After thinking it over, Nora Scott ultimately didn’t manage to snatch that half mooncake back from Pedro Langley’s hands. Pedro Langley said, Flora Loughton only cooks once a year, makes mooncakes once. Nora Scott didn’t have high hopes, but the moment she tasted it, the sweet and tender flavor shattered all her guesses—it tasted better than expected, no worse than what you buy in the market. This skill is truly worth recognizing. "How is it?" Pedro Langley asked. Nora Scott never hesitates to give her compliments. Pedro Langley smiled softly, loosened his fingers on the phone screen, and sent out a voice message he had just recorded. As for Nora Scott, who was earnestly eating the mooncake, she didn’t notice this small gesture of Pedro Langley at all. "Can’t deny it, I’m really getting old. How long have I been at it, and just a bit of work makes my back ache." Ward sighed heavily in the courtyard. "You’re still in good health. Look at Easton, he can’t take sitting for long anymore." "Sutton, you really can’t compare the two, can you?" "What’s incomparable? You guys are only a few years apart." The elders in the courtyard had no qualms, openly discussing Antonio Easton’s illness. Perhaps, deep down, they had long realized the outcome, and with each passing year, as more leave, they too had prepared themselves for their own endings. However, their banter, when falling on Nora Scott’s ears, had a different flavor. The originally soft and sweet mooncake suddenly lost its taste, becoming as bland as chewing wax. She lowered her eyes, fell silent, and said nothing more. The elders were discussing death, easy and relieved, their burial plots were prepared together. As each passes, they would reunite one by one. "The only regret is still about the kids. Logically, they’re old enough to take care of themselves, but they always feel like they haven’t grown up, just like when they were children. Young people today have more problems than the next, not eating or sleeping on time, in this cold weather, not even thinking to wear an extra layer..." One of the elders chattered on. When mentioning the younger generation, these cheerful and optimistic old men seemed less at ease. "Our girl loves causing trouble..." Antonio Easton’s aged and low voice sounded in the cold snowy night, "After I’m gone, take care of her." Nora Scott didn’t listen to the others’ replies. She finished the last bite of the mooncake, then stood up, patting the dust and snowflakes off her clothes, looked down at Pedro Langley. She said lightly, "Let’s go." Pedro Langley rose with her. On the way here, they left footprints, but in a short span, the increasing snow covered them, leaving just faint traces. The elders had come to terms with leaving, and they, the younger ones, couldn’t hold on forcibly. These elders lived each more transparent, open-minded, optimistic, and clear-headed than the last. It was they who were trapped, unable to easily utter the word "relieved". After walking along a long slope, Pedro Langley suddenly reached out to Nora Scott. Nora Scott turned to him, "What are you doing?" "From start to finish, I’ll hold your hand back." Damn it, this makes her seem like a heartless player. But Pedro Langley held her hand without giving her a chance to refuse and tucked it into his pocket. Nora Scott thought for a moment, and didn’t pull her hand back. Warm enough that... whatever feelings, and whatever "heartless player", were all out of her consideration. Martial World people like them, don’t care about so many trivial matters. The way back wasn’t far. However, the two walked for a long time. The wind and snow were too heavy, the snow on the ground getting thicker, their steps wobbling as they tread. In this familiar alley, Nora Scott would recall many past events, in a serene, undisturbed New Year’s Eve night, she didn’t mind sharing some stories from her youth with Pedro Langley. Her stories were thrilling enough to leave one breathless without any artistic embellishments. Later, they returned to the Easton Family. The courtyard wasn’t as quiet as they imagined, the five people bored inside had all come out, stepping out from the warmth indoors, all bundled up like rice dumplings, setting off fireworks in the yard. The handheld fireworks, through a door, only made a gentle sizzling sound, undetectable. However, once the door opened, under the illumination of many lights, the fireworks blooming in their hands were full of childlike fun and past memories, one scene after another, carrying the beauty of many similar nights. The first to notice them was Oliver Scott. He waved at them with two sparklers sparkling coldly in hand, drawing a beautiful arc in the