"The Mortal Chapter Of Qing Zhuan" - Chapter 21

A Pleasant Vacation

 

I looked at his message and then turned to my dad, who was happily eating his meal. “He’s fine! Don’t worry!”

My mom, eating some fish, also nodded. “That’s good, as long as he’s okay.”

My dad let out a long sigh of relief. “No matter what, as long as he’s fine, that’s what matters. Alright, let’s eat.”

I put the fish I didn’t like into Gao’s bowl. He ate it without a word. Gao has always been like this—he never says anything, he just quietly supports me.

No matter the time or situation, as long as he’s by my side, I feel incredibly secure.

Our cat, too, was obediently eating fish under the table. My dad brought this big cat back from my uncle’s house a long time ago. He’s a member of the orange tabby family, but he’s also a precious domestic shorthair cat!

He’s very well-behaved and also quite funny; he often “converses” with you.

His fur is also beautiful, and we call him “Golden Silk Tiger.” His favorite sleeping position is to lie on someone’s belly.

When he was a tiny, round, and soft kitten, it wasn’t a problem.

But as he grew bigger and stronger, he became a solid ball. And yet, he still loves to sleep on someone’s belly.

As a result, everyone in our family now basically sleeps on their side because he’s just too heavy. Even if you move him off your belly, he’ll just jump right back on.

After a while, maybe he realized we weren’t fond of his sleeping position, so he started sleeping pressed against our faces.

Sometimes, he’ll put his big head on your pillow, trying to steal it.

Sometimes he’ll even just lie directly on your head. And right now, he was under the table, listening to our conversation.

After dinner, I looked at my unfinished winter break homework, thinking I needed to finish it quickly.

Then I looked up and saw the huge pile of snacks Weng Yuan had brought. I couldn’t help but sigh.

“There are so many things. When will I ever finish eating them all?”

Just as I was at a loss, the person with the best appetite in my life was munching away in my sight.

Seeing him eat so happily, I asked, “Gao, where are you on your winter break homework?”

The guy was just focused on eating. He finished a bag of cookies, then grabbed a bag of chips from the table, tore it open, and put a chip in his mouth. After swallowing, he made a satisfied expression.

“Ah, this tastes good. That Weng Yuan kid really knows what girls like.”

I frowned and looked at him.

“Dude, were you even listening to me? I asked you where you were on your homework. You told me the chips were good. Please, can you show me some respect?”

Gao smiled with his eyes crinkled and his big teeth showing.

“I only have one English book left.”

When I heard that, I was instantly happy. I went over and wrapped my arms around his neck.

“If you’re my brother, let me copy it. I’ve been so distracted by all this nonsense lately. I just can’t focus. I just want to relax and clear my head. Don’t worry, my English homework is done. You can copy mine, how about that?”

I raised an eyebrow at him. Gao shrugged and said, “Fine, fine. Take it and copy it.”

So, we exchanged homework and started writing furiously. Gao’s mouth never stopped. After the chips, he ate a small pastry, and after the pastry, he drank some yogurt.

Looking at his puffed-out cheeks, he looked just like a little hamster.

In our hometown, it often snows a little, which is very pleasant. But sometimes, when the heavens are feeling generous, they throw big, beautiful flakes down onto the fields, the willow branches, my cat’s head, the ice, the river, and Gao’s hat. Everywhere you looked, there were big white flowers.

After a whole afternoon of hard work, we finally finished all our winter break homework. As in previous years, we celebrated by high-fiving each other.

Gao stretched and yawned.

“Ah, the battle is finally over! I’m gonna reward myself with a bag of chips…”

I took out my senior’s textbooks and put them on the table, made a study schedule, and started preparing for pre-studying.

We spent seven days going through all the textbooks and writing down every problem we didn’t understand.

Perhaps it was because we were absorbing so much knowledge day and night, but at one point, I looked at Gao and saw him as a big, plump, green caterpillar!

I saw him lying on a huge leaf, taking big bites out of it and sucking the sap. Then I yelled, “Mom, save me! This bug has turned into a monster!”

My mom, who was cooking in the outer room, heard my screaming. She came rushing over with a spatula, her round eyes wide with alarm. “What bug?! Where? Where is it?”

I was so scared that I jumped onto a pile of blankets, curled up, grabbed my toes with my hands, and had a look of utter shock on my face.

