Si Fuqing was taken aback. âBoss?â
âYes,â Yuejian replied leisurely. âLittle junior sister, you must thank him properly.â
âIâve been thinking about that,â Si Fuqing said, resting her chin on her hand. âBut it seems like he lacks nothing. At most, I can warm his hands.â
Yuejian coughed a couple of times. âThen spend more time with him. The longer you interact, the more youâll discover.â
âYouâre right, Third Senior Sister.â Si Fuqingâs eyes lit up. âIâll take your advice and observe him closely.â
Yuejianâs expression turned serious. âYes, observe him carefully.â
Yu Xiheng passed her test, so she would reluctantly help him.
The rest would depend on the other senior brothers and sisters.
**
The next morning, after thoroughly dealing with the Fengg family, Yu Xiheng accompanied Nian Tingchu back.
Ye Zhenmian had barely slept for two days and nights. When she saw Nian Tingchu return, she immediately went to greet him.
âZhenmian, Iâm sorry,â Nian Tingchu said, full of guilt. âIf it werenât for me, you wouldnât have been dragged into thisâ¦â
Ye Zhenmian stopped him from finishing his sentence. âI know everything. Itâs alright. Weâll face this hardship together.â
âUncle, today is New Yearâs Eve. Come help with the cleaning,â Si Fuqing called from the kitchen. âWeâll talk about other things after the holiday.â
Nian Tingchu relaxed and smiled. âYouâre right. Today, we wonât talk about these matters. Qingqing, Mr. Yu is also here to celebrate New Year with us.â
Yu Xiheng set down a few gift boxes, his every move exuding the demeanor of a gentleman. âSorry to intrude. Let me help as well.â
Si Fuqing looked at him for a moment and finally pulled out an apron. âHere, donât dirty your clothes.â
The family cleaned the house together, and in the afternoon, they went out to buy some New Yearâs goods.
Since it was an annual event, it had to be lively. Ye Zhenmian prepared many dishes.
They were all home-cooked meals, but they looked and smelled delicious.
Si Fuqing took a photo of the table and posted it on Weibo.
[@SiFuQingV: Have you all had your New Yearâs Eve dinner?]
The comments quickly surged.
[Yes, yes, my life, your dinner looks so delicious!]
[Wah, the New Yearâs Eve show âCrossing the Demon Realmâ is postponed until tomorrow. Please console me!]
[Did Qingqing make this? Some female stars seem totally incapable of cooking.]
Si Fuqing: ââ¦â
Her smile gradually faded.
So what if she was a disaster in the kitchen?
She was proud of it!
Si Fuqing put away her phone and focused on eating.
The meal lasted for a full three hours, with the sound of fireworks and firecrackers growing louder outside the window.
After cleaning the dishes, Nian Tingchu and Nian Yian went to play chess, while Ye Zhenmian watched the replay of âCrossing the Demon Realm.â
On the large balcony in the living room.
âThis is my first time celebrating New Year,â Si Fuqing said, leaning on the railing and looking at the fireworks filling the sky. âItâs wonderful.â
Yu Xiheng lowered his eyelashes, saying nothing, simply standing quietly by her side.
He didnât know what she had experienced before.
He waited for the day she would be willing to tell him.
Yu Xiheng laughed softly, his voice faint. âItâs my first time too.â
Whenever he saw this, he knew that everything they had done was worth it.
He could die without regret.
The JIANG familyâs soldiers could die without regret.
The loyal bones of the Great Xia could die without regret.
They fought for the prosperity they saw today.
As the fireworks display ended, Yu Xiheng glanced sideways and noticed the two cans of beer in Si Fuqingâs hand. âDrinking at this time?â
âIsnât that why youâre here as a stabilizer?â Si Fuqing said, already downing one can. She muttered, âI really want to dissect you and see why you can calm me down.â
Yu Xiheng smiled slightly. âWhat did you say?â
âHuh?â Si Fuqing looked up, clearly already tipsy.
