New Year Special: The Snowy Night

[New Year Special: Side story, not related to main plot.]

In winter, Louting City was covered in swirling snow. Under the cold night wind, the biting chill was hard to resist.

The snow-white streets were adorned with lanterns glowing red, exuding an especially festive atmosphere.

The extreme cold and desolation of winter could not dampen people’s enthusiasm for the holiday. Every household was bustling with preparations for the festival, lively and warm.

And the Leng family was no exception.

“Wan Yu, quick, help me pick the vegetables. I’ll make two more dishes, and then we can eat.”

In the kitchen, Wan Yu and her mother Leng Tian were busy, one after the other.

Glancing at the soup boiling on the stove, Leng Tian turned and gave orders to Wan Yu.

“Ah, okay, I’ll do it right away.”

Upon hearing this, Wan Yu, who had just finished her own tasks, nodded.

Then she went to the sink and without a word started handling the vegetables placed there.

In the living room outside the kitchen, her older sister Cold Yu and younger sister Yu Sheng were wrapped together in a large wool blanket on the sofa, watching the Spring Festival program on TV with rapt attention.

Since neither of them could cook and the kitchen space was limited, these two, who had volunteered to help, were unceremoniously kicked out by their mother Leng Tian…

“Mom, I’ve picked the vegetables and put them here. Is there anything else I can help with?”

In the kitchen, after great effort, Wan Yu finally cleaned up the pile of vegetables.

“Good, thank you. Once I finish these dishes, we can eat. Go and rest; I’ll take care of the rest.”

“Oh, and by the way, go check on those two good-for-nothing girls and see what they’re up to.”

Mother Leng Tian was stir-frying at the stove, waving her spatula as she spoke to Wan Yu.

Those two girls couldn’t help with a thing all day. Thank goodness Wan Yu, among her three daughters, could share the burden.

Otherwise, who knew when they’d get to eat today!

Wan Yu nodded at this, then turned and left the kitchen, heading straight to the living room.

“Ah! Sister Wan Yu is here! Hee hee~ Sit here, quick!”

Spotting Wan Yu’s arrival, Yu Sheng quickly patted the spot between herself and her sister Cold Yu, grinning and inviting Wan Yu to sit between them.

“Really, you’re always so jumpy. Can’t you be a bit quieter like your sister?”

Wan Yu rolled her eyes at the mischievous girl, then walked over to them.

She sat down in the empty space between them. Soon, a large blanket covered the three sisters snugly.

“Ah! Wh-what are you doing!”

But no sooner had Wan Yu sat down than a fair hand, as nimble as a water snake, attacked her.

She jumped like a startled deer, quite flustered.

This sudden move startled Wan Yu. She never expected that the quiet Cold Yu was actually the most dangerous!

“Ah! Sister, you got a head start! Damn it! Me too!”

Yu Sheng, sitting on the other side of Wan Yu, noticed something amiss and immediately transformed into another water snake, attacking the defenseless Wan Yu without hesitation.

Yu Sheng’s sudden action made Wan Yu cry out again.

“You… you two… enough… stop it…”

Trapped between them, with a wolf on the left and a tiger on the right, eyeing her greedily, Wan Yu had nowhere to go.

Even her words of anger came out with a strange allure.

“Hee hee~ Sister Wan Yu, you say no, but your body is very honest~”

A wicked grin spread across Yu Sheng’s cute little face.

After enjoying the view from the mountaintop for a while, they started descending the winding path.

On the other side, those who had also admired the scenery atop the clouds now walked together, leisurely following the path back down.

“N-no! Not in a place like this! No!”

Realizing the danger, Wan Yu cried out. This absolutely couldn’t happen here!

But by then she had lost strength, and could only watch helplessly as the two grew bolder.

Ding-dong~

Just as they reached the foot of the mountain and were about to change course, the doorbell rang.

This untimely ring made them stop.

“Ah! I-I’m coming! You two… stop! I’ll get the door!”

Hearing the doorbell, Wan Yu was like a frightened rabbit.

Her limp body regained strength. She broke free from between them, stood up from the sofa, straightened her slightly disheveled clothes, and walked toward the entrance.

Click~

“Hi~ Happy New Year, little Wan Yu! We’re here!”

Opening the door, she found Mu Qingqing and Mu Qinghuan, mother and son, along with Mo Tongxi standing behind them.

Each carried different types of gifts for the visit.

Seeing Wan Yu, Mu Qingqing smiled and raised her hand in greeting.

