This year has been an unforgettable one. It seems like only yesterday that the Shen family had everything.
Most precious of all, they gained Lili and formed a rare bond with Doctor Sikong and others.
The first day of the Lunar New Year is the liveliest day in Xinghua Village.
Early in the morning, while Lili was still half asleep, she heard the sound of firecrackers coming from every household in the village.
Houfu was awakened by the noise, stood up from Lili's arms, and leaned out the window to look outside.
The morning mist still lingered in the sky, the sky was hazy, with only a white ring around the edge, still shrouded in night.
Yang and Liu hurried past, whispering to each other.
"Should we wake the children up?"
"Let the children sleep. It's just a firecracker anyway. The kids were exhausted from keeping watch last night."
"good."
Lili stretched and poked her head out from under the warm blankets. Houfu immediately jumped onto the bed and obediently lay down next to Lili, wagging his tail.
Lili hadn't even opened her eyes yet, but her hand was already on Houfu's head, stroking his fluffy fur, and she mumbled indistinctly, "Fufu..."
"Woof~"
Houfu affectionately licked Lili's cheek with his tongue, the wetness making Lili feel a chill.
Lili giggled and pushed Houfu away, her mind clearing up.
I sat up and stared blankly for a while, when I caught a glimpse of several thick purses by the bedside.
This is a red envelope of money that Old Mrs. Shen and several uncles and aunts secretly put in while Lili was asleep.
Lili opened the purse and glanced inside. Hmm, it was quite generous.
Clutching the purse tightly as if it were a precious treasure, she got out of bed, crawled under the bed, and took out the first small box from the left.
Underneath Lili's bed are four small boxes, each containing one of Lili's various treasures, categorized into different types.
Most of them were gifts from Madam Xia, because the box was too big for Lili to hide under the bed. So Shen Lao Er made her four small boxes that could fit perfectly under the bed.
I feel most fulfilled when my precious child is by my side.
Pears were poured from her purse into the box, the crisp sound bringing Pear great pleasure.
What sound is more pleasant than counting money?
She slowly put on the new clothes that Yang had prepared for her yesterday, and then tied her hair into two little buns.
The red cotton-padded coat is decorated with white rabbit fur at the collar and cuffs. The fur is soft and fluffy, adding a touch of cuteness while effectively blocking the cold wind.
The clothes are embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns and decorated with flowers at the edges, making them look very lucky.
After dressing, Lili twirled around with satisfaction and boasted, "Hmm, it seems that beauties are still beauties in ancient times!"
As if in agreement, Houfu responded with great enthusiasm.
Lili was happy, and she and the dog went to the main room. Except for a few of the younger ones who were still sleeping, the Shen family was already eating their first meal of the new year.
"Lili, you're up so early?"
Lili smiled and said, "Lili is hungry, and Fufu is hungry too."
Looking around, there was only one small one on the table.
"Why is it only Brother Chen Ye? Where is Uncle Chen?"
As soon as Lili sat down, the shumai on Chenye's chopsticks was already in Lili's bowl. He whispered to her, "Uncle took Brother Jiahao out to practice his skills a long time ago."
"Thank you, Brother Chenye." Lili smiled sweetly. "You went so early, it's not even dawn yet."
Shen Ye shook his head: "Back in the Jin Dynasty, my uncle had to get up at 3 AM every day to practice martial arts, and at 5 AM he had to attend the morning court. After a short rest, he would go to the army to train soldiers and handle affairs until midnight before he could rest."
Chen was terrified by this schedule. She took a sip of porridge to calm herself down: "Good heavens, so I can only sleep for a little over two hours a day?"
Liu: "Yes, we still have so much to do. Can we handle it?"
Chen sighed, "No wonder he could become a general; those qualities alone are enough to leave us ordinary people far behind."
Liu nodded, feeling a pang of heartache for Shen Jiahao, who was practicing martial arts with Shen Zhongzheng, but the feeling vanished in an instant.
Children who want to make a name for themselves must endure these hardships.
After breakfast, as dawn broke, Yang prepared the melon seeds and peanuts she had roasted a few days earlier and placed them in the main room so that visiting neighbors could have them as snacks.
Logically speaking, when visiting relatives and friends in the village to exchange New Year's greetings, people should first visit relatives or in-laws, and then visit those they are on good terms with.
But today, whether it was a pre-arranged agreement among the villagers or not, the first family to offer New Year's greetings was the Shen family.
The Shen family didn't mind having too many people and greeted them one by one.
The village was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, with bright red lanterns hanging high and festive couplets pasted on the doors of every household. These couplets were written by Shen Laosan.
