Chapter 1381 - 542: What’s It Like Eating Liangpi on Lunar New Year’s Day? Chen Yan: My Mouth Is Watering Like a River!

Chapter 1381: Chapter 542: What’s It Like Eating Liangpi on Lunar New Year’s Day? Chen Yan: My Mouth Is Watering Like a River!

"Dundun, you’re so heavy!"

After a night of snow, the world was a vast expanse of white, the entire scenic area transformed into a silvery-white wonderland, extraordinarily beautiful.

On the mountain path leading to Dragon Head Peak, Lin Xu and Shen Jiayue, wearing anti-slip hiking boots, were slowly climbing up the snow-covered steps.

Lin Xu carried the offerings, incense, ingots, and other items his grandma had given him, while Shen Jiayue carried Dundun, who insisted on tagging along, in a cat backpack.

The little fellow nestled warmly in the cat backpack, quietly watching the scenery outside.

Occasionally, when a squirrel darted past, it would anxiously scratch around inside the backpack, appearing as if it wanted to hunt.

Normally, it’s not advisable to hike in the snow due to the risk of accidents.

However, Dragon Head Peak isn’t very tall, plus there are handrails on both sides of the steps, as long as you walk normally, it’s fine.

Besides, burning incense was an elder’s wish, and considering it was the New Year, a hike was trivial, just an exercise to digest last night’s dumplings.

They reached a small pavilion halfway up for a rest.

Lin Xu ate two pieces of chocolate, Shen Jiayue sipped sugar water from a thermos, and Dundun gnawed on a freeze-dried quail in the cat backpack.

After finishing, the little guy contentedly licked its paws, sitting in the cat backpack lined with a small blanket, enjoying the snowy view.

After resting for a while, they continued their ascent.

Finally, by eight in the morning, they reached the summit.

By then, the sun had risen, its blue sky contrasting with the distant snow-covered mountains, naturally bringing a sense of peace and joy.

"It’s so beautiful!"

Shen Jiayue shouted, then headed with Dundun to a rock ledge.

As more tourists arrived, chains on the rock ledge became decorated with various cute heart-shaped locks, but two stood out.

One was the brass lock Shen Jiayue had hung, and the other was an oversized brass lock hung by Shen Guofu, both weighing the chains down straight.

Lin Xu went to the small temple’s door, dug out a key from a gap in the threshold.

Opening the door, he placed the offerings from the backpack onto the altar table, then with Shen Jiayue followed Lin Grandmother’s instructions, knelt before the Mountain God statue, burning incense in prayer.

"May the Mountain God bless the scenic business at home to flourish and protect the health of our family..."

As Shen Jiayue was softly praying, a round head suddenly popped out from the Mountain God’s shoulder, Dundun who had been let out from the cat backpack had climbed up at some point, excitedly called to Lin Xu and Shen Jiayue:

"Meow~~~~~"

Lin Xu placed the incense sticks into the burner, helplessly gesturing to the little fellow:

"Come down, come down, you are really quite mischievous."

Dundun wandered around the Mountain God statue before jumping down, leaping into Lin Xu’s embrace.

Shen Jiayue questioned:

"If the deity manifests, would they be angry with us?"

Lin Xu chuckled:

"What’s there to be angry about? It’s just innocent talk from a child. Besides, these things exist if you believe, not if you don’t. Once the incense burns out, we can head down; was feeling hungry since no breakfast yet."

On the first morning of the year, burning incense mandates not eating, otherwise it’s insincere.

Now Lin Xu eyed the offerings on the table - roast chicken, pork hock, chunk of meat, apples, bananas, intending to tear off a chicken leg once the incense burnt out to ease his hunger.

Chocolate provides climbing energy but doesn’t fill the belly.

To quell the stomach rumblings, gnawing on a chicken leg is necessary.

Shen Jiayue pointed to the merit box before the deity and asked:

"Do people really put money in?"

"Yes, my maternal uncle serves as a Taoist here, once encountered someone stuffing twenty thousand, complaining the box opening was too small to fit a wad of cash. Later, it was replaced with a bigger box."

"How do they deal with the money inside, leave it to rot?"

"No way, it’s periodically taken out to buy rice, flour, oil, clothes, and bedding for orphans and elderly in nearby villages, the money isn’t much so it can’t buy anything too valuable, just expressing a kind gesture."

Moved, Shen Jiayue promptly pulled out all her cash from her bag and stuffed it inside.

"Since it’s for a good cause, I’ll contribute too."

The mountain winds sped up the incense to burn swiftly, soon finishing an entire burner.

This indicated the deity had enjoyed the offerings, ready for them to be taken.

Lin Xu packed the offerings back into the bag, then used a plastic sheet to pull off a chicken leg, casually handed it to Shen Jiayue:

"Want some?"

"Isn’t it inappropriate to eat it like this?"

"No harm, it’s already been offered, better not waste it."

The couple shared most of the roast chicken in the temple, throwing the bones into the woods behind it, having completed the task assigned by Grandma, they descended.

By then the path to the back mountain had completed construction, viewing stairs for descent from the other side of the rock ledge.

However, eager to head down for breakfast, given the snow-covered, slippery slopes, it was best not to risk it.

Waiting for the weather to clear and snow to melt before exploring wouldn’t be late.

Anyway, these days were filled with eating, sleeping, leisure time, fully relaxed.

Lin Xu and Shen Jiayue followed the same route back, reaching the cliff hotel, stomped to shake off the snow from their shoe soles, then opened car doors, driving to the mountain restaurant.

Since the road faced north, in a windy position, there was no snow accumulation, which was why Lin Xu dared to drive.

Arriving at the foot of the mountain, in the snowy scenic area, not far off the reservoir’s rippling waves, Shen Jiayue looked and couldn’t help exclaiming: