Chapter 21: The New Year is Approaching

A month had passed since the collapse.

The government had people investigate and finally figured out the cause.

Decades ago, many villages had people digging tunnels or air-raid shelters because of the war.

Which it was is not known anymore; one can only guess it was one of the two.

Because the person who dug it only made a shape and then stopped halfway.

After decades of weathering and geological changes, the structure was already crumbling from the inside, though it wasn't apparent from the outside.

This time, when the ditch was being dug, it just happened to loosen an opening, resulting in bad luck for the surrounding people.

Once these circumstances were investigated and understood, Chief Zhang reorganized the workforce to dig the ditch.

This time, detailed arrangements were made, and no accidents occurred again.

After all the detours, Yue Jiandong also joined in to work the second time around and naturally got his wages without a hitch.

Rumors that had been suppressed in the village started flying around again.

Especially after Wang Daming visited the town hospital and discovered he really had lost the Ability to reproduce, the spread of rumors reached its peak.

Everyone had the same thought—

One must not provoke the Yue Family, for who knew what might happen.

When it came to this, people would always cite the Wang Jinshun Family as an example.

Wang Jinshun's leg had healed but he didn't walk smoothly, almost becoming a semi-cripple.

Not to mention his son, although the government had compensated them a large sum of money, what good was it when he was bereft of descendants?

The Yue Family used to be poor in the village, Sneered at behind their backs, but now few people dared to speak ill of them.

The Yue Family was quite indifferent to this turn of events, just like Lin Chunju said.

Mouths belong to others; let them talk.

If there was one change in the Yue Family, it was that every time before going out, Lin Chunju would always hold Yue Qingqing for everyone to see.

Yue Qingqing felt like she was being used as a tool.

Everyone in the Yue Family had to do this ritual check-in before they could go out smoothly.

At first, everyone found it baffling, but over time they got used to it.

Yue Qingqing was very pretty, with a pair of large eyes as clear and bright as if washed by a spring.

Her skin was very white, making her pink lips look tender and petal-like.

Seeing this little one before heading out always lifted everyone's mood.

Months went by, and the Yue Family's life resumed its usual calm; the village's idle gossip was no longer heard.

For Yue Qingqing, the biggest benefit was that she could now eat food other than milk.

Every morning, Lin Chunju would steam sweet potatoes or pumpkins in the steamer.

Until soft all the way through, they were mashed with a rolling pin into orange cakes, and with a little sugar water added, they were sweet and smooth.

Not only did the children of the Yue Family enjoy eating them, but even the adults would occasionally indulge in a piece.

In the evenings, there would often be different dishes, and Lin Chunju would clean the fish and shrimp Yue Jiannan had caught.

She made sure that only the tender white fish and shrimp meat, with no excess bones or organs, remained in the bowl.

Then, she mashed them into a paste and mixed them into rice gruel that had been cooking for a while.

With just a light roll in the water, no additional seasonings were needed; the natural taste was mouthwateringly tender and fresh.

Yue Qingqing, the little foodie, could always finish two bowls while holding her little bowl, even more than Yue Xiaohu, causing Zhang Ying to worry each time that her daughter might overeat.

Fortunately, Yue Qingqing practiced Spiritual Energy every night; her body was stronger than ordinary children's, and she never got sick or felt unwell.

With the arrival of winter, Daye Village was covered in a white snowy blanket.

This was the leisure period of the year, and families spent more and more time indoors.

Thanks to this year's good harvest, in addition to the income from ginseng and ditch digging, the Yue Family would have a comfortable winter for once.

The Yue Family bought some cured pelts from the village's old hunter, and Zhang Ying made hats for the three children so they wouldn't freeze their ears when going out.

Yue Qingqing, wearing a little bear-shaped hat, was held up by Lin Chunju in the yard as usual.

The snowflakes gently landed on her cheeks and quickly melted away, like a cool kiss.

A smile that wouldn't fade played on Lin Chunju's face.

"The New Year is approaching."

Yue Qingqing watched the sky nostalgically.

In the past, although she was a cultivator, her master always gathered her and her four fellow disciples to celebrate the New Year together like ordinary folks.

Red paper cutouts adorned the windows, and the most boisterous junior brother always used a Spell to make the snow in the yard drift and whirl into various shapes.

At these thoughts, Yue Qingqing felt inexplicably sad.

She had come to a Different World all alone; she had no idea how her master and senior brothers were faring.

They must have been very sad after she was struck to death by lightning.