Chapter 400: An Elder’s Unusual Behavior, A Joyful Gathering p2
Inside the kitchen in the backyard.
The air was filled with the aroma of cooking food.
As Lin Tianlu entered the kitchen, he saw Martial Aunt and Fifth Elder busily stir-frying dishes, while Third and Fourth Elders were also skillfully cutting and preparing pastries.
“Husband!”
Mao Ruoyu, who was closest to the door, seemed to sense his presence and looked up, waving and smiling brightly: “The New Year’s Eve dinner will be ready in about half an hour!”
Lin Tianlu chuckled, stepping forward and wiping some flour from her cheek: “Thank you for your hard work, my wife.”
“It’s nothing.” Mao Ruoyu blushed slightly and smiled gently: “Mother prepared most of the dishes, and Fifth Elder and the others also came to help, it’s much easier now.”
Lin Tianlu gently took Mao Ruoyu’s hand and said warmly: “I’ll take care of the pastries, Ruoyu, you can go and rest for a while.”
“Mm~”
Mao Ruoyu smiled sweetly, blinking her beautiful eyes: “I’ll go and make some tea for Mother and the elders.”
“Where are Shuya and Yishi now…?”
“They’re still working on the decorations.” Mao Ruoyu chuckled: “Mother’s courtyard is much larger than they expected, they’ve been running around frantically since all the elders arrived.”
“They’ve been working hard today.” Lin Tianlu chuckled: “I’ll make sure they eat well later.”
“We have to treat Mother to a good meal.”
Mao Ruoyu playfully tapped his chin and smiled: “Mother has put a lot of effort into this dinner tonight, so you have to eat a lot and praise her cooking.”
“Naturally.”
Lin Tianlu glanced back, his eyes meeting Wu Jingyun and Fifth Elder’s, and he smiled, quickly focusing on kneading the dough.
…
As the lively preparations continued, red candles and lanterns were lit inside and outside the courtyard, casting a warm and enchanting glow in the gradually darkening night.
“Martial Aunt, is there a large enough round table in the courtyard?”
“You’ll find one in the storage room!”
“I’ll go and get it!”
Lin Tianlu rolled up his sleeves, ran to the storage room, carried the large table out, and quickly returned, his movements nimble and agile.
The dishes were almost ready, the decorations were in place, and only the tables and chairs were needed before they could start the banquet.
However—
As he walked along the corridor, Lin Tianlu suddenly stopped, his eyes widening slightly in surprise.
“Valley Master?”
“You’ve all been quite busy today.”
The Valley Master was sitting gracefully on the long chair in the corridor, a kind and gentle smile on her beautiful and immaculate face. “It’s been years since I’ve seen the elders so busy and working together like this.”
Lin Tianlu chuckled awkwardly: “I was being a bit inconsiderate, I should have asked you first, Valley Master—”
“No, there’s no need to worry, Tianlu.” The Valley Master raised her hand slightly, smiling gently and reassuringly: “It’s a good thing for the elders to have a reunion after so many years. As the Valley Master, I should be thanking you.
After dinner, you can set off those fireworks. It’s rare to have such a celebration, it would be good to add some festive cheer to the valley.”
The Valley Master even knew about the fireworks?
Lin Tianlu put down the table and scratched his head awkwardly: “I’ve troubled you, Valley Master, to even worry about such things. We juniors are just being… playful.”
“A bit of playfulness… is fine.”
The Valley Master clasped her hands gently together and smiled softly: “And I’ve been in the valley for so many years, I haven’t seen fireworks in a long time. Being able to see them here is also a pleasant surprise. I’m sure the other elders and disciples feel the same.”
Lin Tianlu’s heart stirred, and he couldn’t help but say with emotion: “You’re truly understanding, Valley Master.”
“It’s just a small gesture.” The Valley Master smiled and waved her sleeve: “Continue with your preparations, Tianlu, and enjoy your time with the elders later. Although they have different personalities, they’re all good people, just relax and chat with them, there’s no need to worry.”
She raised her beautiful eyes, which seemed to contain a boundless starry sky, a gentle and ethereal smile on her face.
“No matter what, we, the Lunar Valley, will always be by your side, Tianlu.”
“…”
Lin Tianlu’s expression turned serious, and he remained silent for a moment.
Then, he leaned the table against the wall and bowed deeply: “I am truly grateful for your kindness and consideration, Valley Master.”
“I’ll watch your fireworks tonight.”
A soft murmur, like a gentle whisper, reached his ears: “Make it a lively and joyful celebration for Lunar Valley, a true New Year’s celebration.”
Seeing the Valley Master turn into green smoke and disappear, Lin Tianlu quickly beckoned: “Valley Master, would you like to stay for dinner?!”
“See you tomorrow~”
But the Valley Master only left behind a faint chuckle, her figure vanishing completely.
Lin Tianlu scratched his head and couldn’t help but sigh: “Being the Valley Master isn’t easy either.”
Muttering to himself, he quickly picked up the table again and headed towards the main hall.
…
A while later, the main hall was filled with people, dishes of steaming hot food being served, their aroma filling the air. The banquet was so sumptuous that even the elders were surprised. After tasting a few dishes, they were even more amazed.
Although the atmosphere at the table was initially a bit formal, as they started eating and drinking, laughter and conversation filled the air. The elders seemed to have let go of their usual reserve, chatting and laughing animatedly.
