After the 24th of the twelfth lunar month, the festive atmosphere grew increasingly strong. Sturdy household servants were busy sweeping courtyards and cleaning windows, while maids hurried with needlework, paper-cut window decorations, and preparations for the year-end sacrifice—everyone was fully occupied.
Wang Runzhi, having just emerged from postpartum confinement and now facing the New Year festivities, had no choice but to rally her spirits to review the year-end harvest from official fields and manage gift exchanges among relatives and friends, keeping her constantly on her feet.
Even Su Shi had been holed up in his study for days writing New Year’s couplets. Though typically only one pair would be pasted on the main gate, these were personally inscribed by Su Shi. No sooner were they affixed than they’d be stealthily peeled off by admirers, forcing him to rewrite them repeatedly.
He eventually stationed servants to guard the doorway, but as the saying goes: “One can be a thief for a thousand days, but not guard against theft for a thousand days.” The watchmen inevitably needed nighttime rest, and during these intervals, the couplets would vanish again.
Su Shi massaged his forehead in frustration.
Yuan Niang, observing this, suggested: “Master, why not send someone to buy a couple pairs from the calligraphy stall? Those commonplace items wouldn’t attract such attention—surely no one would steal those?”
Chen Ge’er explained: “Only households without scholars buy from the streets. Most families write their own.”
Yuan Niang sighed: “The Master’s literary fame spans the realm. Even his ordinary couplets are treasured as rare commodities.”
Rubbing his temples, Su Shi pushed aside the paper and ink: “Yuan Niang is right. Let’s have someone purchase several pairs. There’s no end to writing couplets.” For the New Year, he decided to give himself a break!
Chen Ge’er closed his book and brought in an armful of cypress branches, announcing: “Let’s arrange the ‘Hundred Affairs Auspicious’ decoration.”
Yan Qiu followed carrying a crate of golden oranges, with Yan Qing close behind holding a box of sweet persimmons.
The three placed their items on an empty table.
Curious, Yuan Niang picked up a cypress branch: “How do we assemble this?”
Chen Ge’er handed her a celadon plum vase and demonstrated: “Place the branches in the vase, then use colored threads to hang the golden oranges and persimmons from them.”
Yuan Niang blinked at the smooth fruits and bare branches—how could they be attached? She picked up a colored thread, painstakingly untangled the knotted strand, and wrapped the fruits like zongzi dumplings onto the branches. Worried one thread might not hold, she added another. Though aesthetically challenged, her creation was undoubtedly secure.
Brushing her hands in satisfaction, she glanced up to find everyone staring cryptically at her and her “auspicious” decoration with mildly shocked expressions.
Su Shi paused his work to tease: “With Yuan Niang’s tight wrapping, next year’s good fortune certainly won’t escape.”
Scanning the room, Yuan Niang realized she alone had been foolishly untangling threads to tie the fruits! The colored threads were actually pre-woven net bags—one simply needed to expand them with proper technique to encase the fruits, then effortlessly hang them.
Blushing, she awkwardly plucked at the cypress branch: “So the threads weren’t meant to be untangled! No wonder pulling them apart was so difficult!”
“We must untie it!” Chen Ge’er answered eagerly. “But we’ll do it during the New Year’s Eve vigil.”
Yuan Niang nodded, slowly unraveling the “Hundred Fortunes” decoration she had made. Instead of rushing to start another, she watched Chen Ge’er meticulously hang oranges and persimmons. Only then did she notice the different patterns of the “net bags” – when stretched by the fruit, they revealed intricate designs like concentric circles, plum blossoms, and precious flower patterns, all exquisitely crafted. She marveled at the sight.
While arranging his Hundred Fortunes, Chen Ge’er opened his mouth to beg: “Yuan Mei, feed me an orange segment.”
Yuan Niang treated him like the Golden Lion Cub, tearing off a peeled segment and tossing it to him.
Chen Ge’er instantly scrunched up his little face. He nearly exclaimed “So sour!” but remembered one should speak auspicious words during New Year. So his words twisted on his tongue as he loudly declared: “Wow! It’s actually this sweet?”
