When the pears are green

Song Li opened the courtyard gate early, and she ran to the door from time to time to see if Jiang Qian had started writing couplets.

Jiang Qingzhou stood in the yard and watched Song Li running around. He pulled Song Li and whispered, "Xiao Li, don't worry. Every year, my second brother has to wait until the sun rises before writing couplets. Otherwise, the weather is too cold and he can't hold the pen well."

"So that's how it is. I've never seen couplets being written on the spot." After Song Li finished speaking, she looked at Jiang Qingzhou embarrassedly. She also felt that she was being rash.

Jiang Qingzhou smiled and held Song Li's hand, and asked softly: "Xiao Li, have you decided what to write? You spent most of the night thinking about it."

"Of course I've thought about it. It's worth it that I stayed up all night. Come on, let's go chop the meat first. The meatballs promised to Qingye are nowhere to be seen!" Song Li pulled Jiang Qingzhou towards the kitchen.

Song Li first cut a piece of the pork she bought yesterday, washed it, and then cut it into cubes.

Jiang Qingzhou put the washed onions and ginger on the chopping board, then took the knife from Song Li and started chopping them.

After Jiang Qingzhou chopped the meat into minced meat, Song Li told Jiang Qingzhou to put the minced meat into a ceramic bowl, then beat an egg into it, and then put some salt and bean paste in it.

Song Li stirred them evenly, stirring them clockwise, and then said to Jiang Qingzhou with a smile: "Qingzhou, just follow my movements and stir vigorously. Whether it tastes good or not depends on you. Come on!"

Jiang Qingzhou took the chopsticks from Song Li's hand with a smile. He stroked Song Li's nose and began to stir according to Song Li's previous movements.

Song Li stood by and watched Jiang Qingzhou stirring the minced meat.

"Stop, that's enough. Don't you want your arm anymore?" Song Li saw that Jiang Qingzhou's movements were beginning to become strenuous, so she quickly called for a stop.

Song Li hurriedly pinched Jiang Qingzhou's arm and threatened him: "If you do this again in the future, I won't ask you for help."

Jiang Qingzhou wanted to tell Song Li that he was fine, but after seeing Song Li's reproachful and concerned look, he said softly to Song Li: "I know, Xiaoli, don't be angry."

"Stop stirring once you start to feel tired. It's the same if you take a break before stirring again. You take a break first, and I'll take care of the rest." After Song Li finished speaking, she picked up the chopsticks and continued stirring.

Song Li stirred for a while, then stopped because she felt discomfort in her arm. Then she inserted the chopsticks into the minced meat and saw that the chopsticks were able to stand up. She washed her hands again and began to beat the minced meat in the basin.

"Sister-in-law, brother, my second brother has started writing couplets." Jiang Qingye pushed open the kitchen door and shouted loudly.

Jiang Qingzhou said to Jiang Qingye: "Qingye, go get the red paper first. Xiaoli and I will be there soon."

Jiang Qingye hurried to the main room to get the red paper.

After cutting the paper yesterday, Song Li placed it on the eight-immortals table in the main hall.

Song Li stopped what she was doing and covered the minced meat with a pot lid.

"Qingzhou, if I ask my second brother to write a couplet, do I need to pay him with copper coins or something?" Song Li asked.

Jiang Qingzhou thought for a moment, and then he said to Song Li: "It's all right, but the one who takes more things."

"Will five eggs be okay?" Song Li discussed with Jiang Qingzhou.

"Okay, my second sister-in-law is pregnant too, so we can give it to her." Jiang Qingzhou said to Song Li with a smile.

Song Li happily took five eggs from the basket and put them in the bowl.

Jiang Qingzhou took the bowl and pulled Song Li out of the kitchen.

Before Song Li and Jiang Qingzhou reached the gate of the courtyard, they saw Jiang Qingye walking in with red paper and Li Yunan and Wu Mingde holding pens and ink.

Li Yun'an smiled and said to the two of them, "Yesterday at the market I said I would write a couplet for Brother Jiang, so I came here in a hurry today, fearing that I would miss it."

Song Li took the bowl from Jiang Qingzhou and hurried to the kitchen.

"Miss Jiang, bring some water to grind the ink." Li Yun'an shouted loudly.

Song Li nodded. She took a small bowl, filled it with water, and also took a wooden spoon to scoop the water.

Jiang Qingzhou invited Li Yun'an and Wu Mingde to the main hall. He took the red paper from Jiang Qingye and told him to boil water.

Song Li brought the water into the main room and placed it on the eight-immortals table.

Wu Mingde saw the spoon in Song Li's hand. After taking it, he smiled and said to Song Li, "Miss Jiang, you are really meticulous."

Wu Mingde used a spoon to scoop some clean water and placed it on the inkstone. He took out the ink stick and placed it on the water surface. He began to grind it slowly and evenly from the inside to the outside and then from the outside to the inside, continuously pushing the ground ink into the inkstone pool.

"Mingde, it's almost done." Li Yun'an said, picked up the brush and asked Jiang Qingzhou and Song Li: "Brother Jiang, Miss Jiang, what kind of couplet are you going to write?"

Song Li glanced at Jiang Qingzhou, and Jiang Qingzhou smiled and nodded.

Song Li smiled and said to Li Yun'an, "Mr. Li, I thought of a few couplets yesterday. I asked you to write them. Is that okay?"

