Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
But in Zheng Qing’s mind, being touched all over by Su Shijun — of course, this was just a wishful scenario he visualized privately — seed as if it had just happened a second ago.
Every ti he recalled that mont, the young warlock felt a surge of heat throughout his body, as if pricked by the fiery sunlight of sumr, causing goosebumps to involuntarily appear on the back of his neck.
This sensation was so intense that during als these past two days, he swept away the sense of familiarity he’d gradually adapted to over ti and started feeling awkward again. Sotis, when he finished a al, he dared not even glance at where Su Shijun was seated.
Besides that, nothing else happened.
After the minor accident of falling off a ladder, none of the witches in the mansion dared to ask him for help anymore, and the only one brave enough to call for his assistance — the little fox girl — was completely enamored with climbing high places, dragging that triangular ladder around the mansion all day, looking for every pane of glass and candlestick that hadn’t been cleaned properly.
This led Zheng Qing to briefly suspect that there might also be a cat residing in Su Ya’s heart.
Of course, not doing chores didn’t an Zheng Qing was free.
In fact, these past two days, he found himself in a busy state that was both familiar and strange. Apart from focusing on Poseidon’s studies daily, he had to spend a lot of ti sorting out the Fu Bullet Production Theory and studying Qingqiu Secret Law, to the point where he always felt he didn’t have enough ti. He originally thought this orderly busyness would continue until the start of school, but it was unexpectedly interrupted on New Year’s Eve.
February thirteenth.
The day of New Year’s Eve.
After breakfast, Su Shijun called out to Zheng Qing, who was about to stand up: "Today is New Year’s Eve, let’s let Dong Dong rest for a day. Sister Man says there are so things you need to be responsible for."
At these words, the little fox’s ears instantly perked up, her eyes shining brightly as she looked at the witch, happiness evident on her face.
While Zheng Qing lanted the poor little fox in his heart — even when he was taking his entrance exam, he wasn’t this worn out — he also raised his hand to rub the back of his neck, trying to suppress the hair that stood on end once more.
"What kind of things?" He tried to speak as he usually did, but even he could detect a peculiar note in his tone and masked it by picking up the water on the table and sipping it.
Su Shijun looked at him with a smile.
"Putting up spring couplets and ancestral worship."
The witch’s posture was upright, her movents minimal; even as she spoke and sliced the food on her plate, she exuded an exceptionally elegant aura: "Dong Dong is your child and my flesh and blood; from the day she was born, we have been her closest family, her deepest bond... Based on an ancient and solemn magic contract, the three of us have been united by an unbreakable bond..."
Zheng Qing was feeling a little discomfort in his teeth and couldn’t help but intervene abruptly, whispering: "So why do I need to... put up the couplets and worship ancestors? We haven’t married yet, have we."
ntioning the word ’married,’ he surprisingly felt rather indifferent, lacking the unease he once had.
The witch set down her knife and fork and wiped her mouth, casting a rather speechless look at the boy: "The reason I said all that was to remind you, even though we haven’t married yet, Dong Dong and I are already your responsibility. Therefore, you should take on the responsibility of being the male head of Greenhill Mansion."
Responsibility.
More responsibility.
The forbidden curse seed left to him by his teacher was a responsibility, the Absolution Hunting Team was a responsibility, the group of elves he rescued during his freshman year was a responsibility, and the little witch he brought out from the mirror was also a responsibility.
Add Dong Dong to the list.
Zheng Qing couldn’t help but look at his shoulders; unknowingly, these not-so-wide shoulders had begun carrying nurous weights that originally didn’t belong to him.
He had been doing the task of putting up spring couplets with his grandfather since he was young. From mixing the paste, writing the words, to placing each couplet and character at the proper position, Zheng Qing was very familiar with the entire process— or so he thought.
But once he actually started doing it, he suddenly realized that the two worlds had differences.
For instance, the spring couplets and characters posted on various rooms at Greenhill Mansion were bordered with tiny runes, and every phrase written on the red paper was genuine, magical blessings.
Moreover, these characters and couplets were not rely simple blessings; they were closely connected with the Protect Legal Formation enveloping the entire Greenhill Mansion, like gears on a precision instrunt, and replacing the talisman was akin to replacing the gears on the instrunt, requiring ticulous accuracy with no room for error.
From the size of the paper being cut to the direction and placent of the stickers, from the peach charms embedded outside the entrance to the lanterns hung under the eaves, and even the incense offered to the Door Gods and the new attire added for the ridge beasts, one task after another, each one made Zheng Qing feel an unusual sense of novelty amidst familiar rituals.
It felt as though he had returned to his childhood, eyes wide with curiosity and ignorance, observing everything in this world.
"A family as large as Qingqiu must have a few male servants, right?"
While arranging the ritual table, Zheng Qing couldn’t help but softly complain to the head maid beside him: "If I’m the one doing all these tasks, how did you spend last Chinese New Year?"
Su Man knelt properly beside the ritual table, directing the warlock on the placent of different fruit and snack plates while subtly glancing at him: "Last year, Miss returned to Qingqiu to celebrate. This year, because of you, she chose to celebrate at the mansion... Regarding this, the family’s views are quite significant."
"You don’t need to care about their views."
Su Shijun’s voice ca from behind them. Zheng Qing turned back and saw her lazily leaning against the doorway in a loose robe. Noticing the boy’s glance, she raised the wine glass in her hand: "Chilled coconut milk, want so?"
A strand of jet-black hair dangled down her cheek, swaying slightly in the air, and Zheng Qing noticed that there was a bit of coconut milk on her lips, standing out on her vivid red lips.
"Thank you," the boy muttered softly, his gaze seemingly electrified as he flicked back to the ritual table, continuing to arrange the array of elaborate plates: "I haven’t finished yet..."
Before the words were finished, one of the blue and white ceramic plates he was holding cracked open with a ’click.’
The sudden sound imdiately silenced everyone.
The next second.
Su Shijun’s hem revealed Su Ya’s little head.
"Is this the legendary ’breaking peacefully’?" Her dazed little face was full of astonishnt, but her tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction: "But isn’t this the plate Miss likes most?"
"Ah! Sorry!" Zheng Qing cautiously grasped the plate, feeling a bit uneasy as he turned around: "But I really didn’t exert any force just now..."
Su Shijun patted Su Ya’s furry ear thoughtfully, staring at Zheng Qing: "I also think, it’s really not your fault."
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