Chapter 66: New Year’s Eve Vigil

The New Year was just around the corner.

The Xue residence was bustling with activity.

Yao Zuizui had spent the past month quite comfortably.

Perhaps the incident with Guigui had angered Xue Rui.

For once, Xue Rui had spoken up and appointed her as the head maid of the courtyard, effectively stripping Guigui of her authority. Though Guigui wasn’t expelled from the courtyard or sold off to the estate, the demotion was enough to make her expression turn sour.

After becoming the head maid, Yao Zuizui had little to worry about beyond attending to Xue Rui and managing the courtyard affairs.

But ever since losing her position, the way Guigui looked at Yao Zuizui had grown increasingly unsettling.

The sisterly bond they once shared seemed to be fading further away.

Xue Rui had explicitly told Yao Zuizui that Guigui was no longer allowed in his room—he had been disturbed from his peaceful sleep more than once by her.

Thus, Yao Zuizui had no choice but to assign Guigui other tasks—light and easy ones, but ones that kept her from serving Xue Rui directly.

Guigui, however, showed no gratitude. Instead, she often sneered and made sarcastic remarks in front of Yao Zuizui, making her lose any remaining patience and simply ignore her.

As for Xue Qi, he had harassed Yao Zuizui twice more.

But Xue Qi was the type to bully the weak and fear the strong, always picking on easy targets. After being intimidated by Yao Zuizui in return, he became hesitant and didn’t dare take further action.

With the New Year approaching, the residence grew busier, and Yao Zuizui had to stay extra vigilant.

Though Xue Rui’s courtyard wasn’t large, it still housed over a dozen people. If she didn’t manage them properly and things fell into chaos, she would be the one punished.

That day, Lady Xue sent her head maid to inform Yao Zuizui of something.

Since Xue Rui had grown increasingly trusting of Yao Zuizui, delegating most matters to her, Lady Xue had also developed some appreciation for her.

Though Xue Rui’s temperament remained unchanged—still extremely lazy, needing servants to support him in every movement, and refusing to lift a finger even for meals or baths—Yao Zuizui had managed to barely fulfill all the tasks assigned by Lady Xue without leaving room for criticism.

Seeing the graceful figure of Lady Xue’s head maid approaching from afar, her lips curved in a smile that revealed eight pearly white teeth, Yao Zuizui knew this task would be particularly troublesome.

The difficulty of the tasks Lady Xue assigned through her head maid was always directly proportional to the brightness of the maid’s smile.

The wider the smile, the harder the task.

Sure enough.

“Huahua, the Old Madam has decreed that the whole family must gather for the New Year’s Eve vigil. Our mistress has instructed you to persuade the young master not to skip it again.”

“…” Yao Zuizui recalled how Xue Rui had stubbornly refused to attend last year’s New Year’s Eve gathering.

The vigil was an uncomfortable affair—cold, exhausting, crowded, and laden with tedious rituals. He had no interest in moving a muscle.

Sleeping snugly under the covers was far more appealing than keeping vigil with the family.

Counting back, since the original Huahua had entered the Xue residence, Xue Rui had never once shown his face during New Year’s Eve.

Xue Rui, of course, faced no consequences—the Old Madam and Lady Xue doted on him too much to scold or punish him. But to save face, they would arbitrarily punish all the servants in his courtyard instead.

The young master was inherently kind and courteous. If he made a mistake, it must be because the servants failed to guide him properly.

Yao Zuizui sighed and said pitifully, “Ah… Sister, you know our young master’s temper. How could I possibly persuade him so easily?”

The head maid’s smile widened as she comforted her, “The mistress said that though the young master was a bit muddle-headed before, he’ll surely improve now that he’s getting married this spring. Since you’ve earned his favor, you should guide him properly. Otherwise… the mistress won’t tolerate an undisciplined maid serving the young master so closely.”

Yao Zuizui pressed her lips together. It seemed Lady Xue didn’t like her much and was always looking for excuses to remove her from Xue Rui’s courtyard.

She curtsied. “Sister, rest assured. I’ll do my best to persuade the young master.”

===

Persuading him, however, was easier said than done. Yao Zuizui had no idea how to convince the lazy Xue Rui to abandon his long-standing habit and sacrifice his precious sleep time to join the family vigil.

While scrubbing Xue Rui’s back, she decided it was the best time to test the waters—after all, this was when he was most relaxed and most likely to listen.

“Young master, New Year’s Eve is just a few days away. How do you plan to spend it?” Yao Zuizui asked sweetly.

“Sleep,” Xue Rui lazily muttered.

“Young master, the Old Madam has ordered two banquet tables to be set up in the main hall for the family reunion and vigil,” Yao Zuizui said, her skilled hands massaging his back.

Xue Rui closed his eyes in contentment, not registering a single word she said.

The lively scene she described held no appeal for him. He only wanted to sleep comfortably without lifting a finger.

Seeing that Xue Rui had tuned her out, Yao Zuizui pressed on.

“What a pity…” Her voice carried disappointment and melancholy, making Xue Rui, despite his closed eyes, unconsciously perk up his ears.

“I heard that on New Year’s Eve, the residence has arranged for fireworks and performances—supposedly quite spectacular. But alas, I won’t get to see such a grand sight… What a shame…” Her voice was soft and clear, dripping with longing for the festive scene.

