Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
"Do you know me?" Sheng Qingxi asked excitedly.
Cao Xue nodded, "I watched the trailer for Reversal and thought it was great. I searched for some information online and found out that you are the Assistant for Reversal, known as the youngest Assistant in the industry."
"Do you think Reversal is good? Want to go see the premiere? I have tickets; I can give you a few!"
Seeing the two quickly hit it off, Bai Tang and Zhang Feng exchanged glances and returned to Bai Tang's room to continue with the next antique appraisal and transaction. By the time they finished appraising the third antique for Zhang Feng, half an hour had passed. As Bai Tang and Zhang Feng exited the room, they heard Sheng Qingxi's voice.
"Yes, the ending is arranged well; I'm looking forward to your script."
"No problem, I'll email you the script within a week," Cao Xue promised, patting her chest.
"Cao Xue, have you switched careers to become a screenwriter?" Bai Tang asked.
"No, I just have a story in my head that Sheng Qingxi thinks is good and encouraged me to write it down. He can film it."
"That's great! When your movie comes out, I'll definitely support it."
"Sure!" Cao Xue smiled brightly. "Honestly, I do have an intention to switch careers to screenwriting. Being able to write down the stories in my head and make money from it sounds like a great job."
"Then go for it! Your writing is good, and your imagination is rich; you're suited for screenwriting," Bai Tang encouraged.
"Forget it. Those who become screenwriters usually undergo professional training. My level is far from theirs. This script still relies on Sheng Qingxi's guidance; it's best to know when to stop!" Cao Xue shrugged.
"I think your level is pretty good; it's much better than some writers who like to plagiarize," Sheng Qingxi spoke up. He had a strong dislike for certain writers in the industry who borrowed heavily from others' works while calling it inspiration. Just changing names and time periods doesn't make it a new work; do they think audiences are fools or blind?
"If Sister Cao wants to pursue screenwriting, I can help a bit. I have a friend who teaches screenwriting at Kyoto Film Academy; I can recommend you to him," Zhang Feng chimed in, of course, out of respect for Sheng Qingxi and Bai Tang.
"Really, no need!" Cao Xue quickly declined. She was only writing scripts as an outlet for her dissatisfaction with scumbags and had never considered changing professions.
Cao Xue's firm refusal left Sheng Qingxi a bit disappointed, but Bai Tang and Zhang Feng just smiled and didn't say much more. The three of them stayed at Bai Family for dinner. Wu Xuemei, the chef, although not as skilled as Bai Ma, still managed to make a meal that had the three of them eating heartily.
"Bai Tang, your family's food is so good! I’ll come over often for meals in the future, you don’t mind, right?" Cao Xue said, patting her round belly. After wavering between delicious food and her body for a moment, she resolutely tossed the idea of dieting out of her mind. She didn’t even have a boyfriend; why should she care so much about her figure?
"Sure, but you can’t just eat without helping out; at least you have to lend a hand," Bai Tang replied while nodding with a cup of hawthorn tea in her hands. She didn’t eat much, but hawthorn tea was one of her favorite drinks. As soon as Bai Ma brought out a pot, she immediately poured herself the first cup.
Bai Ma made hawthorn and cassia seed tea. Cassia seeds can clear the liver and improve eyesight, promote urination and relieve constipation. When paired with hawthorn, it helps lower blood pressure and reduce fat, making it suitable for elderly people. Of course, young people can also benefit from drinking it.
"I can wash vegetables and cut them; washing dishes and cleaning is no problem either," Cao Xue assured as she ran over to Bai Ma’s side to prove her capability with actions. "Auntie, let me help you with the plates."
Sheng Qingxi said enviously, "I really want to stay in City D forever!"
Zhang Feng laughed, "Didn’t you just film a movie in City D? If your next movie is also shot here, you can come to Bai Tang’s house for meals all the time!"
"Good idea!" Sheng Qingxi clapped her hands together and decided to pull the team to shoot in City D, believing that Xiong Wenjun and Yuan Shaochuan wouldn’t object. They also missed Bai Family's delicious food.
"Hey, hey! Our home isn’t your film crew’s cafeteria!" Bai Tang jokingly protested.
"Oh come on, don’t be so upset!"
Not long after Sheng Qingxi and Zhang Feng left, the Spring Festival arrived.
On the twenty-third day, we eat sugar melons; on the twenty-fourth day, we clean the house; on the twenty-fifth day, we make tofu; on the twenty-sixth day, we cut meat; on the twenty-seventh day, we slaughter chickens; on the twenty-eighth day, we prepare dough; on the twenty-ninth day, we steam buns; on New Year's Eve we stay up all night; on New Year's Day we visit friends and relatives; on the second day of the New Year we honor our ancestors; on the third and fourth days we visit temple fairs; on the fifteenth night we stroll through the streets.
These are traditional customs passed down through generations. Unfortunately, in modern cities, the festive atmosphere during New Year is not particularly strong, and many customs are overlooked. Fortunately, there are elders at home who value traditional practices. Bai Tang and Wu Xuemei were kept busy by Bai Ma this year. With their daughter back home for the New Year and Wu Xuemei celebrating with Xing Xiaokang at Bai Family—along with another guest Baozi Aiwanxi—it was livelier and warmer than previous years when just the elderly couple would stare at each other blankly. Bai Tang loved this atmosphere; in previous years she couldn’t return home due to work and had to spend New Year alone in another city. Just thinking about those days made her feel sad.
