Chapter 73: Meeting the Parents (Part 2)
"Ayu, you eat too." Wen Qingzhou put a large piece of braised pork on the plate next to Ran Yu.
"Hahaha..." Everyone looked at each other and laughed at the same time.
After that, there was constant laughter at the table. Wen Miao generously shared his experience in cooking home-cooked dishes, and his sincerity and kindness gave Wen Tingzhu and Shui Ran more confidence.
After dinner, Wen Tingzhu and Shui Ran called Haodaer and Wen Miao to the study and chatted for a while.
The sunlight outside the window shines through the curtains and into the house, giving the house a layer of warm golden color.
As night fell, when they left, Wen Tingzhu and Shui Ran saw the four of them to the door, feeling quite reluctant to let them go.
"Can't you stay one night before leaving?"
"Dad, Mom, it's the end of the year and there are a lot of things to deal with in the company, so it's more convenient for me to live there. Ah Miao also has work tomorrow and has to get up early." Wen Shuzhou refused with a smile.
"Dad, Mom, Ran Yu and I have several announcements. It's not appropriate for us to live here and add burden to Xiao Ye and the others." Wen Qingzhou then refused.
"You two say that you want to stay at home, but they are just excuses. Forget it, A Miao, Ran Yu, come often in the future. We treat you as our own children." Shui Ran's words warmed people's hearts!
"Okay, uncle and aunt, when we finish the work at hand, Shuzhou and I will go home to be with you." Wen Miao nodded vigorously and promised.
"Mom, Ran Yu and I will notify everyone as soon as possible and go home for the New Year." Wen Qingzhou also promised.
On the way home, everyone's hearts were filled with happiness and satisfaction.
This time when they met their parents, Wen Shuzhou and Wen Miao's relationship not only gained the approval of their families, but also made the two hearts closely connected, full of infinite longing and expectations for the future.
On this night filled with love, the four of them knew that no matter what the future holds, as long as they are with each other, it will be the best scenery.
…
It’s the 18th day of the 12th lunar month, and the end of the year is approaching quietly. The festive atmosphere in the city is becoming more and more intense, as if overnight, the whole city is gently wrapped in a warm and festive atmosphere.
The streets and alleys are decorated with lights and red lanterns hung high, making the whole street look festive, like strings of blessings hanging under the blue sky, swaying gently in the wind, dispelling the winter chill and replacing it with a power that warms people's hearts. The New Year atmosphere is quietly ignited at this moment.
In the shop windows, a wide variety of New Year goods are piled up like mountains, from traditional couplets, blessing characters, window decorations to all kinds of modern decorations, all of which exude a strong New Year atmosphere. The shop assistants wear red uniforms, with enthusiastic smiles on their faces, and recommend New Year specials to passers-by from time to time. Festive music flows out of every store, interweaving into a cheerful festival symphony, making people involuntarily cheerful with the rhythm, and the liveliness infects everyone passing by.
"A Miao, let's go for a walk too!" Wen Shuzhou said with some anticipation in his eyes.
"Okay." Wen Miao responded readily.
“Choose a store!”
"Let's go for that one!" Wen Shuzhou pointed to an antique shop with couplets on it. The three golden characters "Jixiang Xuan" on the lintel were shining brightly in the sunlight.
"Okay, let's go!" Wen Miao said with a raised corner of his lips.
"Um."
As you push open the door, the scent of ink mixed with the joy of the New Year hits you in the face, as if instantly pulling you into a world full of traditional cultural charm.
"Welcome." The mechanical voice of the lucky cat sounded warmly.
Inside the store, rows of exquisite couplets hang on the walls, colorful and dazzling. Red is like fire, gold is dazzling, black is steady, and each couplet contains deep blessings and beautiful expectations for the future. They are either vigorous and powerful, or gentle and delicate, like a spring breeze. Customers walk between them, some bow their heads to appreciate them, or discuss them quietly, and everyone's face is filled with a happy smile as the Chinese New Year is about to come.
"A Miao, look at that piece in the corner!" Wen Shuzhou said excitedly.
Over the years, Wen Shuzhou has been working so hard day after day that he even forgot that going out shopping before the New Year is a very enjoyable thing.
"Let's go and take a look." Wen Miao said happily.
"Walk."
At the corner of the store, the store has specially set up a "Fu" character area. Various "Fu" characters are hung all over the area, some as big as a disc, some as small as the palm of your hand, some inlaid with gold edges, and some with auspicious cloud patterns. Each "Fu" character seems to carry a heavy blessing, waiting to be taken home and pasted on the door to bring good luck and fortune in the coming year. The elderly prefer those "Fu" characters with traditional styles, thinking they are more poetic; the young people tend to choose novel and creative designs, hoping to add a different flavor of the New Year to their own homes.
"All the designs are beautiful. Which one do you want to choose, my dear?" A young man tilted his head and looked at his partner.
