Marry a female star at a bargain price

After the Little New Year, the approaching Lunar New Year is getting closer and closer, and the festive atmosphere is getting stronger and stronger.

These past two days, Lin Xiao has been hearing the sound of firecrackers on his way to and from get off work every day. He doesn't know what kind of custom it is in the countryside.

It was the 29th day of the Lunar New Year.

Lin Xiao is on duty tonight.

When he was on duty recently, several deputy town mayors volunteered to take his place, especially Dong Jianhui.

Lin Xiao, wanting to see his wife and children every day, shamelessly agreed.

However, with the end of the year approaching, the deputy mayor also had things to do at home, so he couldn't ask everyone to cover for him anymore and insisted on staying to keep watch by himself.

In fact, Lin Xiao knew that he had already incurred a great debt of gratitude from the deputy mayor.

When the duty roster was drawn up, he realized that he should have been on duty on New Year's Eve, but he was moved to the 29th, and Dong Jianhui was scheduled for New Year's Eve.

He knew this was a kind gesture from Lao Dong, thanking him for his staunch support during the National Day holiday when Lao Dong's ride-hailing service sparked widespread public outcry, and also for paying for Lao Dong's wife to be sent to the best rehabilitation center in the provincial capital.

Old Dong had just visited his wife in the hospital before the Lunar New Year. His wife, who had been paralyzed in bed for several years, had actually regained sensation in her limbs thanks to the hospital's careful treatment.

Although it was only a very subtle perception, it was a leap from nothing to something.

If we persevere, it's not impossible that we'll be able to walk on the ground and even move freely in the future.

This news brought Dong Jianhui, who had been feeling stifled and depressed for over a decade, to tears of joy.

Rehabilitation centers are not cheap.

With Deputy Mayor Dong Jianhui's salary, a year's wages would be spent in less than two months there, not to mention he also has a son in college to support.

Relying on myself is something I wouldn't even dare to dream of.

Knowing he had no way to repay the mayor, Lao Dong could only work hard and share more of the workload with him in terms of duty shifts.

Lin Xiao knew that this was Lao Dong's way of repaying his gratitude.

If I keep refusing him, it will only leave him unable to express his feelings, which is the most fatal thing for a man.

Therefore, Lin Xiao readily accepted Lao Dong's various acts of kindness.

However, with the end of the year approaching, his wife was at a rehabilitation center, and his son was there to take care of her.

No matter what, the house needs to be cleaned and tidied up, after all, it's the New Year.

So on the 29th, Lin Xiao sent Dong Jianhui home and stayed at his workplace to stand guard.

I thought that since it was almost Chinese New Year, nothing serious would happen.

As it turned out, what I feared most came to pass.

Around 11 p.m., Liu Zaiming, the village head of Xiakeng Village, suddenly came to the town and told Lin Xiao that a child in the village had gone missing.

Lin Xiao didn't take it seriously at the time, and only asked, "The child is missing, when did he go missing?"

Director Liu then said, "They disappeared last night!"

Lin Xiao was so frightened that he jumped up from his chair as if his buttocks were on springs.

"Last night? That's a full twenty-four hours now!"

"..."

Liu Zaiming wore a bitter expression, feeling ashamed and helpless.

"What's the situation with that child? Did he run away from home or was he abducted?"

"I do not know!"

"You don't even know that? You must know the child's basic information, right?"

"Yes, I know. The child is from Xiakeng Village, his name is Han Tao, and he has always lived with his grandparents..."

Lin Xiao's heart skipped a beat when he heard the name.

The village head then told me that the child was 11 years old and a fifth-grade student at Shiliang Primary School…

He immediately realized that this Han Tao was the little boy who had gone to Jingzhou to record a program last New Year's Day and couldn't take the long-distance bus back because he had a fever, so he had taken the plane back with him.

Lin Xiao was shocked: How could it be such a coincidence!

