Book of a Hundred Lives, Stone Bridge Village.

In the early morning, Little Green had just opened the door when a cold wind blew through.

The young girl’s fair neck involuntarily shrank into her clothes, instinctively pulling her garments tighter around herself.

It was only early November, yet the morning breeze already carried a piercing chill.

This year’s winter seemed to be arriving more urgently than usual.

Little Green turned to look at her older sister lying on the bed.

Sister was still curled up under the blankets sleeping.

"Sister... time to get up, sister."

Little Green walked to the bedside and gently pushed her sister’s shoulder.

"Mmm..." Bai Ruxue responded lazily, but her eyes didn’t open at all. Instead, she buried her head deeper into the blankets.

"Sister, aren’t you going to the market? If we don’t go soon, there won’t be any vegetables left."

Little Green was actually quite puzzled in her heart.

For some reason, sister seemed to be much more drowsy this winter.

Although hibernation was the natural instinct of the snake clan, sister’s cultivation level was already very high. Logically speaking, she shouldn’t be getting sleepy this early.

She herself wasn’t even feeling drowsy yet.

"Sister, are you alright?" Little Green asked worriedly, "Did something go wrong with your cultivation again?"

"I’m fine, Little Green. Sister is just a bit tired... Sister will get up right now."

Bai Ruxue relied on her strong willpower to sit up on the bed, a strand of hair sliding across her cheek and curling at the woman’s dramatically rising chest.

Although sister sat up on the bed, she swayed unsteadily with her eyes still closed, as if she might lie back down at any moment.

Little Green pulled away the blanket covering her sister.

Cold air rushed into the blankets, making Bai Ruxue’s delicate body tremble.

This time the woman truly woke up.

As usual, the two sisters went to Yellow Village’s market to buy vegetables, then returned home to clean the courtyard, hang clothes to dry, prepare ingredients, and cook.

When there was nothing else to do, Bai Ruxue would also serve tea and water to Xiao Mo and massage his shoulders.

Although Bai Ruxue had always done these things before, Little Green noticed that ever since Big Brother Xiao Mo returned that time, the relationship between sister and Big Brother Xiao Mo seemed to have become even closer. Sister looked at Big Brother Xiao Mo with even more tender eyes, an indescribable kind of tenderness.

Unknowingly, the twelfth lunar month arrived.

As the weather grew increasingly cold, Bai Ruxue became increasingly drowsy.

Actually, Bai Ruxue didn’t know what was wrong with herself either. She just felt very tired, though this hadn’t happened in the previous 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 couplets for the villagers, but this year, Stone Bridge Village had produced a county graduate, and everyone hoped Xiao Mo could help write them, bringing scholarly aura to their homes.

Xiao Mo naturally didn’t refuse.

He had grown up eating food from a hundred families in the village, so what was writing some spring couplets?

However, the villagers didn’t take them for free either. They would all bring Xiao Mo things like chickens, ducks, fish, and meat. Xiao Mo declined several times but truly couldn’t resist the village aunties and ladies.

"Ruxue, are you alright?"

This day, while Xiao Mo was writing spring couplets in the courtyard, he saw Bai Ruxue, who was mending clothes, nodding off. Her head bobbed up and down like a pecking chicken.

Those beautiful peach blossom eyes seemed about to close.

"Ah?"

Hearing Xiao Mo’s voice, Bai Ruxue suddenly shivered and snapped awake.

"Nothing... nothing’s wrong..." Bai Ruxue shook her head, "Ah! Your blue robe! How did I sew it like this?"

Xiao Mo smiled, "It’s fine if the clothes aren’t sewn well. Seeing how drowsy you look, just don’t prick your hand. Ruxue, go take a nap."

"No, no," Bai Ruxue shook her head, "There are only eight days until New Year, and I still have so many things to do. I’m not tired."

Speaking, Bai Ruxue looked at the sky, "How is it almost noon already..."

Bai Ruxue hurriedly placed the clothes on the table and ran into the kitchen, "Xiao Mo, I’ll go cook first. I’ll finish mending your clothes this afternoon."

Watching the woman’s retreating figure, Xiao Mo felt somewhat puzzled.

He knew snakes needed to hibernate, but Little Green’s spirits were still good. She had even gone with Aunt Wang to collect eggs this morning.

How was it that Ruxue, who had higher cultivation, was in worse condition instead?

In the kitchen, Bai Ruxue washed her little face again and again.

Water droplets slowly slid down the woman’s tender, smooth cheeks.

Looking at herself in the water jar, the woman’s willow eyebrows slightly furrowed, "What’s been wrong with me these days?"

Last year, she had only gotten drowsy and hibernated in mid-January, sleeping for half a month before waking up but now it was only the twelfth lunar month...

"No, I can’t sleep."

Bai Ruxue vigorously patted her little face.

She had a feeling that this hibernation might be very different from before.

Although Bai Ruxue didn’t know how it would be different, the woman’s heart was filled with unease.

"Get through this winter! Once spring comes, I won’t want to sleep anymore!"

Bai Ruxue clenched her small fists to encourage herself.

"Next spring, when Xiao Mo returns from the imperial examination, he’ll marry me."

In the following days, whenever Bai Ruxue felt drowsy, she would fiercely bite into a red chili pepper.

Although she really disliked spicy food, just one bite would instantly wake her up.

The twenty-sixth day of the twelfth lunar month, only three days until New Year.

A letter arrived from the capital.

This letter was personally delivered to Stone Bridge Village by County Magistrate Sun.

The sender was a current Hanlin Academy scholar, the highly respected elderly gentleman Zhang Qianzhi.

After reading Master Zhang’s letter, Xiao Mo’s expression seemed to carry some helplessness.

"Xiao Mo, did Master Zhang say anything?" Seeing Xiao Mo’s somewhat complicated expression, County Magistrate Sun asked.

Xiao Mo put away the letter, "Master Zhang hopes I’ll depart for the capital after New Year, wanting to see me before mid-February."

"That’s wonderful!" County Magistrate Sun said happily, "I heard Master Zhang will take up the position of Governor of Beihai Province after New Year, probably around mid-February. For Master Zhang to want to see you before taking office shows how much he values you. Why do you look somewhat conflicted, Xiao Mo?"

Xiao Mo smiled, "I want to spend more time with my family."

"Ah, Xiao Mo, valuing relationships is a good thing, but Master Zhang’s invitation is something scholars throughout the Qi Kingdom dream of. You’re still young, you’ll have plenty of time to accompany family in the future."

"Moreover, the imperial examination is in early March. You’re only going half a month early, it’s no big deal. Don’t be confused about this."

Xiao Mo bowed, "This student understands."

"Good, as long as you understand."

County Magistrate Sun patted Xiao Mo’s shoulder.

"This official learned from your village chief that you want to marry the Bai family’s daughter after returning from the imperial examination.

When you pass with high honors, riding a red horse, wearing red flowers, with ten li of red wedding decorations and the entire city hung with lanterns and colored silk, you talented scholar and beautiful lady will become a celebrated story throughout Jiangnan Province!"