[Scene: Mei’s apartment in Shanghai, morning of Lunar New Year. Mei is lounging on the couch in pajamas, hair a little messy. Li Wei walks in carrying a small bag of oranges.]
Li Wei: (cheerfully)
新年快乐, Mei! Happy New Year! I brought you some oranges for good fortune!
Mei: (grinning)
Ah, thank you, Li Wei! You’re already starting the year right. Come in, come in!
Li Wei: (sniffing the air and wrinkling nose playfully)
Hmm… do I detect a certain… natural scent in the room?
Mei: (laughing)
Hey! Watch it! I’m not showering today. You know the rule—if you shower on New Year’s Day, you wash away all your luck!
Li Wei: (raising an eyebrow)
Oh, Mei… not you too! I thought you were joking last night when you said that.
Mei: (mock offense)
Excuse me! This is an ancient tradition. My grandmother never showers on New Year’s Day. She says it’s why we’ve always had good fortune.
Li Wei: (grinning)
Or maybe you have good fortune because you all work hard, plan ahead, and have a good education?
Mei:
Hah! You can’t explain everything with logic. You know, last year, I broke the rule and took a shower after lunch. That evening, I slipped on the wet floor and twisted my ankle. Coincidence? I think not.
Li Wei: (chuckling)
Mei, you slipped because the floor was wet, not because the universe was punishing you for being clean.
Mei: (waving finger dramatically)
That’s where you’re wrong! The gods noticed. They notice everything on New Year’s Day!
Li Wei: (sitting down, amused)
Alright, alright. But think about it: bacteria don’t take holidays. Showering actually helps your health, and a healthy body is part of good fortune, right?
Mei: (narrowing eyes)
Are you telling me my grandmother has been wrong all her life?
Li Wei: (grinning mischievously)
Not wrong, just… perhaps, overly cautious. Look, I respect traditions. But we should understand why we follow them. Otherwise, we’re just doing things blindly.
Mei:
Okay, Mr. Science, what do you suggest? That I break centuries of tradition for the sake of hygiene?
Li Wei:
Not break it — update it! Maybe set an intention: while you shower, imagine washing away last year’s bad luck and making space for new blessings. That way, you honor the tradition but stay fresh.
Mei: (thoughtful)
Hmm… that’s kind of poetic, actually.
Li Wei: (smiling)
See? A perfect fusion of modern and traditional thinking. And trust me, your neighbors will thank you.
Mei: (laughing)
Fine, fine. But only because you brought oranges.
Li Wei:
Deal! And hey, when we go out later, people might assume you’re extra lucky—you’ll be clean and surrounded by good friends.
Mei: (grinning)
Alright, you win this round. But I’m still not sweeping the floor today. No sweeping away wealth!
Li Wei: (throwing hands up)
Baby steps, Mei. Baby steps.
[They both burst into laughter as Mei heads toward the bathroom, still muttering about “angering the gods” while Li Wei lounges on the couch, triumphantly peeling an orange.]
Science Vs Superstition 
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