The next moment, he vaguely guessed that the child's disappearance might be related to his experience in Jingzhou last time.

After all, on the return flight, this boy, whom the teacher had described as "mischievous," was unusually quiet throughout the entire flight, and even shed tears that were not appropriate for his age, looking at the luxurious cabin and the sky with its floating clouds.

Lin Xiao was worried at the time that this experience would leave a bad negative shadow on the child.

The child suddenly disappeared before the Lunar New Year...

He finds it hard not to connect the two things.

Without saying anything at the moment, he quickly called Deng Feng, the head of the police station.

Townships and police stations have always maintained close ties. Because of the sensation in Xingguang Town in the second half of last year, the police station has become a frequent visitor to the town, and the two sides have cooperated to accomplish many important tasks.

Police station chief Deng Feng was a reasonable man who greatly respected Lin Xiao, the famous town mayor.

Therefore, whenever the town needs it, the office provides its full support.

It happened to be Director Deng Feng's turn to be on duty tonight. After receiving Lin Xiao's call, he quickly arrived with two police officers.

Deng Feng was more professional than Lin Xiao. After asking the village chief a few questions, he was basically able to confirm that the child had run away from home rather than been abducted.

The most direct evidence is that the child's parents are divorced and each has their own family outside the home.

This year, the child's father did not come home for the Spring Festival, but called back to say that after the winter vacation, he would bring Han Tao to live in the city.

This should be a good thing.

After all, this is a mountainous area, and many people leave their homes to go to the city for a living. No matter what kind of work they do in the city, it is much better than at home.

In the city and in the mountains.

The distinction between good and bad is known to everyone, from women to children.

The elders in his family, relatives, and neighbors all felt that this was a good thing and were genuinely happy for Han Tao.

But the kid was sullen when he heard the news. He even had several big arguments with his father on the phone, smashed things in the house, and refused to go no matter what.

His relatives all scolded him for being ignorant and ungrateful, saying he deserved to be poor in the mountain village for the rest of his life.

Make a fuss as you may, curse as you may.

But everyone felt that Han Tao's transfer to the city school was a done deal, after all, he was only 11 years old, and his grandfather in his hometown was old and could take care of him for a few more years.

The proper thing to do is to go to the city and live with my biological father, stepmother, and newborn brother.

As it turned out, it happened just last night.

With only two days left until New Year's Eve, while everyone in the village was asleep, the boy disappeared without a trace, carrying his schoolbag.

After hearing the whole story, Lin Xiao and Chief Deng of the police station unanimously concluded that Han Tao had run away from home!

Considering that Han Tao has been missing for more than 24 hours.

The police station took the matter seriously and immediately launched an investigation and search.

The search isn't too difficult!
Xingguang Town is located in a mountainous area with limited transportation options; there is only one winding provincial highway connecting it to Mashan County.

To leave Xingguang Town, whether by car, on foot, or by bus, you must rely on this asphalt road.

Of course, before this asphalt road was built, the local villagers were not completely isolated from the world; there were several winding paths through the rolling mountains that led into the city.

But nobody's a fool!

Why would anyone choose to go on an adventure in the mountains when there are wide and convenient roads available?

So over the years, those mountain paths have gradually been covered by thorns and weeds, and non-locals can no longer find their original traces.

Therefore, to track down Han Tao, all you need to do is check the town's bus station; you'll easily find his trail.

Everyone thought this little kid couldn't fly very far!

As a result, after asking around the station overnight, everyone said they hadn't seen Han Tao.

After all, it's quite obvious that a little boy would get on the bus alone. Drivers usually wouldn't allow him to get on, and even if they did, they would remember it.

If the driver says no, then it definitely doesn't exist.

Once this lead is cut off, finding Han Tao again will be much more difficult.

He might have walked to the county town on his own, or he might have boldly hitched a ride on the street, or even some other means.

With the year-end approaching, there are many cars on the road, making traffic complicated.

