The almanac is truly a magical thing.
This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.
Just a few days ago, the rain and snow were incessant, and it was so cold it could freeze an old dog to death.
But on New Year’s Eve, the sky suddenly cleared up, and the temperature warmed up so much that people wanted to take off their padded jackets and just wear a couple of layers of light clothes.
After breakfast, Yang Ge stood on a stool outside his yard door, holding red paper couplets smeared with paste, and asked Fang Ke, who had come over for an early meal, "Is it straight?"
Fang Ke replied, "Tilt it a bit to the left, more... There! Straight!"
Yang Ge fixed the couplet in place, hopped off the stool to take a look, and then moved the stool under the lintel.
Fang Ke handed him the horizontal scroll, and Yang Ge, holding it up to the lintel, motioned, "Is it straight?"
Fang Ke responded, "Straight!"
Yang Ge affixed the scroll and jumped down from the stool, clapping his hands together, "All done!"
Just then, the neighboring yard door opened, and Xie Yunzhi, with her plain face and carrying a small medicine box, came out. Seeing Yang Ge examining his couplet, she followed his gaze to the words on his door: "A household of accumulated goodness forever blessed with fortune, an abode forever illuminated by the lucky star, may all things go as wished."
She couldn’t help but smile.
She had seen many with great ambitions but little talent, whose hearts soared higher than the heavens.
But it was rare to see someone who had the skill to mend the ills of the world yet lived a life so filled with the simple joys of existence, as her neighbor did.
Yang Ge greeted Xie Yunzhi cheerfully, "Miss Xie, still making house calls on New Year’s Eve?"
Xie Yunzhi nodded with a smile, "Not really calls, just routine follow-ups for a few patients."
Time can smooth out many things.
Three years had passed, and she had calmed significantly, no longer as melancholic and broken as when she first arrived in Lu Ting; although her skin had darkened and coarsened, she possessed a fresh and unembellished charm.
"That must be hard work."
Yang Ge replied with a smile, "Any plans this evening? If not, come over for some late night snacks!"
Xie Yunzhi waved with a smile, "No need, my mother said we are having dumplings tonight."
Yang Ge waved back, "Alright, take care on your way."
Xie Yunzhi nodded, turned, and walked away with her small medicine box.
But before she had gone far, a small head peeked out from the now open yard door, and, grinning, called over to Yang Ge, "Brother Yang, don’t listen to her. I will bring the dumplings over tonight, and we can eat together."
"Mother!"
Xie Yunzhi’s voice, both amused and exasperated, came from the distance.
Yang Ge pretended not to hear, and laughed, "Alright, it’s settled then. What would you like to eat tonight? I’ll make it for you."
The head at the doorstep brightened at this, and blurted out, "Sweet rice balls!"
Yang Ge gave her a thumbs up, "You’ve got taste!"
"Hehe."
"Alright, go on with your chores, I’m going back to my spring cleaning."
"Hey, I’ve steamed some buns; I’ll bring a steamer over for you later."
"That’s great..."
Carrying the stool, Yang Ge returned to his yard, as Fang Ke nodded with a smile towards the little girl next door and followed Yang Ge inside.
"Don’t shut the door, keep it open."
"Sure."
Yang Ge grabbed a broom, shooed away the exuberant little dog at his feet, and continued to sweep the courtyard.
Fang Ke stepped forward to take the broom from him, "Let me do it, sir."
Without any fuss, Yang Ge handed him the broom and turned to fetch a pail of clean water from the kitchen, then meticulously wiped the dust off the doors and windows with a damp cloth.
Watching him on the stool cleaning the door frame, Fang Ke casually joked with a laugh, "Sir, it’s really about time for a woman in this house..."
Yang Ge glanced at him, unable to hide his annoyance but still smiling, "If you’re going to be of help, help out. If not, just sit tight and wait for a cooked meal. Don’t make me slap you on such a festive occasion, ouch!"
Fang Ke chuckled, "That’s exactly what I’m saying. You’re too restless, always running around outside. There isn’t even anyone to feed Huang... Every time you return from a long trip, the house must be covered in dust, right?"
Yang Ge replied, "At least I have a home. What about you?"
At that moment, he suddenly remembered something, placed the rag down, and turned around to face Fang Ke, "By the way, I have never heard you mention your own marriage. What are your thoughts?"
Fang Ke hurriedly said, "How can I get married before you do?"
Yang Ge snorted, "What does my marriage have to do with you?"
Fang Ke replied, "I just haven’t had the time to think about it. I’ll definitely give it some thought later."
Yang Ge eyed him suspiciously, "You shouldn’t be lacking money, right? And your official position isn’t too shabby, is it?"
Fang Ke grinned, "Not lacking at all. You know how profitable my job at the guard station is. You should worry about yourself first. If I wanted to get married, it’d be easy—I could marry seven in one go!"
Just as Yang Ge was about to speak, a loud "bang" resounded as the half-open courtyard door was kicked open, and Liu Mang, dressed in new clothes and carrying two bags of New Year’s goods, burst in laughing, "Where are the sweet rice balls? Where are my sweet rice balls?"
Behind him, pregnant Mrs. Liu helped the hobbling Shopkeeper across the threshold and into the courtyard. The old Shopkeeper, seeing his eldest son puffing and glaring, admonished him, "Have some decency! At your age, can’t you act more appropriately?"
Fang Ke gave Liu Mang a thumbs up and chuckled... In today’s world, he reckoned the only person who dared to kick open that door was this very man!
Yang Ge hopped down from the stool and took the New Year’s goods from Liu Mang, scolding softly, "You’ve come, that’s enough; why bring gifts?"
He had invited the Shopkeeper’s family to join him for New Year’s Eve the previous night.
Liu Mang said sarcastically, "If I didn’t bring gifts, would you still cook for us?"
Yang Ge couldn’t help but laugh, "Keep it up, find yourself a seat... Fang, fetch some chairs from inside; it’s good weather for basking in the sun. Oh, and take the fruits from the table outside too."