Chapter 255: I Want to Spend the New Year with You
Chapter 255: Chapter 255: I Want to Spend the New Year with You
Shen Ningning looked back and saw Jiang Zhi, dressed in men’s robes, leap nimbly from the carriage.
Immediately after, Chen Shaobei appeared by her side.
Ever since she was hit by a hidden weapon from Changliu Country, Jiang Zhi had been recuperating in General Chen’s military camp.
Now, she had finally recovered.
"Brother Jiang~" In front of so many people, Shen Ningning continued to help her conceal her identity as a woman.
The little girl called out sweetly, her eyes sparkling, as she ran toward her with outstretched arms, her footsteps going PITTER-PAT.
Just as Jiang Zhi was about to sweep Shen Ningning into her arms, Chen Shaobei gently extended an arm, blocking the way between them.
Facing their simultaneous, questioning gazes, Chen Shaobei just smiled.
"Let’s be careful, Brother Jiang. Your injury just healed, so you should avoid any rough movements."
Jiang Zhi rolled her eyes at him. "It’s New Year’s Eve, why are you still so long-winded?"
She took Shen Ningning’s hand and walked forward, complaining to the little girl.
She griped about how annoying Chen Shaobei had been these past few days while she was staying in General Chen’s barracks.
"He woke me up on time every day to eat and take my medicine, never letting me miss a single dose."
"Sometimes I was sleepy and wanted to go back to bed after taking my medicine, but he’d pull me up and not let me rest, insisting I go for a walk to loosen up my muscles and joints."
Shen Ningning giggled as she listened.
She blinked her dark, round, lively eyes. "But that’s the only way for you to get better quickly."
At this thought, the little girl looked back, only to see Chen Shaobei about to get on his carriage and leave.
Shen Ningning quickly called out to him, "Brother Chen Shaobei, aren’t you coming to our village for a visit?"
Chen Shaobei smiled gently. "No, thank you. My family is still waiting for me to come home for the New Year."
"I made a special trip to bring Brother Jiang back, so he wouldn’t have to spend a boring New Year’s Eve in the barracks."
Hearing this, Shen Ningning quickly grabbed a handful of New Year’s candy and stuffed it into Jiang Zhi’s hands.
The little girl gave her a little push. "Go on, give the candy to him. You should also thank Brother Chen Shaobei for taking care of you all this time."
Jiang Zhi blushed for some reason and muttered, "I never asked him to take care of me."
Despite her words, she walked over and chatted with Chen Shaobei at the village entrance for a while before watching him leave.
The mad scholar helped the whole village write couplets, and Chen Ye was setting off firecrackers at the entrance with the village children.
Plumes of smoke, signs of happy cooking, rose from every household.
When the villagers saw Shen Ningning, they all came to their doors to greet her. "Ningning, bring Grandma Qin and celebrate the New Year at our house!"
But the little girl waved her hands, beaming. "No, no, I have family coming to my home today too."
"Grandma is up on the mountain preparing New Year’s Eve dinner!"
After Shen Ningning paid her New Year’s respects to the village elders, she was given a pouch full of sunflower seeds, peanuts, and loquat candies.
She took the path behind the village up the mountain and looked down from the hillside.
The Black Wolf King had appeared by the little girl’s side at some point, and together they gazed down at the peaceful and lively Xiangyun Village.
Shen Ningning had heard from her grandmother that the reason Xiangyun Village was called Xiangyun Village...
...was because several hundred years ago, a seven-colored auspicious cloud had suddenly fallen from the sky, landing on what was originally a barren mountain.
From then on, with Xiangyun Village at its center, the surrounding trees began to thrive.
People gradually moved here, settling by the mountain and water, living and working in peace and contentment.
That was how Xiangyun Village got its name.
Shen Ningning said sweetly, "Langlang, seeing everyone living such good lives makes me feel especially happy."
The Black Wolf King licked her small hand.
He was expressing that seeing Shen Ningning happy made him feel happy too.
The little girl smiled sweetly and swung herself onto the wolf’s back.
"Let’s go, let’s go see our old friend!"
Receiving the command, the Black Wolf King shot forward, running like a gust of wind.
Shen Ningning and he passed through layers of dense forest until they reached the mountain behind Xitai Village.
She came to the graves of Wu Zuchang’s family and saw wildflowers and small blades of grass growing before the four burial mounds.
Shen Ningning dismounted from the Black Wolf King’s back and untied the bundle she was carrying.
From inside, she took out the offerings: white pork, peach blossom pastries, and Pear Blossom Wine.
A cool winter breeze swept through, the forest rustling with a SSSHHH sound, followed by a profound silence.
