Yukinoshita's Correction Method

The stack of blankets was lifted, Yukinoshita sisters emerged.

Haruno Yukinoshita looked at Dong Yunshan with a half-smile, about to speak.

Dong Yunshan raised his index finger, made a shushing gesture, and pointed to the door.

He did not hear Xue's mother return to her bedroom.

Haruno Yukinoshita quickly covered her mouth.

Yukino Yukinoshita glared at her older sister, then turned her gaze to Dong Yunxi on the Sleep Kojima to check on Ushio's sleeping condition.

I was a little relieved to find that Xixi had just changed her sleeping position.

The distant chimes rang out continuously, one after another.

Dong Yunshan returned to Yukino Yukinoshita's side and stayed with her to watch over Xixi.

With her mother outside, Haruno Yukinoshita couldn't leave and dared not make any rash moves. She was unusually quiet, gazing at the sleeping Xixi with gentle eyes.

The clock struck 108 at midnight.

Thump--~

A new year has begun.

Volume Thirteen

Chapter 686 The New Year

A new year, a new day.

Dong Yunshan faces a new problem.

How to resolve the issue of which of the Yukinoshita sisters should go out first?

"Of course you go out first," Haruno Yukinoshita in a low voice. "If Mom sees you, just say you missed him tonight and came over to be with him..."

"You should go out first," Yukino Yukinoshita said sternly. "I haven't even said I was leaving yet."

"According to you, I also have something I haven't finished saying." Haruno Yukinoshita snorted lightly. "Yunshan, where were we?"

"Okay, you two can continue your previous conversation." Yukinoshita, wrapped in her blanket, said, "Let's get back to what we were doing before."

"Oh?" Haruno Yukinoshita crossed her arms and raised her chin. "Alright, I'd like to see just how far you can go."

"I'll see how long you can keep this up..." Yukino Yukinoshita bit her lower lip, grabbed the corner of the blanket, opened her arms, and pulled Dong Yunshan under the covers, "Pretend she doesn't exist..."

Haruno Yukinoshita clenched her little fists and waved them. "Go! Go!"

"..." Dong Yunshan kissed Yukino Yukinoshita on the forehead. "I'm going to the restroom."

"Hmm~" Yukino Yukinoshita glared at her older sister and released Dong Yunshan.

A moment later, Dong Yunshan returned. "My mother-in-law should be asleep by now."

Haruno Yukinoshita carefully pushed open the door, tiptoed out, and returned to her room.

Yukino Yukinoshita listened to the sounds outside and, finding nothing amiss, put on her clothes and prepared to go out.

"Wait." Dong Yunshan grabbed her wrist. "Aren't we supposed to continue doing what we were doing before?"

"No... it'll disturb Xixi." Yukino Yukinoshita gently struggled. "Behave yourself..."

Dong Yunshan pulled her into his arms. "I already said we were just chatting."

"Gulp..." Yukino Yukinoshita puffed out her cheeks slightly, "You said it yourself."

Lying back in bed with Dong Yunshan, Yukino Yukinoshita adjusted her position and nestled in his arms.

"Mmm~" Dong Yunshan breathed in the fragrance of Yukino Yukinoshita's hair, "This feels the most comfortable."

"Tomorrow... no, we can go back today." Yukino Yukinoshita gently nudged him. "After we get back..."

What happened next?

"I'll tell you later." Yukino Yukinoshita pursed her lips. "Thank you for your hard work today."

"It's nothing, just a few phone calls," Dong Yunshan smiled. "Besides, I wanted to help those people myself."

"It's not just that..." Yukino Yukinoshita her eyelids slightly, "I mean... how you deal with your family."

Compared to Yukino Yukinoshita going to the Shinonome Family, Dong Yunshan, who came to the Yukinoshita Family, faced his mother's scrutiny and tests almost constantly.

"The situations are different. I left home to live on my own a long time ago, so my parents were more at ease with me. You only moved out when you were in high school." Dong Yunshan chuckled. "All things considered, I was away from home for five years before bringing you back, while you were away for only one year before bringing me back—it's normal for a mother-in-law to worry for four years more."

Yukino Yukinoshita looked up. "You really think so?"

"Of course, and it's not hard work for me at all." Dong Yunshan blinked. "You heard me just now, my mother-in-law and I had a very good chat."

