I woke up bright and early on New Year’s Day. After the fireworks ended yesterday, I coaxed Niannian to go to sleep and then returned to my room.
The plum blossom wine was mellow and fragrant, and I had asked someone to place a jar on my table, afraid that my mind would start wandering.
If I hadn’t come to this place, I would have already been in college. I gulped down several cups in one breath, and sure enough, my mind went completely blank.
Alcohol truly lives up to its reputation. I only remember slumping over the desk, but when I woke up, I was in bed with the blanket tucked properly around me. My head felt a bit heavy, so I stretched and prepared to go out for a stroll to clear my mind.
It had snowed again in the middle of the night, but it had stopped by now, leaving a thin layer on the ground.
Niannian was running and playing around, accompanied by a servant. Since the ground outside was slippery, I was too lazy to call for him.
After stepping out onto Prince’s Residence Street, I successively ran into people chatting and children chasing and playing. Upon seeing me, they all turned to look. When they noticed me looking back, they smiled at me very warmly. I remembered that the last time I went out on the street, nobody looked at me like this.
As I walked closer, I finally heard someone say that this was the Heir Apparent of the Rong Prince’s Residence. They were all nodding and praising my handsome appearance, which made me feel rather awkward inside.
“What is going on?” I asked Ayun.
“Fireworks.”
“Fireworks?” I repeated, not understanding for a moment.
At that moment, an older woman said to me very enthusiastic, “Your Rong Prince’s Residence looked so pretty yesterday.”
That was when the realization dawned on me. So that was it. They had been attracted by the loud bangs and had seen fireworks for the very first time, gathering together early in the morning to talk about it.
The older woman enthusiastically picked up two freshly made oil pancakes, wrapped them in paper, and shoved them into my hands. “Take them and eat, eat up. The Heir Apparent is so handsome.”
I awkwardly glanced at Ayun and felt like he was holding back laughter.
For Niannian, the number one priority in life was eating. It felt like as long as someone gave him food, anyone could easily trick and kidnap him.
Once he was full, he wanted to play. He was truly happy, carefree, and without worries. I lay on the rocking chair soaking up the sun, watching Niannian chase a cat for a long time.
“What is Your Young Master thinking about?” Ayun asked me.
“I actually really envy Niannian. Once he is full, he has zero worries.”
“Does Your Young Master have any troubling matters on your mind?”
“Just springtime sorrows and autumn melancholy.”
That cat was a calico cat. As soon as Niannian caught it, he rushed over to find me excitedly.
“Older Brother, here.”
He shoved the small cat toward me, and Ayun moved with lightning speed, wanting to take it. The cat had just been running on the ground, and its paws were pitch black. I said it was fine.
There was nothing that a cleansing spell couldn’t solve, so I placed the cat on my lap. The cat very docilely dozed off.
It felt just like me, a college student returning to school after winter break, and the day to return to the sect had also arrived. I was truly enjoying lying around comfortably inside the estate, dragging it out all the way until the Lantern Festival before finally heading back.
Chen Xiaowu sent me a spiritual crane message asking when I would be returning, saying that he went to Leisurely Cloud Tower every day and couldn’t see me.
A kid missing me this much made me happy inside, showing that he truly kept me, his Senior Brother, in his heart, living up to how well I treated him.
The Star Sect’s Lantern Festival banquet was set inside the largest main hall. Those with prestige within the sect sat in the highest seats, while the other disciples sat together with their peers, arranged by seniority and rank.
Therefore, where each person sat was completely predetermined. Next to me was Lin Mo, followed by Duan Qianyue, while Yaoshuang and Chen Xiaowu sat a bit further away.
I had always thought that the oldest person in the Star Sect was Master Pengying, but the reality was that while he looked the oldest, he wasn’t the one sitting right in the middle.
The person sitting right in the middle was someone I had never seen before, and he looked quite young. I was a bit curious and asked Lin Mo who that person was.
“That is Master’s master, our Grandmaster. He has always been wandering across the four seas and only returns once every few decades.”
Discussing Master’s master was naturally a bit disrespectful, so Lin Mo lowered his voice to a whisper, almost pressing against my ear to speak.