In the midst of the festive atmosphere of everyone welcoming the New Year, the appearance or disappearance of a little kid can be very inconspicuous and not so easy to detect.

It was already late at night.

Lin Xiao sat with the police officers in the police station, feeling anxious. The image of Han Tao silently shedding tears while looking out the window on the plane kept replaying in his mind.

In the past two years, Mayor Lin has encountered countless online controversies and witnessed all sorts of big scenes.

But none of them were more shocking than this scene.

It made him feel a real sting.

This child must have suffered a tremendous injustice, otherwise he wouldn't have made such a resolute decision to run away.

The local police station has reported the missing person case to the county.

Mashan County immediately launched an investigation.

Han Tao is only 11 years old and has no ID card. It would be almost impossible for him to leave Mashan County on his own.

As long as he is in Mashan County, finding him is quite simple.

At this point, Lin Xiao, as the mayor of Xingguang Town, could actually disappear from the public eye and go home for the New Year in peace.

After all, this is not something that a township should be responsible for.

But Lin Xiao was still uneasy; his eyelids kept twitching, and he always felt that the kid wouldn't be so easy to find.

However, he is currently at a loss.

Back in town, I dozed off for a short while leaning back in my office chair, and then it was dawn.

There was still no news from the police station.

Lin Xiao couldn't sit still any longer. He drove along the highway towards Mashan County, thinking that since Han Tao was going to run away from home, the county town was either the destination or a necessary stop along the way.

Xingguang Town is more than ten kilometers away from the county seat.

More than 30 hours have passed since Han Tao left home.

Based on his physical abilities, it's possible for him to reach Mashan County.

If he's in Mashan County now, that would be easy; the Public Security Bureau will quickly find his whereabouts.

Lin Xiao was worried that something might happen to him on the way. They hadn't even reached Mashan County yet, and that would be troublesome.

So Lin Xiao set off, carefully searching along the highway.

He drove all the way to the county town but found nothing. He then drove back along the village road. Last year, during the National Day holiday, when there was a huge traffic jam on the highway, he took this road to bring Lin Yu and Liang Tian back to Mashan County safely.

We drove along, asking the locals for information as we went.

Everyone in the town now knows the famous mayor, and they get very excited when they see him. Some young people even want to take photos with him.

However, when asked about Han Tao's whereabouts, no one knew.

This is really weird.

Even if Starlight Town is remote, poor, and sparsely populated, it is still very lively at the end of the year.

This is probably the busiest time in the town.

In such a lively year-end season, under the watchful eyes of tens of thousands of people, an 11-year-old boy simply vanished without a trace.

Lin Xiao felt increasingly nervous.

In this situation, even if abduction was ruled out from the beginning, he can't help but start to doubt the possibility again.

Back in town.

Lin Xiao held a video conference with the villages, asking the 12 village chiefs to mobilize the villagers of the 33 natural villages to search for Han Tao's whereabouts.

There is strength in numbers.

The reason we didn't do that in the morning was because the Lunar New Year is coming soon, and we wanted to avoid causing discussion and panic.

But after searching Mashan County, Xiakeng Village, and along the way, Lin Xiao found no trace of them.

Lin Xiao no longer cared about the impact or whether he was panicking.

Han Tao has been missing for more than forty hours.

The longer the time, the greater the chance that something bad will happen to the child.

Human life is at stake; I can't remain calm.

After mobilizing all the villagers in the town, Lin Xiao drove out again and began searching along the highway.

Two more hours passed in that turn.

Lin Xiao still came up empty-handed, and the county public security bureau also found no clues about Han Tao.

It can now be basically confirmed that Han Tao did not reach Mashan County.

Of course, it's not 100% certain.

Because there is still a possibility of people entering the city by private car, or even leaving the city by highway – what this means is self-evident!
Back in town, Lin Xiao's face was even more gloomy, and he felt more nervous and fearful than ever before.

