Volume 1 Chapter 82 Stormy Waves

  PS plus more seeking pink powder

  Filial Piety in Play is one of the Twenty-four Filial Exemplars, telling the story of Lao Laizi, a recluse from the State of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period. To avoid the chaos of the world, he cultivated himself at the foot of Mount Mengshan, showing filial piety to his parents. At the age of seventy, he still did not speak of old age, often wearing colorful clothes and holding a drum like a child, playing to delight his parents. Once when delivering water to his parents, he tripped on entering the house, fearing that his parents would be heartbroken, so he lay on the ground and cried like a child, making the elderly couple laugh loudly.

  Shen Zhongge is a filial son, seeing Zhen Shiniang paste this, he must like it.

  Rong Sheng deliberately cleaned up the east house, and Ji Kuai guessed that Shen Zhongge must have come to live with him occasionally, wanting to seize the opportunity to capture his heart. In Zhen Shi Niang's room, it was absolutely impossible to hang some childish and ridiculous things, and posting a picture of the 24 Filial Exemplars would be the best way to cater to his filial piety.

  Ke Jianwen is simple and unadorned, but he insists on going to the noisy seaside, saying that the opera is not lively enough. Zhen Shiniang also neither approves nor disapproves.

  "Miss, did you hear that?!" Seeing Zhen Shining staring at the couplet posted by Jian Wu and Jian Wen with a distracted look on her face, Ji Kuai called out in dissatisfaction.

  This is a big deal and can't be vague.

  This magpie has almost become an old mother in these two days.

  A pregnant woman is just unreasonable. Zhen Shining turned around and looked at her with a mixture of tears and laughter, "I understand, you can go now."

  The magpie followed Li Changhe with satisfaction.

  Nezha was still stuck to the east house by Jianwu. Zhen Shiniang was sitting on the kang, smiling and looking at Nezha, who was wrapped in a chaotic sky silk, with his feet on the wind and fire wheel, holding a fire-tipped spear, and flying angrily over the rolling sea.

  Jian Wu loved this little Nezha with a closed mouth and a mature look, she had told them the story of Nezha causing chaos in the sea. On the day they bought the painting, the two of them used their rich imagination to give her an impromptu performance of "Nezha's Chaos in the Sea: The Sequel". Thinking back to Jian Wu's expression at that time, with her eyebrows flying and colors dancing, Zhen Shi Niang had a smile in her eyes, and her gaze became even softer.

  The son likes Nezha. Insist on sticking here, don't know how Shen Zhongjie will react after seeing it?

  Won't you laugh at her?

  Magpie is so opposed to it, probably because she's afraid he won't like it? Insisting on having her play with Shen Zhongjie is also to curry favor with him, right?

  But this is Jianwen and Jianwu's home, they are so enthusiastic and fond of her, how can she bear not to agree? They can surround her like this. Carefree days are rare, now being able to make them happy for one more day is a good thing.

  As for Shen Zhongqiu, he was just a passerby in her life, his joys and sorrows had nothing to do with her.

  Zhen Shi Niang was lost in thought when she heard a commotion outside and furrowed her brow.

  "...just a wall of powder. Once peeled off, it's all black." Qiujie stared at the snow-white wall in the corridor opposite the door, where Jianwu had posted the character "Fu" upside down, and stomped her feet, "Don't peel it off! It will make people laugh to death when they come to pay their respects!" Those who didn't know would think that none of them could read characters, and they actually posted the good "Fu" upside down. "What can be done?" Her voice was tinged with a hint of crying.

  "I've got it!" Jianwen exclaimed, clapping his hands. "We'll just stick that 'Five Children Playing with Lotus' painting here." He climbed up onto a stool and gestured, "It will cover everything in one go." The painting had originally been meant for the backyard, but now, in order to save face, they couldn't help but reluctantly part with it. Jianwen said this as he looked over at Jianwu.

  "Alright. That's it!" Jian Wu nodded in agreement, "Quickly go get the painting, Autumn Chrysanthemum sister." He also reminded her, "Whatever you do, don't let Mother find out."