Li Yun'an and Wu Mingde looked at each other in surprise, and he smiled and said, "Of course."

Song Li pointed to two relatively wide strips of red paper and said, "Write this first, and post this on the courtyard door."

Wu Mingde took the red paper Song Li pointed at, spread it on the table, then pressed the top of the red paper and said to Song Li with a smile, "Miss Jiang, please speak."

Song Li cleared her throat and recited slowly: "The old year is bid farewell to the sound of firecrackers, and the black bird returns to welcome the new year. The horizontal banner reads "May you be well every year."

Li Yun'an picked up the tip of the pen, dipped it lightly in ink, and quickly wrote down the couplet that Song Li mentioned.

Song Li looked at Li Yun'an's smooth movements and couldn't help but applaud.

Wu Mingde took the written couplet aside and blew it gently. He said to Jiang Qingzhou, "Brother Jiang, take it aside to dry first."

Jiang Qingzhou quickly took the couplet from Wu Mingde's hand, took it to the east room and placed it on the wooden table by the window.

Jiang Qingzhou listened to the voices of Song Li, Li Yun'an and Wu Mingde, and he felt powerless all over. He felt that he might not be the husband that Song Li had in mind, but he just took the lead.

Wu Mingde took two more pieces of red paper and spread them out, motioning Song Li to continue.

"This one should be posted on Qingye's door. Write: Although I am a commoner today, I will earn a lot of money tomorrow. The horizontal banner should read: The sea of ​​learning has no boundaries." After Song Li finished speaking, he touched his nose, feeling like he was bragging.

After Li Yun'an wrote it down, he smiled and said to Song Li: "Miss Jiang has high hopes for Brother Jiang!"

Seeing that Jiang Qingzhou had not come out for a long time, Song Li kept looking towards the door of the east room.

Song Li was a little worried, but fortunately Jiang Qingzhou came out soon. She hurriedly pulled Jiang Qingzhou's arm, then smiled and said to Li Yun'an: "Vision, of course, should be high-level."

After Song Li finished speaking, she asked Jiang Qingzhou in a low voice: "Qingzhou, are you feeling unwell? What took you so long?"

Jiang Qingzhou looked at Song Li's concerned eyes, and the depression in his heart slowly began to dissipate. He smiled and said to Song Li: "It's nothing, I just put the wooden box somewhere else, so it took some time."

Li Yun'an held the pen and looked at Wu Mingde who was leisurely and contented. He handed the pen to Wu Mingde and said, "Mingde, go ahead and write. I have to give you a chance to show off."

Wu Mingde looked at Li Yun'an helplessly and took the brush that Li Yun'an handed over.

Jiang Qingzhou smiled and said, "Xiao Li, go on, there are still two pairs."

Song Li said as she watched Jiang Qingzhou: "In the kitchen, it is written: A wisp of cooking smoke provides three meals, two clay stoves warm the four seasons. The horizontal scroll is "Year after year of abundance". In our main hall, it is written: The house receives a hundred fortunes, the door welcomes a thousand joys. The horizontal scroll is "New Spring, New Scenery."

Wu Mingde wrote down the couplet that Song Li had mentioned, and then asked, "Brother Jiang, Miss Jiang, what do you write on the door?"

Song Li glanced at Jiang Qingzhou, who smiled and said, "Just write the word 'Fu'."

After Wu Mingde finished writing, Song Li took the couplets into the east room to dry. She saw the wooden box under the wooden table, pondered for a moment, then walked out with a smile.

After Song Li left, she first asked Li Yun'an and Wu Mingde: "Mr. Li, Mr. Wu, I want to ask where in town I can buy paper, ink, brushes and inkstones, and which one is more affordable. I looked around town for a long time yesterday, but didn't see any bookstores."

"Miss Jiang, Heihe Town is not wealthy, so there are no bookstores. Most paper, ink, pens and inkstones are sold in grocery stores. Go to my shop and I will give you a discount." Li Yun'an replied to Song Li with a smile.

Wu Mingde also said: "You can go to the Li family's shop to buy it. Although Yun'an will not do business at a loss, it will be more affordable than other places."

Jiang Qingzhou and Song Li thanked Li Yun'an and Wu Mingde again, and Song Li invited them to have dinner at her home.

Li Yun'an waved his hand and said, "Mingde and I still have to go help Jiang Qian, so we won't bother you anymore."

After Li Yun'an finished speaking, Wu Mingde had already packed up his writing brush and ink.

Jiang Qingye also boiled some hot water. Li Yun'an and Wu Mingde drank a cup of hot water and went to Jiang Qian's house.

Song Li looked at the sky and asked Jiang Qingzhou to continue helping her make meatballs.

"Qingzhou, are you worried about something?" Song Li, who had just walked into the kitchen, hugged Jiang Qingzhou.

Jiang Qingzhou was silent for a moment, then said, "I don't have one."

"Really?" Song Li asked unwillingly.

Jiang Qingzhou touched Song Li's hair and said, "Of course not."

Song Li looked at Jiang Qingzhou's expression with a smile. She let go of Jiang Qingzhou and let him sit next to the stove.

"Qingzhou, if you have anything to say, please tell me. Don't keep it in your heart. It's easy to get stuck in a rut when you're alone." Song Li said to Jiang Qingzhou with a smile, holding the ceramic basin.

Jiang Qingzhou looked at Song Li's smiling face and felt that he should be honest with Song Li.