Chapter 48: No, I can't sleep!
Book of Hundred Lifetimes, Shiqiao Village.
Early in the morning, as Xiaoqing opened her door, a cold wind blew through.
The young girl's tender neck instinctively Shrink into her clothes, and she subconsciously tightened her clothes around her.
It was only early November, yet the morning wind was already somewhat biting.
This year's winter seemed to have arrived more abruptly than usual.
Xiaoqing turned to look at her elder sister, who was still sleeping in bed.
Her elder sister was still curled up in the quilt, sleeping.
"Elder Sister… wake up, Elder Sister!"
Xiaoqing walked to the bed and gently pushed her elder sister's shoulder.
"Mmm-hmm…" Bai Ruxue responded lazily, but her eyes didn't open at all; instead, she buried her head deeper into the quilt.
"Elder Sister, aren't you going to the market? If you don't go now, there won't be any vegetables left."
Xiaoqing was actually quite puzzled.
For some reason, her elder sister seemed to be sleeping more soundly this winter.
Although hibernation was an innate trait of the snake race,
her elder sister's Realm was already very high; logically speaking, she shouldn't be feeling sleepy so early.
She herself wasn't even feeling sleepy yet.
"Elder Sister, are you alright?" Xiaoqing asked worriedly, "Is there something wrong with your cultivation again?"
"It's nothing, Xiaoqing, Elder Sister is just a little sleepy. Elder Sister will get up now."
Bai Ruxue, with strong willpower, sat up from the bed, a strand of hair brushing her cheek and curling on her rising and falling chest.
Although her elder sister had sat up from the bed, she was swaying, and her eyes were still closed, as if she would lie back down at any moment.
Xiaoqing pulled back the quilt covering her elder sister.
Cold air poured into the quilt, and Bai Ruxue's delicate body shivered.
This time, the woman truly woke up.
As usual, the two sisters went to the market in Huang Village to buy vegetables, then returned home to clean the yard, hang clothes to dry, prepare ingredients, and cook.
If there was nothing else to do, Bai Ruxue would also serve Xiao Mo tea and water, and massage his shoulders.
Although Bai Ruxue usually did these things,
Xiaoqing noticed that ever since Xiao Da ge returned, the relationship between her elder sister and Xiao Da ge seemed to have grown closer. Her elder sister's eyes when looking at Xiao Da ge were even softer, an indescribable gentleness.
Unconsciously, it was the twelfth lunar month.
As the weather grew colder, Bai Ruxue became even more prone to sleep.
In fact, Bai Ruxue didn't know what was wrong with her; she just felt very sleepy, something that hadn't happened in the past two years.
As the New Year approached, every household became busy.
Especially Xiao Mo's family.
In previous years, the village chief would write Spring Festival couplets for the villagers, but this year, Shiqiao Village had produced a Jieyuan, and everyone hoped Xiao Mo could help write them to bring some literary Qi to their homes.
Xiao Mo naturally didn't refuse.
He had grown up eating the village's communal meals, so what was writing a few Spring Festival couplets?
However, the villagers didn't take them for free; they would give Xiao Mo things like chickens, ducks, fish, and meat. Xiao Mo declined a few times, but he really couldn't argue with the Dama and aunts of the village.
"Ru Xue, are you alright?"
One day, as Xiao Mo was writing Spring Festival couplets in the yard, he saw Bai Ruxue, who was mending clothes, dozing off. Her head was bobbing up and down, like a chick pecking at rice.
Those beautiful peach blossom eyes seemed about to close.
"Ah?"
Hearing Xiao Mo's voice, Bai Ruxue shivered suddenly and instantly woke up.
"N-nothing…" Bai Ruxue shook her head, "Ah! Your green robe! How did I sew it like this?"
Xiao Mo smiled: "It's alright if the clothes aren't sewn well. You look sleepy; just make sure you don't prick your hand. Ru Xue, go take a nap."
"No, no." Bai Ruxue shook her head, "The New Year is in eight days; I still have so many things to do. I'm not sleepy."
Saying that, Bai Ruxue looked at the sky: "How is it almost noon already…"
Bai Ruxue quickly put the clothes on the table and ran into the kitchen: "Xiao Mo, I'll go cook first. I'll finish sewing your clothes this afternoon."
Looking at the woman's retreating figure, Xiao Mo felt a bit puzzled.
He knew that snakes needed to hibernate, but Xiaoqing was still in good spirits; she even went to collect eggs with Wang Dama this morning.
Why was Ru Xue, whose Realm was higher, in such poor condition instead?
In the kitchen, Bai Ruxue washed her small face again and again.
Water droplets slowly slid down the woman's smooth cheeks.
Looking at herself in the water jar, the woman's willow-like brows furrowed slightly: "What's been wrong with me these past few days?"
Last year, she only started feeling sleepy and hibernating in mid-January, and she woke up after half a month.
But now it was only the twelfth lunar month!
"No, I can't sleep…"
Bai Ruxue forcefully patted her small face.
She had a feeling that this hibernation might be different from before.
Although Bai Ruxue didn't know how it would be different, the woman felt very uneasy in her heart.
"I must get through this winter! When spring comes, I won't want to sleep anymore!"
Bai Ruxue clenched her small fists, cheering herself on.
"Next spring, when Xiao Mo returns from the imperial examination, he will marry me…"
In the following days, whenever Bai Ruxue felt sleepy, she would bite hard into a red chili pepper.
Although she disliked spicy food, just one bite would instantly make her alert.
On the twenty-sixth of the twelfth lunar month, there were only three days left until the New Year.
A letter arrived from the capital.
This letter was personally delivered by Sun County Magistrate to Shiqiao Village.
The sender was a Hanlin of the current dynasty, none other than the highly respected Zhang Qianzhi, Old Mr. Zhang.
After reading Zhang Xiansheng's letter, Xiao Mo's expression seemed to carry a hint of helplessness.
"Xiao Mo, did Zhang Xiansheng say anything?" Seeing Xiao Mo's seemingly complex expression, Sun County Magistrate asked.
Xiao Mo put away the envelope: "Zhang Xianshenghopes I will depart for the capital after the New Year; he wants to see me before mid-February."
"That's great news!" Sun County Magistrate said happily, "I heard Zhang Xiansheng is taking office as the Governor of Beihai Prefecture after the New Year, which should be around mid-February. Zhang Xiansheng wanting to see you before taking office shows how much he values you. But why do you look a bit conflicted, Xiao Mo?"
Xiao Mo smiled: "I want to spend more time with my family."
"Alas, Xiao Mo, being sentimental is a good thing, but Zhang Xiansheng's invitation is something every scholar of Great Qi dreams of. You are still young; you will have plenty of time to spend with your family later."
"Furthermore, the imperial examination is in early March; you're just leaving half a month early, it's not a big deal. Don't be foolish!"
Xiao Mo bowed: "This humble student understands."
"Good, as long as you understand."
Sun County Magistrate patted Xiao Mo's shoulder.
"This official learned from your village chief that you intend to marry the daughter of the Bai family after you return from the imperial examination.
When you succeed in the examination, riding a red horse, adorned with red flowers, with ten li of dowry and the whole city lit with lanterns.
You, a talented scholar and a beautiful lady, will be a beautiful tale in Jiangnan Prefecture!"