Reborn in 1985, starting from the mountains of Northwest China

Lin Xiu glared at him: "If you ask again, don't get on the bed tonight."

Chen Feng smiled without saying anything, but simply put his arm around her waist.

Lin Xiu stiffened for a moment, instinctively trying to dodge, but he held her even tighter.

"What?" she whispered.

"Nothing."

Chen Feng glanced at the two children running ahead and said casually, "Hold them a little tight, so your back doesn't hurt."

Lin Xiu's face flushed red, and she nudged his ribs with her elbow.

Chen Feng tried to dodge, but failed and took a solid hit.

He wasn't annoyed; he chuckled twice, but didn't loosen his grip.

The two walked forward arm in arm, the snow crunching under their feet.

Xiao Shan ran quite a distance, then looked back and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Dad! Mom! Why are you so slow!"

Xiaoyue also shouted, "Hurry up! Hurry up!"

Chen Feng responded, "Coming, coming."

He glanced down at Lin Xiu, but Lin Xiu didn't look at him. Her eyes were fixed on the road ahead, though the tips of her ears were red.

After walking a few steps, she suddenly whispered, "Fengzi."

"Um?"

"You...are fine today."

Chen Feng was stunned, not quite understanding: "Huh?"

Lin Xiu didn't say anything more, but just leaned closer to him.

Chen Feng looked down at her and could only see half of her face and the tip of her bright red ear.

He wanted to say something, opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

In the end, he simply hummed in agreement and tightened his grip on her arm.

The next day was the second day of the Lunar New Year.

Chen Feng woke up early again.

He turned his head and saw that Lin Xiu was already awake, staring at the ceiling with her eyes open, seemingly lost in thought.

"If you're awake, why aren't you getting up?"

Lin Xiu didn't move, and after a while she said, "My back still hurts."

Chen Feng suppressed a laugh and leaned closer, "Shall I rub it for you?"

Lin Xiu nudged him with her elbow: "Get lost."

Chen Feng sat up with a smile and put on his clothes.

After getting off the kang (heated brick bed), he looked back again. Lin Xiu was still lying there, her face buried in the quilt, with only half of her red ear showing.

"Alright, you lie down, I'll go cook. We still need to go to your mother's after dinner."

Lin Xiu then stirred, peeking her face out from under the covers and looking at him: "You remembered?"

"Nonsense, it's the second day of the Lunar New Year when the bride returns to her parents' home. How could I forget?"

Lin Xiu didn't speak, but her eyes curved into a smile.

Chen Feng pushed open the door and went out; the kitchen was cold and empty.

He squatted down, lit a fire, added firewood, and then went to fetch water.

There wasn't much water left in the water tank, so he planned to fetch more after he finished eating.

Just as I was busy working, I heard soft footsteps behind me.

He turned around and saw Xiaoyue standing at the kitchen door, rubbing her eyes, her hair a mess.

"father."

"woke up?"

Xiaoyue nodded, walked in, squatted down next to him, and looked into the stove.

"Xiaoyue is hungry."

"Sweetie, dinner'll be ready soon!"

Xiaoyue nodded and obediently turned around.

"father."

Xiaoyue suddenly looked up and asked, "Does Grandma still have a rooster?"

Chen Feng was taken aback: "You remember?"

Xiaoyue nodded: "I remember. It pecked me."

Chen Feng laughed: "That's because you chased it, that's why it pecked at you."

Xiaoyue tilted her head and thought for a moment, as if she remembered something, but also as if she didn't.

Xiaoshan, who had gotten up sometime earlier, stood at the door rubbing his eyes and asked, "Dad, what good food do you have at Grandma's?"

Chen Feng said, "You'll find out when you get there."

Xiaoshan's eyes lit up, and he ran in, squatted down next to Xiaoyue, and looked into the stove.

The two little ones huddled together, their faces glowing red from the firelight.

After breakfast, Chen Feng took out the things he had prepared.

A piece of meat, two packets of pastries, and a bottle of wine.

There aren't many items, that's the idea.

Lin Xiu stared at the bottle of wine, then paused, "Where did this wine come from?"

I bought it from the shop at the village entrance.

When accompanying my wife to visit her parents' home, how can I not bring something?

