Before leaving, she took out two boxes of snacks from her small backpack and gave them to him.

"This is--" Mr. Xiang looked at Su Xiaoxiao in confusion.

Su Xiaoxiao smiled: "Today is Xiaonian, I made some snacks myself, I hope you don't mind."

Changping glanced at Su Xiaoxiao, and this time he didn't dare to roll his eyes.

Mr. Xiang accepted it readily: "Miss Su, it's so thoughtful. Thank you very much."

In fact, how could Su Xiaoxiao remember Xiaonian? He had given her too much for the consultation and medicine last time, so she just gave him a small token of appreciation.

I really have to thank Mrs. Huang for reminding her that today is the Little New Year.

Even though it wasn't a valuable item, a man of his status as a rich or noble man didn't care about those valuables at all. The treasure he bought with all his belongings might not be worth mentioning in his eyes.

On the contrary, the snacks made by hand seem more sincere.

"Why are there two boxes?" Mr. Xiang asked casually.

"One box is yours, and the other box is Jingyi's." Su Xiaoxiao said.

"Jing Yi." Master Xiang smiled, "You call him by his name very easily."

Su Xiaoxiao spread her hands: "He's young, what else can we call him if not his name?"

Mr. Xiang asked, "Am I really old?"

Ah? No, why do you care about this? You only said your last name is Xiang, but you didn't say you are Xiang so-and-so! "Chonghua," he said.

"Huh?" Su Xiaoxiao was stunned.

"My handwriting." He smiled warmly.

The ancients had surnames, given names and courtesy names, for example Shen Chuan, whose courtesy name was Qinghe.

In this fictional dynasty, there doesn't seem to be a strict boundary between courtesy names and given names. It is normal for peers to call each other by courtesy names, and there is no such thing as disrespect.

Scholars are very polite and often address others by their surnames or courtesy names. For example, classmates might call Shen Chuan “Mr. Shen” or “Brother Qinghe”. Of course, it’s also correct to call him Shen Chuan.

Does he mean that she can call him Xiang Chonghua from now on?

Or... Chonghua? Su Xiaoxiao blinked and said seriously, "Oh."

…

Not long after Su Xiaoxiao left, Jing Yi came in covered in snow.

Mr. Xiang is writing.

Jing Yi came to him and asked, "Cousin, are you testing her today as well?"

"No." Mr. Xiang continued writing.

Jing Yi asked again: "Then why did you tell her your calligraphy?"

Master Xiang glanced at Changping who was sweeping the snow outside the door. Changping shuddered and hid aside.

"You've become more capable now. You've learned how to complain to Jing Yi." Master Xiang smiled faintly, "She's not a venomous snake or a ferocious beast. There's no need to be so defensive against her."

Jing Yi frowned and said, "Then there's no need to trust her so much."

Mr. Xiang pushed a box of snacks on the table to his side: "Here."

"What?" Jing Yi asked.

"A gift for the Little New Year." said Master Xiang.

Jing Yi asked curiously, "Didn't the Little New Year end yesterday?"

"The capital celebrates the Little New Year on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month, and the Qingzhou area celebrates it today." After Mr. Xiang finished speaking, he added, "Miss Su made it herself."

Jing Yi had no prejudice against Su Xiaoxiao herself, he just didn't want his cousin to trust an outsider too much.

He took a bite.

"How does it taste?" asked Mr. Xiang.

Jing Yi said truthfully: "It's delicious, no worse than what the imperial chef makes."

Mr. Xiang smiled and said, "It's rare. I remember you don't like sweets."

Jing Yi thought for a moment and said, "It's because they didn't cook it well."

Mr. Xiang laughed, finished writing the last stroke, put the brush on the pen holder, and said to Jing Yi: "Send this couplet to Miss Su."

"Why?"

"Return the gift."

Jing Yi took a breath and said, "You want your calligraphy to be lost among the people?"