Meanwhile, Gao was sitting there reading a book and drinking milk. He looked at my mom, adjusted his glasses, and asked, “What’s wrong, Auntie?” He then looked around for me in a dazed state. Finally, our eyes met. He looked at me, and I looked at him.

This is what we both looked like at that moment:

My short hair was a mess, like an explosion. I was wearing a big red sweater, black cotton pants, and a pair of green floral socks.

I was curled up on the pile of blankets, with my head on my knees, holding my toes with my hands, and staring wide-eyed at Gao.

I was also wearing a pair of my dad’s old, round glasses!

And Gao’s state was like this:

His hair was a buzz cut, but with bangs. Normally, Gao liked to use hair gel to style his bangs up, which made him look youthful and handsome.

But with all the studying we’d been doing, he hadn’t had time to style it, so his hair looked like he had just climbed out of a chicken coop.

His big eyes were bloodshot and a little dull. What was even funnier was that he was wearing his little dinosaur sweater, which made him look extra silly. We stared at each other like that for a few dozen seconds.

My mom looked at our ridiculous outfits and couldn’t stop laughing.

“Oh, my goodness, you two! Get down from there! Go wash your faces and your hair and go for a walk to clear your heads. You’ve studied yourselves silly!

And you, my girl, you’re having hallucinations. Where are you getting this monster bug from? Get down from that blanket pile, now!”

My mom was so focused on us that she suddenly smelled something burning. She spun around and ran back, muttering to herself, “My fish! It’s ruined! It’s burned to the bottom of the pot!”

The two of us burst into laughter, which woke up the cat sleeping soundly on the bed.

He looked at me sleepily, then at Gao, yawned, stretched, and ran off to find my mom because he also smelled the delicious aroma of the stewing fish.

When we got down, we both tried to go through the door at the same time and got stuck in the doorway. My dad saw us and laughed. “Oh, what’s this? The door frame is a little too narrow, hahaha!”

We looked at each other and smiled. I looked at Gao and said!

“You big bug monster, how dare you block this immortal’s path? Take this!”

Gao kept backing up and pleading, “Mercy, immortal!”

Then there was another burst of laughter that made my mom double over and my dad shed tears.

After we washed up, we looked like normal people again. We tidied ourselves up and appeared before my mom, looking fresh and youthful.

My mom brought the food to the table—steaming hot sour cabbage stew with vermicelli, big donkey meat buns, and the nearly-burnt braised fish!

We all chatted and laughed as we ate. Suddenly, the cat meowed at Gao. I looked at Gao and teased him.

“Gao, the cat has seen your true form. Why don’t you show it to us?” Then I burst out laughing, and my parents laughed so hard they were wiping away tears!

The wind howled outside the window, as if moved by the laughter inside the house. Time flew by, and a week before the New Year, we finally finished all our winter break homework and reviewed all the problems from the first semester of ninth grade that we didn’t understand.

In a blink of an eye, it was the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month. The fireworks outside were brilliant and colorful, and firecrackers announced the coming of spring. Every household was putting up their couplets. This was when Gao was the most lively and cheerful.

He rode his dad’s new little red motorcycle to our house. My dad saw him and said, “Oh, Jichang, when did you learn to ride a motorcycle? How are you doing, are you steady?”

I was holding the big cat and leaning against the doorframe, checking out the little motorcycle. “Oh, big brother Jichang is riding a motorcycle? Tsk, tsk, tsk, I haven’t seen you in a few days, and you’ve already unlocked a new skill, hahaha.”

Gao grinned and showed his teeth. “You shut up. Just tell me if I’m cool or not, hahaha.”

Just then, my uncle walked over from outside, saw us laughing, and smiled. “What’s so joyful? What’s going on?”

He turned and saw Gao patting his motorcycle. He immediately understood and laughed. “Oh, wow, Jichang, you’re so good. You can even ride a big motorcycle. That’s awesome!” He gave him a thumbs-up.

Our Gao didn’t hesitate to show off his riding skills. He looked at me.

“Da Yuanzi, get on. I’ll take you for a spin and show you my skills! Come on! Hahaha.”

I put the cat down, but he meowed and hugged my neck with his paws, refusing to let go. My mom had to come over and help me pry him off before I could put him down.

I crossed my arms and walked slowly to the motorcycle. After examining it, I lifted my leg high and got on.

