Just then, a mobile milk tea vendor’s cart stopped in front of the two.
“Sir, buy your girlfriend the first cup of milk tea this Christmas,” the vendor poked his head out, smiling as he promoted.
“She’s not my girlfriend.”
Xu Yinsheng saw Zhao Yicheng, who was about to take out his wallet to pay, and stopped his action, shaking his head at the vendor in denial.
“Then… sir, buy your wife the first cup of milk tea this Christmas.”
The milk tea vendor looked at Zhao Yicheng, knowing he was the one with the money, and continued to promote.
“She’s not my wife either.”
Xu Yinsheng tried to refuse again, but a hand stopped her.
Zhao Yicheng smiled and handed over a banknote.
“One cup, please.”
“Alright, sir, please wait a moment.”
The milk tea vendor took the money and quickly handed a steaming, rich, and aromatic cup of milk tea to Zhao Yicheng.
“Limited edition for couples. Wishing you a Merry Christmas!”
After completing this order, he rode his cart to a place with more foot traffic.
“Old Zhao, you’re just a big spender,” Xu Yinsheng said, arms crossed.
The milk tea in Zhao Yicheng’s hand looked great.
Red and white were the main colors, with a plastic Christmas tree charm in the center and two silver straws intertwined to form a heart shape, each facing a different direction.
But one cup cost 35 yuan, which was purely an emotional rip-off.
While Xu Yinsheng had money, that didn’t mean he was brainless.
“Darling, don’t be angry. Come, have a sip.”
Zhao Yicheng held the milk tea out to Xu Yinsheng, his face full of flattery.
“Hmph,” Xu Yinsheng snorted lightly, but still opened her mouth to take a bite.
The taste was surprisingly good, but she still glanced at Zhao Yicheng, admonishing him,
“There won’t be a next time.”
“Xiao Yin is right,” Zhao Yicheng took the cue, looking like a henpecked husband.
He then bit the other straw of the milk tea and started drinking as well.
After finishing the milk tea, the two walked side-by-side into the Christmas gift specialty store.
The store was packed with people.
All areas were filled with warmth.
Couples went in and out, one holding a reindeer pendant in their left hand and a Santa hat in their right, and there were even rocking reindeer cars specifically for soothing children.
Earlier, when Zhao Yicheng had coaxed Xu Yinsheng into going shopping, he had thumped his chest and guaranteed that all expenses for this shopping trip would be paid by him, Young Master Zhao.
Xu Yinsheng certainly wasn’t going to miss this opportunity to fleece his good brother.
As soon as they entered the store, he swiped his good brother’s card and bought the most dazzling five-meter-tall Christmas tree in the entire store.
Then he kept swiping and swiping until Young Master Zhao’s arms were sore from carrying souvenirs for her.
Xu Yinsheng looked at the black card in her hand, then at Zhao Yicheng behind her, whose hands were full of various souvenirs.
This is what women’s shopping is like; it’s really exhilarating!
“Xiao Yin, still buying?”
Zhao Yicheng asked with a wry smile.
He had somewhat overestimated himself and underestimated his best friend’s shopping desire.
Although he was happy to see Xiao Yin unusually joyful and lively, his two arms were starting to give out.
Xu Yinsheng glanced at the time on her phone: 9:30 PM.
Only two and a half hours remained until the Christmas bells.
“No more shopping, it’s time to go home.”
Xu Yinsheng suddenly turned her head to look at the man beside her, her eyes filled with anticipation.
“Old Zhao, how about you spend this Christmas with me?”
“Of course, who else but my good brother?”
Zhao Yicheng’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he said with a smile.
Dashing through the snow In a one-horse open sleigh Ding ding dong, ding ding dong, bells are ringing.
***
After hanging up all sorts of Christmas tree decorations and placing a dazzling five-pointed star at the very top, they plugged in the power.
The entire Christmas tree instantly became a tree of light, splendid and magnificent.
“Finally finished.”
Xu Yinsheng collapsed onto the sofa, gently pounding her aching lower back with her small hands.
Zhao Yicheng walked out of the kitchen.
He took off his heat-resistant gloves and sat down next to Xu Yinsheng.
“The turkey’s in the oven. It’ll be ready in an hour.”
“Thanks so much, this is way more lavish than my Christmas last year,” Xu Yinsheng sniffed the aroma from the kitchen, her mouth watering.
“Xiao Yin, do you know the origin of the Christmas tree?”
Zhao Yicheng began to find a topic.
Xu Yinsheng awkwardly scratched her head.
Zhao Yicheng chuckled at his reaction, then began, “In the myths and legends of the Amen faith, a long, long time ago, there was a kind farmer. On a snowy, windy night, he rescued a poor, hungry, and cold child and gave him a hearty dinner.”
“Before leaving, the child broke off a pine branch, stuck it in the ground, and blessed him.
After the child left, the farmer found that the branch had turned into a small tree covered with gifts. Only then did he realize that he had entertained an angel of God.”
“In our historical records, the prototype of the Christmas tree is the holly tree. Due to its triangular shape, it was first regarded by 16th-century believers as a symbol of the ‘Holy Trinity.’ And because it doesn’t die in winter, it symbolizes eternal life.”
He spoke eloquently.
“The star at the top of the Christmas tree symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem, which revealed the location of Jesus’ birth and guided the Three Wise Men to find Jesus. It symbolizes Jesus’ salvation, the glory of Christ, and humanity’s eternal hope. The cedar tree represents Jesus’ kingship.”
“The holly tree’s thorny leaves symbolize the ‘crown of thorns’ Jesus wore during His suffering, and the red berries represent the blood Jesus shed.”
Xu Yinsheng listened intently, her beautiful eyes sparkling with a unique light. After Zhao Yicheng finished, she brought her large, clear eyes closer.
Just as Zhao Yicheng thought she was about to ask a follow-up question, Xu Yinsheng asked a completely unrelated one.
“Old Zhao, do you believe in God?”
Zhao Yicheng pondered for a moment, then shook his head.
“No.”
“I do,” Xu Yinsheng stated emphatically.
She pointed to a corner of the living room, where a shrine usually dedicated to Guan Erye now displayed an ultra-high-definition color image of a vibrant, verdant, intertwining vine.
“How about you believe in the God of Vines with me?”
“God of Vines?”
Zhao Yicheng’s mouth twitched.
Could it be a variant of the Flying Spaghetti Monster?
Although freedom of religious belief exists, a vine…
But then he thought of his best friend’s occasionally erratic thought process, and, well… it suddenly seemed a lot more reasonable.
“Yes, the tenets of my Lord are no bickering, no trash-talking,” Xu Yinsheng said with a serious expression.
Adhering to the Huayuan Federation’s policy of not supporting idle gods, he took Zhao Yicheng’s hand.
“Old Zhao, listen to my advice: if you go online in the future, never get into arguments with people.”
Otherwise, you might suffer divine punishment like him, undergoing daily gender transformations, eventually becoming completely female.
The next instant, a large hand rested on his forehead.
“No fever,” Zhao Yicheng mumbled.
His best friend was good, but sometimes his thought process was truly strange.
For example, not believing that Xu Ying was a bad woman who approached him for money, or now, the God of Vines, no trash-talking, no bickering.
He remembered how toxic Xiao Yin was during ranked matches back in the dorm, always verbally abusing teammates.
Now, suddenly, no trash-talking, no bickering?
Had he changed his personality?