Chapter 314: Chapter 310: Third Uncle’s Family Arrives

It was already past eight o’clock when they returned from watching the musical fountain. Ye Xing immediately turned on the TV and started watching the Spring Festival Gala.

The fifty-five-inch LCD TV was on, and the family of three sat on the sofa, cracking melon seeds as they watched. Outside, the sounds of fireworks and firecrackers were nonstop. One household would set them off, then another, and another after that. From all directions, the BOOM-BOOMs and CRACKLE-POPs of firecrackers lasted the entire night.

In China, people have the custom of staying up on New Year’s Eve.

Known as *shou sui*, it is a folk tradition where the family gathers together, staying up late to welcome the arrival of the Lunar New Year.

In ancient times, *shou sui* held two meanings: for the elderly, it was to "bid farewell to the old year," signifying a cherishing of time’s passage. For the young, it was believed to extend their parents’ lifespan. Since the Han Dynasty, the transition between the old and new year has typically occurred at midnight. On New Year’s Eve, people of all ages would keep the lights on and gather to observe the vigil. Thus, *shou sui* is one of the most important customs of the Spring Festival.

While they watched TV, his phone buzzed nonstop with notifications. New Year’s greeting texts were flooding in—

"New Year’s here, the texts appear. With texts come blessings, with blessings good cheer. With good cheer comes luck for the coming year. The sender’s happy, the receiver grins. May your wishes come true and the money roll in. Smooth sailing at work and a high-paying gig. Surrounded by joy, with good fortune so big. In the new year, your buddy Zhu wishes Brother Xing a year that’s even better than the last! —Zhu Dazhuang."

"From the first day to the fifteenth, under the full moon’s light, every home celebrates with song and dance so bright. A warm breeze chases winter’s cold away, a hundred flowers bloom in fragrant display. Red lanterns glow, shining on all the land, we pray for fortune to be close at hand. A simple flower warms the heart from strife, and time flies like an arrow through our life. But our friendship, it will stand the test of time! This text is here to wish you all the best! Happy Spring Festival, Senior! May your luck be boundless! —Zhao Liqing."

...

"Though thoughts are silent, they are sweet. Though greetings are simple, they are warm. Though trust is unspoken, it is true. Though friendship is unseen, it is precious. Though this blessing is short, may it stay in your heart! Wishing you a happy new year and happiness for your whole family! —Chen Feng"

The New Year’s texts came one after another. There were messages from Zhu Dazhuang, Zhao Liqing, Xu Qing, Chen Feng, his fourth brother Zheng Yiming, his first brother Lin Guishan, Wu Qiang, and many others—over a hundred in total.

After reading all the messages, Ye Xing replied to each one. Then, he went back to watching the Gala, snatching up digital red envelopes on his phone and chatting with his parents.

’I’ll have to leave Earth for the Central Plains Martial Arts world after the New Year. I don’t have much time left to spend with my parents for a while.’ For that reason, Ye Xing stayed home for the entire New Year’s Eve.

Time passed, and as the clock struck midnight, the sound of firecrackers outside suddenly erupted, the CRACKLE-POPs as loud as thunder.

The clock striking twelve meant the new year had arrived!

WHOOSH! WHOOSH-WHOOSH-WHOOSH!

WHOOSH-WHOOSH-WHOOSH! BOOM-CRACK!

Streaks of fireworks shot skyward, bursting into bloom and painting the night with a dazzling, dreamlike array of colors.

Just then, his mom’s phone rang.

"Oh, your second aunt is going to the temple to burn incense. I’m going with her!"

His mother, Lin Yufang, hung up the phone. She grabbed a bag of incense, candles, and joss paper, and headed out to the temple to burn incense and pray.

As the new year began, Ye Xing watched the Gala until about twelve-thirty, then washed up and got ready for bed.

’Time flies. Another year has passed in the blink of an eye. Once the New Year celebrations are over, I have to head to the Central Plains Martial Arts world!’

Lying in bed, Ye Xing’s eyes glinted in the dark. ’The Central Plains Martial Arts world is teeming with experts and fraught with danger. Even though I’ve reached the Innate Realm, that only lets me lord it over a place like the Southern Tang Country. Once I set foot in the Central Plains Martial Arts world, I’ll have to be extremely careful.’

’But before I go to the Central Plains Martial Arts world, I should check out where that Dark Gate leads. What if there’s a huge opportunity inside? It would be a shame to miss it just because I was too scared.’

’That shadowy black energy seems to devour my True Essence Power. Before I go, I’ll definitely need to prepare enough Elixirs to replenish what I lose. I should also wear the Golden Silk Armor, and it would probably be safest to put a layer of Steel Helmet and Armor over it...’

’Hmm, I wonder where that Dark Gate really leads. It’s so pitch-black... could it be a path to the Demon Realm, the Ghost Realm, or the Netherworld? Huh, or maybe it’s the Western Magical World? Learning a few Magic Forbidden Skills would be pretty cool. And if it leads to some high-tech future world, I could grab a few laser guns and a Laser Cannon. That would be awesome, haha...’

He lay in bed, relishing these thoughts. As his mind wandered, he drifted off into dreamland and fell fast asleep.

「The next morning」

Ye Xing slept in until a little past ten. He quickly got dressed, opened his bedroom door, and went to the washstand next to the living room to brush his teeth and wash his face.

"Axing, you’re up!" his mother, Lin Yufang, called out. She was busy in the kitchen.

"Yeah, Mom. How come it’s just you? Where’s Dad?" Ye Xing asked.

"Your dad went to pick up your third uncle and his family," Lin Yufang said. "Axing, are you free right now? Come help me wash the vegetables. I need to get lunch ready as soon as possible. Your dad and your uncle’s family will be home soon!"

"Oh, okay!" Without even washing his face, Ye Xing went straight to the kitchen to help his mom.

Since his third uncle’s family was visiting, his mom had clearly bought ingredients for several extra dishes that morning, including all sorts of fresh seafood.

SZZZ! SZZ-SZZ-SZZLE!

The coal stove burned fiercely, and plumes of pale green smoke rose from the wok. Lin Yufang was cooking the seafood while Ye Xing washed the greens.

KNOCK! KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

"Oh? Could that be your dad and the others? That was fast. Axing, hurry and get the door!" his mom said.

Ye Xing went to the door and opened it to find three people: one man and two women. Leading them was a fashionably dressed woman in her forties, decked out in gold and silver. It was none other than his third aunt, Luo Bizhen. The young man and woman next to her, he guessed, must be his cousin Chen Xiang and his wife.

His cousin, Chen Xiang, was also twenty-three, just a few months younger than Ye Xing, and had just gotten married at the start of the year. The fact that even his younger cousin was married while he, the older one, didn’t even have a girlfriend had led to some serious pressure from his parents.

"Axing, I haven’t seen you in a few months. You’ve gotten taller!" his third aunt, Luo Bizhen, said with a wide smile.

"Haha, how could I still be growing at my age? Come on in, Third Aunt," Ye Xing said with a smile, then asked, "Oh, by the way, where are my dad and Third Uncle?"

"Oh, your third uncle is at the Jinsheng Hotel booking a table. As for your father, he was walking behind and couldn’t keep up with us!"

As his aunt spoke, Ye Xing’s gaze shifted. He looked down and saw his father, Ye Guozhong, in the complex courtyard, hauling three large bags of luggage.

"You guys go on in, Third Aunt. My mom’s in the kitchen," Ye Xing said coolly, then turned and headed downstairs toward the courtyard.

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