It was already 3 p.m.

Today is Lunar New Year's Eve.

Even in the quaint mountain villages, every household has hung red lanterns at their doorsteps, pasted up brand-new bright red New Year pictures and couplets, and everywhere is filled with the wisps of smoke rising from the houses.

Everyone is looking forward to the arrival of the Spring Festival.

Han Xixi has called Lin Xiao several times to ask when he will come home.

Lin Xiao was on duty last night, and he should have been able to return to Ninghai after handing over his shift this morning.

No matter how congested the road is, we should arrive around noon.

Lin Xiao was afraid his wife would worry, so in the morning he only said there was a traffic jam, but in the afternoon he changed his story and said there was something going on in town and he had to deal with it for a while longer.

He didn't mention Han Tao's disappearance.

Because his wife had been a music teacher at Shiliang Elementary School for several months and was the one who led the choir, she naturally knew Han Tao.

He was afraid his wife would worry.

Fortunately, he said there was something going on in town, and Xixi didn't suspect anything.

After all, being at the grassroots level means dealing with all sorts of unexpected situations, and now it's almost the end of the year.

Not to mention Lin Xiao, Xi Xi has already gotten used to it.

Not wanting her husband to feel pressured, she said, "Then you go ahead with your work. Don't rush on your way home; safety comes first. We don't need this New Year's Eve dinner. As long as you come home, it's always a time for family reunion."

Lin Xiao felt a warmth in his heart and agreed, "Okay!"

After hanging up the phone, he leaned back in the driver's seat and let out a long sigh, but his tightly furrowed brows did not ease in the slightest.

I've only slept for less than three hours since last night.

I'm so sleepy and tired right now.

But he didn't dare to rest at all. He sat in the car with his eyes closed, trying to calm himself down while carefully thinking about the whole thing.

Two minutes later, he opened his eyes.

Then they drove directly to Xiakeng Village, which is the village where Han Tao lives.

On the way, they contacted Liu Zaiming, the village head.

The two walked through the bustling atmosphere of the village, but instead of going to Han Tao's house, they went to another house in Xiakeng Village where there were children.

Lin Xiao thought it over and over. Since Han Tao has been missing for so long, and since no trace of him has been found in Mashan County, and no one has seen him on the township buses, it is very likely that he has not actually left Xingguang Town at all, but is hiding somewhere.

Xingguang Town is located in a mountainous area, with forests and thorns covering the hillsides, and even some remote, deep forests.

Children in the mountains are not easy to find if they want to hide.

Moreover, it's Lunar New Year's Eve, so it's not very realistic to mobilize a large number of villagers to search for people.

After much thought, Lin Xiao realized that he could only approach the other children—they were his friends and classmates, and perhaps he could uncover some clues.

Led by the village chief, Lin Xiao went from house to house, asking the children if they knew where Han Tao had gone, or if he had revealed where he was going, or if he had any favorite places to play or secret hideouts.

I asked two girls before, but didn't get any useful answers.

The third person asked a fifth-grader, who thought for a moment and then said, "He said... he wants to go to Jingzhou!"

Lin Xiao's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this.

He believed the child wasn't lying, and he also believed these were Han Tao's true feelings.

But an 11-year-old child could not possibly fly to Jingzhou unless he grew wings or mastered the Sky-Splitting Claw.

He continued to press for answers.

Finally, they managed to get information from the child about a secret base, a hidden stone spring deep inside the back mountain.

Lin Xiao was overjoyed and quickly asked the child to take him there.

Since it involved a matter of life and death, the parents dared not be careless. So, disregarding the New Year's Eve dinner at home, a group of several people, carrying flashlights and matches, wrapped up tightly and headed into the mountains.

Even in the dead of winter, the mountains are not easy to traverse.

There was still a road ahead, but after entering the deep mountains, there was no route or direction at all.

