Back at the old Gu Family ho, they never had such delicious rice cakes or new clothes to wear. They never even received red envelopes, let alone saw any copper coins.
It was their big sister who had changed all of this for them.
Moreover, their big sister and brother-in-law were the kindest people to them, even better than their own parents. So, Dashuang and Xiaoshuang couldn’t wait to co and give their New Year greetings to their sister and brother-in-law.
"Sister, where’s brother-in-law?" Dashuang asked, rubbing his hands.
"He’s probably in the main room. Were you looking for Xiao Han and the others to play with?" Gu Qingli pinched their cheeks and handed them the red envelopes she had prepared.
When they looked inside, they were surprised to find a silver kernel in each one.
"Thank you, big sister!" The two were overjoyed, giving her a rare peck on the cheek. They were growing up; they couldn’t be so physically affectionate with their sister anymore.
Gu Qingli chuckled, returning the gesture with a peck on each of their cheeks.
She then took the other three red envelopes and, holding their hands, led them into the main hall of the main house.
The main hall was lively; everyone was there.
As soon as the twins entered, they knelt on the ground to pay New Year’s respects to everyone.
"Uncle Xiao, Auntie Xiao, Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Brother-in-law, Eldest Sister-in-law, Second Sister-in-law, Dashuang (Xiaoshuang) wishes you a Happy New Year, great fortune, and success in all your endeavors..."
"Hehe, good children, quickly get up." Ms. Jiang smiled, personally helping the two up. She then gave each of them a prepared red envelope and stuffed handfuls of snacks into their pockets.
"Dashuang, Xiaoshuang, we wish you a Happy New Year too! May you have good health, may everything go your way, and may all your wishes co true!" Xiao Han pulled Xiao Quan and Xiao Jian to join him in cupping their hands and offering New Year greetings. The three of them were about the sa age as the twins, but in terms of generation, they were junior.
Dashuang and Xiaoshuang generously helped the three up. Then, taking out the red envelopes they had prepared from their pockets, they gave one to each of the three boys.
"Not bad, you rascals!" Xiao Yunjing ca over, ruffled the hair of the five children, and directly took out five silver kernels, giving one to each of them.
Gu Qingli took the opportunity to give the three boys the red envelopes she had prepared for them.
"Thank you, Third Uncle, Third Aunt," Xiao Han and the other two said with grateful smiles.
"Thank you, brother-in-law," Dashuang and Xiaoshuang also chid in with smiles.
Eldest Brother Xiao and Second Brother Xiao scratched their heads. What should we do? We don’t have any silver kernels! So, they both looked towards their wives.
Ms. Yang and Ms. Wang glanced at them and handed over the red envelopes they were holding.
"Here, Dashuang, Xiaoshuang, a small token from your Eldest Brother and Second Brother." The two n took the red envelopes and placed them directly into the twins’ hands.
"Hehe, thank you, Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Eldest Sister-in-law, Second Sister-in-law!" Dashuang and Xiaoshuang accepted the red envelopes without ceremony and quickly thanked them.
"Sister, we’re going to go play now!" Having received their red envelopes and paid their respects, the twins grabbed Xiao Han and the others and ran off.
"Be careful! Co back for lunch together," Gu Qingli nodded and reminded them.
"We know!" the five children replied cheerfully, then ran out of the courtyard hand in hand.
Once the children left, the room beca much quieter. Xiao Yunjing took Gu Qingli’s hand and said to Ms. Jiang, "Mother, we’re going for a walk too."
Ms. Jiang replied, "Alright, just be back in ti for lunch."
"Okay." The couple responded and then headed towards the back door and up the mountain.
The snow on the mountain was deep, and the landscape was a vast expanse of white.
"What are we doing here?" Gu Qingli asked. In this icy, snow-covered landscape, what was there to see on the mountain?
"Co on, I’ll take you sowhere. Close your eyes," Xiao Yunjing said, holding her tighter.
"What place is so mysterious?" Though curious, Gu Qingli closed her eyes and wrapped her arms tightly around Xiao Yunjing’s waist; she knew he was about to use his lightness skill.
Indeed, as soon as Gu Qingli closed her eyes, Xiao Yunjing circulated his internal energy, and with a light tap of his foot, leaped into the air.
Within a few leaps, they had entered the forest.
Gu Qingli could only feel the cold wind whistling past her ears.
「After about the ti it takes for half an incense stick to burn」
Xiao Yunjing landed gently.
The mont they landed, Gu Qingli felt a wave of warmth wash over her, carrying with it the faint scent of sulfur.
"Hot springs?"
Gu Qingli was overjoyed and imdiately opened her eyes.
Before her, a small valley unfolded. Though it was icy and snowy outside, here the plants thrived as if it were spring year-round, so even flowering.
In the middle of the valley were oddly shaped rock formations and several pools of varying sizes, all steaming with hot spring water.
"Do you like it?" Xiao Yunjing asked, seeing her eyes curve into crescents as she smiled. He was surprised. How did his wife know these were hot springs?
His wife seed to know quite a lot of things!
"I love it! Why did you only bring here now?" Gu Qingli nodded, a little regretful. If only we had co here to soak in the hot springs, I wouldn’t have been cooped up at ho all winter with nothing to do.
"Well, I wanted to give you a surprise," Xiao Yunjing said. He didn’t understand the allure hot springs held for a person from modern tis—how soaking in one when exhausted could relax the entire body and wash away all troubles.
Not to ntion, back ho, every ti she bathed, she had to secretly enter the Space to wash, terrified Xiao Yunjing would find out. She never dared to bathe to her heart’s content, always afraid of being discovered.
Gu Qingli pouted. Though the surprise was a bit late, at least she wouldn’t have to worry about bathing anymore.
"When we have ti, let’s enclose these pools. We can co here to bathe from now on," Gu Qingli suggested as she walked around the pools, examining them.
"Li’er, you want to bathe here?"
"Why not? It’s cold and inconvenient at ho."
"Alright." He knew his wife valued cleanliness and liked to wash up every night. He had even renovated the bathing room for her convenience.
So, his wife found the bathroom at ho lacking.
But out here, in broad daylight... if his wife wanted to bathe here, wouldn’t that be rather improper?
Xiao Yunjing stared at the pools, his mind racing, trying to figure out how to enclose them.
Ah! I’ve got it!
Xiao Yunjing’s furrowed brow relaxed. They could build a wooden hut over these pools! It would be convenient and private. Wood was abundant in the forest. Yes, I’ll co tomorrow. I didn’t bring any tools today.
Gu Qingli had already found a spot to sit, removed her shoes, and was soaking her feet.
If she were alone here, she would have stripped and subrged herself in the hot spring long ago. Mmm, so comfortable.
Gu Qingli sighed contentedly.
"Yunjing, do you want to soak too?"
"No need." He often ca here to bathe, so it wasn’t like he hadn’t soaked in them before. They were no novelty to him.
"Alright."
While soaking her feet, Gu Qingli carefully observed the surroundings. The area was encircled by mountains, so quite high, at least dozens of zhang tall. The surrounding mountains weren’t very steep, and their slopes were covered with trees, making an ascent feasible. However, descending wouldn’t be as easy. As the saying goes, "It’s easier to go up the mountain than down." To get down from the top, one would need to use lightness skills or tools.
No wonder there were no large animals here, only small ones hopping about in the distant woods, unafraid of humans.
The trees here were also lush and verdant. So were so thick that a person might not be able to wrap their arms around them. They grew against the mountainside, reaching about a third of the mountain’s height.
Gu Qingli thought, This place seems suitable for growing so rare dicinal herbs. I’ll co back to check another day.
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