Once outside, Mr. Xiao stood at the doorway watching Chen Yuanxing slowly lead Xiao Qiqi through the cement alley. He said to his mother, "This child seems quite steady." Mrs. Xiao smiled and nodded, seeing that Chen Yuanxing was indeed riding his bike very steadily. It seemed that they were very satisfied with Chen Yuanxing as their "son-in-law."
Xiao Qiqi was actually quite nervous. She had no idea if Chen Yuanxing could ride a motorcycle. Seeing him slowly and carefully navigate the alleyway onto the main road, she breathed a sigh of relief, but Chen Yuanxing suddenly pulled her hand, making her wrap her arms around his waist. Still somewhat bewildered, she had just wrapped her arms when she felt the motorcycle speed away like a rocket. Startled, she screamed and clung even tighter to Chen Yuanxing's waist. At first, it was terrifying; the whooshing wind filled her eardrums, and the buildings beside the road flashed by. But soon, Chen Yuanxing unleashed the wild side within Xiao Qiqi. This speed, this arrogance, this impulsiveness—it was just like the first time she rode a bicycle, carrying Jiang Yilan, and recklessly charged down the infamous Jiulianwan Sand Road—it was so exhilarating, so invigorating! Xiao Qiqi, clinging to Chen Yuanxing, screamed exaggeratedly, "God, let the world go even crazier! Even if it's destroyed like this, the world is at my feet, and passion is in my heart!" Chen Yuanxing was a wild wolf by nature. Hearing Xiao Qiqi's exaggerated scream, the car sped even more wildly on the wide cement road in the county town.
After riding for an unknown amount of time, Chen Yuanxing slammed on the brakes, stopping the motorcycle on the stone bridge over the Xiaohuang River that runs through the city. Xiao Qiqi, panting heavily, stumbled off the motorcycle and leaned against the bridge railing, retching for a while. Turning around, she saw Chen Yuanxing, also panting, smiling at her. Ignoring the many people on the bridge, she rushed over and hugged Chen Yuanxing's neck. Chen Yuanxing reciprocated, and the two embraced and laughed heartily. Chen Yuanxing even stole several kisses from Xiao Qiqi, but the excited Xiao Qiqi didn't notice, her bright eyes seeming to see right through Chen Yuanxing.
Perhaps that's the beauty of youth—passion arrives so easily, and the wildness and enthusiasm surging within slowly rekindle and ignite. Xia Xuan is a mild-mannered gentleman, and Xiao Qiqi is a well-behaved and playful woman in his presence. But in front of Chen Yuanxing, she can laugh freely, unleash her untamed wildness, and unleash her intense personality. The world is intense yet real.
"Xingxing, do you often speed?" Xiao Qiqi let Chen Yuanxing hug her waist from behind. The two of them quietly looked at the clear river, the cold river water, and the cold wind, but their hearts were burning with passion.
Chen Yuanxing's protest against the "gorilla" nickname was clearly ineffective. He leaned close to Xiao Qiqi's ear and said, "Would you believe me if I said this was my first time riding a motorcycle?"
"Huh?" Xiao Qiqi turned around to look at him, her mischievous eyes shining with smugness. Xiao Qiqi pretended to be angry and slapped his face, but the smile on her lips betrayed her true thoughts. "You bad guy, aren't you scared?"
"Hehe, so what if I fall? What's there to be afraid of? But I'm still scared, afraid I'll hurt you." Chen Yuanxing rested his head on her shoulder. "Just now I was thinking, even if we are destroyed like this, the world is still at my feet, and passion is still in my heart."
Xiao Qiqi turned around in surprise and met his deep eyes, which had just regained their composure. She couldn't look away for a long time. He actually thought the same thing as her!
"No more speeding from now on." I was worried, so I never said those words.
"Okay." Chen Yuanxing nodded readily, as if he already knew what she was going to say.
Xiao Qiqi turned around and hugged Chen Yuanxing's waist, getting closer to him so intimately for the first time. She looked up and smiled gently, "Xingxing, I miss my mom. Shall we go shopping with her to buy New Year's goods?"
Chen Yuanxing playfully pinched her nose, and the two intertwined their fingers as they left the bridge railing. On the way back, he indeed didn't speed anymore. Xiao Qiqi obediently nestled on his back, hugging his waist. Together, they quietly felt the chilly winter wind, their hearts peaceful and warm.
