Chapter 256: Unless Flowers Bloom in the Sky
Chapter 256: Chapter 256: Unless Flowers Bloom in the Sky
By the time Shen Ningning opened the door, the Black Wolf King had already darted to her side.
It was as if he had smelled something unusual outside.
The door swung open to reveal two large, white-browed tigers!
The wolf pack instantly surrounded Shen Ningning like a flash of lightning, letting out ferocious, warning snarls at the entrance.
Shen Ningning blinked her large eyes, then raised a small hand to pat the Black Wolf King’s head.
"Don’t be mean to them. We know them!"
As she finished speaking, the Black Wolf King let out a bark, and the wolf pack fell silent in an instant.
Their cold, lupine eyes remained fixed on the two uninvited guests outside the door.
However, the leading tiger opened its mouth and dropped a pheasant it had caught.
A low, intermittent rumble came from its throat, almost as if it were speaking.
Mo Lingwei furrowed his brow and walked over to Shen Ningning, observing the two tigers outside.
But then he heard Shen Ningning nod and say, "Oh, so that’s how it is. Okay."
She called over Wolf Three. "Go get a basket of meat for the two brothers, Big Tiger and Second Tiger."
Wolf Three unhappily shook its fur, but it would always carry out Xiao Ningning’s orders.
Xie Mingxu walked over, looking the tigers up and down thoughtfully. "I feel like I’ve seen these two tigers somewhere before."
Shen Ningning’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled, her fair, tender face adorably round.
"Of course! Brother, don’t you remember? When we first met at Fashan Temple, we ran into bandits disguised as monks. These two tigers were the ones who protected us."
Xie Mingxu was surprised. "It’s them? How did they manage to find their way here?"
’And they even knocked on the door like people.’
’Tigers know etiquette now? Have they become spirits?’
Shen Ningning patted the big tiger’s head with her small hand, and it let her.
The little one said in her soft voice, "They came specifically to give us New Year’s greetings. After this, they’ll be staying deep in the mountains for a long time and won’t come down."
"They said the weather has been getting colder and colder, so they were worried it would be hard to hunt. I promised to give them a basket of meat to get through the winter."
As she spoke, Wolf Three reluctantly dragged over a basket of meat.
Shen Ningning clapped her little hands. "Big Tiger, Second Tiger, take this with you. If it’s not enough, come back to this place and find me."
The two tigers were immensely grateful, taking turns licking Shen Ningning’s small hand.
Then, Big Tiger easily picked up the meat basket, which was half a person’s height, and disappeared with Second Tiger into the deep forest.
Shen Ningning leaned against the doorframe as a biting wind blew wisps of hair across her cheeks.
The little one was lost in thought.
Mo Lingwei squeezed her hand. "Why are you spacing out?"
Shen Ningning snapped back to reality. Hiding the worry in her eyes, she said, "Animals are better than people at sensing disasters before they arrive."
"Lately, animals have come to me for food in groups several times. Even a sleuth of black bears living fifty li away once lined up to ask for fruit before going back to hibernate."
"I think this winter is probably going to be very cold." She rubbed her small hands together.
Mo Lingwei smiled and helped her close the door.
"What’s there to be afraid of? I’m here. I can’t control everything, but protecting you through a harsh winter won’t be a problem."
In the spacious main hall, Xie Suzhi helped Grandma Qin carry out a round table.
A lavish New Year’s Eve dinner was laid out dish by dish, and a cup of Pear Blossom Wine was poured for everyone.
Only Shen Ningning’s cup contained milk, brought for her by Mo Lingwei.
The little one puffed out her rosy cheeks indignantly. "Why! Even Grandma gets to drink wine."
Everyone burst out laughing. Xie Suzhi said, "Ningning, you’re still young. You can taste fine wine when you’re older."
"Then how old do I have to be to drink?" the little one asked, blinking her large eyes.
Xie Suzhi hesitated.
’It wouldn’t be appropriate for her to drink as a teenager; she’s still too young.’
’Drinking in her twenties might harm her health.’
’In her thirties...’
Just as Xie Suzhi was thinking this, Second Master Xie laughed and said, "On the day of your coming-of-age ceremony, Second Uncle will bring you a pot of top-quality wine. You can drink then."