“Come on, I’ll give you a ride.”

My dad and my uncle were scared out of their wits. Gao quickly pushed me to the back of the bike. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on. You’ve never even ridden one before. You’re going to give me a ride? I’ll give you a ride. Move back a little.”

I grinned. “Just let me try, Gao, just for a second.”

My uncle and my dad chimed in. “Jichang, don’t listen to her. This girl is too mischievous. Don’t let her ride it, or your bike will be a wreck. Hahahaha…”

I was about to say something else when I heard Gao start the engine, “Rumble, rumble, rumble!” Then, “Whoosh!” The bike took off like a rocket! The words I was about to say were caught in my throat.

I couldn’t hold on, and my head hit Gao’s helmet with a “thump!” The sound was so clear. I could hear Gao chuckling inside his helmet.

“What are you laughing about? Ow, that hurt. That was a big hit! It really hurts. You little jerk! Go buy me a bubble tea to apologize.”

Gao nodded, laughing all the way to the bubble tea shop near the school, where he bought me a lychee-flavored one.

We sat on the side of the road, drinking the warm bubble tea. I kept touching the bump on my head. I looked in the side mirror and saw it was red and swollen. I gave Gao a grim look.

“Kid, look. You’ve ruined my face. Ow, it really hurts. What am I going to do?”

Gao took a big gulp of pearls and chewed them.

“I have a good idea,” he said. I looked at him in disbelief. “What’s your idea?”

A lightbulb seemed to go off in his head. “I’ll buy you a hat to cover it!”

When I heard his so-called “good idea,” I stared at him, dumbfounded. “Dude, I thank you very much!”

Just as we were arguing about what to do, a familiar voice called out, “Hey, old pal!” I looked back, and it was Linzi!

Linzi was dressed very festively. He ran over to greet us. “You two are buying bubble tea? How was your vacation, old pal? Can I copy your winter break homework?”

“It’s at home. I didn’t bring it.”

He noticed the big red bump on my forehead and teased, “Oh, you got such a big red envelope even before the New Year? Hahaha.”

I rolled my eyes at him, and he immediately stopped joking. Then I asked him, “You can either go to my house with Gao to get it, or you can wait until school starts on the fifteenth. Which one do you want?”

Linzi looked at me and nodded. “Oh yeah, we have school on the fifteenth. Then there’s no hurry. Just give it to me when we go back. I’m off to have fun now, you two. See you later, bye-bye!”

We watched him get into his car and leave. Then I continued to ask Gao, “What am I going to do? The New Year is tomorrow. I can’t really spend it with a huge red bump on my head, can I?”

After saying that, I looked at the bump on my head and started laughing. It really was hilarious. I was fine when I left, but now my face was ruined.

Gao laughed at me. “It’s fine. Just put some ointment on it when we get back. It’ll be gone in two or three days.”

On the way back, he didn’t ride as fast. We took it slow. On the way, he asked, “Oh, by the way, did Weng Yuan contact you again?”

“No! Isn’t that great? I can finally have some peace and quiet!” I looked at the road and at Gao. “I want to go see the cat’s grave.”

Gao nodded. As the bike drove down the little road, my mind was filled with memories of all the things we had done on it.

After we got off the bike, we looked at the weeds around the cat’s grave. We helped pull them out. Gao seemed to see that I was feeling down.

He sighed and said, “Yuanzi, let the past be the past. We can’t live in our memories forever, can we? You still have a long way to go in life. Look ahead!”

We stood there for a moment. Gao said, “Da Yuanzi, the past is already past, and the future has not yet arrived. No matter what you become, I will be by your side! So, don’t be afraid. You have me.”

My nose felt a little sore. I looked up at the sky and smiled wryly. “Yeah, I know. Gao has always been by my side! No matter what happens, I always believe that you will be there for me, because you are my family!”

Just then, a gust of wind blew across the cat’s grave, as if the cat was also responding to us.

After we got home and ate dinner, Gao looked at me and said, “Da Yuanzi, I’m leaving now. I’ll come back and play with you after the New Year. Take care.”

After saying goodbye to my parents, he rode off and disappeared in a flash. My mom was humming a tune while steaming buns. My dad had already chopped all the firewood for the New Year. Then we put up the couplets.

Outside, a few neighbors were setting off firecrackers, creating a festive atmosphere. My dad looked at the big red “Fu” character and couplets and said, “It’s New Year!”

