The Endless Promise

45. Double Happiness?

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Yueyan Mountain...

The days breezed by, and the New Year came around.

Luoyin could never be accused of being an irresponsible son-in-law, so he sent over New Year gifts for Lord Xu and Xu Weiyan!

Meanwhile, Yinying spent most of his time with the cub, which had become so active that Yinying often had to chase him round the entire Xu mansion!

Luoyin had officially introduced Yinying to Lord Xu as 'a granduncle with more knowledge', so Yinying's visits had become a norm.

But for Luoyin himself, the festive season held no joy, and he strolled about the household, sighing here and there, or simply staring into his yard's frozen pond...

The day before New Year, Yinying insisted on spending the eve with Luoyin, but Luoyin firmly shook his head.

"Did you forget this will be the Little One's first New Year?!" He tossed an urn over. "Here! Take this with the little one! He should like it!"

Yinying sniffed. "Xiaobai! This is-!"

"Hmm, hmm!" Luoyin nodded. "Red Winter Pill!"

During winter, most divine beasts hibernated, but the tamed divine beasts didn't have that luxury, and they simply lost their sense of smell and taste during the season.

This was depressing, as both mortals and immortals celebrated, but the beasts wouldn't be able to smell or taste anything, and though Yinying didn't say anything, Luoyin knew the cub had already lost his sense of smell and taste, which would be worsened by the festive air around him...

Long ago, one particularly festive winter, 'Bailong' had invented the 'Red Winter Pill' to cheer Yinying up- a pill which reawakened those senses for a few days!

"Take as many snacks as you can!" Luoyin was saying at present. "Let his first New Year be an explosive one!"

An excited Yinying thanked Luoyin and then turned invisible, hurrying off to the Xu Residence.

After that, Luoyin handed fat red envelopes to Meng Qiu and the other servants, ordering them to return and celebrate their families!

Then he withdrew to his garden pagoda in the biting snow, with several urns of wine, a pipa, and an empty chess board as his only companions.

It was how he had spent almost every New Year for the past thirty thousand years...

Alone, with the memories of a love, whose face he couldn't recall.

Several empty urns later, night had fallen.

The sky was brightened by countless fireworks, as people welcomed the New Year, and numerous Greetings filled the air.

Luoyin simply sighed and held out a hand, catching some drifting snow. 'Yan Liwei, how could you leave me behind?'

He glanced at the chessboard. 'Didn't you promise to master chess and defeat me?!'

The only reply was the wind.

"Happy New Year, 2nd Disciple Zhang."

The voice cut into Luoyin's solitude, and he turned to see Xu Weiyan standing there.

'Ei? Is it a mirage?' Luoyin wondered, but as he watched, Weiyan walked over and began unpacking a stepped lunchbox, laying down a central dish of fish and dumplings for good luck and prosperity.

This was followed by a dish of rice, a few sides, and two more urns of wine. She placed an empty bowl before him, setting down a pair of chopsticks atop it.