The sled Chi Wu hired was pulled by mules; the driver had agreed to go further if the roads were good, and less far if they weren't. Cheng Ying and the others weren't picky; they’d once walked all the way back before, so this was just a brief repeat.

Auntie had found a pair of felt boots specifically for walking in the snow for Cheng Ying. These boots made walking on snow feel light and swift.

They didn't bring much for Chi Wu and Cheng Ying, the crucial thing being that the two of them still had to walk a distance; they couldn't carry too much. Chi Wu had even gone into the township specifically to buy some things to bring back in the vehicle.

They were mostly snacks Cheng Ying usually craved. Cheng Ying said nothing as she watched Chi Wu pack his rucksack.

Cheng Ying carried her clean set of clothes on her own back. It was actually quite pleasant sitting in the mule-drawn sled; the snow surface was smooth, the load wasn't too heavy, and even the old man driving was seated.

The speed wasn't much slower than a bicycle. Moreover, they frequently saw sled tracks on the road, suggesting they weren't the only ones traveling.

Chi Wu seemed much livelier. "If we're lucky, maybe after we cross the ridge, we'll run into a sled from our village, and you won't have to walk anymore." Cheng Ying replied, "Walking is fine too, as long as there’s no wind and the weather isn't too cold." As she said this, the breath Cheng Ying exhaled was visibly white.

The old man chimed in, "You two shouldn't talk so much; you’ll fill your stomachs with cold air, and even drinking water will make you fart." This old man truly didn't know how to speak—quite uncouth. But what he said was right.

Letting cold air rush into one’s stomach was never good. Chi Wu fell silent, clearly displeased.

How could he let someone speak about his wife like that? If he had known, he would have found a driver with a better demeanor and temper.

Cheng Ying, with a flushed face, admired the magnificent, snow-clad mountains of the motherland. How utterly beautiful it was.

Where on earth did this unlucky kid Chi Wu find this driver? A little over an hour later, the driver brought the two of them to the foot of the ridge.

The driver spoke curtly, "Get down, you two. This slope is steep, and there’s too much snow; my mule only comes this far." Cheng Ying quietly got down.

Chi Wu paid the driver, and then the driver left. He didn't even exchange a word with them.

Cheng Ying said, "It must have been difficult for you, finding this driver." Chi Wu’s face was red. "I tried several households; only this driver was willing to come; the rest refused." Cheng Ying couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

"Good people don't always use good words. Just look at the quilt he left on the sled; you can tell the driver is a decent person." Chi Wu said, "Then I'll give him ten more yuan." Cheng Ying felt the money was already generous; otherwise, the driver wouldn't have made the trip.

"Let's go. You call out to the driver about the wind, but he probably can't hear you anyway.

Besides, the driver might complain about you farting." Saying this, they both laughed. Chi Wu took Cheng Ying’s hand and pulled her up the ridge.

Cheng Ying broke into a sweat by the time she climbed up. Chi Wu pointed, "See?

There's smoke rising over there; that’s our village. Let’s hurry; we should be home by noon." Cheng Ying genuinely hoped, "If we could catch a ride back on another sled, that would be great." Chi Wu comforted his wife, "It’s fine.

If you want to ride around later, I'll bring Er Ya home, and you can take her out for a proper spin." Cheng Ying scoffed, "Give me a break. Do you really think I’m just playing games with Chi Ye?" Their luck wasn't that good.

They walked all the way until they opened the door to their home, having met no one. Chi Wu wondered, "What is everyone in the village doing?" Cheng Ying replied, "It’s mealtime, who would be out in this cold weather?" They both collapsed with exhaustion after opening the door.

"Marching through snow is hard work. It usually takes us an hour to walk home; look, it’s already noon." Chi Wu grumbled, "Cheng Ming, you unlucky brat, why didn't you ride your rusty bicycle out?" Cheng Ying snorted, "Hmph, look at the road conditions." Chi Wu unbuckled his rucksack.

"Wait right there. Don't take off your clothes yet.

Walk around the yard slowly first so you don't start sweating. I'll go boil some hot water for you to wash up." Saying this, before Chi Wu had even caught his breath, he headed to the kitchen.

Cheng Ying’s heart had been changing these past few days, a continuous churning sensation. A voice kept telling her, besides the fact that she watched Chi Wu grow up, Wu Zi truly was a good man.

And a new kind of good man. Cheng Ying couldn't imagine what kind of woman would be worthy of the good man she had nurtured with her own hands; she was reluctant to give him to anyone.

So reluctant. And then came the thought: No one but me.

The moment this idea surfaced, it startled Cheng Ying into another cold sweat. Chi Wu came into the room carrying a large basin filled with hot coals.

Only then did Cheng Ying enter. Under the heat radiating from the brazier, the room temperature quickly rose.

Afterward, Chi Wu brought in a large basin and a bucket of water. "Wash up yourself, then change into dry clothes.

We’ll eat afterward." Cheng Ying nodded. If she caught a bad cold here, she would be the one suffering.

It wasn't convenient to go to the clinic; the village had very few medicines. Chi Wu turned to leave.

He didn't forget to praise Cheng Ming to Yingzi. "Ming Zi actually has a conscience; he prepared the firewood for us.

Otherwise, we would have suffered." Cheng Ying said, "No wonder you got the fire going and the water heated so fast." Saying this, Cheng Ying started working on herself. After all the sweat came off, her clothes were soaked, which felt truly uncomfortable to wear.

