My Husband is a Drama King [Book Transmigration] 32

Chapter 32: New Year

Song Changxu and Xu Zhizhou went together. They first went to the bookstore to buy paper and ink. There were still a few people in the bookstore picking out books. The owner was already familiar with Song Changxu. After he had sold the paper and ink, he asked, “Are you not copying books this time?”

Song Changxu smiled. “I’m not copying books recently.”

He had almost saved enough for the exam in Jinhe County. He wanted to use his spare time to read and write in preparation for next year’s exam.

The bookstore owner said with regret, “Alright then.”

Song Changxu was fast at copying, his handwriting was beautiful, and he was humble. The bookstore owner quite liked him.

After buying the paper and ink, they went to find Liang Su. Buying meat was the biggest expense for the New Year. Not only did they need fresh meat, but they also had to make sausages, cured meat, and smoked meat to store for later, as well as fried crispy pork.

The butcher’s shop was crowded. Seeing this, Xu Zhizhou pulled Song Changxu to buy the intestines first. After they had bought them, Liang Su and the others had also bought the meat. Now they were going to buy flour.

The market was full of people. The basket couldn’t hold everything, so Xu Zhizhou gave the things to Song Changxu. Xu Cheng, with the copper coins his father had given him, bought a string of candied haws and a small wooden carving. He had been picking and choosing at the peddler’s stall, and had also bought two hair ribbons. Seeing Song Changxu and the others in front, he immediately went up and pulled on Song Mingyan’s sleeve.

There were also many children here. He had heard his father say that in crowded places, he had to stick close to the elders.

Liang Su was familiar with all the shops in Shuibo Town. She knew which butcher’s shop was good, which colored paper and dried fruits were good. In no time, she had bought all the New Year’s goods.

Winter oranges were the most popular. They needed more incense, candles, and paper money for ancestral worship. Next year, Changxu was going to take the exam, so they had to ask their ancestors to bless them. They had to buy some firecrackers and fireworks. The New Year was all about being festive.

In the fireworks shop, Xu Cheng held a string of small firecrackers and liked them very much.

Liang Su said, “If Cheng Ge’er likes them, then get a few more.”

Xu Cheng nodded happily.

Xu Zhizhou took some fireworks and put them in his basket. He took a few extra so that he could set them off with his elder brother and Cheng Ge’er. In the past, when they celebrated the New Year at home, they would buy fireworks and set them off together. This was his first New Year at the Song family’s, so he also wanted to set off fireworks.

After buying the firecrackers and fireworks, they also had to buy couplets. It was more auspicious to cut the character for “fortune” from colored paper themselves.

“Changxu, do you think you can write a pair of couplets?” Liang Su said.

Song Changxu agreed. With that, they had bought everything the family needed. Song Ye had bought some materials to build a pigsty. By the time they were done, it was almost noon. It was better to have a bowl of noodles before going back hungry.

“Let’s have a bowl of noodles before we go back,” Song Ye also strongly agreed. It was the end of the year, and these were the good days. A little extra money spent didn’t matter.

“Alright, let’s go and eat,” Liang Su also agreed.

They each ordered their favorite noodles. Song Changxu was not very hungry, so he ordered a bowl of shredded pork noodles, just like Xu Zhizhou.

“We bought so many things today. I’m so satisfied,” Xu Zhizhou said happily as he got on the ox-cart.

Xu Zhici had sent the shoes he had embroidered and some food to Xie Huaichuan. Hearing his younger brother’s words, he smiled. “What did you buy that made you so happy?”

Xu Zhizhou said a few things. When the two brothers were together, they had endless things to talk about. Song Mingyan reached out to protect Xu Cheng and talked to him.

Liang Su was talking to Xu Sunzheng and Cao Qin.

“In-law, what did you buy?”

Cao Qin told them what she had bought. The harvest was good this year, and all the farmers had smiles on their faces.

Xu Sunzheng suddenly asked, “I heard from Changxu that he’s taking the exam next year?”

Liang Su: “The child wants to give it a try. I think so too. After all, he’s studied for so long. If he doesn’t try, he’ll be resentful. A trip to Jinhe County will also broaden his horizons.”

Xu Zhizhou’s uncle was a yamen runner in Jinhe County. Xu Sunzheng had taken the two brothers there once. He thought of the bustling scene in the county town compared to Shuibo Town.

He couldn’t help but say, “Yes, it’s good to go out and see the world.”

Song Changxu thought to himself, It seems that neither my parents nor my in-laws are very optimistic about me. But thinking about it, it was true. A county could only produce twenty or thirty xiucai. The ratio was too low.

