Chapter 875

From childhood to adulthood, this was the first time Xu Youyu had spent New Year's Eve at someone else's home.

Recalling his three years of high school, every New Year's Eve he had always stayed home with his grandparents and parents—the five of them celebrating together—and as he turned to look at Li Luo beside him, he felt a deep sense of emotion.

"What are you looking at?"

Xu Youyu saw Li Luo typing on his phone and asked curiously.

"Replying to messages." Li Luo yawned; he usually slept by this hour, and staying up tonight felt unusual, "Others' New Year greetings—I have to respond."

As Li Luo grew more famous and met more people, the number of New Year greetings he received kept increasing each year.

Seeing the sheer volume, he'd simply set up a mass message, customizing special greetings only for those he was closer to.

"Done that fast?" Ying Chanxi asked, curious as she watched Li Luo quickly finish and put away his phone, "I remember you used to take forever with this in past years."

"Because he used to chat with his senior," Yan Zhusheng said while driving, "Today she's right here, so it didn't take long."

"That's right," Xu Youyu grinned, "I remember in the past two years, someone always ignored me during New Year's Eve, playing fireworks with Chanxi and Zhusheng in the yard, only replying to me when we got to the temple."

"So what do you want to talk about now?" Li Luo wrapped an arm around Xu Youyu's shoulder and pulled her close, "Every New Year's Eve before, you chattered nonstop—what do you want to say this year?"

"Being beside you, I don't feel like saying anything anymore," Xu Youyu laughed softly, covering her mouth.

Ying Chanxi, sitting on the other side, said nothing—she simply reached over, took Li Luo's other hand, and nestled herself into his arms, resting her head against his shoulder.

The four of them rode in one car, and no one else tried to hitch a ride—after all, no one wanted to get in and be forced to eat dog food.

Originally, Li Xiang was supposed to ride with them, but he stubbornly refused and instead sat with Chen Yongqi.

When the group arrived at Fuyuan Temple, it was already packed with noise, nothing like a late-night hour—lights blazed all around.

Even street vendors were out selling goods during the holiday, just to make a few extra coins—it was quite hard on them.

Since the parking lot had no spots left, Li's family parked all four cars along the roadside.

After getting out, they passed some street vendors and stopped involuntarily, drawn in by the aromas.

The New Year's Eve dinner had been hours ago, and after playing cards and setting off fireworks, everyone was genuinely hungry.

Now, with the scent teasing them, their appetites flared—they stopped right there and bought some skewers.

In the freezing winter, standing by the roadside eating grilled skewers and kantōn-jiru, drinking warm, savory broth when thirsty, their bodies instantly warmed up—deeply comfortable.

After finishing, the group resumed walking, following the crowd into Fuyuan Temple.

Since they'd bought their New Year supplies ahead of time, they didn't need to purchase candles or incense here—they simply took a bundle from their bags and divided it among everyone.

Xu Youyu received three sticks of incense, lit them before entering the main hall, then followed Li Luo, mimicking his actions as they paid respects inside.

First the central Sakyamuni Buddha, then Maitreya Bodhisattva, Manjushri Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, the Eighteen Arhats, and the Four Heavenly Kings—it was all thoroughly covered.

Xu Youyu obediently followed along, paying respects all the way, then finally inserted the incense into the stand.

When they stepped out of the main hall, Li Luo smiled and asked, "What wish did you ask the Buddha for?"

"If I tell you, it won't come true," Xu Youyu blinked and sniffed.

"This isn't your birthday—it's not a birthday wish, so that rule doesn't apply," Li Luo pointed to the nearby Marriage Hall, "Look over there—so many people praying to Guanyin Bodhisattva for love—they all know what each other wants, and it doesn't affect whether the prayers work."

"Really?" Xu Youyu eyed Li Luo skeptically, then glanced at Ying Chanxi, "Chanxi—what did you wish for?"

"Me?" Ying Chanxi froze, then blushed furiously, shaking her head rapidly, "I'm not telling."

"See? Chanxi won't say either," Xu Youyu turned to Li Luo.

"She's just shy—she definitely wished for something scandalous," Li Luo chuckled teasingly.

"You're the scandalous one!" Ying Chanxi's cheeks burned redder; she immediately punched Li Luo twice.