I nodded and replied, “Yeah, I’m a year older!”

My mom looked at the big, white, fluffy steamed buns and couldn’t stop smiling. “These buns are so well-risen! This year is definitely going to be a good one!” Then, the three of us chatted, and the cat was rubbing against our legs…

Back in the room, I tidied up, ready to have a happy and prosperous New Year.

Just then, another unfamiliar text message popped up on my phone.

“Believe me, we will meet soon, Yi Qing!”

I felt a chill looking at the message. Why did this person send a second message? If the first one was a coincidence, what about the second? I stared at my phone, my mind racing.

“My lord, our scouts have been searching for the reincarnation of the ancient god Ling Yin, and we’ve finally found her!”

“Oh? How did you find her? Where is she?” Qiong Chi asked, looking at the palace lord’s secret letter.

“Recently, some of our brothers used the network to find Yan Lin’s location. He has sent two text messages to a phone number! And the location of this phone number is Yuetan!”

“Good! Yun Ye! Keep tracking! And be careful, make sure you stay hidden!”

“Yes, my lord!”

Qiong Chi looked at the secret letter and mumbled to himself:

“The palace lord wants me to find Li Yuan! And help the ancient god Ling Yin connect with her! But what if Li Yuan isn’t willing?

According to the rules of the Hall of Karma for the past ten thousand years, if a reincarnation and her host are forced to connect, they will be punished by the heavens!

But now Yan Lin, the traitor, has also found her! If I don’t act, Li Yuan’s life might be in danger! But if I do, how will Li Yuan easily believe that Ling Yin is her true self and that she is her heart soul!”

Han Dan finally found Ling Yin’s trail on the ancient battlefield.

“Who? How did you find this place?”

Seeing Ling Yin’s attack, Han Dan quickly said, “It’s me, Han Dan!”

Ling Yin asked, “What are you doing here?”

“The Goddess has found your heart soul’s reincarnation! She has ordered me to find you and bring you back!”

Ling Yin looked at her in disbelief. “Is that true? Yi Qing has really been found?”

Han Dan nodded. “The palace lord of the Hall of Karma found her on the Pillar of Providence. There should be no mistake!” The two of them quickly rushed back to the Celestial Mountain!

“My lady, your humble servant Ling Yin has returned to beg for forgiveness!”

“Ling’er, it’s good that you’ve returned! Where have you been all these years? Why are you in such a state?”

Ling Yin knelt on the ground, her face pale, with scars from the forbidden spell’s backlash. She looked at the Goddess Nuwa, choked with emotion.

“I am not convinced! Why must the Heavenly Dao be so rigid when it is clearly wrong? This heavenly tribulation, I…”

“I know your intentions! But Yun Li’s heavenly tribulation is destiny! Why would you go against the will of heaven? Now you’re on the verge of becoming a demon!”

“I heard that Yi Qing has been found! Is that true? Where is she?! I want to find her!”

“Ling’er, you have no heart soul and your mind is unstable! Don’t act on impulse! Ga Nuo Ke has already sent me a message.

He has found Li Yuan’s location! But! Yan Lin, the rebel, has also found Yi Qing’s reincarnation! Therefore, the most urgent thing is for you to go to Maple Mountain to cleanse the demonic energy. I will find you in a few days and help you connect with your heart soul!”

“Your humble servant Ling Yin kneels to thank you for saving me!”

On Maple Mountain, Yun Li had already prepared her favorite white fungus soup and jasmine tea. He was waiting for her return.

“Ling’er, ahem! Are you alright? I haven’t seen you around lately!” Ling Yin helped him sit down.

When she saw the white fungus soup, her eyes lit up with joy. She quickly picked up the bowl and started eating. “This white fungus soup? Is it new? Mm! It’s sweet!”

Perhaps she had suffered too much, or her cultivation was too difficult, but she gobbled down three bowls.

Yun Li looked at her gently. “Eat slowly, there’s more in the pot! Ling’er, I’ll make it for you every day from now on, alright?”

Suddenly, Ling Yin’s demonic poison flared up. With the sound of the jade bowl shattering, black and purple poison gas began to emanate from her body!

The demonic poison coursed through her veins, and her face became twisted. Her pale lips turned a deep black. As the demonic energy spread, she quickly sealed her twelve main and eight extraordinary meridians!