When they returned, Xiao's parents were just about to leave. They were surprised to see them back so early, but Xiao Qiqi smiled and hugged her mother, insisting on going shopping for New Year's goods with her. Xiao's mother was naturally happy to spend more time with her daughter, so she agreed. Xiao's father was also glad not to have to accompany her. And so, with Xiao Qiqi's arm around her mother's shoulder and Chen Yuanxing following behind, the three of them went to the market to buy fresh vegetables to prepare for tomorrow's New Year's feast.
Along the way, Xiao Qiqi chatted and laughed with her mother. Chen Yuanxing, feeling a bit left out, looked at Xiao Qiqi's arm around her mother's shoulder with some jealousy. Xiao Qiqi seemed to sense his petty thoughts and secretly glared at him, so he pretended to pout pitifully. Xiao's mother, being more experienced, had already noticed the exchange between her daughter and Chen Yuanxing and felt a pang of sympathy. So she pushed Xiao Qiqi away and started talking to Chen Yuanxing. Chen Yuanxing, naturally charming and used to chatting idly with the housekeeper at home, quickly made Xiao's mother beam with joy. Soon, Xiao's mother left Xiao Qiqi behind and chatted and laughed with Chen Yuanxing. In the end, it was Xiao Qiqi who followed behind, annoyed, watching the two of them being as affectionate as mother and son.
The market was bustling with people. Xiao's mother bought a lot of vegetables that Xiao Qiqi liked to eat, and also seafood that Chen Yuanxing liked to eat. Xiao Qiqi watched her mother repeatedly asking what Chen Yuanxing liked to eat, and couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Why did she feel like an outsider?
Xiao Qiqi pointed to a large pile of green vegetables, romaine lettuce, cabbage, spinach, lettuce, and the like with satisfaction, "Mom, hurry up and buy all of these, Chen Yuanxing loves them the most."
As expected, Xiao's mother fell for it and quickly asked the price to buy it. Chen Yuanxing was speechless, while Xiao Qiqi stuck her tongue out at him triumphantly from behind her mother. Chen Yuanxing pouted helplessly and finally resignedly carried a bunch of leafy greens home.
Lunch was a hot pot cooked by Dad. Xiao Qiqi threw in a bunch of vegetables, then watched with a smug smile as Mom piled them into Chen Yuanxing's bowl. Seeing her daughter so happy, Xiao's mother couldn't help but feel a little sentimental. Her daughter was growing up and becoming so carefree; seeing how well her mother treated her boyfriend, she was getting carried away. Little did she know, Xiao Qiqi's mischievous intentions were hidden! Throughout the meal, only Chen Yuanxing was left speechless with bitterness, while everyone else was overjoyed.
The family ate and chatted happily. Although the vegetables tasted bitter to Chen Yuanxing, seeing how warm and loving Xiao Qiqi's family was, he felt envious and happy. How wonderful it would be if his own family could have such a happy meal together! Thinking of this, his expression became a little gloomy. Xiao Qiqi thought he was upset about the vegetables and didn't want to be too cruel to him, so she put some mutton on his plate.
Mr. Xiao hadn't spoken until now, but then he coughed and asked, "What do Xiao Chen's parents do?"
Chen Yuanxing was still a little dazed. It took him a while to realize that Mr. Xiao was talking to him. He quickly put down his chopsticks and carefully chose his tone, saying, "My father is a businessman, and my mother is a civil servant." Is that not wrong?
"Oh." Mr. Xiao nodded. "So you're spending the Chinese New Year abroad?"
"Dad!" Xiao Qiqi felt uncomfortable when her father spoke in a tone that sounded like he was on a blind date. She called out to him in a spoiled manner, but her father glanced at her, signaling her not to interrupt. Xiao Qiqi then looked uncomfortably at Chen Yuanxing, afraid that he might let something slip. In fact, she didn't know anything about Chen Yuanxing's family situation. She had never asked, and he had never mentioned it. She only knew that he seemed to be closer to an aunt who had raised him since he was a child.
Chen Yuanxing said respectfully, "Yes, Mom went abroad on a visit, and Dad is going to discuss business."
