Chapter 96 New Year's Eve Fireworks
Aunt Zhang finally couldn't help herself and blurted out, "Miss Liu! Is it really worth it?"
"For Xie Wuqi, for a man who has someone else in his heart and might even abandon you like a piece of trash! Is it worth it to sacrifice everything you have, your reputation, your status, your future?"
This question is like a poisoned dagger.
Liu Yueli's body shook.
She slowly raised her eyes, and her eyes finally met Aunt Zhang's eager and inquiring gaze.
There were no tears, no anger, only stubbornness.
She did not answer Aunt Zhang's question.
When Aunt Zhang almost thought that she would not speak, Liu Yueli did something that made Aunt Zhang's blood almost freeze instantly - her right hand gently stroked her still flat belly.
It seemed as if confirming something, and as if comforting something.
Then she raised her head and met Aunt Zhang's surprised and doubtful gaze.
The corners of Liu Yueli's lips curled up again: "Of course it's worth it."
Aunt Zhang's heart was shocked, and a chill instantly ran down her spine.
She looked at Liu Yueli's hand protecting her lower abdomen, and the creepy determination on her face, and a thought that made her scalp tingle popped up uncontrollably.
Could it be... ?
Aunt Zhang could no longer sit still. She stood up suddenly, her face filled with horror and panic: "Miss Liu, you..."
Liu Yueli no longer looked at her, but lowered her eyelids and her gaze returned to the mandarin duck sachet on the low table.
"The tea is cold, take care, auntie." Her voice returned to its original gentleness, but with a kind of coldness that kept people at a distance.
…
Luo Zhaohan's fingertips tapped unconsciously on the mahogany desk, making a light thudding sound that was particularly clear in the study.
She stared at something in the void, a hint of sarcasm on the corner of her lips: "Xie Wuqi? Ha... What a talented man in the capital, he's just a fool in Liu Yueli's clutches, a ladder she can step on at any time when she wants to climb up."
My thoughts followed the vine of Xie Wuqi and easily touched the big tree behind him - King Jin.
When she thought of Prince Jin, those calm and sharp eyes naturally came to her mind.
Shaoqing of Dali Temple, Pei Ji.
As if a basin of snow water was poured over his head, the calculations churning in Luo Zhaohan's heart quickly calmed down, leaving only a desire.
She whispered to herself, her voice so soft as if she wasn't afraid of disturbing anything. "It'll be soon. When all this is settled, I'll tell you the truth about the injustice done to the Luo family in our past lives, all those sinister schemes hidden in the gutter. Only you can uncover every clue and bring true justice to our Luo family!"
Luo Zhaohan's heart skipped a beat, and a heat rushed up his cheeks, instantly burning his ears.
"Sister! What's wrong with your face..."
The study door was pushed open with a bang, and Luo Jince rushed in.
He had only shouted halfway when, like a rooster with its neck pinched, he stared at his sister's rosy face with his eyes wide open, his mouth wide enough to fit an egg.
"Get out!" Luo Zhaohan was like a cat whose tail was stepped on. His fur instantly stood up. He grabbed a thick account book at hand and smashed it towards the door with such force that it brought up a gust of wind.
Luo Jince was so frightened that his neck shrank, he covered his head and ran away, then slammed the door again.
Leaning against the door, my heart was still beating wildly, and there was only a huge question mark buzzing in my mind.
His elder sister, who is always so decisive and ruthless, was she blushing just now?
Damn it!
…
In the warm room of the Changning Marquis’ Mansion.
The silver frost charcoal was burning brightly in the exquisite copper basin, bringing warmth and dispelling the severe cold at the end of the year.
A faint scent of sandalwood mixed with the aftertaste of food floats in the air.
Lord Changning rubbed his hands and looked at his son who was sitting upright below him, his throat tightening a little.
He cleared his throat and tried to sound casual: "Ji'er, would you like to stay for a reunion dinner on New Year's Eve this year?"
Pei Ji raised his eyes, his gaze settled calmly on his father's face. Without hesitation, he nodded gently, "Okay."
After a pause, he added, "I also planned to stay at home to celebrate the New Year's Eve."
He lived in the residence of his mentor, Mr. Chu, all year round to study law, and only on New Year's Eve would he return home.
But in previous years, this New Year’s Eve dinner was as boring as chewing wax and was just a formality.
"Okay! Okay!" Changning Bo responded repeatedly, the wrinkles on his face relaxed a little, and he hurriedly ordered the servants to set the table.
The wife of the Earl of Changning sat opposite Pei Ji, wearing a newly made crimson purple satin jacket and skirt with a lotus pattern. The bright color was incompatible with her usual plain attire, showing a deliberate solemnity.
She sat very upright, her back straight, her hands neatly placed on her knees. But upon closer inspection, her fingertips were slightly curled, unconsciously tightening the smooth satin surface of the dress above her knees, revealing her nervousness.
