Jin Si lay at the cliff's edge, swallowing clouds and breathing out mist. He sensed a little bustle over by the Mountain Gate-though "bustle" meant only scattered voices and the occasional crisp crack of a firecracker.
A little life had come to the desolate Pillowstar Mountain.
Only after thinking for a while did he remember that today was New Year's Eve. Time flew so quickly. Another year had passed.
He recalled the old days at the Azure Cloud Monastery, when the Daoists were run off their feet during the New Year and wealthy visitors cheerfully burned incense and prayed for blessings amid a warm hubbub of laughter. Once the Mist Tide receded, Jin Si swayed his body and leisurely swam over to a crack in the rock face, tilting his great head to peer inside with one vertical pupil.
Before long, Red Clothes floated out of the shadows with her arms folded.
"What is it?"
Jin Si spoke earnestly.
"It's New Year's Eve today. Aren't you celebrating?"
Red Clothes sneered. The curve of her lips held a trace of self-mockery, and her eyes looked a little forlorn.
"In the old days, the maid who'd been with me since childhood would come and shed a few tears at New Year. Eventually, nobody visited my grave anymore, and it fell into neglect. What New Year is there for a lonely wandering ghost? I don't even care about the Ghost Festival."
Jin Si flicked his forked tongue and nodded solemnly.
"True. You're already dead."
His tone was sincere, and he had no idea how deeply those words stabbed a ghost in the heart.
The corner of Red Clothes' eye twitched violently. She could not help snorting and rolling her eyes, but could not be bothered to argue with him.
Xiao Yu landed lightly