“Ling’er! You…” Before Yun Li could finish, Ling Yin had already flown to the dark pool at the foot of Maple Mountain to heal herself.

Yun Li picked up the shattered jade pieces, feeling the faint trace of Ling Yin that remained. Then he looked into the distance. “Ling’er, my Ling’er…”

I still didn’t pay any attention to that text message. In a flash, it was New Year’s Eve.

At night, every household was decorated with lanterns and lights, and everyone was making dumplings. The rooftops of every house were filled with smoke from the stoves.

Just then, Gao sent me a video of him and my fourth aunt’s husband setting off firecrackers outside. That mischievous guy was using firecrackers to blow up ice.

I watched the video and laughed. My mom came over and watched with me, and her laughter joined mine.

The cat was lying on the bed, lazily flipping over and going back to sleep, until the dumplings were cooked and the New Year’s Eve dinner was on the table. When the firecrackers started going off outside, the cat finally woke up, stretched, and came to lie beside me.

I took a picture of the table full of food and sent it to Gao: “Braised fish, garlic chives and meat, stir-fried meat slices, fried meatballs, spicy chicken chunks, sweet and sour pork, braised pig knuckles, bl00d sausage platter, five-color cold salad, and sour cabbage dumplings!”

“Wow, so much good food! You’re making me hungry, Da Yuanzi!”

“Hahaha, Gao, come on, come and eat! Hahahaha…”

My fourth aunt’s husband put the dining table on the bed. My fourth aunt also brought out the dishes: “Sour cabbage dumplings, bl00d sausage platter, garlic chives and meat, stir-fried beef with chili peppers, fried meatballs, and sweet and sour pork.”

“Mom, this sweet and sour pork is so hard! It’s not as good as Auntie’s! But, it’s pretty good for you! Hehe.”

“Son, your mom rarely gets to cook. And after the New Year, I have to go back to work. From now on, you can eat your second aunt’s food every day! Hahaha!” My fourth aunt’s husband looked at her with doting eyes.

“Wife, in the new year, I wish you a promotion and eternal youth!”

“And I wish my husband a prosperous new year, good luck, and to love me and our son even more in the new year!”

Gao looked at them with a happy expression and then lowered his head to eat his food.

A message popped up on his phone:

“Brother, Happy New Year!”

“Happy New Year, Wen Wen!”

Gao looked at the screen and typed a bunch of characters. “Why didn’t you let me send my regards to Da Yuanzi?”

But after thinking for a few minutes, he typed:

“What good food did you eat, brother?”

Then Wen Wen sent him a photo. In the photo were Wen Wen’s family and the girl who had been in his photo album.

Gao sighed with a bitter smile. Just then, Wen Wen sent another message.

“I’ve decided to agree to a relationship with her! Jichang! You have to take good care of Da Yuanzi! That stubborn mule needs a guide like you to lead her forward!

I was going to ask you to send my regards to her! But, with her temper, she’d probably get anxious again! So, let’s just forget it!

Actually, after I came back, I still couldn’t let her go. Then she was the one!

She enlightened me and told me the difference between obsession and love!

So, I’ve completely let her go, brother!”

Gao let out a sigh of relief, his eyebrows relaxed as he looked at his phone.

“She’s doing well! She’s doing well too!”

“Mm-hmm!” Wen Wen replied.

Gao looked at Wen Wen’s photo album, looking at the pictures of them together. Then he turned off his phone, hugged the cat, and smiled as he looked at the brilliant fireworks outside the window!

Our family was eating our New Year’s Eve dinner. My dad poured my mom a glass of orange juice.

“Wife, you’ve worked hard this year! You didn’t get to live a life of luxury after marrying me!

But you gave me such a wonderful daughter! It’s truly my good fortune!

Come, wife, I’ll toast you!

I’ll toast you for all your hard work all these years!

And I’ll toast you for giving up your youth for our family!”

My mom’s eyes sparkled. She then poured a glass of her homemade wine and said to my dad:

“Old man, I’ll also toast you. These years, you’ve worked until your hair turned gray just to give us a better life!

I’ll toast you for going to the countryside to treat people regardless of the rain and snow!

I’ll toast our years of harmony, where we’ve loved each other as if it were the first day!

And I’ll toast you for always putting us two ladies first!”

I watched them show affection, and tears rolled down my face.