If that person in the palace knew about this, he would be furious! ——After Su Xiaoxiao came out of Mr. Xiang's room, she went to the study in the front yard to see if Shen Chuan was there.

She walked along the way and didn't see any study room open. She thought Shen Chuan might have some red paper, so she went to Shen Chuan to buy some.

Unfortunately, she came at an inopportune time, as Dean Shen took Shen Chuan back to his father-in-law's home to celebrate the New Year.

Su Xiaoxiao left the academy with regret.

The old man called her.

"No pancakes today!" Su Xiaoxiao said seriously.

The old man raised his finger and said, "One cake, one piece of red paper."

Su Xiaoxiao: “…”

Half a minute later, Su Xiaoxiao proudly walked out of the back door holding ten pieces of red paper.

The cleaning boy asked in a low voice, "Didn't the master tell you to... give the paper directly to Miss Su?"

The old man took a bite of the egg yolk pastry and said, "Yeah."

So what?

The pancakes smell so good! ——It snowed again this morning, but fortunately it only snowed for a short while and didn’t affect Su Xiaoxiao’s pace too much.

It was noon when Su Xiaoxiao arrived at the village. At this time, most villagers were at home, but most of the village gathered at old Su's house, surrounding it so tightly that no one could get in or out.

"Sister! You're back!"

Su Ergou, who was fetching water at the entrance of the village, saw his own sister. The three little kids who insisted on following him to fetch water, but were actually waiting for Su Xiaoxiao at the entrance of the village, rushed towards Su Xiaoxiao!

She touched the heads of the three little ones: "Big Tiger, Second Tiger, Little Tiger."

After spending some time together, she can now tell who is who even without counting the hair whorls.

The three little ones were very happy to be called by the right name, and they competed to rub their hair against her palms: "Mom."

Su Xiaoxiao has gradually gotten used to this name and no longer forces it to be corrected.

After rubbing the three people's heads, she touched their hands and asked, "Are you cold?"

The three shook their heads: "It's not cold."

Waiting for mother, it's not cold at all! Su Ergou got the water and the family started to walk back.

"Did something happen to the Su family?" Su Xiaoxiao asked.

Su Ergou snorted, "My eldest cousin is writing Chinese characters for good fortune and couplets for the Su family. The village head and the Su family's relatives are also there, and he said that if there are any extras later, they will be given away to the villagers for free. Everyone wants to see if they can grab a pair of couplets. If they can't, they can grab a Chinese character for good fortune."

Couplets in the town are very expensive. In addition to the cost of red paper, one also has to pay the person who writes the couplet a little hard-earned money, commonly known as pen and ink money.

This move by Huang and Chen Haoyuan was a grand one, earning enough face for the Su family.

Fang and Yang came out to put up couplets, with happy faces. The villagers surrounded them and praised them non-stop.

At this time, Aunt Wu squeezed out of Old Su's house holding her crying grandson.

The adults loved the Spring Festival couplets, but the children didn't want them, so Aunt Wu had no choice but to leave first.

When she saw the brother and sister, she hurriedly said, "Pang Ya! Er Gou! Chen Xiucai is writing couplets, go and get one! He is your cousin! He will definitely give it to you!"

Su Ergou rolled his eyes. Who wants the couplet written by that guy!

Aunt Wu yelled to Old Su, "Mr. Chen! Fatty Ergou is here to ask you for couplets!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the villagers immediately looked towards the brother and sister.

"Didn't they say that after finishing writing about Zhang's family, it would be our turn?"

"Yeah, why is there another person who wants couplets? Is this the end?"

"You can't snatch it away! He's Mr. Chen's cousin!"

Su Xiaoxiao said: "Everyone has misunderstood, we are not here to ask for couplets, we are just passing by."

Huang found an opportunity to show off. She smiled smugly and sarcastically: "If you want it, just say so. As relatives, our Chen family can still afford a pair of couplets!"

Su Xiaoxiao said calmly: "I said I don't want it."

