Nan Feng pondered and said, “Dad, I think we need to consider this carefully. If the Clan Chief actually comes over, just tell him we’ve already prepared our own New Year’s Eve dinner and we won’t be eating with them this year. Don’t say too much else. Let’s see what the Clan Chief’s attitude is.”
Upon hearing this, Nan Quanyou felt it made sense.
…
Compared to the cold and quiet Nan Family Ancestral Hall, the village commune was bustling with many more festivities. This was because the commune was where the entire village came to pay their respects.
People came to pay their respects at the commune at different times of the day. But at this point, many people were already there. The area around the commune was filled with the lingering scent of incense smoke and the sound of firecrackers. People prayed for peace and safety, while the children ran around the entrance of the commune, excitedly hopping and skipping whenever they found an unlit firecracker. They would then sneak a stick of incense, light it secretly in a corner, and then run off, covering their ears…
The air was thick with the atmosphere of the New Year.
Since the altar could only accommodate three families at a time for worship, many people queued up at the entrance.
The observant Nan Feng noticed Aqiu, and also saw Fat Girl. She couldn’t help walking over to chat with Aqiu.
“Nan Feng, I heard you went to town for New Year shopping. Did you buy new clothes?” Aqiu asked.
“I did, a red cotton jacket. I’ll wear it on the first day of the Lunar New Year. It’s festive. What about you? Aunt Lan must have made you new clothes, right?”
“She did. My mom makes me new clothes every year. This time, it’s a floral cotton jacket and a pair of floral cotton trousers. I like them a lot.”
Aqiu then asked Fat Girl, “What about you, Fat Girl?”
“Ah, my mom didn’t make me new clothes, she only made them for my sister. She asked me to wear my sister’s old clothes,” Fat Girl lamented, looking unhappy.
Aqiu joked, “Your sister is thinner than you. Can you fit in her clothes?”
Fat Girl punched Aqiu on the shoulder, “That’s why they need to be enlarged! Mom said once they’re altered, they’ll be like new clothes.”
Aqiu covered her shoulder, exaggerating, “Fat Girl, did you gain weight? Your punch almost knocked the air out of me!”
Fat Girl pretended to punch Aqiu again, causing Aqiu to run around Nan Feng, yelling, “Nan Feng, you’ve got to protect me! I’m about to be eaten by the big bad wolf. Oh no, here comes the big bad wolf!”
Nan Feng laughed and joked with them.
She was quite content with her current life. It was free from the constant fear of her previous life as an undercover agent, and without the daily high-intensity training. Her life now was peaceful.
Nan Feng was distracted for a moment.
In this moment of distraction, she was suddenly pushed forcefully from behind.
Unprepared, she was sent stumbling into a strong embrace.
The embrace was familiar, solid like a wall and smelled faintly of fresh grass and earth.
Yes…Despite the cold weather in the New Year, Ye Ge was still wearing just two thin layers of clothing.
Behind her, Aqiu and Fat Girl were laughing and running off after pulling off their prank.
Her face flushing red, Nan Feng shouted, “Hey, both of you, stop right there!”
She was about to chase after the girls, but then she remembered Ye Ge was behind her. Her face turned red once again as she turned around.
One of Ye Ge’s hands was carrying a basket of worship items, and the other holding a carrying pole. Seeing Nan Feng, he nodded slightly at her.
Nan Feng nodded back, “Are you here to pay respects?”
“Yes.”
“What a coincidence, I’m here for the same reason.”
Ye Ge didn’t say anything more. He just stared at her, his eyes burning.
Nan Feng said, “Earlier, I didn’t mean to bump into you.”
“I know.”
Nan Feng nervously ruffled her hair, then asked, “Do you have any plans for the New Year?”