Chapter 392 (1/2)

When Hao Ren took the carton out and placed it on the table, it attracted everyone’s eyeballs. Even Becky, who was lying on the couch watching TV listlessly, smelled the scent and turned looking. The fruits was giving out a golden glow which drifted off like a mist in all direction. This mysterious mist-like glow suggested that the fruits were out of this world. Lily was always the first out of the gate when it came to eating. She picked up on of them and sniffed incessantly. “What is this? Apple? Why is this colour?”

“It’s my year-end bonus. Though it’s categorised as a staple food, I think it’s the most valuable thing I’ve ever got.” Hao Ren was almost half-crying and half-laughing as he told the origin of the golden apples. “Oh, besides, I’ve also got a couplet. But let’s just leave it to another time. Now Let us share the apples evenly among us. If what Raven said is true, eating the apples might extend your attainment by at least several years…”

Lily’s brows pulled together instantly. “We’re otherworldlings, not spirits. We don’t attain our current abilities by practicing like those spirits.”

Instantly, all eyes on her. Vivian jabbed Lily’s head and said, “You’re supposed to be the least qualified person to say that! Don’t you forget your a husky spirit!”

As the two were about to quarrel, Hao Ren quickly shoved the apples in their hands and diverted their attention. Everyone got two apples and there was even one left. Hao Ren put one of his into the dimensional pocket while he munched the other one. He walked around with an extra apple contemplating who he should give it to . Then he saw Lil Pea was gnawing the table.

“The kid’s biting things again.” Hao Ren quickly picked the little mermaid up then an idea crossed his mind. He placed the apple before Lil Pea and asked, “Hey honey, do you want it?”

Vivian, who was munching her apple graciously, looked up and said to Hao Ren, “The kid’s only interested in wood.”

But before Vivian’s voice trailed off, Hao Ren saw Lil Pea already went around and checked the golden fruit out before she banged her head against the apple–she wanted to take a bite but the fruit was too smooth and round, she didn’t know where to begin with.

Lil Pea banged her head on the apple a few times but still couldn’t get her teeth on it. She looked up at Hao Ren, tail wagging. She yelled. “Dad-dee! I want this!”

It was a surprised. Hao Ren had never thought of the little mermaid would be interested in the golden apple as he had tried many times before with normal fruits which she wasn’t interested in. So he thought it mustn’t be the scent of the apple that was attracting her. Perhaps the golden apple had something special that had influenced her.

Nevertheless, it was a good thing. Hao Ren quickly cut the apple in half and further in smaller pieces before shoving them to Lil Pea. He offered the other half to Rollie the cat which was loitering at the doorway. “Hey, Rollie! Here is a good stuff for you…”

After that, Hao Ren found himself a good spot on the couch and watched the TV. He began to feel like he was living a mythical lifestyle—everyone had got two golden apples, even his cat had got half of it. He looked at Rollie which was snoring at his feet and said thoughtfully, “How would Hesperides feel if she saw this…”

Busying at sorting out the groceries, Vivian said without looking up, “Zeus had similar but different fruits on the tree in his backyard. I tried it and it was sour. But that was already considered a luxury back then.”

Hao Ren looked up, noticing Lily was wrestling with her mind about the last apple in her hand. So he asked her, “Did you feel anything after eating the apple?”

“I’m not full yet.” Lily answered very honestly. “I would like finish the second one but it’s already the last one.”

“You really want to finish all at once?” Vivian shot Lily a glance. “That fruit is divine, you should save it. Why not you come and help me pluck the garlic chives. I’ll get the ingredients ready tonight and we’ll make dumplings tomorrow. Just in time for New Year! Oh ya, Biggie, could you please help me swap the gas cylinder out…”

“New Year…” Hao Ren’s mind drifted back in time as he heard the words.

It had been a long time since he had a real New Year. He had been alone all this while and almost forgotten how New Year was supposed to feel like. For the last three years or so, Spring Festival to him was just days of eardrum-rupturing noise of the firecrackers and hours of stare at the idiot box. And he couldn’t even remember when was the last time he had had a New Year’s Eve dinner!