I am the old, fiery-faced man from the senior department.

"The participants in the conference came from all walks of life. Some were from established sects, some were street performers, some were petty thieves, and some were arrogant and conceited. There were those of noble character and integrity, and naturally there were those who were greedy for convenience and went astray."

"So what should we do with them?"

Nian was very curious about the fate of those rude people who had offended the imperial court.

"Of course, we should educate them properly, so that they can turn over a new leaf and become new people."

"Sigh, that's all... Wait... Could it be that 'start over'?"

"Yes, it means exactly what it says: to start anew."

"Although everyone is born with the opportunity to break the rules, in this kind of thing, after breaking the rules, the idea of ​​winning or losing is just a dream, and the only consequence of trampling on the rules is death."

During the day, he held a green apricot in his hand, looking at it with no emotion in his words.

"Hmm... Sister Nian, do you want to go and participate in the competition for fun?"

"Huh? Me?"

Year put down the rulebook, propped himself up, and looked at the daylight.

"No way. Bullying kids is no fun at all."

"But you, Xiaobai..."

Nian reached out and grabbed an apple, then ate it.

"Want to go have some fun?"

"Isn't it interesting whether you're bullying the old men or teaching the younger generation?"

"So if it's so interesting, why doesn't Sister Nian go up herself?"

"It's tiring to do things yourself, I prefer to be more passive."

It seems something was inadvertently revealed.

"If possible, I would also be happy to exchange ideas and learn from the masters of all disciplines."

"Hmm, didn't the imperial court send anyone to attend this meeting?"

"The people from the imperial court are mainly judges and security personnel. Moreover, if they participate but do not achieve results, their salaries will be deducted upon returning."

"It's awful just thinking about it. I wouldn't do it either."

He threw the fruit pit into the trash can and, bored, lay back down on the bed.

"Xiao Bai, tell the story of Ascending to Heaven again."

It's been so long since I've heard Bai Zhou tell the story of his ascension to heaven and his death. Now, just thinking about it makes me feel like ants are crawling all over my body.

"Is it really that interesting, Sister Nian? I'm already tired of telling this story, aren't you tired of hearing it yet?"

"Heroic epics have always been endlessly fascinating. Just like you, after hearing so many glorious tales of the ancestral dragon, aren't you tired of them?"

"No, that's not true... Alright, alright, I understand, I'll tell you."

Looking at Nian, who was sitting cross-legged holding a fruit plate and melon seeds, ready to listen to the story, Bai Zhou smiled helplessly and slowly began to tell Nian the story that he could almost recite by heart.

■

next day

"Let's go, let's go, Little White, hurry up and go!"

Unusually, she got up very early today, having already washed up and gotten ready before Bai Zhou could wake her. This made Bai Zhou, who was used to spending time dragging her out of bed every day, feel a little uncomfortable.

"Sister Nian, today is just the opening day, there will be no food served."

"Sigh... How could this be? I clearly remember it..."

Undeterred, he pulled out the rulebook and flipped through it several times, finally letting out a disappointed cry.

"Damn it! I was so focused on the food descriptions that I forgot to check the time!"

But once you're up, there's no going back to sleep, so even though she's lost her enthusiasm and motivation, Nian has no choice but to go to the opening ceremony with Bai Zhou.

Because it was an extremely large-scale event, the area from Zhuque Gate in Chang'an to eight blocks in Taiping and several miles in Chongyi was requisitioned for the event.

"There are so many people, it's so crowded."

The year followed the daylight, moving forward all the way, and everywhere it looked, there were crowds of people. Scholars, farmers, artisans, merchants, and philosophers from all walks of life came together, either with a few friends, or with elders and teachers, or out of curiosity to broaden their horizons... and so on, so the actual number of people at the conference far exceeded the number recorded in the outer register.

Right now, the number of people I can see is almost five thousand.

"Don't get separated, Sister Nian."

He took Nian's hand in his own and pulled her to his side to take care of her during the day.

"Hmm~, then I'll leave her in Xiaobai's care. Don't lose your big sister, okay?"

"Of course not."

The two followed the flow of people, wandering through the streets and alleys, taking in the unique characteristics of various ethnic groups.

