Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation Chapter 1679 - 914: End of Winter Break (2)

Bursting with excitement, the group departed in spectacular fashion.

"Jianhui, you heading out too?" Lin Zida inquired curiously.

Zhuang Jianhui stood tall, stretched out, and remarked, "Loosening the bones—perfect chance to give it a shot."

After that, he borrowed a lantern from Dongdong and joined the trek to the bamboo forest.

"Gong Jin, and you?" Lin Zida asked.

The Young Master sat composed, radiating elegance, and replied casually, "No hurry, I’ll eat first."

Witnessing his bearing, Wang Yong couldn’t help pondering, ’If this fellow switched to Class Eight, he’d surely unleash a massive upheaval!’

As someone from Class Eight, Wang Yong wasn’t purposely staying low-key. He merely refrained from peaking, dreading the heavenly wrath of the four Divine Spirits.

...

Once Jiang Ning and Xue Yuantong wrapped up their midnight snack, they fetched three Kongming Lanterns from home and hurried to the field.

"I heard you make a wish before letting go of a Kongming Lantern. If it rises high, the wish will come true!" Xue Yuantong chirped delightedly.

"What wish are you making, to get taller?" Jiang Ning teased.

Xue Yuantong could admit it herself, but not let him say it: "Hmph, like I even want to grow taller?"

"Then wish not to grow taller." Jiang Ning suggested.

"No way!"

"Fine then."

Jiang Ning held the Kongming Lantern steady as Tongtong lit the flame. Warm air filled it up, and he released it. The lantern rose gently, resembling a natural candle merging into the night sky’s canvas.

Xue Yuantong lifted her small face, watching the lantern climb slowly. She shut her eyes softly, clasped her hands, and whispered her wish.

Even with his sharp senses, Jiang Ning couldn’t quite catch or decipher it.

He teased, "What nonsense are you muttering?"

Xue Yuantong opened her eyes gently, clapped her little hands, "Done! My wish is made!"

Next, they released another Kongming Lantern together.

Finally, Chuchu’s turn arrived.

Xue Chuchu gazed at the two Kongming Lanterns floating in the dark sky, their soft orange light flickering in the breeze, seemingly drawn by the moonlight.

"Think hard about your wish—if the Kongming Lantern doesn’t fly, it means it won’t happen!" Xue Yuantong warned solemnly.

Seeing her earnest look, Xue Chuchu had a sudden idea and blurted, "What if I wish for it not to rise?"

Xue Yuantong grabbed the lantern, "Then you’re not releasing it!"

Jiang Ning patted her little head, "Stop picking on Chuchu."

After launching the Kongming Lanterns, they headed home to freshen up.

Lin Zida huddled by the fire at the rural tourism spot, "For real, Jiang Ning’s already done with lanterns, and they’re still hunting rats?"

Wang Yong corrected him, "Bamboo rats, bamboo rats!"

...

9:30 PM.

Tongtong slipped into Jiang Ning’s little room—this was the final night of winter break. School started tomorrow, signaling the halfway mark of their high school journey.

Though Tongtong had bathed, spotting hot water in the teapot on the coal stove, she fetched a basin, added cold water, and prepared two basins of foot-soaking water.

Jiang Ning noticed and commented, "Oh, you’re maturing—now looking after me?"

"Gonna soak your feet?" Xue Yuantong asked indifferently, aware of his nightly foot-soaking ritual.

Winter nights made foot soaks blissful—cozy warmth leading to deep, sound sleep.

"Set it down." Jiang Ning ordered from the sofa.

"This isn’t just for you!" Xue Yuantong huffed, placing her own small basin down before snuggling next to Jiang Ning.

Once seated, she found the gap too wide and scooted closer.

Jiang Ning savored the soft warmth beside him—it felt truly delightful.

Side by side, they soaked their feet.

Jiang Ning eyed her hot water; despite her petite size, the girl tolerated intense heat—hers several degrees hotter than his.