The children, dressed in brand-new clothes, laughed and played in the village, setting off firecrackers that crackled and popped all around.
Despite the hardships people have endured over the years, they still show the utmost enthusiasm during the Lunar New Year, as if any difficulties and hardships are insignificant in the face of this special festival.
Lili was bored and wanted to go to the front yard to watch Shen Jiahao practice on the plum blossom stakes, but she found that Shen Zhongzheng had already taken Shen Jiahao somewhere, perhaps to do some secret training.
So I dragged the younger kids out of bed and we went to the square to set off fireworks.
Today, Lili wore two little pigtails again, tied with a red headband that matched her red jacket. Simple hairpins were inserted into the pigtails, and two small pom-poms were attached, complementing the rabbit fur around her neck.
The children usually play with firecrackers during the Lunar New Year, but the younger ones were so adorable that they couldn't bear to throw firecrackers at her.
Some other children wanted to come and play with Lili, but as soon as someone approached Lili with firecrackers, Chen Ye would stand in front of Lili with a cold face, and no one dared to come over.
Shen Jialu led Shen Jiaqing and Shen Jialuo in running wildly in the square, while Lili sat on a large stone bench nearby and watched.
Lili looked up at Shen Jiawen and asked, "Third brother, is it snowing here?"
Shen Jiawen shook his head and then nodded: "Nanlin County has a mild climate. Although the winters are cold, it doesn't snow every year. When it does snow, it's just a light snow."
Lili has seen plenty of snow, but snow still suits this ancient style better.
Lili turned to Chenye on the other side and asked, "Brother Chenye, has it never snowed in the Great Jin Dynasty?"
"Yes, I've never seen snow fall in the desert."
As soon as she finished speaking, Lili suddenly felt a cool sensation on the tip of her nose, a slight chill spreading across her warm skin.
Lili paused slightly, her eyes looking down at the white mark on the tip of her nose.
She blinked gently, her long eyelashes trembling slightly. The snowflakes, the size of rice grains, melted instantly from her warm body heat, turning into a small patch of water that dripped down Lili's nose.
Shen Jiawen turned her head and saw water flowing down from the side of Lili's nostrils. She was so shocked that she immediately used her sleeve to wipe it away.
"Lili, are you feeling cold?"
Lili: "...Brother, this isn't snot, it's snowing."
Shen Jiawen paused, raised his head, and saw snowflakes falling in a flurry, dancing lightly like fairies, swirling in the air, drifting and sprinkling, landing on his face and falling to the ground.
Shen Ye was mesmerized by what she saw. The desert was usually golden, but she had never seen such a pure white scene before.
Pear reached out and caught a few "grains of rice," which turned into water when she pinched them between her fingertips.
The three people who had been running wildly in the distance also stopped, raised their hands to catch the falling snowflakes in the air, and brought them back like flowers.
Wow, it's snowing!
"Look, little sister, this must be the first time you've seen snow here!"
"It's snowing! It's snowing! This is the first snow we've ever seen with Lili!"
"Once the snow accumulates in a few days, we can build a snowman."
Lili took the few half-melted snowflakes that Shen Jialuo handed her and smiled, "Yes, this is the first snow that Lili and everyone have seen."
The first snowfall is a sign of a bountiful year.
"Pear."
The scent of snowmelt on the tip of my nose dissipated, replaced by a faint fragrance of ebony and sandalwood.
She belatedly looked up and saw a young man in a dark robe wearing a matching cloak, the edges of which were embroidered with delicate cloud patterns, understated yet luxurious.
The newcomer always had a faint smile on his lips, as gentle and sudden as the first snow.
Lili's eyes crinkled into a smile: "Brother Ziyi!"
Lili hadn't seen Gu Ziyi for several months and had no idea what he was doing at the border.
She had originally thought that after Zhuifeng told Gu Ziyi about Yuchi Ye and Shangguan Zhengzhong, Gu Ziyi would at least send her a letter or something to discuss it.
Unexpectedly, Gu Ziyi didn't say anything.
As the crown prince of Southern Jin, Gu Ziyi seemed completely unconcerned that Lili had brought home two large golden statues.
Gu Ziyi took a white fox fur cloak from Zhuifeng and bent down to drape it over her.
Lili watched intently as he buttoned her cloak, a hint of curiosity welling up in her round almond-shaped eyes.
The prince of the Great Jin Dynasty was right next to her, yet His Highness not only ignored him completely, but also calmly handed her the clothes without any reaction.
Zhuifeng prepared New Year's gifts for the other children, each different and reflecting their own personalities.
Only when it came to Chen Ye did he receive ordinary New Year's money.
Shen Ye stared intently at Gu Ziyi's movements, somewhat wary.