I then poured a glass of orange juice, just like my dad and mom had done.

“Dad, Mom, I also want to toast you!

I’ll toast you for bringing me into this world, so I could see everything it has to offer!

I’ll toast you for always putting me first!

I’ll toast you for all the years of nurturing and raising me! My father’s love is like a mountain, and my mother’s love is like the sea!

Your child thanks you for your kindness! Thank you for not abandoning me in an era where people preferred sons!

Finally, I wish our family happiness forever! Cheers…”

The fireworks outside competed for attention. The warm glow of the lamps reflected on our smiling faces. It felt as if time stood still. As the New Year countdown was announced on the TV:

“5, 4, 3, 2, 1! Happy New Year!”

The sound of firecrackers, laughter, the festive atmosphere in every household, and the voices of children running through the streets to wish everyone a happy new year. It was truly a day of human warmth and New Year’s joy.

Just then, the cat fell asleep on my legs. My dad gently pushed the cat. “Don’t sleep, you’ve been sleeping all day. Wake up, it’s New Year! You’re a year older, hahaha!”

The cat blinked at my dad. “Meow~” he seemed to be wishing him a happy new year.

My mom burst out laughing. “Look at him, he understands everything, he just can’t speak. He’s smart as a whip.”

The cat cocked his head and looked at my mom. “Meow~”

The new year began, and everything was renewed. A new year, a new start!

“Yi Qing, I’ll be in Yuetan to see you in a while…” Yan Lin said coldly at the Ancient and Modern Inn, looking at the fireworks outside.

“Happy New Year, Uncle Yin!”

“Happy New Year, happy New Year! Yuan’er! The snow is coming down hard! Be careful where you walk!”

“Okay, Uncle Yin, you too!”

I walked through the snow, one deep step at a time. I looked at the vast white snow covering the mountains and fields, and the goose-feather snow falling from the sky. I couldn’t help but think of my childhood.

At that time, the three of us would run through the vast snow with the cat, just to catch a wild rabbit.

Then, I heard voices in my ear, “Hurry up, or the rabbit will get away!”

“I’m coming, I’m coming! Wait for me…”

I was bumped and snapped out of my daze. My thoughts were pulled back to the present. I looked at the innocent faces of the children in front of me and felt a fleeting sense of my own childhood.

“I’m sorry, Yuan’er Sister, did I hurt you? Hehe, we’re in a hurry to catch that wild rabbit…”

“Xiaopeng, hurry up! We’re waiting for you!” his friend Ah Hao called out.

“I’m fine, sister. You go ahead. Ah Hao is waiting for you. Be careful!”

“Okay! Yuan’er Sister! Happy New Year!”

“Mm, Happy New Year to you too…”

I looked at the innocent faces of these children, witnessing their joyful childhood!

These kids, laughing and chasing each other in the heavy snow, would they, years from now, look at others’ joy and reminisce about their own childhood, just like me?

I let out a long sigh. “If the East Wind has any pity for me, can it grant me my childhood again?”

When I got home, I shook the snow off my clothes and looked at my mom, who was cooking. “With this heavy snow, I guess Gao probably won’t be able to come!”

My mom said, “You should give them a call and wish them a happy New Year! The roads are hard to travel on!” I nodded, picked up my phone, and called.

“Happy New Year, Gao, Fourth Aunt and Fourth Uncle! Congratulations and prosperity…”

Gao was also wishing us a happy New Year on the other end of the phone.

“Happy New Year, Happy New Year, Second Aunt and Second Uncle! May you have a prosperous and healthy new year, and may everything go well for you~”

“The snow is too heavy. Can you still come?”

“Second Aunt, what good food are you making today?” Gao changed the subject.

My mom laughed. “I’m making a lot of delicious food today, all your favorites. Can you and your parents come over?”

“Oh, that’s not a problem. My dad can drive his new car over, right? Hahaha.”

I was still surprised, but my dad quickly cut in. “Then you guys hurry up and come over. The road is still better now!”

My fourth aunt on the other end said, “Second Sister, Brother-in-law, my husband and I will drop Jichang off, but we won’t stay. We have to go to his grandma’s house today.”

My parents heard this and said, “Okay, then just drop Jichang off.”

After we hung up, my dad quickly put the red envelopes he had prepared into his pocket. My mom sped up her cooking, and I arranged all the snacks, drinks, nuts, and candied fruits, waiting for them to arrive.