Mao Ruoyu and the others listened with interest, occasionally sharing stories from their travels, the atmosphere becoming more and more warm and harmonious, earning the praise of the elders.
However—
“Tianlu, have some more food~” Third Elder leaned closer with a seductive smile, her eyes like silk, and offered him a dish with an alluring voice. Her face was flushed, as if slightly drunk, her expression charming and captivating.
“Have some more soup.” Fourth Elder, with a similar beautiful face, also leaned closer, whispering softly, her warm breath brushing against his ear.
“Ah, haha…”
Lin Tianlu chuckled awkwardly, accepting their offers.
But the gazes of Mao Ruoyu and Cheng Yishi across the table were quite… piercing.
“Grrrr…”
Cheng Yishi almost bit through her chopsticks, her crimson eyes burning with jealousy.
—What was wrong with these two elders?!
How could they be so… shameless after just a few drinks?!
“I-I didn’t expect your wine to be so strong, Li Yi.” Ye Yujun, sitting beside them, chuckled awkwardly, touching her flushed cheeks: “Even I’m feeling a bit dizzy.”
Second Elder smiled kindly: “This wine has been aged for decades, naturally it’s quite potent. Even with your Yin energy protecting you, girls, you’ll still get drunk.”
Sixth Elder closed her eyes, seemingly savoring the taste of the wine.
Hua Shuya and Eighth Elder, on the other hand, were quietly enjoying the various dishes, occasionally glancing at the others, listening silently. But their cheeks were also flushed, their eyes shimmering, clearly also slightly affected by the alcohol.
“Alright~”
Suddenly, First Elder appeared behind Lin Tianlu with a bright smile, playfully rubbing his head as if doting on her own child: “Since everyone is still awake, let’s go outside. Tianlu has prepared a grand performance for everyone.”
Lin Tianlu smiled, gently steadied the two slightly drunk elders beside him, stood up, and cupped his hands: “As First Elder said, let’s all go to the courtyard, it will be more lively.”
…
Curious, everyone stood up and followed him out of the hall. They saw many boxes already placed in the open space in the courtyard, extending all the way to the outside.
Ye Yujun blinked her beautiful eyes curiously: “Tianlu, what are these…?”
“Fireworks, to celebrate the New Year.”
Lin Tianlu looked at Yun Yue.
The fox beauty smiled gently, suppressing the heat in her body, and flicked her finger as if prepared.
Sizzle—!
With a burst of sparks and a few whistling sounds, the fireworks began.
Everyone looked up at the night sky in surprise and saw streaks of light exploding, transforming into a colorful and dazzling display, like blooming flowers!
Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!
One after another, the fireworks rose into the sky, their fleeting beauty exploding with a bang, the sound echoing through the valley. As if a signal, bright lights erupted in several other locations within Lunar Valley, a chorus of colors and lights filling the sky, like a shimmering river of stars.
The bright light illuminated their faces, drawing cheers and exclamations from the young girls in the distance, and also sighs of admiration and wonder from the elders.
For a moment, the world seemed to freeze, only boundless happiness and joy filling their hearts.
Lin Tianlu smiled faintly, his heart filled with peace and tranquility.
After six months of hard work and busyness, spring had finally arrived.
“—You’re truly thoughtful, Tianlu.”
A soft and seductive murmur suddenly echoed beside his ear.
Wu Jingyun quietly approached, her hair pulled back, her gaze gentle.
Bathed in the light of the fireworks, the beautiful woman’s face was still as alluring as ever, her eyes shimmering like water, seemingly filled with tenderness and affection.
And today, her mature and seductive attire made her even more captivating.
Lin Tianlu chuckled softly: “I just helped Yue’er with the preparations, I wanted to make it more spectacular.”
“It’s already more than enough.” Wu Jingyun smiled gently and whispered: “Everyone has been drinking, even the elders are feeling drowsy, you should take Ruoyu and the others back to rest now.”
“Hmm? Everyone is still quite energetic—”
Lin Tianlu looked back with a chuckle, then quickly closed his mouth— The elders, who had been enjoying the fireworks, were now dozing off, along with Ruoyu and the others. Some were leaning against each other on the chairs in the corridor, some were dozing at the table, and Eighth Elder had even collapsed on the stairs, fast asleep, her usual noble and elegant demeanor gone.
Wu Jingyun teased: “So?”
“Second Elder’s wine is truly potent.” Lin Tianlu chuckled awkwardly.
Just a few cups, and even she had fallen asleep.
“It’s time to clean up.”
Wu Jingyun’s face was slightly flushed, her eyes also a bit hazy, and she murmured: “I can still hold on for a while, Tianlu, help me carry the elders to their rooms first— Mmm!?”
But before she could finish speaking, several silk ribbons suddenly shot out from behind, tightly binding her body, and she was lifted into the air.
“Wh-What’s going on…?”
Wu Jingyun groaned, struggling slightly, but the ribbons tightened, completely immobilizing her, even the flow of Yin energy within her body stagnated.
Lin Tianlu was stunned, looking back in surprise and uncertainty.
“Heh, hee hee… hee~”
A graceful figure stumbled towards them, and under the light of the fireworks, First Elder’s sweet smile appeared.
“Tianlu~ Come and play with me~”
Her seductive voice, like a drunken whisper, made Lin Tianlu shudder, his body tingling.
Looking closely at her flushed face, his expression froze, his lips twitching repeatedly.
This woman…
…could it be that she was drunk and spouting nonsense?!
