The firecracker debris from New Year's Eve was still warm when dawn broke on New Year's Day.
This person doesn't even consider what day of the Lunar New Year it is when they get sick. The doors of the Anzhi Hall had only been installed for a short time when someone banged on them loudly.
When Jin Shanyao and Meng Anzhi arrived at the front hall, Kong Dongsheng was placing the frozen Old Kong onto a soft couch.
He was sweating profusely with anxiety, " Little Doctor Meng, quick, quick, check on my father..."
Meng Anzhi stepped forward quickly, and just as her hand touched Old Kong's wrist, her gaze froze.
Old Kong was clutching a dumpling tightly in his hand. The dumpling was intact and there was no sign of it being frozen or cracked. After Meng Anzhi finished inspecting it, she instructed Zhou Xiaosi to bring over a charcoal brazier.
Then she asked Qing Yang to bring blankets to cover him, saying, "Your father has frostbite. Why did he go out in this freezing weather?"
Kong Dongsheng kept rubbing his hands from the cold, and could barely speak, "We couldn't keep an eye on her, our whole family searched all night... We finally found her at my mother's grave, she had been curled up there freezing for half the night, still clutching a dumpling in her hand..."
His voice choked as he spoke.
"My dad's mind is getting more and more confused, and it's gotten worse in the last month. He can't even recognize people anymore, he only remembers that my mom loves to eat dumplings."
Yesterday, on New Year's Eve, we were making dumplings, and he insisted on saving one. We just assumed he was being silly and didn't think much of it. But then, in the blink of an eye, he was gone.
As Kong Dongsheng spoke, he moved closer to Old Kong, "Dad... Dad, wake up..."
Old Kong's eyelids twitched, and after a long while, he slowly opened them, " Xing'er... Xing'er..."
"Father, my mother is dead, Xing'er is no longer here..."
Upon hearing this, Old Kong's eyes instantly turned fierce. "Who did you say died? You little brat, you dare Curse others with your bare mouth! Get out, get out of here..."
"Dad, I'm your son."
Old Kong's eyes widened in confusion for a moment. He stared at Kong Dongsheng for a long time, "Whose child are you? Why are you going around claiming fathers everywhere..."
Kong Dongsheng glanced at Meng Anzhi and Jin Shanyao and said helplessly, "You've gotten confused again."
After resting all morning, Old Kong was finally able to move again. Meng Anzhi prescribed some medicine for him and gave him some instructions before Kong Dongsheng carried his father away.
As Jin Shanyao the door, she noticed two ice lanterns placed at the entrance of the rouge shop. Curious, she went over and asked, " Old Wang... what are you doing?"
Shopkeeper Wang was bent over, chiseling ice with an iron chisel, creating ice patterns everywhere. Hearing someone speak to him, he adjusted his hat and turned to look.
"Making ice lanterns... Last year, Old Feng at the end of the street attracted all my customers because their ice lanterns were prettier than mine. This year, I'm determined to turn the tables."
He started smashing things with a bang, and after smashing them a couple of times, he even started picking at the ice shards. Jin Shanyao was getting anxious as she watched him struggle to make a dent.
"How long are you going to keep smashing this? Give me the shovel, I'll help you..."
Shopkeeper Wang, adjusting his hat and catching his breath, said, "You little girl... you're no match for a grown man like me. You should go home and have your pulse checked."
"Give it to me..." Jin Shanyao, too lazy to waste words with him, snatched the iron chisel and pointed to the spot where he had smashed it, "Isn't this it?"
Shopkeeper Wang laughed, "Yes, go ahead and smash it... smash a crater the size of a bowl..." But before he could finish speaking, Jin Shanyao with a cracking sound.
The ice lantern shattered in two. Jin Shanyao, holding an iron chisel, stared at Shopkeeper Wang. His face went from disbelief to a ferocious expression.
Jin Shanyao awkwardly, "Would you believe me if I said I didn't do it on purpose?"
Shopkeeper Wang took a deep breath, feeling an urge to kill Jin Shanyao. He gritted his teeth and managed to utter a single word.
"Pay..."
"Okay, okay... I'll pay you back. How much? I'll get it for you right now."
