Chapter Eighty-two: Unexpected

  On the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, every household in Taizhou City began to thoroughly clean their homes, and the Qin Manor was no exception. Since Ruyi had already thoroughly cleaned Changxiao Garden earlier, only a simple cleaning was needed today. The maids and servant women were busy with various tasks, some skilled wives cutting out all sorts of festive window decorations, such as auspicious couplets or pictures of fish symbolizing abundance. At the entrance to the manor, red lanterns were hung at each courtyard, presenting a harmonious and joyful scene both inside and outside the manor.

  On the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, the young ladies in the house were called up early. After washing and dressing, each carried a small basket to personally pick plum blossoms and dry them for storage in their handbags. The young men would wash their hair with water infused with peach kernels and apricot kernels. On this day of Da Yu, the twenty-eighth was a day when young people looked forward to the future.

  On the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, men would offer sacrifices to their ancestors, and women were not allowed to participate. Qin Dai disagreed with this custom, thinking that surely men couldn't be the only ones to carry on the family line?

  New Year's Eve was no different from what Qin Dai Xin had known before. Everyone sat together, eating and drinking, saying auspicious words, and paying respects to their elders. At home, regardless of age or sex, everyone was dressed in red and green, a festive atmosphere. The young third master and fifth miss were even dressed up like New Year's dolls, making people envious.

  After a year of hard work, people will also receive many rewards on this day, whether it's red envelopes or dishes, they are all better than usual. Therefore, although everyone is busy, their faces are filled with joy and satisfaction.

  Firecrackers are going off outside the window, and the children can't help but start setting them off one by one. The whole city of Taizhou is bustling with excitement, full of festive atmosphere.

  At 8 o'clock in the evening, everyone sat together for a reunion dinner, and naturally, the aunts couldn't attend.

  According to the rules of a big family, men and women should sit separately, but since Qin's family was not prosperous, they had always sat together for meals, and over time it became a habit, so no one paid attention to the rules anymore.

  After having the reunion dinner, everyone gathered together in twos and threes to play cards, drink wine, and at night they had to eat "crossing the year", and everyone had to gather together to keep the years, in order to pray for their parents' health and a harmonious family. After the hour of Zi was over, the masters of the Qin family returned to their respective courtyards to rest in twos and threes.

  For Qin Dai Xin, the Spring Festival in Da Yong was more boring than before. Everyone had their own thoughts and wore hypocritical smiles on their faces, which made her feel even more uncomfortable than bored.

  Fortunately, there is a joyful event. After the New Year's Day, it will not be far from Li Chun (the beginning of spring). When spring arrives, her plan to make money can start running. First, repair the wine cellar, then make a mother-child distillation pot, and soon the unique high-proof liquor of Da Yong will be born...

  Imagining a hopeful future is always an exciting thing, Qin Dai's heart was thrilled, and she didn't feel the slightest bit of fatigue, until the second half of the night, when she fell asleep in a daze.

  She didn't know how long she had slept, but Qin Dai Xin seemed to have heard the sound of stones hitting the roof. She immediately woke up and subconsciously thought of the old man who threw stones in Xiao Qian Zhuang. Qin Dai Xin put on her clothes, picked up Hei Mei Ren, and climbed onto the rooftop with ease.

  Qin Dai's heart only felt that the black line on her forehead had deepened, what was this old man doing running to their house rooftop on New Year's Day? Didn't he need to spend the New Year with his family? Let alone not coming for her, she wouldn't believe it even if you killed her.

  The old man looked at Qin Dai Xin and thought to himself that she was a clever little girl, but he didn't say anything. He continued drinking from the small wine jug, lost in his own thoughts.

  Qin Dai's senses were sharp, and her intuition told her that the old man had no malicious intentions towards her. On the contrary, he seemed to have a few points of admiration for her. Looking at his words and deeds, his demeanor was elegant and refined, seemingly from a wealthy family background, but his clothes didn't seem to match...

  "What's that expression on your face, little girl?" Murong Ba knew this lass was guessing his origins and didn't reveal anything.