Cheng Ying wiped her body with a hot towel before changing. She was done in no time, feeling refreshed from the inside out, body and spirit at ease.

Cheng Ying held her clothes and went out. "Go wash up quickly." Chi Wu was cupping a steaming tea mug in his hands.

"Here, warm your stomach first. The rice is already steaming in the pot." He then went inside.

Cheng Ying held the large mug, and that thought—No one but me—popped up again. This hot water warmed not only her hands and stomach but also her heart.

In a lifetime, aside from parents and blood relatives, how many people truly cared about you this much? She hadn't noticed before, but now that she did, it was impossible to ignore.

Not cherishing it would surely bring divine retribution. Cheng Ying lightly slapped her own cheek.

Then she turned toward the kitchen. Chi Wu had vegetables in his pocket, and besides, getting some food out of his personal space wasn't that difficult.

The two weren't fussy; just eating their fill and getting warm was enough. Cheng Ying made radish strip soup and cabbage stewed with vermicelli.

When Chi Wu came out, the table was already set up on the heated kang in the east room. The kang was wonderfully warm.

Chi Wu sat down, took a sip of the radish soup, and sighed, "Ah, that's comforting." Cheng Ying had a strange feeling, as if they had been living this way for half their lives. If they had lived like this from childhood until now, and continued like this in the future, it wouldn't be bad.

Chi Wu asked, "What’s wrong? Spacing out again?

You’re not actually getting sick, are you?" Cheng Ying felt her mind getting foggier. "Just eat." Chi Wu said, "It’s a good thing Ming Zi cleaned this place up; otherwise, we really would have suffered." Cheng Ying asked, "You called him ahead of time?" Chi Wu replied, "I told him when he was coming back.

I thought he wouldn't bother, but this kid is thoughtful; I’ll thank him properly later." Cheng Ying snorted, "Don't dream too sweetly. Maybe the kid brought a bunch of his riff-raff friends over to stir up trouble." Outside, someone called out, "Wu Zi, did you get back?" Cheng Ying murmured, "Speak of the devil, and here he is." Chi Wu chuckled.

Cheng Ying looked at him, wondering how many different faces this kid had. At school, he looked aloof and cold; in the Chi family home, he spoke little but had presence; at the Cheng family home, he looked a bit roguish, like a tag-along toddler.

Now, sitting on this kang, even his smile seemed somewhat simple and honest. Cheng Ying couldn't figure out where this perception came from.

It must be the glare. Honesty and simplicity never suited Chi Wu.

Chi Wu shouted back, "I'm here! Come in!" Cheng Ming stomped the snow off and came in.

"Why are you back in this weather? Oh, perfect timing!

I’m starving." He then went to the kitchen himself, grabbed chopsticks and a bowl, and started eating. He didn't even bother asking or being polite.

Cheng Ying looked at the snow prints Cheng Ming tracked in and wished she could kick him out. "Are we not back, so you’d starve?

Clean up this floor later!" Chi Wu was also slightly dissatisfied—this guy was too comfortable, too familiar. If things were always like this, how could he and Cheng Ying have their private time?

This guy was a literal light bulb. Looking at Cheng Ming just made him seem overly bright.

Chi Wu said sternly, following up, "And clean up the table." Cheng Ying felt things settling back into place; she had been wrong to think this guy was ever simple and honest. This kid had never been honest since childhood.

Cheng Ming mindlessly shoveled food into his mouth. In the city, he was usually the one doing these chores.

Yingzi didn't want the old lady to tire herself, so she’d usher the old lady out after eating. She’d say she’d handle the rest of the work.

In reality, once the old lady left, Cheng Ming did everything. At first, Cheng Ming felt conflicted.

He was eating and staying on someone else's turf; doing some chores was nothing. It wasn't until Chi Wu returned from school and saw Cheng Ying still not lifting a finger—Chi Wu was the one clearing the table—that Cheng Ming understood.

It wasn't that Cheng Ying was abusing him; it was just the tradition of their Cheng family. Once he accepted that, he became much more willing to work and could even chat a bit with Cheng Ying.

It was all because they were too kind. This willingness stemmed from comparison.

Cheng Ying couldn't be bothered to look at Cheng Ming. "I know you're back, but I didn't know you were out fleeing famine, to be this desperate." Cheng Ming said, "You guys don't know anything.

I left early this morning. As soon as I got back to the village, I saw smoke coming from your chimney.

I hadn't even gone home yet. Brother, have some food, don't be stingy.

See how much I care about you." Cheng Ying scoffed, "Spare me. Do you think I care about this little bit of food?

I think your eating manners aren't great." Before she finished speaking, someone called from outside again, "Yingzi, is that you back?" Chi Wu murmured, "Second Aunt." His voice wasn't loud. Cheng Ming, not wanting to express an opinion, chuckled a couple of times and kept eating.

No matter how lazy Cheng Ying felt, she had to get up. Chi Wu felt bad for her; she’d rested on the warm kang for a while after walking all day.

But it couldn't be helped; guests were here, and the hostess couldn't just stay lounging on the kang. He handed Cheng Ying a thick coat.

The two of them walked out while chatting. "Second Aunt, we just got home.

We haven't come to see you yet." Cheng Ying said warmly as she opened the door. Chi Wu asked, "Second Aunt, why are you out in this heavy snow?"