The red paper was bought at the department store.
Unlike modern times when ready-made Spring Festival couplets are available, couplets then couldnât be written casually; they needed to reflect the characteristics of the current era.
So by the end of the year, the homes in the village with a little calligraphy skill started to get lively. Neighbors would bring their red paper to have couplets written.
In past years, Gu Lingling would follow Gu Juan around all day, feeling melancholy and hardly speaking. She didnât even write her own familyâs couplets, let alone for others.
But this year was different. Gu Lingling had already agreed early on to help several families write couplets, using the ink they usually practiced large characters with.
Her calligraphy was good, and she was well-read in the red books and the poems of great figures, so her couplets were mostly derived from those quotes.
"Our Linglingâs handwriting is really good," the old village chief praised.
Once the couplets of the Gu Family and the old village chiefâs house were put up, even more villagers came to ask Gu Lingling to write couplets, and she didnât refuse anyone.
As long as they brought red paper, she would help write.
But Gu Chunhaiâs face grew darker each day.
His daughter had only gained a bit of weight, and now she was busy all day writing couplets, not even having time to eat unless he insisted on it.
This wouldnât do.
So when another group of people came, Gu Chunhai, with a gloomy face, turned them away. "Zhuzi, didnât you get yours written just the day before yesterday?"
Coming again today for couplets, do they think his daughter is made of iron?
"Well..." The man called Zhuzi scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Yesterday my brother-in-law came over and liked the couplets so much he nagged until he took them. So..."
Gu Chunhaiâs face was black as coal. "Lingling hasnât eaten yet. Wait until sheâs free before asking again."
Donât think he didnât know, there were indeed some who came for a second time.
Gu Lingling felt warm inside, being protected by her father like this felt really nice. She squinted her eyes and hugged a hot water bottle as Gu Chunhai shooed her to the kang to warm up.
"Dad, I need to go out this afternoon." Gu Lingling said, drinking the brown sugar water Gu Chunhai made for her, feeling warm all over.
"Why go out in such cold weather? Tell Dad if you need anything, and Iâll handle it," Gu Chunhai said while cooking in the kitchen, instinctively objecting to Gu Linglingâs words.
Itâs too cold outside.
"Dad, you canât just keep me in all the time. Iâve been stuck at home for days," Gu Lingling pouted, "Grandpa, donât you agree?"
"Yes, let her go out for a change of scenery. If she stays at home this afternoon, even more people will come asking for couplets," considered Old Sir Gu. Just let her write for close families.
Writing for every family in the village, itâs hard on his granddaughter.
"Exactly, I want to go to the army to deliver couplets to Yatingâs and Brother Yangâs families, and a few âFuâ characters too," Gu Lingling said while speaking.
"Alright, Dad will go with you this afternoon," Gu Chunhai said from the kitchen. "Have you finished writing the couplets for your grandmotherâs house? Weâll deliver those tomorrow."
And bring some New Year goods to his in-lawsâ as well.
Even though it hadnât snowed now, and the previous snow had mostly melted, he still worried. So even if his daughter wanted to go out, he intended to go with her.
Gu Lingling smiled sweetly, "Okay."
Being pampered like this actually felt nice.
Moreover, she noticed that her fatherâs awareness was improving, showing a bit of a tendency towards being a doting father.