Chapter 853 Something's Wrong
Do not be careless.
These words left Song Chunxue feeling uneasy and conflicted.
I want to get to the bottom of this.
"What did you foresee, Senior Brother?" she asked, her brow furrowed. "If only I could be as good as you in predicting things, I could see things clearly with just these eyes."
"No good. What good is being able to predict and calculate? It can't change the overall situation, and often it will backfire. So don't ask too many questions. Just be prepared."
As she spoke, a pile of things appeared on the ground: food, daily necessities, trinkets bought from the street, and even a jar of sesame oil, which she could smell even through the lid.
"Senior brother is so thoughtful, he bought me everything." She accepted the gifts with a beaming smile. "Thank you so much, senior brother. I doubt even my own brother would be this considerate."
Master Zhang chuckled, "You almost became my own brother. You were destined to have an older brother, but he died in the womb and was never born."
"Really?" Song Chunxue looked at him in surprise, a mix of emotions flashing through her mind.
“If he had been born, I might not exist. Or rather, I wouldn’t have been born into the Song family; I would have been someone else’s daughter.” She revealed this cruel truth.
With a son, who would want to have so many daughters?
Knowing that she had four older sisters, Master Zhang understood how difficult it had been for her to get to where she was today.
He comforted you gently, “But things are different now. Your parents in heaven will only marvel at how much better you are than their son. When you attain enlightenment, your Song family will still enshrine you in the ancestral hall.”
Song Chunxue shook her head with a smile, "We don't have an ancestral hall. It's already impressive that it's written in the family genealogy, but I don't care."
Those are all things from a long time ago; she no longer cares about them.
She took out a bundle, "These are new clothes for my senior brother. Remember to wear them on the first day of the month."
Master Zhang was taken aback; he hadn't expected her to have even prepared new clothes for him for the New Year. Besides, he had already bought several pieces in Zhuanglang County.
"You must have been quite busy during those few days. You have so many children, just buy them the clothes. I'm willing to spend money now, I've already bought two outfits."
“Kids have different tastes than us. They think ready-made clothes are too old-fashioned. It’s better to give them new fabric and let them cut it themselves.” As she spoke, Song Chunxue took out a beautiful headdress. “It has two big pearls on it. If you encounter someone who looks down on you, you can wear it and show it off. It’ll make you look very impressive.”
The object that had inadvertently landed on her hand made Master Zhang feel instantly flattered.
What a beautiful silver hair ornament.
It looks like it was made by an old silversmith bit by bit. The brand-new carvings not only feature pearls but also yellow jade. The craftsmanship is exquisite and it looks really good.
Aside from his former master, no one else had ever given him such a beautiful headdress. The past two years have brought many changes and left him exhausted; this year, he especially enjoys reminiscing about the past during the Lunar New Year.
At this moment, Zhang Chengxuan's heart was burning with passion.
He turned his head, suppressing the warmth in his eyes, and praised with a smile, "Junior brother is so filial; everything he gave me was something I cherish."
“What filial piety? That’s called being sensible and considerate,” Song Chunxue whispered. “After all, I am who I am today because of my senior brother…”
"Alright, you talk to them. I'll cook today. After you finish eating, hurry back to the capital. This year, the month is short, only twenty-nine days."
She understood that her senior brother, being so intelligent, should know what she was talking about.
Even if she didn't say it, her senior brother would keep it to himself and never reveal it until his death.
But she still wanted him to understand that his efforts were not unnoticed. If one is kind to others and gives too much without receiving anything in return, even a god would feel disappointed.
Otherwise, if you go to a temple to make a wish, the gods won't urge you to fulfill it afterwards.
Following behind her senior brother, Song Chunxue looked up at the sky; it was almost noon.
She felt a pang of melancholy; she still had to deliver some things to her older sister and brother, and she might have to travel through the night.
However, having done what needed to be done and fulfilled her wishes, she felt quite at ease.
After a satisfying meal at Qingshan Temple, we chatted happily with our senior brothers, disciples, and nephews. We even drew talismans and wrote couplets together, and learned to draw door gods from our senior brothers. The afternoon passed quickly amidst laughter and joy.
The uncle also led them in a blessing ceremony and met with several pilgrims who had come up the mountain to make wishes and ask questions.
Song Chunxue was persuaded by the children to stay another day, and tomorrow she asked Master Zhang to escort her.
To be honest, she felt a little guilty and embarrassed, but she readily agreed to their request.
As elders, they have no awareness whatsoever and need the younger generation to remind them.
Does she really have to spend the New Year with Xie Zheng?
Although she might not go to the Xie residence on New Year's Eve.
While making dumplings in the kitchen, Xia's mother smiled and said to Song Chunxue, "I really envy you now. I don't even want to go home to celebrate the New Year with my two children this year."
"Why?" Although she knew what was going on, Song Chunxue still asked.
“My daughter-in-law gives me a smile because I have some money now. If she didn’t give me a smile, she would blame me for making their New Year’s celebration uneasy. Just thinking about it makes me feel upset. It’s better to spend the New Year with Sanwa and Mulan.”
At this point, Xia's mother smiled broadly, "It's all thanks to my mother-in-law for raising Sanwa so well. A few days ago, he even brought Mulan and the children up the mountain to come see me."
"It's only right," Song Chunxue said with a smile as she put a silver bracelet on her wrist. "It's the New Year, so wear this for good luck."
“Mother-in-law, this is unacceptable. You bought so many things this time, it must have cost you a lot of money. I cannot accept it.”
Song Chunxue pressed down on her arm, "Yes, yes, I've earned some money doing consultations for wealthy families in the capital. You can take it; if it's not enough, I'll go and earn more."
As they talked, Song Chunxue realized that this was a good idea; they couldn't keep waiting for the gods to give them a handout.
The next morning, after sweeping the yard, Song Chunxue quietly left.
Master Zhang insisted on seeing her off.
"Senior brother, there's no need to see me off. I'm not a weak woman who can't even kill a chicken."
"Alright then, you can go back after I deliver the things to my sister's house."
Master Zhang couldn't refuse Song Chunxue, so he had no choice but to agree.
He also promised a family that he would burn talismans to appease the local earth god and worship their ancestors today.
At the beginning of the Si hour, Song Chunxue reluctantly left outside her fourth sister's house.
On this wonderful day, she worried that she would burst into tears if she saw her sister. She was clearly doing well, but seeing her relatives made her feel wronged.
Not wanting to trouble her sisters, she came and went quietly. Seeing them weep with joy upon receiving the New Year's gifts and letters, she hid to the side and wiped away her tears.
After that, she went straight to the capital.
Standing on the airship, she felt uneasy, as if someone was watching her from the shadows, intending to attack her.
She cautiously made several turns in the air, and just when she thought she had shaken off her opponent, suddenly, a flying arrow with a yellow talisman attached to it flew straight towards her.
When Song Chunxue saw the yellow paper with red characters, she felt a chill run down her spine. She guessed that some kindred spirit wanted her dead!
P.S.: Regarding making wishes, I suggest you don't make wishes casually, and if you do, remember to fulfill them. There are too many examples of this around me; not fulfilling a wish is a real hassle. (I experienced this firsthand; I had to dream about it over ten times before I remembered, and I'm incredibly grateful.) This is for reference only; please don't take it seriously if it causes discomfort.
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