Stay Home Daddy: I Was Reborn After My Daughter Passed Away-Chapter 60 - Does Gu Chen still write couplets at sixty

They couldn’t beat him, nor could they out-argue him.

Probably, he had something on them, which was incredibly irritating.

“This clothes? Bought them in the city, just at that biggest department store, not expensive, just a few hundred.”

Gu Chen said with a smile.

He meant to say that a few slaps could have gotten him a new piece of clothing.

But the words never left his mouth.

After all, they were all from the same village.

Let bygones be bygones, one can’t hold onto a grudge forever.

“Got it, got it…”

Lei Bo forced a smile and started to leave, pulling Dong Qingfang with him.

Watching the backs of Gu Chen’s family of three as they walked away, Lei Bo couldn’t help but spit out a curse under his breath.

Gu Chen, he’d remember this; one day he’d have him in his hands.

Then he’d see how he’d deal with him!

…

When they arrived at Teacher Li’s gate, Gu Chen knocked.

“Is Teacher Li at home?”

The courtyard was silent, with no response.

Just as he was about to knock a second time, a familiar voice appeared in his mind again.

“Congratulations to the host for sparing others when he could; reward: Intermediate Calligraphy.”

Gu Chen: “???”

Must this system be crazy, giving out rewards when he’s at the door?

Follow current novℯls on ƒгeewёbnovel.com.

What took it so long??? Early on would have been nice; he could have written at home!

And what’s up with Intermediate? Shouldn’t it be at the divine level?

With Ji Pianran around, Gu Chen couldn’t outright complain and was left grumbling in his heart.

“There are five levels to such skills: Junior Level represents ten years of calligraphy experience, Intermediate thirt-year, Senior fifty-year, Master Rank seventy-year, and Temple Rank a hundred-year calligraphy experience.”

As if hearing Gu Chen’s complaints, the system’s voice rang out once more.

Now Gu Chen understood.

So the system had granted him thirty years of calligraphy experience.

Well, that seemed kind of nice.

Noticing Gu Chen wasn’t moving, Ji Pianran softly urged, “What’s the matter? Why aren’t you knocking?”

Hearing this, Gu Chen lifted his hand and continued to knock.

“Knock, knock, knock.”

Three more times.

This time somebody finally heard the knocks.

Not only did someone come out, but they were also warmly calling out.

“Coming! Coming!”

Yet the voice sounded oddly familiar.

Before he had time to think, he saw the door being pushed open, and surprisingly, Shen Cuilan appeared.

Seeing Shen Cuilan, Gu Chen’s brow twitched, a bit taken aback.

Shen Cuilan might have a sharp tongue, but on this New Year’s Eve, she wanted everyone to get along peacefully.

She offered an awkward smile.

“You’re here for the couplets too? It’s such a coincidence, Teacher Li hurt his back yesterday and can’t write. Everyone’s discussing whether to send someone to buy them in the city.”

Upon hearing that Teacher Li had injured his back, Gu Chen quickly went inside with his wife and Xiao Tangtang.

“Gu Chen, you’ve come at the right time, as we were just talking about it. Do you want to chip in and have Lei Bo buy the couplets from the city?”

An elder from next door suggested.

In the village, only Lei Bo’s house had a three-wheeled motorcycle, so it was convenient to go to the city.

“Yeah, let’s chip in. Just give Lei Bo an extra yuan for the errand fee!”

Everyone was chiming in one after another.

After all, the more people that came, the more Lei Bo could earn, and the more willing he was to go.

If there were too few people, Lei Bo wouldn’t even earn enough to cover the fuel costs!

“Hey, Lei Bo is here. We were just talking about you. Teacher Li twisted his waist yesterday and can’t write the couplets. Everyone’s hoping you can run the errand for us.”

While they were having a lively discussion, they saw Lei Bo and Dong Qingfang walking in.

“Yeah, everyone’s putting in money, and you help us all go to the city to fetch some couplets. We have to celebrate the New Year, right?”

