Fireworks Rise, Illuminating the Mortal World; Raise a Cup to the Years Gone By

"If you take without asking, that's stealing!"

Fang Xuan looked the little thief up and down. The person had a slender frame, natural curves at the waist and hips, a smooth, fair, elegant neck, delicate and lively features, and a small dimple at the corner of her mouth.

He could not help but snort with laughter.

"Who would've thought you were a little female thief!"

At his words, a flash of astonishment crossed the slender figure's face. She hurriedly patted her chest and backside, checking herself, then widened her bright eyes at Fang Xuan.

"How could you tell?"

"What era is this? You're still pulling the old trick of dressing up as a man?" Fang Xuan swept a disdainful glance over her, then said contemptuously, "Next time you dress as a man, when you put on turmeric powder, don't just smear it on your face and leave your neck bare. If someone ran into you at night, you'd scare them half to death."

The slender figure's expression shifted repeatedly. Then she stamped her foot in annoyance. "Pah! You big lump are the scary one!"

With that, the slender figure turned to leave.

"Hold it!"

A chilling long saber extended from behind and came to rest on her shoulder.

"You drank Fang's wine and think you can just walk away?"

Feeling the coldness radiating from the blade, the dimpled woman with the slender figure could not help shrinking her head back. She gave an awkward laugh. "Th-then what do you want?"

"What do I want?" Fang Xuan looked her over, then spat out two words. "Pay up!"

The dimpled woman patted her sleeves and belt, then spread her hands, blinking her large eyes innocently. "How about you report me to the authorities? I don't have any money."

Fang Xuan froze, then laughed in fury.

This was the first time in his life he had seen a woman capable of being this shameless!

"No money? Fine, fine, fine. Then I'll sell you to a brothel. You may be a little ugly, but you should still be young. You ought to fetch a few taels of silver, at least!"

Fang Xuan sneered, grabbed the dimpled woman by the shoulder, and started dragging her away.

"Hey, hey, hey? Stop, stop! I have something important to say!"

Under Fang Xuan's puzzled gaze, the dimpled woman took a deep breath. Then she stood with her hands behind her back, gazing ahead with an unfathomable expression.

"I originally wanted to get along with you as an ordinary person, but all I got in return was mockery and disdain. So... I won't pretend anymore. I'll come clean!

"I am Little Divination Immortal, ranked seventh on the Hidden Dragon Rankings! With a pinch of my fingers, I can calculate past lives and present lives; with a puff from my mouth, I can spit out a century's worth of fortune!"

Fang Xuan said nothing. He merely looked at her quietly, expressionless.

"Looks like you don't believe me?

"Fine. As they say, a true master hides their face, and one who shows their face is no true master. Today, I'll fathom the secrets of Heaven and cast a divination for you! If it comes true, the wine debt is forgiven, and this jug of wine belongs to me! And from now on, whenever I want to drink your wine, I get to drink it. How about it?"

"Go ahead." Fang Xuan's voice held no emotion.

"Then watch closely! Spirits of Heaven, spirits of Earth, Supreme Lord, show your divine power!"

She closed her eyes and began chanting in a convincing manner.

The next moment—

She suddenly shouted, "Rain falls from the sky, the ground turns slick; whatever your father's surname is, that's your surname too!"

After her words fell, there was no response for a long while.

She quietly cracked one eye open and secretly glanced at Fang Xuan.

Seeing his face darken and the veins on his forehead begin to throb, she hurriedly continued, "Let me calculate another one for you!

"At year's end, every household eats pork; your father's elder sister is called your grandaunt! People eat grain, sheep eat grass; you're younger than your father!"

Before she could finish—

Whoosh—!

A fierce wind howled beside her ear, and a palm as large as a cattail fan rapidly filled her vision.

"Spare me, hero!!!"

The dimpled woman calling herself Little Divination Immortal felt every hair on her body stand on end. She screamed in terror and decisively surrendered.

That cattail-fan-sized palm stopped three inches from her face.

The dimpled woman cautiously opened her eyes for a look, then let out a long breath and laughed awkwardly. "Hero, never mind how I calculated it. Just tell me whether it was accurate or not, okay?

"You have to keep your word—not only is the wine debt waived, the rest of the wine belongs to me too."

"Where did this female thug come from?"

Fang Xuan shook his head, too lazy to deal with her any longer. He picked up his clothes and turned to leave.

Forget it. It was only a little wine; he was not really about to throw this woman into a brothel.

The dimpled woman picked up the wine flask and took a light sip. Her little face, smeared with turmeric powder, immediately turned scarlet.

"Burp... This Fang Xuan is quite interesting. He doesn't seem as bad as the rumors say."

The dimpled woman watched Fang Xuan's retreating back and smiled softly.

The next moment.

With a few light taps of her feet, she vanished into the reed marsh where grass grew lush and orioles flew.

By the time Fang Xuan returned to East City, it was already afternoon.

Children in new clothes laughed and played in the alleys, darting back and forth. Firecrackers exploded now and then, celebrating the New Year.

Wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys of every household.

The aroma of cured meat, cured fish, and home-cooked dishes wafted over the entire town.

As he passed through one low alley after another, bursts of laughter from drinking and finger-guessing games rang out continuously from the tiled houses within.

"Brother, you're back? Come help paste up the windows."

In the little fenced courtyard, Fang Lan and Fang Li were busily pasting the character for fortune upside down on the front gate.

One Line Sky, Water Monkey, Chen Jingming, and Chu Chong had all come as well. One Line Sky stood on a stool, sweeping away the remaining dust in the house. Water Monkey had rolled up his trouser legs and was panting as he wiped the floor back and forth with a rag.

Chen Jingming held a candle in one hand and a peach branch in the other, shining the light over the beams, walls, wooden bed, and other places while knocking here and there with the branch, trying to drive away snakes, scorpions, and centipedes. It was an old saying passed down through generations in Pingjiang City: candle lights the beams, peach strikes the walls, and no snake or bug in the mortal world has a place to hide.

Chu Chong gripped an axe and kept splitting firewood in the yard for cooking.

"Brother Xuan, happy New Year!"

One Line Sky and the other three turned around at the same time, wiped the sweat from their brows, and grinned at Fang Xuan.

"Yes, happy New Year."

Fang Xuan smiled faintly.

Ever since three years ago, the five of them had spent every New Year together. Like five scattered sparks, once gathered, they became flames soaring to the heavens.

Now, three years had passed. Everything had changed, yet the people by his side were still the same old companions.

As evening approached, the sky gradually darkened.

Yet the sounds of festivity never ceased.

The family sat around the round table, chatting and laughing.

Whoosh—boom!

A firework suddenly shot up from the city, then exploded high in the sky.

The brilliant fireworks spread across the heavens, illuminating half of Pingjiang City.

"They're setting off fireworks!"

"Come on, come on, hurry and watch!"

Already pleasantly tipsy, One Line Sky, Water Monkey, and the others immediately walked out of the inner room in high spirits. They raised their heads to the sky and began making wishes.

"Brother, you come too!"

Fang Lan, her little face flushed red, grabbed Fang Xuan from his seat and dragged him outside.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Fang Xuan looked up. The dazzling fireworks seemed to burst open within his pupils.

Amid the clamor of those around him, he merely lifted his wine cup in silence and took a light sip.

I lay old matters to rest; next year, the flowers will bloom as ever.

Fireworks rise, lighting the mortal world.

I raise my cup to all the years gone by.

Wishing everyone a happy New Year in advance.

May every regret from last year become the groundwork for this one.

May the dragon carry you into great fortune, and may all you seek be yours. O(∩_∩)O