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

"New Year's goods... I don't really want anything. But Ah Xi..."

Xi leaned down and pressed her head against Bai Zhou's shoulder as they looked at his record of the New Year's goods they needed to buy.

"Rice cake...scaled...feathered beasts, meat beasts..."

"Firecrackers!"

Seeing something she disliked, Xi couldn't help but cling to the tail of daylight, trying to gain a sense of security from it.

"Yes...we need to buy firecrackers...how about five thousand worth of firecrackers..."

"Five thousand yuan worth of firecrackers!!!"

Upon hearing that she needed to buy lots and lots of firecrackers, Xi suddenly felt like hiding back in the painting and coming out again after the New Year.

But she only thought about it.

This is the first time she has taken the initiative to spend the New Year with Bai Zhou. It would be such a pity to waste this opportunity by hiding away in such a sorry state.

"Sir, don't be afraid."

Seeing Xi's flustered appearance and small movements, Bai Zhou couldn't help but chuckle twice, and then quickly went to comfort her.

“We don’t need to go out; we can watch from inside. If you find it too noisy, we can just watch the fireworks. Besides the loud firecrackers, there are also those dazzling and beautiful fireworks to admire.”

"I'm not scared at all. It's just a few firecrackers."

Although Xi was displaying her courage, her body was already completely clinging to Bai Zhou.

"Let's set off fireworks together on New Year's Eve, Mr. Shi."

"Hmm, let's set it off, it's just a firework..."

Xi hummed twice, then, as if she had seen something interesting, asked him, "Xi, let's write the couplets ourselves."

"A couplet? Okay."

Bai Zhou merely chuckled twice at Xi's somewhat clumsy attempt to change the subject, and continued speaking in agreement with her words.

"When the time comes, we will ask you, sir, to write a couplet for our family."

"Hmph, just watch me."

Setting off firecrackers is out of the question, but she can easily write couplets.

She didn't read all those books over the years for nothing.

"We'll have Nian write one too."

Xi finally got a chance to tease that rascal Nian. Judging from her antics over the years, asking her to write couplets would only make her laugh. She'd rather slowly enjoy watching Nian's ridiculous attempts to come up with a couplet in order not to embarrass himself in front of the little ones.

I'm sure I can laugh for a long time.

"Sir, you're so mean! My sister will be sad."

Bai Zhou guessed Xi's thoughts, but instead of stopping her, he happily waited to watch the show, just like her.

“Ah Xi is also very naughty, he will be even more heartbroken at the annual meeting.”

But they will be very happy.

The two chuckled softly, both looking forward to that day.

After laughing, Xi continued looking at Bai Zhou's New Year's shopping list.

"These... are new clothes."

"Yes, it's Chinese New Year. We're getting rid of the old and welcoming the new, putting on new clothes to greet the new year with a fresh attitude."

However, because there were many ingredients and groceries to buy, Bai Zhou postponed the time to buy clothes by one day.

"Getting rid of the old and welcoming the new... that's a good meaning."

Putting aside the firecrackers themselves, Xi quite likes these traditional festivals.

But after all these years, she has nothing left to lose, and now it's time to welcome the new...

Xi couldn't help but turn her head to look at Bai Zhou.

Now that the old year is over, will she and Ah Xi join hands to start a new life?

"gentlemen?"

Noticing Xi's gaze, Bai Zhou looked at her and smiled.

"Don't laugh like that, it's silly."

Xi couldn't stand him like that, so she raised her hand to pinch his cheek.

"Don't you like it, sir?"

During the day, he let her pinch and rub his cheeks, asking softly.

"If you don't like it, sir, I won't smile like that anymore."

"No, that's not true..."

Hearing his words, Xi frowned slightly and pinched his face a little harder, then put her arms around his shoulders and buried her face in his neck.

"Then what's wrong, sir...?"

Before Bai Zhou could finish speaking, Xi's muffled reply reached his ears.

"It's precisely because I like him that I don't want Ah Xi to show that kind of smile to everyone."

She wanted her son, Ah Xi, to have a set of expressions that were uniquely hers.

Whether it's joy, laughter, sorrow, or anger, it's all the same only for her... just like a hundred years ago...

"gentlemen……"

Upon hearing Xi's words, Bai Zhou was stunned for a few seconds before letting out a soft laugh.

"Only you, sir, have ever seen me laugh like that just now."

"...I don't believe it."

Xi's answer was the complete opposite of the movement of her tail.

"If you don't believe me, sir, how about we take another look? If there's anything different, I'm willing to accept your punishment."

"Then I'll take a look?"

Xi asked, raising her head.

She looked over.

The people she likes and the smiles she loves are all there.

Looking back on the last few things that happened before the 1990s (Part 2)

"Pfft... Heh..."

Xi still couldn't help but laugh at Bai Ri's silly grin.

"Sir, do you like it this time?"

Bai Zhou turned to the side and hugged Xi tightly.

"like."

Xi did not resist, letting him hug her, and using his movements to let herself fall into his arms.

"Then I'll smile at you again, sir."

Bai Zhou helped Xi up, letting her comfortably rest her head on his lap, and then continued to wear the same smile as before, which naturally made Xi smile back, her beautiful eyes curving like a pair of crescent moons.

After playing around for a while, the two quieted down and continued chatting.

"Is this all you bought?"

After looking at Bai Zhou's New Year's shopping list, Xi asked him softly if there was anything he had forgotten to write down.

"Well, that's all for now. We still have plenty of time; we can buy anything else if we're missing."

The Yan Kingdom is so large; he might just have to take a longer route, but he can always buy what he needs.

"Okay. Let's rest for a while now, we still need to pick up Huijie later."

Xi sat up, took Bai Zhou's hand, and pointed to her leg.

"Well……"

During the day, he leaned against her pillow, a few soft moans escaping from his throat, which were heard by Xi, who had sharp ears.

"Ah Xi, I recently learned how to clean ears, would you like to try it?"

"Yes, sir. I'm really looking forward to it."

Daytime would naturally not refuse Xi's request.

"Then... if you feel unwell, you should tell me."

Although Xi had been learning for a while, no one was available for her to practice, so she wasn't sure if doing something that would be comfortable for others would hurt Bai Zhou.

"Please proceed with your procedure with peace of mind, sir."

"Ah."

Xi took out a small bag containing tools from her pocket and cleaned Bai Zhou's ears, just as she had learned from the tutorial video.

Carefully and gently.

A soft rubbing sound came from his ear, and the comfortable touch made Bai Zhou close his eyes in comfort.

The two of them spent this time quietly like that.

"Ah Xi's ears are so clean."

Xi spent half a day picking ears for Bai Zhou, but the tools were still as clean as when they were first opened.

This made her feel somewhat discouraged.

"But this is also very good, Ah Xi is very healthy."

He responded with a light laugh during the day.