Chapter 78
After that little interlude, the New Year’s Eve dinner was a bit awkward.
Li Qinyue kept trying to explain, and Zhuo Zhi tried to help, but it only made the Master think they were ganging up on her, so she ignored them both.
Li Qinyue would take two bites of food, glance at the Master, take two sips of soup, and glance at her again.
The Master would glare at her, and Li Qinyue would immediately say, “The food is delicious, Master.”
The Master pointed her chopsticks at her, “Last meal, don’t even think about it after this.”
Li Qinyue could only shut up for the time being.
The Spring Festival Gala blared noisily on the TV. White Birch Lane was in a less restricted area, so fireworks were allowed, and the sound of firecrackers outside the window was constant.
Li Qinyue had bought some small fireworks, mainly because Zhuo Zhi was excited about them, so she followed suit, wanting to have some fun.
After dinner, Li Qinyue urged Zhuo Zhi to bring out the fireworks. They put on their coats and stood in the living room. Li Qinyue asked without much hope, “Master, should we go downstairs and set off some fireworks?”
The Master, who was watching TV, glanced at them, “What did you buy? Aren’t you a little too old for fireworks?”
Zhuo Zhi immediately said, “Small butterflies, spinning tops, firecrackers, sparklers, small smoke bombs, and a new kind, shaped like a windmill, you have to tie it to a pole, I don’t know what it’s like yet.”
“It’s dry and windy, it’s dangerous,” the Master frowned.
“We can go to the plaza, it’s open there,” Li Qinyue said.
The Master stood up, putting on her coat, “Zhuo Zhi, didn’t your station post any rules about setting off fireworks?”
“They didn’t say anything, it’s allowed in this area, small fireworks are fine,” Zhuo Zhi tugged at Li Qinyue’s sleeve, “But we’re not very experienced, it’s a bit dangerous. It’ll be safer with you, Master.”
Li Qinyue’s eyes lit up, “Exactly!”
The Master walked past them, opened the door, and without looking back, said, “Hurry up, it’s cold.”
Li Qinyue held back her laughter until the Master was further away, then she pulled Zhuo Zhi out of the apartment.
Before speaking, she chuckled, “Master likes fireworks?”
Zhuo Zhi also laughed, “Master likes these little things, she’s not angry anymore.”
Li Qinyue was puzzled, “I sincerely wanted Master to stay, why doesn’t she believe me?”
Zhuo Zhi walked slowly down the stairs with her, “I don’t think it’s that she doesn’t believe you, she probably planned to leave after the New Year anyway, just looking for an excuse.”
“Then she should have just said so, she’s making me feel guilty.”
Zhuo Zhi glanced at her, her smile wide, “That’s the point, she wants you to feel guilty, she’s not happy.”
“Didn’t you say she’s not angry anymore?”
“I said she’s not happy about this trip down the mountain,” Zhuo Zhi took a deep breath, “Think about it, Sister.”
Li Qinyue frowned, “You’re right.”
“I know my Master best, I’m probably right about this.”
“Master is like a child,” Li Qinyue said.
“Isn’t she cute?” Zhuo Zhi said smugly.
“She is cute,” Li Qinyue pinched Zhuo Zhi’s cheek, her answer sincere.
“Are you two snails?!” A shout came from downstairs, making Li Qinyue jump.
She was usually quite bold, but after days of being cautious around the Master, any slight raise in her voice would startle her.
“We’re coming!!!” Li Qinyue shouted back, quickening her pace and hopping down the stairs.
The Master was waiting downstairs. Seeing them, she flicked her coat and walked ahead.
Li Qinyue and Zhuo Zhi jogged after her, whispering, “Master looks so good in that coat, so imposing.”
“She has three identical military coats,” Zhuo Zhi said, “She says they’re warm.”
“I’ve never worn one before,” Li Qinyue said.
“Do you want to try?” Zhuo Zhi looked at her, “I can get you one.”
“Sure,” Li Qinyue seemed interested.
Then she realized what she had just said and tugged at Zhuo Zhi’s sleeve, “That’s not what I meant, I mean, Master has been here for so long, you haven’t taken her shopping for clothes, shoes, makeup, or anything.”
Zhuo Zhi’s eyes widened, “I haven’t thought about that.”
“Used to being a child, aren’t you?” Li Qinyue pinched her nose, “Although people don’t usually buy new clothes specifically for the New Year anymore, Master is spending the New Year down the mountain this year. If we can’t convince her to stay, we’ll take her shopping tomorrow.”
“Okay!” Zhuo Zhi clapped her hands, “I’ll listen to you, Sister, you have great taste.”
“Of course,” Li Qinyue looked at the Master’s back, “I’ll make Master look stylish and beautiful, while preserving her unique charm.”
Zhuo Zhi chuckled, “Does Master have charm?”
“Yes,” Li Qinyue looked at her, thinking she was a fool, “Master’s personality is very charming, don’t you think?”
The Master, who was a few steps ahead, suddenly turned around, “Are there ants on the ground?!”
Li Qinyue jumped, “No, Master! It’s winter! Ants don’t come out in winter!”
“Then are you afraid of stepping on bacteria?!” The Master’s breath formed a cloud of white mist in the cold air.
Li Qinyue laughed and hurried to catch up to the Master, walking beside her, “Did you hear what we were just saying, Master?”
“It’s so noisy! Do I have the energy to listen to your chatter?!” The Master pointed at the sky, as if to emphasize her point. The sound of firecrackers echoed in the distance.
“Okay, okay,” Li Qinyue, now completely subservient, said, “We’ll be noisy later.”
