The World Online - New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve
Back inside the Lord’s Manor, Ouyang Shuo went to find Gu Sanniang. She was the head chef, but also a close friend to Little Sister Mu Qingsi. Gu Sanniang was basically playing the role of housekeeper for the Manor.
Speaking with Gu Sanniang, Ouyang Shuo did not put on any airs and said affectionately, “Sanniang, we have more and more room to take care of, and you also have a job to do. I can see you working hard, so I would like you to find some maidservants to help you. Also get Yingyu and Qing’er some maidservants to take care of their daily lives.”
Gu Sanniang smiled and said, “I do think it is busy, but as sire has told me this, I believe there will be a large number of people applying for a position to work in the Manor. Should I arrange maids for yourself, my lord? You are also very busy, but having someone at the side to pour tea would be good.”
Ouyang Shuo waved his hand and said, “I do not need one. You must remember, the maidservants must be kind and honest. I do not want the living area to not be peaceful.”
“Even if my lord had not said this, I would be looking for such!” Gu Sanniang answered.
“Then I am relieved, and will let you get back to work!”
Going back to his office, Ouyang Shuo picked up a book, and sat down to read. Suddenly a burst of system music burst through his thoughts.
_“System tip: Congratulations to player Qiyue Wiyu. For reading continuously, your Comprehension has increased by 1!”_
It was a surprise. Since the beginning of the grade 2 village, Ouyang Shuo had read a lot of ancient books. Finally his hard work had paid off, and he had finally raised his Comprehension a little bit.
He hadn’t looked at his own stats in a long time, and with a thought he did so now.
Name: Qiyue Wuyi
Title: Celebrity (Good impression on historical figures +10%)
Territory: Shanhai Town
Merit Points: 9000/12,800
Title: Third Class Count
Occupation: General (sub-occupation)
Level: 27 (3,946,600/4,341,060)
Reputation: Well known (4300/10,000)
Body Structure: 18
Comprehension: 21
Luck: 5
Charm: 8
Command: 37
Force: 10
Intelligence: 10
Political: 37
Talent: Not Open
Cultivation Method: Bajiquan ‘learnt the fundamentals’
Skills: Intermediate Collection, Basic Shipbuilding, Basic Diplomacy, Intermediate Assessment, Intermediate Weapons Proficiency, Basic Riding, Basic Marksmanship, Basic Archery
Mount: Black Tornado (gold)
Equipment: High Quality Fine Iron Spear (gold), Ring of Courage (black iron), Brutal Guardian (gold), Brutal Boots (silver), Brutal Gloves (Silver), Fine Iron Sword (silver)
Speaking of which, he was really blind to how he used his equipment. Since the last defense of the territory during the Siege of Beasts, he hadn’t fought at all, safe all day in his territory, his body was almost moldy.
Seeing the Brutal armor set, Ouyang Shuo thought about when the last time Little Mu was promoted to Master Tailor, she still had not handed over the leather drops from the boss animals from the Siege of Beasts. She was heartless, didn’t know how to take action proactively, he could have rewarded his officers…
“Big brother, it is time to eat!” Little Mu shouted outside, appearing just when he was thinking of her.
“Little Mu, come in here a moment.”
Little Mu bounced into the office, her little mouth protesting, “Why?”
Ouyang Shuo stared at her. “I ask you, the boss level furs that were given to you, how did you not give me anything, ah?”
Little Mu was not afraid of him anymore, and said a little uncertainly, “Hee hee, Big Brother is stupid. The equipment was already done, I have been waiting for you to open your mouth.”
Ouyang Shuo smacked his forehead, reluctantly saying “So, you did not forget. Why did you not come over and tell me? This was expected to be done a week ago.”
“Well, Big Brother, do not forget, you have not yet paid the tailoring fees, how can we get the equipment to you?!” Little Ming said with plausible confidence.
This little gold-digger, how had he not seen this before, she had such a characteristic? “Did not Big Brother give you a dark gold tailor kit set? Well, what else do you want…”
“How can that be the same, the toolkit is something Big Brother promised to get me on promotion to Master. It does not mean you can ignore the tailoring fees!” She definitely had a cool mind, that wasn’t good.
Ouyang Shuo knew he was going to take a financial hit on this. “Fine, then, how much for your tailoring fees, I will give it to you now. Tomorrow, remember to bring me the equipment.”
“Hee hee, not much, just two gold coins!”
Ouyang Shuo took out two gold coins, put them into her little hands indulgently, and said, “Come, you gold miser, let’s go eat.”
Little Ming grinned as she put the gold coins into her purse, bouncing along with Ouyang Shuo behind her. She had the look of a fox that had just stepped out of the chicken house.
After dinner, Ouyang Shuo went to his bedroom in the back of the Manor, and logged off.
————————————————
In reality it was February 28, tomorrow night was New Year’s Eve. Ouyang Shuo thought he should go out and buy stuff for New Year’s today, because tomorrow would be too late. But, Bing’er wasn’t up yet. She had been really tired yesterday, today might not be the best day to take her shopping.