Su Shi, suspecting nothing, also asked Yuan Niang for a segment. Immediately his eyebrows threatened to knit together, but he restrained himself and swallowed the segment whole without changing expression, murmuring: “Mmm, indeed very sweet.”
Su Mai watched Yuan Niang with eager eyes: “Dear Yuan Niang, give your elder brother a segment too.” His hands were occupied, making it inconvenient to peel oranges himself.
Suppressing a smile, Yuan Niang looked at the last three segments in her hand and thought: Finally I can pass on this sour curse! So she stuffed them all into Su Mai’s mouth at once.
When Su Mai bit down, sour juice burst forth, making him cough violently. After a long while, he raised his flushed face to protest: “You people, one after another…”
Chen Ge’er revealed a sly smile, explaining: “We must speak auspicious words during New Year, that’s what Mother said!”
Su Shi and Yuan Niang also nodded with serious expressions, though their eyes twinkled with mischief.
Yan Qing and Yan Qiu laughed: “This is just bullying our honest brother.”
“Never mind, I was just saying I’d make Little Rabbit Orange Lanterns for Yuan Niang and Chen Ge’er.” Su Mai rubbed his stomach. “But now I’m all soured up, what should I do?!”
Having finished arranging his Hundred Fortunes, Chen Ge’er pattered over to Su Mai upon hearing this, shaking his sleeve while coaxing: “Elder brother, dear elder brother, I want a Little Rabbit Orange Lantern!”
Yuan Niang peeled another orange and pestered Su Mai: “Brother, this one is truly sweet, try it if you don’t believe me.”
This frightened Su Mai into waving his hands repeatedly: “No, no, I’ll make them for you, I’ll make them for you right away.”
Yan Qing went to the storeroom to fetch a case of kumquats, while Yan Qiu brought a small knife and a pair of bamboo chopsticks from the kitchen.
Su Mai gently cut around the kumquat stems and removed them, quickly carving two rabbit ears with a few deft movements. Then he inserted the bamboo chopsticks into the kumquat, traced around the inner flesh, and skillfully separated the peel from the pulp. Using thin bamboo slivers, he attached the rabbit ears to the edge of the kumquat shell. Next, he used brush and ink to paint rabbit eyes and a three-lobed rabbit mouth on the outer shell. Finally, he smoothed the bottom of the shell with the knife and placed a piece of wax inside – thus completing one Little Rabbit Orange Lantern.
“So pretty!” Chen Ge’er couldn’t help but admire.
Su Mai twirled his knife and carved another Little Rabbit Orange Lantern for Yuan Niang.
Chen Ge’er added: “Make one for Shu Ji too.”
Su Mai nodded in agreement.
After thinking for a moment, Chen Ge’er continued: “Make one for the Golden Lion Cub too.”
“Go on!” Su Mai stuffed the finished lantern into his hands, pointing at the orange flesh on the plate. “Can you eat all this in one go? ‘Who knows that every grain in the plate comes from hard labor’ – we mustn’t waste anything.”
Chen Ge’er found himself in a dilemma, for among this batch of oranges, some were sour while others were sweet. What if all the fruit flesh on the plate turned out to be sour? It would be quite unpleasant to eat.
He looked up at the two page boys, Yan Qing and Yan Qiu, who waved their hands repeatedly, saying, “Chen Ge’er, you mustn’t! You mustn’t!!”
Su Shi casually picked up the plate of fruit flesh and said, “No matter, it’s just right for brewing kumquat fruit tea for you.”
Yuan Niang, holding the Little Rabbit Orange Lantern, hopped over to Su Shi and gazed at him eagerly—she really wanted to drink the kumquat fruit tea!
Su Shi patted her head and then instructed Yan Qing to fetch a mortar and a jar of honey. He divided the fruit flesh into two portions: one portion was pounded, filtered for its juice, and boiled with honey; the other was diced into small pieces and set aside for later use.
Once the orange juice was brewed, it was poured into a teapot and stirred with hot tea. Su Shi tasted it and added a few spoonfuls of lactose and rose syrup. When the temperature was just right, he took out several teacups from a drawer, placed the diced orange pieces into each cup, and then poured in the orange tea. The delicious kumquat fruit tea was now ready, and Su Shi even added a chrysanthemum flower to each cup.
