***
The next morning, Meng Zhao opened the door and saw Meng Dashan bringing a pot of paste from the front yard. Xu Yunrong stirred it with a brush and frowned slightly: "It looks a bit thin. I'm afraid it won't stick well."
Meng Dashan chuckled憨厚ly, "How about I add some more rice noodles and cook it for a bit?"
Xu Yunrong shook her head. "Never mind, let's leave it like this. We'll just apply a couple more coats later." Glancing out of the corner of her eye at Meng Zhao standing under the eaves, her expression immediately brightened. "Zhao Zhao's awake? Today is the 28th of the twelfth lunar month, time to put up Spring Festival couplets. Come and see which one you like."
Meng Zhao ran over in three strides, "Alright! I'll pick one right away."
These Spring Festival couplets were all written by Xu Yunrong herself, and they all had very auspicious meanings. In the end, she chose one: the first line reads "Heaven adds years and man adds longevity", the second line reads "Spring fills the universe and blessings fill the door", and the horizontal scroll reads "Welcome the New Year".
"This is wonderful!" Meng Zhao said with a smile, holding it up. "It has an auspicious and grand meaning."
Meng Dashan, being tall, stood in front of the door frame, holding up the Spring Festival couplets and gesturing, "Is this spot okay?"
Xu Yunrong stood on the stone steps in the courtyard, squinting as she carefully examined the area: "A little higher... Oh, that's too far!" She waved her hands anxiously, "Move down a little bit... Yes, right here, don't move!"
Once the position was determined, Meng Dashan held the Spring Festival couplets while Meng Zhao took a brush, dipped it in paste, and first stuck the top of the couplets firmly. The father and daughter worked together seamlessly, one holding the couplets and the other brushing them, smoothing out the red paper little by little.
The bright red Spring Festival couplets were finally pasted up, reflecting off the lanterns that Meng Zhao had won back yesterday on the eaves, sweeping away the bleakness of winter.
In the courtyard, Meng Dashan was happily cleaning up the paste pot, Xu Yunrong had already started preparing to paste paper-cut window decorations, and Meng Zhao stood in front of the door, looking at this festive scene, the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up, thinking how good her parents were.
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