At the village entrance, the two families parted ways. When they got home, they first put away their things, drank a mouthful of hot water, and rested for a while.

The village became lively. From the main hall, they could hear the sound of laughter outside. It wasn’t snowing today, so everyone had taken the opportunity to buy New Year’s goods. The courtyard gate was not closed, and through it, Song Changxu could see the smiles on their faces.

In the afternoon, Song Changxu was in his room, writing an essay.

“When food and clothing are sufficient, honor and disgrace are known. When the superiors observe the proper measure, the six relations are firm.” [1] This was a quote from Guanzi. Song Changxu used it as the opening to write a policy essay.

The room was not tightly closed. As Xu Zhizhou passed by, he saw Song Changxu holding his brush, his ink flowing freely.

Xu Zhizhou did not disturb him.

“Could it be that Song Changxu can really pass the exam in the future? Although I’ve always been talking about wanting to be the husband of an official, I still know it’s very difficult,” Xu Zhizhou said, going to make some sugar water to drink.

Today, his mother had not only bought white sugar but also brown sugar. Both were expensive, and they had been reluctant to drink it in the past. Now that they had bought so much, they could use it to make sugar water, which was very sweet.

He took the teapot to warm himself by the fire and helped to cut out the character for “fortune.” Xu Zhizhou poured a cup of hot water for Liang Su and Song Mingyan.

He had used brown sugar, which had a vibrant color. As soon as he poured it into the cup, a sweet aroma wafted out. Song Mingyan couldn’t help but take a sip. He hadn’t had brown sugar in a long time. A small package cost eighty copper coins, which was more expensive than meat.

Liang Su took the cup and took a sip, feeling comfortable.

“Cut a few ‘fortune’ characters to paste on the windows. The remaining colored paper can be given to Cheng Ge’er to play with, or used to cut something else.”

Song Mingyan said, “After we’re done with the ‘fortune’ characters, we still have to paste the door gods.”

Xu Zhizhou finished cutting the ‘fortune’ characters. Their family used rice paste to paste them. Xu Zhizhou took a few and not only pasted them on the windows, but also on the wardrobe.

He thought for a moment, took the rice paste and the red couplets, and went to the door. Seeing that Song Changxu was no longer writing, he went in and handed him the red couplets. “Hurry and write the couplets. We’re waiting to paste them.”

Song Changxu was handed the couplets. “Alright.”

He first opened them, thought for a moment, and wrote a pair. He said, “They’re not very well-written. We can only paste them at home.”

Xu Zhizhou pasted the ‘fortune’ characters on the windows, smoothing out the wrinkles. Hearing Song Changxu’s words, he came over and said, “It’s not like we’re going to sell them for money. Pasting them at home saves the money for buying them.”

Song Changxu: “…”

Many people in the village couldn’t read. They just pasted the couplets for good luck.

“You’re free now. Come with me to paste the door gods. Ask them to bless you to pass the exam next year,” Xu Zhizhou said.

Song Changxu had never pasted door gods before. He went with Xu Zhizhou to paste them. The door gods were Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. He applied the rice paste and carefully pasted them, smoothing out the wrinkles.

Xu Zhizhou also pasted the other side. “All done. For the next few days, besides being busy in the kitchen, we can just wait to eat delicious food.”

Hearing this, Song Changxu smiled. “Are you that greedy for delicious food?”

Xu Zhizhou glared at him. “What do you know? The family is going to make a lot of delicious food. We’ll be able to have a great meal. My favorite thing about the New Year is eating. I can eat a lot of meat. It’s even better to visit relatives. I don’t have to cook, just eat. After eating, I can chat for a bit and then run off.”

Song Changxu had never understood the New Year from this perspective. He nodded. “You’re not wrong.”

Xu Zhizhou said proudly, “Of course.”

He suddenly thought of something else, and his world came crashing down. He let out a dry sob. “I’m married now, I’m an elder. I can’t get red envelopes anymore. I have to give them to the younger generation.”

“That’s as it should be,” Song Changxu said, a smile in his eyes.

“No, no one is giving me a red envelope. Husband, you have to give me one,” Xu Zhizhou said, pulling on Song Changxu’s sleeve and shaking it.

“Give me a red envelope. If you don’t, I’ll tell Father and Mother that you’re not good to me.”

Song Changxu: “…”

I knew it.

“Alright, alright. I’ll give you one.”

