A Lively New Year's Eve Dinner

Tuoba Yue'er directed the servants to refill the tea and pour water, Qiangu Xiaoye welcomed the enshrined elders to their seats, while Qian Xunji chatted with Dugu Bo about the happenings in the soul master world.

The children crowded at the doorway, curiously watching these important figures they rarely got to see.

Hu Liena asked softly, "Yanyan, do you know them?"

Dugu Yan shook her head, then nodded. "I've seen that old grandpa before. He fought Grandpa outside Spirit City."

Hu Liena's eyes widened. "Fought?"

"Mm, it was incredible."

Dugu Yan said seriously, "After my grandpa came back, he drank a lot of wine and said he was just loosening up his joints."

The children looked at one another, unable to understand why "loosening up one's joints" required fighting.

Ling Feng smiled and patted their heads. "Stop staring. Go finish building your snowman. Dinner will be ready soon."

The children scattered at once.

Another quarter of an hour passed before a faint commotion arose outside.

Qian Daoliu had arrived.

He wore a dark long robe, his hair snow-white, his face lean, and his expression calm.

He had brought no one with him, arriving alone through the snow.

Everyone in the main hall rose to greet him.

"Great Enshrined."

"Old sir."

Qian Daoliu waved a hand, signaling that there was no need for such formality.

His gaze swept through the hall, lingering briefly on Dugu Bo before he gave a slight nod.

Dugu Bo hurriedly clasped his hands and returned the salute.

Before this legendary Rank 99 Peerless Douluo, no matter how unruly he might be, he had to behave himself.

"Sit, everyone."

Qian Daoliu sat in the chair beside the seat of honor. "It's New Year's. There's no need to be restrained."

Only after he said that did the atmosphere relax again.

Tuoba Yue'er took the opportunity to rise. "I'll go check how the dishes are coming along. Please sit for a moment."

With that, she headed for the kitchen.

Qian Renxue ran over and leaned against Qian Daoliu's knee. "Grandpa, look at the snowman we built!"

Qian Daoliu lowered his head, a rare smile appearing on his face. "Not bad. Better than last year's."

"I made the biggest ear!"

Qian Renxue said proudly.

"I pressed on the nose!" Dugu Yan ran over as well.

"I built the body!" Jin Chen refused to be outdone.

The children chattered as they competed for credit. Qian Daoliu was not annoyed; he merely listened, nodding now and then.

Ling Feng stood to the side, watching the scene with a faint warmth in his heart.

Across both his past and present lives, he had experienced far too much, yet moments of reunion like this still felt precious to him.

Wave after wave of fragrance drifted from the kitchen as Tuoba Yue'er began having the servants bring out the dishes.

Steaming dishes were carried to the table one after another, soon filling two square tables.

"Dinner's ready! Dinner's ready!"

Tuoba Yue'er called out, "The adults at one table, the children at the other. Everyone, sit properly."

Qian Daoliu rose and took the seat of honor at the main table.

Qiangu Xiaoye and Qian Xunji sat on either side of him, followed by the enshrined elders and Dugu Bo.

At the children's table, Ling Feng sat in the middle, with Qian Renxue and Dugu Yan on either side of him. Jin Chen, Xie Yue, and Hu Liena sat in order beside them.

"Come, come, let's raise a toast first."

Qian Xunji lifted his cup. "A new year, a new beginning. May everything go well for everyone."

Everyone raised their cups and drained them in one go.

The wine Dugu Bo had brought was indeed excellent—rich and lingering. The enshrined elders all nodded in praise.

"This wine was buried for thirty years." Dugu Bo looked rather pleased. "I kept it underground and couldn't bear to drink it."

"But tonight, you were willing to unseal it."

Dugu Bo glanced toward the children's table. Seeing Dugu Yan smiling so brightly that her eyes curved like crescents, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly as well. "Damn it, it was worth it."

The children's table had already dug in.

