Chapter 142 - 142: First Heart-to-heart Talk
It turned out that two days ago, after Zhou Xiaoli left, Second Landlord Wan refused to fill in the fish pond and started arguing with Landlord Wan.
Hence, the fish pond was not filled up immediately.
Unexpectedly, the next day, what Zhou Xiaoli said came true. Calamity struck the family, and it happened to him. His wife passed away, and he was badly injured.
As such, Second Landlord Wan completely believed what she said.
That was why his attitude towards her had changed 180 degrees.
Zhou Xiaoli shook her head. Since that was the case, she did not delay any longer and immediately began to dissolve the Five Yellow Fiend formation.
In the eyes of Landlord Wan, Zhou Xiaoli merely paced back and forth in the courtyard. In the end, she hung up the Six Emperors Coins, seemingly in a relaxed manner.
In fact, the entire process had consumed a lot of Zhou Xiaoli’s energy.
After everything was settled, her forehead was covered in sweat.
“Alright, the Five Yellows have returned to their rightful positions. As long as we do not disturb the Six Emperor Coins, it won’t be a problem.”
Landlord Wan heaved a sigh of relief and immediately ordered a table full of dishes and wine for Zhou Xiaoli.
This time, Zhou Xiaoli did not refuse. After the meal, she returned home with 500 taels of silver.
Apart from the favor she had done for the mayor the last time, this was the first bucket of gold that Zhou Xiaoli had earned with metaphysics.
However, she did not intend to use the money. When she had the chance in the future, she would use the money to set up a charity.
She would use the money she earned from doing Feng Shui divinations for charity.
After all, what she was doing was disclosing heavenly secrets and may even change fates.
With her Heavenly Eye, she was not worried that the five faults and three deficiencies would occur to her.
However, she had a family. She had to accumulate blessings for them.
After the new year, time flew by. In the blink of an eye, it was the Lunar New Year.
After pasting new couplets on the door and putting on new clothes, Zhou Xiaoli and Wei Chiyu stepped on the snow and went up the mountain to help their master paste couplets on his door.
They even brought him down from the mountain to their homes for the new
year.
Wei Chiyu also had a home in this new year. They made dumplings and set off firecrackers together. It was extremely lively.
Zhou Xiaoli wore a bamboo-green jacket with a red collar. She jumped around like a koi, looking extremely festive.
“Master, this is my new year wish for you. I wish you a Happy New Year, and I wish you great health and a hearty appetite. Wishing that you have countless riches and power. Give me a red packet.”
Yuan Zhengchun stroked his goatee and smiled until wrinkles appeared on his face.
With a smile, he placed a pouch in Zhou Xiaoli’s outstretched hand.
“Thank you, Master-”
Zhou Xiaoli dragged her voice as she shifted away.
Then, Zhou Xiaoyu and Zhou Junjun, who were standing behind her, were revealed.
The two little guys muttered lots of auspicious words and happily received red packets.
Then, the three of them lined up to pay their New Year greetings to Zhang Lan and Zhou Yu.
The house was filled with laughter and joy.
Zhang Lan was so happy that her eyes turned red. This was the first New Year since they left the Old Zhou family. It was also the happiest New Year that they had.
At this moment, she handed a pouch to Wei Chiyu.
Wei Chiyu immediately refused.
“Thank you, Auntie. I’m not a child anymore. I don’t need it.”
Zhang Lan smiled and stuffed the pouch into Wei Chiyu’s hand.
“Come, take it. What nonsense about being an adult or a child? In my eyes, you’re a child. It’s the new year. The elders have to give money to the younger generation. This is called New Year’s money. You can’t reject it.”
Wei Chiyu lowered his head to look at the pouch, then raised his head to look at Zhang Lan. His heart was filled with warmth. “Thank you, Auntie. Happy New Year, Auntie.”
“Hey, that’s right. Happy New Year!”
At this moment, Zhou Xiaoli ran over and patted Wei Chiyu. “Hey, Junior
Brother, how was it? How many pouches did you get?”
“Aiya, you only have one. Wei Chiyu, this won’t do.”
