Christmas (3)

"Although the box is nothing special, everything inside it comes straight from the heart!" Lu Mingfei said, opening the box.

Inside was a silver necklace with a crescent moon pendant.

"Don't let its ordinary appearance fool you. I spent all my pocket money on it," Lu Mingfei said, wincing.

Su Xiaoqiang snatched it from him and examined it carefully, beaming. "It's fine! From now on, you can just spend my money. Hehe."

She held the necklace, reluctant to put it down, and kept looking it over.

"Also, it's actually a Reishi Positioning Device. I modified it yesterday. Keep it with you, and if you're ever in danger, I'll be able to get to you right away."

On his way home yesterday, he'd been thinking about what to get her. Then he'd decided that she'd been having pretty bad luck lately, so he bought a necklace and modified it.

Fortunately, the modification had worked. All that time spent studying Reishi utilization theory with Mayuri Kurotsuchi hadn't been for nothing.

Su Xiaoqiang's necklace was now linked to his Zanpakuto. If she ever got into danger, he'd be able to reach her right away.

The Little Goddess's eyes sparkled as she remembered the necklace around Lu Mingfei's neck. Doesn't that make these couple necklaces?

"Put it on me, will you?" Su Xiaoqiang stood up.

Lu Mingfei stood too and carefully placed the necklace around the Little Goddess's neck.

Night had completely fallen. Su Xiaoqiang gazed into the distance, lost in thought.

"Can you take me up to Fuxin Tower?" Su Xiaoqiang pointed to a distant tower, the tallest in the province, standing over four hundred meters high.

"I can, but what made you think of that?" Lu Mingfei scratched his head, a little confused.

She clasped her hands together and spoke softly. "I've always wanted to see the city from up there. Can you grant me this humble wish?"

He poked her forehead with a finger. "I'll do it, but could you please speak like a normal person?"

"Hehe." Su Xiaoqiang giggled.

Lu Mingfei looked into the distance, thought for a moment, then reached down to grab Su Xiaoqiang by the legs.

"Stop right there!" Su Xiaoqiang cried in alarm.

"What's wrong?" Lu Mingfei let go.

"You're not going to sling me over your shoulder again, are you?" Su Xiaoqiang asked urgently.

"What else would I do?"

Su Xiaoqiang's expression darkened. "If you dare carry me over there on your shoulder, I'll strangle you!"

"Then pick a different pose?" Lu Mingfei ventured.

"Mm, the other ways are uncomfortable. How about you carry me bridal-style? I won't mind!" Su Xiaoqiang said, blushing slightly.

"Fine, fine."

With a helpless sigh, Lu Mingfei stood beside the Little Goddess and let her loop an arm around his neck. Then he wrapped his left arm around her body, put his right arm beneath her knees, and lifted her up.

He chanted, "Binding Way No. 26: Kyokkō."

He used the Binding Way to make them both invisible, then activated Flash Step, blinking through the city in rapid succession.

Su Xiaoqiang rested her face against Lu Mingfei's neck and took a soft sniff. She felt so warm.

Before long, Lu Mingfei reached Fuxin Tower. He activated Flash Step again and landed on the tip of the tower, still holding Su Xiaoqiang bridal-style.

"We're here," he gently told the Little Goddess.

Su Xiaoqiang slowly opened her eyes. Before her stretched the hazy night, the sky dotted with stars. Looking down, she saw the buildings far below, shrunken by the distance.

"Whoa, it's so high!" Su Xiaoqiang clung to Lu Mingfei.

"How are you supposed to look around while holding on to me like that?" Lu Mingfei teased.

"What am I supposed to do, then? There's nowhere to stand." Su Xiaoqiang pressed her face against Lu Mingfei's chest and spoke softly.

"That's easy. You just have to not be scared."

Lu Mingfei lifted his foot away from the tip of the tower and stood in midair.

"I'll let you have the tower tip!" Lu Mingfei looked down at her with a cheeky grin.

Su Xiaoqiang stared at him in disbelief. "You can fly!"

"I'm just using a special method to stand in the air. And why are you so surprised that I can fly?" Lu Mingfei said casually.

All he had to do was gather Spiritual Pressure beneath his feet to stand in the air. He just didn't need to do that in most fights, so he rarely used it.

"Here, I'll hold you. Just slowly stand on the tip of the tower."

At Lu Mingfei's words, Su Xiaoqiang gradually overcame her fear. He slowly lowered her until her feet were on the tip of the tower, then stood behind her and held her by the shoulders.

Looking down at the snow-covered city, Su Xiaoqiang's eyes shone. She spread her arms and felt the breeze brush past her.

"Brr, it's cold!" Su Xiaoqiang had barely spread her arms before she hugged herself again.

So this was what they meant by it being colder at the top.

Lu Mingfei smiled at the sight of her. What a silly girl.

He took off his own scarf and wrapped it around Su Xiaoqiang. "I'm not cold. You wear it for now, and you can give it back when you get home."

Su Xiaoqiang touched the scarf she'd knitted for him. It was warm, still holding his body heat.

After they'd enjoyed the view for a while, Su Xiaoqiang asked to go down.

Lu Mingfei picked her up bridal-style again, then used Flash Step to leave. No one knew that someone had once stood atop that tower and looked out over the city.

"Ming, bend your head down." After Lu Mingfei walked her to the entrance of the villa complex, she took off the scarf.

Lu Mingfei obediently lowered his head and let the Little Goddess wrap the scarf around him. He caught a faint whiff of perfume, the scent of the Little Goddess.

"I had a great time today, and I really like the gift you gave me. See you tomorrow!" Su Xiaoqiang said goodbye to Lu Mingfei.

"Me too," Lu Mingfei replied.

He watched the Little Goddess enter the complex, then left.

When he got home, the living room lights were still on.

Did I get home early today? Why are the lights still on? Lu Mingfei wondered.

When his uncle saw him come in, he told him to go get Lu Mingze from his room.

Then his uncle said to everyone, "All right, everyone, eyes on me! I have an announcement!"

"You old coot, you wouldn't let us sleep and insisted we wait for Mingfei to get home before you announced it. What is it already?" his aunt complained.

"Ahem. It's good news, so I wanted to wait until the whole family was here," his uncle said with a chuckle.

Lu Mingze looked utterly aggrieved. He'd been playing a game when they dragged him out, and he was not happy about it.

"Okay, okay, Uncle, just tell us already!" Lu Mingfei said. If his uncle kept dragging it out, his aunt was going to skin him alive.

"It's Christmas today, and my workplace held a raffle. Guess what I won!"

His aunt immediately pinched him. "Just spit it out!"

His uncle didn't dare keep her waiting. "Well, I won a seven-day trip to Japan, with flights and hotels all covered. It's for four people, so we can go to Japan for the New Year!"

"Really?" His aunt's eyes lit up. "For once, you've done something useful. I need to think about what I'll wear!"

His aunt had always wanted to travel, but every time she thought about the expense, she gave up. Now that her husband's workplace had given him a travel voucher, it had hit the spot. Suddenly, she couldn't find a thing wrong with him.

After listening, Lu Mingfei and Lu Mingze quietly went back to their bedroom. As far as Lu Mingfei was concerned, one place was as good as another. For Lu Mingze, games were still more important.