Page 102
"Come and watch TV, the Red and White Song Contest is about to begin," Saori shouted loudly in the living room.
The Red and White Songs Contest is a must-watch show for Japanese people during the New Year, just like the Spring Festival Gala in China, but the content is very different.
As the name suggests, the Red and White Songs Contest will divide the stars into two groups, red and white, to compete with each other through songs, and the show is very interesting in the process.
The few of them ate and watched TV until midnight. At this time, Mrs. Shinomiya went back to rest due to health reasons.
Several girls were commenting on the program with great energy, but Songgang Dong felt a little sleepy. After all, he didn't know the stars on TV very well and was not very interested in the songs.
So he leaned on the sofa and fell asleep unknowingly, and only woke up dazedly when he felt someone shaking him violently.
"Brother Songgang, get up and watch the New Year's sunrise," Saori said, pushing him.
"Oh oh." He sat up and took a while to calm down before he felt more alert.
Then on the fourth day, we went to the rooftop terrace and looked at the distant horizon. The view from this location in the mansion was very wide, with no buildings blocking the view.
The air in the early morning was a little chilly. Even if you were wearing more clothes, you could still feel the chill. The sky was still pitch black, and several people were embracing their arms and gazing into the distance.
Slowly, a faint light appeared, but the darkness was quickly dispelled. What was more interesting was that at one moment there was the night sky above their heads and the light blue sky on the other side, which was very interesting.
Soon the darkness was completely dispelled, and the sun rose in the sky like a big light bulb, and then it felt like the whole world suddenly became lively.
"So beautiful!" Saori looked at her infatuatedly.
Song Gangdong nodded. The sunrise was indeed very beautiful. The power of nature made people feel relaxed and happy, and their body and mind felt clear.
After a while, when the sun rose completely, everyone hurried back to the house to keep warm. It took a while to dispel the coldness on their bodies, but then Saori urged everyone to go to the shrine to worship.
On the first day of the new year, which is New Year's Day, Japanese people do not visit relatives, but go to temples or shrines to worship Buddha, Bodhisattva, or gods; respecting heaven first is deeply rooted in Japanese New Year culture.
"Hurry up, otherwise Kanna and the others will get anxious," Saori urged.
Song Gangdong rolled his eyes at her and said, "It's still a long time before the agreed time, why are you in such a hurry?"
“If it’s late, I don’t know how long I’ll have to wait in line,” Saori complained.
"I got it. I'll ask Sister Yumei to drive faster later," Songgang Dong responded.
Fortunately, Yumi Nagasawa can drive, otherwise it would not be easy to get a taxi during the New Year. This is why he is not in a hurry.
Their destination was the famous Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, where the spirits of Emperor Meiji and Empress Dowager Shoken are enshrined. It has to be said that Japan was really exaggerating in this regard, actually turning themselves into gods after death.
Actually, when we started choosing the shrine to visit, we wanted to choose a place that was closer to everyone, but the girls unanimously chose this place.
As for why Songgang Dong still knows it, it is because it is said that there is a pair of husband and wife nanmu trees here, so people can pray for improved love luck and a happy marriage, so it is very popular among young people and newlyweds.
"There are indeed so many people, but it's like this every year," Saori said helplessly as she looked at the crowded crowd.
"Indeed," Song Gangdong nodded.
At this moment, the Meiji Shrine gave him the feeling that it was a bit like the train station in China during the Chinese New Year. It was almost crowded, but much smaller in scale.
"It's Teacher Okochi, they are over there, let's go over there quickly," Saori waved her hands happily.
Matsuoka Toyuya looked over and saw that Ōkouchi-sensei, Nagano Kanna, Chiefuku, Yoshikawa Yumi, and Ankuni Mako were all standing at the agreed location.
Since they also quickened their pace, the girls started chattering after the meeting, but Mr. Ohkouchi looked a little listless.
"Teacher, what's wrong with you?" Song Gangdong asked with concern.
Ohkouchi responded with a smile: "It's okay, it's probably because I stayed up late."
"Oh," Song Gangdong nodded. Since the other person didn't want to say anything, he didn't ask any more questions.
Everyone followed the crowd into the shrine. After a long time, they finally arrived in front of the big bell. Then they threw a coin into the cash box and started making a wish.
"Chie-chan, it looks like you invested 1,000 yen," Yoshikawa reminded.
Qian Huifu's face was full of seriousness: "Yes, this will be more sincere."
"You are really a big shot," Yoshikawa was speechless.
Saori was even more exaggerated because she bet 10,000 yen! This shocked everyone around her and they all exclaimed which silly kid was this and was really a spendthrift.
Chapter 162: Hit Three Times
At the lottery draw at the shrine, Saori complained, "What did you guys mean just now? You actually pretended not to know me!"
"It's because you attract so much attention," Songgang Dong said sarcastically.
"Those people are really making a fuss out of nothing," Saori complained when she heard this.
"Okay, let's draw the lots to see our fortunes for the new year," Shinomiya Mikoto urged with a chuckle.
"I will definitely have good luck this year!" Saori is very confident.
The Japanese are very keen on fortune and the like, so the line was very long and it took a long time before it was their turn.
"I'm Koji," said Shinomiya Mikoto, who opened it first.
Then Nagano Kanna smiled and said, “I’m Nakayoshi.”
"Me too, same as last year," Yoshikawa Yumi said with a nonchalant look on her face.
Ohkouchi smiled and said, "I am Daikichi. It seems that I have good luck this year."
