Ding Dusai shuddered and looked up at him hurriedly. In the dim light, he saw that he was smiling playfully and had no intention of jumping into the well. He immediately realized that he was teasing him.
She raised her fist and hit his chest, "Sir, you are so bad!"
"Haha! Honey, no matter how old you are, I'm waiting for you."
"Dear... dear? Sir, that sounds so corny, but I like to hear it." Ding Dusai held his hand.
Zhang Shixun looked at her shy appearance in the dim light, and his heart was moved. Just as he was about to make a small move, he heard someone shouting, "I say, you two outside, we're waiting for you here, do you want to come in?"
When he looked up, he saw Sun Sansi standing under the eaves with his hands on his hips.
Ding Dusai quickly released his hand and promised, "I'm coming! I'm coming!"
"Hey! Did I disturb you two from being affectionate?" Sun Sansi said with a hint of sarcasm in his tone.
“No…no…” Ding Dusai felt his face getting a little hot.
Zhang Shixun said, "Madam Sun, we just exchanged a few words, it's not like we were being affectionate."
"Hehe! Come in quickly, the dishes are all served." Sun Sansi rolled his eyes at him, walked forward, took Ding Dusai's hand, and whispered in her ear.
Zhang Shixun stood beside the two of them and said with a smile, "Is there anything you can't say out loud?"
Sun Sansi said, "Master Zhang, we sisters would like to have a few private words. Please go in first."
Zhang Shixun walked into the living room and saw a large round table in the middle of the room, which was already filled with various fruits, vegetables and dishes.
Led by Li Shishi, everyone turned their eyes to Zhang Shixun.
Everyone present here is a leader in the capital's literary and artistic circles, and according to the term of that era, they are called "Oiran ladies."
Looking in the candlelight, each one was wearing gorgeous clothes and wearing makeup. Some were delicate and fair, some were pretty and charming, some were plump and slender, each one was different.
Li Shishi smiled and waved her hand, "Master Zhang, come quickly, everything is ready."
"The dishes are quite rich." Zhang Shixun sat next to her, looking at the table full of fruits and food. His stomach rumbled. He was hungry.
Li Shishi said, "Grandma started preparing for the New Year a few days ago and even cleared out a room to store food."
The speaker may not intend it, but the listener may take it seriously.
Li Shishi's words touched the most sensitive part of Zhang Shixun's heart, reminding him of his parents and grandparents.
Every Spring Festival, my grandmother starts preparing various New Year foods early, including steamed buns, steamed buns, crispy meat, meatballs, mustard greens and meat, fried hairtail...all kinds of food are available during the New Year.
On New Year’s Eve, the whole family sat together and ate dumplings.
Even after my grandmother passed away, my mother inherited her New Year's customs, and the process is still the same, with almost no changes.
Perhaps, it is precisely because of the continuation of the behavioral habits of ancestors and elders that the Chinese have formed unique traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation.
Ding Dusai came in and saw that he was in a daze. He gently tugged at his sleeve and said, "Sir."
"Oh!" Zhang Shixun was awakened from deep memories by her pull.
"Sir, have some ringo." Ding Dusai sat down beside him, handed him a fruit, and asked with concern: "Are you okay? I saw you were in a daze, and you didn't even respond when your sister spoke to you."
"No...it's okay." Zhang Shixun took the fruit and subconsciously put it in his mouth and took a bite.
The so-called ringo is the apple that people often eat in later generations. However, the apples at that time were far inferior to those in later generations. They were small and sour.
Li Shishi also noticed that Zhang Shixun was a little distracted, so she asked with a smile, "Master Zhang, every festive season brings one's longing for family. Are you missing your parents?"
What a smart woman she is, she even noticed this.
Zhang Shixun nodded and said, "Madam Shishi is right. I really thought of my parents and the New Year celebrations when I was a kid. I was a little distracted without realizing it."
"This is human nature," Li Shishi said, then thought of her own life story. Unconsciously, she felt a surge of sadness, a look of sorrow on her face. "You still have parents to think about, but I can't even remember what my own parents look like."
Feng Yinu sat down beside her, and seeing her sadness, she quickly advised her: "Sister, today is New Year's Day, don't think about unhappy things."
Li Shishi laughed at herself and said, "I don't know what's wrong with me. I've become so sentimental today. I'm sorry to have made Master Zhang and the sisters laugh at me."
Feng Yinu laughed and said, "It was Master Zhang who started it all. I'll make him drink some wine later."
"Okay! I accept the punishment." Zhang Shixun answered readily.
After eating some fruit and drinking some soup, they began to drink and eat, toasting each other.
After three rounds of wine and five dishes, everyone present was in high spirits.
"Mr. Zhang, I heard that you know Taizu Changquan, Taizu Panlong Stick, and Drunken Eight Immortals." Wang Jingnu drank a few glasses of wine and his face flushed.
"Oh! I know a little bit." Zhang Shixun tasted the Meishou wine from Fanlou and felt it tasted good, so he drank the wine in the glass in one gulp. "That day when I went to the Lotus Pavilion, I was in a good mood and went on stage to play a few tricks."
"Listen! He just played a few tricks and the news spread all over the capital." Li Shishi smiled and said, "To be honest, sisters, I have been wanting to open my eyes for a long time. Today is New Year's Eve, how about asking Master Zhang to demonstrate for us?"
"Good!" The girls applauded.
Zhang Shixun had a good temper and didn't refuse. "Of course, since everyone wants to see it, I'll show you my ugly side later."
Isn’t the purpose of celebrating the New Year to have fun?
"good!"
The girls applauded again, very enthusiastically, especially Ding Dusai next to them, whose hands were red from clapping.
Zhang Shixun was a little puzzled. It seemed like there wasn't a custom of clapping in this era? He had been in the Song Dynasty for so long, and today was the only day he had heard so much applause.
The Zhao guest wears a long Hu tassel, and the Wu hook shines brightly with frost and snow.
The silver saddle shines on the white horse, which gallops like a shooting star.
Kill one person every ten steps, and leave no trace in a thousand miles.
…
Under the influence of alcohol, Zhang Shixun asked Li Shishi for a sword, and while dancing, he recited Li Bai's "The Knight-errant" aloud.
The Drunken Eight Immortals Sword is said to have originated from Wudang. Zhang Shixun had only seen this sword technique in film and television dramas.
The so-called Eight Immortals Swords he was dancing with were purely drunken and were just for show to fool the women in front of him.
He was completely drunk, dragging his sword backward as he staggered to the table. He snatched the wine glass from Ding Dusai's hand, tilted his head back and gulped down the wine, chanting, "Three cups and a promise is made; the Five Mountains seem light..."
Seeing him staggering, Ding Dusai couldn't help but remind him, "Sir, please slow down."
"Don't worry about it." Feng Yinu, who was standing next to him, laughed and said, "The sword dance is called 'Drunken Eight Immortals' because of the drunken character. If it were more balanced, it wouldn't be called the Drunken Eight Immortals."
Zhang Shixun staggered to Li Shishi's front, danced with his sword, and burped: "After my eyes were dizzy and my ears were hot, my spirits were revived..."
Reaching out to take a ringo, Li Shishi smiled and handed him her wine glass.
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