The Decision of the Warm Cauldron (When the Peach Ripens) - Chapter Sixty-Three: New Year's Eve

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On New Year's Eve, even the air was filled with subtle joy and the delicate scent of reunion. Four lazybones who were sleeping in were mercilessly woken up by Major Jin. However, he wasn't entirely heartless; on this once-a-year New Year's Eve, the other three monsters also "had the honor" of enjoying Master Jin's specially prepared eight-treasure porridge.
This was the first time the five of us had eaten together at a table; our first "family dinner" had come about so abruptly. Sunlight streamed through the French windows, reflecting off the floor and casting a golden glow in the room. The slightly warm rim of the bowls left a pale pinkish-red mark on my palm, and the comforting taste of the food warmed my heart.
On the morning of New Year's Eve, we write couplets and paste Spring Festival couplets.
Xiao Jue's calligraphy is indeed excellent; it turns out he has a foundation in calligraphy. He had been a bit irritable with low blood sugar that morning, and his complexion wasn't great because he'd caught a chill the night before. But after a bowl of sweet porridge, he felt much better.
On the soft felt mat, strips of gold-flecked Xuan paper were laid out. Xiao Jue stood ramrod straight, his posture upright and his physique balanced. He wielded his brush, his strokes flowing like dragons and snakes, his free and unrestrained brushwork vigorous and profound. Each drop of ink was absorbed by the Xuan paper, blossoming with people's best hopes and blessings for the new year.
Ling Huilin and Xue Yunyi made a racket in the kitchen, banging and chattering, until they finally finished mixing the paste. When they came out, clumps of fur on Ling Huilin's fox tail were stuck together, and two of Xue Yunyi's three feathers were stuck together.
Jin Yuan, being tall, was in charge of sticking the couplets on the door, while Tu Nan, holding the half-dry couplets, ran back and forth like a diligent little top, constantly handing the newly written couplets by Xiao Jue to Jin Yuan.
After the Spring Festival couplets were pasted up, the five people gathered in Ling Huilin Tea Room to drink tea. Today, he brewed Jin Jun Mei tea, and his skillful brewing technique brought out a golden color in the tea liquor. The aroma of jasmine was mixed with the fragrance of the tea. One sip soothed the lungs, and another soothed the heart.
With everyone else idle, Tu Nan finally had her chance to shine. She sneaked out mysteriously and returned carrying four enormous gift boxes. Their height obscured her view. Tu Nan struggled to squeeze through the doorway, carrying the boxes, but lost her balance, tripped over her own feet, and fell right in front of Xiao Jue.
Everyone: "..."
To ease the awkward situation, Tu Nan, quick-witted as ever, shouted, "Long live the Emperor!"
An eerie silence drifted by.
Xiao Jue: "...Rise."
After saying that, he shrugged and said, "Tomorrow is only the first day of the Lunar New Year, why are we already giving New Year's greetings today?" He then tossed a red box out of his pocket: "Here you go, take this in advance, it's your red envelope."
Tu Nan was hit by the "red box" and felt the weight of money. Curious, she shook it; there was a metallic clanging sound inside. Could it be gold? Tu Nan boldly guessed, then carefully put the box away.
Then she began distributing the gifts, one box for each person, very fairly, saying as she did so, "Thank you all for your meticulous care and attention! Happy New Year! Happy New Year!"
Jin Yuan was a very old-fashioned person. After receiving the gift, he reservedly and solemnly placed it behind his back, not opening it in front of anyone. This shattered Tu Nan's fantasy of seeing his expression. It seemed he could only fantasize about it himself, Tu Nan sighed.
Ling Huilin had studied abroad a few years ago and was quite influenced by Western culture. He eagerly opened the package as soon as he received it. Inside lay two beautifully packaged boxes of premium tea. Tu Nan had already been very thoughtful in buying the gift, catering to Ling Huilin's tastes, but Ling Huilin's lips twitched slightly when he saw the type of tea—it was Yunding Xuecui—the very Yunding Xuecui that Xiao Jue had used to poison him. Xiao Jue raised an eyebrow from afar, secretly enjoying Ling Huilin's forced smile. He thought to himself, "Tu Xiaonan is really clever; unknowingly, she's helped me put Ling Huilin in a bad light."
Xue Yunyi was also casual; he opened the package, and what caught his eye was a row of pink Hello Kitty hair clips.
Xue Yunyi: "..." He looked at Tu Nan's expectant expression and asked, "Did you buy this for me?"
Tu Nan's eyes lit up: "Yes, yes! I think it suits you perfectly!"
Actually, among the four, Xue Yunyi is the most accepting. He's in the entertainment industry and has a good temper. He's used to anything, from cute hair clips to gender-bending fan art.
He calmly picked up a hair clip, casually tucking a stray hair behind his ear, and gave a standard smile, asking, "Does this suit me?"
Tu Nan was so charmed that he was practically spitting fire, nodding like a chick pecking at rice, answering irrelevantly, "I love it! I love it!" He was so excited he was practically jumping up, clapping, and spinning around.
