街道被扫的很干净，这是因为在即将过的新年里，每个人都想要让自己的家和生活环境都像是一片洁白的winters冻。ZhuangJie，ZhuangJing"shusband，waswalkingalongthestreetswiththeirchildren，lookingforwardtowelcomingtheNewYear.Thehousesinthesmallalleywerealldecoratedwithfestivelightsanddecorations，makingthewholeareafeelwarmandcozy.
Astheywalked，ZhuangJiecouldn"thelpbutnoticethateveryonearoundhimwasbusypreparingfortheholiday.Somepeopleweredecoratingtheirhomeswithcolorfullanternsandstreamers，whileotherswerecookingtraditionaldishesinthekitchen.Thestreetswerefilledwiththedeliciousaromaofroastingchestnutsandsteamingdumplings.
ZhuangJiesmiledtohimselfashewatchedhischildrenplayingwiththeirfriendsinthestreet.Theywerehavingsomuchfun，laughingandchasingeachotheraround，completelycarefree.Hefeltgratefulforthismoment，surroundedbythepeopleandthingsheloved.
Astheyturnedacorner，ZhuangJiespottedalargebannerthatread“HappyNewYear“inboldletters.Belowit，therewasapictureofacoupleholdinghands，withthecaption“Wishingyouahappyandprosperousnewyear“.ZhuangJiecouldn"thelpbutfeelasenseofnostalgiawashoverhimashelookedatthebanner.ThiswashisfirstNewYear"sEvewithouthisfamily，anditfeltespeciallybitter.
Butfornow，hepushedthosethoughtsasideandfocusedonthepresentmoment.Hesmiledathisasbusypreparingdinnerintheirkitchen.“Hey，how"sdinnercomingalong?“heasked，tryingtolightenthemood.
“It"salmostready，“shereplied，herfaceflushedfromcooking.“Whydon"tyougograbsomefreshairwiththekids?It"sabeautifuldayoutside.“
ZhuangJienoddedandheadedoutintothestreetwiththeirchildren.Thesunwasshiningbrightlyoverhead，castingawarmglowovereverything.Hebreathedindeeply，feelingthecoolbreezefillhislungs.Thiswaswhatheneeded?amomentofpeace，surroundedbythepeopleandthingsheloved.
Astheywalked，ZhuangJienoticedthatthestreetswerefilledwithpeoplefromallwalksoflife.TherewerevendorssellingtraditionalNewYear"streatsliketangyuanandniangao，aswellasmusiciansplayinglivelytunesontheirinstruments.Theatmospherewaselectric，fullofenergyandexcitement.
ZhuangJiefelthismoodliftevenfurtherashewatchedagroupofchildrenputtingonaminiatureplayaboutthelegendoftheMonkeyKing.Theywerealldressedupincolorfulcostumes，theirfacespaintedwithexaggeratedsmilesandeyebrows.ZhuangJiecouldn"thelpbutchuckleattheirantics，feelingasenseofjoythathehadn"tfeltinalongtime.
Astheafternoonworeon，ZhuangJiemadehiswaybacktohishouse，feelingmorerefreshedandrejuvenatedthanhehadallweek.Hetookadeepbreathashesteppedinside，gratefulforthissmallsliceofhappinessinanotherwisedifficultworld.
Butjustashewasabouttoheadintothekitchentohelpwithdinner，heheardaknockatthedoor.Itwastheirneighbor，Mrs.Wang，whohadcomebearingagift?abeautifulbasketfilledwithfreshfruitsandvegetablesfromhergarden.ZhuangJiesmiledwarmlyather，feelinggratefulforthissmallactofkindness.
“Thankyousomuch，Mrs.Wang，“hesaid，takingthebasketfromher.“Thisisexactlywhatweneededtobrightenupourday.“
Mrs.Wangsmiledbackathim，hereyesshiningwithwarmth.“IjustwantedtowishyouallahappyNewYear，“shesaid.“AndIhopethatthissmallgiftcanbringalittlebitofjoyintoyourlives.“
ZhuangJiefelthisheartswellwithgratitudeashelookedatMrs.Wang.Thiswaswhattheholidayseasonwasallabout?connection，community，andkindness.Andinthismoment，surroundedbythepeopleandthingsheloved，hefelttrulyalive.
ButjustashewasabouttothankMrs.Wangagain，acommotionbrokeoutoutside.Thestreetwasfilledwithpeopleshoutingandpointing，theirfacesaglowwithexcitement.ZhuangJiefollowedtheirgazeandsawastrangesight?alargetruckhaddrivenintothealley，anditwasdecoratedwithcolorfulstreamersandlights.
Thetruckwasemblazonedwithagiantbannerthatread“ChenXue"sBirthdayParty“.ZhuangJie"seyeswidenedinsurpriseasherealizedwhomustbedrivingthetruck.ChenXue，theiroldfriendfromschool，hadcomebacktotownfortheholidays.
ZhuangJiecouldn"thelpbutfeelasurgeofexcitementashewatchedChenXueclimboutofthedriver"sseat，hisfaceradiantwithhappiness.Hewascarryingalargecakeandabunchofballoons，whichheproceededtoinflatewithaloudwhooshingsound.
AsChenXuemadehiswayintothealley，ZhuangJiecouldn"thelpbutfeelasenseofnostalgiawashoverhim.Thiswasthefirsttimethey"dseenChenXuesincegraduation，anditfeltlikenotimehadpassedatall.Theyexchangedwarmhugsandgreetings，theirfacesfilledwithsmiles.
Therestoftheafternoonwasspentinabluroflaughterandcelebration，asChenXuebroughthisinfectiousenergytotheparty.ZhuangJiewatchedwithamusementasChenXueproceededtosetupaministageinthealley，completewithamicrophoneandaloudspeakersystem.
Astheyalltooktheirseats，ChenXueraisedhishandsforsilence.“Okay，everyone，“hesaid，hisvoiceboomingacrossthestreet.“It"stimeformyspecialbirthdayperformance!“
ThecrowderuptedintocheersasChenXuebegantostrumalivelytuneonhisguitar，themusicsendingshiversdownZhuangJie"sspine.Hefelthisheartswellingwithjoyashewatchedtheirfriendperformwithsuchpassionandenthusiasm.
Andthen，justastheywereallgettingcaughtupinthemoment，everythingchanged.Aloudnoiseechoedthroughthealleyway，makingeveryonejumpinsurprise.ThelightsonChenXue"struckflickeredwildlybeforegoingoutcompletely，plungingtheareaintodarkness.
ZhuangJiefelthisheartsinkintohisstomachashewatchedtheirfriendstumblebackwards，hisguitarslippingfromhisfingers.Itwasasiftimehadcometoastandstill，andallthatexistedinthismomentwasChenXue"sprecariousbalance.
Withouthesitation，ZhuangJiesprangforwardtohelphisfriend.Thesoundofhisvoicecarriedacrossthestreet，calmandclearevenamidstchaos.“ChenXue，areyouokay?“heaskedfirmly.
Butbeforetheycouldanswer，afaintcryechoedthroughthenightair?thecriesthatcamefromnoplacebutthosewhowerecloseby.