Chapter 164: It Looks Delicious
After all the playing and laughter, dusk gradually settled. Su Qing went to prepare the remaining items for the offering to Heaven, while Mu Yunyao sat idly by the window, looking out at the snowmen. Yue Wang, for his part, had fallen silent, his thoughts hidden behind an unreadable expression.
Outside, the sounds of firecrackers and fireworks had already begun to rise one after another. Su Qing, Steward Qin, and the others arranged the incense table, and everyone entered the courtyard to respectfully worship Heaven and pray for blessings.
Since cloaks could not be worn during the ceremony, the moment Mu Yunyao stepped out of the room, she shivered from the cold. A quiet sigh passed through her heart. It was said that going from frugality to luxury was easy, but returning from luxury to frugality was hard—the ancients had not deceived her. Thinking back to her previous life, she had once dragged her broken leg through the snow to search for firewood; otherwise, Li Shi would not give her food. Back then, even a cold, hard coarse-grain bun had seemed sweet. Now, with one gust of winter wind, the cold felt almost unbearable.
Sensing the brief shadow that crossed Mu Yunyao’s mood, Yue Wang glanced at her without a word. Then, as though by chance, he stepped to one side of her, blocking the north wind.
Mu Yunyao felt the wind against her suddenly weaken. She turned her head to glance at Yue Wang not far away, only to see him looking at the offering table, his face without the slightest expression. She paid it no further mind and stepped forward to stand behind Su Qing, following her in kowtowing and paying reverence to Heaven.
The weather was bitterly cold, yet the night sky was thick with stars. It looked vast and sharp, deep with a chill that made Mu Yunyao’s heart tremble. For some reason, she suddenly thought of Yue Wang’s eyes, and a shiver ran through her. She silently made up her mind: if she ever lacked spirit in the future, she need only think of Yue Wang, and she would be wide awake at once.
“Today we offer reverence to Heaven and pray for blessings. May the coming year bring timely wind and rain. May our family be joyful, peaceful, and healthy.”
Su Qing did not speak any ornate words of blessing, yet Mu Yunyao listened with particular solemnity. She repeated the words in her heart several times, then respectfully kowtowed to Su Qing.
Once the offering to Heaven was finished, Su Qing relaxed completely and quickly called Si Qin, Jin Lan, and the others to help bring out the dishes from the kitchen. After reverence had been offered to Heaven and blessings had been prayed for, the rest of the night belonged to human celebration.
Su Qing and Mu Yunyao did not ordinarily place too much emphasis on rigid rules, and now it was New Year’s Eve. The entire courtyard was full of lively warmth.
Su Qing once again brought out red packets, drawing a wave of cheers from Jin Lan, Si Qin, and the others.
Relying on her status, Mu Yunyao was the first to snatch the thickest one. Pride shone from the corners of her eyes to the tips of her brows.
Su Qing tapped her lightly between the brows, unable to help saying with fond helplessness, “You…”
Mu Yunyao immediately picked up the words. “I am the best. This year, fortune will flow abundantly!”
“Miss certainly does have abundant fortune. It is the New Year, and you have already won away all our money.”
From the corner of her eye, Mu Yunyao glanced at Yue Wang. “Do not speak nonsense. The true culprit who won away your money is standing right beside us!”
Jin Lan and Jin Qiao could not help sticking out their tongues. They were still shaken by Yue Wang’s gaze and did not dare step forward to joke with him.
After Su Qing distributed the red packets, she took another from her sleeve and walked over to Yue Wang, offering it to him. “Young Master Ning, since you call me an elder, then I must give you a red packet as well. May the coming year bring you abundant fortune, great luck, and great profit.”
Yue Wang’s gaze stirred abruptly. Looking at Su Qing, he seemed momentarily at a loss. Then he accepted the red packet with both hands, handling it with uncommon care. His expression softened. “Many thanks, Madam.”
At the side, Steward Qin rubbed his eyes, a sour warmth rising in his heart. In all these years, this was likely the first red packet His Highness had ever received. He only hoped that in the coming year there would be more sweetness than bitterness, more reunions than partings, and all things would go smoothly.