"Oh, your mother must be working really hard, even having to go abroad for the New Year. And your father's business is quite successful too." As a mother, she couldn't help but overthink things, imagining that Xiao Chen's family background must be incredibly privileged, otherwise their daughter from an ordinary small-town family wouldn't be a good match for her. Xiao Qiqi's family was just an ordinary family in the county town. Her father had been a lowly section chief in the education bureau his whole life, her mother was an accountant in a government-owned enterprise, and she had an older brother five years her senior who worked for a company in the south. Their two-story house was built by relatives back in their hometown years ago; they weren't wealthy.
Xiao Qiqi naturally understood the meaning behind her parents' question, so she put down her chopsticks in annoyance. She looked at her mother, who seemed unconcerned and picked up another piece of green vegetable for Chen Yuanxing. "Xiao Chen, eat. Qiqi said you love eating hot pot vegetables the most. Actually, boys should eat more meat."
Chen Yuanxing politely said thank you, then quickly lowered his head to eat his food, thus hastily ending the topic.
That evening, Xiao Qiqi escorted Chen Yuanxing back to his brother's room to sleep, then went downstairs into her mother's room and said in a slightly coquettish tone that her parents shouldn't have asked about Chen Yuanxing's family matters.
But Xiao's mother hugged Xiao Qiqi and said, "Qiqi, you're still so childish. Marriage isn't just a matter between the two of them; it's a matter between their two families. If his family is too well-off, our family isn't good enough for him. Our daughter is about to run off with someone, can't we at least ask her about it?"
Xiao Qiqi frowned. "Mom, who said I was going to marry him? I told you he was here for a vacation!"
Xiao's mother then affectionately pinched Xiao Qiqi's nose, "You little rascal, did you think your parents have wasted their whole lives? Can't you see that? If that child didn't mean to, would he have come all the way here for the New Year with you? I think that child is quite honest and steady, a year younger than you, but much more mature than you."
Xiao Qiqi felt ashamed. If her parents knew she had raced cars with Chen Yuanxing today, she wondered what they would think of him. "Mom, it's not like that." Xiao Qiqi nestled in her mother's arms, unable to say anything. Her future with Chen Yuanxing was uncertain; even she didn't know where it would lead, let alone marriage.
"Alright, stop nagging me. You spent the whole night on the train, go to sleep now." Xiao's mother lovingly patted Xiao Qiqi's head. "But boys are young, and it's hard to control you. You have such a fiery temper, what should we do?"
Xiao Qiqi was even more upset. She really wanted to hug her mother and cry her heart out, to have a good talk with her. Her daughter's fiery temper had been worn down more than a year ago, and now she was utterly cowardly, incompetent, and timid. But in the end, Xiao Qiqi didn't dare to say anything. She nestled in her mother's arms and talked for a long time before going upstairs to sleep.
Thirty-three, Chinese New Year (Part Two)
Xiao Qiqi had just entered the room and hadn't even turned on the light when a dark shadow flashed by and she was suddenly grabbed around the waist. Xiao Qiqi pushed him away in a low voice, "Hey, this is my house. Why aren't you sleeping? What are you doing sneaking into my room like this?" As she spoke, she reached for the light switch on the wall, but Chen Yuanxing still wouldn't let go, holding her as he turned on the light and closed the door.
Xiao Qiqi's room was filled with dolls that girls love, but even more numerous were shelves upon shelves of books, covering half a wall. From world classics to martial arts and romance novels, Chinese and foreign history books to comic books, classical literature to celebrity magazines, you name it, they had it. There was even a banner on the wall with Xiao Qiqi's own flamboyant calligraphy: "The road ahead is long and arduous, but I will persevere in my pursuit." Chen Yuanxing released Xiao Qiqi and looked around curiously, shaking his head and clicking his tongue: "Qiqi, I never knew you were such a talented woman."
Xiao Qiqi proudly tilted her chin up, "Of course, back in the day, we were famous far and wide!"
Chen Yuanxing pulled out a comic book and flipped through it. "You read this too? I remember reading it when I was a kid, but I lost it all. You still keep it."
"That's right, I'm keeping it to become an antique and appreciate in value in a few years." Xiao Qiqi snatched it away and shoved it back onto the bookshelf. "Why aren't you going to sleep? What are you dawdling here for?"