Finally, after half an hour, they arrived through the heavy snow. My uncle and his family also came. Everyone was wishing each other a happy New Year, laughing and smiling.

Gao came up to me and showed off.

“Da Yuanzi, am I cool today?”

I nodded and laughed. “Where did this handsome guy come from? You’re the coolest and most handsome ever!”

Gao’s parents also got a phone call and were rushed. My fourth aunt quickly took out a red envelope from her pocket and tried to give it to me. I kept backing away.

My fourth aunt took the opportunity to grab my collar, pull me over, and stuff the red envelope into my clothes. I was weak and helpless, staring at my mom and dad.

My dad and mom saw this and quickly took out red envelopes. The four of them went back and forth, pulling out red envelopes and stuffing them back in, pulling them out and stuffing them back in. In the end, my new clothes got a big hole in them.

This made Gao, who was eating French fries on the side, burst into laughter. He was holding his stomach and laughing uncontrollably.

It wasn’t until my fourth aunt’s husband got another call that the tug-of-war ended.

My fourth aunt and her family quickly said their goodbyes.

“Oh, they’re rushing us again. We have to go now, Second Sister, Brother-in-law, Jichang will be good here!”

“You guys haven’t even warmed your seats, and you’re already rushing to the next stop. Oh, my goodness…” my dad complained.

“Be careful on the road, you two, drive slowly!” my mom said.

The couple nodded and waved to us. “Go back, go back, it’s too cold! We’re leaving now…”

After we saw them off, Gao ran into the house, jumped onto the bed, and hugged the cat. The cat was startled and meowed, his eyes wide.

My dad quickly tried to give Gao a red envelope, but Gao kept refusing. They looked like they were doing Tai Chi.

I couldn’t stand it anymore and yelled, “Stop!”

Then I took the red envelope and stuffed it into Gao’s coat pocket.

“Okay, it’s done. Stop the tug-of-war. Otherwise, you’ll ruin another piece of clothing!”

They looked at me and didn’t say anything, but they smiled at each other. The snow outside was getting heavier, and the five of us were inside watching TV, laughing so hard we were doubled over.

The phone at our house had been ringing almost non-stop all day. It rang again, and I heard my dad and mom wishing everyone a happy New Year on the phone.

At the same time, a steady stream of people came to wish us a happy new year. Every time they came, they would say, “Oh, Jichang is here too!”

I would just laugh. From time to time, my older sisters and the others would say, “Jichang is so handsome and tall now. That’s great. Do you have a girlfriend at school?” or they would ask me, “Who got a better score on the test this time?”

“Of course, it was me. Jichang, you need to keep working hard, hahaha…”

Gao would retort with a look of disdain. “So what? My math score was 145. What was yours?”

“Hey, you little brat, why are you bringing that up? Besides, my math score is passing now.”

This made all our siblings and relatives laugh. Gao and I looked at each other and couldn’t help but laugh too…

The festive season passed quickly. I noticed that Gao had visibly gained weight. I took out a necklace pendant I was going to give him and held it up to his neck.

“Oh, Gao, you need to be careful. Look, this necklace almost doesn’t fit you, hahaha.”

Gao pouted and looked at me with a proud expression.

“As if you haven’t gained weight too?”

“I have, but not ten pounds at a time like you, hahaha! But, you look a little cuter this way and a little less sharp.

Before, if people only looked at your appearance, you were like a cool, unapproachable male idol. But now you’re a soft, cute little chubby guy.”

Gao picked up a feather duster and came after me. I ran, laughing and teasing him, “Little chubby guy, little chubby guy, hahaha! You can’t get me, hahaha…”

They all called out, “Come on, we’re waiting for you!” We, a group of friends, played cards and had so much fun. We all seemed to forget about time until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, when we had to go back to school.

The day before we went back to school, we finally parted ways. For the entire New Year, my house felt like a playground. The adults played mahjong, and the kids played cards, hide-and-seek, sang love songs, and played with jump ropes and shuttlecocks. Everyone was filled with happiness.

Although the economy wasn’t as developed back then, and there weren’t many technological products, everyone was still very happy in that era with so few toys.

However, as our society has developed and become saturated with material things, children’s childhoods seem to be consumed by electronic products, and it’s no longer so easy to find happiness.