Xue Rui lowered his gaze, staring at the rippling water before him, lost in thought.

Before she knew it, it was already the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month, and Yao Zuizui still couldn’t tell whether Xue Rui was willing to attend or not.

Over the past few days, she had repeatedly brought up the excitement of New Year’s Eve, describing it in the most dazzling terms.

But whenever she mentioned it, Xue Rui would close his eyes, looking utterly indifferent, as if her words went in one ear and out the other, leaving her helpless.

The Xue residence had already replaced the door gods, couplets, and plaques, and freshly painted the peachwood charms, creating a lively and joyous New Year’s atmosphere.

The maids and servants greeted each other with cheerful smiles, and even Yao Zuizui couldn’t help but be infected by the festive mood, her face brightening.

Seeing the girl’s beaming smile, her eyes curved like crescent moons, Xue Rui couldn’t help but purse his lips slightly.

How unsophisticated. Look how happy she is.

===

As the head maid of the courtyard, with Xue Rui being utterly hands-off, Yao Zuizui was exceptionally busy on the 30th day of the twelfth lunar month.

There were endless chores inside and out.

Taking advantage of a free moment in the afternoon, she gathered the courtyard maids and distributed small pouches of silver ingots, saying they were rewards from the young master.

She then instructed the maids who weren’t on duty that night to buy some wine and gather together to welcome the New Year, making it a lively affair.

Guigui stood out among the maids, her beauty distinct.

But her forced smile was particularly grating. “Huahua has changed quite a bit since becoming head maid. Ordering us around like this, you’ve really taken on the airs of a mistress!”

Yao Zuizui’s expression shifted to one of alarm. “Sister, you mustn’t say such things! I’m just like everyone else—eating and sleeping together, no different at all.”

Guigui’s lips curled in a mocking smile as she watched Huahua’s feigned humility. She remembered how, not long ago, she had been the head maid of the courtyard. Every New Year, all the maids and servants would fawn over her, eagerly hoping for extra holiday rewards.

Now, her position had been usurped, leaving her deeply resentful.

Ever since Huahua had woken up, she had somehow bewitched the young master, making him listen to her in everything and completely neglect Guigui.

Lowering her eyes to hide the storm of emotions within, Guigui bit her lip and fell silent.

The other maids found Huahua approachable and never putting on airs as head maid, so they paid no mind to Guigui’s words. Instead, they laughed and asked Yao Zuizui if she’d join them for the New Year’s Eve vigil.

After some playful banter, Yao Zuizui finally lifted the curtain with a smile and entered Xue Rui’s room.

She froze the moment she stepped inside.

Xue Rui was reclining on the daybed, his gaze fixed intently on her.

Xue Rui was inherently lazy, never bothering to look at her properly, always lying down to sleep.

So this sudden attention, his dark eyes reflecting the golden hues of the setting sun outside the window, gave her an eerie feeling. She had no idea what this ancestor was thinking now.

“…” Knowing he wouldn’t speak first, Yao Zuizui took the initiative. “Young master, should I inform the mistress that you’re feeling unwell and fear passing your illness to the ladies?”

Yao Zuizui thought the old trick of feigning illness, though clichéd, might still work—if only Xue Rui would cooperate.

To her surprise, Xue Rui frowned slightly and said softly, “Go to the main hall.”

Yao Zuizui processed his words instantly.

Xue Rui was actually willing to attend the vigil this year?

What had spurred this change?!

Could it really be because he felt he needed to mature now that he was getting married this spring?

At that thought, her joy dimmed slightly, though her expression remained unchanged.

She immediately helped Xue Rui change into a red brocade robe embroidered with golden lotus vines, draped a chestnut-colored fur-lined cloak over his shoulders, and topped it with a matching fur hat, bundling him up tightly against the cold.

Xue Rui felt stifled, almost unable to breathe.

Normally too lazy to speak, he had to voice his discomfort. “Too thick.”

Yao Zuizui pressed her lips together, her clear eyes brimming with gentle amusement. “Young master, you’ve never gone out at night before. The wind is fierce—better to bundle up and avoid catching a chill.”

Facing her smiling face, Xue Rui felt even more breathless.

Only after Yao Zuizui wheeled him outside did the suffocating sensation ease slightly.

The wind outside was indeed strong. Though it was only dusk, the howling gusts already carried the bite of night.

Even with a hand warmer and fur hat, Xue Rui could feel the wind slicing against his face like knives.

Then he thought of the little maid pushing his wheelchair behind him.

She was only wearing a thin jacket, without even a cloak… Wasn’t she cold?

But turning his head seemed too much effort and beneath his dignity.

So he remained silent as they made their way to the main hall.

===

The New Year was the most important event in the Xue residence every year, so preparations had begun early.

The hall was lined with ten carved lacquer chairs facing each other, each draped with identical gray squirrel-fur covers and cushions. Beneath each chair sat a large bronze foot warmer, its heat wafting upward, thawing Yao Zuizui’s half-frozen body.

Xue Rui glanced subtly at Yao Zuizui’s lips, now purplish from the cold, before shifting his gaze to the Old Madam seated at the head of the room.

“Greetings, Grandmother.” Now that he was here, Xue Rui was at least polite, offering a slight bow from his wheelchair.