New Year's Eve, New Year

"Tonight is New Year's Eve. We can set off firecrackers tonight.

"Great! We can finally set off fireworks! Na'er, I'll take you to set off fireworks later!

"Okay.

"Dad, Na'er and I are going out to set off fireworks.

"Go ahead. Your mother and I need to hurry up and make dumplings. When you get back, you can have hot dumplings.

"Okay, Dad.

"Na'er, wait for me. I'll go back and get another coat so you can wear it when you get cold.

"Na'er, are you cold now?

—Cold? How could she be? She wasn't cold.

"Cold..." Gu Yuena curled into a ball, her entire body trembling violently.

"My Lord, what's wrong?" Di Tian, who had returned long ago, hurried over.

"Cold... So cold...

"Cold?" Di Tian froze, then suddenly remembered that after Gu Yuena destroyed her Godhead, she had become an ordinary person.

And ordinary people naturally had many things to fear.

Di Tian took off his clothes and draped them over Gu Yuena. Seeing the sweat streaming from her body, he reached out and touched her forehead.

It was burning hot, and so was her body.

"Does she have a fever?" Di Tian waved his hand and injected divine power into Gu Yuena.

But shockingly, Di Tian's divine power was repelled the moment it approached Gu Yuena!

How could this be? Di Tian was dumbfounded. He had never encountered such a situation before.

Di Tian tried several more times, but the result was the same every time.

What exactly was going on?

"We've set off almost all the fireworks. Na'er, are you cold?

"I'm okay, Brother.

"Look at you, lying with your eyes open. Your face is frozen red.

"Let's go home. There are delicious, fragrant dumplings at home. Dumplings are really tasty, and eating them will make you warm, so you won't be afraid of the cold anymore.

"Really?

"Of course it's true. When have I ever lied to you? Come on, let's go home.

"Mm. Then, Brother, Na'er wants to eat a few more.

So that was it...

—The warmth had never come from the dumplings, but from spending New Year's Eve eating dumplings with your family.

—Because you had family, you felt warm and didn't feel cold.

Gu Yuena's tears streamed down her face. "Dad... Mom...

Her voice was choked with sobs.

In truth, even the cold and proud ruler of the soul beasts had a vulnerable side.

She wasn't a machine. She had feelings too.

She could be sad, she could be hurt, and she could feel pain.

"Dad, Mom, we're back.

"Linlin and Na'er are back. Did you have fun?

"It was amazing! The fireworks were so beautiful. Na'er and I only came back after setting them all off.

"It's fine. If you like them, Mom will buy you more tomorrow.

"The dumplings are ready! Son, daughter, wash your hands and get ready to eat.

"Okay!

"Oh, right, the Spring Festival Gala is about to start. Hurry and find some good skits.

Dumplings with comedy skits, the whole family laughing happily—that was when food tasted the best.

—It wasn't that you stopped loving fireworks after you grew up, nor that you stopped liking dumplings.

—It was because you were no longer that carefree child who only thought about receiving red envelopes during the New Year and was happy every day.

—Dumplings no longer tasted the same because your childhood could never return.

Gu Yuena murmured, "Is today the New Year? It's New Year's Eve, isn't it?

"New Year?" Di Tian pondered it. Today did indeed seem to be the last day of the year, but this New Year business was a human custom.

Indeed, no one likely had the mood to celebrate the New Year anymore. This year was ending amid such circumstances, with tens of millions dead. This great calamity was like a plague.

The epidemic had spread so quickly.

"Son, eat slower. Your little sister hasn't even had many yet.

"What's wrong, Na'er? Don't the dumplings suit your taste?

"No. It just feels like none of this is real, like I'm dreaming.

"Of course all of this is real!

"You have an older brother. You have a father and mother. We will always be by your side.

"That's right, Na'er. Don't think too much. We're all here.

—So what was the price of growing up?

—Was it losing your loved ones, facing school every day, or going to work day after day?

—When the pressure was too great, when you were sad and miserable, you would choose to drink to numb yourself and make yourself happy.

—But when you woke up the next day, didn't you still have to face reality?

Gu Yuena opened her eyes. They had long been flooded with tears. She softly said, "Di Tian, tonight is New Year's Eve. I... I want to eat dumplings. Could you get me a serving?

Seeing the anticipation in Gu Yuena's eyes, Di Tian quickly nodded. "Yes, My Lord. Wait here for a moment. I'll go find dumplings for you right away.

As he spoke, Di Tian set up a barrier around Gu Yuena and left a mark on her body. If Gu Yuena truly encountered any danger, he could use the mark to teleport back immediately.

Watching Di Tian's departing figure, Gu Yuena softly said, "Di Tian, thank you.

(This chapter can count as an extra update. I had planned this New Year's Eve and New Year chapter long ago, hoping to write it before the New Year, so I rushed to finish it.)

(I believe many people's definition and understanding of the New Year have long changed, but life must still go on. Keep working hard and moving forward. Happy New Year, everyone.)