What did Chuxi want to tell Xiao Nanzhu? Actually, it was quite simple—he wanted to apologize to Xiao Nanzhu.

Although for a being like him, there was no real need to overly consider the feelings of an ordinary person like Xiao Nanzhu, perhaps because last night’s events were truly embarrassing, nearly taking someone’s dignity, such base and shameless actions made even Chuxi himself feel guilty when he recalled them. So after Xiao Nanzhu left him to rest alone, it wasn’t long before he returned to the calendar, but he didn’t go to his own page. Instead, he deliberately visited each of his colleagues whom he hadn’t had any contact with for nearly a hundred years.

Because his condition had deteriorated over the past hundred years, unless necessary, he usually didn’t have the habit of visiting others casually. The other calendar gods, afraid of getting entangled with this troublesome person, naturally stayed as far away as possible. As one can imagine, when Chuxi, who was usually like a god of death, showed up at their doors with his Nian beast that could scare people to death just by sticking out its tongue, his circle of old neighbors became extremely fearful.

“Uncle Chuxi… why… why are you here?! I… I… haven’t been naughty recently!! Please… please don’t hit me!! Wuwu! QAQ”

With a pale little face and trembling, Little New Year, who had been playing with a turtle to kill time in his own home, was immediately dumbfounded when he saw Chuxi at his door. He had always looked like a chubby child who never grew up, and now with his appearance of being scared to tears, he looked quite pitiful. Chuxi, who had originally planned to ask him for advice, fell silent at the sight and hesitated repeatedly, not having the heart to speak. After awkwardly pressing his lips together, he said in a deep voice, “It’s nothing, carry on with your play,” and simply turned to leave. But after that, no matter whom he approached, that calendar god would appear to be on high alert, making Chuxi begin to reflect on just how poor his interpersonal relationships were.

“Ah Nian, am I truly so repulsive?”

With a furrowed brow and a confused expression, after wandering around without finding anyone who could give him advice, Chuxi felt somewhat helpless. The Nian beast beside him affectionately rubbed against the back of his hand, equally powerless to help with his master’s troubles. After spending a day like this, Chuxi still couldn’t find a way to reconcile with Xiao Nanzhu, so as night approached, he thought about it and decided to solve his problem himself. But when he actually faced the gloomy-faced Xiao Nanzhu, whom he had beaten black and blue, he found it difficult to speak.

“Calendar Master, I want to tell you something.”

“Huh?”

“I…”

His gorgeous features took on a pale hue, and Chuxi’s bloodless lips were tightly pressed together, making one’s face flush and eyes heat up at the sight. Xiao Nanzhu was still patiently waiting to hear what he had to say, but seeing this demeanor, he was first unworthily stirred. Since he had decided not to delve deeply into yesterday’s incident, he didn’t want to make things difficult for Chuxi when faced with his awkward appearance. Additionally, last night’s memory was too vivid, making him somewhat wary of Chuxi now. So, clearing his throat with a frown, he said with apparent casualness:

“Hey, that’s enough, I know what you want to say. A grown man doesn’t need so many words. Your condition yesterday wasn’t your own choice either. Let’s just say it was my bad luck. But you need to fix that problem of yours. It’s lucky I’m a man; otherwise, you’d have to take responsibility…”

“If the Calendar Master wants me to take responsibility…”

Hearing Xiao Nanzhu’s words, Chuxi’s eyes immediately brightened.

“Oh no, no need, no need! Thank you very much!”

Almost choking on Chuxi’s words, Xiao Nanzhu cut him off before he could continue, then wrinkled his brow and looked Chuxi up and down. Seeing his gloomy eyebrows with a killing aura coiled around them, his crimson eyes giving off an ominous feeling, dressed in golden armor and red clothing yet without a hint of vitality, he couldn’t help but deliberately change the subject in a tone that suggested disappointment:

“I mean, you’re one of China’s major festivals, how can you lack such spirit? I heard it’s because you’ve killed too many evil spirits that you’ve ended up like this? It’s the New Year; can’t you take a break and not be so hard on yourself? If you’re not feeling well, just rest. What’s the point of coming out and ending up like this? New Year’s Eve is a joyous occasion. Every family is having their reunion dinner. Why do I feel like you’re so gloomy…”

Chuxi was taken aback by Xiao Nanzhu’s words. Perhaps hearing the tone of concern and reconciliation in his voice, Chuxi didn’t dwell on what had happened before. Coincidentally, the television in front of them began broadcasting the CCTV Spring Festival Gala right at eight o’clock. Chuxi listened intently to the sound of firecrackers outside the window, feeling a strange bitterness in his heart. Pulling his vermilion sleeves together, he slowly said in a somewhat stiff tone:

“Spring Festival is the holiday that symbolizes auspiciousness and joy. For me, there’s nothing much to be happy about on this day…”

“Tsk.”