In the evening, the family had a dish of braised ribs with radish, sprinkled with scallions, which was very fragrant. Song Changxu first drank a bowl of the rib soup before starting to eat. The six of them finished the entire plate of braised ribs with radish.

In the evening, Song Mingyan kneaded some dough. Xu Zhizhou minced some meat, planning to make large buns tomorrow.

“Let’s also make some vegetable and red bean paste buns,” Liang Su said. “Make a few more varieties, so there’s a choice.”

After mincing the meat, Xu Zhizhou now chopped the scallions, ginger, and garlic. He said, “I bet the meat buns will be finished first, and the vegetable and red bean paste buns will be left for last.”

Song Changxu didn’t read tonight. He was in the kitchen, adding firewood. He said seriously, “I quite like vegetable and red bean paste buns.”

Xu Zhizhou couldn’t help but glare at Song Changxu. He was always trying to undermine him.

Seeing the young couple like this, Liang Su laughed.

.

The people of Qishan Village had all pasted their couplets and door gods. The children in the house were playing in the courtyard, building snowmen and having snowball fights. When they felt cold, they would run to the main hall to warm themselves by the fire, and then run out again when they were warm.

Auntie Li’s two daughters had married out. Now they had come back with their husbands for the New Year. The whole family filled the table. Her daughters had given birth to grandchildren, and with three generations under one roof, Auntie Li couldn’t stop smiling.

What the elderly looked forward to the most during the New Year was for their children to come back and liven things up. Auntie Li went to get the sugar cakes and fruits she had bought and brought them out on a plate. In the past, the family had been reluctant to eat these things, but during the New Year, they didn’t feel bad about it at all.

Auntie Li beckoned her grandchildren and great-grandchildren over. “Don’t play in the snow for too long, or you’ll get sick. Come and have some sugar cakes.”

Hearing this, the children gathered around.

Auntie Li looked at them with a loving expression.

Song Changxu carried some meat and a few packages of candy and went to the Xu family’s with Xu Zhizhou. They happened to run into Auntie Li and greeted her.

Auntie Li: “Are you two going to the Xu family’s? Good. This year, Cao Qin will also be receiving her son and son-in-law.”

Auntie Li was a bit envious. Xu Zhizhou had married Song Changxu, and the two families lived close by, so they could visit each other from time to time.

“My mother doesn’t need to receive us. We’re just going back as if it were our own home. We’ll just find a place to sit, make some simple food, and eat. We’re easy to feed,” Xu Zhizhou said frankly.

Song Changxu also agreed. “My husband is right.”

Auntie Li could see that the two had a good relationship after they got married. At her age, seeing the young people in the village get along well and live a good life made her quite happy.

She said, “You two should go. Don’t let your parents wait too long.”

When Song Changxu and Xu Zhizhou arrived at the Xu residence, the courtyard gate was open. They went straight into the courtyard and into the main hall. Xu Sunzheng and the others were also warming themselves by the fire.

Seeing them, Xu Sunzheng’s face lit up with joy. “You’re here. Come and warm yourselves by the fire.”

Song Changxu gave the gift he had brought to his mother-in-law and sat down next to Xu Zhizhou.

Song Changxu had become familiar with Xu Sunzheng and Cao Qin and could exchange a few words. With Xu Zhizhou there, the atmosphere would not be cold.

Xu Zhici was also increasingly satisfied with Song Changxu, this brother-in-law. Just by looking at Zhizhou’s state, he knew that he was living well at the Song family’s.

It was clear that Xu Sunzheng and Cao Qin also thought so.

Xu Zhizhou talked even more when he was at home. He touched the door gods pasted on the door and looked at the couplets. He couldn’t read and didn’t understand, so he pulled on Song Changxu and asked him to read them to him.

Song Changxu finished reading.

Xu Zhizhou nodded with a profound expression. “They’re well-written.”

Although he didn’t understand, it was just a few words anyway.

Song Changxu looked at Xu Zhizhou’s appearance, a smile in his eyes. Xu Zhici called out from the kitchen, “Zhizhou, help me peel some garlic.”

Xu Zhizhou: “I’m a guest here, and I still have to peel garlic.”

Xu Zhizhou took out the garlic and had Song Changxu peel it. He wanted to go and have a look at his own small room.

Cao Qin was about to speak.

Song Changxu was already used to it. “It’s fine, Mother-in-law. It’s just peeling garlic. It’s no trouble.”

They had a meal at the Xu family’s at noon and then went back. In the evening, someone else came to pay a New Year’s visit, and for the next few days, it was all about visiting. Song Changxu gave out quite a few red envelopes.

