Chapter 175 New Year

Li Shengli talked with his sister-in-law and gave her some advice. After drinking the water, Li Shengli played with his son for a while, then handed the child to the care of Old Mrs. Han and went to prepare the New Year's Eve dinner.

"Shengli, let's go put up the couplets first." Han Qiuyun took a folded ball of paper from the table, and Li Shengli then realized that what was on the table was a couplet.

"Where did this come from? It doesn't look like it was written by Mr. Yan next door." Li Shengli looked at the couplet in his hand. The vigorous and powerful calligraphy obviously didn't look like the work of that stingy uncle.

"Brother-in-law, I got this." Han Qiuyu next to him raised his hand to take credit.

"Sure, where did you buy it?" Li Shengli looked the couplet up and down. He would definitely be the coolest guy in the courtyard if he put up such a couplet this year.

"I work in the street office, so I'm well-informed. There's a university teacher over there who likes to write calligraphy. I went to his house specifically to ask for some calligraphy." Han Qiuyu looked proud.

"Sure, eat more dumplings later." Li Shengli was happy. His sister-in-law did a good job. Li Shengli originally planned to ask Yan Bugui, who lived next door, to write one for him.

"Let's go, Qiuyun, let's go and paste the couplets first." Li Shengli called Han Qiuyun. Old Mrs. Han, who was watching the child nearby, had already prepared the paste.

Outside, Yan Bugui and Yi Zhonghai were also putting up couplets for other people whose families were in financial difficulty and did not have any couplets yet.

"Uncle, why doesn't Li Shengli's family have any couplets posted?" Yi Zhonghai looked around and found that Li Shengli's family was the only one that didn't have any couplets posted. This shouldn't be the case, as Li Shengli's family lives much better than most people.

"I'm not sure about that. No one in his family asked me to write couplets." Yan Bugui shook his head. He knew exactly who in this yard asked him to write couplets.

"Then let's go and ask." Yi Zhonghai said with a smile. This is the reason why he is so prestigious in the courtyard.

The two were just about to go over and knock on the door when Li Shengli and Han Qiuyun came out holding couplets and paste.

Yi Zhonghai and Yan Bugui were stunned for a moment and then walked away pretending nothing had happened. To be honest, this was quite embarrassing.

Li Shengli and Han Qiuyun posted the couplets with laughter. Yan Bugui also came over. He wanted to see where Li Shengli got the couplet from. Could it be that the handwriting was better than what he wrote?
Yan Bugui went up to take a look and then retreated in shame.

"Uncle, what's wrong with you?" Yi Zhonghai couldn't understand the difference between the two words.

Yan Bugui shook his head and said nothing. Could it be that he was being asked to say that his calligraphy was not as good as others?

Just like what Yan Bugui said, the ancients could tell what kind of person someone was just by looking at his handwriting. The words on the couplet posted by Li Shengli have a more majestic feel than his own.

Li Shengli saw the two old men, glanced at them and ignored them.

After pasting the couplets, they returned home. Han Qiuyun continued to clean the house, while Li Shengli continued to cook the New Year's Eve dinner.

Killing chickens, slaughtering fish, kneading dough, chopping stuffing, Li Shengli handled the ingredients in his hands slowly and methodically. It was still early, so there was no need to work so fast. The New Year would be more lively when the whole family participates together.

Li Shengli, who had nothing to do, was looking at the scenery outside while dealing with the things at hand. This look really made Li Shengli realize something. There was no need to mention that Xu Damao and Lou Xiao'e were carrying things home for the New Year. Xu Damao looked a little worried.

In the past, Xu Damao's parents always asked why Lou Xiao'e couldn't get pregnant. But this year is different. If Xu's father and mother say this to Lou Xiao'e again, given Lou Xiao'e's temper, she will definitely get angry and slap the medical examination report in the faces of Xu Damao's parents.

Not long after Xu Damao left, Qin Huairu came in from outside carrying a bag containing pork and flour.

