As Jiang Lin sent Qicai Dan to school,
In the mortal realm, a minor event also occurred.
—Xia Qingqing turned one year old.
The house was lively that day, with many relatives and friends present.
Among them, there was a custom: when a child turns one, they undergo a "zhuazhou" ceremony.
This involved placing various items on a large table covered with red silk.
These included stationery, books, clothing, toys, and pastries.
Also, lipstick, combs, spoons, and rulers.
Once everything was arranged, the child would be brought over.
They would then observe what the child reached for.
According to the custom, whatever the child grabbed signified their future interests and career path.
Although there was no scientific evidence to prove its accuracy,
many families continued this tradition because it was harmless.
After all, parents,
often held many beautiful expectations for their children even before they were born,
imagining their future lives.
"Zhuazhou" was a way to fulfill some of these parental hopes.
It was similar to how some people believed in horoscopes or love compatibility tests.
It was always about a kind of expectation.
Moreover, relatives and friends could use this opportunity to gather.
They could chat and laugh, praise the child, and create a lively atmosphere.
With modern transportation, people had less time to gather together.
"Oh, the last time I saw Qingqing, she was just this big,"
Inside the house,
women gathered, gesturing with their hands, "Now she's this tall."
"Indeed, she can already walk and talk," someone nearby chimed in.
"She's so pretty."
"Her skin is so fair and tender, her eyes like black grapes,"
A young woman touched little Qingqing's cheek. She was indeed as tender and smooth as a freshly peeled egg.
She couldn't help but ask Xia's mother, "Sister Yao, what did you eat during your pregnancy?"
The baby had a small red mole on her brow. At first glance, she looked like she had stepped out of a New Year's painting.
The more they looked, the more they liked her.
Xia's mother was serving fruit platters to everyone.
Hearing the question, she turned and replied, "I didn't eat anything special, just the usual things."
The young woman suddenly exclaimed, looking Xia's mother up and down.
She leaned in and whispered, "Sister, your postpartum recovery is amazing. Do you have any recommended courses?"
Xia's mother also found it strange.
Before she got pregnant with Qingqing, she was in good shape.
But after becoming pregnant, her appetite increased, and her figure changed.
Later, she had to take care of Qingqing and return to work quickly, so she didn't do any specific recovery exercises.
Unknowingly, her figure had recovered even better than before her pregnancy.
Xia's mother said, "I just practiced according to methods I found online and ate more fruit..."
"I really didn't enroll in any courses."
"My goodness, your recovery ability is too strong," the young woman next to her said enviously.
Nowadays, when women have children, they are most afraid of pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum recovery.
Some with poor recovery abilities can never regain their former figures.
They may also experience various postpartum sequelae.
The young woman said enviously, "I heard your labor was also very quick. Your Qingqing is truly a lucky charm."
Xia's mother shook her head helplessly, "You..."
...
As the adults chatted and laughed,
Xia Qingqing, who was in the center, wore a white dress, her skin rosy.
Her face still had baby fat, making her look exceptionally cute.
She was occasionally touched.
She didn't fuss or cry when touched.
She obediently hugged a rabbit plush toy and quietly watched everyone.
Inside the rabbit plush toy was her pet:
—Guo Dong (Xu Asan/Xu Liucan's remnant soul).
As she watched, she suddenly noticed something.
Her aunt, who was stretching her neck, looked down and saw the little girl staring intently at her.
She grinned and leaned forward, "Little Qingqing, I'm your aunt."
Xia Qingqing glanced at her aunt, then at the area around her aunt's neck.
There was a small black object there.
She extended her fair little finger, "That, the black... there..."
Her aunt followed her gaze and said,
"Yes, my hair is black, and my face is white."
Xia Qingqing tilted her head. That wasn't what she meant.
That black thing was somewhat similar to 'Guo Dong' in her arms.
Thinking for a moment, she was about to reach for the object.
Xia's mother, not far away, suddenly called out, "It's ready, we can start the zhuazhou."
The next second, Xia Qingqing was picked up by a woman next to her.
Her feet dangled in the air.
"..."
...
"Come, come, everyone make way."
"Quick, see if there's anything else to place."
A group of people crowded around, placing little Qingqing on the large table covered with red silk.
Their eyes were fixed on her every move.
"She's moving."
"Shh—"
The adults watched as little Qingqing crawled a couple of steps.
First, she reached for a spoon, then looked at the pastries beside it, grabbed two pieces, and put them in her mouth.
She smacked her lips, her cheeks puffing out.
She had been playing with the adults all morning and was hungry.
Then,
she pawed to the left a couple of times, picked up a notebook and a ruler.
And then she stopped moving.
She looked at the adults around her, sat on the table, and yawned.
(-.-)
Seeing this, the adults around her finally spoke.
Their faces were all smiling.
"Little Qingqing will surely be a great cook in the future."
"I think she's destined for academics, she can choose any top university at will."
"Look at the ruler and notebook she grabbed, she might be a mathematician or a novelist in the future."
"Her mother will have a blessed life!"
The adults spoke one after another.
It was an expectation, and also a blessing for the child.
While they were talking, someone carried little Qingqing back into the house.
They placed her on a crib with a railing, "Sleep, little one~"
As soon as little Qingqing touched the bed, she closed her eyes.
She still held the notebook and ruler she had grabbed.
"She must be really tired."
The person smiled, walked out of the bedroom, and gently closed the door.
Click~
As soon as the door closed, Xia Qingqing on the bed opened her eyes.
She wiggled and sat up.
If she hadn't pretended to sleep, she would probably have been observed for a long time.
Looking at the notebook and ruler she held, her face lit up with joy.
Finally, she had obtained important props!
Recalling the short videos she had seen before,
she used the ruler as a knife and made a few gestures towards the notebook.
Sizzle—
...
(PS: Xia Qingqing—reincarnated former Meng Po. Guo Dong—a ghost taken to the mortal realm by the ghost shopkeeper after being hit from behind for writing a novel.)