I Have A Dual World Seal

Great Jing Dynasty, before the New Year festival.

"Lu Lang."

As the New Year approached, even Renxin Hall had few common folk.

Elder Liu, taking a cue from Liu Qingyan, looked at Lu Zheng and said, "Staying up alone at home can be quite dull, why not come to our place?"

Liu Qingyan immediately looked at Lu Zheng with expectant eyes.

Lu Zheng naturally had no objection, "Sure!"

Liu Qingyan's smile was as radiant as a flower, "It's been a long time since we've played chess, it would be nice to have a few matches tomorrow."

Then she added with some regret, "It's a pity Sister Shen can't leave Taohua Village, otherwise celebrating together would be wonderful."

Lu Zheng said, "We can visit her on New Year's Day."

Liu Qingyan nodded, "That works too."

In the afternoon, Hu Zhou came as usual to help. Elder Liu asked Hu Zhou about their New Year plans and learned it would only be him and his mother, so he invited them to spend the New Year with the Liu Family.

Hu Zhou said he needed to go home and ask Madam Hu to decide, but Lu Zheng figured Madam Hu would not refuse.

Lu Zheng smacked his lips, surprised that after living in the Great Jing Dynasty for over half a year, he could still have a lively New Year celebration.

...

The night before the New Year, roughly equivalent to modern New Year's Eve, Lu Zheng instructed Aunt Liu early in the morning that he would spend the New Year at the Liu Family, then returned to his room to pack the prepared gifts into a large basket.

"Uncle Liu! Madam Liu! Qingyan! Qingquan, Happy New Year!" Lu Zheng arrived at the door.

"Lu Lang is here, come on in!" Elder Liu welcomed Lu Zheng inside, then sniffed deliberately, his eyes gleaming.

Lu Zheng knew Elder Liu had a taste for this, so he didn't keep them in suspense and smiled, "I brought some gifts for everyone."

Liu Qingquan immediately chimed in, "Did I get any candy canes or salty plums?"

Lu Zheng shook his head with a smile, and Liu Qingquan's little face fell, as if about to cry.

"But there are even tastier milk candies, flaky candies, and chocolates."

Something tastier?

Milk candy? Is that candy made with milk?

Flaky candy? Is it candy that has a crumbly texture, similar to flaky pastries?

And chocolate, which sounds peculiar, what could that be?

"Gulp——"

Lu Zheng brought a few people to the main hall, set down the basket, and began taking items out one by one.

Starting with the little sister-in-law.

"These are flaky candies, these are milk candies, these are chocolates, and these are preserved plums."

Lu Zheng had unpacked all these candies and placed them into prepared bamboo tubes.

Liu Qingquan took one, hugged it to her chest, then took another, and held it close.

And then…soon she couldn't hold anymore, but couldn't bear to let go of any of them.

Liu Qingyan couldn't stand watching any longer, stretched out her hand, and took two tubes.

Lu Zheng smiled slightly and then moved on to Elder Liu. "This is white wine, this is yellow wine, see if they suit your taste."

"These are two cashmere scarves, one for Madam Liu and one for Qingyan, choose your favorite color."

"Wonderful, wonderful!" Madam Liu was overjoyed to find she also had a gift.

Liu Qingyan took the cashmere scarf handed to her by Lu Zheng, and as she felt its soft texture and fine craftsmanship, "Such good quality."

"Qingyan, I noticed you don't often wear that golden hairpin, so I got you a few more hairpins, see if you like them."

Besides personal gifts, Lu Zheng also brought out fruit wine, pastries, and other items.

Finally, Lu Zheng took out a medium-sized box, about a foot square.

Seeing Lu Zheng solemnly bring out this wooden box, all eyes in the Liu Family focused on it.

"What is this?"

Lu Zheng opened the wooden box, and the Liu Family saw inside were many small wooden tiles, each less than an inch long, laid out densely.

Liu Qingquan picked one up and saw two circles painted on one side of the small wooden tile.

Liu Qingquan looked at it again and again, still confused, "What is this?"

Liu Qingyan, seeing Lu Zheng with a mysteriously smiling face, also picked up a piece. On it were six small linear patterns, painted with green lacquer.

Picking up another piece, the design on it turned into a little bird, its colors red and green, quite delicate.

Liu Qingyan's eyes flashed, "Could this be some kind of game?"

Lu Zheng clapped his hands and laughed, "Exactly!"

The national treasure, Mahjong, officially arrives in the Otherworld!

"Is it similar to Backgammon or Fly Leaf Cards?" Liu Qingquan asked.

Liu Qingyan looked at the number of tiles in the box and shook her head, "There are many pieces, maybe it's like Go."

Upon hearing this, Liu Qingquan's face fell, "That would be too difficult."

Lu Zheng shook his head, "It's not hard at all. I thought we'd be staying up late, and just eating snacks and chatting might get a bit boring, so I brought a set for entertainment."

"Not hard?" Liu Qingquan's eyes lit up, "Is it fun?"

"It's fun!"

No joke, the national game Mahjong is an easy game that anyone from age ninety-nine to young children can learn to play after watching just a couple of rounds.

Yet, it is ever-changing, with luck and skill being equally important.

...

The group cleared off the main hall table, and Lu Zheng had the four members of the Liu Family sit around it, teaching them how to play with open tiles, step by step.

Then...

"One Bamboo!"

"Chow!"

"Five Dots!"

"Hold on, I Pong!"

"Six Bams!"

"Ha ha, I Hu!"

...

Watching Liu Qingyan's eyes shining brightly, joyfully drawing tiles, Lu Zheng suddenly thought of an old movie.

Did I do something foolish?

Pfft! Of course not! Qingyan is dedicated to studying medicine and healing people, she wouldn't become addicted.

"Lu Lang?"

"Hmm?"

"When we visit Sister Shen tomorrow, let's bring this, um, Mahjong set along and let her play with it too."

Lu Zheng: Σ(°△°|||)︴

After another round, Madam Liu, seeing that it was getting late, reluctantly stepped away to prepare lunch in the kitchen.

Thus, Lu Zheng naturally took her place.

"Shuffle—Shuffle—"

...

After lunch, the Liu Family continued their Mahjong showdown, served by two old servants with tea while Lu Zheng stood behind Liu Qingyan, pointing out her moves.

Then...

"Sister! Pay up!"

Liu Qingyan shot a glare at Lu Zheng, who had let her reveal a winning tile, and took out one cent from her pouch to give to her younger sister.

At 1:00 PM, Hu Zhou and his mother arrived, and everyone paused for a moment.

Soon after, Madam Hu was pulled into the game, with Hu Zhou attending her, while Liu Qingyan pulled Lu Zheng into the study.

...

With the door closed, incense lit, and tea brewing, the room suddenly quieted, and their minds calmed.

Lu Zheng set up the chessboard, Liu Qingyan sorted the pieces, and they sat across from each other to start playing.

Back and forth, giving and taking.

"Lu Lang, thank you."

"Thank me for what?" Lu Zheng was genuinely surprised, "The gifts? They're just some drinks and novel snacks."

Liu Qingyan smiled sweetly, "Thank you, Lu Lang, for handling the troubles from the other medical clinics for me."

Lu Zheng raised an eyebrow, "You found out? It's nothing, just a small matter."

Liu Qingyan made a gentle move, speaking in barely a whisper, "It's a blessing for Qingyan to know Lu Lang."