On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Xiao Man was startled awake by a shrill ringing. She opened her eyes and stared speechlessly at an alarm clock on her bedside table. Mr. Tang had placed it there last night before she went to sleep. He'd explained that since she liked to lock her door and her bed was too far from it, he was afraid they wouldn't be able to wake her. The alarm was meant to get her up to set off firecrackers.
'Set off firecrackers! She was a little girl, for goodness' sake. She had no interest in that!'
She had just silenced the alarm clock when a knock sounded at the door. Outside, a jumble of several voices could be heard—it was the boys from the Gu family.
"Zheng San Niu! Get up!" That was Gu Shaozheng.
"Zheng San Niu, Happy New Year! Get up, let's go set off some fireworks!" That was the polite Gu Shaoqin.
"Niu Niu, your big brother is here." That was Zheng Shaojin.
"Zheng San Niu, get up and look at my new clothes!"
'Gu Shaoling was here too!'