  "This..." Qiu Ju felt that something was off, but couldn't quite put her finger on it, and blinked as she stared at the narrow wall in front of her.

  "Who would paste New Year's pictures in the corridor?" Ji Huaifeng, who had been silent all along, interjected, "The wall skirt in the corridor is high and the picture is wide. If you stick it up, there won't be any gaps at all. What's the point of looking at it then?"

  Which is paste picture, clearly is smear wall.

  Several other guards also shook their heads, "...take it off and re-powder." It was powdered again in a few strokes.

  It's just a child, making a big fuss over nothing, as if the sky is falling.

  Several nurses couldn't help but laugh at the bottom of their eyes.

  Jianwen's face turned red with anger, "It's New Year's Day today, what's the hurry?!"

  "It's just a small stain of real ink, what's there to be afraid of?" Sun Qingliang, the guardian of the courtyard, said disdainfully.

  "Brother Wen..." was said in a very awkward tone, Autumn Chrysanthemum quietly pulled on Jianwen's clothes.

  "I'm afraid of my mother's anger!" Seeing his brother being scolded, Jian Wu's face suddenly turned red to his neck. "On the 30th day of the New Year, you made a wall wet and messy, what does it look like?" He spoke decisively and overbearingly, "Mother said this is our home, I say yes then it's yes!" Pointing at Dong Juan who had been silent all along, "...Quickly go get the painting!" His fierce appearance looked just like a little overlord.

  Chrysanthemum shivered, and responded repeatedly with its mouth.

  Jian Wen gave himself a look, and Jian Wu turned his head back.

  Zhen Shining was smiling at him.

  "Daughter..." Jian Wu's imposing aura vanished in an instant, "I... I stuck that 'Fu' character upside down..." his voice was as low as a mosquito.

  He just promised his mother that he would be fine.

  "What did Wu Ge say?" Zhen Shi Niang bent down and listened with her ear sideways.

  "I pasted the 'Fu' character upside down, and I was thinking of covering it up with a picture of five babies playing with lotus flowers while carrying my mother on my back..." Jian Wu's voice rose slightly, just enough for Zhen Shi Niang to hear clearly.

  "What?" Zhen Shining furrowed her brow.

  He knew his mother was telling him to loudly admit his mistake, but Jian Wu pursed his lips tightly. His mother had always taught them that "knowing one's mistakes and correcting them is the greatest virtue." He wasn't afraid to admit it, he just didn't want to do so in front of these sarcastic guards.

  I had just sent them a stern message.

  Her eyes narrowed slightly, and Zhen Shiniang slowly straightened her waist.

  Jian Wu's mother was about to turn around, Jian Wu was so scared that he grabbed her and said, "Mother, I was wrong! Pouting his lips loudly, he said, "I posted the Fu character upside down, betraying Mother's trust!"

  Zhen Shining's face revealed a hint of a smile, "Brother Wu said that our family's fortune has arrived."

  Has good fortune arrived?

  "Mother, mother..." Jian Wu grabbed Zhen Shi's collar with one hand, staring at her without blinking, his small face flushed red.

  What the girl means is...

  Zhen Shiniang smiled and nodded, "On the first day of autumn, Chrysanthemum stood under this Fu character. If someone says our family's good fortune has arrived, you should return a courtesy and say thank you." In the past, posting inverted Fu characters during Chinese New Year was not uncommon and had become a custom.

  Is this okay too?

  Finally understood Zhen Shining's meaning, the guards were all shocked and widened their eyes.

  "I get it!" Jianwen exclaimed, jumping up and down excitedly. "Good fortune has arrived at our house... good fortune has come to our home!" After a while, Jianwen ran panting to Zhen Shi Niang and asked, "Mother, mother, can we turn the remaining 'fu' characters upside down and stick them up?"

  "Of course." Zhen Shi Niang smiled and patted his little face, "However, Wen Ge must be careful, the character 'Fu' can be inverted. If those children come to us with their heads bowed down to pay their New Year's respects, it won't be good."

