The day after their successful trip from the black market, while the entire military compound was still shrouded in the morning mist, lights were already on in Su Tang and Qin Ye's courtyard.
On the square table in the main room, a dazzling array of spoils were laid out one by one, instantly filling the originally somewhat empty room with an atmosphere of abundance and celebration.
Su Tang had already sorted and categorized the large table of spoils.
Jinhua ham, cured meat and sausages were hung under the eaves of the kitchen where it was well-ventilated, dried goods and mushrooms were packed into sealed enamel jars, and the precious candies and pastries were carefully put away in the cupboard, ready for the New Year and for entertaining guests.
The wine-red silk that Qin Ye had spent a fortune on was carefully wrapped in a clean white cloth and placed in the deepest part of the wardrobe.
"Wife, look, isn't our home full?" He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, rested his chin on her shoulder, and said in a deep, satisfied voice.
Su Tang smiled and nodded, leaning against his warm embrace: "Yes, it suddenly feels like the New Year."
“Having things isn’t enough,” Qin Ye nuzzled her cheek, his voice laced with laughter. “We also need to decorate it. Tomorrow I’ll go find a ladder, and we’ll hang the lanterns up.”
“Great!” Su Tang turned around and looked up at him. “Not only will we hang lanterns, but we’ll also put up couplets and paper-cut window decorations to make our little courtyard look beautiful. It’ll be the only one of its kind in the entire military region!”
"I'll do whatever you say."
Over the next few days, the two of them were completely immersed in the joy of decorating their little home.
Qin Ye was strong and took on all the tasks involving climbing up and down.
He climbed the ladder and hung the two large red lanterns steadily on either side of the courtyard gate, then strung colorful paper strings under the eaves. Su Tang directed from below, sometimes saying "higher," sometimes shouting "move to the left," but Commander Qin showed no impatience, instead enjoying himself immensely.
This is the scene that Li Xiumei saw when she visited someone's home.
Qin Ye, the regimental commander known throughout the military region for his serious and aloof demeanor, was clumsily trying to learn how to cut paper snowflakes from Su Tang, holding a pair of scissors. His large hands, accustomed to holding a gun, looked particularly comical as he gripped the small scissors.
"Oh dear, Commander Qin, you..." Li Xiumei laughed, "Your gun-wielding hands are really wasting their talents on this."
Qin Ye didn't even look up, focusing intently on a piece of red paper, but his words were unambiguous: "How can it be considered a waste of talent to have my wife work for me?"
Su Tang handed a newly cut, intricate "Magpie on Plum Blossom" paper-cut window decoration to Li Xiumei, and said with a smile, "Sister-in-law, don't laugh at him. He learns very quickly."
Li Xiumei took the paper-cut window decoration, turning it over and over to examine it, exclaiming in amazement, "My goodness, Tangtang, you're so skillful! I've never seen this pattern before, it's like a painting! It's even more beautiful than the New Year pictures sold at the supply and marketing cooperative!"
After seeing off the envious Li Xiumei, only the two of them remained in the room. Qin Ye finally ruined the fifth piece of red paper and put down the scissors in frustration.
"Forget it, I really can't do this." He looked at the incomplete "福" (Fu, meaning good fortune) character in his hand, and was unusually embarrassed.
Su Tang was amused by his appearance and chuckled: "Thank you for your hard work, Commander Qin. I'll take care of the rest. You can go do something else."
What are you doing?
"Prepare the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, and write the couplets!" Su Tang clapped her hands and said.
Upon hearing that he was to write couplets, Qin Ye's expression became even more serious. He wiped the square table in the main room until it was spotless, then took out the writing implements his father had brought from his last visit from the study, and carefully spread out the thick, gold-flecked red paper they had bought on the black market.
With everything ready, he picked up the ink stick and looked at Su Tang: "Shall I write?"
Su Tang raised an eyebrow: "Are you sure you can do it?"
Qin Ye honestly shook his head: "My handwriting... is like standing in line on the playground, straight and even, but it's not pretty."
He also had his doubts, because writing was much more difficult than cutting paper snowflakes.
“My dad has beautiful handwriting. Back when we lived in Beijing, several families in our compound had him write their couplets. I’m going to find him later and ask him to write the best one for us.”
“No need to trouble Dad. I’ll do it.” Su Tang rolled up her sleeves, revealing a section of her fair wrist. “Commander Qin, grind the ink for me!”
"Okay!" Qin Ye replied immediately.
He stood by the table, ink stick in hand, added some water to the inkstone, and drew circles with neither too light nor too heavy a touch. He watched as Su Tang picked up a large wolf-hair brush, weighed it in her hand, and her entire demeanor instantly changed.
If she was just a smiling, domestic housewife a moment ago, now she exudes a calm, serene, and dignified air, like a great lady.
She leaned slightly forward, raised her wrist, and dipped the brush tip in the ink that Qin Ye had just ground, which emitted a faint fragrance.
With a slight flick of her wrist, Su Tang's brush moved like a dragon and a snake.
The pen seemed to come alive in her hands, flowing smoothly and gracefully. One after another, large, black, and powerful characters leaped onto the red paper.
First line: A hundred years of harmonious music
Second line: May the five generations prosper.
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