Recalling the conversation between Dong Yunshan and her mother, Yukino Yukinoshita puffed out her cheeks slightly. "You still dare to bring that up? How come you tell her everything..."

"I can't accept this accusation," Dong Yunshan said seriously. "I don't think there's anything wrong with what I said, but you, you even wanted to say it in front of your sister..."

"I was just teasing her; she wouldn't actually cheer her on." Yukino Yukinoshita blushed. "Mom heard everything you said."

"That's why we were able to have such a good conversation afterwards," Dong Yunshan argued. "Honest communication is the foundation of trust."

"Communication..." Yukino Yukinoshita hugged Dong Yunshan Sugi tighter. "Actually, I've always wanted to have a proper talk with my mother like that, but..."

The reasons why Yukino Yukinoshita has not taken any action for so long are complicated.

Due to her own personality traits, she wanted to be ready to communicate with her mother again, but she was never truly ready.

If the communication doesn't go well, it could even backfire, further hindering Yukino Yukinoshita's actions.

Most importantly, Yukino Yukinoshita knew she needed to have an open and honest talk with her mother, but she wasn't sure what to talk about.

"I understand..." Dong Yunshan gently patted Yukino Yukinoshita's shoulder. "Everyone has these kinds of worries, including me."

"You're just trying to flatter me." Yukino Yukinoshita gently bumped her head against his chest. "You get along so well with your family..."

"Distance makes the heart grow fonder," Dong Yunshan chuckled. "I'm rarely home, and when I do go back, of course we get along very well. We can't make our precious time together too awkward, can we? Actually... the only time I had a truly in-depth conversation with my parents was when I went home with you. In all these years, that's been the only time."

"I thought you guys would have family meetings often," Yukino Yukinoshita murmured, "To talk about recent gains and insights..."

"A family meeting?" Dong Yunshan looked at Yukino Yukinoshita in his arms. "My family doesn't hold those kinds of meetings... I thought yours did. The kind where you pick a specific day and sit all stiff and formal."

"No way! Even when we're formally discussing work, it has nothing to do with me. I usually watch it in my room by myself..." Yukino Yukinoshita paused, "So what did you talk about with them when you went home?"

"Wait, tell me what you were looking at in the room first?"

"It's just..." Yukino Yukinoshita blushed slightly, "... some cat videos."

"Anything else?"

Yukino Yukinoshita pursed her cherry lips slightly. "And... there are photos of Xixi that Mom and Sister Jin sent."

"Isn't it fine to just call her 'Mom'?"

"You're getting confused~" Yukino Yukinoshita twisted her body slightly. "We're talking about you. What did you say to them?"

"I told you how I was reborn after meeting you; I told you how happy my life is with you; I told you how wonderful my heart is with you by my side..."

"That's too much..." Yukino Yukinoshita blushed even more. "What did they say?"

"They... they talked about their past." Dong Yunshan's lips twitched. "Speaking of which, I just found out that Brother Yan was Sister Jin's childhood sweetheart..."

Chapter 687 New Year's First Salvation

"Hmm..." Dong Yunshan felt a pressure on her chest and instinctively hugged it, opening her eyes with some confusion.

With her left arm around Yukino Yukinoshita, why is her right arm still...?

"Brother... brother..." a childish voice called out.

Dong Yunshan's gaze shifted, and she saw her younger sister.

The baby's soft body nestled against Yukino Yukinoshita's chest, her large eyes reflecting his face.

"Xixi..." Dong Yunshan responded, gently patting her, "You woke up so early?"

"Giggle!" Xixi smiled adorably, grabbing a strand of Yukino Yukinoshita's hair and pinching it while calling out, "Sister..."

"Hmm..." Yukino Yukinoshita opened her eyes groggily, only to be met with the baby's smiling face so close to hers. "Xixi... Xixi?!"

Ice-blue eyes widened suddenly, Yukino Yukinoshita trembled. She immediately wanted to sit up, but fearing she would frighten the baby, she forcibly suppressed her panic and stopped moving.

I was supposed to go back to my room last night.

But after chatting with Dong Yunshan for a while, I fell asleep...

There's nothing I can do; it's the same at home.

After we finished sleeping, we hugged each other and chatted until we fell asleep.