Ling Huilin snorted in dissatisfaction, and only then did Tu Nan suppress his overly excited expression.
Xue Yunyi then opened another box, which contained a popular noise-canceling headphone. Tu Nan said hesitantly, "You often travel by car and plane and don't get enough rest, this... hopefully it will be useful."
Xue Yunyi smiled broadly, nodded, and said, "Thank you! I like it very much."
Tu Nan hesitated for a moment, but couldn't resist. She reached out and ruffled the dazzling colorful hair, then poked the Hello Kitty hair clip: "What are you thanking me for? I'm glad you like it."
When it was Xiao Jue's turn to open the gift, he appeared calm and unhurried, but his incredibly fast hands betrayed his inner anticipation. The first thing he saw was a small, round plastic box, which rolled onto the table with a thud, inside which a Hello Kitty watch spun around.
Xiao Jue: "..."
Tu Nan hesitated for a moment, not daring to be presumptuous, and quickly changed the subject: "The watch came with it, Mr. Xiao, take a look at that big box."
Xiao Jue remained expressionless, his hand resting on the clasp of the box.
When the box was opened, Xiao Jue's expression changed drastically—
Inside that exquisite box lay a jade ring.
That's right, it's a jade ring, not a jade pendant. A ring symbolizes completeness and perfection; it's a perfectly round jade artifact with a central hole equal to the width of its edge, creating a visually balanced appearance. Its smooth surface embodies harmony and a sense of fulfillment.
And what about the jade ring? It's a circle with a notch.
The room was utterly silent. Several demons who knew the inside story wore complex expressions, but Tu Nan didn't understand. Seeing Xiao Jue's silence, she assumed he disliked it and cautiously said, "Mr. Xiao's name is Jue. I've researched records about jade jue in ancient texts. Although this shape of jade has had many positive symbolic meanings in history, such as decisiveness, I still feel... I hope Mr. Xiao can achieve greater perfection, just like this circle."
Xiao Jue fell silent. He didn't speak for a long time, so long that Tu Nan's legs ached from standing. Xiao Jue was lost in a hazy memory.
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The air was dry in early spring, and a gust of wind carried sand through the air. A girl, like an elf, walked barefoot on the lush green grass. New shoots had already sprouted, and the withered yellow grass hadn't yet covered them, making the grass a little prickly underfoot, but the girl didn't seem to mind at all.
The lake water rippled like a sapphire, when suddenly, with a splash, a small snake darted out of the water and coiled itself around the girl's wrist. The snake, with its black and yellow stripes, was only two fingers thick, yet its scales gleamed with a noble, ethereal light in the sunlight. The snake flicked its tongue, hissing softly.
The girl's helpless expression held a hint of indulgence: "Little bug, are you full?"
The little snake nodded in a human-like manner, and even rubbed against the girl's smooth, jade-like forearm, very obediently.
The girl stroked its head and suddenly said, "Your father's surname is Xiao, so your surname is also Xiao. The xiao is my favorite musical instrument! It's a homophone of your surname."
Thinking of this, the girl cheered and smiled, a smile so radiant that even the spring sunshine paled in comparison: "My favorite jade is the jue. People say that jue means 'extinction,' but I don't think so. The moon wanes after it's full, and water overflows when it's full. How can anything in this world be so perfect? A jue is a jade ring with a missing piece, which perfectly symbolizes that nothing in this world is ever truly perfect."
Then she paused, as if remembering something: "From now on, your name will be Xiao Jue, okay?" The girl then patted her head, inwardly scolding herself for being so foolish. This little demon, still unawakened, only possessed instinct; how could she possibly remember what she said? She nonchalantly smoothed her wind-blown hair and slowly left.
Two hundred years later, in the serpent clan's ancestral hall, the little snake had successfully transformed into human form and was well-versed in classical texts. Unlike humans, who are named by their parents or teachers in childhood, demons only need to inherit their father's surname, and can choose their own names for the next few thousand years.
Xiao Jue knelt before the old snake king and uttered a single word: "Jue".
The old snake king frowned: "Absolutely? No, that's too ruthless."
Xiao Jue parted his thin lips slightly: "Jue as in jade jue."
From then on, the nameplate in the ancestral hall had one more name: Xiao Jue.
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"Mr. Xiao...?" Tu Nan waited for a long time but Xiao Jue didn't react. He even waved his hand in front of his face.
Xiao Jue snapped out of his daze, and that fleeting look in his eyes seemed to pierce through a thousand years, striking deep into Tu Nan's soul.
Tu Nan shuddered, a chill running down his spine. He wondered what was wrong with Xiao Jue.
He slowly closed the box, stroked the velvet surface, and said softly, "Thank you, I'll accept it."
Tu Nan patted his chest and let out a long sigh of relief, unaware that Xiao Jue's innermost thought was: "Xuan Nu, did you hear that? You said that everyone has flaws and nothing in this world can be perfect, but now she wants to give me perfection... Can I achieve perfection?"

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