Aiseland Continent, Su Liya's residence.
Though things in Aiseland weren't looking too good, the house was decked out in festive decorations today. A mysterious Eastern force called "celebrating the New Year" was invading this otherworldly land.
"Pipi Axe, can't you even spread paste properly? Are you painting the wall or putting up couplets?"
Su Liya looked at Pipi Axe, who had managed to get paste all over himself, and rubbed her forehead helplessly.
"Um, Master, I'm just a bit heavy-handed..." Mad Axe scratched his bare cervical vertebrae, aggrieved.
"Never mind. Tina!" Su Liya turned to call the dragon girl, who was wiping down her dragon spear. "Come help this guy put up the couplets. With that big, burly skeleton of his, he'd probably take the doorframe apart before he got them on straight."
"Yes, Master~" A crisp, lilting voice rang out as Tina, the dragon girl, walked over lightly.
She went to the front door and saw Mad Axe still struggling with the bucket of paste. Politely, she called out, "Brother Mad Axe."
The soulfire in Mad Axe's cervical vertebra flickered. "Oh, Tina! Here to help me? Wonderful. Master really is amazing—she saw right away how much trouble I was having."
They split the work: Tina put up the couplets while Mad Axe brushed on the paste.
"By the way, Brother Mad Axe," Tina asked curiously as she adjusted the couplet, "why did Master ask us to put up these red papers? Is it some new kind of magic circle?"
"Shows what you know." Mad Axe spoke like an old hand. "Master said it's a custom from her hometown, called celebrating the New Year. I don't know what level that 'Year' is, but it sounds pretty powerful."
As they chatted on, their conversation naturally turned to their master.
"Come to think of it, Master's presence really does grow more imposing by the day," Mad Axe remarked.
Tina's hand trembled. She murmured in agreement, "Yeah. Every time I see that stern look of hers, my butt starts to ache."
"Tell me about it." Mad Axe nodded knowingly. "Though I hurt in a different place. I get headaches. I don't have a head, but it still feels like it hurts."
Tina glanced around, then lowered her voice. "I might know why. I heard Master used to come from Touch Head Village. The people there like to pat heads, so maybe that's how Master physically persuaded you."
"I see. Master really is amazing!"
Just then, a rumbling sounded in the distance.
They turned around to see Rosalia riding back, dusty from the road, atop a gigantic Fingercreeper.
"Hello, Madam!" Mad Axe and Tina immediately stood at attention and greeted her in unison.
Rosalia had just jumped down from the Fingercreeper when her face turned bright red. "I-I told you not to call me Madam! We're still only..."
She looked curiously at the front door. "What are you doing? Is this a newly developed magic circle?"
"These are couplets. Master said they're used for festivals back in her hometown," Tina explained. "Oh, Madam, the young lady is coming over later, too."
"Huh? Yueyue's coming, too?" Rosalia looked surprised, then straightened her robe. "It must be a really important day, then. You two carry on. I'll go find Su Liya."
"Of course, Madam!"
Inside, in the kitchen.
Su Liya wore an apron and deftly shaped one ball of dough after another.
"Su Liya, I'm back." Rosalia entered quietly.
"Oh, you're back?" Su Liya kept working without turning around. "How were your magic lessons this week? The old lady didn't give you a hard time, did she?"
"They went pretty well. Some of it was hard to understand, but I can manage." Rosalia went to the counter and looked curiously at the plump white balls of dough. "What are you making?"
"They're dumplings. They're a must-have for New Year's in my hometown, and they symbolize reunion," Su Liya explained with a smile. "Of course, not everyone eats them, but it's a tradition in my family."
"I'll help!" Rosalia eagerly rolled up her sleeves.
"Sure. I'll show you."
Su Liya set down the flour and stepped naturally behind Rosalia, wrapping her hands around hers.
"Look, hold the wrapper like this, then put the filling in, and fold it like this. Then squeeze it tight."
Su Liya was so focused on teaching that she didn't notice how intimate their position was.
She only came up to Rosalia's chin, and was practically nestled in her arms.
Her long, silvery-white hair swayed gently as she moved, the ends occasionally brushing Rosalia's nose and carrying a faint, delicate fragrance.
