In a short life, how much emotion will one give?
Family.
"Ah--Why are all these bright red clothes being put on me? Dao Yi wants to wear them too!"
Holding their clothes, everyone formed a semicircle, blocking He Piaojian in the middle. They were all panting heavily, with fine beads of sweat on their foreheads.
"You're quite the jumper!" Gen Mountain said with a helpless laugh, panting heavily.
He Piaojian was incredibly agile, like a nimble monkey, leaping and bounding through the crowd, skillfully avoiding the surrounding furniture without knocking over a single thing. While dodging, he argued, "No, I already did it last year. According to the pattern of previous years, it's Dao Yi's turn this time."
As she spoke, she tightly clutched her original clothes, looking as if she would rather die than submit.
All eyes turned to Fan Daoyi sitting on the sofa, then they all shook their heads and said in unison, "No way, space-type stuff is the most troublesome. If we can't catch up, we simply can't. You should do it."
Fan Daoyi simply sat on the sofa, a slight smile playing on his lips, his eyes full of amusement, quietly watching them chase each other, occasionally seeing a few legs swiftly stride past him.
"I absolutely will not wear it this year!" He Piaojian shouted firmly.
Unfortunately, one man could not defeat seven, and in the end they pinned He Piaojian down on the sofa like a pig being slaughtered.
"Little Cheapie, you have to wear this festive outfit this year, whether you like it or not." They chuckled, giving He Piaojian no chance to refuse.
After all that fuss, He Piaojian was still forced to wear a bright red cotton-padded coat and a tiger-head hat. He sat cross-legged on the sofa, full of resentment, his face etched with unwillingness.
Seeing He Piaojian's appearance, everyone couldn't help but find it amusing. They even pretended to wipe the corner of their eyes with one hand in front of him, feigning sadness, and said, "Ah, so many years have passed in the blink of an eye. We've practically watched you grow up. Back then, you were just a tiny little thing."
His tone was as if he were truly an elder who had watched the child grow up, full of emotion.
"You guys aren't that much older than me, are you?" He Piaojian couldn't help but complain, his resentment clearly visible on his face.
At this moment, Fan Daoyi glanced at He Piaojian's festive attire and said softly, "Actually, he's quite cute."
"Hmph." He Piaojian turned his head away arrogantly, refusing to admit it.
"Really," Fan Daoyi emphasized again, his tone full of sincerity.
"Real?"
Seeing this, the other seven nodded in agreement. "Really, really."
Children who grow up nurtured by love will always retain a childlike quality in their presence.
And everyone was willing to cooperate.
Family
"Wow, it's so lively! What are you all playing?"
The visitor was Zhen Thunder's wife, Feiyin.
Zhen Thunder quickly went to greet her, took the items from her hands, and couldn't hide the love in his eyes. "Didn't I say I'd pick you up later? It's so cold outside, and you still came all by yourself."
Feiyin covered her mouth to hide her laughter, her words full of gentleness. "You, you're usually so busy, it's not right to trouble you during the New Year. I also heard that you ruined the meal that Qian Heaven had carefully prepared, so I made some new ones to see if you like them."
"We love it! We love it so much! It must have been a long trip for you, sister-in-law." Li Fire forward to offer plenty of emotional support, and then gestured to everyone except Qian Heaven to quickly and secretly replace the inedible food.
They barely escaped yesterday, and they certainly don't want to suffer through that dark, murky chicken soup today.
Friend
They had a clear division of labor and avoided Qian Heaven's sight. Just when they were about to succeed, these replaced foods appeared in Qian Heaven's hands.
Qian Heaven narrowed his eyes, his expression kind and gentle, and asked slowly, "What are you trying to do, sneaking around like that?"
Everyone immediately handed it all over to Li Fire.
It's her!
The uniform and precise identification left Feiyin, who had only recently arrived, speechless.
"The way everyone gets along is quite..." Feiyin couldn't find the words to praise it, so she gave up and could only force a compliment, "Interesting."
And when they come together, they form love. Unbound by blood ties, unburdened by interests, it is pure and passionate.
"Don't drink too much, or you'll all be drunk and unconscious." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried the kind of gentle advice of a mother.
Everyone's cheeks were flushed at that moment, except for Dao Yi, whose expression remained unchanged.
All eyes turned to Dao Yi, their pupils darting around as if in tacit agreement. They crowded around Dao Yi, raising their glasses high with a hint of defiance and teasing. "Come on, bottoms up!"
Dao Yi didn't refuse. A slight smile played on his lips, and a hint of amusement flashed in his eyes. Without hesitation, he raised his glass and clinked it with everyone's. "Cheers!"
We'll take them on, no one is exempt.
After several rounds, while they were nearly collapsing, Dao Yi remained seated steadily, his skin color unchanged.
His competitive spirit flared instantly, and Kan Water lightly tapped the table, using his ability to sober up.
Both Li Fire and Zhen Thunder have their own methods to dispel intoxication.
Xun Wind leaned forward, his upper body resting on the table, his face propped up on his arm. His other hand held a wine glass high, his eyes fixed on the swirling liquid, gazing at the blurry reflection. His eyes were unfocused, and he muttered intermittently, "May everyone be as happy and joyful as they are today, no matter this year, next year, or every year after..."
His voice floated softly in the lively atmosphere, as if he were making an extremely precious wish.
But as soon as he finished speaking, Xun Wind's consciousness was pulled. He felt himself falling from a great height, landing in a cloud of mist.
A cacophony of sounds filled my ears, a jumble of noises that was impossible to discern.
He explored in a daze, as different sounds swept past his ears.
The voice was hoarse, making it impossible to tell if it was male or female.
Why did you do that?!
"No... no, please don't disappear!"
"I knew it... I really hoped nothing would happen to you guys..."
"Everyone has to die, don't they? What kind of expression is that? Laugh, laugh..."
"Five Disadvantages and Three Deficiencies, hahaha, what a fine 'Five Disadvantages and Three Deficiencies'!"
Anger, despair, concern, and sadness intertwined, and these voices entered Xun Wind's ears without warning. His heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, and he felt inexplicably pained.
His legs buckled, and he half-knelt on the ground, clutching his chest tightly with both hands, trying to relieve the excruciating pain.
Fine beads of sweat dripped from his forehead. He tried to calm himself and looked up again.
This time, a scene suddenly flashed before my eyes.
On a stormy night, the wind howled and the raindrops pounded against the ground.
A person stood in the doorway, soaking wet, their figure appearing particularly lonely in the dim light.
Xun Wind struggled to his feet, his legs still weak. He carefully approached the face step by step, and as he drew closer, the face gradually became clearer—it was He Piaojian...
He Piaojian's eyes were empty and lifeless, as if they had lost focus. His arms hung limply at his sides, and mud clung to his fingers and clothes, with rain dripping from the hem of his garments.
He stared blankly ahead, his lips slightly parted, uttering a weak sound, "He... is he dead?"
At that moment, Xun Wind suddenly snapped out of his daze, the effects of the alcohol instantly vanished, and his eyes regained their clarity, though a trace of fear remained.
Everyone noticed his unusual behavior and showed expressions of concern.
"What's wrong?"
Seeing the current situation, Xun Wind nervously hid his hands under the table.
He clenched his fist and gently shook his head. "No, I'm probably just still half asleep."
He wanted to cherish this precious moment and preserve the warmth within.