Lin Xiao even felt like he was just wandering around aimlessly.

However, the child leading the way walked with great confidence, clearly very familiar with the route.

Lin Xiao had no choice but to believe him.

The group trekked through mountains and valleys for more than half an hour, from daylight to dusk.

The surroundings were very quiet, and the sound of firecrackers from the village could no longer be heard.

It's clear this place is far from any human habitation; no wonder Lin Xiao mobilized all the villagers in the town and no one noticed. Who would come to such a remote mountain during the Lunar New Year? What a waste of time!

The villagers grew increasingly less confident as they walked, finding it hard to believe that Han Tao would come all the way here during the Lunar New Year.

Lin Xiao became more and more determined, feeling that Han Tao was just ahead.

Before long, the child leading the way stopped, pointed to a slope ahead, and said, "It's right there, just climb over it!"

Lin Xiao looked over and heard the sound of flowing water.

Upon closer inspection, a wisp of smoke was seen drifting among the withered grass and tree trunks.

His eyes lit up.

To avoid frightening Han Tao, he told the village head and several villagers to wait where they were, and then he climbed up the slope.

Upon reaching the top, a sudden expanse of view opened up before me. On the other side of the hillside lay a rock face.

A thin mountain spring gurgles out from the middle of the rock wall, and below it is an open land, with a small lake in the mountains not far away.

This is undoubtedly a breathtakingly beautiful scene created by nature.

The only odd thing was that a tent was set up on the open ground by the lake, and the wisp of smoke was coming from behind the tent.

Lin Xiao glanced at it and could tell that the tent must have been left behind by tourists from out of town, which Han Tao picked up and brought with him when he ran away from home.

He couldn't help but praise himself inwardly: "Little brat, your plan is quite thorough!"
Without making a sound, he used the sound of the spring water as cover to jump down the slope and tiptoe to the back of the tent.

At first glance, there it was—Han Tao sitting there.

Lin Xiao breathed a long sigh of relief—he had finally found it.

……

Deep in the mountains, beside a campfire.

Lin Xiao remained silent, observing Han Tao closely. He noticed that Han Tao was dressed in thin clothes, had lit a fire with a pile of dry branches, and was roasting a fat chicken on it.

The firelight made his profile glow red, and his eyes were practically bulging out of their sockets as he stared at the roast chicken.

His clothes were filthy, clearly indicating that he hadn't had a good time these past few days.

Lin Xiao almost burst out laughing: Good lad, you're really good to me, you even stole some New Year's goods from home!

He went straight over and sat down next to Han Tao.

In the quiet depths of the mountains, a person suddenly darted out, nearly scaring Han Tao to death on the spot.

After clearly seeing who the person was.

Han Tao's heart, which had been in his throat, slowly calmed down.

Knowing he had been exposed, he completely gave up the idea of ​​escaping and sat there obediently... not forgetting to flip the roast chicken on the fire.

The two, one big and one small, sat quietly by the fire for a long time.

"Weren't you going to Jingzhou? What are you doing hiding here?" Lin Xiao finally asked.

Beside him, Han Tao lowered his head even further.

Lin Xiao spoke again: "I've treated you to a flight once, is it appropriate for you to be so ungrateful?"

These words made Han Tao's face turn bright red.

It took him a long time to finally open his mouth: "No...no money..."

As Lin Xiao had expected, he chuckled softly.

"You're quite clever. You know you have no money and won't get far before being caught, so you don't even try to leave. Instead, you hide in the mountains, right?"

"..."

Han Tao, realizing his scheme had been exposed, lowered his head in shame.

Lin Xiao asked again, "But since you've thought it through so clearly, you should also know that hiding in the mountains is pointless; you'll be found sooner or later anyway... So why are you making such a fuss?"

Han Tao remained silent.

Lin Xiao glanced into the tent and saw some sausages and sweet potatoes piled up, which were obviously the dry food he had brought for himself.