air as his arms swung. Nora Scott suddenly became aware, pulling her hand back from Pedro Langley’s pocket. This scene was witnessed by everyone. Laura Collins’ voice suddenly rang out, accompanied by a box of unopened fireworks. Just as Nora Scott was about to reach out and grab it, Pedro Langley beat her to it, extending his long arm to snag it. He turned his head and asked Nora Scott, "Do you have a lighter?" "You want to play too?" Nora Scott raised an eyebrow in surprise. Such a childish thing didn’t really seem to suit Pedro Langley. Pedro Langley answered without hesitation. So, Nora Scott suddenly smiled, took out a lighter from her pocket, and tossed it to him. Pedro Langley caught it but was suspicious, "You carry it with you?" Answering lazily, Nora Scott was already stepping into the courtyard. The lighter still retained her warmth, and Pedro Langley opened his palm, gazing at the seemingly ordinary but actually expensive lighter, squinting his eyes involuntarily. Nora Scott didn’t participate in the childish "firework party"; she fetched a folding stool, opened it, placed it at the door, and sat down like a guardian deity. Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝕟𝕖𝕥 In her arms was a hot water bottle, and in her hands were small snacks. Michael Quinn set off a handful of fireworks he held and ran over, smiling at her, "Nora, show off some talent!" Nora Scott cooperatively raised her eyebrow, "Bring the erhu!" Michael Quinn nearly laughed to death. Nora Scott learned the erhu after turning ten. It was said she saw her little sister being forced to learn piano, felt sorry for her, and wanted to learn an instrument to accompany her. After much selection, she picked the erhu, which is a pastime for seniors. Even went so far as to get certified. Michael Quinn saw Nora Scott in her early teens in the morning sitting at the doorway playing the erhu, causing the neighbors to collapse visually but not daring to complain, secretly lamenting how a pretty girl, not relying on her looks or fighting, trying to learn some livelihood skill was tough, any attempt should be supported... That scene, upon recollection now, seemed incredibly funny. Nora Scott tossed some nuts into her mouth, idly saying, "Beating drums and blowing trumpets, I’m a bit skilled at both." Michael Quinn asked, "Can’t you play something more youthful?" Suddenly, Joseph Sutton handed over an item. Under the colored and varied lighting, both focused to discover it was a leaf. A freshly grown green leaf, the length of a finger, vibrantly green, only under the deceptive glow of colored lights, faintly tinged with other hues. Taking the leaf, confirming its authenticity by feel, Nora Scott raised an eyebrow, suspiciously staring at Joseph Sutton, "Leaves are available now?" Joseph Sutton uttered an acknowledgment and explained, "Spring has arrived." A new year, cyclical yet renewed. Fireworks continue to be ignited one by one, in the courtyard, Oliver Scott somehow provoked Marcus Shaw, being chased all over the courtyard; Laura Collins, as lazy as always, directly ignited a bunch of fireworks; Pedro Langley had just lit two with the lighter; Michael Quinn and Joseph Sutton brought new fireworks into the courtyard... Nora Scott brought the leaf to her lips, feeling the coolness on her lip, eyes reflecting the people and objects in the courtyard, so she gently smiled. She blew, the music began. The music played on the leaf carried a unique charm, lingering and resonant, detached from nature yet belonging to it. This movement on her end startled several who had never seen it, causing them to pause their actions involuntarily. Fireworks blossomed quietly, the folk melody in the New Year’s Eve night, amidst the lively courtyard, resonated gently, drifting toward a tranquil faraway. The leaf moved away from her lips, Nora Scott’s fingers pinched one end of the leaf, gently rubbing it, causing it to spin a few times. A smile unfolded from her eyes and brows, gradually spreading across the entire face, under the brilliant lighting, this moment of laughter amazed every eye, every nerve. Scratching his nose, Michael Quinn leaned over to Joseph Sutton, quietly grumbling to him. As soon as the words fell, Michael Quinn felt a sudden chill. Turning back to see, he caught two cold stares withdrawing, and the warning in his peripheral vision still brushed across his brow. Pedro Langley walked over, unwavering, passing by the two, heading towards Nora Scott. "Not her boyfriend though..." Michael Quinn quietly remarked, "Seems not easy to provoke." Joseph Sutton subtly glanced in another direction. The one you discarded at this moment, also seemed not easy to provoke.