USWHC -Chapter 125 Happy New Year (Part 5)

Ink splashed, fragrance in the air. Zhu Jie smiled as she lifted the brush, and with a single sweeping stroke, the writing was nothing short of magnificent—majestic and overwhelming! Kua! Kua! Kua! A jumble of twists and turns sprawled across the paper. Everyone squinted at it, trying to make sense of it, but… none of them could recognize a single character.

Only Zhu Jie herself nodded in satisfaction. “Beautiful characters, wonderful couplets!”

“What did she even write? Meizi, can you read it?” Old Madam Ji suddenly realized she’d become completely blind. She couldn’t read, sure, but she had never felt this flustered before!

“I don’t recognize it either,” Ji Mei replied helplessly.

Heh heh, Zhu Jie chuckled inwardly. That’s right—I wrote it in wild cursive just to confuse you! Got you all tongue-tied!

Though secretly proud, she maintained an expression of feigned confusion. “You don’t recognize it? That can’t be right, can it?” She pointed seriously at one character on the couplet. “The character for ‘Fu’—don’t you recognize it? The ‘Fu’ that brings blessings!”

At her words, Ji Mei’s eyes brightened in sudden understanding. “Oh! When you put it that way, it really does look like it!” She nodded enthusiastically, clearly impressed. “Not bad, it really is well written!”

Hearing this, Zhu Jie nearly burst into laughter. No! Must hold it in! Absolutely must hold it in!

“What does it mean?” Sister-in-law You didn’t see not recognizing the writing as shameful. She just hadn’t tried reading the big characters yet, so she humbly asked for an explanation.

“Well, these are just auspicious phrases. Look, ‘Fu’! It means we’ll have blessings!” Zhu Jie said deliberately, dragging out the syllables with a gentle, harmless smile.

But as soon as she finished speaking, a sudden muffled cough and wheeze caught her off guard. Could it be? Had someone already figured it out? She turned sharply to see Ji Yi coughing as if something had seized him, struggling to breathe.

Zhu Jie immediately glared at him. What was he coughing for at a time like this? Her eyes cut like knives! Swiftly, it worked—Ji Yi’s coughing stopped as if forced back.

Turning back, Zhu Jie once again donned a bright, exuberant smile and proudly exclaimed, “All of these are good words! Do you like them? Do you like them?”

“I… like them…” Ji Mei replied hesitantly. She could read, after all, but somehow those black, wriggling strokes were completely unrecognizable to her. Embarrassed to reveal it, she could only go along reluctantly.

But in the next moment, Ji Yi suddenly let out a soft snicker. Why now?

He recognized the characters. Zhu Jie was now certain of that. But if you can read them, can’t you just hold it in?!

Sure enough, Old Madam Ji immediately asked, seeking confirmation, “Erhan, do you know what’s written here?” She still didn’t fully trust Zhu Jie—after all, who would be this generous?

Zhu Jie’s heart skipped a beat. Please, don’t tell the truth!

“I don’t recognize it!” Fortunately, Ji Yi managed a perfectly clueless expression and awkwardly said the three words. His eyes, however, looked as if he was about to injure himself holding it in.

“With couplets ready, that’s enough, that’s enough!” Zhu Jie quickly jumped in to smooth things over. She waved at Ji Yi, teasingly, “Husband, come on, let’s go prepare for the New Year!” She winked and smiled at him, acting utterly lovestruck.

Maybe out of guilt, calling him “husband” sounded absurdly syrupy, sending a shiver down the spine of anyone who heard it—some even nearly felt nauseated.

With her coquettish voice and beguiling gaze, Ji Yi was completely flustered, frozen, unable to say a word.

“A little vixen, can’t stay away from a man for even a moment!” Ji Mei muttered unhappily.

But Zhu Jie had no intention of entertaining her now. Heh heh, just wait—you’ll have your fun later!

Right now, she had to deal with her teammate who could read but might ruin the plan. Without hesitation, she grabbed Ji Yi and ran off, completely oblivious that she was holding the hand of a shy young man.