You can tell that this kid is determined.

Lin Xiao said helplessly and with heartache, "Are you really relying on this little bit of food to get through the entire Spring Festival?"

Han Tao nodded.

Lin Xiao was actually very angry.

During the Lunar New Year, this little rascal caused such a commotion, ruining the holiday for so many people.

I can't go home for a family reunion dinner now.

But when he thought of the tear that had silently slid down the boy's cheek on the plane, all his complaints vanished instantly.

"Why?" he asked.

"Ok?"

"Why are you hiding? Did you have a fight with your grandfather?"

Han Tao shook his head.

Lin Xiao suddenly remembered something: "You had a fight with your dad, didn't you?"

Han Tao nodded.

"You want to go to Jingzhou, so it seems you like cities. Your dad wants to take you to Focheng. Although it's not the capital, it's still a big city. Isn't that good? Or is it that you don't like any other cities besides Jingzhou...?"

"No."

Han Tao finally spoke, "I...I don't mean I don't want to go to the city..."

Lin Xiao seemed to understand.

"Is it because of your dad that you don't want to go?"

"Ah."

"Because he arranged a stepmother for you?"

"..."

Silence is an admission.

Lin Xiao sighed.

So that's how it is. There really is nothing new under the sun.

Han Tao trusted Lin Xiao. Although he kept his head down, he spoke up, "Last year, my mom contacted me and said she wanted me to stay with her for the summer vacation. I was so happy. But when I got there, I found out she just wanted me to help her take care of her newborn sister... This year, my dad had another son, and right after he gave birth, he said he wanted me to transfer to his school. Without a doubt, he'll want me to take care of the baby again..."

As Han Tao spoke, tears of grievance began to fall.

“They’ve been divorced for so many years, and they’ve never asked me a single question, never even made a phone call. They only think of me in situations like this… I hate them!”

His face was still young, yet he spoke with a deep-seated hatred.

Even Lin Xiao, who had lived two lives, felt a mix of emotions and helplessness upon hearing this.

There is too much suffering, too much poverty, and too much helplessness in this world.

No matter how passionate you are, or how hard you try to get down to the grassroots level, once you see and get used to it, you just feel powerless.

He didn't say anything.

Beside him, Han Tao, tears streaming down his face, tried his best to keep his voice steady as he continued, "Uncle Lin, I like Jingzhou, but I know I'm just a child and can't go anywhere. Even if I have to wander the streets, even if I have to feed snakes in the mountains, I don't want to go to my dad's place..."

After saying that, she just wept silently.

Lin Xiao felt both touched and helpless. He wanted to comfort him but couldn't bring himself to say anything. In the end, he could only pat his head.

"To be honest, Xiao Tao... there are no snakes in the mountains in winter!" Lin Xiao said.

"Ok?"

"Don't you know that snakes hibernate in winter?"

"..."

Han Tao was dumbfounded. He tilted his head, which was still wet with tears, and his face seemed to say: No, Uncle, is it appropriate for you to give me a science lesson now?

Lin Xiao, having succeeded in satisfying his mischievous urges, patted his head again.

By this time, it was basically dark.

Tonight the sky is clear and blue, dotted with countless stars.

“Your parents are really awful!” Lin Xiao suddenly said.

"..."

Han Tao did not agree and remained silent with his head down.

"Look at the stars in the sky!"

"Ok?"

Han Tao raised his head and, together with Lin Xiao, looked up at the dazzling starry sky.

Having grown up under this sky, he didn't know what was there to see.

Lin Xiao sighed and said, "Jingzhou is nice, but big cities are full of lights, so you can't see the stars at all. Unlike here, you can look up and see a brilliant starry sky, and every single one of them is very bright and dazzling."

Han Tao looked both naive and indifferent.

"Uncle, are you trying to tell me that the city has its advantages, and the countryside has its advantages too?"

"..."