Wow, Li Shengli has gotten into something big this time. It seems that this idiot Zhu has finally beaten up Deputy Director Li. Ten kilograms of pork, it would take at least two years for Yan Bugui's family to eat it.

It was Sha Zhu who protected Qin Huairu when she needed protection the most. Li Shengli probably wanted to introduce Qin Jingru to Sha Zhu because of this incident. "Shengli, are you okay?" Li Shengli was lost in thought when he heard Han Qiuyun's call from behind.

"Okay, okay." Li Shengli stirred the mixed dumpling stuffing vigorously a few more times.

"Come on, let's make dumplings together." Li Shengli put the dough and dumpling filling on the panel and said to Han Qiuyun and her sister with a smile.

The three of them started making dumplings with a smile on their faces, and they finished making the dumplings quickly while playing around.

As it was getting late, fires started breaking out in every household.

"Next is the chef's time." Li Shengli held a large spoon in his hand and kept turning it in his hand, saying narcissistically as he turned it.

After saying that, Li Shengli started cooking, and soon the chicken and fish were in the pot.

There were bursts of firecrackers outside. Li Shengli was still missing the Spring Festival Gala. In the past, he would turn on the TV while doing other things, but now he can't even watch the Spring Festival Gala even if he wants to.

The compound began to become lively. Smells of fragrance were already wafting from the homes with better conditions, such as the Jia family in the central courtyard. This year, the entire Jia family, along with the uncle and his wife, the deaf old lady, and Sha Zhu, celebrated the New Year together. This tradition will be maintained in the future.

The Jia family was quite lively. The three children of the Jia family kowtowed to the deaf old lady one by one and wished a happy new year. They looked very happy. Jia Zhang was finally able to have a good meal, and the three children received lucky money. Qin Huairu was happy as long as the three children were happy, and the others felt that there was a stronger family atmosphere.

Li Shengli quickly prepared the meal. After serving the meal to the table, Han Qiuyu smelled the fragrance of the food and gave Li Shengli a thumbs up.

"Qiuyun, what are you looking at?" Li Shengli was a little surprised why Han Qiuyun was looking at the back house in the front yard without saying anything.

"Shengli, look over there." Han Qiuyun pointed to the back house in the front yard. Li Shengli looked over and saw that it was the family of Liu Cheng, a poor household in the yard.

There seemed to be no sound coming from Liu Cheng's house, and there was no fragrance coming out of the house.

"Wait a moment." Li Shengli finally understood. Could it be that the sight of the object reminded him of the time when he didn't have dumplings to eat during the Chinese New Year?

Li Shengli returned home and took a bowl of chicken and a bowl of dumplings. Han Qiuyu and Old Lady Han looked at the two silently without saying a word.

"Here." Li Shengli handed the bowl to Han Qiuyun, and Han Qiuyun turned around and looked at Li Shengli.

"Go ahead." Li Shengli raised his head and gestured to Liu Chengjia.

Han Qiuyun looked at Li Shengli, smiled, carried two bowls to Liu Cheng's house and knocked on the door.

After a while, Han Qiuyun came back with the bowl amid the Liu Cheng family's thanks. After coming back, she hugged Li Shengli and kissed him, which made Han Qiuyu next to her curl her lips.

Li Shengli waited until Han Qiuyun's emotions calmed down before he took her in his arms and sat her down at the table.

"Come on, grandma, I wish you good health and a long life in the new year. I also wish Qiuyu good work and happiness every day, and Qiuyun..." Li Shengli made an opening remark as the head of the family.

It was late at night and everyone was full. Li Shengli took the children and Han Qiuyun back to his room. Han Qiuyu and Old Lady Han slept in the same room. Of course, Li Shengli did not forget to lock the door before going to bed. He simply fastened the wooden bolt inside. When decorating the house, Li Shengli specifically asked Carpenter Li to take good care of the bolt. Now it could not be opened no matter what from the outside.

(End of this chapter)