Hu Liena placed a piece of sweet-and-sour pork tenderloin into Dugu Yan's bowl. Dugu Yan nibbled at it in small bites, her face full of bliss.

Jin Chen and Xie Yue fought over the last chicken drumstick, only for Ling Feng to rap each of them once with his chopsticks.

"Brother Ling Feng hit me!" Jin Chen covered his head.

"I hit you because you deserved it. Give way to your little brother."

Ling Feng glared at him.

Xie Yue smugly took the drumstick. The moment he bit into it, Hu Liena snatched it away.

"Sister Nana!"

"I'm helping you taste whether it's good."

Hu Liena spoke as if it were perfectly justified.

Qian Renxue laughed so hard that she bent forward and backward, accidentally spilling fruit juice on her clothes.

Tuoba Yue'er hurried over with a handkerchief to wipe it away, chiding her, "Eat slowly. No one is competing with you."

As Qian Daoliu watched the lively children's table, a trace of gentleness flashed through his eyes.

He lifted his cup and said to Qiangu Xiaoye, "Xiaoye, you've taught Feng'er well."

Qiangu Xiaoye hurriedly rose. "Old sir, you flatter me. It's because he himself is promising."

"No need to be modest."

Qian Daoliu waved his hand. "I could tell on the day of his awakening. This child is steady-minded and highly talented. He will certainly accomplish great things in the future."

The enshrined elders all nodded in agreement.

Listening from the side, Dugu Bo sighed inwardly.

For Qian Daoliu to give such an assessment, Qiangu Lingfeng truly was no ordinary child.

He recalled their conversation at Spirit Hall that night, recalled the boy's composed manner, and became even more certain that letting Yanyan remain at Spirit Hall had been the most correct choice.

After three rounds of wine and five flavors of dishes.

The children had eaten their fill and ran into the courtyard to set off fireworks.

Light Feather Douluo had loved such things since he was young, so he voluntarily went outside to play with the children. Fireworks shot into the sky one after another, blooming into brilliant light against the snowy night.

The adults stood beneath the eaves, watching the lively courtyard.

Qianjun Douluo said softly to Falling Devil Douluo, "How many years has it been since things were this lively?"

Falling Devil Douluo nodded. "Ever since Ji'er grew up, Spirit Hall hasn't been like this in a long time."

Qian Daoliu stood at the front with his hands behind his back, watching the children beneath the fireworks in silence for a long while.

Qian Xunji walked to his side and said softly, "Father, it's cold outside. Let's go in."

Qian Daoliu shook his head. "Let me watch a little longer."

Dugu Bo stood nearby as well, watching his granddaughter and the other children chase after the fireworks. Her face bore a radiant smile he had never seen before.

"Yanyan hasn't been this happy in a long time."

He murmured.

Tuoba Yue'er heard him and said with a smile, "Senior Dugu, come every year from now on. Let the children celebrate the New Year together."

Dugu Bo froze for a moment, then nodded. "All right."

At some point, Ling Feng had walked to his side. "Senior, starting tomorrow, we can talk about that place with exceptional feng shui."

Dugu Bo looked at him, surprise flashing through his eyes. "You broke through?"

"Mm." Ling Feng nodded with a slight smile. "I'm Rank 30."

Dugu Bo drew in a sharp breath. It had only been half a year since his awakening. From Rank 10 to Rank 30 in half a year—what kind of speed was that? Even with Innate Full Soul Power, it was far too astonishing.

He suddenly felt fortunate—fortunate that he had gone to Spirit Hall that night, fortunate that he had made the right choice.

"Good." He said solemnly, "In a couple of days, this old man will take you there."

Ling Feng nodded, his gaze turning toward the fireworks in the courtyard and the children running beneath them.

On New Year's Eve, the snow was still falling, but everyone's hearts were warm.

Scattered sounds of firecrackers came from afar. The new year was about to arrive.

Everyone was waiting for midnight, for the brand-new year.

PS: In the new year, this little author wishes everyone a happy New Year, family reunion, success in all things, and all your wishes fulfilled!