Chen Yuanxing looked at her and smiled strangely, "Qiqi, I can't sleep alone."
Xiao Qiqi blushed. For the past six months, they had indeed shared a bed every day. She stomped her foot and said, "Stop fooling around. This is my home. Go sleep in my brother's room." As she spoke, she pushed him away.
Chen Yuanxing didn't move, and Xiao Qiqi pushed him for a long time, but he ended up hugging her in a spoiled manner. "Qiqi, um, I don't want to sleep alone. Your house is so cold, there's no heating or air conditioning, I'll be cold at night."
Xiao Qiqi was unwilling to act like this in front of her parents, and pried his hand away, saying, "No, my mother specially added an extra blanket, you won't be cold."
"I don't want to be covered up so thickly, it'll suffocate me." Chen Yuanxing kept rubbing his mouth against Xiao Qiqi's ear. "Hmm? Your parents are downstairs. I'll get up early tomorrow morning, then they won't know."
"No way!" Xiao Qiqi pushed his face away, making an excuse: "My mom will come up to cover me with a blanket tonight."
"Huh? How old are you? You still need your mom to cover you with a blanket?" Chen Yuanxing didn't believe her at all. He moved his face closer and this time kissed Xiao Qiqi's earlobe directly. Xiao Qiqi felt a tingling sensation all over her body and kept twisting her body, refusing to let him kiss her. But Chen Yuanxing persisted in kissing her, tightening his grip on Xiao Qiqi's slender waist and even using his hand to hold her flailing hands still. The more Xiao Qiqi moved, the more excited he became. Finally, Xiao Qiqi clearly felt the change in his body and was so frightened that she dared not move anymore. She pleaded, "Xingxing, please leave quickly. My mom really will come up in the middle of the night."
Seeing Xiao Qiqi's expression, Chen Yuanxing knew that this was her limit, so he whispered something in her ear. Xiao Qiqi's face turned even redder, and she turned her head away from him. Chen Yuanxing then shook her, "Hmm? Okay, I'll leave right away."
Xiao Qiqi remained silent, her hand slowly moving towards his already aroused and restless area. After quickly relieving him, Chen Yuanxing was reluctantly pushed out by Xiao Qiqi. Xiao Qiqi closed the door, clutching her pounding chest, and breathed a sigh of relief. At this rate, he'd eventually be worn down!
The next morning, Xiao Qiqi was awakened by the sound of firecrackers. She sat up, drew back the curtains, and looked at the bright sky. Xiao Qiqi stretched happily – it was New Year's Day! It felt so good to celebrate the New Year at home! She quickly got dressed and cheerfully went downstairs. Her parents were busy in the kitchen, preparing the New Year's breakfast. Leaning against the kitchen door, Xiao Qiqi looked at her father's once straight back, now somewhat hunched, and her mother's once slender figure now somewhat plump. A wave of emotion washed over her, and she quickly wiped away her tears, saying happily, "Mom and Dad, do you need any help?"
Dad held up the shovel and shook his head lovingly: "No need, Dad will handle everything!" Mom also smiled and wiped her hands with her apron. Seeing that Xiao Qiqi was a little disappointed, she said: "Go wipe the table and set the table."
"Okay." Xiao Qiqi happily ran into the dining room, humming a song as she wiped the table and set out the dishes. She took out her father's favorite Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor), clapped her hands, and exclaimed, "Done!" Only then did she remember that the young master was still dreaming, so she stomped upstairs.
Pushing open her brother's door, Xiao Qiqi found Chen Yuanxing restless, his hands and feet sticking out, half-covered by a blanket, asleep with a frown. She touched his hands and feet and found them indeed icy cold. She clicked her tongue, "Still like this! Do you think Beijing has heating? Serves you right for freezing!" She tucked his hands and feet back under the blanket before pinching Chen Yuanxing's cheek. "You lazybones, get up." His face was also icy cold; no wonder he was frowning—he must be dreaming about freezing.
Xiao Qiqi patted his face several more times before Chen Yuanxing slowly opened his eyes, pouted, and sat up. Xiao Qiqi knew he was always a bit grumpy when he woke up, and could tell from his face that he hadn't slept well. Sure enough, he hummed heavily through his nose, "Qiqi, I'm freezing."