  Apart from the single "Fu" character, Zhen Shiniang also bought some "Fu" characters with cut-out paper decorations around them. The edges were trimmed with various auspicious motifs, either holding a carp or having a bright red "Fu" character printed on their belly.

  "Don't worry, Mother, I won't make another mistake this time!" Jian Wu patted his chest to guarantee, about to call out to Ji Da Ge, but saw the other guards beside him. Jian Wu turned his head again, stretched out his hand to pull Jian Wen and walked into the house. "…We'll go put one up in Mother's room first!"

  Watching her son enter the house, Zhen Shiniang's smile faded.

  She slowly turned around and quietly looked at the four guards led by Ji Huai Feng.

  The four of them subconsciously straightened their backs.

  "Miss..." Ji Huai Feng called out.

  Zhen Shi Niang withdrew her gaze, pointing to the door. "If you're not willing to be a guardian, the door is right there, you can leave anytime!" She changed the subject. "Wen Ge and Wu Ge may be young, but they are masters, they will take responsibility for their decisions; I don't want to hear you speak to them in this tone again!" Her voice was not loud, but it carried an air of dignity that brooked no intrusion.

  It's a joke, she was hired by the silver flower to watch the door, but not to bully their widows and orphans!

  After all, they are also men who stand tall and upright, how can they be scolded by a woman?

  All four of them were somewhat embarrassed, and Sun Qingliang's face was even more flushed with a deep purple color. He raised his leg to move forward, but was stopped by Ji Huaifeng. He cupped his hands and bowed to Zhen Shimai, "Just now we were too abrupt, Miss, rest assured that there will be no next time!"

  As the footsteps faded away, Ji Huai Feng slowly lifted his head and gazed at Zhen Shi Niang's back, his eyes gradually deepening into a profound stare.

  Zhen Shining was looking through the clear glass at Jian Wu being held by Ji Huifeng to hang small flags on the lantern pole, Jian Wen below was pointing and shouting with his neck raised, quietly watching her son pout with a small mouth, a little adult-like appearance, Zhen Shining's eyes softened into water.

  This is Jianwu, and it's unknown whether it's the result of her education or who she learned from. She likes to do everything herself. The originally two-zhang-high lantern pole had been tied with branches and erected, and the two brothers suddenly came up with a strange idea, insisting on inserting some small green flags among the branches. Her son was happy, so she naturally wouldn't stop him, resulting in this beautiful scene.

  Zhen Shining smiled and shook her head.

  Why can't he just stand at the bottom and direct like Jianwen, letting Ji Huifeng do it alone?

  Now it's okay, he's sweating profusely from the commotion, and Ji Huaifeng standing on the ladder hugging him is even more tiring. Suddenly, his eyelid twitched:

  Ji Huai Feng, standing on such a high ladder, holding a restless five-year-old child who can't stay still for a moment, how can he be so relaxed?

  Jian Wu was sweating profusely, but he remained calm and composed, with a look of ease.

  Zhen Shining's heart was in a flurry of panic and confusion, she suddenly turned around and rushed out.

  Kitchen maid Xu Fenglan pushed open the door and came in, "Miss, the filling has been chopped."

  When she saw her, Zhen Shi Niang immediately calmed down. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and said, "I'll take care of Jiao Zhui Zi, you go to the backyard and call Zhang Hai..."

  Chang Hai is Li Changhe's younger brother. Since both Xi Que and Chang He were given a holiday, Zhen Shi Niang kept him behind to clean up the backyard agar house. She couldn't make simple agar anymore and had to quickly destroy the agar house as well.

  The dumpling wrapper is ready, Xu Fenglan has already kneaded the dough, and Dong Ju has put it on the pastry board.

  Jian Wu rushed in, "Mother, mother...the couplets are posted and the lanterns are hung up, what else is there to do?"

  Zhen Shining glanced at Ji Huifeng, who was standing respectfully outside the kitchen, and then looked down lovingly at her son, "The rest... our Wen Ge and Wu Ge are just waiting to dress up nicely for dinner on New Year's Eve..."