The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 934: Blessings

Whoosh. A playful gust scattered everyone's carefully arranged hair—Wang Zikai's fringe, Gao Yang's neat part, Fresh Snow's twin tails, and Gao Xinxin's styled locks all surrendered to the wind.

"My hair!" Wang Zikai flailed. "Maybe I need some getting gel..."

"It's setting gel! And stop moving!" Gao Xinxin's voice cracked with despair.

Fresh Snow pressed down her windswept silver strands, laughing as she held onto Gao Xinxin's arm.

"Cheese!" Despite his now-disheveled appearance, Gao Yang maintained his pose, one hand on Wang Zikai's shoulder, the other on Fresh Snow's, smiling seriously at the camera.

Click.

The double vanished, and Gao Yang teleported to catch the falling phone. His expression turned complicated as he studied the result. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The frame tilted awkwardly. The focus wandered. Each face seemed to tell its own story—none of them the intended one. Yet somehow, this chaos captured something a perfect photo never could: a genuine moment they'd laugh about every time they saw it.

"Enough. I'm getting the tripod and setting a timer." Gao Xinxin grimaced. "And you call yourself a leader? You can't even manage a simple photo."

"Yeah! Retake! I'll grab some getting—setting gel!" Wang Zikai patted his unruly hair.

"Another one!" Fresh Snow chimed in, eager for more photos regardless of how the first turned out.

Gao Yang pocketed his phone, smiling. "This one's perfect. Sending it now."

Their phones chimed with notifications from the "Fortune Abounds" group chat.

Three seconds of stunned silence passed.

"Gao Yang! Delete that or die!"

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"Wait—where are my eyes?!"

"Hahahaha..." Fresh Snow beamed. Though everyone looked slightly ridiculous—herself included—she adored the photo.

Gao Yang took off running. Wang Zikai and Gao Xinxin gave chase.

...

They gathered for dinner around a steaming hot pot. This way, they needn’t worry about any food getting cold. But first came the dumpling ritual: twelve dumplings, one hidden coin, three chances each.

“I’ll go first!” Wang Zikai picked up the biggest dumpling and popped it into his mouth, wolfing it down. Gao Yang was worried that he would just chew the coin into pieces and swallow it even if there was a coin inside.

Suddenly, Wang Zikai's face contorted. "Ugh... so fucking sour..."

Gao Xinxin burst out laughing. "Made that one specially for you!"

“How dare you do that to God?!” Wang Zikai waggled his brows dramatically. “Fine. I’m in a good mood today. I’ll let you off the hook!”

"Hmph, my turn." Gao Xinxin studied the remaining dumplings before selecting the smallest.

One bite, and her face fell. "Brother, did you put osmanthus cake in this? What kind of cursed combination..." Still, she finished it.

"Here goes." Gao Yang chose a misshapen dumpling. Finding no coin, he chuckled. "Thought the weird shape meant something."

"Ha! That's my masterpiece." Wang Zikai preened. "Wild and unpredictable, just like God's will."

"Wang Zikai, please limit your time with Nainai," Gao Xinxin pleaded.

"Your turn, Fresh Snow," Gao Yang prompted gently.

"Yes!"

Fresh Snow lifted her chopsticks with reverence, studying the nine remaining dumplings before selecting a perfectly formed one.

Since she rarely used chopsticks, it took her three tries to pick it up. She placed the dumpling in her mouth, her eyes lighting up as she pointed at herself. “Hm...coin...”

"Make a wish first!" Gao Xinxin urged.

"Mm!" Fresh Snow closed her eyes solemnly, cheeks puffed, hands clasped beneath her chin.

In that moment of distraction, Gao Yang smoothly teleported the original dumpling plate to the kitchen while Wang Zikai slipped a replacement from under the table. Gao Xinxin restored everything, masking the switch.

Gao Yang reappeared just as Fresh Snow opened her eyes. Gao Xinxin passed her a tissue. "Now you can take it out."

Fresh Snow carefully deposited the coin.

"What did you wish for?" Gao Xinxin smiled warmly.

Fresh Snow hesitated, lips pursed.

"Why're you being nosy?" Wang Zikai interrupted.

"Idiot!" Gao Xinxin shot him a glare. "That's called being supportive. You're really the low bar for emotional intelligence."

"What bar?" Wang Zikai blinked.

"Right, you're the low bar for regular intelligence too."

"Fuck off!"

Fresh Snow's laughter cut through their bickering. "I wished we'd spend next New Year together."

"That's it?" Wang Zikai's disappointment was palpable. He would've wished for Qilin's defeat and the salvation of the world.

“Yeah.” Fresh Snow looked at Gao Yang mischievously. “And I wished that I’d get the coin again to make the same wish.”

“Haha, that’s a neverending loop.” Gao Xinxin chuckled.

Gao Yang nodded. “It’ll come true.”

They enjoyed the dinner together. Gao Yang and Wang Zikai gave Gao Xinxin and Fresh Snow red envelopes in place of a parental figure. Then Wang Zikai and Fresh Snow went to the living room, waiting for the celebration to be broadcast.

Gao Yang and Gao Xinxin did the dishes in the kitchen. Gao Xinxin was in charge of washing, and Gao Yang, rinsing the dish. They worked together with perfect teamwork.

“Seriously, they have a more complete set of cooking utensils than our family. Spectres don’t eat, do they?” Gao Xinxin said. “Fresh Snow’s full after a few bites.”

"They don't eat," Gao Yang placed a clean plate in the dryer, his voice heavy with memory, "but they cherish holidays too."

“So humans and Spectres aren’t that different. Monsters, too.” Gao Xinxin sighed softly. “I don’t get it. Why do we have to fight and kill each other? Aren’t we doing good now?”

Gao Yang’s hands trembled.

At that moment, he was reminded of his family. He couldn’t stop the memories from flooding in. He and Gao Xinxin had always spent the Lunar New Year with their mother, father, and grandmother.

Looking back, their identities didn’t really matter. If they could’ve revealed their secrets to each other earlier, would things have gone differently? Would he have less regret now?

Gao Xinxin was right. Be it humans, monsters, or Spectres, what did what they were have to do with anything? What difference did that make?

All lives suffered, and love was their salvation.

...

"Gao Yang!" Fresh Snow's voice broke through his reverie. She bounded in clutching a box of fireworks. "It's dark! Let's start!"

"Not yet. Watch the show first and wait until midnight. And firecrackers come before fireworks," Gao Xinxin advised maternally.

"I know." Fresh Snow's face scrunched in fake concern. "But Stupid Kai can't wait. I tried to stop him, so we compromised on lighting a few now."

Gao Yang couldn’t smother his smile. Now you’re using Wang Zikai as an excuse.

“You should go ahead first. We’ll join you after finishing doing the dishes.” Gao Yang waved at her.

"Okay!" Fresh Snow darted away, fireworks in hand.

Gao Xinxin clicked her tongue. "You spoil her."

"It's the holidays. Happiness matters most—"

Buzz. His phone vibrated.

Gao Yang dried his hands and answered the call.

"Uncle Tiger, Happy New—"

"Gao Yang, Adept Horse is dead."