Time Travel: My Comfortable Life After Going to the Countryside

The chill of late autumn grew heavier day by day, and the aunties and grandmas who used to chat at the alley entrance of the village had long since disappeared. The wind blew in from the north, carrying a biting cold, making the bare branches rustle.

When Liu Xiangyang returned home, it was already dark. The three women were shivering from the cold, their lips even turning blue. He quickly told them to go back inside and put on more clothes, while he went to the yard and carried a bundle of golden corn stalks and several pieces of sturdy pine firewood.

He squatted down in front of the stove and skillfully started a fire. First, he grabbed a handful of dry, soft bean stalks to kindle it. A match hissed, and an orange-red flame leaped up, instantly illuminating his angular face. The firelight danced in his eyes, reflecting a barely perceptible weariness. He broke corn stalks into several pieces and put them into the stove. The fire immediately blazed up, crackling softly like the most beautiful melody in winter. The dry yet warm air filled the room, dispelling the chill. Once the fire was stable, he placed several pieces of durable oak at the bottom. The flames greedily licked the hard wood, making a steady whooshing sound, like the most reliable guardian in winter.

When the three women returned, they were all bundled up in bulky clothes, looking like three moving cotton balls. Xue Bingbing even walked somewhat clumsily, and Le Qi and Le Yao were also wrapped up tightly.

"You don't need to wear so many layers," Liu Xiangyang couldn't help but laugh. "It's only the beginning of winter. What will you do when it snows?"

Xue Bingbing tugged at her thick cotton-padded coat: "This is what I usually wear in winter. I knew it would be cold in Northeast China before I came, so my grandma specially made me a thicker one. But now I don't know if it will even be enough."

"We're the same," Leqi chimed in. "It's completely different here from the south. The wind here feels like knives on our faces."

"Then I'll make sure you never have to get out of bed," Liu Xiangyang joked with a wicked grin.

The three women playfully surrounded him, pretending to pinch him.

"You're so annoying!"

After the laughter and playful banter, the three women began preparing dinner, while Liu Xiangyang went to the yard to gather the vegetables that hadn't yet been stored. He glanced at the kitchen and, seeing them all busy at work, quietly stored the vegetables into his spatial storage. Opening the wooden planks of the cellar, he climbed down the ladder and took out the vegetables one by one. The cellar was cold and damp, carrying the distinctive smell of earth and vegetables. By the time he had neatly arranged the vegetables, the food above was ready. Le Yao fetched a basin of warm water for him to wash his hands, and the group sat around the kang table, the steaming food dispelling the chill of the winter night.

"Then I'll go return the carriage to Uncle Wang first. You can do whatever you want," Liu Xiangyang said as he stood up after finishing his meal.

He pulled the carriage to Old Wang's house and called out as soon as he entered, "Uncle Wang, I've come to return the carriage. Here's some wine for you; it's getting cold, have a little every day to warm yourself up."

Old Wang took the wine, his wrinkles smoothing out: "You're always so polite, kid."

Liu Xiangyang then asked him for some hunting tips—how to identify animal tracks in the snow and how to keep his rifle from freezing in the cold. The two chatted for a while before he took his leave.

Night had fallen, and the village was quiet except for the whistling of the wind. Liu Xiangyang held up his flashlight, unconsciously humming an off-key tune: "Le Di Gou, Le Di Gou..." The beam of light flickered in the darkness, piercing the heavy night.

Just then, he suddenly noticed a figure standing at the warehouse. He instinctively turned off his flashlight, nimbly slipped into the shadows of the warehouse, and held his breath to observe carefully. The person seemed to be waiting for someone, occasionally stamping their feet to warm themselves. By the faint moonlight, he recognized it as Roland.

When Roland saw that his flashlight had suddenly gone out and the figure had disappeared, he couldn't help but stand up and look around anxiously.

Liu Xiangyang quietly circled around to the back of the warehouse, approached stealthily, and suddenly grabbed her waist from behind, covering her mouth with his other hand and whispering in her ear:

"Tell me, are you a spy?"

Roland shuddered, his hair standing on end. Only when he recognized Liu Xiangyang's voice did his body go limp, and he twisted and tried to break free.

Liu Xiangyang didn't let go; instead, he led her into an even darker corner.

"Whose side are you on? I'm letting go now. If you yell or scream, I'll mess with you. Nod if you understand."

Roland was terrified, truly believing she had encountered enemy agents, and didn't even care about being assaulted. Liu Xiangyang could clearly feel her rapidly accelerating heartbeat.

She nodded in agreement.

Liu Xiangyang had just loosened his grip a little when Roland opened her mouth and bit his hand. Caught off guard, he was bitten hard and winced in pain.

"Stop biting, it's me, Liu Xiangyang!"

Roland finally relented, her body going completely limp. If Liu Xiangyang hadn't been holding her, she probably would have collapsed to the ground.

Roland took a while to recover, and then tried to pinch him: "Are you trying to kill me! You scared me to death! I thought we'd really been captured by spies!"

"Comrade Roland, you still thought of fighting the enemy while being controlled. I declare that you have now passed the test," Liu Xiangyang said solemnly.

Roland, seeing his expression, stomped her foot in anger: "I have something to tell you."

"Just say that, you bit my right hand."

Roland had no choice but to let him do as he pleased, and asked, "Liu Xiangyang, what song were you singing just now?"

"I made that up myself. You've been waiting here for me just for this?"

"No," Roland lowered his voice, "I saw you bring back a whole cart of vegetables tonight. Can you eat that much by yourself?"

"It's not just mine, it also belongs to Xue Bingbing, Le Qi, and Le Yao."

Roland's tone suddenly turned slightly sour: "You're so good to them."

"Haven't I been better to you? I even promised to help you meet your work targets next year, and you've already forgotten?"

"That's what I got in return."

"I'd completely forgotten if you hadn't reminded me. You tricked me back then, and now I'm here to collect the interest."

Liu Xiangyang led Luo Lan to an unlocked, empty room in the village office. Zhang Tiejun had promised to give it to him; although it was empty, it was at least a space for him to be alone.

He pushed Roland against the wall, letting her lean against it, and carefully observed her captivating figure.

"Hurry up, it's freezing!" Roland urged.

……

After the two had tidied their clothes, Liu Xiangyang went out of the village office first, looked around to make sure no one was there, and then coughed. Luo Lan followed him out, her face still flushed.

"Now you can tell me what you want from me, my dear Team Leader Luo?"

"Can't I come to see you if there's nothing wrong?" Roland rolled her eyes at Liu Xiangyang.

"Why does it smell fishy?"

Liu Xiangyang laughed smugly, "This just means I have good food; I eat meat every day."