The 29th day of the twelfth lunar month is the official holiday. Everything that needs to be bought at home has been bought. I just need to get up early tomorrow morning to write couplets, paste window flowers, and hang lanterns. The New Year gifts for my wife's family have also been sent back in advance.

After Wang Yu came back from his shift, he went to a bookstore and bought a lot of red paper. The house in the capital was quite big, so he had to write a lot of couplets, and also cut a lot of window decorations and lanterns.

The next morning, the servants were mobilized to cut paper together. Red paper was distributed to them. As usual, those who received thirty cents were given an extra month's salary. After receiving the money, everyone happily did what they had to do. Some cut window flowers, some prepared food in the kitchen, and some hung lanterns in the yard. There were more than a dozen people running back and forth, and it was very lively.

Cheng Chen brought the red paper to the main room, and the family sat together to cut window paper-cuts. Dabao also wanted to join in, but scissors are sharp tools and can easily cause injuries, so Cheng Chen could only teach him step by step and cut two.

Wang Yu: "Dabao is really good at cutting. Daddy wants to continue cutting. How about you help Daddy write the Spring Festival couplets? When you are done, we can put them on Dabao's house."

"Okay." Dabao put down the red paper excitedly and went to his father to write Spring Festival couplets.

Wang's father couldn't do this, so he could only help to arrange and cut the red paper. Wang's mother and Cheng Chen cut the paper together. Wang's mother looked at the paper-cuts in her hand, and then at the ones cut by Cheng Chen, and said, "After all these years, the paper-cuts made by Achen are still the most beautiful."

Cheng Chen smiled, not stopping the paper-cutting process. "Mom's paper-cutting is also beautiful. Show it to Dad and husband. This word 'Fu' is especially well-cut."

The king's father nodded and said, "Good cut."

Hearing this, Wang Yu also raised his head and said with a smile: "Mom must have done a good job of cutting it."

The Queen Mother was delighted, and her smile widened. "Your father and Yu'er don't know how to cut hair, so what do you know?"

Wang Yu put down his pen and looked up and said, "Mom, you can't say that. Although I don't know how to cut, I still have an eye for appreciation. What you cut is beautiful."

The king's father nodded immediately: "Yes, yes."

Dabao was drawing with a smaller brush. Wang Yu nodded his head and asked, "Dabao, do you think the paper-cuts made by grandma are beautiful?"

"nice."

"Hahaha."

The room was filled with laughter.

While waiting for the Spring Festival couplets to be written, Wang Yu stood at the gate of the yard and directed Zheng Shu to paste them. Even Dabao, who was about to be six years old, helped to get the window decorations and asked Huo Yi to paste them on the windows of his house. After the house was decorated, the New Year atmosphere came.

Wang Yu looked at Zheng Shu, who had long arms and legs, and suddenly wondered if he was about 25 or 26 years old. He had been with him for six years, and his personal problems hadn't been resolved yet. In this day and age, he was already considered an older bachelor.

Wang Yu wondered if an employer should be concerned about their employees' emotional well-being, so he asked. This made Zheng Shu feel embarrassed, and he blushed as he said, "I have someone I like."

When Wang Yu heard him say that he had someone he liked, his eyes sparkled as he asked, "Who is it? Do you want me to help match them up?"

Zheng Shu has always been by her side and has come into contact with many people, but she has no idea who he likes, not even a hint.

Zheng Shu also knew that Wang Yu meant well, but after a moment of silence, he said, "He's not in the capital?"

Not in the capital? Did they meet in Shangyong Prefecture? "In Shangyong Prefecture? Is he married?"

Zheng Shu shook his head, "I don't know where he is."

Um...it's hard not knowing where the person is, so I asked tentatively, "Didn't you go look for them?"

Ever since he knew that person was gone, he had no place to look for him. It was just a chance encounter, and that person might not even remember him. Zheng Shu didn't know how to answer, so he just shook his head and said, "He doesn't like me."

Wang Yu sighed. Since the flowers were willing but the water was ruthless, it was hard to force it. Wang Yu just consoled Zheng Shu and said, "If you two are destined to be together, you might meet again. You can ask in person when the time comes."

Wang Yu regretted asking this question. Zheng Shu was unhappy during the New Year, but since he had said it, he could only show more concern for him.

In fact, Zheng Shu was not sad or anything. He knew that it was just unrequited love and that person might not remember him anymore. So even though he had been thinking about him all these years, he knew that he was not someone he could get. He just hoped that person could live a good life after he left.

After this conversation, Zheng Shu went about his business. Wang Yu was relieved to see that he was the same as usual and didn't look sad. After the firecrackers were set off, they prepared to eat the New Year's Eve dinner. Dabao, a child of his age, was not afraid of the sound of firecrackers. He pulled the two Huo brothers to go outside to watch the firecrackers.

After eating the New Year's Eve dinner, everyone gathered in the courtyard of the Second Hospital, waiting for the fireworks. Wang Yu took the lit incense and lit the fireworks. After a while, he heard two "click" sounds. He looked up and saw that Song Boyan's family was also setting off fireworks.

It is really beautiful to watch the fireworks made by the palace up close. Although the scale is not as grand as the fireworks in the palace, it is clearer and more beautiful to watch in the yard. I guess the people living nearby all came out to watch the fireworks. After all, it is rare to see such beautiful fireworks so close.

After both tubes of fireworks were finished, Cheng Chen said with a smile, "They are really beautiful. They are better than the ones I bought last year."

The fireworks exploded in the sky, colorful like stars. Wang Yu smiled knowingly, thinking that it was worth it for him to ask the emperor for two.

Happy New Year, Achen.

Happy New Year, husband.

The two smiled at each other, and they spent another New Year together.

Early in the morning on the first day of the New Year, Wang Yu set off a string of firecrackers at his doorstep. Whenever he met people from other families setting off firecrackers, he would greet them and say Happy New Year!

The weather is good today, and the sound of firecrackers can be heard from afar, which reminds Wang Yu of Wang Anshi's poem: "On a bright day, every household replaces the old charms with new ones." The new year has arrived again.

The children who got up early are already running around and playing in the alleys, looking for unexploded firecrackers to light and play with. Their parents also remind them to be careful not to let the firecrackers explode on themselves. The New Year is always worth being happy about, and adults can't always stop children from playing. They can only ask them to be careful.

Dabao came to greet them early in the morning. He was one year older this year, so he said more auspicious words, but he also became more playful. After greeting them, he took the two brothers of the Huo family to find stones and set off firecrackers.

Cheng Chen pulled Dabao, who was about to leave, squatted down to tidy up his clothes and warned him, "Be careful, don't blow yourself up, play for a while and come back, brother Shitou is still young, don't play too much."

Dabao nodded, "Okay, Dad."

Wang Yu: "Huo Yi, keep an eye on them. Don't run around."

Huo Yi: "Yes, sir."

On the first day of the New Year, Wang Yu gave New Year gifts to several of their families as usual. After making the arrangements, there was nothing else to do, so Wang Yu went to the study and read for a while.

Cheng Chen was also reading a book in the study. He was reading Journey to the West. He had almost finished it by occasionally reading it these days. He had already read all the storybooks he had given to Dabao before. Cheng Chen would also tell him stories about Monkey King, which Dabao loved listening to.