Yuan Niang set aside the Little Rabbit Orange Lantern for the moment, picked up a teacup, and took a careful sip. A rich blend of orange, tea, and rose aromas enveloped her senses—the three complemented each other perfectly. Upon closer tasting, it was both sweet and tangy, with a hint of milky fragrance that didn’t overpower the main flavors but blended in harmoniously. How peculiar!
After all, fruit teas in later generations generally didn’t carry a milky scent—why was that?
She couldn’t help but marvel: if her master were to travel to the future, even without writing poetry or essays, he could make a fortune with his exceptional tea-brewing skills alone. This was far more delicious than trendy internet-famous fruit teas!
And most importantly, this was tea personally brewed by Su Shi!
As Yuan Niang sipped the fruit tea slowly, she thought how wonderful it would be if she had a portable space—she could store it right away. What a pity, what a pity.
Gulong—the screen slowly lit up and hesitantly displayed a line of text: I… I want to drink it too!
Yuan Niang lowered her eyes, pretending not to see the text, but then a soft, sticky pastry was stuffed into her mouth.
Su Shi laughed and said, “Though the fruit tea is sweet and tangy, drinking too much might cause heartburn. Have some tea snacks first.”
Yuan Niang obediently complied. Her master was so kind—how fortunate she was to be by his side.
Chen Ge’er also grabbed a tea snack to chew on. After finishing one cup, he poured himself another, and the kumquat fruit tea in the pot gradually diminished.
Ying ying… ying ying…
What was that noise?! Yuan Niang patted her head!
Ying ying ying… ying ying ying… I want to drink it too!
Yuan Niang stared in disbelief at the screen. With a flicker, the screen transformed into a strange little beast, golden all over, with a peculiar face resembling the patterns on a bronze ding—though this one was much more three-dimensional! Hmm! That thing! The famous taotie motif!
Yuan Niang inwardly exclaimed, “Good gracious! How did a taotie get into her head?!” The taotie’s body flowed with countless lines of code—it probably wasn’t the real entity but just a simulated form.
“I want to drink it too!” the little beast cried anxiously, its voice like a child’s.
Yuan Niang lowered her gaze and scrutinized it. You’re usually so aloof! You’re usually so aloof!
The usual me you ignored, but now that I have the kumquat fruit tea, you can’t reach me!
“I’m being aloof too now,” Yuan Niang said thus.
“It’s almost gone! I want some too!” Little Taotie was so anxious it kept spinning in circles, then hugged its tail and huddled in the corner crying, looking utterly pitiful. The tiny tentacles by its mouth trembled faintly, making one irresistibly want to give them a rub.
Yuan Niang quickly filled her own cup before Chen Ge’er could pour the tea. Reaching out to stroke the Taotie’s tentacles, she finally got her wish – she’d actually managed to pet a Taotie’s tentacles!
“I even let you pet me,” Little Taotie drooped its tail and said plaintively, “When will you give me the kumquat fruit tea?”
“If you can speak properly, why put on that aloof act with me?” Yuan Niang retorted.
Little Taotie looked utterly wronged: “I’m just a greedy little beast. Only exquisitely delicious food can awaken me.”
“Then who’s the usual you?” Yuan Niang pressed.
“The sleeping me,” Little Taotie replied pitifully.
Yuan Niang rolled her eyes dramatically and got down to business: “Eating at my place requires payment.”
“What?” Little Taotie asked in shock. Moments later, it hung its head dejectedly and murmured, “I have no money.”
“You know about equivalent exchange, right? Tell me all your abilities, and I’ll consider making a trade,” Yuan Niang bargained.
Little Taotie flipped onto its back, revealing all its functions: Exchange, Storage, Transport (Under Development). The following modules were grayed out and unclear, possibly to be activated later.
Yuan Niang exchanged a cup of kumquat fruit tea for a Mystic-Rank Wish List. The Wish List was divided into Heaven, Earth, Mystic, and Yellow ranks, with Mystic being the third tier. Achievable wishes included but weren’t limited to: expanding storage space by one foot, enhancing ingredient freshness by one level, refining salt purity by two percent, etc.
Both sides felt they’d gotten the better deal and were quite pleased with themselves!