Horizontal scroll: A match made in heaven
After finishing writing, Su Tang gently placed the pen on the pen holder and looked at her work with satisfaction.
Qin Ye was completely stunned.
Although he said his handwriting wasn't good, coming from that kind of family, he still had a good eye. He could tell that Su Tang's handwriting was far beyond what could be described as "good".
Every stroke exudes character and spirit. How could a girl in her early twenties write such characters? Even the famous paintings and calligraphy treasured by her grandfather seem to lack the vibrant spirit of this piece.
"Wife..." His Adam's apple bobbed, and it took him a while to find his voice, "You...you learned your handwriting from whom?"
"I figured it out," Su Tang said without batting an eye.
She wasn't lying; she's always been quick at learning things since elementary school. As long as she's willing to learn, and with diligent study, she usually achieves twice the result with half the effort.
In my past life, in order to infiltrate certain specific situations, the organization would specifically train me in one of the disguise skills, so that I could adapt to different identities for different missions.
From physics, chemistry, and civilian technology to music, chess, calligraphy, painting, needlework, and cooking, she mastered everything to the highest level, all so that she could play any role.
Unexpectedly, the skills I learned for the mission have now become a source of joy in decorating my own home.
"you…."
Qin Ye sighed sincerely. Even though he had been praised as a genius since childhood and was pampered by everyone, he was not omnipotent. In terms of artistic understanding, he was really far inferior to his wife.
He shook his head and carefully picked up the couplet, which still smelled of ink, as if he were holding some rare treasure.
Just then, the courtyard gate was pushed open.
Qin Zhenbang walked in carrying a rock-hard frozen leg of lamb: "Qin Ye, your mother asked me to bring you some meat. Oh, are you writing couplets here?"
The visitor was Qin Ye's father, Qin Zhenbang. He had heard from the guard that his son and daughter-in-law had been busy in the courtyard since early morning. Thinking that the young people lacked experience, he came over to take a look and, incidentally, to show off his skills by writing a couplet that would impress them.
But as soon as he entered the door, he froze.
His gaze was instantly drawn to the several couplets and the character "福" (fortune/blessing) on the table, their ink still dripping and their imposing presence striking.
Qin Zhenbang was a cultured man who had practiced calligraphy since childhood and possessed an exceptional appreciation for it. He recognized the remarkable quality of the calligraphy at a glance.
"Beautiful calligraphy! Beautiful calligraphy indeed!" He rushed to the table, taking three steps at a time, and just like Qin Ye had done, bent down to examine it carefully, exclaiming in amazement. "These characters... are powerful and vigorous, with a natural elegance! This kind of strength cannot be achieved without decades of practice! Qin Ye, from which master did you obtain this masterpiece?"
As Qin Zhenbang spoke, he habitually searched for the signature and seal in the corner of the couplet, but found nothing.
Qin Ye cleared his throat, deliberately keeping everyone in suspense, and pointed to Su Tang, who was wiping her hands with a towel next to her.
“Dad, it wasn’t something I begged for. Your daughter-in-law wrote it herself just now.”
"What?!"
"Tangtang...this...is this really what you wrote?" Qin Zhenbang
It's truly impossible to reconcile those delicate, jade-like hands with the powerful, majestic calligraphy before me.
Su Tang felt a little embarrassed by her father-in-law's attitude, so she nodded and said modestly, "When I was little, I practiced calligraphy casually using the calligraphy books my father left me. I hope you can forgive my poor performance."
"Please excuse my poor writing? If this is laughable, then all the calligraphy I've practiced for most of my life must be just scribbles!"
He carefully picked up the "福" (Fu, meaning good fortune) character, as if it were a precious treasure. "No, no, this calligraphy can't be pasted up! It's such a waste! It has to be framed! It has to be properly framed and hung in the study!"
If before, his fondness for his daughter-in-law stemmed from his wife and Su Tang's own excellence, now that fondness has been enhanced by a deeper, more heartfelt appreciation and resonance with her culture and integrity.
"Dad, if you like them, I can write a few more for you. These are meant to be written and displayed, for a festive touch," Su Tang said with a smile.
“Yes, yes, write some more! Write a few more,” Qin Zhenbang replied repeatedly.
In one afternoon, Su Tang's courtyard became the Qin family's "calligraphy creation center".
Qin Zhenbang directed Qin Ye to carefully paste the written couplets and the character "福" (good fortune) on the main gate and the house doors. The red couplets with black characters, along with the exquisite window decorations, gave the entire courtyard a fresh new look, filled with an overwhelming festive atmosphere and scholarly ambiance.
The family members and neighbors who passed by were stunned when they saw the couplets at the Qin family's door.
"Hey, Lao Qin, your handwriting is getting better and better, it's getting more and more elegant!"
"This doesn't look like Lao Qin's handwriting at all. I recognize Lao Qin's handwriting, but it doesn't have this kind of style! Did some master calligrapher write this?"
At these times, Qin Zhenbang would straighten his back and proudly announce, "What master! This was written by my daughter-in-law!"
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