In the material realm of Donghua Region, people were accustod to treating the New Year's crossover as a special festival.
As the New Year approached, regardless of whether they had been busy at work or with their studies, they would always take a few days off to spend the turn of the year with their families.
This was why, when December was nearing its end and Fangting City was covered in ice and snow, schools and workplaces alike welcod a break of several days.
"A holiday?"
However, not everyone was pleased with the idea of a holiday. At least for Yuan, it wasn't considered good news: "What do you an, no work for the next few days, and no wages either?"
"Yeah, everyone should go ho for the New Year."
The middle-aged man, clad in construction attire and a hard hat, exhaled, his breath slowly rising in the cold air: "I know you like to work, but it's that ti of the year. You should spend so ti at ho with your family, with your parents, boyfriend or whatever."
"I know you're supposed to go ho for the New Year... but do we really need a holiday?"
Scratching her head with a sowhat troubled expression, Yuan complained, "To be honest, I'm really in a hurry for money."
"There's nothing we can do about it. The equipnt has to be sent back to the company for maintenance, and the rental period for the construction vehicles doesn't include holidays... Even if you really wanted to work, you can't do it alone, right?"
The middle-aged man waved his hand, signaling Yuan to leave: "Alright, if there's nothing else, tidy up the site and let's go. We're about to leave too."
No matter how much she wanted to say sothing more, Yuan was hustled away by the middle-aged man.
Looking at the sparsely populated construction site not far away, she examined her construction clothes covered in dust and then her pitch-black white gloves, and eventually, she just leaned against the wall, helplessly sighing.
"Sigh, making money is really tough in this day and age."
——"It's your own damn fault for blowing all the cash the Abnormal Strategy Bureau gave you on lottery tickets and slot machines!"
A sowhat shrill voice ca from beside her. The fairy-like creature resembling a black cat, Semi, floated next to her without her noticing: "Now you know the money is hard to earn? Why didn't you ever think about this when you were spending it? What exactly is your head filled with?"
"It's just bad luck, what if I win next ti?"
Yuan murmured quietly, "If it really cos to it, I could go back to that place where I gambled on fist fighting. Last ti I did make a little bit there..."
"You're thinking of going again?"
All the fur on Semi's body bristled: "No way, no way, no way! The money we have now is only enough to last us a few days for food!"
"If we win, we could go to that fancy restaurant we saw before, right?"
Yuan smiled with confidence: "I'm getting tired of boxed lunches too; it's ti to aspire to a more luxurious diet."
"But if we lose, we'll have to rummage through trash bins on the comrcial street for food again!"
Semi shook his head incessantly: "I absolutely refuse!"
"It's not like we'll starve. At the end of the day, skipping a few als is not a big deal for either of us."
Yuan spoke nonchalantly, obviously not taking the "consequences" Semi ntioned seriously, and walked along the path beside the construction site: "If it cos to it, you can learn from the other stray cats and wait for passersby to feed you so cat food."
"But we can eat properly, can't we?"
Semi could only follow behind her, arguing his case: "Also, as I've said, I'm not a cat, and I don't eat cat food..."
"No worries. When I win back the money next ti, you can eat whatever you want."
"I told you there's no next ti! No more lottery tickets! No more fist fighting! No more slot machines!"
Semi declared sternly: "If there's a next ti, I'll quit for good. It's better to go back and apologize to the boss!"
"Alright, alright, alright—"
While dragging out her voice in a perfunctory response, she walked out of the construction site with Semi. Yuan strolled down the sidewalk at a leisurely pace, watching the traffic on the road with an expressionless face, her thoughts inscrutable.
It had been over a month since she had arrived in Fangting City.
From being tricked while looking for jobs at the very beginning to being chased by city managent when fortune-telling on the streets, and eventually finding a dependable construction site, she had seen so of the facets of city life.
Although she hadn't integrated into modern city life, it didn't bother her. Rather, she was always trying things she had never seen before.
Whether it was gambling, which Semi criticized, or the "proper" work of earning money, the food, entertainnt, transportation – she took pleasure in experiencing all that the city had to offer.
Beyond re experiences, even if there was nothing much to do, she could go pick a fight with the Magical Girls of Fangting City, a good mix of work and play.
Her ti may have been short, but she was rather content with such a life. In fact, she had lately beco quite reluctant to leave. The material realm of today was far more interesting than the era she was born in and her previous life in the Interrealm.
Stepping on the snow-covered pavent, feeling the snow being compacted and crushed beneath her feet, the subtle noises traveling up into her ears caused Yuan to stop in her tracks.
"What a pity."
She muttered to herself.
Although she really wanted to stay in this place for a while, various factors didn't allow for it.
Underneath the glossy white gloves, she could feel the back of her hand warming up.
Lifting her hand to remove the glove, the burning back of her hand glowed faintly with the red hawk falcon pattern etched upon it.
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