Li Luo caught her tiny fists in his palm, playing with them, then turned to Yan Zhusheng: "Why don't you ask Zhusheng—what did you wish for?"

"Huh?" Yan Zhusheng tilted her head, puzzled, then confessed honestly, "I wished to marry Li Luo soon—I wonder if it'll come true."

"See?" Li Luo turned to Xu Youyu, raising an eyebrow, "It's fine to say."

"Is that so?" Xu Youyu rolled her eyes, no longer hiding it—but she didn't let Chanxi or Zhusheng hear, leaning close to Li Luo's ear to whisper, "My wish is simple too—I just hope my parents will agree to us~"

The whisper tickled Li Luo's ear, making his heart tingle with warmth.

Ying Chanxi, seeing this, asked curiously, "Senior, what did you say?"

"Not telling," Xu Youyu grinned mischievously, "Unless Chanxi tells me what she wished for too."

"Th-then never mind…" Ying Chanxi shook her head violently, adamantly refusing to reveal her wish—clearly, it was something scandalous.

The Li family was large, and Li Luo had brought three girls this time, so they didn't join the others—they moved as a group of four, swallowed by the crowd.

After all, saying things that would shock anyone else listening was better done without company.

After finishing their worship in the main hall, the four went to the Medicine Buddha Hall, praying for continued health and safety this year.

Then they arrived at the Marriage Hall mentioned earlier, where they saw Guanyin Bodhisattva—and there, Chen Yongqi was kneeling in deep, earnest prayer.

He walked three times counterclockwise around Guanyin, then three times clockwise, then stood before her, bowing three times, knelt and bowed three times, then stood and bowed three times again.

After inserting his three sticks of incense, he knelt with palms pressed together, eyes closed, praying silently for a while.

To anyone unaware, it looked like Chen Yongqi had gone mad from longing for love.

Li Xuexian, watching from nearby, wore a look of quiet satisfaction.

But Li Luo, seeing this, couldn't help twitching his lips, unsure what to say.

"I thought Cousin Yongqi wasn't interested in blind dates?" Ying Chanxi whispered beside Li Luo, "Why is he praying to Guanyin so intensely?"

"Maybe he just hasn't found the right person?" Xu Youyu tapped her chin thoughtfully, "If he did, I don't think he'd refuse."

"That's hard to say…" Li Luo forced a strained smile, recalling what he'd told Chen Yongqi three years ago.

He never expected his cousin actually took it seriously—had he been praying like this the past two years too? He hadn't noticed.

After Chen Yongqi finished, Li Luo asked curiously—and Chen Yongqi's expression changed instantly; he leaned close to Li Luo's ear and whispered, "Don't tell my mom."

"So you…"

"Yeah… I feel this method really works," Chen Yongqi said seriously, "Every time I pray, my success rate goes up—it's very effective."

"I see… well, that's good," Li Luo was speechless, at a loss for words.

But since Chen Yongqi was happy and Li Xuexian was happy, it certainly couldn't be called a bad thing.

Thinking this, Li Luo took the three girls to the statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva, pulled out three incense sticks, lit them, and bowed with deep reverence.

"Guanyin Bodhisattva, I've come this time to fulfill a vow, and also to make another wish," Li Luo silently murmured in his heart, "I've indeed successfully gained three girlfriends, but this year I plan to come clean with my elders—please bless me, will you?"

"I'm not asking you to make them accept it right away, just don't let them grab a knife and come after me the moment they hear it?"

"I've worked hard to be reborn once— I don't want to die like this."

"If I die and leave Xixi and the others as widows, won't they be heartbroken? Don't you think so?"

After muttering a long string of thoughts in his heart, Li Luo finally finished speaking his mind, then solemnly stuck the three incense sticks into the holder.

When they stepped out of the Matchmaking Hall, the four of them looked at each other, saying nothing further.

After all, everyone knew what wishes the others had made—no need to say it aloud.

After touring every hall in the temple, Li Luo led the three girls to the blessing cauldron in the courtyard, pulled out candles, gave each of them two, lit them, and stuck them in.

After bowing three more times, this temple blessing ritual was concluded.

They were among the faster ones, so they left the temple and waited a while on the road.

