Chapter 107: Writing Couplets for Everyone

Madam Luo observed Madam Cai’s demeanor, glanced at Wen Jin, and said nothing. She simply waited until Wen Xiuyi finished writing and then set down her own brush.

“What about yours?” Madam Luo asked.

“Huh?” Wen Xiuyi was momentarily taken aback, then said frankly, “Isn’t our house still half-demolished? Since it hasn’t been rebuilt yet, we’re not putting any up.”

Madam Luo had originally meant the room they were living in now, but she changed her mind and swallowed the words.

With the couplets finished, Madam Luo cooked up some paste and had Old Man Wen and his three sons paste them both inside and out. From afar, the bright red decorations looked wonderfully festive.

Not only that, but this year the family also hung red lanterns. From a distance, the sway of crimson in the wind was truly beautiful.

Villagers who saw it could only admire them with envy. Of course, those with red lanterns at home followed the Wen family’s example, hanging their own high for all to see—pleasing to the eye and full of holiday spirit.

By afternoon, villagers began arriving at the Wen house, each bringing their own red paper—some clearly new, others that had been stored away for years.

Wen Xiuyi, the only licentiate in Gutong Village and the most learned among them, had occasionally been approached in previous years by villagers hoping he would write couplets for them. But in those days, Wen Xiuyi had been proud and aloof, his nose almost in the clouds. He wouldn’t bother with such requests, not even for his own family.

This year was the first time things were different.

Now, seeing the Wen family’s doors adorned and having noticed Wen Xiuyi’s recent change in demeanor, the bolder villagers brought their red paper, hoping for a bit of luck. At worst, they’d be refused—nothing to be embarrassed about.

At that moment, Wen Xiuyi was in the livestock shed with Old Man Wen, reinforcing the shelter for Da Huang, the big yellow ox, after noticing the weather seemed unsettled. Hearing Madam Luo call from the front yard, he went out and found the villagers had come to request couplets.

“Alright, I see what this is about. Second, Third, move our table outside. Head, Bighead, son, lend your ink to your father for a bit,” Wen Xiuyi called out, organizing everyone without hesitation.

For some reason, those who’d come for couplets couldn’t help but smile at his easy tone. This was no longer the haughty scholar they’d once known.

Wen Xiuzhu and Wen Xiuqing moved the table, Bighead ground his ink and brought it over, then sat nearby, watching Wen Xiuyi write and mimicking his motions with eager little hands.

Once ready, Wen Xiuyi looked up at the first villager. “What would you like written?”

The villager stammered, “I… I don’t know. I’ve never been to school.”

Wen Xiuyi sighed. “Shall I just make something up for you?”

Nodding earnestly, the villager said, “Yes, yes, something auspicious, something festive.”

After a brief pause, Wen Xiuyi wrote eighteen large characters, then read them aloud: “Peace and good fortune rise step by step; harmony in the home brings happiness year after year. The horizontal scroll: May all things go as you wish. How’s that?”

The villager’s grin nearly reached his ears as he bowed repeatedly. “Perfect, perfect! Scholar Wen, thank you, thank you!” He left delighted, showing off his couplet to everyone along the way.

Seeing that Wen Xiuyi truly was willing to write couplets, villagers thronged to the Wen house, calling, “Scholar Wen, write one for my family too!”

Soon, the growing crowd was pushing and shoving, and Madam Luo appeared brandishing a broom, commanding, “Quiet! Stand in line!”

At her shout, the courtyard fell silent and all eyes turned to her. She waved her broom and said sternly, “It’s the New Year—what’s with the ruckus? Line up, one at a time. Anyone who tries to cut in or cause trouble, I’ll throw them out myself.”

At that, everyone hurried to form a line. Though there were a few jostles—no one wanting to give way—under Madam Luo’s fierce gaze, a queue took shape.

Gutong Village was no tiny hamlet; with over a hundred households, word quickly spread as those with fresh couplets returned home. Even those who hadn’t come at first decided to try their luck.

Those without proper red paper cut strips as long as an arm—whatever the material, it was still a symbol of the New Year.

By the end, Wen Xiuyi had exhausted all his phrases, nearly sending Wen Yao to buy a book of couplet examples on the spot.

Thankfully, by reusing the auspicious phrases, he managed to finish writing couplets for the whole village before nightfall.

When at last the couplets were done, Wen Xiuyi was utterly spent, and Bighead’s ink block was used up as well.

“Dad, I’m out of ink,” Bighead declared, not out of stinginess, but a touch of regret. Yet seeing the smiles on the villagers’ faces, that regret felt trivial.

Wen Xiuyi wanted to pat Bighead on the head, but was too weary to even lift his hand. “Go find the housekeeper and have her buy you a new one. Head, please, let me rest for a bit.”

Bighead sighed, then stepped forward and began massaging Wen Xiuyi’s arm with his small hands.

The gentle gesture moved Wen Xiuyi to pull Bighead into his arms and plant a kiss on his cheek. “Good boy, my dearest son, you warm your father’s heart.”

The rest of the family, watching the father and son’s playful antics, laughed. Bighead’s face turned bright red, and he buried his head shyly in Wen Xiuyi’s embrace.

Madam Luo, knowing her son had worked hard all day, gathered Bighead up and led him away, not letting Wen Xiuyi do anything more.

The next morning, because Doctor Jin and his family were coming, the entire Wen household was up at dawn, bustling about with preparations. Old Man Wen took his three sons up the mountain early, carrying the offerings, incense, and paper money Madam Luo had prepared. They paid their respects at the ancestral graves, sending blessings to their forebears for the New Year.

Shortly after they returned from the mountain, the Jin family’s carriage arrived. As soon as it stopped, three children leaped out: Wen Ying, Bighead, and Jin Xiuyi.

A group of children had been playing at the village entrance, and upon seeing the Jin family’s carriage, ran to inform Wen Ying and Bighead. The two of them hurried to greet Doctor Jin’s family, then rode back together in the carriage.

“Grandma Wen, Grandpa Wen, I’m here!” Jin Xiuyi shouted as he ran in with Wen Ying and Bighead, nearly bumping into the welcoming party.

Madam Luo caught Bighead and Jin Xiuyi each by the hand and led them out to greet their guests.

Hong Hai was just helping Doctor Jin and Manager Qiu down from the carriage.