"Crackle-pop!"
Even before New Year’s Eve, so families in the village started setting off firecrackers. Watching the sparks fly around and disappear into the snow was a joy indeed, but the excitent didn’t last long before the elders scolded them, saying it was a waste of money and food.
But it’s the annual celebration, without a few firecrackers, the days would be really dull and lose the festive spirit.
Li Qingqiu watched the kids from the family across the street happily setting off firecrackers, feeling a bit envious. He sniffed, took a sip of water, and turned around to head ho.
He couldn’t stay otherwise the more he watched, the more unbearable it got!
His mom had silver, but she wouldn’t spare a few coins for him to buy so firecrackers to play with. It was his third sister-in-law who was generous, always fulfilling his needs. Little A qiu missed his third sister-in-law a bit.
But his third brother and sister-in-law had been gone for almost four months, why haven’t they returned ho yet?
"Chirp, chirp, where are your third brother and sister-in-law? Why haven’t they co ho? It’s almost New Year, oh dear, could it be that he didn’t pass the scholar exams and is too ashad to co back? Hahaha!"
Those brats playing with firecrackers saw Li Qingqiu looking all dejected and imdiately started teasing him, even deliberately calling him "Chirp, chirp" instead of "A qiu."
Chirp, chirp, it’s the sound of a bird call!
Li Qingqiu didn’t care about them mocking him, he was used to it after all these years, but he couldn’t stand them insulting his third brother like that!
"You’re the one who didn’t pass, your whole family didn’t pass! My third brother, with his talents, will definitely pass!"
"Oh really? If he passed, why hasn’t he co ho? Weren’t people who passed rushing ho to share the good news? Did he fall into a ditch halfway? Hahaha!"
"Exactly! I think it’s that... fall onto Sun Mountain, oh, I rembered it, ’ranked among Sun Mountain,’ hahaha!"
"You all, you all..."
Those brats delighted in exposing his weaknesses, and A qiu couldn’t argue with them, getting so furious his eyes turned red!
"You bunch of jerks, you can’t insult my third brother. I’m... I’m going to fight you!"
Young and spirited, A qiu had seen too much of his family’s weakness and cowardice and naturally got used to enduring. But ever since Long Yue ca to their ho, her indomitable spirit deeply affected him, unintentionally awakening his youthful courage.
Seeing them constantly humiliating his third brother, he finally couldn’t take it anymore, grabbed a chunk of snow, rubbed it together, and hurled it at one of the boys.
The boy laughed heartily, hands on hips, eyes closed, head thrown back in laughter, so the snowball rudely hit him square on the forehead.
"Ow!"
The shriek like a pig being slaughtered ca, the boy clutched his sore and cold forehead, hopping madly, cursing, "This maggot crawled out of the dung hole, grew guts, huh, dared to hit soone?! Guys, let’s go beat him up!"
"Beat him up so bad his parents won’t recognize him!"
A qiu lanted not having hit his big mouth, but seeing a group of furious boys rolling up their sleeves to attack him, he got so scared he jumped three feet high and ran off.
"Help, help!"
He ran desperately toward crowded places, with the brats relentlessly chasing him.
"Stinking brat! Got guts dared to hit people? If you’re tough, don’t run, fight us one-on-one!"
"Puh, when did you ever fight one-on-one? It’s always a gang fight, I don’t believe you for a second!"
The snowball really vented his anger, A qiu felt relieved, even his shouting beca more excited, but this completely enraged the boys behind him, so grabbing snow on the ground, rubbed a snowball, and threw it over.
"Watch the ball!"
"Whizz!"
The snowball flew in a graceful arc and then "smack," was caught by a big hand, which squeezed it firmly, instantly crushing the snowball.
"Damn, whose stupid kid dares to interfere in our business, uh..."
The boy saw the sudden person blocking his path and started cursing, but hurriedly shut up halfway through.
Last night just had a snowfall, the ground covered in thick snow, that person wore a fluffy white cloak, with a hat, completely enveloping him, almost blending into the landscape.
The boy initially didn’t see clearly, after speaking a few words realized the person’s hat was blown away by the north wind, revealing long dark hair, he started regretting it.
This was an adult, can’t twist an arm, he as a kid couldn’t match up to such a tall man!
Besides, seeing the person wearing a fluffy cloak, it’s fur, right? Don’t know what fur it is, but definitely expensive, a wealthy person?
The boy regretted his earlier recklessness, now a bit guilty asking, "Who... who are you?"
"You’re talking about the one who fell into a ditch before."
Li Qingmu chuckled softly, teasingly.
The boy was stunned, didn’t quite understand his words yet saw a beautiful woman walk out from behind the man, only now, the woman was laughingly looking at him.
The smile wasn’t well-intentioned.
"Yo... you’re the evil woman Li, oh, you’re Li family’s third son, oh my, Li family’s third son is back, the evil woman is back, help!"
This boy was Aunt Zhang’s son who had badmouthed Long Yue under the tree, and then got his hair pulled and clothes torn in a scuffle with her.
Aunt Zhang had suffered losses repeatedly to Long Yue, the Zhang Family thought she wasn’t good, a downright evil woman, sumd up in one sentence, better avoid the evil woman when seen.
"Evil Woman Li is back!"
A renowned na, Long Yue returned, soone shouted, one ran, everyone ran, soon after, those critical kids vanished without a shadow.
A qiu kept running, noticing the unexpected commotion behind him, glanced back, he initially thought he was mishearing, but upon seeing two figures standing in the snow he realized it wasn’t just a hearing issue, his eyes were also failing.
"Third Brother, Third Sister-in-law?"
He swallowed, cautiously called out.
Long Yue saw the timid-looking little brother-in-law, felt like giving him a whack, she smiled as she approached and then slapped him lightly.
"Smack! Rascal, it’s us, what, gone dumb?"
"Ouch!"
This hurt a bit, A qiu rubbed his head, looked at Long Yue with teary eyes, confird it was indeed his third sister-in-law, imdiately broke into a grin, "Third Sister-in-law, you’re back? Haha, you’re finally back, uh..."
He grinned, glancing at Long Yue and Li Qingmu’s attire, couldn’t help but swallow again, envious.
"Third Brother, Third Sister-in-law, why are you dressed like this?"
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