Chapter 312: Chapter 308: Celebrating the New Year

BEEP! BEEP BEEP BEEP!

The road to Luoxian County was bustling with an endless stream of traffic.

It was New Year’s Eve, and the main road was significantly more congested than usual. Some sections were even at a complete standstill.

The traffic jam was incredibly frustrating for Ye Xing. If he could, he would have just gotten out of the car and sprinted. With his current cultivation, he figured he could use his Lightweight Skill to reach Luoxian County in less than twenty minutes.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the Martial Arts Continent. If anyone on Earth saw him using his Lightweight Skill, it would cause an absolute uproar.

Ye Xing, who had always preferred to keep a low profile, didn’t want to be seen as some kind of freak. So, he had no choice but to drive properly like everyone else.

Driving his Porsche in stop-and-go traffic, it took him nearly an hour to finally reach Ice Sea New City in Luoxian County.

It was evening by then. The afterglow of the sunset spilled onto the streets, coating all of Ice Sea New City in a faint golden light.

The entrance to the residential complex was bustling with activity. Two large red lanterns were already lit, and between them, neon lights spelled out "Happy Spring Festival!" in dazzling, multi-colored light.

Ye Xing parked his car in the underground garage and took the elevator straight to the third floor.

"DING-A-LING-LING, you are my little apple..."

Just as the elevator doors opened, the phone in his pocket started ringing. ’No doubt about it, that’s Mom calling to hurry me along again,’ Ye Xing thought with a wry smile. ’She already called several times while I was stuck in traffic.’ He immediately declined the call and hurried toward his front door.

A pair of spring couplets, clearly brand new, were pasted on either side of the door.

Ye Xing took out his key, opened the door, and overheard a conversation.

"Well? Is that little brat back yet?"

"I don’t know. That stinky kid Axing actually dared to decline my call! Just you wait, I’m gonna—" His mother, Lin Yufang, was fuming. She was just about to redial when she saw Ye Xing opening the door.

"Axing, you stinky kid! You’ve gotten bold lately, haven’t you? Think your wings have grown in? How dare you decline your mother’s call!" Lin Yufang glared at Ye Xing, fuming.

"Mom, I didn’t hang up on you on purpose. I was already at the door." Ye Xing’s eyes glinted, and he laughed. "If I’d answered, wouldn’t that just be a waste of phone credit?"

"Eh!" Lin Yufang was taken aback for a moment, then shot Ye Xing a fierce glare. "Alright, get in here and eat!"

Ye Xing walked in, feeling a little apprehensive. ’Disappearing on New Year’s Eve... Mom’s definitely holding a grudge.’ He had, after all, been gone for many days, completely unreachable by phone. His parents must have been worried sick.

But Ye Xing couldn’t help it. The battle at the Imperial Palace had given him a great deal of insight. If he hadn’t seized those few days to break through to the Innate Realm, future breakthroughs would have likely become much more difficult. Otherwise, Ye Xing would never have chosen to go into seclusion so close to the new year. After all, one small misstep and he might have been stuck in seclusion until the Lantern Festival.

"You little brat," his father, Ye Guozhong, said. "If it wasn’t New Year’s Eve, I’d chase you down the street! Next time, no matter how important something is, you call home first, you hear me!"

Ye Xing nodded quickly.

In truth, this wasn’t the first time Ye Xing had pulled a disappearing act. It just usually didn’t matter as much. If his parents hadn’t called, they probably wouldn’t have even known he was "on a business trip" again. The New Year, however, was clearly different. His parents had likely started calling to urge him home for the holiday around the 25th or 26th of the lunar month, maybe even as early as the 27th or 28th. But Ye Xing was still in seclusion on the Martial Arts Continent and obviously couldn’t answer.

CRACKLE! POP! CRACKLE! POP!

CRACK! CRACKLE! POP!

On New Year’s Eve, it’s customary to set off firecrackers before dinner. As a result, the sound of explosions echoed from all over the residential complex. When the neighbors to the east finished, the ones to the west would start. When the west finished, the south would begin. When the south finished, someone downstairs would set theirs off. The crackling and popping were incessant.

After setting off his own firecrackers, Ye Xing returned to the dining table to eat.

The New Year’s Eve dinner was a magnificent feast. His mother had personally cooked, with his father assisting, and they had prepared a whole table full of dishes.

There were fish balls, chicken feet, drumsticks, lamb, crab, cauliflower, rice cakes, dumplings, large fish, prawns, and more. Plates, bowls, saucers, and chopsticks covered the entire table.

"Little brat, come on, have a drink!" His father, Ye Guozhong, popped the cap off a beer, ready to pour some for Ye Xing.

Just then, his mother, Lin Yufang, snatched Ye Xing’s glass away with lightning speed.

"Hey... I’m just saying, Yu Fang, our Axing is all grown up. What’s wrong with having a little drink!" Ye Guozhong said. "A young man needs to drink. You have to socialize to get by in the world. We need to let him learn how. Quick, bring the glass back!"

"Learn good habits, not bad ones. What’s so great about learning to smoke and drink!" Lin Yufang shot her husband a dissatisfied glance before pouring Ye Xing’s glass to the brim with orange juice with pulp.

Ye Guozhong could only stand by and stare helplessly.

Watching this, Ye Xing couldn’t help but laugh to himself. ’Dad used to be a man of both vices, smoking and drinking, but he eventually quit smoking under Mom’s strict supervision. His addiction to alcohol, however, was something he could never kick. Aside from holidays when he could drink openly, he usually had to sneak a bottle or two.’

Clearly, his mother, Lin Yufang, was extremely strict. She was like this with his father, so it went without saying she’d be even stricter with Ye Xing. Her policy could be summed up in two words: "zero tolerance." She wouldn’t let him touch a single drop.

Of course, at home, Ye Xing wouldn’t dare—nor would he have the chance—to touch alcohol. But when he was out at gatherings with friends, he would have a little now and then.

The family of three toasted with their non-alcoholic drinks, then picked up their chopsticks and began the New Year’s Eve dinner.

He had to admit, his mom was a pretty good cook. Ye Xing had been eating her food for over twenty years, after all.

"Axing," his mother said suddenly, "after the New Year, you’ll be a year older!"

Ye Xing froze. His heart skipped a beat. He had a bad feeling about this; it seemed like there was a hidden meaning behind his mother’s words.

And just as he expected—

"After the New Year, you’ll be twenty-four tomorrow. The years just fly by. I heard that boy from the Sunx family next door brought his girlfriend home after knowing her for less than two weeks. Tsk, tsk, that’s fast..." Lin Yufang began to nag.

Ye Xing couldn’t help but bury his face in his hands with a wry smile.

His father, Ye Guozhong, chimed in, "You’re already twenty-four. That’s not young anymore. Look how fast other people are. You’re the only one dragging your feet. You said you have a girlfriend, but it’s been so long. I think you’re just stringing your mother along."

"Dad, I really do have a girlfriend," Ye Xing said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"Cut the crap. You might be able to fool your mother, but this old man isn’t so easily deceived. Your third uncle and his family are coming back to Luoxian County tomorrow to visit. He has a wide network and knows a lot of people. I’ll have a word with him and get him to set you up with someone!"

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