February 14 was the first day of the Lunar New Year.
It was also Valentine's Day.
Auspicious: marriage, moving house, relocation.
Inauspicious: opening a business, breaking ground, planting.
The New Year's Eve Vigil had lasted until dawn. For the entire morning, Puji Island had been shrouded in deep sleep, making up for the energy spent the night before.
But Zheng Qing felt as though sleeping was more exhausting than being awake.
After Su Shijun caught him secretly sending flowers in public last night, he began dreaming the moment he fell asleep. In the dream, he wielded a little hoe, loosening the soil, watering, and fertilizing the small garden at Qingqiu Mansion. Then, under Su Shijun's supervision, he replanted the flower seedlings he had picked. He barely stopped for a moment.
Even so, Councilor Su, standing at the edge of the garden, remained dissatisfied. She swung a fluffy fox-tail whip, making the air crack sharply, her threat unmistakable.
Smack!
Perhaps it was an illusion, but Zheng Qing felt that final lash with particular clarity, as though it had not happened in a dream.
He groggily opened his eyes and saw a green fox tail filling his vision, growing larger and larger before smacking heavily across his face.
Smack!
Pfft, pfft!
The young government-funded student spat out the fox fur stuffed into his mouth and sat up in alarm. Only then did he realize that the tail belonged to Poseidon. The little fox was wearing a lovely black robe, with a jade pendant hanging around her neck. She bounced excitedly around on his bed, brimming with energy.
Youth really was wonderful.
The wizard muttered to himself, letting out a heavy sigh of relief.
With a thud, he lay back down on his pillow and closed his eyes—before opening them, he had been