As everyone spoke, Lei Bo figured it out.

His expression inevitably relaxed.

Just outside, he had been scared by the sight of Gu Chen and almost turned back to leave.

“This… I mean, we should help everyone out, but running this extra errand, you gotta give some reward for the effort, right?”

Dong Qingfang perked up as soon as she heard this, and instantly became excited.

If everyone gave a little more money, wouldn’t she have her clothes?

“This… of course, we can’t let you run the errand for free, how about everyone gives one… no!, three yuan extra, would that work for you?”

The old man sitting nearby said.

Dong Qingfang quickly did the math. Between this house and those in the yard, there were at least twenty households, and there were hundreds of households in the village. If each gave three yuan, wouldn’t that cover everything?

Ji Pianran’s little leather shoes — she could buy three pairs!!

She could wear a different pair every day!

Seeing the people’s reaction, Gu Chen frowned involuntarily.

“Excuse me, let me go check on Teacher Li.”

The crowd didn’t say anything but cleared the way to the inner room.

Dong Qingfang rolled her eyes and sidled up to Lei Bo.

“This Gu surname is putting on quite the show, but when he comes begging you, you gotta really make him sweat for it!”

Lei Bo nodded, looking quite smug.

Without their family’s three-wheeled motorcycle, Gu Chen’s only option for buying couplets would be to ride the old two-eight bicycle.

Not only would it delay matters, but it would also be tiring.

Getting Gu Chen to say some sweet words didn’t seem to be a big deal.

Otherwise, to hell with celebrating the New Year!

It would be perfect if only Gu Chen’s house couldn’t display couplets. Let’s see if he’d be embarrassed.

What’s the use of having money?

Now he still has to plead with him!

Gu Chen led Ji Pianran into the inner room.

Seeing Teacher Li lying on the bed, he couldn’t help but express his concern, “Teacher Li, are you alright?”

“Ah, I’m fine. I’ve applied some medicinal plaster. The doctor said I’ll be well in about ten days or half a month. When you get old, these things happen. I got like this just from carrying water yesterday.”

Madam Li sat beside the bed, sighing deeply.

With the New Year upon them and unable to stand up, how could they even celebrate?

But upon seeing Xiao Tangtang behind Gu Chen, she couldn’t help but smile again.

“Xiao Tangtang hasn’t visited Madam Li’s home in a long time. It’s the New Year, come and grab some sweets.”

Xiao Tangtang was a beautiful child and much brighter than kids her age.

That’s why many people in the village liked her.

Especially the older men and women – whenever they saw her, they’d pat her head and give her some treats.

As Madam Li spoke, she went to get some candy from the cabinet.

Teacher Li sighed, “I guess you’re here for the couplets too. I can’t write them this year. My dear, later please give Lei Bo eight yuan, and ask him to bring us back a couple as well. Sigh, how are we supposed to celebrate the New Year now?”

In previous years, just by writing couplets for the people in the village during the New Year, even though he charged only three yuan per pair, he could make a few hundred yuan.

No doubt, the money for the New Year would have been secured, but this year, it’s all up in the air.

Gu Chen looked at Teacher Li on the bed, and couldn’t help but ponder.

Teacher Li was over fifty this year, and should have at least an Intermediate, if not Senior Level, proficiency.

As for his own skills, they were equivalent to a thirty-year study in calligraphy. Setting other things aside, writing couplets shouldn’t be a problem.

“Madam Li, don’t worry about it. When I wasn’t around, you all helped out Pian Ran a lot. It hasn’t been easy for Pian Ran living alone. You’ve got the red paper and ink ready this year, right? Let me write them for you, otherwise, it’d be a waste, wouldn’t it?”

As Gu Chen finished speaking, everyone in the room was shocked.

Are you kidding?

Has Gu Chen ever been to school?

He probably can’t even write properly with a pen, yet he claims he can write couplets?