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墨書 Inktalez
"Is it almost New Year?" Huan raised her head, looking at us who were discussing passionately.
Thanks to the persistence and effort of the Landlady, Huan finally learned the human language, although it was slightly imperfect as she liked to add a playful tone after every word.
Well, considering her cuteness, I let it slide!
"Yeah, it's almost New Year again," Lin Miaomiao said joyfully while sitting across from Huan. "By the way, do you want to go set off fireworks tonight?"
"Aren't fireworks banned now?" I asked in surprise.
Perhaps due to the fear of fires during the Spring Festival, many cities no longer allow fireworks.
"We're far from the city here; they can't control us," Lin Miaomiao said nonchalantly.
"By the way, Miao Miao, why aren't you going home for the New Year?" Qu placed a plate of fruits in front of Lin Miaomiao and asked curiously.
As the New Year approached, many students had already returned home. Although Lin Miaomiao's home is very close to the school, isn't she thinking about going back as it will soon be New Year's Eve?
"It's still early," Lin Miaomiao replied. "I don't want to watch the Spring Festival Gala alone, right, Yin Zheng'an?"
"I don't watch the Spring Festival Gala," I said.
"Really?" Lin Miaomiao responded.
"Landlady, what about you? You won't be open for business during the New Year, will you?" I asked.
"Generally, we don't celebrate the New Year," the Landlady said. "The demon race can live for hundreds or thousands of years; if we celebrated every year, it would be too much to handle."
"What are you celebrating?"
"Celebrating longevity."
"Isn't that the same thing?"
"One hundred years is celebrated once."
""
"Red Boy, what about you? Why aren't you going home?" I looked over at Red Boy, who was making dumplings.
I don't know when it started, but the custom of eating dumplings during the New Year has spread to the south as well. Although most of us are vegetarians, vegetarian dumplings are quite delicious, aren't they?
"Who do you want me to look for?" Red Boy looked up at me, staring at me like I was an idiot. "I don't even know where my parents are right now. Am I supposed to go to the South China Sea to find a Bodhisattva? Just let me be; I finally managed to escape."
"Uh, fine. So, we have gathered quite a number of unemployed youths now, haven't we?"
"Pretty much. By the way, Sister Wang Ni will come by later."
"Speaking of which, where's Zhang Fan?"
"He went back to Maoshan," I replied.
Among us, the only one who has a home to return to is actually a Taoist priest.
"Yin Zheng'an, while there are still a few merchants around, hurry up and buy some necessities. By the way, can't you draw talismans? Come on, help write the couplets first." Uncle Xing barged in with a bundle of red paper.
"It's New Year, the cafeteria is closed, so he came too," I explained helplessly to the Landlady.
"Soaring Dragons and Leaping Tigers to celebrate, Golden Rooster Heralds the Dawn to welcome spring!" With a swift stroke of the brush, a beautiful set of Spring Couplets appeared under my hand.
"Ango, why does everything you write have a bit of a sutra flavor?" Red Boy asked curiously while stuffing a dumpling filling into the dumpling.
"Why don't you give it a try?" I replied irritably.
"Forget it, my writing has a strong Sutra vibe," Red Boy admitted, shrinking back and refusing.
"Soaring Dragons and Leaping Tigers? Wasn't last year the Year of the Monkey? What does that have to do with dragons and tigers?"
"Then Trouble, find a phrase that can match Golden Rooster Heralds the Dawn and also includes monkeys."
"Dragon Monkey Brings Good Fortune!"
"Get lost."
"By the way, Yin Zheng'an, later you need to go into the city to buy some things. I've already written down the names," Uncle Xing handed me a piece of paper. "And by the way, I'll give you another task."
"What? It's New Year's and you still want to give me tasks? Are you trying to make life difficult for me?" I exclaimed dramatically.
"Don't rush, first listen to what the task is about."
"You."
"You bring the Nian Beast over."
"Why?"
"During the New Year, it's because people in ancient times were afraid of the Nian Beast, and they celebrated to drive it away. So what's the point of bringing the Nian Beast over? I'm fine!"
"You don't understand. In the past, people couldn't deal with the Nian Beast, so driving it away was a joyful event. But now, what we fear is that someone might catch the Nian Beast during the New Year and stew it. That would be awkward!"
"The Nian Beast can be stewed? Are you kidding me?"
"Ahem, anyway, nowadays, the Nian Beast is more precious than your protective animals. Besides, the Nian Beast is now an Auspicious Beast. Ordinary people want to catch it but can't."
"Alright," I said. I was planning to go to the city anyway, so I might as well bring it: "But there shouldn't be any cars going to the city now, right?"