  Qin Dai's face was bitter, thinking that she had never seen such a thick-skinned old man. Even if you are a hermit, you can't bear to be the same as others, but others still want to celebrate the New Year, right? As the sky was about to brighten up, couldn't he let people relax a bit on the first day of the new year? She only thought this in her heart and didn't dare to say it out loud. After all, she had seen that old man's kung fu skills before, and she didn't dare to offend him!

  Murong Ba looked at her with a bitter face, and the originally beautiful facial features were distorted into a bun-like shape. He liked her even more in his heart. This girl, although raised in a deep boudoir, didn't have any spoiled or delicate appearance, but instead had a bit of the air of a heroic daughter from the rivers and lakes. It really suited his taste. In this life, he had no children, destined to be a lonely person with a bitter fate. If he could take this little girl as an apprentice, it would also fulfill one of his heart's desires.

  As he thought of this, he took out a black box from his bosom and threw it at Qin Dai's heart without looking. After the other party caught it, he said: "This thing is given to you. You, this child, have understood my old man's mind. Let's take it as a meeting gift!"

  Qin Dai Xin didn't know what kind of tricks he was up to, so she just thought there were some insignificant trinkets inside and accepted it.

  Murong Ba saw that she didn't decline the polite gesture, and his liking for her deepened a bit more. He sighed and said: "Since we've met, it's fate; why don't you just call me your teacher?"

  Qin Dai's heart was slightly surprised, thinking what a big pie! However, her face didn't show any ripples, as if she had heard something that had nothing to do with herself.

  This made Murong Yu shocked, this little girl was so young, yet she had become mature beyond her years, not showing any excitement at all! He didn't believe that she wasn't stirred up or moved in her heart. This little girl had also seen his skills for herself, and she was a martial artist too, wouldn't she be moved?

  Qin Dai Xin wasn't heartless, she was just a bit dazed. As soon as she thought about being able to learn from a master and acquire his flying sand and walking stone skills, her heart felt extremely pleased. She was originally a special agent, trained in top-notch assassination techniques, the kind of person who wouldn't even bat an eyelid when facing life or death. But she had one weakness: whenever she saw extraordinary martial arts or exquisite moves, she would want to make them her own.

  Right in front of her was such a big piece of cake, how could she let it go? However, she also figured out the old man's temperament. You can't always play by the rules to cater to his temper; if you do the opposite, you might gain something unexpected. If you agree with him now, he might think you have no personality and might even deny that you're his apprentice.

  Thinking of this, Qin Dai's mind had an idea. She lazily swept a glance at the little old man in her eyes and silently took the gift given by others down from the house top.

  Murong Ba only felt a gust of cold wind blowing by, which blew away a few withered leaves. Immediately afterwards, he burst out laughing again. This lass is so similar to Ling'er...

  Qin Dai Xin returned to her own room, seeing that the sky was still dark, she thought of taking a short nap. As soon as she lay down, she remembered the old man throwing a box at her earlier and wondered what was inside it.

  Everyone has curiosity, and Qin Dai is no exception. She opened the box and saw that there were only two fruits inside, emitting a fragrant scent, about an inch long, with bright red skin, and releasing a faint fragrance.

  "What's going on? What is this thing?" Could it be a special fruit of Da Yong?

  Won't it be poisonous? Qin Dai's heart smiled, that old man was not an ordinary person at first glance, and maybe he had the skill of flying sand and walking stones. If he really wanted to harm himself, why bother playing this kind of trick? He wants someone's life, and it's probably just a matter of blinking an eye. What kind of poisonous material or method would be used, I'm afraid that person wouldn't even bother to do it.

  Qin Dai Xin had always been a magnanimous person, and she was content with her circumstances. She didn't take the things in this box seriously, thinking that the old man was just being annoying and sending her fruit as a New Year's entertainment activity. Without much thought, she ate two of the fruits in one breath.

  That old man wouldn't go so far as to harm himself...

  He even wants to take himself as his own apprentice!

  Qin Dai Xin's mind only flashed with this thought, and she entered a sweet dreamland. Even she herself didn't realize that she slept for seven whole days.

  PS: Watching the collection drop a little bit, my heart is really cool! But this can't stop me from wanting to write. The first volume ends today, and tomorrow I'll start the second volume. Are you guys ready?