Exquisite dishes were placed on the ebony eight-immortal table like a stream, and in the center was a large bowl of braised meat with a rich red sauce.
The pork belly, with alternating fat and lean parts, was stewed until it was trembling, wrapped in thick sauce, and glowed with an attractive oily luster under the candlelight.
There was only the slight clinking of dishes and chopsticks during the meal.
Earl Changning tried hard to find a topic to talk about, Pei Ji responded briefly, while Lady Changning remained silent, with her eyes lowered, only occasionally glancing quickly in the direction of her son out of the corner of her eye.
The plate of braised pork was closest to her.
She seemed to have made some desperate decision. She tightened her grip on the ivory chopsticks, and finally quickly stretched them out, carefully picking up a piece of the softest and most glutinous meat, and quickly and lightly placed it in the white jade bowl in front of Pei Ji.
After doing all this, she immediately withdrew her hand, her eyes fixed on the edge of the bowl in front of her, as if the action that had exhausted so much courage had never happened, but her ears were quietly stained with a thin layer of red.
Pei Ji's gaze fell on the piece of meat that suddenly appeared in the bowl, and he paused slightly.
Without any pause or expression of any abnormality, he naturally stretched out his chopsticks, picked up the piece of meat, and put it steadily into his mouth.
As the meat enters your mouth, the boiling hot soup with an extreme salty and fresh taste instantly explodes on your tongue. The fat part has already melted, and the lean meat is so tender that it does not need to be chewed.
It's incredibly delicious.
A warm current hit my heart without warning, making it feel sore and swollen.
He swallowed the piece of meat, raised his head, and looked through the hot mist at his mother who was so nervous that she almost held her breath.
His eyes were clear, without any scrutiny, only pure sincerity.
"Thank you, mother. It's delicious."
The moment he finished speaking, a smile, like the first ripples on the surface of a lake in early spring, slowly spread across the corners of his usually cold lips.
The wife of the Earl of Changning shuddered violently, as if she had been scalded. She lowered her head suddenly, and a scalding tear burst out of her eye socket, "pa pa", and fell heavily on the purple brocade lapel.
She hurriedly raised her sleeves and pressed hard on the corners of her sore eyes, trying to cover up her loss of composure. She could only repeat clumsily: "Eat...eat more...there's more in the pot...there's more in the pot..."
He spoke incoherently and was obviously choking up.
The Lord Changning beside him had already turned his face away quietly, his shoulders shrugged.
He quickly wiped the corners of his eyes with his wide brocade sleeves, and when he turned back, his face was already filled with a deliberately exaggerated smile: "Yes, yes, yes! Eat more, this meat was simmered by the madam herself over the stove for most of the day! It's cooked to perfection and tastes just right!"
His eyes roamed eagerly over his wife and children's faces, the moisture still lingering in the corners of his eyes. "We'll all stay up all night, no one's allowed to leave! Let's stay up all night as a family!"
"Okay." Pei Ji looked at his parents and responded again.
"Okay." Lady Changning nodded hurriedly. Her voice was still choked, but she curled the corners of her lips hard, trying to respond to her husband and son.
The leftover food was removed and replaced with tea and some exquisite snacks and fruit plates.
The charcoal basin in the warm room burned even more vigorously, and the warm warmth enveloped the three of them.
A small rosewood table was moved next to the warm couch, and a polished torreya chessboard was placed on it, with black and white chess pieces placed in chess pots respectively.
"Come, Ji'er! Good nights are rare, play a game of chess with your father!" Earl Changning sat down beside the chessboard in high spirits, rubbing his hands ready to go.
"Please, father." Pei Ji sat down on the brocade cushion opposite as he was told and picked up the black chess pot.
Changningbo made his moves quickly, and the white chess pieces started the game with great momentum, seizing a large area of the field.
However, after only a dozen moves, the momentum slowed down.
His brows were furrowed, his eyes roaming over the chessboard again and again, his fingers twisting a white piece in the air, unable to drop it, and even beads of sweat oozing from his forehead.
"Uh... this move doesn't count!" He suddenly seemed to realize a major mistake. He reached out and quickly grabbed the white piece he had just dropped. He smiled awkwardly and said, "I was just dazzled and misjudged the position!"
Pei Ji's expression didn't change at all, he just smiled as he watched his father regret his move.
The wife of the Earl of Changning sat in an armchair nearby, slowly peeling a tangerine in her hand, but her eyes would drift quietly towards the chessboard from time to time, with a hint of concentration and helplessness.
Earl Changning made another move.
But the good times didn't last long. After just a few steps, the same situation happened again.
"Oh no! This move is not right! I regret it! Just one step!" He reached out to grab the chess piece again, and his movements were so skillful that people wondered if he had planned it in advance.
