"Master, are you serious?" Hao Xin said in disbelief. "It's so salty it tastes bitter, and there's another strange taste."
"Big Brother, did you take the wrong seasoning jar?" Si Rong asked.
Gu Suihan ate another dumpling with a confused expression. "What's that weird taste? Is it really that bad? Master..."
"Maybe it's not to their taste." Shen Qingmang said: "It's okay, I think it's not bad."
"Master, are you trying to fool me?" Gu Suihan held her hand. "If it doesn't taste good, don't eat it."
"No one can be perfect." Shen Qingmang comforted him, "Although you may not be very good at cooking, you still have many strengths. Don't be sad."
"So Mingming..." Gu Suihan trailed off. "It's my fault. Sorry."
As he said this, he took the white plate away and threw it directly into the泔水袋.
"Hey, hey, hey, why did you throw it away? What a waste..." Hao Xin felt a little distressed. "It's food after all. You young masters and young ladies who have never been hungry are really..."
"Big Brother, one mistake is nothing. I made this edible thing by accident. Don't be sad." Si Rong said.
"That's right, I packed a lot, you can eat mine. If you want to learn the recipe, I can teach you." Hao Xin pushed his plate towards Gu Sui Han.
"No need. You guys eat. I don't have to eat anyway." Gu Sui Han said.
Shen Qingmang felt that his whole will was very depressed. He racked his brains to think of how to continue comforting him. At this time, footsteps were heard outside the door.
"The rice cake is ready. I made it myself. I'm going to give you rice cake for good luck." Yiqing walked in carrying a huge food box. "Hey, what are you eating?"
"Dumplings. Dad, I made these. Come and try them!" Si Rong picked up the plate.
Yiqing put down the lunch box and smiled so brightly that her teeth were showing. "My Ah Rong can cook now. He has really grown up. Hmm... Not bad, not bad. It's delicious."
"Brother, please sit down and eat with us." Shen Qingmang called.
"Then I won't be polite. I just passed by your Wuya Sect's library and saw your senior brother. He's really a man who doesn't even take a break during the New Year."
"Ah? He's still in the library?" Shen Qingmang stood up. "Then I'll call him over."
How pitiful it is to be alone and helpless on New Year's Eve. When she was in the welfare home, everyone would make dumplings together and celebrate the New Year. The director would also give red envelopes to the children. In her opinion, the New Year is the most lively time.
"Okay, go ahead. I didn't convince you just now, but you can definitely do it."
Shen Qingmang rushed to the library and saw Shi Mingli reading bamboo slips.
"Big Brother."
"Junior sister?" Shi Mingli put down the bamboo slips. "What's the matter?"
"Today is New Year's Eve, Senior Brother, please stop reading. You should at least have a day off throughout the year."
"I lack talent, so I must study hard."
Shen Qingmang clasped his hands together. "Brother, you're making Qingmang feel like a sinner."
"What do you mean?"
"I've put too much pressure on you, brother... Actually, at your age, you've reached the late Nascent Soul stage, which is quite strong. I'm an outlier, so you don't have to emulate me."
After saying this, Shen Qingmang felt that he was being a bit too Versailles, and lowered his head, too embarrassed to look at Shi Mingli.
The other party seemed to chuckle. "Senior Brother is not trying to surpass you."
"What's that for?"
“Besides practicing, I don’t know what to do.”
"Then come with me, Senior Brother." Shen Qingmang raised his head and said, "Yiqing is here too, let's chat together. I'll go call Second Senior Brother and Third Senior Sister as well."
"Did Master order you to do that?"
"Hmm?" Shen Qingmang didn't understand. "Master? Are you asking him to celebrate the New Year with you too? He should be with the elders, right? Elder Yinchu even sent me a message in advance asking me not to disturb them."
"Master Yinchu is very courageous," Shi Mingli commented calmly, then asked, "If it wasn't Master's order, why did you come to me? I thought you... wouldn't be very willing to interact with me too much."
Shen Qingmang's heart tightened, but he smiled and said, "Qiong Ju was ignorant in the past. I beg you to forgive me. In my heart, you are all very important relatives."
"My dear... this is fine." Shi Mingli stuffed the bamboo slips into the bookshelf. "Let's go."
Shen Qingmang went back to look for her second senior brother, Qi Xiao. He insulted her with a few words like "a weasel paying New Year's greetings to a chicken," but he still followed her. Third senior sister, Qi Yao, wasn't in her own quarters, and the jade pendant she sent her message to didn't respond. Shen Qingmang searched for a long time before finding her at the summit, communicating with her lover through the jade pendant, their face filled with amorous feelings.
She hesitated between leaving and asking, and deliberately made a little noise. Qi Yao vigilantly cut off the communication and turned around, and was relieved to find that it was her.
"I thought it was Master. I was so scared. What's wrong, Junior Sister?"
"I want to spend the New Year's Eve with you, Senior Sister. Are you available?"
"The sun is rising from the west, and you're actually staying up all night to celebrate the New Year. Of course I have to support you!"
Qi Yao was very straightforward and walked away. Shen Qingmang smiled and said, "It would be great if Second Senior Brother was as easy to talk to as Senior Sister."
"Did you invite him? He's full of shit, so you don't need to listen to him, but he must be going, right?"
"Yeah." Shen Qingmang nodded. "I hope my little apprentice won't learn from Second Brother."
The tsundere personality is probably only considered cute by those who like the other person, while everyone else will find it annoying.
With Qi Yao's arrival, Shen Qingmang's pressure was reduced a lot. He didn't have to worry about awkward silences because this senior sister would definitely be able to find topics to talk about.
However, Qi Yao also took out a few jars of wine, saying that one must drink Tusu wine to stay up all night. Shen Qingmang conjured up another table and said to his disciples, "You children, sit at another table. We adults are going to drink."
"Dad, drink less. You start talking nonsense when you drink." Si Rong warned.
Hao Xin was a little curious and asked Gu Suihan in a low voice: "Big Brother, have you ever drunk alcohol?"
"No." Gu Suihan shook his head.
"I heard that stuff is spicy and pungent, I don't know if it tastes good. Let's not get involved with them, let's just eat our own food."
"Yeah." Gu Suihan responded, but his butt remained firmly seated in the original place, still next to Shen Qingmang.
As the junior sister, Shen Qingmang poured a round of wine and sat down. Noticing Gu Suihan was still there, she asked with a smile, "You want to drink too? No, no, you're not even an adult yet. Go to the children's table."
"Then Master, please don't be greedy."
"I can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, don't worry." She winked at him. Gu Suihan then left the table.
"The younger generation should drink Tu Su wine first, so I won't be polite, junior sister. I wish you all progress in your cultivation and a happy life in the new year." Shen Qingmang raised the glass and drank it all, frowning. He felt that the taste of this wine was more complex than Gu Sui Han's dumplings.
The others also drank in turn. Qi Yao talked about her travels, Shen Qingmang asked questions from time to time, Qi Xiao tried to spoil the fun, Yiqing expressed admiration at the right time and was very supportive, and Shi Mingli, although he said little, also listened attentively.
Many years later, whenever Shen Qingmang recalled that night, he always felt a little melancholy in his heart.
The carefree and beautiful times cannot be retrieved and can only be cherished in memory.
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