After going down to buy breakfast, Ouyang Shuo went into Bing’er’s room. He opened the curtains and let the light in. With the sun, Bing’er opened her eyes, whispering, “Brother is bad, I want to sleep more…”
Ouyang Shuo leaned down and squeezed her cheek, saying, “Bing’er, though it is winter vacation, you cannot sleep late every day. Last night, going to sleep early and not getting up, sleeping for a long time will hurt your head.”
Bing’er reluctantly got up, put on her cute little slippers, and went to wash up.
While eating breakfast, Ouyang Shuo mentioned to Bing’er about buying New Year’s gifts. “Baby sister, yesterday you were tired enough to fall over, today your brother is going out to buy New Year’s presents. You stay home and rest, alright?”
Upon hearing that he was going out shopping, Bing’er’s eyes lit right up, her small head shaking like a rattle. “Bing’er is not tired. Bing’er will go with brother to buy New Year’s Eve presents. Bad brother cannot let lovely Bing’er stay home!”
Nothing could be done to tame this miserable monkey. He wondered what sin he had done in his past life, there was a little sister Mu ingame and a little sister Bing’er in the real world. These two little sisters were indeed adorable, but at times bringing misery.
They walked down a street that had the traditional side shops open with a variety of dazzling new products. Both sides of the streets were covered with festive red lanterns, and there were all kinds of colorful banners…along with a thick smell of food.
New Year’s was inseparable from the word for eating, and New Year’s food accounted for a large part of it. Traditional egg powder, crispy triangles, rice cakes, fried dumplings, as well as fresh meat, honey dates, almond cakes…these were the things most able to arouse people’s memories of festival food.
People flocked to the shops on both sides of the street to buy New Year’s food.
Compared to Ouyang Shuo’s love of traditional food, Bing’er clearly liked candy. Crisp sugar cubes, fruit sugar, chocolate, jelly, lollipops, and hundreds of other candies; Bing’er looked over all of them hungrily, picking which to have. Fortunately the businesses were understanding and allowed all kinds of mixing and matching on the candy. Otherwise, Bing’er would have been sorely pressed to choose.
In addition to the finished foods, Ouyang Shuo also had to buy some food to prepare for the dinner. Oysters, shrimp, mushrooms, squid, scallops, and so on were the main ingredients. In addition, he also bought some fish maw, sea cucumbers, and some other high grade foods.
Of course, for this meal, there would also be Chinese preserved meats. In addition to the traditional sausage, things like wax duck kidney, roast duck, soy sauce, five bacons, and other foods must not be ignored.
When he was done buying all the various foods, Ouyang Shuo’s hands already held five or six bags. They weren’t finished, either. For New Years, he still had Chinese knots, zodiac dolls, and the other little things to buy.
The two of them had just come out of the grocery when they heard someone shout behind them. Ouyang Shuo turned around and saw two girls waving at him from a little ways away. After taking a look, he recognized them as his former junior high school classmates Tan Xiaoli and Meng Fei Fei.
It was really a big change after eighteen. In junior high school, they had been really slim. If not for Ouyang Shuo having such a good memory, he wouldn’t have recognized them.
Ouyang Shuo holding Bing’er’s hand, he went up and greeted the two. Tan Xiaoli was a little fat girl, with a cheerful character. Meng Fei Fei was more petite, with a shy character, just standing to the side.
“Hey, old classmate, I have not seen you for so many years, still so handsome!” Tan Xiaoli said with a smile.
Ouyang Shuo had long been out of junior high school when he was first excited about girls. “Well, I still look the same, but the two beautiful girls in front of me are even more pretty.”
Tan Xiaoli’s eyes lit up. “Oh, the then-innocent boy now knows sweet words, daring to flirt with the older sister already.” She looked at Bing’er and hesitated. “This lovely little girl. Could she be your daughter-?”
Ouyang Shuo coughed a bit. “What? This is my sister, Ouyang Bing!”
He could not blame her completely. When Bing’er was born, he was already in his third year. His fellow students did not know about his sister. Thanks to modern medicine, women were far more free to choose their childbearing age. Having a second child at 34 was very common.
“The class party has been set for first month, fourth day, will you be going?” Tan Xiaoli asked him.
“I might be going, I have not seen anyone for a long time, meeting them will be good.”
“That’s good, this street is not a place to talk, we will meet at the gathering!” Tan Xiaoli was a straight forwards person, she took Meng Fei Fei and was ready to leave.
Ouyang Shuo naturally wanted them to leave, he hadn’t finished his New Year’s shopping spree! He bid farewell to the two and the brother and sister continued their annual raiding trip for goodies.
*[Long Taos]: side characters in Chinese operas who perform acrobatics and fight scenes
*[12.47 to 13.07]: don’t ask me about the tree sap
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