Chapter 326: Moon Festival

Chapter 326: Moon Eve

With a sudden splash, Li Huowang leapt to his feet in alarm, stepping back several paces.

The sound of a chair falling to the ground immediately drew the vendor’s attention. He hurried over with cautious steps. “Sir, what happened? Was the noodle not to your taste or was the broth off? Shall I bring you another bowl?”

Li Huowang’s face darkened with displeasure as he glanced at the man and then at his pregnant wife. Without a word, he tossed down a piece of silver and hurried away in his carriage.

“Sir, you’ve given too much! A bowl of noodles doesn’t cost that much!” The vendor's voice only made the carriage move faster.

On the galloping carriage, Li Huowang held his stomach with a strange expression. “What’s going on? Did He Tai sui just repeat what I said by rote, or did it really think I was its father?”

He had always believed that this Tai sui was like Dan Yangzi from before—it existed solely to possess others’ bodies.

But what had just happened seemed entirely different from what he had imagined.

“Father?” A voice rang out again, immediately met with Li Huowang’s rebuttal. “Don’t call me father!”

“Why not?”

The words from He Tai sui momentarily stumped Li Huowang. After thinking for a moment, he recovered. Why not? Whether this was good or bad for him, it was uncertain.

—

The crowing of a rooster woke Yang Xiaohai’s eyes slowly. He rubbed them and looked around, still adjusting to living alone in a room.

In the first few days, without the smell of Brother Cao’s foot odor, he couldn’t sleep peacefully.

Stretching lazily, Yang Xiaohai got up and began dressing himself.

At his age, growing rapidly, his Taoist child outfit was already clearly too short.

Facing the cold morning breeze, Yang Xiaohai hunched his shoulders and walked toward the white-garbed house.

Living in Niu Xin Village was far better than sleeping rough outdoors. There was even a well in the courtyard opposite the kitchen, making washing clothes, dishes, and brushing teeth convenient—no need to fetch water early in the morning.

The water was heated, the rice soaked overnight was added, and Yang Xiaohai skillfully began cooking porridge.

Though simple, porridge depended on how it was made. If cooked slowly and carefully, extracting all the oil from the rice, it would have a unique flavor.

The pickle jar was opened, and Yang Xiaohai picked up his chopsticks, cutting pickled vegetables into strips and chunks on the chopping board.

Fully immersed in his work, Yang Xiaohai was interrupted by footsteps. Looking up, he saw the plump-faced woman. “Little compatriot, you’re up early today too.”

She held a new set of men’s clothes in her arms.

“Take the leftover tofu from last night and serve it with the porridge.” As he spoke, Yang Xiaohai couldn’t help but sigh. Life had improved so much that there were leftovers now.

“Alright,” the woman complied without complaint.

When the porridge was ready and the vegetables chopped, others gradually arrived for breakfast in the main hall.

Li Huowang had been gone for quite some time, and everyone had slowly adjusted.

Yet each heart felt hollow, as if they had lost their anchor. With no one giving orders, no one knew what to do.

As for the harsh words he had spoken earlier, no one held a grudge.

They had all survived battles of life and death; their hearts were solid. Even if Li Huowang had called them worthless, or cursed them for an entire day and night, they would simply laugh it off.

Still, none were blind—they could all see who was most heartbroken when Li Huowang left.

Since Li Huowang departed, Bai Lingmiao hadn’t smiled once. She no longer had that approachable demeanor. It was as if she had become a block of ice, repelling people from afar.

Chun Xiaoman sighed softly, picking up a piece of pickled vegetable with her chopsticks and placing it in Bai Lingmiao’s bowl.

These past days, she had stayed with her friend through the night, afraid that her dear companion might lose hope.

Bai Lingmiao took the vegetable and chewed it into small pieces.

“Miss Bai,” Lü ZHUANGYUAN’s voice caught Bai Lingmiao’s attention. With long white eyelashes fluttering, she asked calmly, “Master Lü, is there something?”

“You see, we’ve rested for so long. I think the Lü Family Troupe can go out on tour now. The autumn harvest is over, and farmers are idle at home preparing for winter. They have time to watch plays.”

“Fine, but today is Moon Eve. How about waiting until after the festival to leave? What do you say, Master Lü?”

Lü ZHUANGYUAN nodded awkwardly. “Sure, sure.”

He had hoped to take his whole family out for the Mid-Autumn Festival to avoid feeling uncomfortable in the village. But since the other party had said so, he had no choice.

After such a long time, he had learned everything clearly—the girl’s family had perished. This Mid-Autumn Festival would certainly be difficult.

“I can make mooncakes!” Yang Xiaohai volunteered.

“That lazy-headed guy used to make mooncakes every Mid-Autumn Festival for us. I’m the fastest and best among the Taoists!”

Seeing Chun Xiaoman signaling to him, Yang Xiaohai blinked, quickly sitting down and burying his head in his breakfast.

After breakfast, Yang Xiaohai pulled out the mooncake molds. Fortunately, the White Family Village had everything they needed—otherwise, it would have been hard to get hold of them.

Gouwa peered out from the kitchen doorway with feigned concern. “Kid, want some help?”

“No thanks, I can manage alone.”

“Alright then, I’ll be waiting for some tonight. I’m taking Gao Zhijian to build a kiln!”

After a busy day, as night fell, the bright moon hung high.

The pastries and fruits bought from the peddler, along with stacks of mooncakes, were placed on the table.

Of course, moon viewing required wine. A jar of cellar-aged wine was brought out.

Seated at the head, Bai Lingmiao raised her cup to everyone. “When the moon is full, people are together, all things are complete. May everyone be happy, healthy, and prosperous!”

Others exchanged glances, finally raising their cups in groups, awkwardly mumbling vague responses.

After drinking a cup, Bai Lingmiao’s eyes reddened slightly. “Come on, don’t just drink. Eat the mooncakes. Brother Yang’s mooncakes look so beautiful, they must taste great.”

Saying that, she took a bite of a mooncake.

Seeing everyone’s careful expressions, Bai Lingmiao sniffled and smiled.

“Oh my, I’m such a fool. For Moon Eve, I haven’t changed the offerings in the ancestral hall. You all eat. I’ll come back after I finish changing them.”

With that, she carried a stack of mooncakes toward the Bai Family Ancestral Hall.

Only after Bai Lingmiao left did everyone finally exhale. Gouwa, visibly distressed, tugged at his collar. “Ah, what a Mid-Autumn Festival.”

“You guys eat first. I’ll go check on her,” Chun Xiaoman said, standing up to follow.

But Gao Zhijian grabbed her hand gently and shook his head slightly. “Let... let her... be alone... for now!”

“Everyone, let’s eat mooncakes. Brother Yang’s are really good,” Bai Lingmiao said, holding a mooncake in both hands, placing it before the countless spirit tablets in the ancestral hall.

All these tablets were new—every person in the White Family Village, young and old, male and female, neatly arranged.

Black tablets with white characters formed a dense black wall, oppressive in its presence, overlooking the sole heir of the Bai family.

—Extra Note—

I apologize. I’ve been lax these past few days. Now that my tasks are done, I will resume daily updates tomorrow. I’ll try to catch up on all the missed chapters as soon as possible.