Isn't that right? It's New Year! The Didi Chuxing drivers aren't working anymore. But it's okay; even though I can't drive, I can still fly!
Of course, someone might ask, aren't you flying with Huaijian? Why not just fly?
Well, you don't know the details.
What time is it now? It's New Year! If you're in the city, it's fine, but if you're passing through a rural area and suddenly a firecracker flies by or a monkey jumps out with a laughing Wealth God Zhao Gongming printed on it...
Can you handle that?
So in China, during festivals, it's more reliable to travel on the ground; otherwise, you might get caught by firecrackers.
Look at Santa Claus—how clever he is! Eating turkey, hanging stockings, and only working once a year. Compared to our Kitchen God, who not only has no holidays but also has to worry about not getting blown up by firecrackers sent for him.
It's not like it hasn't happened before; every year several Kitchen Gods get blown up!
The Golden Chariot quickly finished buying the necessary items, and all that was left was to welcome the precious creature known as the Nian Beast.
I glanced at the clock; it was almost dinner time, but the Nian Beast still hadn't appeared.
Could it really have been captured by someone to go eat hot pot? According to legends, wasn't the Nian Beast supposed to be a terrifying existence?
At that moment, a creature that looked remarkably like a Husky walked up to my feet, panting with its tongue out and looking up at me.
"Whose Husky is this?" I squatted down and patted the Husky's head. "Did it get lost?"
"You’re the one who’s lost!" the Husky retorted. "I am the renowned Nian Beast!"
I grabbed the Husky by its neck with one hand and lifted it up, asking Jin in the car, "Is this thing really the Nian Beast? Is it credible?"
Jin nodded slightly. "Yes, that's it."
You could give me a thousand chances, and I still wouldn't guess that this creature is the Nian Beast that legends say can only be driven away with firecrackers! This is just a slightly faded black Husky, right?
Are you kidding me?
I threw the Husky into Jin's car using extremely forceful means, closed the door, and said to Jin, "Sister Jin, let's go! I'm afraid someone will steal our dog!"
"Don't worry, it's fine," Jin reassured me. "Just take responsibility when the time comes; as long as it doesn't involve me, it's all good."
"You have no feelings at all."
The Husky struggled a bit under my feet, but it seemed that its strength was no match for mine, so it quieted down.
"Are you really that young?" I finally asked when I saw that the Husky had stopped causing a fuss.
"Is that a problem?" The Husky nudged me with its nose. "I even know a Teddy called Howling Hound."
Teddy? Howling Hound?
That's right, how strong is Teddy? It dominates the air every day, invincible in this world! Everyone is afraid of it.
But if you ask me which is stronger between Husky and Teddy, it depends on the subject. After all, when it comes to tearing things apart, Husky is unbeatable.
"What are you Nian Beasts doing in this realm?" I asked with interest. "Just to let people chase you away?"
"Do you really think being a Nian Beast is that easy?" The Husky shot me a glance. "We Nian Beasts come down here for a purpose!"
"What purpose?"
"After a year, once we descend, we will devour all those negative energies. In other words, we are the divine beasts that take away negativity."
"And what about you yourself?"
"Especially negative."
Is this guy just a garbage collector? But it makes sense; any creature that consumes all the gloomy things must leave behind only the joyful ones!
"Anyway, your task is to take me back to the court," Husky said slowly. "As long as I get there by midnight tonight, your mission will be complete."
"Does it matter if we arrive a bit early or late?"
"That won't do, and besides, I can't fly myself."
"Alright, I'll think of a way," I pondered for a moment and came up with a good idea. "Have you heard of firecrackers?"
"Firecrackers?" Husky exclaimed with wide eyes.
"You know about them?" I said, disappointed that it actually recognized these things.
"Of course! What do you think firecrackers are for? If you want to know, I can recite most of the names of fireworks and firecrackers available in the market."
"Well, what are you afraid of? By the way, are you really afraid of red ones?"
"I'm not afraid of red," Husky murmured. "I just faint at the sight of blood."
"What?"
The reason the Nian Beast is afraid of red is that it faints at the sight of blood? That's big news!
"What about loud noises? Are you afraid of those?"
"That's true. I'm a bit mentally weak and can't handle those noisy sounds."
"Do you still have the problem of mental weakness?"
"Yeah, who goes out without some kind of illness these days?"
""
Nian Beast is even less stealthy than I am.
It was getting dark, and a wave of aromas wafted through the air, the scent of various New Year's Eve dinners. The Nian Beast 'Husky' next to me sniffed the air and then opened its mouth, biting at the air vigorously.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm eating the festive spirit; Resentment gets a stomachache if it eats too much."
"You..."
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