130: A family of three

It was almost evening when they returned home.

Jiang Ning and Shen Jinhuan set up a simple stove.

Controlling it with Spiritual Qi was very convenient; several dishes could be cooked at once.

For Cultivators, multitasking was a basic skill.

The large meatball mixture was blanched, then deep-fried, waiting to be stewed as Four Joy Meatballs for dinner.

On the other side, chicken was already bubbling in the pot.

The blanched pork belly cubes were added to the caramelized sugar in the pot, along with seasonings and hot water, then covered to stew as braised pork.

There was no rush for the spiritual shrimp.

Shen Jinhuan used a knife to scrape the scales off the spiritual fish. The spiritual fish scales were hard, making a "sizzle, sizzle" sound as they were scraped, even emitting sparks.

Little White wasn't idle either.

She lay by the stove opening, slowly adding firewood.

Her whiskers weren't burned off, but her cheeks gradually became smudged with soot.

Just like a Siamese cat.

Jiang Ning and Shen Jinhuan were momentarily stunned when they saw her.

They burst into laughter.

Little White also chuckled along, "Hehe."

During this time,

Jiang Ning began to make dumplings.

As Shen Jinhuan was making dumplings, she suddenly thought of Wen Ruotang.

It was Older Sister Ruotang who had taught her how to make dumplings.

"Revered Master, what do you think Older Sister Ruotang is doing now?"

"She should be enjoying the New Year properly."

In the mortal world, the New Year was very important.

They had left Wen Ruotang with a lot of wealth when they left, and with the protective jade amulet to help her safeguard it, it would be easy for her to raise her own guard team.

Actually, Jiang Ning had also considered it.

Wen Ruotang probably wasn't having a good New Year right now.

When they left, Prince Dingjiang had not been completely defeated, and with continuous wars, how could the common people have a good life?

The little fox asked, "Huanhuan, who is Older Sister Ruotang?"

"A very good older sister."

"Like my Silver Moon-jie?"

"Yes."

"Then if we miss her, we can go see her!"

Little White said simply.

If you miss someone, go see them.

Now she missed Silver Moon-jie too.

She also wondered if her sister had Broken Through to the Nascent Soul stage.

For a moment, the atmosphere became a bit heavy.

Jiang Ning changed the subject, saying, "I've put some crushed Spirit Stones in the dumplings. Whoever eats one will have very good luck for the entire coming year."

"Wow!"

Little White looked at the row of neatly wrapped dumplings.

Jiang Ning tapped her on the forehead.

"No peeking with Divine Sense. Don't cheat."

If they used Divine Sense to check, what would be the fun in that?

Evening.

A crescent moon hung in the sky.

The New Year's Eve dinner was ready.

The steam rising from the pot melted the falling snowflakes.

"Revered Master, it's snowing!"

Shen Jinhuan ran to tell Jiang Ning.

Jiang Ning walked out to see, and it was true.

"Quickly, come inside, don't get wet."

The little fox and Shen Jinhuan quickly entered the house.

The family of three sat around.

Jiang Ning raised his wine cup.

"I hope we can always sit together to celebrate the New Year, always be reunited, safe, and healthy. And of course, it would be even better if our cultivation also progressed rapidly."

"I hope to always be with Revered Master."

Shen Jinhuan held her wine cup, mumbling inwardly.

Little White looked forward to the future, "In the future, we must invite my sister to celebrate the New Year too, Revered Master! My sister has a good figure and is very strong.

I want to introduce my sister to you as your wife.

Then let my sister give birth to a litter of fox cubs for you!"

Shen Jinhuan: ???

Who taught you to backstab?

Jiang Ning burst out laughing.

"Cheers, cheers."

Shen Jinhuan raised her wine cup.

The little fox also stood on her hind legs, holding her wine cup with her front paws.

The three cups clinked together, making a crisp sound.

After putting down their wine cups,

Dinner finally began.