Shen Ningning looked at Wu Zuchang’s headstone with a sweet, well-behaved smile.
"Brother Zuchang, I’ve come to see you all! In the world of the living, it’s the New Year now. Have you been doing well lately?"
"I wonder if you’ve seen that the drought is over. We’re all living good lives now."
"I bet you can see I’m doing really well. I have even more people who dote on me now, my godfather and my Brother."
"If you see my mother and father in the underworld, please help me pass on a message to them—"
The little girl hesitated, unsure what message she wanted Wu Zuchang to deliver.
She slowly poured out a jug of Pear Blossom Wine as an offering before the grave.
"Happy New Year." After a moment, that was all Shen Ningning said.
With that, she put down the wine jug, turned, and sat on the Black Wolf King’s back, and they left together.
Behind them, the cold forest swayed, and the wind carried away their departure in silence.
When Shen Ningning returned to the manor on Wolf Mountain, she heard the bustling sounds of polite pleasantries from the courtyard.
Grandma Qin: "You are our guests. How can we let you help? Quick, sit down and rest."
Xie Suzhi’s voice followed immediately after. "Mrs. Qin Sr., please don’t be so polite."
"Just treat my second brother and me like your own sons and order us around."
Second Master Xie nodded along. "Yes, yes, this is just a small task. We can handle it."
Shen Ningning pushed open the door to take a look.
She saw her godfather, Xie Suzhi, chopping firewood.
Her second uncle, Xie Dizhi, though in a wooden wheelchair, was still trying to help Grandma Qin by pushing the millstone to grind beans.
Xie Mingxu was writing couplets off to the side, watching his father and second uncle vie to help, but he just smiled without a word.
Whenever Grandma Qin picked up the vegetable basket, Xie Suzhi would rush forward to help.
"Mrs. Qin Sr., let me."
Second Master Xie chimed in, "Please rest, Mrs. Qin Sr. Just leave the New Year’s Eve dinner to us two brothers."
Grandma Qin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
She watched as Xie Suzhi was about to tie on an apron, while Xie Dizhi pushed his wheelchair with one hand and the millstone with the other.
Shen Ningning quickly shouted, "Godfather~ Second Uncle~ Brother! I’m back."
The three members of the Xie family all looked up, their faces breaking into smiles of varying degrees of brilliance.
"Ningning’s back. We just arrived," Xie Suzhi said, stepping forward to look at his daughter’s little face. "You’re all rosy from the cold. Go warm yourself by the fire for a bit."
Xie Mingxu also walked over then, wanting to pull Shen Ningning over to see the spring couplets he had just written.
"Ningning, see if this is well-written."
"Top scroll: Heaven’s will brings back spring, giving life to all things. Bottom scroll: Kind hearts earn the wolves’ protection. Horizontal scroll: Auspicious stars shine brightly."
Shen Ningning nodded. "It’s good. Brother is amazing!"
Second Master Xie called out, "Ningning, do you want to come watch Second Uncle grind beans?"
The three men from the Xie family took meticulous care of Shen Ningning and Grandma Qin.
The Black Wolf King lay not far away, coldly licking his paws a couple of times.
Wolf Three rolled his eyes and snorted quietly.
’Their Jiaojiao Xiao Ningning is just so popular.’
The group bustled about with lively preparations until evening.
Someone knocked on the door.
The Black Wolf King’s ears perked up. He sniffed the air, and a flash of displeasure crossed his wolfish eyes.
’That stinking brat he disliked the most had arrived!’
Sure enough, Shen Ningning, her little face smudged with flour, ran over with a PITTER-PAT to open the door.
She saw Mo Lingwei standing outside, dressed in an embroidered red robe.
His white-furred cloak made his handsome face stand out even more.
The two strings of red lanterns at the door illuminated his sharp eyes, making them shine brightly.
"I’m not late, am I? Is there a spot for me at the dinner table?"
Hearing Mo Lingwei’s voice...
...the two brothers, Xie Suzhi and Xie Dizhi, both poked their heads out from the kitchen.
They were both covered in flour, still holding dough in their hands.
"The Crown Prince?!" Xie Suzhi was astonished. "Why have you come? Didn’t the Emperor keep you to celebrate the New Year with him?"
Mo Lingwei gave a light cough. "I got him drunk."
Then, he lowered his gaze to Shen Ningning. "May I come in? I want to spend this New Year with you."
Shen Ningning quickly moved her small body aside, beaming. "Come in quick, Brother! Godfather and the others have made lots of food!"
The door had just been closed when it was knocked on again.
Shen Ningning was curious. ’Who could it be this time?’