On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Ren Suo was roused early in the morning, herded like pigs, donned a cat scarf, and followed his parents and sister to pay New Year's visits.
These so-called New Year's visits were essentially trips to relatives in the city for a casual sit-down and stroll. Although Ren Suo was still at an age where he could receive New Year's Money—the custom being that one stops receiving it after marriage, and Ren Suo always felt he could keep receiving it until he died—he no longer needed such small sums. Surprisingly, this year his relatives had given him hefty red envelopes; it seemed people were indeed growing wealthier.
