CHAPTER 550: CHAPTER 549: THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL TO SPRING STARTS AGAIN

Ding Lizhong stepped into the mother-daughter conversation, suddenly overhearing it. His foot paused mid-lift, then he slapped his own forehead, turned, and went into the study...

These mother and daughter, they’re beyond saving.

One dares to bring it up, the other dares to agree.

This... Where does this leave propriety?

Daughter, you’re not even married yet...

Old Tashan, the heavy snow that fell just before the New Year still hasn’t melted after four or five days.

Lin Xiaosu stood on the roof of the second floor, looking at the distant vegetable garden and the firecracker remnants in each family’s yard. He inhaled the smell of gunpowder in the air, savoring the unique aroma of a rural New Year.

Every New Year is a mark.

In life, perhaps it’s these marks that string together one after another.

The sound of firecrackers marks the passage of a year, the spring winds bring warmth to the home, and each household’s bright sun heralds the exchange of new peaches for old charms.

The new peaches have already replaced the old charms. What will next year’s New Year’s Eve look like?

Where will the tranquility and harmony of this world, the happiness and anticipation of ordinary people, be set in stone?

Little Ye went upstairs, carrying a coat, which she gently draped over his shoulders from behind.

Lin Xiaosu turned slightly, giving her a smile: "Are Mom and Dad staying up?"

"Yes, the fire is burning bright. They asked if you’d like some midnight snacks."

"What about you? Do you want some?"

"I’m not hungry."

"During the Spring Festival, no one’s hungry; it’s all about the gesture. Come on, let’s ask my mom to cook some noodles..."

The Spring Festival rolls on familiarly.

Lively and bustling, it reached the seventh day of the Lunar New Year.

In the afternoon of the seventh day, Miao Ruolan called, informing him that the Detective Agency would open on the eighth, so she was coming over that night.

This wasn’t an alert for him to go to work.

Rather, it was to tell him she would be at the Detective Agency tonight.

Lin Xiaosu understood her meaning, said a word to his mom and dad as the sunset, and then headed to the county town.

Entering the Detective Agency’s doors, Miao Ruolan’s cheeks were blushing: "Happy New Year."

Lin Xiaosu hugged her waist and gave a little nibble, making Miao Ruolan go soft: "Xi’er went to Li Fang’s place."

"You know what, such employees deserve awards." Lin Xiaosu said.

Miao Ruolan giggled: "You... you awarded her millions for the whole year last year. She herself said she’s collected a lifetime of bonuses and would wholeheartedly endure hard days with us in the future."

"Hard days?"

"Yes!" Miao Ruolan said: "We all have psychological expectations. Last year, you took down Nine Headed Snake and Utopia; your money jar is essentially smashed, it’s unlikely you’ll make tens of millions a year from now on... but it’s okay, you’ve earned a lifetime’s worth, you could retire right now."

Lin Xiaosu laughed: "Calling Nine Headed Snake and Utopia my money jars is pretty aggravating, but it seems to be the truth."

"Exactly!" Miao Ruolan snuggled happily in his arms.

"But saying that with Nine Headed Snake and Utopia gone, my money jars are smashed, isn’t entirely accurate either," Lin Xiaosu said. "Maybe there’s an even bigger money jar this year?"

Miao Ruolan jolted out of his embrace: "For instance?"

"For instance, if a visitor from the Strange Realm arrives, maybe one day Qianlong will set up a new reward standard for me. Like, how much for taking down an Enlightenment Realm level..."

Miao Ruolan’s lips parted, not quite knowing what expression to wear.

Enlightenment Realm, she knew.

She knew through Lin Xiaosu.

She knew what kind of existence the Enlightenment Realm was.

It was a super cultivation beyond allowance in the current world.

How powerful? To the extent that the current world’s structure can’t support it, and the Heavenly Dao has to intervene for control.

Such people, oh no...

Such Gods, are they suitable for releasing reward standards?

She felt her mind wasn’t suited for such topics, better to free her psyche and play joyfully with him.

This Spring Festival, she spent comfortably, as the biggest worry of ordinary families—"money"—lost its restrictive nature upon her, thereby allowing familial love to become pure.

Though joyful and comfortable at home, with her cheerful dad and mom, brother, and sister-in-law all around, she missed him.

Especially when nothing needed to be done, she missed him even more.

In such a mood on the evening of the seventh day, Miao Ruolan felt a bit wild, particularly when the street’s firecrackers resounded, she too could indulge in moaning without worry of others hearing...

No matter how sweet the night, it will always pass.

No matter how lively the Spring Festival, it will also pass.

The next day is the official workday.

As the gates of various units open, half of the New Year’s spirit instantly fades away.

Miao Ruolan, albeit sluggish, maintained her professional integrity, got out of bed early, bathed, changed, went downstairs—and the sound of the door opening outside announced that Zhou Xi was back.

"Sister Lan, has Brother Lin arrived?"

Miao Ruolan endeavored not to let her face change color, gently nodding: "He seems to have arrived."

"Seems?"

"Yes, I was asleep last night when I heard the door opening, he... he should have come." Miao Ruolan said: "Since we’ve opened, let’s sort out last year’s cases first, okay? There are several cases, now that the parties are back for the New Year, we can visit them too..."

Zhou Xi successfully veered her thoughts, found last year’s case files, and began organizing.

Sudden, her gaze lifted, shocked at the sight outside the door.

Miao Ruolan’s gaze also lifted. Through the glass door, she saw a small blue car, its design strikingly unique, not available on the market.

