On the morning of Lunar New Year's Eve, Zhao Chen was awakened by the sporadic sound of firecrackers in the distance.
He got up and walked to the window and saw Su Wantang already in the small courtyard.
Wearing a thick down jacket, she was holding the pair of Spring Festival Couplet she bought yesterday in her hand and looking up at the door frame, as if thinking about where to put it.
The morning light filtered through the mist, casting a layer of soft light on her body.
When Zhao Chen went downstairs after washing, Su Wantang happened to come in from outside. The tip of his nose was a little red from the cold, but his eyes were sparkling.
"Are you awake? I was just about to call you." She patted the dust on her hands, "I have compared the positions of the couplets and am waiting for you to post them."
Breakfast is richer than usual.
In addition to Millet Porridge and steamed buns, Su Wantang also fried eggs, cut fruits, and put out a small plate of delicious side dishes that she had pickled last night.
"Eat something simple and we'll make a good meal for lunch," she said.
Zhao Chen nodded.
He actually couldn't remember the last time someone prepared "New Year's Lunch" for him like this.
Previous Life In his last few years, Lunar New Year's Eve he often spent it Wine Gathering or in the office, using busyness to fill the emptiness of having nowhere to go.
After breakfast, the two began to post Spring Festival Couplet.
Zhao Chen is responsible for climbing up the ladder to post. Su Wantang is holding the ladder below, looking up, and whispering reminders from time to time:
"A little higher on the left... a little on the right... Okay, okay, straight!"
Spring Festival Couplet with gold letters on red paper unfolds in the morning light--
First couplet: The old year shows a thousand brocades
Second line: New Year Will Advance a Hundred Feet
Horizontal batch: All Things Renewed
Su Wantang read it softly, eyes curled up. "This is really good."
The old year has revealed a lot of things - those thrilling games, those step-by-step calculations, those undercurrents of crises, all have turned over with the old year.
New Year Will Advance a Hundred Feet--A new battlefield, a new plan, and a new situation of life and death are before us.
All Things Renewed--This is the hope and the reality they are creating with their own hands.
After pasting Spring Festival Couplet, Window Paper-cuts and Fu Character were posted. The originally deserted courtyard was instantly decorated with this bright red and became festive.
Su Wantang took a few steps back and looked at their "works", unable to suppress the smile on his lips.
"It's so beautiful," she said.
"Hmm." Zhao Chen stood beside her, looking at the Spring Festival Couplet that glowed moistly in the winter morning light.
After posting Spring Festival Couplet, the two of them entered the kitchen together.
Lunch was prepared simply but with care.
Chef Su Wantang, Zhao Chen helps - wash vegetables, pass seasonings, peel garlic, do whatever they can.
The heat in the kitchen is steaming, the sounds of the clinking spatulas, the sizzling of the oil pan, and the occasional low-pitched conversation between the two interweave into the most ordinary and warmest sounds of home.
It was exactly 12 noon when the Western dishes and soup were served.
Steamed fish, braised pork, garlic broccoli, cold cucumber, and a steaming pot of chicken soup.
It's not luxurious, but every dish is carefully prepared.
"My cooking skills are average, so you can just eat." Su Wantang felt a little embarrassed.
Zhao Chen took a bite of the fish, it was tender and delicious.
He raised his head and said seriously, "It's delicious."
It's really delicious.
It's not just the taste, it's the feeling of someone washing your hands and making soup for you.
The two sat facing each other and finished the meal New Year's Lunch.
After clearing away the dishes, Zhao Chen called Shen Zhiyi.
The call was quickly connected, and there was a noisy background sound from the other end - the sound of TV, laughter, and the clatter of pots and pans.
"Achen!" Shen Zhiyi's voice came through the noise, with a cheerful smile, "Have you had lunch?"
"I just finished eating. How about you? The house is very lively."
"That's right! My parents, my uncle's family are all here, and the whole room is full of people. The noise gives me a headache!"
She complained, but her voice was full of happiness, "What are you doing?"
"Just finished posting Spring Festival Couplet, finished eating, now have nothing to do."
Zhao Chen walked to the Living Room window and looked at the red color in the yard, "What about you? Are you helping?"
"Well, I'm helping my mother wrap Dumplings! But my wrapping is so ugly that my mother always dislikes me..."
Shen Zhiyi lowered his voice, as if he was talking secretly, "What about you? Are you celebrating the New Year alone? Is Sister Wantang here?"
"Yes." Zhao Chen said, "We lived together."
"That's good." Shen Zhiyi's voice softened,
"It's good to have someone with you. Achen, New Year are happy."
"New Year is happy." Zhao Chen said softly.
The two chatted for a few more words, and then Shen Zhiyi was called to help, so they hurriedly hung up the phone.
After hanging up the phone, Living Room became quiet.
Su Wantang brought a plate of melon seeds, a plate of candies, and brewed tea.
The two sat down on the sofa, chatting for a while, slowly nibbling melon seeds in their hands.
Talk about interesting things about the New Year celebrations when you were young, talk about the customs of your hometown, and talk about insignificant and trivial topics.
Time flows slowly in such small talk.
The Melon Seed Shells piled up on the coffee table formed a small mountain, and the tea was refilled one after another.
This kind of pure, idle leisure is as luxurious as a dream to Zhao Chen.
In the evening, it gets dark.
They simply heated up the lunch leftovers for dinner, then cleaned up, made tea, arranged the fruit Snacks, and nested on the sofa together - waiting to see Spring Festival Gala.
Of course, Zhao Chen can't help at all with things like Dumplings, so we can only leave it to Su Wantang alone.