After leaving the Jadeite Platform, Ghost Guest was supposed to return directly, but instead, he found himself inexplicably drawn to the low courtyard with the Furnace plaque.
The old woman outside the courtyard was still lying on the wicker chair as she had last ti, her position and posture unchanged, letting the wind and snow cover her.
Ghost Guest placed fifty Spirit Stones in front of the old woman. She made no movent, and the Spirit Stones disappeared into thin air once again.
However, this ti, the courtyard gate did not open imdiately.
A fire ignited in Ghost Guest's heart. He didn't need to ask the old woman; he knew soone was inside, and it wasn't yet the right hour.
He stood motionless in the snow, quietly counting the ti. He had never felt such tornt, nor had ti ever seed so long.
After a long while, a stranger cultivator erged, looking satisfied, tying his belt as he walked, without sparing Ghost Guest a glance.
As it should be.
Ghost Guest shook the snow off his shoulders, bowed respectfully to the old woman, and then entered the courtyard. He gently pushed open the door, imdiately turned his head away, and pulled the quilt over the woman, just as he had done last ti. Then he sat by the bed, staring blankly at her.
The woman's eyes were still as empty as ever, devoid of any emotion.
As Ghost Guest watched her, the blurry image of his mother's face gradually beca clearer in his mind. He got up, went outside to gather so snow, and built a snowman based on his mory of her face.
Looking at the lifelike snowman, he laughed heartily. This was the face he rembered of his mother.
However, after laughing, his heart grew increasingly sour, and his eyes filled with sorrow. He squatted by the bed, looking at the motionless woman, and said in an extrely gentle voice, "Today is New Year's Eve. I'm here to wish you a happy new year in advance."
The woman turned her head slightly to look at Ghost Guest, her eyes still unchanged.
Ghost Guest gave a bitter smile, propping his chin with his hand as he looked at her, mories of his ti with his mother flashing through his mind.
While waiting outside the courtyard, ti had never felt so long. But once inside, ti flew by unbelievably fast.
The light curtain above the courtyard began to ripple. Ghost Guest finally ca back to his senses, looked at the newly built snowman, raised his hand to scatter it, and then pulled the quilt over the woman a bit higher. In a warm voice, he said, "My na is Dylan Chen. I'm leaving now, but I'll co back to see you."
After Ghost Guest left, the woman turned her head back to look at the ceiling, her eyes as empty as ever.
Ghost Guest sped through the wind and snow, finally returning to Dusk Mountain before sunset.
In the main hall of the pavilion, Little Tiger had already prepared a sumptuous feast. Laura Jiang and Cynthia Jiang were decorating the place. When they saw the firecrackers in Ghost Guest's hand, they beca excited.
"Let's go set off the firecrackers," Ghost Guest said, leading the three of them outside. He placed the firecrackers on the ground and released a bit of spiritual energy.
"Bang!"
The loud explosion echoed throughout Dusk Mountain, startling Ghost Guest. Only now did he understand what the previous cultivator ant when he promised the noise would be satisfying.
He was very satisfied with the noise!
He was a cultivator, and other cultivators didn't celebrate the New Year, but he did. They said that cultivating required cutting off worldly ties, but he was attached to this world, so what?
Many cultivators were startled by the loud noise and ca out to investigate. When they saw Ghost Guest setting off firecrackers, they smiled and went back inside, pretending nothing had happened.
Ghost Guest took out all the firecrackers and laughed, "Co on, let's set them off together. Let them know it's New Year!"
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
The silence of the wind and snow was completely shattered on Dusk Mountain.
Ghost Guest, Little Tiger, and Cynthia Jiang set off firecrackers together, lighting them and then running away, laughing heartily.
Laura Jiang watched from the side, smiling brightly. It was the first ti she had seen Ghost Guest like this. Most of the ti, she saw him as a mature and steady adult. Only at tis like this did he briefly beco a young boy.
"Co on, let's drink!"
In the main hall of the pavilion, Ghost Guest took out the wine he had bought. Laura Jiang ward the wine and poured a full cup for him, then sat quietly to the side, watching him chat and laugh with Little Tiger. She found herself entranced.
Ghost Guest used his chopsticks to place so food in Cynthia Jiang's bowl. "Little Tiger's cooking is better than mine. Try it."
"Thank you, sir."
Ghost Guest then placed so food in Laura Jiang's bowl, gently tapping her to bring her out of her daze. "Eat while it's hot."
Laura Jiang ca back to her senses, filled her cup with wine, and drank it all in one go. Her face quickly turned red. "I toast to you, sir."
Ghost Guest returned the toast, then took out three storage bags and placed them in front of the three. "Since it's New Year, there should be gifts. Here are the gifts I prepared for you. See if you like them."
These storage bags were bought from the Spirit Treasure Platform. He still had two empty storage bags from Juan Zeng and Jordan Shen, but he wouldn't give them the blood-stained ones.
Inside the storage bags were new fur coats, a hundred Spirit Stones, and so pills. This way, even if he was busy cultivating, Little Tiger and the others could buy things themselves.
With the lesson learned from Jordan Shen, the cultivators of Dusk Mountain wouldn't dare to target Little Tiger and the others again.
Under Ghost Guest's guidance, Little Tiger used the storage bag to store a plate of food and imdiately fell in love with it. "This thing is amazing! It can hold so much stuff. Now we won't have to carry a pot when we go out for a barbecue, and we can bring Cynthia's favorite snacks. It's great!"
Hearing this, Cynthia Jiang burst into tears.
"Brother Little Tiger, you're so kind..."
Laura Jiang's eyes were also filled with tears. She played with the storage bag for a mont, then tried to return it, but Ghost Guest stopped her.
Ghost Guest said warmly, "In our tradition, you can't refuse New Year gifts; it's bad luck. I've been busy with cultivation and haven't taken good care of you. Use these Spirit Stones, and tell when you run out. If you want to go sowhere far, let know, and I'll find soone to take you."
Laura Jiang couldn't hold back her tears any longer. "Sir, you've been so good to us. We don't know how to repay you..."
Ghost Guest smiled gently. "No need to say that. Only family spends New Year's Eve together. In my eyes, Little Tiger is family, and so are you."
Little Tiger laughed. "That's right, we're family. No need to be formal."
"Yes, from now on, we're family!" Laura Jiang hugged the sobbing Cynthia Jiang, nodding heavily. After crying for a long ti, she wiped her tears away and smiled. "In our tradition, we say blessings on New Year's Eve. Please, sir, give us your blessings."
"Alright." Ghost Guest raised his cup with a smile. "I wish you all a year of smooth sailing, everlasting smiles, and a carefree life."
"And you?" Laura Jiang asked.
"..." Ghost Guest thought for a mont and then smiled. "Ti waits for no one. In the new year, I must work even harder, strive for greater heights. Cheers!"
They all smiled at each other, raised their cups, and drank in one go.
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