After midnight, it would be the first day of the New Year in the Ox year!

The sound of firecrackers all around was clearly more lively, and Xiao Yu’s face was already flushed from drinking.

Duan Rong’s dark face was slightly red as well. He half-slumped in the Grandmaster’s Chair, waving his hand, "I’ve had enough."

"Enough of what? I’m not letting you off until I drink you under the table today!" Xiao Yu leaned her elbow on the edge of the table, looking at Duan Rong with a face full of determination.

Duan Rong said, "Can’t I just admit defeat?"

"No way!" Xiao Yu said, "I don’t want you to admit defeat, I want you to truly lose!"

"I really did lose."

"Stop with the nonsense, get up! Drink again!"

Duan Rong didn’t get up. He kicked the two empty wine jugs by his feet, "They’re all empty, where’s the wine?"

Xiao Yu shook the wine jug on the table again and found it was empty too.

The two of them had already drunk three jugs of wine. And they weren’t drinking rice wine or yellow wine, but matured strong liquor, Bamboo Leaf Green.

Xiao Yu saw there was no more wine and didn’t fuss anymore. She lay on the side of the table, feeling the alcohol kick in, her head throbbing.

Xiao Yu frowned, turned to look at Duan Rong, "It’s the first day of the New Year; there will be a temple fair at the City God Temple. It’s quite lively. Father isn’t good on his feet, Xiaoqi is injured, accompany me for a walk there."

Duan Rong propped himself on the armrest, adjusted his posture to prevent slumping, and laughed, "Well, that’s great. I love going to temple fairs."

Duan Rong was speaking from the heart; the temple fair on New Year’s Day at the City God Temple was the liveliest time in Xianggu County of the year.

Having crossed into this world, it’s been almost a year. He missed the temple fair during the small fullness festival while traveling the escort route. This time on New Year’s Day, he had to visit the fair, no matter what.

Duan Rong agreed, but Xiao Yu was already asleep on the table, and Duan Rong half-slumped in the Grandmaster’s Chair, tilted his head, and also drifted into sleep.

Nearby, the sound of firecrackers, near and far, mingled together into a booming roar.

Clearly, it was when the firecracker noise was at its strongest, and most people were nearly exhausted from staying up for the New Year. After setting off a few strings of firecrackers, they prepared to sleep.

Duan Rong was woken by the roaring sound of firecrackers. He wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth and sat up.

The chill from the field rushed in, and the air was filled with the faint smell of burnt sulfur. Most of the alcohol’s effect had dissipated from Duan Rong, and he stood up and stretched. He wanted to go back to Liu’s House to sleep.

Duan Rong turned his head; Xiao Yu also slept in the Grandmaster’s Chair beside him. Her head was resting on the chair back, her face turned towards Duan Rong, her hair cascading down like a waterfall.

At the moment Duan Rong looked over, his eyes lit up. He noticed a serene beauty on Xiao Yu’s face. Her nose, like lamb fat, slightly moved, and her breathing was subtle and long...

The dim light cast upon her face, her blush not fading, complementing her fair skin, making a delightful contrast of three colors, like a flower with intricate hues blooming in the dark night...

Duan Rong’s gaze fell upon Xiao Yu’s two red lips, which were like the stamens of this delicate flower...

Red lips like fire, Duan Rong’s heart trembled!

Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Duan Rong prepared to leave. As he reached the door, he suddenly felt Xiao Yu had drunk a lot of wine. Sleeping here, chilled air could easily make her catch a cold.

Duan Rong returned, Inner Breath infused, suddenly grasping the Grandmaster’s Chair and lifting it up. Duan Rong controlled the angle of the chair, letting Xiao Yu rest comfortably inside.

Thus, Duan Rong carried the Grandmaster’s Chair into Xiao Yu’s boudoir, feeling somewhat like the hero lifting a cauldron.

The moment he entered, a subtle fragrance greeted him.

Duan Rong carried the Grandmaster’s Chair to the bedside; Duan Rong’s waist slowly sank, tilting the chair onto the bed, and Xiao Yu slid off the chair with a slight hum, landing softly on the bed...

Duan Rong arranged Xiao Yu’s legs, removed her shoes, covered her with a quilt, and then turned to leave.

As soon as Duan Rong turned, Xiao Yu opened her eyes in the darkness, watching Duan Rong’s robust silhouette in the dark. A familiar warmth flowed in her heart until his silhouette disappeared in the yellow light by the door. Only then did she snuggle into the quilt, murmuring joyfully, "You wooden blockhead..."

Duan Rong left the main hall, and instead of exiting through the courtyard gate, he directly used his skills to leap over the courtyard wall, returned to Liu’s House, and slept embracing the quilt.

Duan Rong slept straight till daylight, got up, and washed up.

On New Year’s Day, Duan Rong carefully washed, brushing his teeth with salt to make them bright white.

Just as Duan Rong finished washing, knocking sounded at the courtyard gate.

Duan Rong scanned with his Divine Sense and saw Xiao Yu standing outside the gate.

Duan Rong opened the gate to find Xiao Yu standing there in a moon-white dress, the breeze gently moving her dress hem, like a Water Lotus.

Xiao Yu placed a steaming dry lotus leaf into Duan Rong’s hand.

It was breakfast she brought for Duan Rong, steamed fried snacks and buns.

"Let’s go. The temple fair has started."

"So early?"

"Early? Today is New Year’s Day."

Duan Rong closed the courtyard gate, took a bite of fried fish, and looked at Xiao Yu’s dress hem, "Is this dress newly made? Haven’t seen you wear it before."

"Of course, you wear new clothes for New Year’s. I ordered it at the tailor shop before New Year, one for me, one for Xiaoqi."

"Only kids wear new clothes. Adults keep wearing the same old clothes."

Duan Rong, over the past half year, had only two sets of Escort Master’s outfits, wearing them back and forth. Despite having made quite a bit of money, he had hardly visited a ready-made clothing store. As for the tailor shop, he didn’t even know where the door was located.