But we're at home now!

Yukino Yukinoshita patted Xixi's little head, sat up in a fluster, pulled out the hair that Xixi had grabbed and the hair that Dong Yunshan had pressed down, combed it quickly, and put on her coat.

"You comfort Xixi, I'll go back first..." Yukino Yukinoshita said as she opened the paper sliding door, where she saw her mother standing at the door.

"I feel like Xixi is about to wake up." Mother Xue smiled gently. "I didn't expect... you'd wake up too."

Yukino Yukinoshita bit her lower lip lightly. "Mom..."

"Go wash up." Snow Mother took a deep, discreet breath, then nodded gently. "It's time to eat."

"...Hmm." Yukino Yukinoshita's face turned red as she watched her mother leave, then turned back to glare at Dong Yunshan.

"I just noticed it myself," Dong Yunshan pointed to her ear. "I just woke up, so my reaction time is a little slow."

Yukino Yukinoshita rubbed her messy long hair and let out a long breath.

It seems we've been discovered... but it's nothing.

Breakfast was as plentiful as ever; the adults ate Osechi Ryori, Xixi ate freshly made baby food.

Snow's mother took out some New Year's money and handed it over. "Happy New Year."

"Huh? I got one too?" Haruno Yukinoshita exclaimed with delight as she took it. "Thank you, Mom~ Happy New Year!"

"Although he's already in university, he's not married yet, so he's still my child," Xue's mother said meaningfully. "Of course, you're part of it too."

We're not married yet...? Are you referring to what happened this morning, no, last night?

"Thank you, Mom~" Yukino Yukinoshita gathered her thoughts, accepted the New Year's money, and said, "Happy New Year!"

"Thank you, Mother-in-law." Dong Yunshan gladly accepted the portions for herself and her sister. "Happy New Year~ Xixi, say thank you to Auntie~"

"Thank you~" Although Xi Baobao didn't understand what New Year's money was, she repeated the last two words that Dong Yunshan said very fluently.

"Xixi, be good~" Mother Xue's eyes were gentle.

Dong Yunshan handed Xixi's share to Yukino Yukinoshita: "Can you keep it for her for now?"

Yukino Yukinoshita glared at him. "You're keeping it for her."

One of the important activities of the New Year is Hatsumode (first shrine visit). Yuki's mother and Haruno Yukinoshita were going to help Yuki's father, so they did not go with Dong Yunshan and Yukino Yukinoshita.

After returning home and changing their clothes, Dong Yunshan, together with Yukino Yukinoshita, took Dong Yunxi to the agreed-upon shrine.

Yui Yuigahama sent a message early on, inviting everyone to Hatsumode (first shrine visit) together.

Inage Asama Shrine is the largest shrine in the vicinity. Although I chose to go at midday when it was relatively warm, there were still quite a few people.

Upon reaching the first torii gate of Asama Shrine, Dong Yunshan saw Yui Yuigahama and Iroha Isshiki waving from afar.

"Happy New Year!" the two greeted each other in unison as they approached.

"Happy New Year..." Yukino Yukinoshita almost got carried away by them, "Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year!" Dong Yunshan said, pushing the stroller.

"New Year--Huh?!" Iroha Isshiki was startled when she saw the baby in the stroller. "This child... wait, wait, so those rumors at school were true? Senior and Senior actually already have a baby, but they couldn't be together because of their families' opposition, and they only recently got back together and are showing off their love everywhere. I thought those were just rumors, but I didn't expect them to actually be true... The timing doesn't seem quite right. As expected, rumors are just rumors. They have some basis, but not much. They're all just baseless rumors. I'm not going to believe them... So who is this, Senior?"

"If you had paused even a little longer, I would have already started the introduction." Dong Yunshan sighed helplessly, "This is my younger sister— Dong Yunxi."

"So cute~" Yui Yuigahama added, "Yukino and Yunshan also took care of her for a while before."

"Xixi, I'm Iroha Isshiki- neechan~" Iroha Isshiki pointed to herself, "Neechan~ can you say it? neechan~"

Yukino Yukinoshita opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

Dong Yunxi happily replied, "Hey!"

Yukino Yukinoshita knew this would happen.

Iroha Isshiki: "... It doesn't seem like it should be like this."