Her pink little feet soon flushed red from the warmth, her blissful expression giving it away.

"That’d cook a pig alive." Jiang Ning quipped.

"You’re the pig!" Xue Yuantong ignored him.

"I fetched the water, so you handle dumping it later." she commanded.

Jiang Ning: "I’ll get Chuchu to dump it."

Xue Yuantong’s eyes snapped open: "You’re awful! What hold do you have over Chuchu? Blackmailing her?"

Jiang Ning replied: "A forced melon stays a melon."

Xue Yuantong: "But Chuchu won’t yield to you. She washes my feet—would she do yours?"

Jiang Ning glanced at her rosy little feet, sensing the warmth just from looking: "Chuchu washing feet? Sure, why not."

Xue Yuantong mulled it over; if Chuchu actually did it, her own status would suffer.

After a brief pause, she fought for Chuchu’s cause: "Chuchu’s bold enough to eat my feet!"

Jiang Ning scrutinized her faint expression but detected no tells, unsure if it was bravado or truth.

Jiang Ning rebuked, "You’re way too twisted, Tongtong."

Xue Yuantong claimed victory.

She cocked her head, flashed Jiang Ning a sly grin with curved eyes, brimming with mischief: "Chuchu’s my loyal follower—keep dreaming."

...

Tongtong gamed at his place till 11, then returned home and burrowed into her cozy bed.

Unlike before, she didn’t drift off immediately but huddled under the covers, scrolling her phone.

Her bed was toasty: thick sponge underneath, plush mattress, advanced heated pad, soft sheets, topped with a hefty cotton quilt.

"Jiang Ning, Jiang Ning, can’t sleep." Xue Yuantong messaged him.

Jiang Ning paused reviewing the file from Shao Shuangshuang—details on cultivation resources—and replied to Tongtong: "What’s wrong?"

She typed: "School tomorrow—feels ages since last time."

Jiang Ning: "Mm."

This winter break brimmed with memories: revisiting his old home, meeting past-life relatives and town classmates.

"Wonder if class gets newbies, or spring trips, sports day..." she rattled off swiftly.

Jiang Ning smiled inwardly; Tongtong often held back in person but babbled freely through a wall.

"There will be—this year’s bound to dazzle." Jiang Ning assured.

Evergreen Liquid production stabilized, Yuzhou City boomed, skyline transforming daily—schools wouldn’t trail in upgrades.

A true central hub meant real funds; leaders wouldn’t cling to old ways.

"Term start means seat assignments. We sit together again, right?"

"Got a say in it?" Jiang Ning shot back.

"Hehe, nope!" Xue Yuantong grinned ear to ear.

Extra chatty tonight, she kept messaging past midnight, refusing to wind down.

Jiang Ning swept out with Divine Sense: Zhuang Jianhui’s crew still dug in the bamboo forest for rats. He chuckled—these folks had grit.

As a cultivator and all-nighter champ, Jiang Ning prodded Tongtong: "Bedtime."

"Tell a story first, then I’ll sleep."

"Such a pain." Jiang Ning messaged.

"You weren’t like this before, Jiang Ning!" Xue Yuantong griped.

"Okay." Jiang Ning voice-called on QQ and started: "Once, a super short princess lived—tiny as can be."

Xue Yuantong went quiet instantly.

"A jealous witch cursed her beauty, dooming her to sleep."

Xue Yuantong snarled: "That wretched witch!"

"Then a bold prince found her, broke the curse with a kiss. She awoke tall—towering over Tang Fu."

Tongtong tilted her head: "Huh? That’s it? You’re skimping today!"

"..." Jiang Ning: "Mm, so what’s the lesson?"

Tongtong: "Huh?"

Jiang Ning: "No sleep, no tall princess—night."

Tongtong pouted: "Who cares about tall princesses?"

Still, she tucked in obediently.