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

After several tugs of fuss, the Draco girl, who wanted to stay in bed, had no choice but to crawl out of bed under someone's gentle yet merciless gaze and obediently go to wash up.

"Really. The old man spoils you too much, that's why you're so undisciplined."

The deer girl glanced at her friend's increasingly rounded tail and helplessly tidied up the messy bed she had rolled up.

Talulah has only been back for half a month, and the old man has already spoiled her rotten. Now, this fat, lazy dragon girl spends all day eating, sleeping, and playing. Where is the heroic figure of the valiant warrior on the ice plains? If Yelena saw her like this, she would probably kick her in anger.

"but……"

She folded the quilt neatly and swept the shop flat. Then, as if she had thought of something, the deer girl smiled.

"Waaaa~...Talulah!"

The sudden hug startled the deer girl, who was lost in some kind of fantasy. Coming back to her senses, she playfully slapped her friend's mischievous hand away.

"Hehehe, Alina has changed into her new clothes. They look so good."

Thanks to the old man's discerning eye, not only did the deer girl buy a bright red new outfit, but her sisters and even the little orca all bought a festive and beautiful red new outfit.

"Your clothes are here too, go change quickly."

"Sigh... red socks and red bibs... Even though it's the New Year, this is the first time I've worn an outfit with such a strong Yan Chinese feel."

Picking up the New Year's outfit with its distinctive Yan-style flair, Talulah was filled with emotion.

"Talulah doesn't like it?"

"It's not that I don't like it, but after all, it was prepared by the old man."

As the girl put on her socks, she told Alina her thoughts.

"However, Huijie and I have lived in Lungmen since we were little. Before it was renamed Lungmen, it was occupied by Ursus. Although it was later taken back by Wei Yanwu, because the return time was too short, some of the unique customs of Yan Kingdom are not very prominent here."

“The New Year that Huijie and I have celebrated since childhood is very different from the New Year in Yan Country. So…so…tsk, Alina, can you help me? I can’t reach it.”

Talulah frowned slightly, looking somewhat troubled as she sought help from her friend.

"...It really is."

Alina reluctantly leaned over and helped her tie up her bellyband.

"Sigh, why has it gotten bigger again?"

Hearing those boastful whispers, Alina really wanted to punch her friend.

"Ahem, on another note, that's why I've never worn a bib or red socks like this."

"Yes. It seems that the people of Yan place great importance on the customs of certain festivals."

For example, there's the custom of having family members wear a complete set of red clothes on New Year's Day.

Although she had only been there for half a month, she had been living with three people from the Pure Yan Kingdom and had come to notice this through her interactions with them.

"Hehe, the old man is quite stubborn on this point... well, quite serious."

Talulah really wants to go back in time and see if Wei Yanwu was also dressed in red by the old man when he was a child.

Old Wei in red socks... *chuckle* (*＾ワ＾*)

"?"

Seeing her friend clutching her stomach and laughing for no apparent reason, Lu was very confused.

……

"Phew... I'm the champion of staying up all night today."

Lin Qingyan and Lin Shaoqing, seasoned veterans of staying up all night, held their phones with great enthusiasm, happily daydreaming.

Since they found out she was working for the God, her parents stopped pressuring her to get married and became much happier talking to her.

Good heavens, you know, when she passed the Heavenly Master exam, her father only said he knew. But after learning that she had become a candidate for the Venerable One, he laughed loudly three times, even showing his pride in front of her mother. That night, he even drank three large cups of wine that his mother had spiked.

"I have to be the first to wish Mr. Bai a Happy New Year."

Lin Qingyan, who had been lurking in the second sub-group chat of the Divine Dragon Venerable in the capital, naturally discovered that there were quite a few Venerables who knew the identity of the Divine Lord. Therefore, those seniors were all her great enemies who were competing with her for this blessing.

"Mr. Bai's first gift of the new year will definitely be my Lin Qingyan!"

"Grandma, Grandma. Skadi and I want to go out and play."

The young girl, Huijie, blinked her bright, sparkling eyes and ran over to ask Bai Zhou for permission.

She also invited two friends, planning to play with all the firecrackers they had saved up to buy later.

"It's already five o'clock... Well, you can go play now. But remember to come back for dinner on time."

"Okay, I remember now. We'll be going now, Ancestor."

"Hmm? Grandpa, who did Huijie go out with?"

Ms. Chen, who was passing by, came over and asked curiously.

She knew how withdrawn and simple-minded her younger sister used to be, so how could she not be curious to see her running outside so happily now?

"You know that already."

Bai Zhou raised his hand, grabbed her little head, and rubbed it.

"Ooh... Grandpa, please be gentle. Ah, are you those two little girls?"

The girl grabbed Bai Zhou's hand and let him touch it longer, while answering her question.

"Hmm. By the way, I just cut some meat jelly, come and taste it for me."

"Here it comes, hehe, I'll eat less."

"Eat as much as you want, but don't overeat. Leave some room for other dishes."

"..."

Looking at the bustling kitchen, Xi gently shook her head, picked up the teapot, and poured herself a drink.

"Ugh……"

Nian suddenly sighed, which naturally caught Xi's attention.

Why are you sighing again?

"I'm just marveling at how quickly my child has grown up. Time flies like water, never to return."

Years stared at the figure in the kitchen, his face a mixture of joy and sorrow.

"...What do you know?"

Xi gave a soft snort, seemingly disdainful of Nian's appearance.

They've never raised children, so what right do they have to have these feelings?

If anyone should be expressing sentiments, it should be her.

It should be her...

"Hey!"

A single slap dispelled the sorrow she had painstakingly gathered up.

"Cheer up, we're all together now. Instead of dwelling on the past, let's focus on the present and look forward. We have a long road ahead."

"Heh, it's rare for you to say something serious."

Xi glanced at the older woman with some surprise.

"But you're right. Instead of reminiscing about the past, we should think about how to move forward."

"Hmm. Naxi, do you think it's easier for me to have a boy or a girl? They say sour foods indicate a boy and spicy foods indicate a girl, so I think my baby will definitely be a cool and spicy girl just like me."

"..."

Xi shook her head and sighed heavily.

"Alright, children, elder sister, sir, dinner's ready!"

As daylight dawns, the lively New Year's Eve dinner officially begins.

The first firework exploded outside the window, filling the night sky with dazzling fireworks and expressing hopes for a bright future.

Returning to the Seventeenth Dream, My Father's Past

The slightly cool tea soothed my throat, and the night breeze instantly dispelled my deep drowsiness.

"Gurgle..."

After taking two sips of tea, the girl raised her head and slowly lay down beside Bai Zhou's hand with cat-like steps.

"Are you dreaming again?"

"Ah."

"Did you dream of your river again?"

"No... what I dreamed about... was my father..."

“You…”

This was the first time she had seen him show such a vulnerable and melancholic side.

……

In the ninth year of Tianyu, the Yan Earth, the ancient capital.

"Brother, brother!"

The crimson dragon, like a raging fire, burst into the palace, carrying the intense heat of the dog days of summer.

"Keep quiet."

Zhenlong glanced at his impetuous brother and shushed him to keep quiet.

"A-Xi just fell asleep."

"Well……"

Upon hearing his elder brother's words, Chilong immediately stopped in his tracks. A moment later, he tiptoed to his brother's side and carefully looked at the cradle in front of him.

“The weather has been dry lately, and Ah Xi has been listless, crying and fussing and refusing to sleep. Today, I gave him some chilled milk to cool him down, and only then did he fall asleep.”