On the twenty-eighth of the twelfth lunar month, Yue Jiannan was roused from bed by his eldest brother before dawn.
He put on the new clothes Yue Xiaofang had prepared especially for the New Year.
The whole family then watched as he washed and groomed.
Yue Jiannan's back tingled under their scrutiny.
He dared not carelessly wipe his face with a towel as he usually did, but reluctantly scrubbed it over and over again.
Lin Chunju, with a stern face, dragged him to the yard for inspection.
Only when she was sure he wasn't yawning and shedding dandruff like usual did she nod in approval.
Just as Yue Jiannan breathed a sigh of relief, his eldest brother came over with a long canister, shaking it up and down.
"What's this?"
"When I delivered goods to the city, I noticed a lot of young men putting this on their hair, so I bought a can for you yesterday."
Yue Jiannan looked down, only to hear a hissing sound.
A mass of foam-like substance was sprayed onto his head.