"Teacher is so lucky. Unlike me and sister Mikoto, who are just Xiaoji," Qian Huifu said enviously.
Song Gangdong smiled and said, "I am lucky too."
"I'm Nakayoshi. It seems that none of us have drawn the unlucky one. Is it because it's not included in this list?" An Guo Zhenzi said with some doubt.
Okawachi shook his head and replied, "No, there are usually a small number of unlucky lots mixed in the lottery draws at shrines. A classmate of mine got one when I was in school, so he was depressed for a long time."
"So that's how it is. It seems we are quite lucky then," Anguo Makoto responded with understanding.
"In fact, drawing an unlucky lot is another kind of luck. After all, it is very rare," Song Gangdong said jokingly.
Yoshikawa Yumi sneered: "What you said does make some sense."
At this moment, everyone suddenly felt that something was missing. After thinking for a while, they realized that the person who was the loudest seemed to have been silent just now, and then they all looked over.
Song Gangdong asked curiously: "Saori, what did you draw? It can't be fierce, right?"
"It's nothing, just Xiaoji." Saori pretended to put the paper sign away casually.
Qian Huifu said with a skeptical look: "Really? Let me see."
"What's so good about it? Let's go have breakfast. We're hungry," Saori urged, changing the subject.
At this time, she did not notice that the paper note she had just put into her pocket fell down because she did not put it properly, and then Shinomiya Mikoto squatted down and picked it up.
"Saori, your paper sign fell, huh?" Shinomiya Mikoto picked it up and accidentally saw a look of surprise on her face.
"No..." Saori reacted and wanted to snatch it away.
As a result, the wind blew at this time, and the paper sign flew out of Shinomiya Mikoto's hand. Fortunately, Matsuoka Dong was more agile and caught it immediately.
"Ugh, it's actually a bad omen. Saori, you are really lucky this year," Matsuoka Dong couldn't help laughing.
Ohkouchi also added: "This is incredible. This seems to be the first time I've seen someone draw a very bad fortune."
"Sister Saori will be fine this year, right?" Chiefuku said worriedly.
Yoshikawa Yumi patted her head and said, "This is just superstition. What era is this now?"
Saori stopped them from talking and said irritably with a look of defeat: "Well, since you know, just laugh. I'm so unlucky on the first day of the new year. God really doesn't do any work for the money. I feel like my 10,000 yen was thrown away in vain."
"Who told you to invest so much? It's your own fault." Song Gangdong had no sympathy for this guy.
"I did that just for..." Saori looked at him angrily and couldn't continue.
"For what?" Song Gangdong asked with a raised eyebrow.
Saori turned her head away: "Hmph, I won't tell you. The wish won't work if you say it out loud. Go eat something quickly. I'm already unlucky enough. I don't want to go hungry anymore."
After she finished speaking, she ran towards the small stalls in the shrine. This is also a feature of the Meiji Shrine. It is like a morning temple fair with all kinds of breakfast and snacks.
"This guy will probably be depressed for a long time," Song Gangdong chuckled.
The others also agreed very much and decided to try their best to satisfy her today, so almost everyone followed her to various stalls to eat.
It has to be said that getting up so early and walking around consumed quite a lot of energy, so everyone ate a lot, which was of course also because the food tasted good.
After finishing the meal, we left the shrine and went home to catch up on some sleep. After all, we were all very sleepy after staying up all night and urgently needed a nap to replenish our energy.
After celebrating the New Year, Japanese people are almost as lazy as Chinese people after New Year's Eve and stay at home. Unlike Chinese people, they don't visit neighbors to wish each other a happy new year.
"Brother Songgang, get me an orange," Saori said lazily while lying in the kotatsu and stretching out her hand.
"Just get it from the table yourself. You're so lazy." Song Gangdong said unhappily while lying down.
"Miserable" Saori pouted and sat up with force.
They were currently in a room on the first floor of the mansion, which was decorated in authentic Japanese style, with tatami mats throughout and a kotatsu in the middle.
Moreover, there are floor-to-ceiling windows on one side, and the view of the yard is in full view. The two of them just sit here and watch TV and enjoy themselves very much.
"When will Mikoto-san and the others come back?" Saori said while peeling an orange.
"I guess he'll be back before dinner. After all, the journey is quite far," Song Gangdong responded casually.
Mrs. Shinomiya, Mikoto Shinomiya and Yumi Nagasawa went to a temple outside Tokyo to pay tribute to the Shinomiya tree, so they were the only two left in the mansion at this time.
"Oh, do you want to eat oranges? I've peeled them," she inquired.
Song Gangdong lay on his side, supporting his head with his hands, watching the TV seriously and waving his hands: "Eat it yourself."
"Okay." Saori started eating by herself.
But after a while, Song Gangdong said helplessly: "Stop making trouble and eat your oranges well."
"I'm bored," Saori said, looking at him and smiling.
"I won't be polite if you continue like this," Song Gangdong turned his head and warned her.
"Come here," Saori looked up.
Then the kotatsu began to vibrate. It turned out that Saori had been teasing him with her feet, and now Matsuoka Tou was fighting back. The two of them were fighting with their legs and feet in the kotatsu.
"Surrender, surrender, my socks have fallen off." After walking for a long time, Saori was exhausted and said breathlessly.
"Oh, I'll spare you this time," Songgang Dong said with a victorious tone.
Then he relaxed his legs, but as soon as the restraints were removed, Saori's legs immediately attacked him, with a triumphant smile on her face.