During the New Year, while everyone was busy having fun, Gao and I also learned a new skill—cooking!

We started by just reheating food, then we learned to stir-fry simple dishes, and then we moved on to stews and fried foods. We were getting better and better.

Sometimes, we would even compete in the kitchen, but there were also some mishaps, for example: Gao would burn the fish, and not even the cat would eat it!

I tried to make steamed buns, but the dough didn’t rise, so I ended up with flat cakes! Our dumplings were all different shapes—some were triangles, some were squares, etc…

Happy times are always so short. That’s just how life is! Happy days are always interspersed with little mishaps throughout our lives…

In a blink of an eye, it was time to go back to school. When we got there, everyone was still immersed in the joy of the New Year.

Linzi saw me from a distance and bowed, “Happy New Year, old pal! Congratulations and prosperity! Hand over the homework, hahaha.”

“Happy New Year! Happy New Year! Here, take it, but don’t ruin it.”

My old pal gave me a crisp salute. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.”

When I saw Weng Yuan again, he was a head taller than me. I thought, “Did this kid eat fertilizer during the New Year? He grew so fast!”

While I was thinking, he walked over to my old pal and said, “Happy New Year, Linzi. Oh, copying homework?”

I heard this and glanced at him. He looked down and didn’t say anything to me.

When I was about to go outside, he stood up and blocked my way. I was confused and asked, “Are you going somewhere? You can go first.”

He slowly looked up and said, “It’s fine, you go first.” I didn’t say anything and just went past him.

A little while later, our teacher came in with a big smile. “Happy New Year, students! How was your vacation?”

Everyone started talking about their fun New Year stories, and our teacher was listening, laughing.

After a while, the teacher’s smile faded, and he said seriously, “We are about to start ninth grade. This year will be the most important year for you, and also the most tiring!

Therefore, after we split into new classes, no matter which class you’re in, you must study hard. For your future, you must work hard and do your best, understand?”

The students started whispering, “How are we going to be divided?”

The teacher said, “Classes one and two will be combined, and classes three and four will be combined. They will be split into four classes: two advanced classes and two regular classes.

The students in the advanced classes will be those who ranked in the top 150 in the school. The rest of the students will be in the regular classes. I’ll put the list on the blackboard in a moment.

After you see it, remember your new class. When school starts, go directly to the corresponding class. Our class three will be an advanced class, and class four will be a regular class. I’m the homeroom teacher for class four, so let’s see which of you are lucky enough to be in my class, huh?”

With that, he hung the grade list on the blackboard, and we all went to look. Sure enough, many of my classmates were no longer in the same class. My old pal, too, was now in class four.

As I was still thinking about it, he came over and patted me on the shoulder to comfort me.

“It’s okay, old pal. I won’t be by your side anymore, so you have to take good care of yourself. If anyone bullies you, I’ll come and deal with them for you!

You have to study hard. I’m counting on you to pull me up with you in the future.” With that, he grinned at me. I felt a sense of sadness.

After all, we had been seatmates for so long, and our friendship was very deep.

But reality is often cruel. Linzi had his own path to walk, and so did I.

I smiled and nodded. “Okay, if you need anything over there, just come and find me.” He rubbed his head and smiled at me naively.

At this moment, Weng Yuan was also looking at the class list on the stage. There was a look of sadness in his eyes. It wasn’t because he was going to class four, but because he was thinking about something else, maybe about getting into the same high school as me.

On the way home, I said to Gao, “Did you guys see the new classes today?”

“Yeah, I did. I also looked at the top ranks. My homeroom teacher said that only the top ten in the entire school have a chance of getting into Yuetan High School!

But it’s a good thing we’re both in! So I’m not afraid of anything!

I just hope that in high school, we can be in the same class!

For three years of middle school, we haven’t been in the same class for even one day! I remember we sat together for six years in elementary school!”

“I know, right! It’s so annoying! How did they even decide on these classes? Why aren’t we in the same class?!”

Gao replied, “I asked my homeroom teacher. She said that every class has to have some high-scoring students. So, two high-scoring students who are next to each other in rank can’t be in the same class; they have to be divided. So we were probably assigned to separate classes!”

We talked about our strategy for ninth grade. The sky was clear, and the setting sun cast a golden glow.

We walked through that familiar little road. We had walked this path day after day for so long that we had fallen in love with it.

But when we graduate from ninth grade, where will we go…