Yu Heng and Yu Yi were also especially pleased. They had not expected to receive red packets. They could not help sending repeated glances toward Steward Qin, hinting that since Madam Su had already handed out red packets, His Highness’s side could not be so stingy either.
Steward Qin took out the red packets he had prepared long ago and first handed one to Mu Yunyao. “Miss Mu, this is from me. Please do not disdain it.”
Mu Yunyao accepted it readily. Feeling the thickness of the packet, surprise flickered through her heart. “Thank you, Steward Qin.” The silver inside was probably several thousand taels.
Seeing her accept it, Steward Qin’s smile grew even brighter. Only then did he take out smaller red packets and distribute them to Jin Lan and the others.
Nan’er also received one. He bounced twice in place with delight, then ran outside to check whether the incense used for the offering to Heaven had burned out. Seeing that it had, he quickly called A’Mao and Li’er to bring in the dishes and qiaomo figures used for the offering.
“Madam, Miss, the banquet may begin.”
Mu Yunyao had long been thinking of the qiaomo figures outside. When she saw Nan’er carry them in, she immediately went to look for the rabbit that belonged to her zodiac year. Unexpectedly, someone was faster. Before she could step forward, that person had already pinched the zodiac rabbit into his hand.
Su Qing’s hands were skillful, and the rabbit had already been adorable before steaming. Now that it had puffed up after being steamed, it looked even fairer and plumper. When one poked it lightly with a finger, a small soft dent appeared, only to spring back again.
Mu Yunyao looked at Yue Wang’s hand and felt a chill creep up her back. It was as though she herself had become the rabbit in his palm, ready at any moment to be flattened, kneaded round, and swallowed whole.
Seeing that Yue Wang liked the qiaomo figure, Su Qing could not help recalling Steward Qin’s words that he had grown up without his mother. While gesturing for everyone to take their seats, she said to Yue Wang, “The qiaomo has cooled a little. Later, you may place it beside the small brazier and roast it. Once the outside is toasted crisp and fragrant, that is when it tastes best.”
Listening to this, Mu Yunyao felt uncomfortable all over. Crisp and fragrant? Why was Mother always siding with outsiders? “Mother, have you forgotten our family’s rules from previous years? The zodiac figure has always belonged to whoever was born under that sign.”
The moment her voice fell, Yue Wang had already bitten into the rabbit, eating half of its head in one mouthful.
Seeing Mu Yunyao staring at him, Yue Wang lifted the qiaomo in his hand and said with remarkable innocence, “My apologies. I did not know…”
“Do not listen to Yao’er’s nonsense. There is no such rule. Whoever likes whichever one may eat that one.” Su Qing quickly soothed Yue Wang, then secretly shot Mu Yunyao a glance. She casually picked up another qiaomo and placed it in her hand. “There are still so many left. Hurry and eat.”
Mu Yunyao looked down at the tiger in her hand, the character Wang carved upon its forehead. She worked hard to press down the odd feeling in her chest, then bit off one of the tiger’s ears. The fierceness of that bite startled Su Qing, who quickly poured herself a cup of warm water. “Do not rush. Who is going to snatch it from you? Truly, you little girl—one year older and still so childish.”
Mu Yunyao looked at the tiger in her hand, now missing an ear. Its round body was striped like a tiger’s, yet somehow looked even more foolish. Suddenly, the breath caught in her chest eased. This had been personally made by Yue Wang. In another two years, if it were taken outside, it might well be worth a thousand gold. This time, she had not lost out after all.
She busied herself battling with the tiger qiaomo and did not notice the smile flickering through Yue Wang’s eyes.
Steward Qin drank his wine with a smile, feeling that tonight’s wine was especially intoxicating—so much so that even his eyes grew warm.
Yu Yi gently nudged Yu Heng beside him and hinted toward Yue Wang’s direction. “Look over there.”
Yu Heng glanced over, not understanding what he meant. Thinking Yu Yi also wanted to eat a qiaomo figure, he casually reached out, picked one up, and passed it over. “Here.”
Yu Yi felt as though a harsh gale had swept across his face. He hurriedly carried the calico-cat-shaped qiaomo to Yue Wang with both hands. “Fourth Master, I see that you have not eaten your fill. Please have this one. This one looks delicious.”
So much foreshadowing in an eating scene XD
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