"Master!" Lady Changning finally couldn't stand it any longer. She gently placed the half-peeled orange on the fruit plate, stood up, walked over to her husband, and gently patted his shoulder. "As the saying goes, 'A true gentleman watches a chess game without saying a word.' But you're doing this, regretting your moves so much that you're almost scratching the board. How can Ji'er play?"
The old man of Changning blushed, stiffened his neck, and said something rather unreasonable: "What do you know, Madam? Playing chess is like deploying troops. One wrong move and the whole game is lost! I am being cautious and making plans before I act!"
"So cautious that you even regret three steps?" Lady Changning raised her eyebrows slightly, the smile in her eyes deepened, with a hint of understanding.
She gently nudged her husband and said, "Please give me some space and go over there to have some tea and rest. I'll be so bold as to finish this game for you. How about that?"
Upon hearing this, Earl Changning, far from being angry, stood up immediately as if he had received a special pardon. "Hmph, a woman's way... I'll let you see what I'm like... Ji'er, don't let me off the hook. Ask your mother for advice on your father's behalf..."
However, he had already swiftly retreated to the armchair beside him, sat down, picked up the already warmed teacup, and took a sip comfortably.
The wide sleeves hung down, cleverly hiding the triumphant smile on the corner of his mouth.
His eyes were no longer on the chessboard, but lingered on his wife and children who were playing chess with relief and satisfaction.
The candlelight in the warm room illuminated the moisture in his eyes that had not yet dissipated, making them sparkle, as if they were filled with crushed starlight.
The midnight drum pierced the dark night, and before its lingering sound faded, it was completely drowned out by the sound of firecrackers.
The entire capital seemed to be boiling in an instant.
In the warm room, the chess game is at a stalemate.
The black piece in Pei Ji's hand hovered above the chessboard, and he was concentrating on thinking about his next move.
The sudden loud noise made the mother and son who were playing chess stop at the same time, and the Changning Earl who was watching the game also raised his head suddenly.
"It's already midnight?" Earl Changning was stunned for a moment, then his face erupted with childlike joy. He stood up so suddenly that his chair wobbled. "Hold on! Quick, quick! Ji'er, Madam, let's go watch the fireworks! This is the best time of the year!"
He spoke in a loud and excited voice and walked towards the door first.
Pei Ji and his mother, Lady Changning, looked at each other. Lady Changning also smiled and nodded slightly.
The three of them walked out of the warm room together and came to the courtyard.
As soon as I stepped in, the dark blue sky was suddenly lit up.
Countless bright points of light roared up into the sky and exploded at the top. Thousands of trees were covered with silver flowers and golden snakes danced wildly, illuminating the entire mansion and even half of the capital as bright as day, so gorgeous that it was breathtaking.
Pei Ji subconsciously raised his head.
On New Year's Eve in previous years, he would either sit alone in the study of Mr. Chu's mansion, listening to the hustle and bustle outside, or spend the long night in his own courtyard of the Changning Marquis's mansion, facing a solitary lamp.
However, at this moment, beside me were my parents' profiles, illuminated by the fireworks, and in front of me was an overwhelming light.
A kind of warmth that is almost perfect is quietly growing.
"Come!" Earl Changning had asked his servants to warm up the wine without him knowing when, and he personally brought over three small jade cups.
He stuffed one of the cups into Pei Ji's hand, picked up one himself, and motioned for his wife to take one as well.
"Jier, it's a new year, and everything is new!" The voice of Lord Changning was still loud amid the sound of firecrackers.
Pei Ji held the warm wine cup tightly, looked at his father, and then at his mother.
The three jade cups collided gently in the air, making a crisp and pleasant sound.
The clear wine slid into the throat, bringing a hint of heat straight to the heart.
"Father, Mother," Pei Ji said with a sob, "I wish you two a happy and healthy new year."
Tears welled up in Lady Changning's eyes instantly. She pursed her lips tightly to suppress the tears and nodded vigorously.
When Pei Ji returned to his courtyard, which had been deserted for years, his steps were a little unsteady.
He dismissed all the guards and let them go to celebrate the festival on their own. At this moment, the courtyard was quiet, with only the whimpering of the cold wind blowing through the dead branches.
He forced open the door with the last bit of clarity in his mind, walked straight to the desk and sat down without turning on the light.
The remaining fireworks outside the window intermittently illuminated the room.
He fumbled to spread out a piece of plain white letter paper and picked up the purple brush from the pen holder.
Pick up the pen, dip it in ink, and concentrate on thinking.
He couldn't finish writing a full line before he frowned, as if he felt something was wrong. He crumpled up the paper without hesitation and threw it aside.
I spread out another page, but it was still difficult to write. I repeated this process over and over again, and finally rejected three drafts.
Pei Shaoqing of the Dali Temple was actually choosing the words for a simple visiting card at this moment. He was so cautious that it was almost clumsy, and he lacked his usual decisiveness.
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