Hearing these words, Xiao Nanzhu gave Chuxi a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. Seeing his appearance, Xiao Nanzhu knew that he had been depressed for too long and that his mental knot was difficult to untie; a few words from himself would have no effect. But looking at Chuxi’s pale and weak appearance, his habit of meddling in affairs that didn’t concern him acted up again. So after tilting his head and remaining silent for a few seconds, Xiao Nanzhu, staring at the Nian beast that was happily eating pistachios under the coffee table, suddenly narrowed his eyes.

“Listen, Chuxi, do you want to… change your image a bit?”

“Hmm?”

_________________

A holiday’s impression on the public often comes with legendary stories and cultural transmission. In the West, there is actually a holiday similar to New Year’s Eve—Christmas Eve. Western people regard Christmas as their most grand celebration as they are about to complete a year, and the day before Christmas is when their families gather together for dinner. This, in some sense, also illustrates certain similarities between Eastern and Western cultures. But compared to New Year’s Eve, Christmas Eve might seem fresher to some of today’s young people because, with the popularization of Christmas Eve in China in recent years, the story of Santa Claus has also become well-known.

“Santa Claus, you know him, right? The old man who stays up late at night, riding a deer on people’s rooftops to deliver gifts to children—that’s the Western calendar god… Do you know why he’s so famous? It’s because he’s built a good mass foundation! You’re just too rigid, not knowing how to promote yourself. He has reindeer, you have Ah Nian; he wears red, you also wear red. If you had started creating a positive image for yourself a few hundred years ago, spreading some legendary stories, you, Old Man New Year’s Eve, would have been famous by now…”

In his ears was the sound of fireworks and firecrackers. The streets were now empty, so no one would notice Xiao Nanzhu strolling with Chuxi and the Nian beast. At this moment, he was chattering to Chuxi about the many points to note regarding how to successfully shape and promote one’s festival image. Listening in confusion, Chuxi nodded half-believingly, then looked at Xiao Nanzhu quite seriously and asked:

“Calendar Master, should I also find some children and ask them what they want?”

“No need to look, see, look.”

Lying on a family’s rooftop, he casually pointed downward. Xiao Nanzhu, with a cigarette in his mouth, appeared calm and composed. Hearing this, Chuxi and the Nian beast followed his gaze downward. Looking down, they saw a chubby child doing homework alone in his little room. Instantly understanding Xiao Nanzhu’s intention, Chuxi somehow felt awkward. But seeing Xiao Nanzhu wave at him with a fierce expression, he thought for a moment and still reluctantly transformed into a ball of light with his Nian beast and entered the child’s room.

“Who… who are you?! How did you get in?! Mom!! Mom!!! Wuwu!!! A strange uncle crawled in!!! QAQ”

“…”

The sudden appearance of Chuxi and the Nian beast clearly frightened the chubby child. The child, who had been peeling an orange, cried out as he fell from his chair and scrambled to run outside. Chuxi froze at this sight, but even with his thousands of killing intents, he couldn’t use them recklessly on a child. At this moment, Xiao Nanzhu, who had been climbing through the window behind him, also entered.

“Hey, hey, hey!! Don’t shout, don’t shout!!”

Quickly stabilizing the child’s emotions before he could cry out, Xiao Nanzhu, like an old rogue, didn’t care whether the child was willing or not and held him in his arms, sitting on his small bed. Chuxi found this situation strange no matter how he looked at it, while the Nian beast, with its mouth wide open, looked foolish as it shook its head back and forth. Taking advantage of the child’s momentary calm, Xiao Nanzhu breathed a sigh of relief and squeezed out a self-satisfied smile, saying:

“Hey, kid, quickly tell these uncles, what New Year’s gift do you want?”

“(ㄒoㄒ)~~ I want my mom, wuwu…”

“No, you can’t ask for your mom! Ask for something else! (#‵′)”

“I… I… (┳＿┳)”

The child’s eyes reddened again after being scolded by Xiao Nanzhu. Chuxi, standing at the side, couldn’t bear to watch anymore, so he took out a small cake from his sleeve that he usually gave to the Nian beast and handed it to the child. This chubby boy was probably hungry; upon seeing the fragrant little cake, he quickly took it and devoured it. After he finished eating, looking at the two uncles who had mysteriously appeared in his little room asking him what New Year’s gift he wanted, he lowered his head, thought for a moment, and still mustered the courage to ask:

“Can I… ask for any New Year’s gift?”

“Ah, yes, but don’t be greedy. Something within two hundred yuan is about right. Don’t burden uncle too much… Hey, why are you pulling me?”

Before Xiao Nanzhu could finish speaking, Chuxi tugged at his sleeve. The chubby boy, seeing this, wasn’t as afraid as before, but he still stuttered and didn’t dare to speak. Just then, the greedy Nian beast approached the chubby boy’s hand and licked the crumbs with its tongue. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, the chubby boy blushed, scratched his little ear, and then cautiously said:

“I want my mom to… come home for the New Year. Can that happen?”