Rebirth of Bloody Romance

On the 1986th day of the twelfth lunar month in , when the morning light just broke through the curtain of darkness, a corner of the capital city had already been awakened by the noise, presenting a scene of extraordinary bustle.

In the yard of Zhong Yuemin's house, big red lanterns were hung high, like burning flames, illuminating the entire yard in red, as if announcing the coming of the New Year 1987 in advance.

At this moment, Zhong Yuemin was holding tightly in his hands a pair of bright red couplets, on which auspicious words were written in golden ink. The rich fragrance of ink seemed to be eager to bring blessings to this family.

Just as Zhong Yuemin was about to put up the couplets, Chen Yijun leaned out from the kitchen and reminded him, "Yuemin, you have to put up the couplets. We have to pray for good luck this year for our family!" As she spoke, a kind smile spread across her face and her eyes revealed her eager anticipation for the New Year.

Hearing Chen Yijun's words, Zhong Yuemin turned around and replied with a smile, "Mom, just wait and see! My skill of pasting couplets is inherited from my ancestors. I guarantee that I can paste this couplet just right, and it will definitely be festive!"

After saying this, Zhong Yuemin raised the corners of his mouth confidently, with a determined light flashing in his bright eyes, as if he had already seen how the house would look brand new and full of festive atmosphere after the couplets were posted.

After pasting the left side, Zhong Yuemin straightened up, stretched his sore waist, took a deep breath, and was about to paste the couplet on the right side.

Suddenly, I heard a childish and clear voice behind me, "Dad, Dad!" The voice was as sweet as the sound of a yellow oriole singing in the valley in spring.

Zhong Yuemin turned around and saw Xiao Shihua's big watery eyes staring at the couplet on the left that he had just pasted, and her little hand kept pointing at that position.

Zhong Yuemin asked softly, "Girl, what's wrong?"

Xiao Shihua said seriously, "Dad, this one you put on is too low. It's a little lower than the one on the left."

Zhong Yuemin looked at the little girl's face with great interest, which looked particularly charming because of her concentration, and said jokingly with a smile, "Oh? Really? Then look carefully at it, girl. Is it too low or too high?"

After hearing what Zhong Yuemin said, Xiao Shihua immediately stood on tiptoe, stretched her neck, and tried to gesture in the direction of the couplet. She frowned slightly, and her small mouth pouted unconsciously. She looked so serious that she looked like a little adult.

After a while, she nodded affirmatively as if she had finally come to a conclusion and said, "Dad, it's really too low."

Seeing the little girl's insistence, Zhong Yuemin moved the couplet up again as she said, and looked at her expectantly and asked, "How is it this time, girl? Is it okay?"

However, Xiao Shihua did not answer immediately, but frowned again. This time, a shallow groove appeared between her two thin eyebrows, which looked like it could hold a small leaf.

After a while, the little girl slowly said, "Dad, it seems... a little taller."

After saying this, he gently touched his chin with his hand, as if thinking about how to adjust it so that the height of the couplets on both sides would be consistent.

Zhong Yuemin shook his head gently, but couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth, revealing a smile and saying, "Oh, it's okay, girl, it's fine like this. The couplets in our house are more charming if they are high and low, and the heights are staggered. Besides, the most important thing about Spring Festival couplets is the thought, not the difference of a few millimeters."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhong Yuemin turned around, waved to Xiao Haichen who was not far away, and shouted, "Haichen, quickly bring a door to Daddy."

Hearing the shout, Xiao Haichen ran over like a happy little rabbit, holding a stack of colorful door heads tightly in his little hands. He blinked his big watery eyes, looked up and asked curiously, "Dad, which door head do you want?"

At this moment, clever little Shihua also ran to her brother's side, stretched out her little hand, pointed to one of the doorheads, her eyes sparkling with excitement, and said to Zhong Yuemin impatiently, "Dad, how about we put up this doorhead that says 'Door Welcomes Purple Air'? Just hearing the name makes people feel particularly blessed!"

"Haha, okay, girl, I'll listen to you!"

Zhong Yuemin laughed as he took the door sign from the little girl and posted it right in the center above the gate.

While pasting the door head, Zhong Yuemin kept muttering to himself and joking with the two children, "Look, with this door head with the inscription 'Welcome the Purple Air', our family will soon be blessed with great luck. By then, the Purple Air will surely come to us and our wealth will roll in!"