Zhuo Zhi ran to the Master’s other side and linked arms with her, “Yes, let’s try that windmill firework first, I wonder if it’ll spin.”
Most families were having their New Year’s Eve dinner and watching the Spring Festival Gala, so there weren’t many people setting off fireworks outside.
Their unusual little family didn’t have many rules or traditions, they did as they pleased. If they were having fun, they would play for a while longer.
There weren’t many people in the plaza. After lighting two firecrackers, Zhuo Zhi’s laughter echoed through the air, even the smallest sparks of light making her jump and shout with joy.
Li Qinyue focused on teasing her, “It’s just a dud, and you’re laughing for two minutes straight?”
The Master, probably annoyed by their noise, occasionally covered her ears, but then, using the excuse of protecting them from danger, she would try out a couple of new fireworks herself.
The windmill firework did spin, the small firecrackers working together to create a spinning wheel of fire.
Zhuo Zhi’s eyes sparkled. Li Qinyue, finding her incredibly beautiful, took out her phone to film her.
The light was dim, but Zhuo Zhi’s silhouette was warm and lovely. Li Qinyue was filming a video, but Zhuo Zhi thought it was a picture and held her smile for a few seconds.
Li Qinyue didn’t tell her. After filming Zhuo Zhi, she turned the camera to the Master and shouted, “Master! Do you have any New Year’s wishes?”
The Master said, “I did, but not anymore.”
It was a meaningful statement, and judging from the way she was glaring at Li Qinyue, it was probably because Li Qinyue had “stolen” her disciple.
But Li Qinyue chose to interpret it differently, “Me too! If you’re truly happy, you can’t think of any wishes. But if I had to say one, I hope we’ll celebrate the New Year together again next year! And the year after that! Every year!”
“Yes!” Zhuo Zhi echoed, “Every year!”
The Master looked at Li Qinyue, her lips moving, but she didn’t say anything.
After setting off all the fireworks, as they walked back, it started to snow.
The snowflakes were tiny, like grains of sand, falling steadily, quickly covering the ground with a thin layer of white.
Li Qinyue reached out to catch some, but the snowflakes were too small. She looked up at the sky, then down at her phone, and said to the Master, “It’s snowing, Master.”
“Hmm,” the Master responded.
“It’s going to snow for a while,” Li Qinyue said.
“It feels very festive,” Zhuo Zhi said, skipping beside her.
Li Qinyue chuckled and also skipped in front of the Master, “But the roads will be slippery!”
The Master raised her hand, as if to hit Li Qinyue.
Li Qinyue, anticipating it, had already dodged, laughing and moving closer to Zhuo Zhi.
Everything was harmonious and beautiful, so the sound of arguing coming from downstairs was jarring.
“Here we go again,” Li Qinyue sighed, “Master, why can’t all families be as loving and harmonious as ours?”
The Master: “Heh.”
Zhuo Zhi suddenly tugged at her clothes, “Sister, I think we need to resolve this.”
“Resolve what?” Li Qinyue looked at her.
Zhuo Zhi pointed at the window on the first floor, “They were arguing on the day we moved in, it’s been quieter lately, but it hasn’t stopped. I was wondering, why don’t they call the police?”
Li Qinyue chuckled, “The police aren’t marriage counselors.”
“It’s almost the same,” Zhuo Zhi said seriously, “We’ve encountered similar cases, Officer Sun showed me a very effective method.”
“Are you planning to intervene?” Li Qinyue was a little surprised.
“Yes,” Zhuo Zhi tugged at her clothes again.
“You’re not wearing your uniform,” Li Qinyue patted her back, “Why don’t you go change first?”
“It’s fine, I have my ID,” Zhuo Zhi patted her pocket.
“Heh, on New Year’s Eve, such dedication,” Li Qinyue said, impressed.
“We want them to have a happy new year too,” Zhuo Zhi paused, then added, “We should help whenever we can.”
Her words touched Li Qinyue’s heart. Her smile faded, and she looked at the Master, her hand still on Zhuo Zhi’s back, “This is why I like Zhuo Zhi, Master. When I first met her, I was so surprised that someone like her actually existed.”
Li Qinyue paused, then smiled, “She’s like a crystal, so pure.”
Praising the child was praising the parent. The Master didn’t speak, but her eyes darkened.
Zhuo Zhi straightened her back and said to the Master, “I’m going now.”
She walked towards the apartment on the first floor and knocked on the door. Li Qinyue instinctively followed her, but the Master grabbed her hood and pulled her back.
“Where are you going?” the Master asked, looking at her.
“To help out a little,” Li Qinyue said.
The Master glanced at her hands, “You’re not carrying a cleaver today, how are you going to help?”
Li Qinyue’s eyes widened, had that been exposed too?
She was about to glare at Zhuo Zhi when the Master pulled her upstairs, “Stay out of police business. Come on, I have something to talk to you about.”
Li Qinyue’s heart skipped a beat, “Something?”
“Yes,” the Master said curtly.
The Master had never asked to talk to Li Qinyue about anything before. Although they had spent a lot of time together, it was mostly Li Qinyue trying to make conversation.
Now, suddenly saying she had something to discuss, and choosing to do so when Zhuo Zhi wasn’t around, made Li Qinyue truly nervous, so nervous she didn’t even know which foot to put forward first as they climbed the stairs.
They reached the apartment door, and the Master took out her keys. Li Qinyue’s hair stood on end.
“What… what is it?” Li Qinyue asked cautiously, her voice barely above a whisper.
The Master looked back at her, “Have you ever been this afraid of anyone before?”
Li Qinyue shuddered, “No.”
The Master suddenly smiled, her smile not kind, but rather, unsettlingly mischievous, “That’s good.”
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