Cultivators had extremely long lifespans, generally only beginning to age after a hundred years or so. If they cared about their appearance, they could practice a youth-preservation technique, which allowed their appearance to forever remain in its adult stage.
For example, that mysterious Grandmaster, as well as Feng Qiubai. If they didn’t care about appearance, they were like Master, living for several hundreds of years with white hair, a white beard, and white eyebrows, possessing the otherworldly demeanor of an immortal.
The white jade tables were laden with all kinds of food, and disciples from various sects went up to perform programs, some playing musical instruments, others performing sword dances.
Chen Xiaowu hunched over and sneaked over to my side, stealthily taking out a few small fried fish.
“Senior Brother, try this. It is so delicious.”
“Be a good boy, or Master will punish you again.”
I turned my head and watched Chen Xiaowu return to his spot, gesturing with my eyes for him to behave.
“Senior Brother and Junior Brother Xiaowu really have a close bond, do they not?” Hearing Duan Qianyue’s voice right now, coupled with that half-smile of his, made me instinctively want to snap back at him.
But I held it in and ignored him, pretending I didn’t hear. Seeing me ignore him and refusing to give up, he continued:
“On New Year’s Eve, the sky above the Rong Prince’s Residence was certainly lively.”
I was just about to say that you are staying here in the Star Sect, separated from me by ten thousand miles, yet you could still see it, meaning you sure have great eyesight.
Upon hearing this, Lin Mo also looked over at me with an inquisitive gaze.
“Senior Brother, what was that thing at your Rong Prince’s Residence that day? I have never seen it before.”
Consequently, I had no choice but to reply to Lin Mo, “It is fireworks. The method of making them is somewhat similar to gunpowder. I bought them from a family on the outskirts of the city.”
The two of us chatted idly for a few moments on this topic.
“Junior Brother Yu Li.”
At that moment, an older girl who looked a few years senior to me called out. She was from the outer sect, and I had never seen her before. I looked at Lin Mo with a bit of helplessness.
“It is Senior Sister Qin Yi.”
That Qin Yi was already walking toward me.
“I heard that Junior Brother Yu Li excels greatly in sword dancing. I wonder if you would be willing to dance the Southern Lament together with this junior sister?”
I actually knew how to perform the Southern Lament, and it wouldn’t be appropriate to decline.
The Southern Lament was originally a gentle, lingering tune paired with male and female swordsmen weaving their swords into blooming patterns, trading thrusts and parries as if narrating a deeply aesthetic love story.
As the tune ended amidst thunderous applause, I returned to my seat.
“Senior Brother, did that Senior Sister Qin Yi take a fancy to you?” Lin Mo teased with a smile.
“Do not talk nonsense.” In this novel, any beauty would only ever fall for Duan Qianyue, and Duan Qianyue was sitting right next to me.
If the young miss of the Prince’s Residence had met Duan Qianyue earlier, there wouldn’t have been any role for me to play.
“Senior Brother, didn’t you see Senior Sister Qin Yi’s tender, water-like gaze just now? She definitely took a fancy to you. How truly enviable.”
While dancing, I had been busy recalling the movements, terrified of making a fool of myself in front of so many people. I hadn’t seen any tender, water-like gaze at all. I only knew that a person shouldn’t be too narcissistic.
At a time like this, the male and female lead definitely had to have their plot moments. Yaoshuang ran over and said, “Eldest Senior Brother, I originally wanted to sword-dance with you too, but Senior Sister snatched the chance first,” her tone carrying a hint of grievance.
“Is not Junior Brother Qianyue still here?” This plot was arranged precisely like this, so I might as well go with the flow to save wasting my breath.
Seeing Yaoshuang go off to find Duan Qianyue, I picked up a lychee and leisurely peeled it.
“Senior Brother, I think Junior Brother Qianyue seemed rather unwilling.” After the two of them walked far away, Lin Mo remarked.
“Junior Brother Lin Mo, I think you should go see a doctor about your eyes.”
One second, he claimed a senior sister had taken a liking to me, and the next he claimed Duan Qianyue was unwilling to perform on stage with a junior sister.
“I just saw Junior Brother Qianyue glaring at you.”