Little White said, "Su Rao went to communicate about the Ascension Assembly matters. When she comes back, Huanhuan, you must tell her everything and make her regret it!"

The little fox also had a bit of a devious streak.

Jiang Ning picked up a chicken leg for her.

Don't they say foxes love to eat chicken?

Eat, eat… until the end.

The dumplings were served.

The little fox declared she would eat the dumpling with the "crushed Spirit Stone."

Shen Jinhuan feigned "maturity," but her eyes were also full of eagerness.

Jiang Ning secretly used his Divine Sense to check.

He served dumplings to both the human and the fox.

Not long after,

The little fox spat out a crushed Spirit Stone the size of a pinky fingernail.

"Revered Master, Huanhuan, I found it!"

Shen Jinhuan also spat out a piece of crushed Spirit Stone at this moment.

"I found one too."

Jiang Ning smiled, "Since you found it, you'll have very, very good luck for the entire coming year."

"That's right, that's right!"

The little fox ambitiously declared, "I want to become a Golden Core!"

Shen Jinhuan looked at Jiang Ning; she only hoped that Jiang Ning would be well.

After dinner,

The two humans and one fox went to the courtyard.

Just during dinner, a layer of snow had fallen in the courtyard.

Little White rushed over, leaving small paw prints in the snow.

Shen Jinhuan wanted to build a snowman.

But remembering that Jiang Ning had called her previous apple-shaped snowman a butt, she lost all motivation.

That hateful Jiang Ning.

How could it be a butt?!

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. Shen Jinhuan directly balled up a snowball and threw it at Jiang Ning.

Jiang Ning chuckled and made a snowball himself.

After midnight, the first day of the first lunar month arrived.

Jiang Ning originally wanted to say, everyone go to sleep.

Then he had a change of heart.

Cultivators, why sleep?

The little fox clamored to go put on new clothes, and even Shen Jinhuan left.

Jiang Ning decided to change as well.

Not long after,

They met in the main hall.

Jiang Ning wore a white robe, looking ethereal and gentle in demeanor.

After Little White put on her red clothes, she gained a few extra points of cuteness and humor. She bounced and scurried around the room, expressing her excitement.

Shen Jinhuan's attire stunned Jiang Ning.

As expected of the female villain in the book, this red dress showcased Shen Jinhuan's enchanting beauty.

The exquisite collarbone revealed by the neckline was bony but not gaunt, and her slightly rising chest had the fullness appropriate for her age.

She had a slender waist and perky hips.

At such a young age, she already displayed a Heaven-Defying waist-to-hip ratio.

Her long legs emerged from the slit, slender, straight, and fair.

On her feet were red silk embroidered shoes.

Shen Jinhuan's half-tied long hair was secured with that green jade hairpin.

Unfortunately, under the disguise, the young girl's already captivating appearance was not fully revealed.

Noticing Jiang Ning looking at her a few more times,

Shen Jinhuan's heart swelled with joy.

She had chosen this very mature long dress precisely to make Jiang Ning look at her more.

At least... to stop treating her like a child.

Jiang Ning withdrew his gaze.

He pulled out two red envelopes from his Storage Ring.

He handed one to Shen Jinhuan.

"New Year's money. Happy New Year, Huanhuan."

"I don't want it."

Shen Jinhuan turned her head away.

New Year's money was meant to suppress one's age; she wanted to grow up quickly, so how could she suppress her age?

Besides, this was for elders to give to juniors.

She didn't want to be Jiang Ning's junior.

Little White then said, "Revered Master, Revered Master, if Huanhuan doesn't want it, just give it all to me!"

After saying that, she even tried to jump up and grab it.

Shen Jinhuan immediately snatched the red envelope and took it.

"I want it!"

This was from her Revered Master!

Jiang Ning squatted down and handed one to Little White.

The red envelopes contained Spirit Stone notes he had exchanged at the Yingtong Merchant Guild's bank.

One hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones in denomination.

Not much, just for good luck.