Perhaps she was too focused, Liu Limin didn’t notice that her grip on Xiao Linshuang nearly loosened, and the little girl almost fell off her lap in her sleep.
Even though she didn’t fall, the sudden sensation of falling woke up Xiao Linshuang.
Normally, this girl would be fussy if awoken suddenly, but today she was an exception. Without even opening her eyes, she rubbed them and asked loudly, "Is it midnight yet? Are the fireworks starting?"
Her abrupt shout imdiately brought life to the previously quiet living room.
"Isn’t the little sister asleep? How did she suddenly wake up?"
Lin Wei covered her mouth, looking at her with amusent, before sitting back on her stool.
Xiao Linzi also ca over, speaking earnestly as he played along, "Ah, little sister, you’ve woken up at the wrong ti. Midnight has just passed. See, we’ve already watched the fireworks and were just planning to go back to our rooms to rest!"
As he spoke, Xiao Linzi’s face showed a look of regret and sympathy. If the people present didn’t know the truth, they might have been fooled by his serious deanor.
Hearing that the performance was over, Xiao Linshuang imdiately beca lively, her face fell, and she nearly cried.
Lin Wei playfully tugged at Xiao Linzi’s sleeve and comforted Xiao Linshuang, "Little sister, you woke up just in ti. There’s still less than a quarter of an hour until midnight. Why don’t you eat so pastries first, so you won’t feel cold when we go to the rooftop to watch the fireworks later."
So, it wasn’t midnight yet!
Xiao Linshuang imdiately jumped up with joy, laughing and shouting, even causing Xiao Yongyan, who had been dozing in Lady Liu’s arms, to open his curious eyes wide to look at her.
This is the Lin family’s first real New Year in the capital city. Last year, they arrived before the Lantern Festival, but they spent New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in Lin’s village, so they were quite looking forward to New Year in the capital.
The most anticipated event for the little girls was the New Year’s Eve fireworks display at midnight.
The fireworks in the capital were unlike those in other places, as the Imperial Court funded them, concentrating them into a grand display.
These fireworks not only were nurous but also varied, attracting many people to watch them every year.
Even the people in the small villages outside the capital could see them!
No wonder Xiao Linshuang was so eagerly looking forward to the fireworks tonight.
"Alright, alright, stop jumping around. Co over and have sothing to eat, drink so hot tea, and put on your cloak and cape. When we go to the rooftop later, make sure to be careful and not be as rowdy as you are now, got it?"
Xiao Yongyan was already awake. Lady Liu handed him to Lin Jiaxin to hold and pulled the still-excited Xiao Linshuang over, giving her pastries to keep warm and putting clothes on her, while constantly reminding Xiao Linzi and Xia Zheng to take good care of her.
Even though she reminded Xiao Linzi and Xia Zheng, Lady Liu still didn’t fully trust the two of them. Once they reached the rooftop, they would surely be preoccupied with the person in front of them, neglecting Xiao Linshuang.
Thus, Lady Liu called Hai Tang over to ensure she stayed with Xiao Linshuang and kept an eye on her safety.
The tall buildings in the capital city were nurous, and to see the most beautiful and complete fireworks display, it was naturally better to stand as high as possible.
Once the children were ready, they climbed up onto the roof of a wing near the backyard. The roof was flat, just right for standing.
Even though there was still so ti before midnight, everyone was too impatient, preferring to catch the wind on the rooftop rather than sit inside the room.
Lady Liu, helpless, could only co with Lin Jiaxin to the bottom of the wing, holding Xiao Yongyan and waiting.
Xiao Yongyan was still too young, and letting him go up onto the roof was sowhat unsafe, so they all stayed downstairs to wait.
As midnight approached, Liu Limin grew increasingly anxious, biting her lip as she whispered sothing to Lady Liu.
Lady Liu looked at her worriedly, "Are you not feeling well? Do you need Yaya to take a look?"
Of course, she couldn’t let Xiao Linshuang see. If she did, it would expose the fact that she wasn’t really sick.
Liu Limin quickly shook her head, repeatedly saying, "No, no, it’s nothing. Maybe it’s just been too busy at the end of the year, and I’m a bit tired tonight from staying up late. Anyway, it’s almost midnight, so I’ll go back to my room early. After tidying up, it should be past midnight."
People of ancient tis were particular about staying up late on New Year’s Eve, but they didn’t have to stay up all night. Once midnight passed, they could go to bed and rest.
Lady Liu patted her hand reassuringly, advising her to rest early instead of insistently staying up, and instructed the two maids attending to Liu Limin to serve her well before she went back to her room.
The ti was already nearing midnight, and Liu Limin was anxious, but being held by Lady Liu and talked to for so long made her even more impatient inside.
She ran all the way back to her temporary courtyard, without even looking back, and told her two little maids to go out and have fun.
Tonight was New Year’s Eve, and the little maids couldn’t be happier to have the chance to go out and enjoy themselves. They imdiately agreed excitedly and went to a high spot to watch the fireworks together.
Liu Limin’s room was brightly lit. As soon as she bolted the door, she felt a shadow approach her from behind.
"Ah!"
Startled, Liu Limin almost scread, turning to et Xia Hen’s slightly teasing yet sowhat reproachful gaze.
"I, the Young Master, have been waiting for you for so long. I thought you weren’t going to co!"
Though the words carried a reproach, the joy in his tone was unmistakable.
Standing this close to Xia Hen, Liu Limin’s heart felt like a little deer bouncing around, and her face turned slightly red.
"I didn’t promise you that I would co... hey! What are you doing!"
Before Liu Limin could finish her words, she was swept into Xia Hen’s arms, and her subsequent words were drowned out by his slightly domineering voice.
"Since I’m already here, can you bear to let leave empty-handed? Let’s go!"
With the word "go," the high window on the back wall of Liu Limin’s room suddenly opened. Xia Hen, holding her, easily leaped out, not forgetting to grab her cloak from the screen as he left.
The cloak enveloped her head, and Liu Limin could only feel Xia Hen’s strong arms tightly holding her, as though she might fall at any mont.
Xia Hen was exceptionally skilled in Qinggong, but carrying an adult was still sowhat strenuous.
Even so, tonight he remained agile, and with a few leaps, he brought her to the top of the tallest restaurant in the capital.
Although this restaurant was the tallest, it wasn’t the busiest, so there weren’t too many people here tonight.
Carefully settling on the rooftop, Liu Limin still felt a bit unsettled, as she was, after all, a regular woman with no martial arts skills, and being carried by Xia Hen for so long had indeed made her a bit dizzy.
"Luckily, it hasn’t started yet."
Xia Hen chuckled, sitting next to Liu Limin, and without hesitation, tightened the cloak around her, grinning to reveal two rows of gleaming white teeth.
Liu Limin’s vision blurred, and her heart raced once again.
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