The next day, Lunar New Year's Eve, everyone got up very early, including An Moxue. She had already completed her three-year mourning period. After finishing her boxing, she prepared the paste and was ready to paste up the couplets and invite the door gods later.
This was the first time she had celebrated the Lunar New Year so grandly since she transmigrated to this world. She had already completed the mourning period in both of her previous lives, and this was the Lunar New Year in Lan Kingdom. There was no such atmosphere abroad.
Life should always have a sense of ritual, especially for people like An Moxue and Wu Sicheng who struggle on the brink of death every day. They cherish ordinary and warm moments even more. She hasn't spent Chinese New Year in China for two years, so she cherishes it even more. In particular, Old Ma bought her a lot of couplets and firecrackers.
An Moxue finished her boxing practice and was about to put up the couplets when Wu Sicheng arrived with breakfast. "Moxue, come and eat."
"What did Aunt Ma make?"
"Red bean buns, rice porridge, and a few side dishes."
"I love Aunt Ma's red bean buns the most. Come in, have you had any?"
"No, let's eat together." With that, the two went into the house.
"I also brought you a set of clothes, change into them in a bit." He said, placing a bag at the end of the kang (a heated brick bed).
Wu Sicheng took out the food from the food box, and the two of them started eating.
"It's delicious, but you really have to eat in China to enjoy it. Even though the food in foreign restaurants is good, it just doesn't taste the same. I'm better off staying in China and eating all kinds of delicious food." An Moxue took a bite of the red bean bun, eating with great satisfaction.
Wu Sicheng suppressed a laugh, "Poor Comrade An, he even ran away to a foreign country."
"Absolutely! I've been away from China for two years, and I feel those Red Guards aren't as crazy anymore. Do you think the situation will improve?"
"Those Red Guards did cause a bit of trouble, but the situation is improving. Worker-peasant-soldier college students have started being recruited. This year, Kyoto and Haicheng have even opened up college entrance examinations. The document has been issued, which requires high school students to have at least two years of work experience. Some people are being sent down to the countryside, but a small number of people have also been rehabilitated, mostly key scientific researchers and those in important military and political positions. However, it is still only a small number. There are no capitalists, landlords, or teachers among them. We still need to be careful."
"You haven't been back long, how do you know so much?"
He glanced at her and said, "Military and political affairs are inseparable. How can you just be a soldier without understanding national politics?" After saying that, he peeled an egg, put the egg white in her bowl, and put the yolk in his mouth. Then he picked up another egg and peeled it, again putting the egg white in An Moxue's bowl and putting the yolk in his mouth.
"That's true. By the way, did Aunt Ma say when I could go over?"
She said, "You don't need to cook, just come over for lunch. Are you really not home for the New Year? Are we really going to spend it together?"
"No, I promised to spend the New Year with my parents."
After dinner, An Moxue took the couplets, and Wu Sicheng took the paste and a stool, and they started pasting them up from inside the house.
First, there was a couplet that read "Looking up, you'll see joy," followed by a large "福" (fortune) character. The couplets on the door were quite unique.
The first line is: "Five Stresses and Four Beauties, Strive to be a Socialist Youth."
The second line is: "Unite as one, build a communist country."
Horizontal scroll: Xinlan Country is Good
An Moxue hadn't noticed it before, and this was the first time she'd seen such a couplet with such a distinctive style of the era. She exclaimed, "No wonder he's Uncle Ma! A veteran revolutionary!"
Looking at her like this, Wu Sicheng had a slight doubt in his heart, but he didn't ask. Aren't there many similar couplets in the military compound over the years? Didn't Mo Xue notice them before?
After putting up the couplets, An Moxue tidied up the house, while Wu Sicheng swept from the doorway all the way to the fork in the road far beyond the gate.
After the two finished getting ready, An Moxue changed into the new clothes Wu Sicheng had bought for her—a crisp woolen Lenin suit and leather boots issued by the army. This outfit accentuated An Moxue's dashing and heroic appearance, making her look like a sharp sword.
"Beautiful." Words failed him to describe his feelings, and he could only utter two words.
An Mo chuckled. She rarely saw this side of him; he was kind of adorably silly.
Wu Sicheng snapped out of his reverie and said, "There's one more thing. Reach out." He took a box out of his pocket, opened it, and inside was a watch. The watch case was a flamboyant gold, the markers were made of red gemstones, and the watch chain was a rare white leather chain. Moreover, it had a large dial, and the whole watch looked noble and elegant, which matched An Moxue's temperament perfectly.
"When was it ordered?" She really liked it; it looked expensive.
He just smiled and didn't say anything, but instead asked, "How is it? Do you like it?"
"I like it, but I can't wear it in China. If other people see it, I'll get criticized."
"Just wear it secretly for one day today, and wear it again when you go abroad, then no one will say anything." He looked at the girl in front of him. She had been pampered by her parents since she was a child. If her parents were still alive, she wouldn't have suffered so much!
"How much did it cost? It wasn't cheap!"
"It's okay, you can afford it. Don't worry about your boyfriend not being able to support you."
"Then you'd better work hard, I'm really afraid you won't be able to support me one day." She really didn't care about this watch.
"Alright, let's go! I know you're rich, so will you support me from now on?" He raised an eyebrow and chuckled.
"Sure. I may not have much else, but I have plenty of money. However, I won't let you spend it for free; there will be conditions."
"What are the conditions?"
The two chatted and laughed as they walked further and further away, until their conversation became increasingly unclear.
Old Ma frowned even more when he saw An Moxue and Wu Sicheng walking side by side from afar. After the two entered the courtyard, An Moxue said, "Uncle Ma, what are you doing standing outside in this cold weather! I saw you from far away."
Old Ma glanced at her, then at Wu Sicheng, said nothing, and turned to go inside.
"Hey! Old man, who upset you?" An Moxue shook off Wu Sicheng and chased after Old Ma into the house.
"Uncle Ma, what's wrong? Why aren't you happy for the New Year? I'm spending the New Year with you and you're still not happy?" An Moxue walked beside Old Ma, took his arm, and asked softly.
Old Ma glanced at her and said, "Who's happy when outsiders come? They're an eyesore! Annoying!"
An Moxue burst out laughing!
"Uncle Ma, could you do me a favor? Okay? Just consider it a small bonus, is that alright?"
"Parts?" Old Ma asked loudly on purpose, glancing back afterward, his meaning clear.
“Yes, you are the most important!” An Anmo Xue raised her eyebrows slightly and said exaggeratedly.
Old Ma: Really?
An Moxue: "Really."
Old Ma said, "Alright! I'll trust you this once." Then he turned to Wu Sicheng and said, "Comrade Wu, why don't you help your aunt in the kitchen? Mo Xue and I have something to discuss."
Then, with a bang, the door was slammed shut.
Knowing full well what was going on, An Moxue chuckled and looked at Old Ma with a smile, asking, "Uncle Ma, what are you trying to do?"
Old Ma glared and puffed out his beard: "I'm asking you the same thing! What is he trying to do? It's as clear as day!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com