The fifteenth day is the Lantern Festival, with abundant blessings from heaven.
Lanterns with the word "Fu" (blessing) are placed in front of the main hall of each house, and paper-cut bats are pasted on doors and windows to bring good fortune into the home.
Xu Jiang came to Nanshan Academy with a holiday gift. Master Lin and Lin Hongchu had received too many visitors in recent days, and when they saw the newcomers, their eyes were dull and their expressions were tired.
Lin Hongchu accepted the gift and led Xu Jiang into the backyard. Mrs. Lin looked even better than her father and daughter, and she had been smiling since Xu Jiang entered the house.
Xu Jiang privately asked Lin Hongchu about her condition over the past two days. Lin Hongchu also said that Madam Lin had gotten much better in the past few days, and could even walk around on her own occasionally.
"You asked me to try on shoes last night. Oh, and by the way, you made a pair for your sister as well. She said they're still a little short of finishing it, so I'll give it to you once it's done."
"Make one for me too?" Xu Jiang couldn't describe the feeling in her heart. This was the first time someone made shoes for her.
"Yeah. The shoes my mother made are so comfortable to wear." Lin Hongchu lifted her skirt to reveal her shoes, with satisfaction on her face.
Xu Jiang patted her head and asked, "Did Yanyan write back to you?"
"Yes!" Lin Hongchu's eyes curved into two crescents when she mentioned Yuan Yanyan. "She's so interesting. Her head is full of weird ideas. I don't know where they come from."
"Today is the Lantern Festival, and she's also going out to the lantern festival. Are you going?"
"No, I'm staying at home with my mother. We'll have a chance to meet in the future. There's no rush." She said this, but her face showed longing.
Xu Jiang sighed to herself and asked, "I'm going to her house soon to give her a festival gift. Do you have anything to bring her?"
Lin Hongchu shook his head and said with a smile, "Zeng Zhui has already taken it for me."
"He's here early." Xu Jiang was speechless for a moment, then said, "I'm going to talk to the teacher. You can go back and stay with your aunt."
"Yeah, okay."
Xu Jiang came to the study. Master Lin heard her footsteps, raised his head, and then continued to organize the lesson plan.
Xu Jiang went over to help, "Master, there is something I would like to ask you for advice on."
Master Lin paused, frowning, "Is it related to that kid from the Lou family?"
"No, that's not it." Xu Jiang realized that he had misunderstood and said quickly, "It's about my master."
Master Lin breathed a sigh of relief. "What's the matter?"
Xu Jiang also breathed a sigh of relief. "My master left behind some annotated classics and privately printed collections of essays, and I'd like to put them on the shelves. You and my master were close friends, and these classics weren't just left to me, they were also left to you, so I wanted to ask your opinion."
"Didn't he write books for people to read? The reason why a book is a book lies not only in the person who wrote it, but also in the person who reads it. Only when the two meet can it become a book. Otherwise, it is just a piece of paper covered with words." Master Lin casually pulled out a book from the bookshelf behind him and handed it to Xu Jiang. Xu Jiang took it and flipped through it. It was a collection of essays that he had never seen before.
"This is written by one of my students, how about it?"
Xu Jiang read one of the essays and found it clear and logical, with sharp viewpoints. She nodded and said, "Well written."
Master Lin said, "He used it to support the legs of the table."
Xu Jiang was stunned when he heard this, and then smiled again.
"If you only consider the books left by your master as relics, then they are no different from this book that was once used as a table leg."
"Thank you, Master. I know what to do now." Xu Jiang's mind suddenly became clear.
Master Lin thought for a moment and said, "After you put it on the shelf, remember to bring it to me to see."
"Okay." Xu Jiang continued, "Master, I'm planning to host a book appreciation banquet. Will you come?"
Master Lin shook his head and said, "I can't come."
Xu Jiang's heart tightened and she was speechless.
Master Lin had another visitor, so Xu Jiang did not stay any longer. She went to Yuan's house to deliver a holiday gift and happened to meet Hu Xu at the door.
"Zhuchun, are you here to give a festival gift too?"
"Well, Boss, long time no see."
Since they met, Xu Jiang couldn't leave Jie Li behind and go alone. The two of them walked in together and went to Yuan Zuzhi's study.
"I saw the painting you sent me last time and I liked it very much."
"As long as you like it."
"Zhuchun is really knowledgeable."
"Where does that come from?"
"The Fragrant Mountain White Burley isn't produced in the capital, and it's extremely rare and precious. Because it's not a famous flower, few people know about it, and even fewer understand its meaning." After saying this, Xu Jiang curiously asked, "Where has Zhuchun seen it?"
The two passed a rocky area. Hu Xu paused, then said in silence, "At my home."
Xu Jiang almost slipped and asked in surprise, "In your family? Where did you get it? Do you have any more?"
The last question made it hard to hide my greed.
"There's only one, given to me by someone else."
It would be bad to take away someone else's good fortune. Xu Jiang was filled with regret, but she couldn't help but wonder who could be so generous, so she asked, "Who gave it to me?"
Hu Xu took a long while to answer, "A flower seller."
Flower seller? Flowers are not something that flower farmers give lightly. What did Hu Xu do to deserve such a valuable gift from the flower seller?
Various charming scenarios flashed through Xu Jiang's mind. But before she could ask in detail, the two of them had already arrived in front of Yuan Zu's study.
Hu Xu knocked on the door, and Yuan Zuzhi's voice came from inside: "Is it Zhuchun? Come in."
The two pushed the door open and walked in. Yuan Zuzhi was practicing calligraphy. He was a little surprised to see Xu Jiang coming with him.
"You two agreed to come together?"
"We just happened to meet at the door." Xu Jiang presented the gift to him. Seeing that he had no free hands, Hu Xu took it for him and put it aside.
Yuan Zuzhi hurriedly called her, "Manager Xu, come and take a look at how I write these words."
Xu Jiang took a look and praised it generously, "The writing is strong and powerful, the brush is old and the ink is beautiful, what beautiful calligraphy!"
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