“Ah… Auntie, Qinghuan, and… Tongxi? Why are you here! Happy New Year, Happy New Year! Oh, yes, welcome, welcome! Please come in~”

Seeing the three, Wan Yu was momentarily stunned, then smiled and invited them inside.

After all, she hadn’t expected them to come, so she looked a bit silly.

“Hey, why is your face so red? Are you okay?”

Mu Qinghuan asked kindly as she passed by Wan Yu.

“Ah! I’m fine, fine! It’s just… a bit hot, that’s all…”

“Ha ha…” Wan Yu became flustered and quickly explained.

Close call! Almost got caught!

“I see. Then you should take good care of yourself, okay? Because… next time, I want you to be even more satisfying~”

Mu Qinghuan nodded thoughtfully, then whispered into Wan Yu’s ear.

A sweet smile bloomed on her beautiful face. Then, ignoring Wan Yu’s reaction, she walked straight inside.

“U-um, Wan Yu… sorry for the intrusion~”

Mo Tongxi, who was last, glanced at Wan Yu, her face flushed. She tugged at her cherry-blossom-like hair and stammered.

Then she stepped inside.

“Hee hee~ Little Tian Tian, I’m here!”

“You’re here, but if you call me that again, I’ll beat you!”

“Come on, don’t be like that~ Happy New Year, little Tian Tian~”

“Hmph, you know how to talk!”

“Ah… and my Happy New Year?”

“Fine, fine! Happy New Year, Happy New Year! Happy? Now get to work…”

Once everyone was inside, the kitchen soon echoed with the cheerful chatter of the two mothers.

In the living room, five stunningly beautiful young women, each with their own charm, sat together.

The atmosphere among them seemed no better…

Cold Yu and Yu Sheng were sour-faced because their fun had been interrupted, especially toward Mu Qinghuan.

Mu Qinghuan, too, had no friendly expression for these two “archrivals.”

The tension hung heavy, awkward and stifling, as if a war might break out at any moment…

While the mothers’ group was so harmonious, over here, they hadn’t even exchanged New Year’s greetings!

“Kids, come and eat!”

Fortunately, Mu Qingqing’s call to dinner soon broke the hostile standoff among the girls.

During dinner, the atmosphere at the table was warm and festive. Everyone chatted and laughed happily.

But such wonderful moments always pass quickly.

Though the reunion dinner lasted a long time, it felt like only half an hour had gone by.

As time passed, after dinner, night deepened.

“Kids, you decide how to sleep tonight. Aunt Leng Tian and I are going to sleep together, okay?”

“Good night, kids~ Hee hee, we’re off. We rarely have time, and I have tons of gossip to tell you!”

After bidding goodnight to the five children downstairs, Mu Qingqing dragged Leng Tian into the room.

Looks like those two women would be talking all night again…

Back to the girls, they looked at each other, seemingly pondering the sleeping arrangements.

“Wan Yu, let’s go to my room. Hee hee~ Forget about these guys!”

Yu Sheng grabbed Wan Yu’s hand without a second thought, ready to take her away and have her all to herself tonight.

“Why should you? Let go! Don’t you know guests come first? We should get to enjoy her first!”

Mu Qinghuan immediately objected. She stepped forward and grabbed Wan Yu’s other hand, refusing to let go.

Then she started arguing with Yu Sheng.

“Who do you think you are? You get to enjoy her first? In your dreams!”

“Oh, really? Then today I want to see how you can take her from me!”

The two instantly started quarreling, each refusing to give an inch, with Wan Yu caught in the middle.

“Let go. Wan Yu is mine tonight.”

At that moment, Cold Yu snatched Wan Yu away from them and hugged her tightly.

Her cold words carried unwavering determination.

It seemed none of them was willing to miss this golden opportunity to enjoy Wan Yu.

“Impossible!”

Hearing Cold Yu’s words, Mu Qinghuan and Yu Sheng immediately objected.

They spoke in unison, outright rejecting Cold Yu’s idea.

“Spare… spare me…”

Wan Yu was on the verge of tears, sandwiched in the middle, trembling like a little lamb.

Helpless, weak, pitiful…

“U-um… everyone, stop fighting. Since no one can have her alone, how about… we share her together…”

Just then, Mo Tongxi, who had been silent, spoke up, interrupting the argument.

She offered what seemed like a fair solution.

After her words, the girls fell into silence.

The atmosphere shifted from fierce contention to something eerie…

Then they all looked at Wan Yu, saying nothing, yet everything was said…

“Huh??? No… no way! Spare me! No!!!”

“Ah!!! Help!!!”