On New Year’s Eve, Mu Feichi had set a curfew for himself and had obediently sent his sweetheart back before midnight, for Xiao Jinglin’s sake.

Keeping with the tradition of Jun Country, Xiao Jinglin sat in the living room playing chess with the old man, staying up late until the year officially ended.

Mu Feichi walked her to the mudroom while he stood at the entrance. He did not step in. Instead, he nodded to the two people inside, “Mr. Xiao, I’ve brought her home safely, so I won’t be coming in. I’ll pick her up again tomorrow morning to take her back to the military region residences.”

Xiao Jinglin nodded, “I can take her there tomorrow, so you don’t have to run back and forth so early in the morning.”

“Alright then!” Mu Feichi winked at Yun Xi and turned to leave the house.

Sitting in the car, Mu Feichi turned it around. He then tapped on the encrypted number on his phone and hit dial. “Notify everyone that we’re having a meeting at department A. I’ll be there in thirty minutes!”

It was late at night, and everyone was waiting to usher in the New Year in their own homes, yet he had given an order at such a timing. Everyone who was notified knew very well that this was, without a doubt, a pressing matter.

When the clock struck twelve, the entire Jingdu was drowned by the sound of firecrackers, and the crackling yet quiet city ushered in the first day of the Lunar New Year.

Yun Xi followed the Old Master Xiao and Xiao Jinglin to the door of the villa, and they watched Xiaoer and Xiaosi light firecrackers and fireworks in front of the house to welcome the New Year. Even the cold winds could not dampen the warmth she felt in her heart. This was the only Spring Festival in all of her two lifetimes that she felt the true meaning of having her family by her side.

“Grandpa, may you have an auspicious New Year!” When the clock struck twelve, Yun Xi waited for the firecrackers and fireworks at the door to stop, before giving a New Year blessing to the old man. This was the first time he had returned to Jun Country in 20 or 30 years to celebrate the Spring Festival.

“Why, yes! May you be blessed in all your future endeavors as well, sweet child.” Abiding by tradition, the old man fumbled in his coat pocket and took out a red envelope, which was folded from a red brocade, then handed it to Yun Xi.

Yun Xi was startled by his gesture, but she politely stretched out her hands to accept it. The thick and heavy red envelope that was still warm from the old man’s body left a tingle of warmth on her palms.

“Thank you, Grandpa!”

“Alright, I’m going to bed. When you and your father are done guarding the night, you should get some rest too.”

“Okay! Have a good night!” After walking Old Master Xiao back into the house, Yun Xi hurried back to Xiao Jinglin’s side. Looking down at the big, red envelope in her hand, she saw the round and smooth Hetian jade button, symbolizing peace, placed on the seal. Just at a glance, she could tell that this red envelope had been prepared with care, and it was filled with an abundance of blessings.

When Xiao Jinglin heard footsteps, he turned around, and looked at the delicate little girl standing beside him. The best thing in his life was falling in love with a woman named Rong Rong, and the luckiest thing of all was having such an adorable and well-behaved daughter.

“Mr. Xiao, may you have a blessed New Year!”

Xiao Jinglin’s expectant face gradually revealed a smile so rarely seen on him, “Happy New Year!”

With that, he took out a big red envelope—which had the same texture as the old man’s—from his pocket and handed it to her. Probably because it had been in his coat for a long time, when Yun Xi accepted it with both hands, she could still vaguely feel the lingering warmth on the red envelope.

“Thank you, Mr. Xiao!”

“Alright, go and get some rest. I’ll take you back to the residences tomorrow morning.”

“Good night!” Nodding subtly, Yun Xi turned to go upstairs, leaving Xiao Jinglin at the door as he watched the fireworks in the sky with a warm and tender smile on his face.

Even though she had not called him ‘dad,’ he felt lucky enough to have his daughter by his side.

When she returned to her room, Yun Xi looked at the two bulging red envelopes in her hand. She hesitated for a moment, then sat down on the bed with her legs crossed and opened the red envelopes.

Within the red brocade envelope, there were 18 envelopes folded from red paper. Each red envelope was stamped with the totem of the Xiao family, and below the totem, were the words: ‘One Year Old,’ ‘Two Years Old,’ ‘Three Years Old,’ and so on.

Beneath each year were words of blessings written by hand.

There in her hands were red envelopes meant for each of the past eighteen years. In their own way, they were trying to make up for the eighteen years they had missed.

It was a simple gift of courtesy, yet it carried with it the fondest of affections.