Lin Xiuhong and the others took their time, always chatting at length with the Buddha.

So Li Luo brought the three girls over to the street vendor, bought several portions of guandong stew to warm themselves.

Only at 2:30 a. m. did everyone gather on the road, confirm the headcount was correct, then get into the car and head home.

When Li Luo got back home, washed up, and got into bed, it was already 3:00 a. m.

But he didn't fall asleep right away—he lay there scrolling on his phone for a while, when soon quiet footsteps sounded down the hallway.

When the bedroom door opened, three slender figures of beautiful girls slipped in one after another and immediately locked the door behind them.

Seeing this, Li Luo rolled off the bed and lay down directly on the floor mat he'd prepared, then asked: "Who's sleeping on the floor with me tonight?"

Ying Chanxi wanted to, but didn't dare speak up.

So Yan Zhusheng spoke first: "Yesterday I slept here with my sister—today let the senior sister go first."

"Then I won't be polite~" Xu Youyu didn't hesitate, immediately crawled into the blanket on the floor, hugging Li Luo's arm and looking at the two sisters, "Goodnight, everyone~"

Ying Chanxi opened her mouth, then closed it, finally puffed out her cheeks and climbed onto the bed; only after lying down did she add, "Then I'll sleep on the floor tomorrow."

"Okay." Yan Zhusheng didn't care, immediately agreed, "Then it's my turn the day after."

After the three girls settled how to divide up Li Luo, the room fell into silence.

Li Luo had planned to fall asleep quickly—it was already 3 a. m., and he wouldn't be able to get up for morning runs tomorrow, but he couldn't sleep too late either.

If he slept until noon and Xu Rongsheng and Cui Suling arrived early, and they saw Xixi and Zhusheng sleeping in the same room with him, that would be disastrous.

Thinking of this, Li Luo opened his eyes and asked Xu Youyu, who was in his arms: "When will Uncle Xu and Aunt Cui arrive tomorrow? Did you ask?"

"Probably around nine," Xu Youyu yawned. "We didn't have any New Year's Eve activities at home—we just slept after midnight."

"They'll probably wake up around seven or eight, get ready, leave around half past nine, and arrive here by ten."

"Now that you mention it… I'll set an alarm."

Saying that, Xu Youyu quickly pulled out her phone and set an alarm for 9:30.

Li Luo glanced at it and thought it wasn't reliable enough, so he set one for 9:00.

Six hours of sleep would let him wake up, go for a run, then wait for the guests to arrive.

But just as Li Luo finished setting the alarm and was about to sleep, Xu Youyu inside the blanket became restless—quietly rolled over, placed her thigh on Li Luo, and slipped one hand under his shirt.

"What are you doing?" Li Luo opened his eyes again, turned to Xu Youyu, and whispered, "Stop it, it's time to sleep."

"I'm not sleepy yet," Xu Youyu blinked, having slept a nap this morning and another in the afternoon—she was still wide awake, not tired at all.

One hand teased his chest, her thigh occasionally rubbing against him, making Li Luo's throat dry.

"I'm sleepy," Li Luo said, exasperated. "And Xixi and Zhusheng are right above us—don't wake them up."

"Then be quieter," Xu Youyu grinned, then flipped over, climbed on top of him, and kissed him.

Li Luo couldn't resist for a moment—their lips tangled for a long time before he finally broke free.

At that moment, Yan Zhusheng's voice came from the bed: "It's already 3 a. m. —can you two be quieter when kissing?"

Li Luo turned his head and saw Yan Zhusheng leaning over the bed edge, peering down at the two on the floor: "Or else I'm coming down too."

"Alright, alright, no more fooling around," Xu Youyu immediately rolled off, snuggled back into Li Luo's arms, and said to Yan Zhusheng, "Zhusheng, go to sleep—we're sleeping too."

But even as she said that, Li Luo, stirred by Xu Youyu's teasing, was now painfully aroused.

He turned to look at Xu Youyu and saw she had truly closed her eyes, pretending to sleep—he was utterly speechless.

Fortunately, he was already exhausted; after a brief moment of recovery, he simply closed his eyes and fell fast asleep.

When he woke again, it was the sound of the 9 a. m. alarm ringing.