Xiao Shihua and Xiao Haichen clapped and cheered, and the yard was filled with laughter.

In the kitchen, mother-in-law Chen Yijun was working even harder. From time to time, the sound of pots and pans colliding and her humming little tunes could be heard. The whole house was immersed in a warm and harmonious atmosphere.

At 12:30 noon, the sun was shining brightly and the sound of firecrackers rang out on the streets, heralding that the New Year was approaching.

Zhou Xiaobai finally finished her work and rushed back home. She looked a little apologetic, but she couldn't hide her joy of returning home.

As soon as I entered the door, I saw Xiao Shihua and Xiao Haichen coming towards me. The two children were showing the fruits of their labor with excitement on their faces.

"Mom, look, dad and I have put up the couplets!" Xiao Shihua pointed at the couplets on the door with a proud look on her face.

Little Haichen was not to be outdone and quickly added, "Mom, there's me too, there's me too, I'm helping Dad get the couplets, doorheads and door centres!" He was gesturing with his little hands, as if to prove his importance.

Zhou Xiaobai looked at the children's cute appearance, and her heart was warm. She smiled and touched the two children's heads, saying: "My daughter and son, you two are great! Why don't you go out to play?"

When Xiao Shihua heard this, she immediately put on the look of a little adult and said seriously, "It's all to help dad. This family can't do without me." After saying this, she deliberately puffed out her chest to show her importance.

However, Xiao Haichen frowned at this time and directly exposed his sister. "Sister, didn't you say that we didn't go out to play because we went to someone's house and that family disliked us for making trouble during the New Year?"

When Xiao Shihua heard this, she was like a cat whose tail was stepped on. She stamped her feet in anger. "Zhong Haichen, what nonsense are you talking about! I never said anything like that!"

Zhou Xiaobai burst into laughter when she heard this. She looked at the two children's completely different reactions and found them both funny and heartwarming.

Xiao Shihua was obviously very angry about what her brother said. She glared at Xiao Haichen and said in a pretended angry tone, "You little traitor, you really pissed me off. How could you expose my past?"

Hearing the hearty laughter, Zhong Yuemin walked out of the room with a relaxed look on his face. The corners of his mouth slightly raised, outlining a playful smile.

When his eyes fell on his wife Zhou Xiaobai, he saw her happily interacting with two lovely children. The cozy scene warmed his heart.

Seeing this, Zhong Yuemin couldn't help but tease, "Hey! Look at our District Chief Zhou, Leader Zhou, why did he come back so early today? Could it be that the government has suddenly become idle? Or does Leader Zhou have some important instructions to convey to our family?"

Zhou Xiaobai heard Zhong Yuemin's teasing, turned her head coquettishly, and rolled her eyes at him fiercely. The corners of her mouth curled up slightly, revealing a bit of teasing, and she replied coquettishly, "Humph, you only know how to talk nonsense! If you continue like this, even your daughter and son will be corrupted by you!"

Zhong Yuemin didn't take it seriously. He smiled and moved closer to Zhou Xiaobai, lowering his voice and asking, "Dear wife, tell your husband why you came back so early today. Don't you have to go to work in the afternoon? If you really don't have to go to work, that would be great. I finally have someone to help me. I was so tired this morning."

Zhou Xiaobai shook his head helplessly and started to tease. "You are so frivolous. How can a government department not celebrate the New Year? Besides, I can't compare to some people. Our Professor Zhong actually has winter and summer vacations and is very free and easy! According to what Professor Zhong once said, I am a natural born ox and horse. I have to be busy all the time."

After saying that, Zhou Xiaobai deliberately winked at Zhong Yuemin, and that playful look made people laugh.

The couple were like children, teasing each other without any scruples. They exchanged witty remarks with each other, and their words were full of wit and humor, which made Xiao Shihua and Xiao Haichen laugh so hard that they couldn't straighten their backs.

At this moment, Chen Yijun came out of the kitchen in a hurry, her hands covered in flour and wearing an apron. She looked up and saw the joyful scene in front of her, which made her angry and amused. So she couldn't help but say, "Xiaobai, Yuemin, stop talking nonsense and come over to help!"

Hearing his mother-in-law's call, Zhong Yuemin quickly responded, "Okay, Mom!"