Her fox-like eyes were shrouded in a hazy mist.
She swayed as if she were about to squat down.
He caught her just in time, only to be hugged by her in the next second.
Yu Xihengâs movements froze.
Si Fuqing wrapped her arms around his neck, snuggling. âSleepy, donât want to move.â
At this moment, she shed her bodyâs self-defense mechanism, revealing a softness that belonged to a girl.
But this softness made him extremely nervous.
Yu Xihengâs body tensed for a moment.
In a low voice, he warned her for the first time, calling her by her full name. âSi Fuqing, get down.â
âOh, boss, donât be so fierce. Iâm just using you as a means of transportation for a bit,â Si Fuqing said obediently. âJust think of me as a cat.â
Yu Xiheng: ââ¦â
Only he knew the torment he was enduring.
Unprecedented.
He was nearly exhausting all his prized self-control.
Yu Xihengâs back was still tense. He took a few slow breaths, his voice seemingly calm. âDeducting your year-end bonus.â
These four words evidently hit Si Fuqingâs weak spot, and she immediately lifted her head.
âDeduct it then!â she snapped, but before long, she started to cry. âWhy do you have to take my money? Do you know how hard it is for me to earn it? I have a gold-eating beast thatâs cost me a lot, yet it doesnât change at all!â
As she cried, her voice grew louder. âEven if I raised a pig, it would get fat. But look at this rebellious creature, still so small! Itâs a bottomless pit.â
With that, Little Bai dashed away at once.
In a battle between gods, a little Pixiu who hadnât even fully recovered its true form couldnât intervene.
Yu Xiheng, for once, felt a headache coming on. âStop crying. I was kidding.â
Si Fuqing, however, was even more upset. âYou lied to me? How could you lie to me? You promised not toâ¦â
ââ¦â
He finally understood what it meant to be irrationally troublesome.
Yu Xiheng sighed and let her hang on him like a kangaroo, her long legs wrapped around his waist.
As he was about to move, she tightened her grip around his waist.
Si Fuqing whispered, âThe fireworks arenât over yet. Letâs watch them before leaving.â
Though she said this, she hadnât even opened her eyes, acting purely on instinct.
Yu Xiheng held his head.
Why was he arguing with a drunk?
He waited quietly for the fireworks to end, each minute and second a torment.
Finally, she fell asleep.
He could move at last.
After taking her to her bedroom and tucking her in, he sat by her bed for a while before finally getting up and leaving.
**
At this time, on the Western Continent.
The Western Continent didnât celebrate the Lunar New Year, but many people from the Great Xia organized various New Year activities.
Due to the time difference, it was daytime on the Western Continent.
This youth cultural exhibition was organized by the International Arts Committee.
The exhibition showcased thousands of works from all countries, including oil paintings, sculptures, calligraphy, and poetry.
It was not just an exhibition but a cultural collision.
The chairman pushed open the door. âIs the final selection out?â
âYes, itâs out,â a juror stood up. âWe evaluated all the works from various aspects and ultimately agreed that the embroidered picture you favored is the best.â
Only the Great Xia had such exquisite embroidery, and they hadnât seen such an impressive work in a long time.
âIndeed, this embroidery surpasses the painting âThousand Miles of Rivers and Mountainsâ,â the chairman sighed. âOne has to admit, the Great Xia is still the Great Xia, and we cannot compare.â
Apart from the Great Xia, which other countryâs civilization has persisted for five thousand years without interruption?
So many ancient nations have faded into history.
After five thousand years, only the Great Xia still stands tall.
Even though Great Xia temporarily lagged behind when modern technology began, everyone knew that the roar of the Eastern Dragon would one day awaken the world.
âSir, there is another embroidered picture with a rather complex situation,â another juror stood up. âWe donât know how to decide. Please take a look.â
The chairman was surprised. âAnother one? Let me see.â
He unfolded it and first saw the name.
It was another âThousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains.â