"Uncle, Brother Jinzi, are you busy?" When Xu Jianguo arrived at Li Mancang's house, Li Mancang and his eldest son Li Xin were crushing corn with the stone mill in the yard.
"Jianguo, why are you here? What do you want to see me about? Come in and sit down!" Li Mancang clapped his hands and said.
"No need, uncle, I'm here to bring you something!" Xu Jianguo said as he took out a couplet and a blessing character from his backpack and handed them to Li Mancang.
"What is this?" Li Mancang asked after taking the thing.
"When I went to the county before, I asked someone to write the couplets and blessing characters. I brought you a copy so you don't have to prepare them."
"Well, that's great. Uncle will accept it! By the way, where is Funiu?" Li Mancang said with a smile.
"Funiu is at home!"
"Then go back and bring it to her, and have dinner with me tonight!"
"Uncle Bu, I also prepared a portion for Uncle Erniu. I have to send it to him before it gets dark. The food at home is ready. I can go back and eat it later." Xu Jianguo said.
"Okay then, go quickly. It will be dark soon and Funiu can't be alone at home!"
"Okay, then, uncle, I'll be leaving first. Brother Jinzi, I'm leaving!" Xu Jianguo said goodbye to the father and son and prepared to leave. After taking a few steps, he turned around and asked, "Uncle, I have a question. How did Grandpa Dashan celebrate the New Year in previous years?"
"Hey, your Grandpa Dashan always spends the New Year at home alone in previous years. I went to see him yesterday and he was talking about this. I wanted him to spend the New Year with me this year, but the old man didn't agree. I was worried about it."
"Uncle, I want Grandpa Dashan to come to my house to celebrate the New Year this year, so I want to ask for your opinion. As the younger generation, I feel uncomfortable that the old man is celebrating the New Year alone at such an old age. Besides, there are only me and Funiu in my family, and it will be more lively if there are more people." Xu Jianguo said.
"Okay, I have no objection. It would be nice if the old man could spend the New Year with you. I have no objection."
"Okay, Uncle Mancang, I'm leaving now."
"Okay, go slowly on the road!"
Xu Jianguo left Li Mancang's house and walked towards Li Erniu's house.
When he arrived at Li Erniu's house, Xu Jianguo stood outside the yard and shouted. After waiting for a while, his wife Wang Yan came out of the house.
"Jianguo, come in quickly, what's the matter?" Wang Yan asked with a smile.
"Aunt, where is Uncle Erniu?"
"Your uncle Erniu has gone to town to deliver something to his uncle's house. You can go upstairs and wait for him. I think he will be back soon."
"It's okay, I'm here just to give you something!" Xu Jianguo took out the couplet and the word "Fu" and handed them to Wang Yan.
The two exchanged a few more pleasantries and rejected her invitation to stay for dinner. Xu Jianguo left Li Erniu's house and walked towards Li Dashan's house at the northernmost end of the village.
Outside the yard of Li Dashan's house, I saw the old man feeding grass to his big yellow cattle.
"Grandpa Dashan!" Xu Jianguo shouted.
"Hey, Jianguo? Why are you here? Is there something wrong?" Li Dashan saw that it was Xu Jianguo, a smile appeared on his face, and he asked.
"Yes, I came to give you something and to discuss something with you.
"Then what are you still doing standing outside? Come in!"
"Hey, it's open!" Xu Jianguo pushed open the gate and walked in. He took the winnowing basket filled with hay from the old man's hand and poured it into the trough little by little.
Following Li Dashan into the house, Xu Jianguo looked around. The house was a bit shabby, but it was kept exceptionally clean. You know, there is usually an unpleasant smell in the house of some older people. Some people say it is the "smell of old age", some say it is the "air of old age", and some even think it is the "air of death". It is not known who is right.
But when he looked at Li Dashan's room, it was clean and tidy, without any strange smell. When Xu Jianguo saw the neatly stacked "tofu blocks" on the kang, he couldn't help but feel awe in his heart.
You know, it has been quite a while since Li Dashan retired. I didn't expect that he can still strictly demand himself with the standards he had in the army. It is really admirable.
"Jianguo, what do you want from me?"
Xu Jianguo's thoughts were interrupted, and he quickly took out the couplets and blessing characters he had prepared in his backpack and said, "Grandpa Dashan, this is the couplet and blessing character I prepared for you. I also want to invite you to my home for the New Year this year."
Li Dashan thought for a moment and said, "Jianguo, I'll accept the couplets and the blessing characters. Forget about going to your house during the New Year. I'm an old man and I'm fine on my own. You don't have to worry."
"Grandpa Dashan, please don't be so hasty to refuse. I'm inviting you to my house for the New Year, but I actually have something else I want to trouble you with!"
"Oh? What's the matter? Tell me."
"I... I met a girl at the Red Star Machinery Factory in the county... You know my family situation. My parents are both gone, and there is no elder at home, so I would like to ask you to come over and check it out for me." Xu Jianguo told Li Dashan about what happened between him and Wen Sitian, and also talked about her family situation.
Because this is Wen Sitian's first time to celebrate the New Year at Xu Jianguo's home, it would not be appropriate if there is no elderly person at home. After all, someone has to make the decision on matters between two people, and Li Dashan is undoubtedly the most suitable person in the entire Sandaliang Village.
Although Li Mancang and Li Erniu are also suitable, they both have their own families and it would be inappropriate to trouble them during the Chinese New Year.
"Hahaha, okay! I'll help you, old man!" When Li Dashan heard about this, he laughed happily.
The matter of a wife was actually brought up by the village elders when Xu Jianguo was told about it, so Li Dashan also knew about it.
But he didn't expect that Xu Jianguo would get one back right after he refused. This was really a surprise.
"That's great, thank you Grandpa Dashan!"
"Why thank me? This is a good thing. You thought of letting an old man like me check things for you. It shows that you are a reliable kid."
"By the way, Grandpa Dashan, please don't tell anyone else about this matter for now. Wen Sitian is shy. If a lot of people come to her house, I'm worried she won't be able to handle it." Xu Jianguo said with some concern.
"Okay, don't worry. I'm an old man and I'm more familiar with confidentiality regulations than you are!" Li Dashan said with a smile.
"Hehe, I feel relieved after hearing your words. Grandpa Dashan, I will go back first. Funiu is still waiting for me at home. You can put the couplets and the word "Fu" there for now. I will help you put them up on the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month." Xu Jianguo said.
"Okay, go back quickly, it's getting dark, don't let the little girl worry."
"Okay, goodbye, Grandpa Dashan!" Xu Jianguo said hello to Li Dashan and left. After leaving the yard, he performed the Taiyi Youlong Step and ran quickly towards home.
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