Suddenly, Shopkeeper Wang roared, "I don't want money, I want the ice lantern..."
Jin Shanyao grimaced at the shout, "Pay up, pay up... don't be angry."
There's nothing we can do; we're in the wrong, so we'll just have to pay whatever they ask for.
From that moment on, the entire Anzhi Hall began to freeze the water.
The wooden bucket was filled and frozen overnight. Then, a larger bucket was filled with hot water, and the ice bucket was placed inside to defrost... After two days of this, eight blocks of ice were neatly stacked at the base of the courtyard wall.
Now that there was ice, it was time to start carving. Jin Shanyao thought about the ice lantern outside Shopkeeper Wang's door—it was just a hole in a bucket, wasn't it? So she picked up an iron chisel, aimed it at the center of the ice, and struck it.
Crack... The entire block of ice shattered in two. Wow... so brittle? Jin Shanyao, unconvinced, grabbed another piece of ice. This time, she slowed her down and swung the iron chisel down.
Crack... It shattered again.
Qing He stood to the side, her features scrunched up; the ice still wasn't frozen enough...
"Master, how about we buy an ice lantern..."
"I won't buy it. I can't fix it with just a piece of ice," Jin Shanyao said, getting up, picking up a piece of ice from the corner and placing it on the stone table. He then brandished an iron chisel at the two sides.
Just as I was about to exert force, I thought for a moment and then placed the iron chisel on the ice and slowly pried it in.
Surprisingly, the ice didn't break this time; she pried it to the bottom in no time. She blew on the ice shards and said to Qing He, "Bring the oil lamp, I'll try..."
Qing He responded, turned around, grabbed an oil lamp, placed it in the ice, lit it, and... Jin Shanyao it over from side to side, "Not bad... I'll take it to Shopkeeper Wang right away."
Jin Shanyao up the ice lantern and headed outside, while Qing He quickly took out the oil lamp.
Outside the rouge shop, Jin Shanyao knocked twice on the door. " Old Wang... I've come to replace your ice lantern."
A moment later, Shopkeeper Wang came out of the shop, staring at the Zhuzi on the ground, then looked up at Jin Shanyao, his eyes filled with a hint of scrutiny and uncertainty.
"This is the ice lantern you were talking about? You think you can pay for something like this? I can just scoop water and freeze it myself, can't I?"
Jin Shanyao pursed her lips, Qi Ingestion. "I made this based on your ice lantern. Yours is clearly just Zhuzi."
"That's a lotus flower! There are lotus flower patterns carved on the bottom of the Zhuzi!"
Jin Shanyao stared at Shopkeeper Wang's opening and closing mouth... So angry... So frustrated... She picked up the ice lantern and stormed back to the Anzhi Hall, slamming it down on the stone table.
With a crisp "crack," the ice lantern shattered into several pieces.
Jin Shanyao gazed at the table full of shattered ice and secretly vowed in her heart: she would become a cold and ruthless person from now on and never be so kind again.
He got up, walked to the corner, picked up another piece of ice, placed it on the stone table, and began to tap and pound it.
After two more days of this, and with the whole family taking turns, Jin Shanyao to carve a lotus lantern.
Shopkeeper Wang looked at the ice lantern again and again, unable to contain his delight. It was much better than what he had made. He coughed lightly twice and secretly glanced at the Jin Shanyao.
"Why is there only one lamp? Where's the other one?"
Jin Shanyao her eyes. "I only broke one lamp, why should I compensate you for two?"
Shopkeeper Wang chuckled, "I just thought your craftsmanship was good, didn't I? How about you carve another one for me? I'll give you fifty coins, no, a hundred, how about that?"
Jin Shanyao waved her hand and stretched out her hand. Shopkeeper Wang hurriedly handed over a piece of silver. But as soon as Jin Shanyao the money, she called out to the shop, " Xiaosi... bring out that ice lantern too."
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Xiaosi came out carrying an identical lamp. When Shopkeeper Wang saw this, he exclaimed "Oh dear!" and couldn't help but laugh Jin Shanyao.
"You... you..."
Jin Shanyao ignored his pleas and turned back to the Anzhi Hall, knowing he would ask for a second cup...