ebookland Chapter 195 Spring is Coming
Chapter 195 Spring is Coming
Chinese New Year
Early in the morning, the Crown Prince's residence was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers. Ling Jiawei led the servants in hanging festive red lanterns inside and outside the residence, and bright ribbons were also hung on the tall lintel.
Lan Zhi said that this was their first New Year at the Crown Prince's residence. Although the Crown Prince was not there, he would certainly want to see the house bustling with activity.
Xiangxiu was hanging lanterns, her fingers trembling from the cold. Ling Jiawei rushed over to help.
"Xiangxiu, I'm coming."
Xiangxiu handed her the lantern and smiled gently.
The two fluffy red headdresses on her head swayed gently in the wind, giving her a playful and cute look.
"Are you cold? Go inside and rest for a while, warm your hands, I'll do it for you!"
Xiangxiu glanced at the sky and shook her head.
"The winters here are much warmer than back home. I remember it was freezing cold back home, and your hands would freeze numb if you went out to carry firewood."
"Are you homesick?"
Ling Jiawei tilted his head and looked at her.
"If you miss home, we'll give you a holiday after the New Year, so go home and visit!"
Xiangxiu quickly shook her head.
"I don't want to, there's nothing to think about. I just feel that it doesn't snow here in winter, and I want to see snow."
As she said this, tears suddenly welled up in her eyes, and Ling Jiawei panicked, at a loss for what to do.
"Xiangxiu, what's wrong with you? It's New Year's Day, you can't cry!"
Xiangxiu forced a smile.
"No, I didn't cry. I'm happy. We escaped from that little village and even got to work at the Crown Prince's residence. This is something I never dared to dream of! I'm really happy. It's just... I just miss snowy weather."
Xiangxiu herself didn't know why she was being so sentimental and wanted to cry, or why she had to look at the snow.
Perhaps she wanted to see the snow falling all around her, and longed for that pure, flawless version of herself!
"Xiangxiu, I've asked around, and it usually snows here before or after the New Year, but it's not very heavy. If you want to see snow, let's head north after the New Year, and we're sure to see it there."
Xiangxiu looked up at Ling Jiawei, whose face was flushed with anxiety, and suddenly smiled.
"Brother Ling, thank you."
Ling Jiawei awkwardly spread his hands.
"Why thank me? I didn't do anything."
"Thank you for listening to me..."
Just then, Mao Mao, Nana, and Wei Ming, each dressed in festive New Year's outfits, ran over.
"Uncle Ling, Aunt Xiu, look, don't we like our clothes?"
Xiangxiu quickly wiped away her tears, turned to look at the children, and nodded happily.
"Beautiful, so beautiful, like a doll in a painting."
Nana playfully tossed the two cute headbands on her head and asked,
"This is how Aunt Qi combed my hair. She said I look like a money-giving boy by the Queen Mother of the West's side."
Mao Mao also twirled around in front of them, brandishing his bright red robe.
"My sister picked out this outfit for me. She said I've gained weight recently and can pull it off."
Wei Ming couldn't wait to show off his dark red robe with gold trim.
"This was sent to me by my great-grandmother. Although it's not as festive as Momo, it's still very pretty, isn't it?"
Looking at these three children, who, despite having no parents, still had such radiant smiles, Xiangxiu praised them with great satisfaction:
"You all look beautiful in your clothes. After today, you will all be a year older and need to be more sensible."
After the three children echoed each other, they turned around and went to show off their new clothes to others.
Watching their cheerful figures disappear into the distance, Ling Jiawei sighed:
"Lan Zhi is kind-hearted. It's so good that she gave these three children a home."
Xiangxiu also chimed in:
"Yes, their smiles are genuine. This is all thanks to the master's care. The master is kind-hearted, and good people will surely be rewarded."
"Look, your lips are all purple from the cold. Go and rest for a while. I'll take care of things here."
Xiangxiu smiled at him, then turned and went back into the house.
Lan Zhi was giving red envelopes to the children and servants when she saw her come in and hurriedly greeted her:
"Xiangxiu, come here quickly, this is for you."