Rosalia's brain short-circuited.
Th-this was way too close!
It would've been fine back when Su Liya was a skeleton, but now she was a soft, squishy little girl!
And our hands...
Rosalia's face turned red at a visible speed. A little romantic drama began playing uncontrollably in her mind: from making dumplings to holding hands, then fast-forwarding to walking down the aisle, and finally having an adorable daughter together. As for her name, they could call her...
"Pfft." A burst of steam escaped, and Rosalia's eyes rolled back as she fainted from happiness.
"Huh?!"
Su Liya jumped in fright and hurriedly caught Rosalia as she slumped over. "Why did you faint? Have you been studying too hard lately and gotten hypoglycemia?"
She looked at the girl in her arms, her face flushed red, and sighed helplessly.
"Never mind. I'll just make them myself."
Su Liya wiped her hands, picked Rosalia up, and carried her to her bedroom.
A while later, the teleportation array lit up.
"Bro—ah, I mean, Sis, I'm here!" Su Lin Yue walked in carrying bags and bags of snacks.
"Yueyue's here? Come sit down and rest." Su Liya poked her head out of the kitchen.
Su Lin Yue looked at her sister, who was wearing an apron and had white hair and red eyes. She'd already accepted the situation, but every time she saw her, it still felt as if her worldview were being rebuilt.
Not only had her brother turned into a white-haired, red-eyed little girl, she also had the aloof, keep-your-distance aura of an undead being. Yet the moment she opened her mouth, out came that familiar, useless big-brother vibe.
That contrast was deadly.
"Where's Rosalia?" Su Lin Yue looked around.
"Oh, she's asleep in the bedroom. She suddenly fainted a moment ago," Su Liya replied casually.
"Fainted?" Su Lin Yue's gaze sharpened, but seeing her brother looking so open and guileless, she swallowed her comment. "Fine, I'll help you, then."
Meanwhile, in Su Liya's bedroom.
Rosalia gradually woke up, still groggy.
"Mmm... Su Liya's scent... so comforting..." She unconsciously rubbed her face against the thing in her arms.
Wait! Rosalia jolted awake and looked around. This was Su Liya's room!
And the thing she was clutching tightly in her arms was one of Su Liya's nightgowns!
Wh-what had she done?!
Rosalia stared at herself with her face buried in the gown like some kind of pervert, so ashamed she wanted to cast Bone Spear on herself right then and there.
"Rosalia, get a grip! How can you be such a pervert?!"
She frantically folded the gown and put it back where it belonged. After taking a few deep breaths and making sure she'd cleaned up the evidence, she pushed open the door, her face still red.
A lavish New Year's Eve dinner had been laid out on the table in the living room.
"Oh, Rosalia, you're awake? I was just about to come get you," Su Liya called. "Come eat while it's hot."
The table was covered in steaming dumplings, braised ribs, steamed fish... Every dish looked and smelled delicious.
"Wow... what a feast."
Even though Rosalia had eaten Su Liya's cooking many times, she was still stunned by the exotic dishes spread across the table.
As they ate, the group toasted one another. The atmosphere was so warm and cozy, you'd never guess the world was at war.
After dinner and a bit of fooling around, Su Liya led everyone out into the courtyard.
"Su Liya, what exactly is the occasion today?" Rosalia asked curiously as she watched Su Liya take out a bunch of red cylinders.
"Today's New Year's Eve, the last day of the year. It's a traditional holiday in my hometown."
Su Liya held a lighter, its flame reflected on her face. "On this day, we stay up to see in the New Year and bid farewell to the old one. They say..."
She put several red envelopes into everyone's hands. "Here, this is your New Year's money! You're all pretty old, but you're still kids to me." Even Pipi Dragon and the others got some.
Finally, Su Liya took out an alarm clock.
"Almost time. Just ten seconds left!" They gathered around, watching the hands tick forward.
"Five, four, three, two, one!"
"Light it!"
"Boom! Bang! Crackle!"
Brilliant magical fireworks and specially made firecrackers soared into the sky, lighting up Aiseland's dark night—and everyone's smiling faces.
They all shouted in unison at the sky:
"Happy New Year, everyone!!!"
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