"I like them. Have you bought them all? It's Chinese New Year. They're also good as gifts for relatives." The girl replied.
"Okay, as you wish."
…
"Boss, can you help me take off the pendant behind you?"
"OK."
The person who spoke was the owner of the shop, a nearly 60-year-old man wearing a Tang suit and with a warm smile on his face. He introduced the meaning of the couplets and the origin of the word "Fu" to customers from time to time. His voice was gentle and magnetic, which made people feel warm. Occasionally, he would pick up the brush and customize a unique couplet for the customer on the spot. The smooth strokes seemed to contain his love for life and good wishes for the future.
"A Miao, let's buy these!" Wen Shuzhou dragged a shopping basket filled with decorations.
"Maybe it's not enough, Shuzhou, buy some more. The welfare home also needs to be decorated." Wen Miao stared at the shopping basket for a few seconds and then spoke.
"Okay, then let's buy another basket." Wen Shuzhou readily agreed.
"Well, is that okay?"
"Let's go over there and choose."
"good."
While the couple was choosing accessories, the children in the store were not to be left out either. They ran around excitedly with small lanterns or red envelope-shaped accessories in their hands. Occasionally, they would stop and point to a special couplet or the Chinese character "Fu", and ask the adults in their childish voices: "What does this mean?" The adults would patiently explain, with tenderness and kindness in their eyes.
Throughout the store, people are busy selecting couplets and the Chinese character “福” (Fu). There are also warm interactions between families, cheerful conversations between friends, and endless longing for a better life in the new year.
Here, everyone seems to be able to find their own flavor of the New Year, and bring this joy and blessing home, so that the new year can start with a door covered with couplets and the word "Fu".
On the pedestrian street, the crowds are bustling, and everyone's face is full of expectation and joy. Not far away, there are long queues in front of the old snack stalls. In the steam, the sweetness of roasted sweet potatoes, the crystal clearness of candied haws, the crispness of fried rice cakes... Every taste is a memory of childhood, the taste of the New Year. Children hold the newly bought candied haws or cotton candy in their hands, and shuttle through the crowd excitedly, occasionally bursts of silver bell-like laughter are heard; adults carry large and small bags, or stand in front of a stall, carefully selecting the delicacies and ingredients for the New Year's Eve dinner, and occasionally look up and look into the distance, their eyes flashing with longing for home and the desire to return home.
In a square not far away, a unique New Year's cultural performance was being performed. On the stage, actors in gorgeous costumes sang and danced, and traditional opera, modern songs and dances, magic tricks and acrobatics took turns to appear, drawing rounds of applause and cheers. Offstage, the audience stood or sat, concentrating on enjoying this visual and auditory feast, and from time to time took out their mobile phones to record this unforgettable moment, sharing it with relatives far away, and conveying New Year's blessings and joy.
When night falls, the whole city is decorated like a dream. Whether it is local residents or tourists from afar, they are all surrounded by this strong New Year atmosphere, and their hearts are filled with beautiful visions of the future and deep respect for traditional culture.
"We're home now. Are you hungry?" Wen Shuzhou said with a smile as he helped the child fasten his seat belt.
"Yeah, a little bit." Wen Miao nodded honestly.
"Let's go to 'Yun Jian Lai Ke' for dinner!" Wen Shuzhou suggested.
"Okay." Honestly speaking, Wen Miao didn't want to do it anymore at this point.
...In the private room of "Visitor from the Clouds"?
"A Miao, sit down." Wen Shuzhou gently pulled out a chair for the child.
On the dining table, a warm yellow table lamp cast a soft halo of light, stretching the two people's figures into long, intertwined figures, like a moving painting.
After ordering the dishes, the two talked about the little funny things that happened today, sometimes whispering, sometimes laughing. When talking about the excitement, Wen Miao's eyes seemed to be shining with stars, and Wen Shuzhou looked at him with a doting face, nodding from time to time, and occasionally reaching out his hand to gently pick up the hair at the corner of the child's eyes.
When the exquisite dishes were placed on the table, the topic of conversation turned to food. They picked up dishes for each other and smiled at each other because of the taste of a certain dish. The tacit understanding and sweetness filled the whole space with a happy atmosphere.
After the meal, Wen Shuzhou thoughtfully poured a cup of warm tea for the child, and the two of them sat quietly, chatting and enjoying this rare tranquility and warmth.
Outside the window, the night was getting darker. Wen Miao took a deep breath as he walked out of the store.
"A Miao, what are you doing? Why don't you leave?" Wen Shuzhou said with a smile while looking at his little friend.
"I'm smelling the New Year atmosphere and feeling the joy!" Wen Miaoyan said with a smile.
"The smell of the New Year brings joy? Is there such a saying?" Wen Shuzhou asked curiously.
"Well, Shuzhou, do you want to try it?" Wen Miao invited with a flickering look in his eyes.
"Okay, I'll come and share in the joy." Wen Shuzhou imitated the children and took a deep breath.
"Um."
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