Xiangxiu quickly walked over and bent down to take the red envelope that Lanzhi handed her. Lanzhi immediately noticed the hairpin in her hair and asked her with some curiosity.
"Xiangxiu, I remember you didn't like wearing these kinds of jewelry. I gave them to you, but you never wore any of them. Lately, though, you seem to really like wearing this hairpin. When did you buy it?"
Xiangxiu raised her hand to adjust the hairpin, stood up awkwardly, and stammered:
"This is...this is what I saw on the street last time, I bought it, I thought it looked nice, so I've been wearing it ever since."
Ah Qi couldn't help but purse her lips and mutter:
"Was it given to you by some young man?"
Xiangxiu's face flushed instantly, and she hurriedly shook her head in denial.
"No way, Ah Qi, you must be joking."
Ling Jiawei happened to walk in at that moment and asked curiously,
"what are you guys saying?"
Ah Qi pointed to the pearl hairpin in Xiangxiu's hair and joked:
“I asked Xiangxiu which young man gave her this hairpin, but she denied it. Look at her, her face is all red.”
Ling Jiawei looked at the hairpin he had given to Xiangxiu, and was about to explain when Xiangxiu interrupted him.
"Ah Qi, if you keep joking with me, I'm not going to talk to you anymore."
Lan Zhi waved her hand at this moment and said:
"Alright, stop fooling around. I'm taking Ming'er to the palace for the New Year's banquet later. We'll be staying up tonight to celebrate the New Year and won't be back. We also need to worship our ancestors tomorrow, so we'll probably be back in the afternoon. Aqi will come with me. Xiangxiu and my elder brother will stay home and make arrangements for the New Year's banquet at the manor."
Ling Jiawei nodded hurriedly in agreement.
"Okay, go ahead without worry."
"Okay, I'll give you all a holiday after the New Year. Anyone who wants to go home to visit their family, please let me know in advance and I'll arrange the time."
Ling Jiawei was the first to shake his head.
“I don’t need to go back. Tang Jun said he doesn’t want to go back either.”
At this point, he glanced at Xiangxiu, who quickly shook her head.
"I don't need to go back."
"Alright, none of you need to go back, so you don't need to take this holiday. By the way, brother, have your parents... left yet?"
Although she didn't want to be associated with them anymore, they were, after all, her older brother's parents, and Ling Lanhua's disappearance was inexplicable.
Ling Jiawei shook his head.
"They were supposed to leave, but they couldn't for some reason. I'll let them go back after the New Year."
Although they had signed a contract with her, Ling Lanhua was missing, and the people were staying here to look for their daughter. She couldn't just kick them out; that would make her seem impolite.
"Hmm, they're still staying at the inn?"
"No, the inn is closed for the Chinese New Year, so I found them a courtyard to stay in for now."
Lan Zhi let out a soft sigh, pondered for a long time, and nodded:
“They are your parents. If you want to spend the New Year with them, leave the household affairs to Tang Jun and Xiangxiu.”
Ling Jiawei shook his head without even thinking.
"They don't need me to accompany them. You can go to the palace with peace of mind. I will take care of everything here."
After giving some instructions to the servants in the mansion, Lan Zhi took Ming'er and A Qi into the palace.
Accompanying Ming'er was Granny Tian, who followed beside the carriage. Her eyes kept scanning back and forth, and her pointed mouth and monkey-like face annoyed A-Qi, who was walking beside her.
Ah Qi glared at her fiercely, muttering to himself.
"Thief-like eyes."
"Who are you talking about?"
Granny Tian gritted her teeth and glared at her from behind.
"You brat, try saying that again!"
Ah Qi glared at her without any politeness.
"I didn't name names, so what are you talking about? I'll just say whoever admits it."
"you……"
Granny Tian was speechless for a moment. At this moment, Wei Ming lifted the sedan curtain and reminded her with displeasure,
"What kind of behavior is it to argue back and forth in public?"
Granny Tian then nodded to Wei Ming and stopped looking at Aqi.