Lin Xiao smiled brightly and suddenly said, "Shall I sing you a song?"

Han Tao: "Hmm?"

This turn of events really caught him completely off guard.

Although I always knew that this handsome town mayor was a nationally renowned musician who had written many beautiful songs.

But in this situation, he suddenly said he wanted to sing.

Such unusual behavior still startled the child, who wondered if all musicians were so eccentric.

"I didn't bring my guitar, so I sang it a cappella!" Lin Xiao laughed.

"Oh……"

Lin Xiao cleared his throat and spoke softly into the firelight and darkness:
"A patch of sky above"
It is a man's sky
Once under a sky full of stars

The boy who dreams

I don't know how high the sky is
I don't know how far the sea is
But I vowed to take you far away.

To the ends of the earth

……

Lighting up the stars
Light up my door
Let the lost children
Find the way you came
Lighting up the stars
Illuminate my future
Use a little light
Warm the hearts of children...

Lin Xiao only sang a short part.

The main problem is that he can't remember the lyrics to the later parts of the song. He needs to go home and think about it carefully before he can possibly come up with them.

Most of the songs he writes are like taking a dump; it takes a lot of effort to get them out completely.

Now that we're being forced into this situation, we'll be lucky if we can even produce half a song.

After the song ended, the young boy next to me showed some emotion on his face, and his eyes shone brightly.

"This song is called 'Stars and Lights,' do you think it's good?" Lin Xiao asked.

"Hmm...it sounds nice!" Han Tao nodded.

Do you know why I sang this song for you?

Han Tao shook his head.

Lin Xiao patted the back of his head and smiled, "Because you grew up in the mountains, you've seen the most dazzling starry sky since you were little. These stars will accompany you for the next few decades of your life."

Han Tao nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite: "Oh..."

Lin Xiao knew he didn't understand what he meant, and smiled, "Xiao Tao, when you grow up, you can go to the city anytime. In fact, I'm 100% sure you'll go to the city, and it's very likely you'll go to a first-tier city like Jingzhou or Haicheng."

Han Tao looked at him, his eyes shining.

"But you should know that going is easy, staying is easy, but living the kind of rich life you imagine is not easy."

Lin Xiao sighed and said, "Life is hard, so hard that many people gradually lose their humanity. Some become jackals, some become lackeys, some become foxes... Of course, most people are not in control of their own destiny, and you may encounter such helplessness in the future. But your uncle hopes that no matter how helpless you are in the future, you will always remember that you have such a brilliant starry sky, and it will always find your way home!"

Han Tao was somewhat moved.

Although I didn't quite understand what they were saying, the tense and bitter feeling in my heart relaxed at that moment.

The two sat there, watching the twinkling stars, speechless for a long time.

Lin Xiao patted his shoulder and smiled, "Think about your dad taking you there again. If you really like the city, this is actually a good opportunity for you to get what you want, but you might have to pay a price. If you decide not to go, tell me, and I'll take care of your dad. Trust me?"

Han Tao nodded emphatically: "Yes... thank you, Uncle."

Lin Xiao breathed a sigh of relief and ruffled his hair.

"Go home, your grandfather is still waiting for you."

Lin Xiao persuaded him, and the little brat stopped being stubborn. The group returned the way they came.

The return trip took longer because it was completely dark; it took almost an hour to get Han Tao home.

Then, of course, he was beaten and scolded by the old man.

It took a lot of persuasion from village head Liu Zaiming to finally calm him down.

Everyone warmly invited Lin Xiao to stay for the New Year's Eve dinner.

It was already 8 p.m.

Normally, dinner would be finished by this time, let alone during the Spring Festival. The adults would either be watching the Spring Festival Gala or already gathered at the card table.

The children gathered outside, playing with firecrackers and setting off fireworks.

Brilliant fireworks could be seen everywhere in the sky.

"Bang bang bang!"