Xie Suzhi’s brows shot up in a cold glare. "What? Drink at her coming-of-age? Absolutely not!"
But Shen Ningning said excitedly, "Second Uncle said I can drink at my coming-of-age, so I’ll listen to Second Uncle!"
Xie Suzhi was aghast. "Ningning..."
Second Master Xie roared with laughter, pretending not to notice the multiple glares his older brother shot him.
He winked at the little one. "Your godfather is too strict. From now on, whatever Ningning wants to do, Second Uncle will fully support you."
Mo Lingwei commented coolly from the side, "As for drinking, I will keep an eye on her."
Xie Mingxu looked up. "Do not be hasty, Crown Prince. I am her Brother; it is my responsibility to look after her."
The implication was that it wasn’t an outsider’s place.
Mo Lingwei glanced at Xie Mingxu, a profound smile playing on his thin lips.
As they bickered back and forth, the Black Wolf King watched from the side, its lupine eyes narrowed in displeasure.
’With me here, all these people can just step aside!’
Shen Ningning couldn’t wait any longer and started eating with her chopsticks.
Grandma Qin was beaming from ear to ear. She raised her cup and said, "This New Year’s Eve is so lively. After this meal, our lives will get better and better each day!"
Everyone immediately raised their cups in agreement. Even Shen Ningning put down her chicken leg and picked up her milk with a greasy little hand.
"Cheers-cheers!"
The room erupted in laughter as they all said in unison, "Happy New Year."
As midnight approached, Xie Mingxu took the firecrackers he had brought from home to light them at the door.
Lang Si rushed over with its mouth open, trying to bite the crackling things.
Shen Ningning grabbed it with her small hand.
"You can’t eat that!" The little one laughed so hard she swayed back and forth.
Afraid it was too loud for her, Mo Lingwei covered Shen Ningning’s ears.
Seeing how late it was, Grandma Qin invited the three members of the Xie family and Mo Lingwei to stay the night.
She then went to the storehouse to get some brocade quilts, intending to make the beds for them.
Seeing this, Xie Suzhi quickly followed her. "Old Madam, please rest. Let us juniors handle it."
Second Master Xie also followed behind them in his wheelchair. "You don’t need to trouble yourself."
Xie Mingxu was surrounded by a group of she-wolves, who sniffed him all over.
The she-wolves communicated with a series of yips, as if whispering to each other.
They were saying that this boy smelled somewhat like their Ningning.
Xie Mingxu thought he was quite popular with the pack. Unwilling to refuse their enthusiasm, he mimicked Shen Ningning’s actions and began petting them one by one.
Meanwhile, Shen Ningning and Mo Lingwei had walked to the edge of the Lotus Pond, where they were feeding bread crumbs to the fish.
Gazing at her fair, youthful profile, Mo Lingwei finally revealed the reason for his visit.
"Shen Ningning, why haven’t you asked if I’m still angry with you?"
The little one lifted her watery eyes and looked at him innocently. "I wanted to ask, but I was scared it would make you even angrier, Brother."
Mo Lingwei huffed and crossed his arms. "Of course I’m angry with you. It’s too difficult for me to just let this go."
Shen Ningning lowered her dark lashes, her expression dimming.
But then she heard Mo Lingwei say, "There is only one way I can forgive you."
"When a flower blooms in the sky, I will no longer blame you."
Shen Ningning’s eyes widened when she heard this. "A flower in the sky? Brother, you might as well just say you’ll never forgive me in this lifetime!"
The little one felt terribly wronged. She pouted, her pink cheeks puffed up, and tears began to well in her eyes.
’A flower in the sky? That’s impossible.’
However, as soon as midnight arrived...
A sudden BOOM echoed through the sky, and then multicolored fireworks filled the night, as bright as day.
Shen Ningning looked up in surprise. The colorful fireworks cast shifting patterns of light on her fair little face.
Her eyes sparkled as she suddenly understood. "A flower in the sky... Fireworks?"
An imperceptible, faint smile touched Mo Lingwei’s thin lips.
He looked up, gazing at the brilliant display with her.
Mo Lingwei’s cool tone carried a hint of gentleness.
He said, "Let what is past stay in the past year."