When Zhou Zishu had curled up in Wen Kexing’s embrace for half the other night, he had scared Wen Kexing into over-cautiousness on the second day--Wen Kexing knew that Zhou Zishu had to be tormented by his injuries, but he had not known that he was tormented this severely. Now, as this heart of Wen Kexing’s started to ache on his behalf, he treated Zhou Zishu like a porcelain doll, and didn’t dare to tussle nonsensically with him any more.

Yet, after two days of frightfully cautious observation, he discovered that this “Porcelain Doll Zhou” was remorseless to a degree, and was someone who did not keep these instances of agony in mind at all. At the break of dawn every day, once the pain had passed, he seemed to have forgotten it like a critter with a memory span of however short it took to set its paw down--he made fun of others when he should, and cursed when he should. It was as if washing his face could too wash away the exhaustion on it; at breakfast, he was brimming with energy as usual, and his chopsticks continued to fly. He was not the slightest bit stingy in taking food, and was completely operating as per normal.

At that moment, Wen Kexing understood that some people were not fated to lead a pampered life. Coddle him, and he might as well go coddle a pig; what a waste of his feelings.

When Long Xiao had been alive, there had been villagers at the foot of the mountain delivering supplies to the manor every month. Greatly suspicious of others, Long Xiao would work the puppets to retrieve the items and pay, but did not personally meet the villagers.

In a flash, the new year was around the corner. Zhou Zishu and Wen Kexing spent most of the day studying the puppet, during which the both of them had battled numerous rounds with their words. After they had each garnered about five different appellations based around the main subject of “good-for-nothing”, they finally discovered that the puppet did not listen to just anybody’s instructions. Thus, Valley Master Wen had to condescend to find his way around with a map in order to collect the festive goods.

Every single time they had come, the simple and honest villagers had seen only artificial puppets. This time round, upon suddenly witnessing a being of flesh and blood descend from the sky before their eyes, they thought that a deity had finally descended to the mortal world. They even prayed repeatedly after his figure, which, within the blink of an eye, vanished without a trace with his peerless qinggong.

The three of them tidied up with joy, and awaited the new year and its celebrations.