Zhou Xiaoli pretended to be surprised. “Let’s go. I’ll bring you to greet the others.”
As she spoke, she pulled Wei Chiyu up.
On Lunar New Year’s Eve, every family would try to be happy.
No matter how poor they were, they would do their best to make a good meal. They would light a string of firecrackers and pray for their family to prosper in the new year.
Listening to the occasional sound of firecrackers being lit, Zhou Xiaoli looked up at the sky.
This was the first New Year she had celebrated as Zhou Xiaoli.
Although there were no fireworks or Lunar New Year programs to watch, it was a simple pleasure.
Just as Zhou Xiaoli was looking up at the sky, a commotion broke out in the room.
It turned out that Zhang Lan had asked Zhou Xiaoyu and Zhou Junjun to sleep, but the two of them refused.
They were clamoring about staying up for the new year.
Zhang Lan could not do anything to them.
Zhou Xiaoli suddenly stood up.
“That’s right, we have to stay up tonight!”
When she was still a koi, the Heavenly Palace was way more advanced than this world. They could even project the Spring Festival Gala show in the mortal realm onto the big screen.
Therefore, during the Spring Festival, she had unknowingly followed the humans in the human world to stay awake till midnight.
However, there was no electricity and no cell phone here, so it was impossible to stay awake while doing nothing.
Hence, she did not last long before her eyelids started to flutter. Her head drooped and almost hit the table.
Wei Chiyu was quick enough to grab her head before she hit herself.
Zhang Lan’s heart ached. “Go to sleep if you’re sleepy.” Zhou Xiaoli stood up and patted her face. “I’m not sleepy, I’m not sleepy. I can still endure!” As she spoke, she even cheered herself on. “I’m sleepy because I’m sitting down. I’m going for a walk.”
As she spoke, she lifted her skirt and ran out.
Wei Chiyu shook his head dotingly and got up to follow her. “Auntie, I’ll follow her.”
At this moment, snowflakes began to fall outside again. Zhou Xiaoli rubbed her hands and stomped her feet while standing under the corridor.
Wei Chiyu walked over and handed her the warm sleeve pouch. “The plum blossoms in my courtyard have bloomed. Do you want to take a look?”
Zhou Xiaoli nodded. “What are you waiting for? Let’s go!”
As she spoke, she took the lead and rushed into the snow.
Her feet crunched on the soft snow.
When she turned around, she realized that Wei Chiyu had stepped on her footprints.
She was stunned and laughed.
“Wei Chiyu, you’re so childish! No, no, I don’t want to be the one opening a path. Wei Chiyu, walk in front. I want to walk in your footsteps.”
Hence, the two of them walked slowly on the snow, one in front and one behind. Their shadows were long, and there was a sense of peace.
Wei Chiyu’s courtyard was planted with yellow wintersweet. Small flowers stood proudly among the snow.
“It’s beautiful.
Zhou Xiaoli reached out and tapped the branch of the plum blossom, causing it to sway in the wind.
“I heard that we’re celebrating the new year today to pray for our parents to have good health. I hope that Father and Mother will be healthy and will always be as happy as today.”
Zhou Xiaoli could not help but turn to look at Wei Chiyu.
“And you?”
Wei Chiyu’s eyes were a little blurry, and his exquisite chin seemed to be immersed in cold air.
After a while, he suddenly spoke with a hint of loneliness in his voice.
“My mother died when I was six.”
Zhou Xiaoli paused. This was the first time Wei Chiyu had spoken about his family.
“Can you tell me about it?”
Wei Chiyu’s beautiful brows furrowed, as if the memory was very painful for him to bear.
But he opened his mouth nonetheless.
“I have a vague memory of my mother. I only remember that she was always very gentle.”
“But when I was three years old, that man judged that I would bring disaster to his family because of my eyes’ color.”
“He ignored my mother’s objections and sent me to the countryside. He didn’t even allow my mother to meet me. My mother was so worried that she fell ill not long after. When I was six years old, she passed away.”
At this point, Wei Chiyu’s amber eyes revealed a trace of bloodthirsty hatred.
“That man! He didn’t even let me see my mother for the last time!”