"Serves you right, who told you not to cover yourself with a blanket?" Xiao Qiqi scolded him.
Chen Yuanxing sneezed: "That thick blanket is suffocating me, boohoo, I'm already like this, and you're still scolding me." He looked aggrieved like a child and leaned on Xiao Qiqi's shoulder.
Xiao Qiqi touched his forehead; it was ice-cold. "You've caught a cold, haven't you? Hurry up and get dressed. It's New Year's Day this morning. I'll go get you some cold medicine so we can nip it in the bud before it gets too bad."
Chen Yuanxing nodded obediently, "Mm."
Xiao Qiqi rushed downstairs and into the kitchen to ask her mother, "Mom, do you have any cold medicine? Chen Yuanxing seems to have caught a cold."
Her mother quickly wiped her hands. "You've caught a cold? You'd better take medicine right away. I'll find some for you."
Xiao Qiqi took cold medicine and water upstairs and found Chen Yuanxing tucked back into bed. Thinking he was feeling unwell, she didn't dare scold him as usual. She coaxed him for a while before he finally opened his eyes, but he refused to get dressed. Xiao Qiqi patiently dressed him and then coaxed him to take his medicine. Chen Yuanxing was indeed feeling unwell at first, and also had some morning grumpiness from not sleeping well. However, seeing Xiao Qiqi's gentleness, he started to pretend, coaxing her to help him get dressed and gently feeding him medicine and water. He feigned discomfort, but was actually very happy inside. He always exercised regularly and was in excellent physical condition; this little bit of cold was nothing to him, he would feel better after being warmed up. He was just pretending to let Xiao Qiqi be kind to him. Xiao Qiqi had no idea of his cunning; she only thought he was genuinely feeling unwell from the cold, and since it was the New Year, she was extremely gentle and considerate towards him.
After making a fuss for a while, they went downstairs. Most of the dishes were already prepared. Xiao Qiqi poured hot water for Chen Yuanxing to wash his face, and even squeezed toothpaste for him. She diluted the water for brushing his teeth with warm water. Chen Yuanxing smugly enjoyed this tenderness, his heart already carefree, and there was no trace of discomfort left. However, he didn't dare to show it too much on his face, afraid that if Xiao Qiqi knew he was alright, she wouldn't be so kind to him anymore.
After everything was prepared, Xiao Qiqi's father lit incense and red candles on the altar in the living room, offered several bowls of prepared meat and rice, burned some paper money in the brazier, performed three bows and nine kowtows, muttered some words, and then went to the yard to set off firecrackers. Only after completing this whole procedure was it considered that the gods and immortals had been worshipped, followed by the New Year's feast. Chen Yuanxing found it interesting and quietly asked Xiao Qiqi, "Is it always this complicated to celebrate the New Year here?" Xiao Qiqi rolled her eyes at him, "This is the simple one. We can't burn a lot of paper money at home, but it's still simple. Back in my hometown, it's much more complicated. The whole family has to kowtow to the gods and ancestors."
Chen Yuanxing nodded: "What was your dad muttering about?"
Xiao Qiqi leaned close to Chen Yuanxing's ear and laughed mysteriously, "Perhaps we should pray to our ancestors to bless our whole family with a life of wealth, honor, and peace." These young people naturally didn't believe in these ghosts and gods, so Xiao Qiqi spoke with a playful tone. Her father seemed to hear her sarcasm and couldn't help but turn around and glare at her. Xiao Qiqi found it even more amusing, "You can't talk when you're worshipping the gods, so even if my dad is angry now, he doesn't dare to scold me."
Just then, Xiao's mother came out of the kitchen and heard Xiao Qiqi's words. She slapped Xiao Qiqi and said, "You little rascal, what are you trying to provoke me with? Wait till your dad finishes burning incense and sees how he deals with you!" Xiao Qiqi then pulled Chen Yuanxing aside and chuckled to herself.
Chen Yuanxing asked, "Does your hometown really have a custom where the whole family kowtows and prays? Does that mean that if you kneel down and pray, your request will definitely be granted?"
Xiao Qiqi was in a great mood and nodded seriously, "Yes, yes, it will definitely work. If you don't believe me, ask my dad. All those wishes he's been grumbling about will definitely come true tomorrow." Her dad heard her talking nonsense again and couldn't help but turn around and glare at her, but Xiao Qiqi smiled even more smugly.
