“Hm, really sour!”
After seeing Zhao Xiaodao off, Lin Wan curiously tried one of Lu Zheng’s hawthorn pills.
Frowning, Lin Wan hissed. “The aftertaste is not sweet at all. You made these hawthorn pills with no sincerity.”
Lu Zheng shrugged. As punishment for losing entertainment games, those female demons had raved about these pills, practically wanting to drown him in saliva.
He remembered Ao Qian even crying from the sourness… Damn, good thing she had not tattled about it. Lucky, lucky!
Forcing down the pill, Lin Wan’s eyes turned. She leaned in directly.
“What are you doing?”
“To make you sour too!”
“Woo…”
Moments later.
“Sour or not?”
Lu Zheng smacked his lips, savouring. “Sour with sweet. Absolute flavour. I want more next time!”
“Get lost. Next time? Next time I will kiss you right when I bite the pill.”
“You sure you can outlast me?”
“You dare? Woo…”
Another few moments later.
Lin Wan pushed Lu Zheng away breathlessly, then asked. “You told Deng Paopao it might snow tonight. Are you planning to act?”
Lu Zheng reached out and hugged Lin Wan. “My parents gave me life, but Lin Wan truly knows me!”
Lin Wan’s eyes lit up. “Really? You can make snow? How large an area? Will it raise suspicions?”
Once Lu Zheng could alter typhoon paths, Lin Wan had no doubts or worries about his mana. But she did not want him acting needlessly.
“No problem. Snow is not much different from rain. The weather has been cold these days. A sudden temperature drop and snow is quite reasonable, is it not?”
“I may have little education, but do not fool me. Without a cold front, a large-scale temperature drop and snow in central Haicheng—is that really reasonable?”
“That just shows your lack of experience. When have weather forecasts ever been accurate?”
“Stop fooling me. Though some rain or snow forecasts are wrong, those are rare. Most, especially temperatures, are quite accurate.”
Lu Zheng blinked. “Seriously? You saw through that?”
Lin Wan hands on hips, chest out. “Of course. I am a new-era talent from nine years of compulsory education. Fooling me is not easy!”
Lu Zheng’s eyes heated. His hands climbed the peaks. “Say! Reasonable or not?”
Lin Wan stared dumbfounded. “You plan to extract confession by torture?”
Lu Zheng smugly. “Cannot I?”
“Fine!” Lin Wan responded decisively, then pushed Lu Zheng onto the sofa.
“Say! Reasonable or not!”
…
Lu Zheng let Lin Wan rest, but she insisted on accompanying him.
“Though I know you can do it alone and it will not take long, having someone by your side to talk with is better than you coming and going hurriedly alone, right?”
Before leaving, Lin Wan straightened Lu Zheng’s clothes, then linked arms with him, as if they were just going for a stroll.
“With a wife like this, what more can a husband ask!”
Lu Zheng kissed Lin Wan, then mounted a cloud, carrying her invisibly out the window.
Midnight, high above Haicheng.
“How do we do it?” Lin Wan asked curiously.
“Like this!” Lu Zheng replied. He formed hand seals, casting the Mysterious Turtle Water Control True Spirit Secret Art.
Before learning this water method, large-scale precipitation would have been difficult: gathering clouds spell, Wind and Rain Flying Immortal, and the rain not heavy enough.
Not professional water arts, after all.
But the Mysterious Turtle Water Control True Spirit Secret Art was different. Ancient mysterious turtle inheritance, top-tier water method worldwide. With sufficient water source and cultivation, Lu Zheng could truly cause a great flood if willing.
Mere snow? Piece of cake!
Lu Zheng cast the spell. True qi fluctuations transmitted through clouds and air, extending hundreds of li, covering the entire Haicheng urban area.
Clouds thickened. Water vapour increased. Cold waves spread outward. More and more vapour turned to ice crystals or snowflakes.
Lin Wan looked around, reminding. “Be careful. You want snow, not hail.”
Lu Zheng’s hands faltered, nearly breaking the spell. Damn hail. Speechless, he replied. “Have some faith in your husband, alright?”
“Crack!”
A soft sound. Lu Zheng turned. Nearby, a ping-pong-ball-sized ice chunk formed.
Lu Zheng: “…”
Lin Wan: “…”
“Ahem!” Lu Zheng coughed dryly. “Minor accident. Fixed soon!”
Lin Wan nodded repeatedly. “Actually, no snow is fine too. Just avoid natural disaster.”
Lu Zheng: 눈_눈
Since he said snow, there must be snow. A thin layer would not do—at least thick enough for atmosphere, to accumulate without melting immediately.
Lu Zheng’s seals continued. He sustained the secret art, soon smoothing the mishap, dispersing it.
When vapour sufficient and temperature low enough, ice crystals and snowflakes could no longer float. They began falling gently.
Duck-down-like snowflakes drifted down.
…
“It’s snowing! It’s snowing!”
Late-night strollers spotted it first, immediately photographing and posting to Moments.
“Wow! Quite heavy snow. Wonder if it will accumulate tomorrow?”
“Forget it. Photo first!”
Though Christmas and Christmas Eve were Western holidays, now less emphasised, they had once been popular. Later adapted by Chinese as “safe and sound” Ping’an, merchants happily added a promotion excuse, florists and apple sellers pushed hard.
So Christmas still had some festive air, especially in petit-bourgeois Haicheng, stronger than inland.
Lu Zheng and Lin Wan strolled streets, smiling at couples photographing, catching snow, playfully frolicking.
“A bit early excitement. Tomorrow morning scenery will be better,” Lu Zheng laughed.
Lin Wan winked at him, then posed prettily outside a trendy store’s window, revealing long legs under her coat.
Lu Zheng promptly took out his phone, angled low to high, snapping a stunning shot.
“Done!”
Posted to Moments with caption:
Fair skin, beautiful looks, long legs!
“Vulgar!” Lin Wan judged, though her smile could not be hidden.
“Go! Buy apples!”
“Apples sell high tomorrow. Where buy today?”
“Supermarket! No fruit at home. Stock up, including apples. Okay?”
“Fine, fine!”
Lin Wan laughed, hand in hand with Lu Zheng to the mall supermarket, carrying a bag of fruits home.
Outside, snow flew thickly. Inside, warm as spring.