"Hey, there are cold drinks and ice cream for sale over there, Xiaobai, I want some."

With his sharp eyes, Nian spotted the ice cream shop filled with a refreshing atmosphere among dozens of vendors at a glance.

Although a cool breeze always lingers during the day, relieving the discomfort of this awful weather, the physical heat can be dispelled, but the inner turmoil is hard to suppress.

So how refreshing it would be to have a cool popsicle or a cold drink at this time!

"Hmm, what flavor would you like, Sister Nian?"

"They have spicy ice cream... just kidding, how about a plum one?"

"Then please bring two plum flavors, one ice cream, and one cold drink."

"Oh, Little White is so cunning! He actually gave me such a difficult problem!"

Given the same flavor of ice cream and cold drinks, if you choose one, you'll find it hard to give up the other.

"They're all for Sister Nian, I'm not hot yet."

"Really?"

Nian smiled and took both of them in her hands.

"Hey, even though I took a bite, I hope Ah Xi won't mind your older sister."

Nian held the ice cream, which she had only bitten off a corner of, to Bai Zhou's mouth, then blinked her eyes expectantly at him.

"...Of course not."

"Hehe~, if you spoil your older sister like this, she'll take advantage of you."

"Sisters are meant to be pampered, so it's okay to be a little more unruly."

That being said, feeling the tail being tugged at, Nian promptly shut her mouth and focused on drinking her cold drink.

Holding Nian's hand, Bai Zhou chuckled softly, biting into an ice cream and savoring its wonderful taste.

After eating ice cream and drinking cold drinks, the two felt refreshed and continued on their way.

Of course, the thirteenth sister smells better than the younger sister.

"Hmm... are we just going to stay here like this?"

As the year drew near to the daytime, he gazed at the representatives from all walks of life taking turns reading their speeches at the conference, and spoke the thoughts of everyone below the stage.

Are you tired?

Bai Zhou thought those people were right, but seeing how bored Nian was, leaving like this wasn't a bad idea.

"It's not that I'm tired..."

The year held onto the daytime's arm, comparing the size of the yeartime's palm to the daytime's.

"It's just so boring. Why do they keep rambling on for half an hour when it's something that can be explained in just a few words?"

"It's probably a matter of saving face. If everyone else says so much, wouldn't it be disrespectful to them if I said so little?"

Who among us isn't a sect leader or a powerful figure in the martial arts world? If we don't give each other face, we'll be the first ones to be kicked when we're down in the future.

"I really want to look around! Please finish the speech soon..."

As she touched Bai Zhou's fingertips, she became so bored that she started counting how many fingerprints Bai Zhou had.

"It'll be over soon. Just bear with it a little longer, Sister Nian, just bear with it a little longer."

"Xiaobai, let's go eat noodles later."

I wanted to eat something spicy to cheer myself up and relieve the suffering of being stuck here under the scorching sun.

"it is good."

As time passed, about 15 minutes later, the opening ceremony speech finally ended. After the court official announced the "three-day deadline," the once orderly crowd instantly dispersed into streams like waves throughout the city.

"Oh! Finally, we can move around! Little White, let's go, let's go eat at a restaurant!"

Like a bird released from its cage, Nian walked briskly towards the street, dragging the daylight with her.

"Don't rush, Sister Nian, walk slowly and watch out for pedestrians."

The two walked quickly and soon found a noodle shop.

Order two bowls of noodles and a few side dishes, and that's enough for a late breakfast.

"Phew...this chili pepper is really good."

The New Year's bowl was already covered with a layer of red, and the soup was almost turning into chili oil. Even Bai Zhou's eyes trembled slightly at the sight.

"Sister Nian, is it really okay for you to eat so much spicy food?"

After taking that bite, your mouth will probably only taste of chili.

"Little Bai, you wouldn't understand."

He picked up a chopstickful of chili oil powder, sucked it into his mouth, chewed it carefully, and then swallowed it.

"Let me tell you, spiciness is a lifestyle. When a slight stinging sensation and intense spiciness explode on your tongue, you'll feel, 'Ah, my life is truly flavorful.'"

"A slight... stinging sensation..."

That huge spoonful of chili peppers couldn't have caused just a slight stinging sensation.