Chen Yuanxing suddenly smiled strangely, let go of Xiao Qiqi, took a few steps and knelt down behind his father, kowtowing several times with a thud, muttering incantations just like Xiao's father. Xiao Qiqi was startled and pointed at him, "You, you, Chen Yuanxing, what are you doing?" Xiao's mother also wiped her hands and looked at Chen Yuanxing in surprise, while Xiao's father didn't even burn the paper anymore and turned to look at Chen Yuanxing.
Ignoring the astonished looks from his family, Chen Yuanxing performed the three kowtows and nine bows respectfully before rising and returning to Xiao Qiqi's side. He said solemnly, "I have already paid respects to your ancestors. They all recognize me and like me very much. They even granted me a request." Xiao Qiqi was overwhelmed with mixed feelings at that moment, and after a long pause, she managed to stammer, "Chen Yuanxing, are you crazy?"
Chen Yuanxing chuckled and raised his head, then picked up the firecrackers from the table: "Let's go set off firecrackers!" He pulled Xiao Qiqi, who still seemed a little dazed, and walked into the yard.
Mr. Xiao finished the worship ceremony and stood up. He and Mrs. Xiao exchanged a strange look. Mr. Xiao spoke first: "This child!" Mrs. Xiao couldn't help but laugh. "She's just like Qiqi!" When they were little, Xiao Qiqi had often caused trouble when her father burned incense and worshipped the gods. The two of them remembered Xiao Qiqi's naughtiness when she was little, and their eyes couldn't help but show more affection.
The New Year's meal was extremely lavish. Xiao's father's culinary skills were renowned far and wide. Looking at the large basins filled with fish, meat, and seafood, and smelling the mouthwatering aromas, Chen Yuanxing finally understood why Xiao Qiqi was such a good cook. In Xiao Qiqi's hometown, New Year's meals were all about abundance. A whole pot of rice was steamed, and no matter how much was eaten, the dishes were always served in the largest basins, so even though it was only four people celebrating the New Year, the table was overflowing with food.
Xiao Qiqi poured wine for her parents, Chen Yuanxing, but poured herself water. Xiao's mother asked curiously, "Qiqi can drink a little, why didn't you pour yourself?" Xiao Qiqi was a little embarrassed, so Chen Yuanxing said, "I made a bet with Qiqi the other day and she lost. We agreed that she wouldn't touch alcohol for six months. Auntie, how about I drink for Qiqi?" Xiao's mother shook her head, looking at her daughter with loving eyes that clearly said, "A daughter grows up and is no longer under her mother's control." Xiao Qiqi naturally knew that Chen Yuanxing's lie was not clever, so she had no choice but to admit it. The four of them then raised their glasses to celebrate the New Year.
After drinking, Qiqi's mother thought of her son far away in the south and felt a little sad. She lowered her head and took out a tissue to wipe her tears. Xiao Qiqi naturally knew that her mother was missing her son, so she quickly picked up her mother's favorite braised chicken wings and said with a smile, "Mom, eat the chicken wings quickly, so you can comb your hair nicely." Her mother laughed and said, "Little girl, your mother is so old, why do you still want to comb her hair nicely? It's you who are always like a tomboy. Your hair should be long like other girls to look good." Growing long hair was an obsession that Xiao Qiqi refused to admit. Hearing her mother mention it made her a little sad, but she quickly changed the subject with a laugh. Only Chen Yuanxing couldn't help but glance at her a few more times.
The meal was quite enjoyable. When Chen Yuanxing saw Xiao Qiqi's extremely silly and cute appearance after returning home, he couldn't help but sigh, "If only Xiao Qiqi could always be this gentle and lively!"
34. Chinese New Year (Part 3)
After dinner, Xiao Qiqi took Chen Yuanxing to the street to watch the festivities. Every year, the street garden hosts a lion dance and boat performance. Although Chen Yuanxing couldn't understand the dialect and could only murmur the songs, he found it interesting to see men, women, and children playing drums and gongs, singing and dancing joyfully, and couldn't help but cheer loudly. Chen Yuanxing saw young people helping with the drums and clappers, while the older folks let the younger ones do the work, while he himself put his hands on his hips and sang along at the top of his lungs. It was quite lively, so he asked Xiao Qiqi what they were singing. Xiao Qiqi tugged at his arm and explained in detail that they were singing a duet, and whoever won would receive a dowry. However, the dowry wasn't important; the key was that everyone was having fun. She also said that the lion dance and boat performance would continue until the sixteenth day of the first lunar month after the New Year.
