Wishful Ring

  Autumn's cheeks were lost in thought, and a faintly melancholic expression flowed across her usually cheerful face. Having cultivated since childhood, her heart was as calm as an ancient well without ripples, but somehow, at this moment, she felt a slight pang of pain in her chest.

  I don't know why, but I just feel that she shouldn't have such an expression. She should be carefree and happier than now.

  Shi Er's hand gently moved over and grasped Qiū Qiū's hand.

  Plump, soft, warm, and almost as imagined.

  Qiu Qiu turned her head around, although Shi Er didn't say anything, but Qiu Qiu could feel Shi Er's silent comfort.

  She felt a bit awkward: "I'm fine... it's all you, suddenly saying something about missing home."

  The child still didn't make a sound, but he also didn't let go of her hand.

  "But I really miss home a bit, since we went up the mountain, there's been no news from home. I don't know if my parents are doing well, my older brother might be getting married soon, and my sister might already be married off, maybe they've even had kids for me to be an uncle... Next time Master and the senior sisters come down the mountain, I'll ask Master to let me go back home and take a look, but who knows if they'll still recognize me by then."

  "We must know each other."

  Qiu Qiu thought for a moment, nodded: "Right, they must recognize me, my appearance is still the same as when I left home, not changed at all." She rubbed her face with some distress: "If my cultivation doesn't succeed, I may still look like this in another ten or twenty years, and by then I'll really become a child spirit."

  She hadn't heard of the saying "Tong Mu" before, but she was clever and quickly figured out the relationship between Tong and Mu, her mouth corners slightly curving upwards.

  Qiu Qiu covered her mouth, lazily yawned and looked out the window: "It's snowing again, I'm not going back, let's squeeze together."

  The child was stunned for a moment, and Qiuqiu had already taken off her shoes and lay down on the bed, pushing the pillow outward: "Go to sleep quickly."

  Shi Er stood by the bed and was dazed for a while. Qiu Qiu opened her eyes slightly and said vaguely, "You're not sleeping?"

  The child sat down, slowly took off his shoes and lay down. But he didn't dare to move his hands or feet around, stretching them straight out, with his hands tightly stuck to the sides of his legs.

  Qiuqiu was already fast asleep, her chubby little face reminding Xi'er of the crab roe soup dumplings they had eaten earlier, which were both rich and crystal clear.

  Never been this close to anyone in memory.

  The child relaxed a bit compared to just now and slowly turned his head around.

  The two people drew closer, and Qiuqiu's soft breathing brushed against her hand, a little ticklish, yet warm. The feeling was like the gentle caress of willow catkins on a spring day.

  This feeling is strange, but... it's not bad.

  The child stretched out his hand and gently rubbed the tip of his finger on Xiaoxiao's chubby little face.

  "Uh..." Xia Qiu's nose moved slightly, but she didn't wake up.

  The child's fingers stiffened there, and after a while, he couldn't help but rub against her again. This time was lighter than before, and Qiuqiu didn't feel anything, still sleeping soundly like a little pig.

  Having someone by your side feels like this originally.

  I thought I wouldn't fall asleep, but before long, the child also became drowsy. The two of us rested our heads on one pillow, with Autumn's mouth corners curled up in a smile, probably dreaming about some delicious food again. The child's expression relaxed, and their eyebrows and eyes all opened wide.

  The snow outside is getting heavier and bigger, goose feather-like snowflakes are falling gently and quietly.

  Autumn sleep is especially sweet, a good dream till dawn. Snow light shines on the window, and the room is also bright and clean.

  "When did you wake up?" Qiuqiu rubbed her eyes and sat up: "I don't know when... Oh, today is the first day of the Lunar New Year. Happy New Year! I'll give you a New Year's greeting."

  Shi'er nodded slightly and handed over what he was holding in his hand to Qiūqiū.

  "What is it?" Qiuqiu looked down and took a glance: "A gift for me?"

  It was a ring, tied with red thread and hanging with silk tassels, heavy and dark, unable to see the material. It should not be as heavy as wood, nor should it be as warm as stone. It's just such a round ring, very smooth, without any decorative patterns on top.

  Although it didn't look very good, Qiu Qiu still happily accepted it: "Thank you so much, but I didn't prepare anything for you. By the way, what's this?"

  "It's called a wish ring." The child picked up the ring and put it around Qiū Qiū's neck: "It has the effect of protecting your heart, you should wear it all the time, don't take it off."

  Although Qiuqiu didn't quite understand this, since Shier said so, this thing must have a background and be very important, or else Shier wouldn't say so much.

  "Something so important, you should wear it yourself, it's good for your illness too?" Qiuqiu wanted to take off the Ruyi ring, but she felt around and couldn't find the red cord's buckle anywhere, and unexpectedly couldn't take it off.

  "It's useless to me." The child pressed her hand: "Remember, don't take it off."

  It couldn't be taken off again, so Qiuqiu could only continue wearing this ring.

  Although she knew that Jier was kind, giving her such a valuable thing to wear, but Qiuqiu touched this red rope that couldn't be untied and felt strange in her heart.

  Putting this on her is like putting a dog tag on a dog.

  Getting up early, there were still many things to do, and Qiuqiu quickly put this matter behind her mind. On the first day of the new year, the master wanted to test their skills for the past year, and then decide on the direction and focus of their training for the new year. It was equivalent to making a year-end summary and formulating a new year's training plan.

  But what's important is that on New Year's Day, the master should also give a red envelope, right? Last year during Chinese New Year, the master gave her a pretty good spiritual artifact. Of course, such good luck isn't possible every year.

  Yu Xia Zhen Ren indeed examined them one by one and gave instructions. Jing Xin Shifu has always been steady, handled matters thoroughly, and cultivated diligently, so Yu Xia Zhen Ren didn't need to worry about her. As for Jing Yi, Yu Xia Zhen Ren told her a few words, warning her not to be impatient and reckless, as her foundation was not solid, even if she made rapid progress, she would eventually suffer from backlash and end up losing more than she gained.

  Arriving at Qiuqiu's place, Yu Xia Zhenren glared at her: "You slept till the sun was high in the sky before getting up? You're being too lazy, you should learn from Jingyi, if you had half of her diligence, I'd be grateful to heaven and earth."

  Yu Xia's voice paused, her gaze lingering on Qiuqiu's neck.

  "Master?" Chiu Chiu was waiting for the next sentence, but Yu Hsia Chen Jen leaned forward, her hand supporting the Ruyi ring around her neck: "What's this?"

  Qiu Qiu hastily explained: "It was given to me by Shi Er."

  Yu Xiaoren's expression was a bit strange, seeming to be both slightly pleased and somewhat annoyed - with something else mixed in that couldn't be clearly expressed.

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  My head is spinning... My tongue has ulcers, it hurts...