The so-called red paper is the lowest quality, thin, flimsy paper that tears easily when poked, dyed an uneven red with inferior dye.
Forget about cutting paper snowflakes, even writing couplets would probably cause the ink to bleed.
Su Tang picked up a card, looked at it, and silently put it back.
She thought of the exquisite window decorations and velvet couplets that she had hung in her home during the Lunar New Year in her previous life, which were laser-engraved and sprinkled with gold powder.
Looking at what was in front of her, she felt a little uneasy.
It's not that I'm disgusted, but I feel that people in this era have such a hard time even trying to make their days a little more joyful.
Qin Ye remained silent, simply standing quietly beside her.
He watched her go from being enthusiastic at the beginning to being silent now, and saw the slight furrow in her brows when she picked up the red paper.
A wave of inexplicable guilt washed over him.
He couldn't even get his wife a few decent sheets of red paper or a few yards of satisfactory red cloth.
He promised to give her a wedding that would satisfy her.
But this first step toward satisfaction was blocked in this small supply and marketing cooperative.
"It's okay, this kind of coarse cloth is fine too, it's sturdy and durable." Su Tang sensed his mood and comforted him instead, even smiling at him. "Red paper is fine too, we can just put on more layers."
The more understanding she was, the more distressed Qin Ye felt.
He would rather she throw a tantrum or complain a bit.
But she didn't.
She simply accepted it all silently.
"Let's go." Qin Ye took her hand, his voice a little deep.
"Aren't you buying it?"
"I won't buy it here."
On the way back, Qin Ye rode his bicycle without saying a word, his back ramrod straight.
Su Tang hugged his waist and could clearly feel the depression and suffocation emanating from him.
She knew what he was thinking.
This man always tries to present her with the best things in the world.
If he can't do it, he'll make things difficult for himself.
How foolish.
She leaned her head closer, offering him silent comfort.
Back home, Qin Ye parked the car and went straight to the yard to chop firewood.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
The axe pounded against the wooden stake again and again, as if trying to vent all the pent-up frustration in his heart.
Su Tang didn't disturb him. She silently went back to her room, boiled some water, and made two cups of tea.
By the time she brought out the tea, Qin Ye had already chopped a small pile of firewood, and fine beads of sweat were seeping from his forehead.
"Have some water." Su Tang held the enamel cup to his lips.
Qin Ye stopped what he was doing and, using her hand, drank the entire cup of hot tea in one gulp.
"Tangtang," he put down the axe, turned around, and looked at her earnestly, "I'm sorry you had to go through all this."
“I’m not wronged.” Su Tang shook her head. “Being with you, even living in a cave feels like living like a god, let alone just not being able to buy a few feet of cloth.”
"But I want to give you the best." Qin Ye's voice was hoarse.
“You’ve given me your best.” Su Tang stood on tiptoe and reached out to smooth his furrowed brows. “Your love, your protection, your family… these are things that no amount of fine fabric or red paper can buy.”
Looking into her clear, bright eyes, Qin Ye felt a turmoil in his heart.
He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly, as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones.
"Tangtang, I..."
He wanted to say something, but he didn't know where to begin.
Su Tang patted his back and whispered, "I know, I know everything."
The two hugged quietly for a while.
Qin Ye's emotions gradually calmed down.
He let go of her. "Just because you can't buy it at the supply and marketing cooperative doesn't mean you can't find it elsewhere."
He looked at Su Tang and lowered his voice.
"Tonight, I'll take you somewhere."
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