An eight-year-old kid emptied his scumbag father's warehouse and followed his grandparents into

The 29th day of the twelfth lunar month this year is New Year's Eve.

The winter wind was still biting, and the occasional crackling of firecrackers could be heard from outside the walls. Even in such a year, red lanterns were hung high outside the gate of Cui Mansion, and the people in the mansion were busy. For the first time, Jing Chunxi heard the laughter of children in the mansion.

Jing Chunxi stood by the window, gazing at the bustling scene outside, a faint sadness welled up in her heart. This was her second New Year after her rebirth, and she hadn't expected to spend it away from home again.

The scene of celebrating the New Year in Yamen Village last year is still vivid in his mind. Although Xu Zize forced him to run on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, Jing Chunxi enjoyed it.

At that time, Xu Zize was always fierce and never had a good face towards her, especially when she wanted to be lazy, Xu Zize's voice was always nagging in her ears, and he would always hit her at the right time, which was very annoying.

Now when she recalled his appearance back then, her eyes were filled with smiles. It must have been difficult to teach her this apprentice.

Those were the good times!

She followed him along the country road of Yamen Village, breathing the fresh air and watching the rising sun casting its light on the fields, her heart filled with warmth.

Her maternal grandfather's family had made it to Lingnan unscathed, and she had played an indispensable role. Comparing the first eight years of this life, and the short fifteen years of her life in the previous one, being able to celebrate the New Year with her maternal grandfather's family was like heaven and hell compared to the feeling of living in the Pingyang Marquis' Mansion.

The Pingyang Marquisate was a nightmare for her, her mother, and her brother. They were all close relatives, yet the Pingyang Marquisate had sent them into a living hell. Only with her maternal grandfather's family did they truly share a bond of kinship.

She still remembered the days at the Pingyang Marquis's mansion. During the New Year, the mansion was decorated with lights and colorful lanterns, but the liveliness was only superficial. She, her mother, and her brother were always left out. Her biological father only cared about Concubine Liu and his two legitimate sons; no one truly cared about them.

My mother would hide in her room and secretly wipe away her tears. My younger brother was often bullied by the two brothers, too scared to complain or speak out. And those so-called elders, with their hypocritical smiles on their faces, were always calculating behind my back.

In contrast, the warmth of her maternal grandmother's home made her feel like she was basking in the spring breeze. Her grandmother was always very concerned about her health, and because her mother and brother who lived far away in the capital were worried, she even wanted to bring them to Lingnan to live with them.

Grandfather would take them to paste Spring Festival couplets, hang lanterns, and test her martial arts skills. The whole family would sit together, chatting and laughing, and stay up all night to celebrate the New Year.

That kind of warmth is the feeling of home, which she had never experienced in the Pingyang Marquis Mansion.

This time, she couldn't spend the New Year with her family again. Jing Chunxi still felt very regretful, and suddenly a little depressed. She lowered her head and sighed softly.

Xu Zize was sensitive to her low mood and whispered to comfort her: "At least Xi'er still has her mother and brother who care about her, as well as the general and the old lady. The relatives in Yamen Village will also care about Xi'er."

He walked up to her, gently held her hand, his eyes full of tenderness, hoping to make her feel a little warmth of home.

As for himself, Xu Zize had long been accustomed to loneliness and did not show any sad expression in front of Jing Chunxi.

My father, who is far away in Lingnan, may not be able to have a peaceful reunion dinner tonight. He may still be on the road. I wonder if he will occasionally remember me, his eldest son who is also on the road, in his spare time.

He lowered his head slightly, touched Jing Chunxi's hair, and said in a low voice: "With Xi'er here, Brother Xiaokang feels very good."

Jing Chunxi then thought of Xu Zize, who was also spending the New Year away from home. The Cui Mansion was also Xu Zize's maternal family, but it was likely that almost none of the people living there now knew Xu Zize personally. It was unlikely he had any close feelings for them. After all, this was his maternal grandfather's house, a bit far away, and it was also the old residence of the Cui Mansion.

The Empress Dowager's closest relatives, during her prime, decades ago, should have moved to the capital long ago. Those who lived here were likely illegitimate children or collateral relatives. The clan members treated Xu Zize with more respect than true affection.

Thinking of this, Jing Chunxi couldn't help but feel a little sad, and even more sad for Xu Zize.

She looked up at him, her eyes full of concern: "Brother Xiaokang, do you miss home?"

Xu Zize shook his head, a smile playing on his lips: "With Xi'er here, Brother Xiaokang feels like this is home."

He paused for a moment and continued, "Brother Xiaokang feels very happy to be able to celebrate the New Year with Xier."

Jing Chunxi's heart warmed, and her eyes reddened slightly. She held Xu Zize's hand tightly and whispered, "Brother Xiaokang, I'm glad to be spending the New Year with you, too." At that moment, she decided not to think about her mother and brother, or her family in Yamen Village, but to spend the New Year peacefully with Xu Zize. Because no matter how much she thought, it was useless.

She recalled how Xu Zize always had a stern face during Chinese New Year last year, but he actually cared about her. She remembered one time when she accidentally fell, and Xu Zize immediately appeared and helped her up. She didn't hear his voice at the time, but his eyes spoke volumes, as if to say, "Ugly girl, are you okay?"

Xu Zize didn't actually remember many New Year's celebrations with his mother. What little he did remember had gradually faded into obscurity. During the years he spent with the Empress Dowager, he was mostly confined to her Shoukang Palace, or the Upper Study Room, where she studied. He never even ventured outside the palace, let alone the gates. During New Year's celebrations, he ate only cold palace banquets. After the Empress Dowager fell ill, he stayed out of the main gate or even the back gate, except for the Upper Study Room.

The only Chinese New Year that made him happy and had a deep memory was the one he spent with the Jing family and Jing Chunxi last year.

Xu Zize smiled slightly, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes: "Xi'er, do you remember last year's Chinese New Year? We set off firecrackers with some cousins, and you were so scared that you kept hiding behind me."

Jing Chunxi blushed slightly and argued, "You did it on purpose. You and Silang threw firecrackers at me on purpose." Xu Zize laughed and said, "That's why Xi'er can feel the excitement of the New Year. Isn't that how the memory stays deep?"

He paused for a moment and said, "Actually, that was the happiest New Year's celebration for me." Suddenly changing the subject, Xu Zize asked, "Will Xier return to Yamen Village again?" His eyes were full of anticipation.

Jing Chunxi looked at him, a warm feeling welling up in her heart. She knew that although Xu Zize was born into a noble family, he was actually very lonely. He had no real friends, no family to accompany him, and only she could talk to him. And she, in turn, regarded him as her closest relative.

She said softly, "Brother Xiaokang, enjoy this year first, next year~~" She thought for a moment and said, "Next year I will go to Lingnan, and I'm not sure how I will spend the New Year... maybe I will have to rush back to spend it with mother and brother."

If it weren't for unavoidable reasons, she really didn't want to be away from her mother and brother for three consecutive years. She felt it would be better to spend the New Year at home.

"So, Brother Xiaokang, we should all be happy."

"Yes, of course we will. We will be very happy."

Xu Zize's words came from the heart. He had been worried for the past two days, worried that Jing Chunxi would not want to accompany him and would suddenly make a fuss and demand to return immediately.

These past few days, he didn't come home until the evening. Besides being too busy with things outside, he also wanted to avoid Jing Chunxi. He was also worried that he would reveal his sadness and affect her.

He didn't want her to worry or feel lonely, so he always tried to keep an optimistic smile and wanted to spend this special year with her.