"This is also a custom in Beijing, didn't you know?" Gu Junzhu laughed, helping Ye Xingbei stand up properly. He lifted the bedsheet, gathered the dates, peanuts, longans, and chestnuts from the bed into a fruit tray, and smoothed the sheet, "Dates, peanuts, longans, and chestnuts have homophonic meanings of 'early reproduction of noble children,' for good luck."
The two of them lay back on the bed, pillow to pillow, head to head.
Gu Junzhu pulled a strand of Ye Xingbei's hair, softly saying, "Don't move!"
His long fingers moved slightly, tying his hair and Ye Xingbei's hair together with a red thread, then cutting it with scissors.
Ye Xingbei curiously asked, "What is this? Is it also a custom in Beijing?"
"This is an ancient traditional custom," Gu Junzhu carefully entwined their hair together, placing it into a pre-prepared sachet, "Have you heard a poem? 'Tying hair to become husband and wife, the love and affection are unwavering.'