Chen Yuanxing was overjoyed, praising the trip as worthwhile, and asked Xiao Qiqi, "Can I play the drums?" Xiao Qiqi nodded, "It's alright, you can play. Here, whoever knows how plays takes over. As long as everyone's happy, it's fine. Just don't make it sound like a funeral." Chen Yuanxing had only played band drums before and wasn't good at this kind of leather drum. Hearing Xiao Qiqi's words, he hesitated a bit, "What's the difference between a funeral drum and a wedding drum?"
Xiao Qiqi smiled at him, "Watch me." She then squeezed next to the young man playing the drum, said a few words, and the young man indeed handed her the drumsticks. Xiao Qiqi picked up the drumsticks and began to beat them with great seriousness, quite skillfully. Chen Yuanxing listened carefully to the drumming; it was very consistent with the previous sounds, so he figured Xiao Qiqi knew this skill and couldn't help but applaud and cheer for her. Xiao Qiqi smiled brightly at him from afar, then turned and said something to the drummers. Immediately, the drumming became more rapid, the gongs and clappers quickened, creating a lively din. The men on the boats in the arena began to spin rapidly, and the boatwomen swayed lightly, as if flying. The onlookers cheered, and Chen Yuanxing excitedly whistled a few times.
After Xiao Qiqi played for a while, others were eager to try. Xiao Qiqi didn't insist, handed over the drumsticks, and returned to Chen Yuanxing's side happily, raising her eyebrows proudly: "How about that? I'm a talented woman, right?" Chen Yuanxing was already full of admiration, nodding repeatedly with a thumbs up, and whispered in Xiao Qiqi's ear: "Wife, you're so cute, I want to kiss you." Xiao Qiqi dodged away with a "Yay!" and punched him a few times.
The two watched with great interest for a while longer before squeezing out of the crowd. Chen Yuanxing sighed, lamenting that he hadn't bought a gift to throw at the bow of the boat, but Xiao Qiqi said, "What gift? They should give me one." Before she finished speaking, someone called out to them. It was a middle-aged woman who handed Xiao Qiqi a large bag of Want Want rice crackers. "Girl, this is for you." Xiao Qiqi thanked her and accepted the rice crackers without refusing. The woman then happily squeezed back into the crowd.
Chen Yuanxing asked in surprise, "What's going on?"
Xiao Qiqi proudly shook her head, "This is called 'paying respects to the villagers,' you don't understand? But now we don't go door-to-door anymore, we just do it right here in the square. Everyone buys gifts for these lion dance or boat troupes, and everyone who participates in the troupe gets a gift. I just played the drums for them, so of course I got a gift. The gifts don't matter how valuable they are, it's just a lucky charm. You know, when I was little, I lived in the countryside, and my grandfather was a famous drum king and singing king. I followed my grandfather and played the drums for their boat team. We would go from village to village at night, paying respects to the villagers. Wow, it was so lively! And there were so many gifts, cookies, candy figurines, fried fruit, canned peanuts..." As Xiao Qiqi talked about her childhood, her eyes lit up, her dark eyes sparkling like stars. The light of her multicolored gems burned Chen Yuanxing's heart, and Chen Yuanxing suddenly lowered his head and kissed Xiao Qiqi's lips. Xiao Qiqi made two "uh-uh" sounds, hurriedly pushing her away. Her face was burning hot. In this simple little county town, standing on the bridge like that yesterday was already quite eye-catching, but kissing in front of so many people was even more outrageous. Xiao Qiqi stomped her foot angrily, her face flushed, grabbed the cookies, and ran away. Chen Yuanxing, however, didn't care at all, following behind her like a triumphant general, laughing triumphantly.