Aunt Wu advised: "Pang Ya, don't be so stubborn. Your aunt said she gave it to you, why don't you want it?"

Su Xiaoxiao said arrogantly: "I look down on you!"

What did Su Pangya say? She...looked down on him?

She actually looked down on the couplet written by Chen Xiucai!

Su Pangya's words successfully attracted everyone's attention! However, everyone did not think that these were her sincere words. On the contrary, they just thought that she was just speaking angrily! Who is Chen Haoyuan? He is a scholar who is more powerful than He Tongsheng. It is difficult to find a second one in the surrounding area! Let's talk about this couplet. In the countryside where people can only afford to eat two meals a day except during the busy farming season, it is as rare as meat! Who doesn't want to ask for a pair of stickers during the New Year? "Alas, I heard that the relationship between the two families is not good. It was so ugly last time." A villager said.

It tells the story of Huang and her husband Chen Feng going to Xiao Su's house to propose marriage to their illegitimate son and Su Pangya. However, Su Pangya and her new handsome husband slapped Chen Feng and his wife in the face in public.

"If it were me, I wouldn't have the face to ask for couplets."

"The scholar's wife didn't bother with her and generously gave her a couplet, but she still didn't want it?"

"I already said I'm too embarrassed to ask for it."

Several villagers started talking one after another. Last time at the door of Xiao Su's house, these people did not have this kind of expression. Instead, they kept out of the matter and watched the fun without thinking it was a big deal.

It's just that the situation has changed. In order to get the couplet written by Chen Xiucai, everyone almost unanimously sided with Huang.

Huang was very flattered by the word "tolerance and magnanimity". The last three or two couplets were going to be given away anyway. If she could gain a good reputation and pat the girl's face at the same time, there was no reason for her to disagree.

She sighed in a pretentious manner, "Stop talking, everyone. My sister-in-law passed away early. Without a mother to look after her, it's inevitable that she's a little immature. As her aunt, can I really argue with a child?"

This statement is almost like saying that Su Pangya was born by a mother but not raised by her.

Huang thought she had made a good point, and said magnanimously: "Forget it, Fatty, I won't embarrass you. Just call me aunt, and I'll give you this couplet."

"Ah, really? Then what should we do?"

"Yeah, I've been waiting all day!"

"I'm so sorry, Pang Ya is Hao Ge'er's cousin after all... I won't look at it..."

Huang was only halfway through her words when she turned around and found Fatty Su was gone! This damn girl, she left before she could even finish her words? !

"You stupid girl! Stop right there!"

Huang was so angry that she was shaking!

Su Xiaoxiao held the three little ones by the hand and said slowly, "Ergou, tell her that I don't want the couplet written by Chen Haoyuan, even if he pays me."

Su Ergou turned around and shouted, "My sister said! We don't want the couplet written by Chen Haoyuan, even if he pays for it!"

Huang extended her index finger, put her hands on her hips and angrily cursed: "You damn girl! You're just being stubborn!"

Are you being tough?

Su Xiaoxiao laughed angrily.

Let's not talk about what kind of person Chen Haoyuan is, just his handwriting -

She could see clearly the couplets that Fang and Yang had posted just now. They were far inferior to Wei Ting's! It was no exaggeration to say that comparing his calligraphy with Wei Ting's was simply a leap of faith!

"Ergou, let's write the couplets ourselves when we get back."

Su Ergou turned around again and shouted, "My sister said! Let's go back and write the couplets ourselves!"

Su Xiaoxiao: You don’t need to tell me this…

Huang smiled and said, "Okay! Go ahead and write it! If you can write it, I'll chop off my head for you!"

Was it the first day she met Su Pangya? There were three people in the family, and none of them could read!

It's good enough that he didn't take the positive and negative sides! He even wrote couplets? This is exaggerating! She wants to see how the Su family ends up!

There will be another one later

(End of this chapter)