"Sister Lan, do you remember the high-speed train to spring?" Zhou Xi’s voice was light, her expression very mysterious.

Miao Ruolan’s eyes flickered, but she didn’t answer.

"You don’t remember? Miss Ding from the Changsheng Group, who was once the daughter of the third largest shareholder, is now even more remarkable; she’s the daughter of the chairman..."

"Of course I remember, should we go say hi to her? It’s the festive season..." Miao Ruolan hesitated.

"Brother Lin’s coming down!" Zhou Xi looked up.

The stairs creaked, and Lin Xiaosu descended briskly: "Ruolan, Xi’er, I’m going out with Ruoshui to handle some things, it might take some time."

"Alright!" Miao Ruolan replied.

"Brother Lin, is it the high-speed train to spring?" Zhou Xi asked.

Lin Xiaosu shot her a look, pushed open the detective agency’s door, and opened the car door in front of him.

Inside, of course, was Ding Ruoshui.

"I said we’d meet separately at the Huanggang High speed Railway Station, yet you still insist on picking me up." Lin Xiaosu smiled and said, "Missed me?"

"What do you mean missed you? I’m here to catch some shady business!" Ding Ruoshui said: "I won’t ask about Miao Ruolan, but you should come clean about Zhou Xi, did you have anything going on?"

"Honestly, I did not!"

"I can’t tell right now!" Ding Ruoshui tilted her head to look inside at Zhou Xi: "But once I return to Kun Cang, enter Nishui Pond, and the Heavenly Star shines, I’ll be able to tell if a woman is pure."

"Whoa? Such an incredible skill?"

"Yes, after my Water Secret Realm, when the Heavenly Star shines, I will unlock more functions. One of them is extremely powerful. As long as there’s water, I can easily see if a woman still has that... membrane through the water."

The car turned onto the highway, sped through Fengcheng, and headed straight for Huanggang.

At the high-speed railway station, the car parked by the roadside, Ding Ruoshui smacked the steering wheel: "Car, little Se!"

"I’m here!" the electronic voice from the car interior responded.

"Head back to Nanhu Villa!"

"Understood!"

"Don’t flirt on the way, behave yourself."

"Got it!"

Then, she exited the car and closed the door.

The blue small car cheerfully headed back on its own.

Lin Xiaosu was stunned: "Your car service system is named ’little Se’?"

"Yes, it’s just added during the New Year’s period."

"Why call it little Se?"

"Because there’s someone named little Se who always bullies me; I wanted to bully him but my mom wouldn’t allow it, so I can only bully my ride." Ding Ruoshui blinked and said: "I press it every day to tease it."

"Didn’t you say, don’t flirt on the road?" Lin Xiaosu was dumbfounded.

Ding Ruoshui burst into laughter: "Alright, let’s talk seriously... I’ll show you a photo, see if you know who she is."

She tapped on her phone and opened a photo.

A beautiful white-haired woman...

Lin Xiaosu’s eyes widened, it was Xue Ying.

Hidden Dragon 9 Gold Medal.

"You really know her?" Ding Ruoshui caught his gaze.

"What’s the matter?" Lin Xiaosu asked back.

"My brother left with this girl before New Year’s Eve and didn’t come back for dinner; my mom almost called the police."

Ah, so that’s it!

Lin Xiaosu smiled: "Don’t worry! It’s nothing!"

"This chick with non-mainstream white hair clearly isn’t the real deal, what’s there to be assured about?"

Come on!

Lin Xiaosu said: "Let me be honest with you... this girl is a Qianlong Gold Medal, her white hair is not a cosplay of a contemporary cute cartoon girl, she has unique genes."

Ding Ruoshui sprang up, her face changing instantly: "What trouble did my brother get into?"

Alarm a Qianlong Gold Medal, that’s no small matter.

"Ruoshui, you misunderstood your brother!" Lin Xiaosu said: "Although overall your brother is still a charming, shameless, promiscuous brat, he has merits; he’s helping Qianlong with tasks, and very important ones at that."

The panic on Ding Ruoshui’s face visibly dissipated, but her suspicion grew: "He’s... helping Qianlong with tasks?"

"Yes, his mechanical manufacturing ability has gained Qianlong’s recognition, in this domain, he holds significant potential."

Ding Ruoshui slowly closed her eyes.

Her chest rose and fell gently.

If it were about other things, she wouldn’t believe it, but when it comes to mechanical manufacturing, she actually does believe.

Her brother, the super spoiled brat that neither her family nor their circle of friends held in high regard, could actually help out with Qianlong’s tasks...

"Really?"

"It’s true! Last time your brother disappeared, he wasn’t kidnapped to Qingmian Country; he was also helping Qianlong with tasks." Lin Xiaosu said: "If he goes missing again, your mom shouldn’t call the police; she’d be putting Chief Shen in a difficult spot."

"All right!" Ding Ruoshui exhaled deeply: "Now thinking about it, I suddenly feel my Ding Family is so outstanding. My dad is doing research for the country, my mom is promoting Jiangcheng’s consumption cycle, my brother is researching mechanics for Qianlong, and I’m always ready to provide water for you... What kind of family is this? This is a red family, full of devotion and honor... Oh no, it’s full of integrity."

The family of four, in different fields, all serving the nation.

Among them, what her dad and brother do is proper work.

Her mom’s promotion of consumption is somewhat absurd.

And she herself, not absurd, purely flirtatious...

However, if summed up concisely, it actually makes a bit of sense.