Early on New Year's Eve morning, Bai Ma called everyone up to divide tasks. Bai Dad went to the flower market to buy fresh flowers while Bai Ma and Wu Xuemei prepared the reunion dinner. Bai Tang took two people to put up door gods and spring couplets. The main gate of Bai Family was adorned with images of Qin Qiong and Wei Chi Jing De as door gods while Zhong Kui's image was placed on Xing Family’s back door.
"Aunt, the door gods are so majestic!" Baozi helped by passing scissors and transparent tape. Looking at Xing Xiaokang holding the high door god painting, Baozi couldn't help but praise.
"Of course, this is Mianzhu New Year Paintings. The door gods on other New Year paintings are not as impressive as those on Mianzhu New Year Paintings!" Xing Xiaokang said with an expression of "I know everything."
"What are Mianzhu New Year Paintings?" Baozi tilted his head and asked curiously.
Xing Xiaokang actually knew what Mianzhu New Year Paintings were because he helped put up the door gods every year, and Bai Dad had already told him about the knowledge of Mianzhu New Year Paintings.
"Mianzhu New Year Paintings, also known as Mianzhu Woodblock New Year Paintings, are named after Mianzhu City in Sichuan Province, where they are produced. They are popular in the southwestern region of China. The outlines are mostly printed with woodblocks and then colored in. Mianzhu New Year Paintings are one of the four major types of New Year paintings, alongside Tianjin Yangliuqing New Year Paintings, Shandong Weifang Yangjiabu Woodblock New Year Paintings, and Suzhou Taohuawu Woodblock New Year Paintings. They are known as the three treasures of Sichuan and the three wonders of Mianzhu, reflecting the optimistic spirit and traditional customs of the Bashu people." Xing Xiaokang recited this knowledge.
"Kang Ge is so amazing; he knows so much!" Baozi looked at him with admiration, and Xing Xiaokang proudly puffed out his chest.
Bai Tang smiled with her lips pressed together; the children were really cute. City D is not far from Mianzhu, and Bai Tang had seen Mianzhu New Year Paintings since she was young. The history of Mianzhu New Year Paintings can be traced back to the Northern Song Dynasty. With the invention of movable type printing, woodblock paintings began to spread widely among the people; during the mid-Qing Dynasty, many guild halls were built throughout Sichuan's cities and towns, often hiring Mianzhu painters and sculptors to create statues and paint beams and walls, allowing the artists' skills to develop through practice. During the Qianlong and Jiaqing periods, due to economic prosperity, Mianzhu New Year Paintings reached their peak. The painting guild was established under the name "Fuxi Association," employing over nine hundred professionals and more than three hundred workshops, producing over one million pieces annually. The products were sold not only in Hubei, Hunan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, and various places in Sichuan but also exported to India, Japan, Vietnam, Myanmar, and regions like Hong Kong and Macau.
She quickly took Xing Xiaokang's door god painting and pasted it on the Main Gate. Stepping back two paces, it looked good; it wasn't crooked. The purpose of pasting door gods is to pray for a family's blessings and health. It is said that once two door gods are pasted on the Main Gate, all evil spirits will be deterred.
Next came the couplets and paper cuttings. Just halfway through pasting the paper cuttings, Bai Dad returned home with a large bouquet of fresh flowers and a pot of kumquats. The two children left their half-finished paper cuttings to go see the fresh flowers Bai Dad bought. Bai Tang had already taken out a batch of antique vases; although Bai Dad complained about his daughter being wasteful, he had already filled one vase with stones and water while sorting flowers into several antique vases according to their types.
Six vases were filled with wintersweet flowers placed in the Living Room and bedroom as well as in the Xing Family home. The fragrance of wintersweet filled the entire house with a delightful aroma that invigorated everyone. Two vases were filled with lucky bamboo placed in both Living Rooms. Lucky bamboo is also known as "Wishing Bamboo," "Fortune Bamboo," or "Lucky Tower," symbolizing great fortune and prosperity. It has good meanings and is easy to care for; it is essential for celebrating the new year at home. Bai Dad also bought twelve red branches representing good fortune for each month of the year.
"Kang Ge, I want to eat kumquats!" Ai Wanxi drooled at the golden kumquat tree.
"You can't eat them now; you have to wait until after the new year," Xing Xiaokang pulled Ai Wanxi's hand away from the kumquat tree. "How about an apple? I'll peel it for you."
"Okay!" Ai Wanxi struggled for a moment but agreed; there must be an important reason why his brother wouldn't let him eat kumquats, so he decided to listen to him.
Without causing any chaos between them, Bai Tang quickly finished pasting the paper cuttings and followed the delicious aroma into the Kitchen. Sausages and cured meats were cooking on the stove, filling the entire Kitchen with a mouthwatering scent that made Bai Tang drool. She lifted the lid off a pot, tore off a piece of cured meat, and popped it into her mouth. Yum! It was so delicious!
After indulging for a while, Bai Tang opened her eyes and saw two buns standing in front of her, drooling as they stared at her mouth.
"Do you want to eat too?"
They nodded vigorously.
"Wait a moment!"
Bai Tang lifted the pot lid again and took out a piece of sausage, dividing it into three sections, giving one to each of the two buns.
Bai Ma watched, both amused and exasperated, and scolded, "I knew you would sneak a bite! Have you finished your tasks?"
Bai Tang nodded while eating, "I’m done!"
"Then hurry up and help!" Bai Ma instructed the two buns, "You two should eat less so you don’t spoil your lunch!"
Just as she finished speaking, Bai Dad walked to the kitchen door, "Give me a piece of cured pork rib to taste!"
Bai Ma replied, "…You glutton!"
Comment 0 Comment Count