However, Zhong Yuemin agreed with his mouth, but his eyes rolled around, looking at Zhou Xiaobai beside him with ill intentions, with a sly smile on his face, and teased, "Wife, look at you, aren't you criticized by our mother! In the future, you must remember to work harder and talk less! You have been in the officialdom for so many years, how come you don't understand this little bit of truth?"

Zhou Xiaobai was furious when she heard this. Her eyebrows were raised, her eyes were wide open, and she raised her jade foot and kicked Zhong Yuemin fiercely, while cursing with a smile, "Go to hell! Stop talking nonsense here!"

Seeing this, Zhong Yuemin dodged Zhou Xiaobai's attack easily. He made a face at Zhou Xiaobai with a smug look and said with a grin, "Hehe... Wife, I can't hit you, I just can't hit you!"

Seeing this, Xiao Shihua and Xiao Haichen were even more excited. They clapped their hands happily and shouted in unison, "Dad, Mom, you two are so shameful!" The tender voices echoed in the yard, adding more laughter to this warm family.

Chen Yijun felt warm at the sight of the family playing and fighting. She knew that this family became so lively and interesting because of the presence of the couple.

So Chen Yijun smiled and said to the children, "Okay, okay, you two stop making trouble. Come and help grandma make dumplings."

When Xiao Shihua and Xiao Haichen heard this, they immediately ran over excitedly and surrounded Chen Yijun and started making dumplings.

Zhong Yuemin and Zhou Xiaobai also smiled at each other, then walked to the kitchen together and began to help prepare the New Year's Eve dinner.

In the afternoon, the sun shone obliquely on Zhong Yuemin's courtyard, covering this ancient courtyard with a layer of warm golden gauze.

As Zhou Xiaobai's brothers and sisters-in-law arrived with their children, the yard suddenly became lively. Xiao Shihua and Xiao Haichen excitedly led their sisters and brothers out, and the yard was filled with children's laughter.

In the kitchen, Zhou Xiaobai was busy preparing ingredients for the New Year's Eve dinner, and several of her sisters-in-law came in one after another, wanting to help share some of the work.

As soon as the second sister-in-law Ding Meilan entered the room, she teased Zhong Yuemin. "Yuemin, get out quickly. This is not a place for a man."

After hearing this, Zhong Yuemin smiled and shook his head. "Second sister-in-law, you are looking down on gay men! A man should be able to handle both housework and kitchen work. I am the all-rounder in our family." As he spoke, he skillfully cut the vegetables, appearing to be at ease.

The third sister-in-law Zhao Yunxia also joined in the teasing with a smile. "Oh! Our Xiaobai is so lucky to be with you. Look at this kitchen, you have kept it in such good order, it's really rare."

Zhong Yuemin smiled even brighter after hearing what his third sister-in-law said. "Third sister-in-law, what you said is right. Xiaobai is a queen mother-like figure in our family. Whatever she says is what counts, how dare I not listen to her?"

After hearing Zhong Yuemin's words, several sisters-in-law burst into laughter. The eldest sister-in-law Li Yumei even teased, "Yuemin, then why don't we let our Xiaobai give you a job as the logistics director?"

Zhong Yuemin-smirked. "Sister-in-law, I can't be the logistics director. It's too tiring. If I were the women's director, I would consider it. After all, I am a good man who knows how to care for others and be considerate of others! So, I still have some potential to be a 'friend of women'."

As soon as Zhong Yuemin said this, there was another round of laughter.

Zhou Xiaobai scolded with a smile, "Zhong Yuemin, hurry up and get to work, and stop talking nonsense. If you keep going like this, you'll ruin the New Year's Eve dinner."

Zhong Yuemin smiled and replied, "Okay, Queen Mother. I'll get to work right away."

"Haha... Yuemin, you are so funny." Second sister-in-law Ding Meilan couldn't help laughing again. While laughing, she continued to be busy with the things in her hands.

"I guess I can't get angry even if I want to when I'm with Yuemin." Third sister-in-law Zhao Yunxia also said with a smile, her eyes full of love and admiration for Zhong Yuemin.

Sister-in-law Li Yumei also nodded. "Xiaobai is really good at judging! She is so lucky to have found such a good husband like Yuemin."

In this kitchen full of laughter, several sisters-in-law are busy chatting about family matters and enjoying the rare reunion time.

Zhong Yuemin and Zhou Xiaobai would joke with each other from time to time, adding a bit of joy and sweetness to this warm family.