Loud noises erupted everywhere, and the air was thick with the smoke of gunpowder.

Children were playing and laughing, and cheerful music came from the window.

The significance of thousands of lights shining in every home is now tangible.

Lin Xiao stood there for a long time.

The fatigue from working all day and night has completely dissipated, and I feel very peaceful.

I checked my watch; it was 8:10 PM.

If there's no traffic on the highway, there's still a chance to get to Ninghai before noon and return home before my daughter's first birthday.

Lin Xiao took out his car keys and hurriedly got into the car.

However, the moment he opened the car door, he froze.

Not far from the rear of the car, in front of a house, in the warm light cast by a large red lantern, stood a gentle and bright figure.

Han Xixi appeared out of thin air, as if she had materialized out of nowhere.

She was wearing a camel coat, a red scarf around her neck, and her long, black curly hair was loose down her back.

The scarf was thick and wide, making her face appear even thinner and more delicate.

In the red lamplight, her eyes shone brightly like stars, and a faint smile played at the corners of her mouth—a smile even more reassuring than that of New Year's Eve or the New Year itself.

Lin Xiao subconsciously thought that he was so tired that he was dizzy and hungry that he was hallucinating.

However, he rubbed his eyes and cheeks repeatedly.

The familiar figure was still standing there, and could even walk, gracefully approaching him.

"Stop looking, it's your wife!" Xixi said with a mix of heartache and helplessness, poking his forehead.

Hearing that familiar voice, Lin Xiao finally believed what he was seeing.

I was both surprised and delighted.

"How...how did you find this place?" he asked incredulously.

"When I went to town, Brother Dong told me about Han Tao, so I came here!"

"no no!"

Lin Xiao held his wife's hand, bringing them so close they could feel each other's breath and heartbeat. "I'm asking you, why didn't you stay home? You came all the way to Xingguang Town. It's a four-hour drive..."

"What do you think?!"

Xi Xi rolled her eyes. "On New Year's Eve, a day for family reunions, my husband is nowhere to be seen, and he's stammering on the phone. How can I not worry?"

Lin Xiao grinned, "So you came?"

Xi Xi was both helpless and amused, and punched him lightly: "What can I do? I'm your dear wife..."

Before she could finish speaking, her lips, which had been frozen cold, were covered with the most familiar warmth.

In public, Lin Xiao didn't dare to push his luck.

So the kiss ended there, just a fleeting one.

Then he just stood there, laughing like a complete idiot.

Xi Xi was caught off guard by the kiss. When she came to her senses, she felt shy and gave him a coquettish glare.

The two were standing in an open space between two houses, which had long been shrouded in mist by children playing with fireworks and firecrackers.

The children's laughter filled the air.

"Bang bang bang!!"

Not far away, dazzling fireworks rose and bloomed once again, obscuring the starry sky.

Xi Xi was startled and instinctively snuggled into Lin Xiao's arms, and Lin Xiao naturally embraced his wife in return.

The two stood there, quietly watching the various fireworks bloom in the sky, listening to the children clapping and laughing excitedly beside them.

No moment has felt more like a reunion than this.

The two of them nestled together quietly, looking at each other without saying a word.

After a long while, Xixi turned her head and met a pair of gentle, watery eyes that reflected her image, looking incredibly tender and firm in the flickering light.

Their eyes met, and time stood silent.

The two moved closer together in tacit understanding.

One tiptoed, the other bowed, warmth and coolness touched, leaving behind a passionate kiss amidst the fireworks.

"Husband~" Xixi called out to him.

"Ah."

Lin Xiao looked at the sparkle in his wife's eyes and gently brushed her long hair, which had been blown about by the wind, behind her back.

Xi Xi nestled in his arms, tilting her head playfully: "Let's go home~"

Lin Xiao smiled calmly.

He leaned down and kissed her lips again before nodding.

"Okay, go home."

(End of text) (End of chapter)