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Yin Yuan successfully drew everyone's attention to the fox.
The fox smiled calmly, lowered his head, and affectionately looked at Xing Ruyi, saying, "Since it is your mother's wish, as a father, I must help her fulfill it; otherwise, how can I call myself a husband? Fox Demon, right?"
Xing Ruyi considered herself to have a thick skin, but being teased by the fox in front of family made her face, wrapped in a cloak, involuntarily turn red. She secretly pinched the fox's waist hard and ignored the questioning look from Deer Lady, pointing instead at Luo Fu, who was still wandering in the courtyard. "I have heard of this somnambulism before. There is a distant cousin of mine back home who also suffered from it. It was said that one summer night, when it was hot, my cousin's family stayed overnight on a high place.
In the middle of the night, with the moon bright and stars sparse and a gentle breeze blowing, my aunt and uncle were awakened by some strange movement. When they opened their eyes, they saw my cousin walking back and forth on the edge with her eyes closed and moving mechanically. The place they were staying was about as high as a house, yet my cousin walked along the edge as if it were flat ground. My aunt was so frightened that she almost fainted; fortunately, my uncle remained calm and quickly covered her mouth to prevent her from screaming. He then quietly got up and managed to catch my cousin when she returned to the distance.
When he held her, she actually fell asleep again; however, when she woke up the next morning, she had no memory of what had happened during the night. From then on, no matter how hot it got, my aunt and uncle never allowed her to sleep in high places.
After hearing about this incident, I also researched somnambulism. It cannot be abruptly interrupted; otherwise, the soul may leave the body, and in severe cases, one could even die from fright. Fortunately, you stopped my shout just in time; otherwise, I really would have harmed Luo Fu."
"You didn't even know Luo Fu was sleepwalking; how could you have harmed her?" The fox comforted Xing Ruyi and noticed that Luo Fu had squatted under a tree again, seemingly talking to someone. He redirected Xing Ruyi's attention back to Luo Fu: "It is said that the actions of a sleepwalker are not unconscious but rather manifestations of their inner demons—what we call heart knots. Such individuals usually carry heavy burdens in their hearts but manage to conceal them well while awake. Over time, when their hearts can no longer bear it, they release these burdens through sleepwalking."
"So what Luo Fu is doing now is related to the Heart Demon that has been haunting her for years?" Xing Ruyi leaned forward slightly to observe Luo Fu's actions closely. "But these actions seem very simple; the most complex one is just squatting under a tree talking to someone. What kind of secrets could possibly be hidden here?"
Just then, Luo Fu suddenly lifted her face and looked at Xing Ruyi. At that moment, the cool moonlight shone perfectly on Luo Fu's face; she had her eyes closed and gave Xing Ruyi an eerie smile before wiping her own face. The action of wiping her face was quite strange as if she wanted to tear off her own skin.
Because Luo Fu turned her face suddenly and made such an odd gesture towards Xing Ruyi without warning, Xing Ruyi was taken aback and stumbled back two steps. Fortunately, the fox reached out to catch her before she fell.
Once Xing Ruyi steadied herself and looked again, Luo Fu had already stood up and was walking toward her bedroom while Old Beggar stood quietly at the door of an adjacent room watching Luo Fu.
Xing Ruyi shifted her gaze from Luo Fu to Old Beggar and then from Old Beggar to Pixiu before arriving at her conclusion. There must be some secrets between Old Beggar and Luo Fu, and this secret was likely related to the truth behind Luo Fu's nighttime sleepwalking.
New Year's Eve! It seemed that if she wanted to uncover all the secrets, she would have to wait until after New Year's Eve.
The New Year's Eve in later generations is clearly not as lively as that of the Golden Tang Dynasty. When Xing Ruyi first arrived in the Golden Tang Dynasty, there were only her and the fox. Xing Ruyi came from a thousand years later, and the fox not only came from a thousand years later but also from Qingqiu. Neither of them understood the customs and traditions of the Golden Tang Dynasty; they simply had a simple New Year's Eve dinner and then stared at each other for a while before falling asleep.
There was no way around it; in a world without the internet, without mobile phones, and even without the Spring Festival Gala, staying up for New Year's was truly boring and exhausting. Later, she met Chang Tai and Shengzi. Since Brother Chang was also alone and Shengzi only had a widowed mother at home, they decided to gather together for some company. Thus, the second New Year's Eve after arriving in the Golden Tang Dynasty was spent at Shengzi's home. After having dinner, they chatted for quite a while before parting ways.
This year was indeed the most special year since arriving in the Golden Tang Dynasty. Not only was she in a new place, but the people she spent New Year's Eve with had also changed. Thinking of the bell she had left behind, thinking of Si Niang who was spending New Year's Eve alone in Luoyang, and Li Mao who was still unknown as he returned to Beijing to gather information, Xing Ruyi felt particularly sad inside.