Returning home at noon, Xiao Qiqi immediately went into the kitchen, insisting on personally cooking the newly learned boiled fish. Her father, Xiao, happily helped her. During the meal, Chen Yuanxing was naturally in high spirits, enjoying everything except vegetables! Xiao Qiqi was also in a great mood, chatting excitedly with her parents about the boat dance she had seen on the street. Looking at her daughter's excited, delicate face, Xiao's mother couldn't help but sigh, wishing all her children were here for the New Year! Looking at Chen Yuanxing, she saw a handsome young man, sweet-talking, polite, and well-mannered. He never spoke while eating, and when he did, he would always put down his chopsticks, answering greetings respectfully and earnestly. His smile was bright and sunny, and most importantly, you could tell from his daughter's eyes that he deeply loved her. Xiao's mother grew increasingly fond of him, feeling that Chen Yuanxing was very much to her liking, and couldn't help but pile more delicious food onto his plate. Chen Yuanxing happily accepted, while Xiao Qiqi complained that her mother was being biased. The family then laughed and joked as they went about their business.
The four of them played mahjong for a while in the afternoon. Xiao Qiqi was especially excited, her cheeks flushed. She had the potential to be a mahjong master and loved staying home with her parents in the winter to play mahjong together. But Chen Yuanxing seemed to have gone mad at this moment, losing a lot of money throughout the afternoon, while Xiao Qiqi won it all. Xiao Qiqi was so happy that she held up a handful of red and green coins and laughed exaggeratedly, like a child. Her parents were naturally happy to see their daughter so happy, and Chen Yuanxing remained unmoved, letting her arrogantly laugh and tease him. Playing cards was just a game of chance. After being happy for a while, Xiao Qiqi secretly stuffed all the money into her mother's drawer and also put a large envelope in it. It was the first time in over a year of working that she had given her parents money, and she couldn't help but feel a little sad. In her busy life, she couldn't take care of her parents, and could only use this primitive method to make up for the lack in her heart.
A moment later, they heard Xiao's father calling out. It turned out that the paper and ink had been laid out and it was time to write the couplets. Chen Yuanxing had never experienced anything like this during the New Year, so he asked curiously, "Do you have to write the couplets yourself?"
Xiao Qiqi pushed him aside, "Make way, make way, I'll write the couplets this year." Xiao's father smiled and dipped the brush in ink, handing it to Xiao Qiqi, "Qiqi, write one, or maybe Xiao Chen can write one too?"
Chen Yuanxing quickly shook his head, "I'm okay at writing with a fountain pen, but I only practiced calligraphy a few times when I was a child, so I dare not embarrass myself."
Xiao Qiqi hadn't written calligraphy for over a year, so she was a bit rusty. As she prepared her brushstrokes, she said, "It's just to make my family happy. I wrote it myself and put it on the door so they'd be pleased to see it. It's not like I'm participating in a calligraphy competition!"
Chen Yuanxing became interested and said, "Alright, I'll write one and put it on your door too!"
Xiao Qiqi turned to him and smiled slightly: "That won't do. It depends on how well you write it. If it's not good, I won't take it!"
Seeing Xiao Qiqi's bright and charming eyes, Chen Yuanxing couldn't help but feel a little moved. However, with Xiao's father present, he naturally didn't dare to do anything. He simply held down the red paper for Xiao Qiqi and said, "Then write it for me and see if it's better than mine."
Xiao Qiqi started writing common festive couplets, bickering with Chen Yuanxing as she did so. Seeing the two children so happy together, Xiao's father felt superfluous standing there, so he excused himself to check on the paste his mother was preparing. Meanwhile, Xiao Qiqi, dissatisfied with her writing, became a little angry, complaining that Chen Yuanxing was blocking the light, crooked the paper, or startled her with his words. Chen Yuanxing, amused by Xiao Qiqi's adorable and mischievous side, felt a warm glow in his heart and let her tease him. Finally, she insisted on drawing a circle on his pen. Chen Yuanxing, not one to back down, smeared ink on her face when she wasn't looking. Xiao Qiqi threw down her pen and chased after him, ending up with their faces covered in ink instead of finishing the couplets—as Xiao's mother put it, "like playing Bao Zheng without makeup." In the end, Xiao's father had to write the couplets himself and paste them on the doors to finish the job.
After dinner, Xiao's parents worked together, bringing out the chopped dumpling filling, cutting board, rolling pin, and other tools, and placing them in front of the TV in the living room, so they could watch the Spring Festival Gala while making dumplings.