Gu Ziyi glanced at him lightly, then turned her gaze back, her voice calm and her smile warm.
Do you like it?
Lili, this old auntie, was completely melted.
Ah, what a cute little boy!
A gentle and adorable little boy!
Gu Ziyi's eyes were like a clear spring, tranquil and profound, and his gaze was full of tenderness.
A few snowflakes clung to his black hair, adding a touch of winter charm that made him seem even more tender and alluring, as if the world's clamor had nothing to do with him.
Pear cooperated and spun around, causing the little fluffy ball under her hair to sway.
The fox fur cloak fluttered slightly, its simple design not overshadowing her attire, but rather making Lili, dressed in red, appear even more lively and adorable.
Upon closer inspection, the hem of the cloak features a large pear blossom pattern that extends from the left side all the way to the back.
"I love it! Is this a gift for Lili?"
"Um."
"Thank you, Brother Ziyi, Lili likes it very much."
Gu Ziyi chuckled, and Shen Jialu and the others also thanked His Highness the Crown Prince for the New Year's gift.
"Your Highness, what brings you to Xinghua Village today? Aren't you at the border?"
"I spent New Year's Eve with the soldiers last night, and today is the first day of the Lunar New Year. I wanted to come and wish everyone a Happy New Year."
Lili was taken aback. Did that mean they had just finished celebrating the New Year and rushed over on horseback?
"I see." Shen Jialu didn't think much of it and said, "Has Your Highness had breakfast yet? Our new house is finished, but Your Highness hasn't been there yet. Would you like to go home for breakfast?"
Shen Ye remained silent, simply watching them talk.
He could tell from the man's clothes and demeanor that he was no ordinary person.
But to everyone's surprise, this person was the Crown Prince of Southern Jin.
Shen Ye was feeling a little down. It seemed that Li Li didn't really need his protection.
Gu Ziyi nodded, still with that gentle demeanor, like a warm ray of color in the cold wind: "Okay."
"Alright! I'll run back and tell my mother to prepare things for His Highness."
After saying that, Shen Jialu ran off in a flash. His younger brothers looked at each other and then chose to run away with him.
Shen Jiawen didn't forget to pull Chen Ye away as well.
His Highness the Crown Prince must have something important to discuss with Lili; they should refrain from listening.
Shen Ye didn't react in time and was pulled a few meters away by Shen Jiawen. It was too late to break free. She kept looking back at the person behind her.
Gu Ziyi remained motionless, showing no concern whatsoever for the others' whereabouts.
He took out a handkerchief from his bosom, gently lifted it, and revealed a jade hairpin.
Its design is simple, and its surface is translucent and smooth, clearly indicating that it is made of high-quality jade.
Lili laughed: "There's a hidden version too?"
"Well, this is not my gift."
Gu Ziyi raised his right hand slightly, as if he wanted to help her put the hairpin in, but found that her hairstyle today was not suitable, so he had to put his hand down and hand it to her.
"This is a New Year's gift from my maternal grandfather."
"The mighty general?"
Lili was surprised. She had no connection with this old general. Why was he giving her a New Year's gift?
After thinking for a while, Lili realized that apart from the few suggestions she had given about the insect plague, she had nothing else to offer.
"Hmm...is it because of the insect plague?"
Gu Ziyi responded, his tone rising slightly, carrying a hint of praise: "Yes, that's exactly it."
Lili returned the hairpin to him and waved her hand, saying, "I only wrote a few words. I didn't do anything. There's no need for this."
On the one hand, she felt she couldn't accept something for nothing; on the other hand, for some reason, Lili didn't want to take too much from Gu Ziyi.
Perhaps she felt a little guilty. The young prince was so kind, gentle as a pool of spring water, yet she regarded him as her safety net.
Gu Ziyi stared at her intently for a moment. In the few months since they last met, Gu Ziyi seemed to have grown a little taller. He wondered if it was because of the prescription given by Physician Sikong. He no longer looked weak, and his demeanor was clear and serene.
"Today is my birthday," Gu Ziyi said softly, his smile revealing a hint of indulgence. "Lili doesn't need to feel guilty. It is my honor to be Lili's support."
Lili paused, a look of surprise flashing across her face, which was hidden in the fox fur cloak. Her almond-shaped eyes widened slightly, revealing a rare hint of panic and guilt at being caught.
What!
How did Your Highness find out? Did Zhui Feng tell him?
For the first time, Lili felt a little lost. She didn't dare to move her head at all, but her eyes darted around and her mind raced.
No, she clearly didn't tell anyone, and there's no way Zhui Feng could have known.
I never expected that after such a long time apart, the young prince would return and deliver such a devastating blow!
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