They also went to visit relatives a few times. When they got back, they had to receive other relatives. After three or four days, the family finally had some peace.

Although Song Changxu hadn’t received many relatives, they had all asked him about his studies. He was a bit numb from answering all the questions.

In the evening, the family had a rare peaceful meal, then set off fireworks. Xu Cheng set off a firecracker and ran away. Hearing the sound of fireworks and firecrackers, and the sound of children running around and shouting in the village, Song Changxu looked up. A firework exploded in the sky, flashed for a moment, and then disappeared.

Xu Zhizhou looked at the sky and saw all sorts of fireworks. Everyone had set off their family’s fireworks at this time. Fireworks were more expensive than firecrackers. After a while, most of them were firecrackers.

Song Mingyan was pulled by Xu Zhizhou to set off fireworks and firecrackers. He looked at the fireworks in the sky, listened to the sound of the firecrackers, and the corners of his lips turned up.

Song Ye took some fireworks and had Liang Su set them off. Liang Su refused a few times. Xu Zhizhou went over to whoop and holler, and Song Changxu also joined in to persuade her. Liang Su took the fireworks and set them off.

Song Mingyan thought to himself that it was so good to have a family like this.

Xu Cheng saw some children playing outside. He said a word and then went to play with them.

After watching the excitement for a while, it was late, and there were still a few scattered firecrackers.

Some of the elderly in the village, whose children had not come back, were left alone. When Song Changxu went to close the courtyard gate, he saw an old woman walking home with a cane, with no one by her side.

He had heard from Liang Su that when the old woman was young, she had favored her son. Her daughter had married far away and had never come back. Her son had become successful and no longer cared for her. After her husband died, she was left all alone.

Song Changxu closed the door. The main hall was lit by a candle. Liang Su said, “We’ll clean the courtyard tomorrow. It’s too dark to see at night.”

Everyone agreed. The family gathered around the fire.

After the New Year, the days passed quickly. After the villagers had finished visiting their relatives, they started to visit each other. Xu Zhizhou was at home embroidering a purse when he heard footsteps. He looked up and saw it was Sun Luzhen.

He smiled with pleasant surprise. “Come, sit. Why are you here?”

Sun Luzhen said, “I’ve come to the Song family’s to embroider a purse by the fire.”

He saw that Song Mingyan was also there and called out “Brother Song.” Song Mingyan invited him to sit down and embroider with them.

With his friend here, Xu Zhizhou went to get some pastries to serve him.

Sun Luzhen was also bored at home. He had thought that he hadn’t seen Xu Zhizhou in a long time, so he had come to find him.

Now, the three ge’ers were together, and they had endless things to talk about.

When Song Changxu came outside to get some tea, he saw them talking and laughing. He went to the kitchen to get some hot water without disturbing them and went back to his room to continue reading.

After he had finished learning about the history of the Ningxing Dynasty, he knew that in the original novel, Emperor Pingjing was a very suspicious emperor. It was probably because he had ascended the throne as a young man and had been deprived of power for many years. Once he had power in his hands, he was suspicious of everyone, but he was still a wise ruler.

He wanted to continue to take the exams. It would be good enough to become a Jinshi. He didn’t care if he was a first-class or a third-class Jinshi.

In the evening, Xu Zhizhou returned to his room with satisfaction. Song Changxu was already lying in bed. As soon as Xu Zhizhou lay down, Song Changxu hugged him.

In the winter, it was warm to sleep while hugging.

Then he lowered his head and kissed his cheek. Xu Zhizhou dodged a little. “Kissing the cheek is wet and uncomfortable. You can kiss my mouth.”

Song Changxu agreed and kissed him.

In the darkness, their senses were amplified. Xu Zhizhou could feel the shape of Song Changxu’s lips, and then his lips and teeth were pried open. He felt as if he were being stared at by a large, fierce beast.

He pushed Song Changxu.

After a long time, Song Changxu released Xu Zhizhou. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. He asked, “When can I consummate our marriage?”

Xu Zhizhou’s cheeks turned red. “What are you talking about?”

Song Changxu said, “We’re already married. I also want to consummate our marriage.”

He had thought about it. They were already married. Song Changxu had also struggled with it. They were destined to be entangled. Why couldn’t he consummate their marriage?

Song Changxu had spent a year here. He touched Xu Zhizhou’s hair. Everything here was real, and the person next to him was also real.

“You’ve married me. Are you ready to spend this long life with me?”

Author’s Note:

Little Song: I…

Little Xu: [Pats head]