She walked into the courtyard and saw Luo Fu standing there as well. She was wearing a new water-red dress but slightly raised her head to look at the swirling snowflakes.
"Missing your family?"
"Yes!" Luo Fu nodded and turned to look at Xing Ruyi. "In previous years on New Year's Eve, I would stay home with my parents, brother, and sister-in-law. Although there were many rules at home, after dinner we would all go our separate ways, but it still felt warm inside."
As Luo Fu spoke, tears fell down her cheeks. "I know I shouldn't think this way, but when I remember that my father and brother didn't recognize me back then, and that tonight they are celebrating New Year's Eve with that fake Luo Fu, my heart feels exceptionally heavy."
"In life, not being recognized is common. Although your father and brother mistook you for a moment, it doesn't change how precious you are in their hearts. If you think about it from another perspective, their initial attitude towards you was actually directed at Ruyi—the one who almost harmed Luo Fu. Your father and brother are ultimately kind-hearted; when their daughter and sister were bullied to such an extent, they merely drove Ruyi out of the house and even returned her contract. You have a very good father and a very generous brother. Believe me, this matter will eventually pass, and you will reunite with your family."
"And you, Ruyi? Do you have your own regrets or someone you miss?"
Xing Ruyi took a deep breath and looked into Luo Fu's eyes as she said, "My parents passed away when I was very young; even my grandparents followed suit soon after. I remember my grandfather was the last to go; I think I was only twelve then. Suddenly, I became all alone and felt incredibly helpless. That wasn't even the worst part; the hardest part was that people outside said it was because of my bad luck that they died. For many years, I believed that too, so I shut myself off from others, unwilling to meet anyone or talk to anyone for fear that my bad luck would bring harm to those close to me as well. It wasn't until I met the fox that my heart began to open up slowly.
After meeting the fox, I promised myself that I would become strong—very strong—so that I could protect and care for everyone I wanted to protect and care for. But ultimately, I still couldn't do it; in Yunzhai, I lost another very important person in my life whom I wanted to protect forever. Her name was Bell; she called me auntie, but when she died, I wasn't even by her side."
Luo Fu walked over to Xing Ruyi and held her hand tightly. "I used to think that my experiences were already unfortunate enough. But after hearing your story, Ruyi, I realize there are many people in this world who are even less fortunate than me. Although I've had my appearance changed and left my parents behind, at least my parents, brother, and sister-in-law are all alive; I can still hide in a corner and watch them from afar."
Luo Fu took a deep breath and smiled gently as she lightly spun Xing Ruyi around so she could see everything behind her: "Life has given you many trials but has also granted you corresponding happiness. Now you not only have Young Master Yin by your side but also the lovely Yin Yuan along with Lord Chang and Deer Lady. From now on, you won't be alone anymore."
In the kitchen, smoke curled gently, and the aroma of the dishes wafted through the air. Deer Lady was busy, occasionally responding to Old Beggar's incessant chatter, her stern face hiding her true emotions. Chang Tai and the fox were playing chess; despite their different temperaments, they both stood tall, and these two of the world's finest men genuinely cared for their own. Yin Yuan, rarely jumping around, was carefully sorting through the herbs she would need in the coming year with her exceptionally beautiful eyes.
Indeed! From the moment she met the fox, Xing Ruyi was no longer alone.
After the New Year's Eve dinner, it was customary to stay up late. In previous years, with fewer people, it felt rather lonely; Xing Ruyi and the fox usually lost interest halfway through. This year was different, though. With Deer Lady's meticulously prepared food and wine, Luo Fu's musical talents, and Yin Yuan's display of magic, they unknowingly reached midnight.
After midnight, the air grew colder, and the snow outside fell heavier, making the red lanterns hanging in the courtyard look even more beautiful. As she saw the cold wind swirling in snowflakes blowing through the door, Xing Ruyi stood up to close the door that had been left open to enjoy the snowy scenery. However, when she reached the entrance, she noticed a child standing in the courtyard. More precisely, it was a girl.
The girl wore a white outfit with a white linen cloak over it that concealed her hair completely. She had her head lowered, so for a moment, Xing Ruyi did not realize when this girl had appeared or how long she had been standing there.
Though she hadn't activated her Ghost Eye, based on her past experiences with spirits and her intuition, she was certain that this girl in the courtyard was not human. If she wasn't human, then the fox, Yin Yuan, Deer Lady, and Pixiu must know of her existence; yet none of them had given any hint about it. The only thing clear was that this girl meant no harm.
Xing Ruyi turned to look at the fox and found him gazing back at her with a clear look that even held a hint of encouragement, making her wonder if this girl had been summoned by the fox.
As she stepped outside, she instinctively glanced toward Old Beggar.
Old Beggar smiled faintly at her.
The cold night wind tousled Old Beggar's disheveled hair, revealing a birthmark on one side of his face that bore a striking resemblance to the girl's face in the courtyard.
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