He hasn't been back for two years, and he often feels guilty.

"When did you go?" Lin Xiu asked him again.

"While you're asleep."

Lin Xiu glanced at him, said nothing, but her eyes were a little red.

Chen Feng didn't look at her, keeping his head down as he tied his bundle, saying, "Alright, alright, hurry up and pack, we have to go soon."

Lin Xiu turned around, wiped her eyes, and went to change the two children's clothes.

The family of four left home just as the sun was rising.

The snow was still thick, but the sky had cleared and was a deep blue.

Xiaoshan ran ahead, his footsteps crunching loudly in the snow.

Xiaoyue followed behind, glancing back every few steps, afraid that her parents would fall behind.

Lin Xiu linked arms with Chen Feng and walked slowly.

Chen Feng asked her, "Does your back still hurt?"

Lin Xiu glared at him: "Can you please stop asking?"

Chen Feng smiled and said nothing more.

After walking for about half an hour, we could see Lin Xiuniang's village in the distance.

Lin Xiu suddenly stopped and looked ahead.

Chen Feng followed her gaze.

A person stood at the village entrance, wearing a black cotton-padded jacket, with his hand on his forehead, looking this way.

That was Lin Xiu's mother, Lu Dan.

Lin Xiu paused for a moment, then quickened her pace.

Chen Feng followed behind, carrying his things, watching Lin Xiu walk faster and faster until she finally started jogging.

Her mother saw it too and took a few steps toward them.

The two people ran up to her, and Lin Xiu called out "Mother" in a slightly trembling voice.

Lu Dan took her hand, looked her up and down, and muttered, "You've lost weight, you've lost weight..."

Chen Feng followed and called out "Mother".

She nodded, then looked down at the two children.

Xiaoshan called out "Grandma" openly, while Xiaoyue hid behind Chen Feng's legs, peeking out half her face and looking at him timidly.

Lu Dan squatted down and smiled at Xiaoyue: "Is this Xiaoyue? You've grown so much."

Xiaoyue looked at her for a while, then whispered, "Grandma."

Lu Dan's eyes reddened. She reached out and picked up Xiaoyue, saying, "Okay, okay, let's go home. Grandpa is waiting."

The group walked towards the village.

Chen Feng walked at the back, carrying his things, and watched as Lin Xiu linked arms with her mother, the two of them talking together.

Xiaoshan skipped and hopped along, while Xiaoyue perched on her grandmother's shoulder, looking around curiously.

Upon entering the courtyard, Lin Xiu's stepfather, Lin Qingfeng, was squatting against the wall, basking in the sun.

Lin Qingfeng is Lin Xiu's father Lin Zheng's cousin, and he has liked Lu Dan for many years.

Lu Dan didn't look for another partner while taking care of her children. Only after the children had settled down did she marry Lin Qingfeng.

Hearing the noise, the old man raised his head and squinted at us.

Upon recognizing who it was, he sprang to his feet, his legs moving with surprising agility compared to that of a young man.

"Xiuer is back?"

Lin Xiu called out "Dad," her voice still trembling.

The old man walked over, looked at Lin Xiu, then at Chen Feng, and finally fixed his gaze on the two children.

Xiaoshan looked up and called out "Grandpa," and the old man responded and patted his head.

Then he bent down and looked at Xiaoyue, who was perched on her grandmother's shoulder.

"Is this Xiaoyue?"

Xiaoyue looked at him for a while without saying anything.

Lin Xiuniang put Xiaoyue down and nudged her, saying, "Call him Grandpa."

Xiaoyue hid behind Lin Xiu's legs, showing only half her face, and whispered, "Grandpa."

The old man laughed, his face crinkling into a deep wrinkle: "Alright, alright, come inside, it's cold outside."

The whole family went inside.

The room was warm and cozy, with a heated kang (a traditional heated brick bed) in the center. On the table in the main room were peanuts, melon seeds, sugar, and a plate of frozen pears.

Xiaoshan's eyes widened as he stared intently at the plate of frozen pears, not moving an inch.

The old man saw this and said with a smile, "Eat, eat as much as you like, it's all prepared for you."

Xiao Shan looked at Lin Xiu, and Lin Xiu nodded before he reached out and took one.

Xiaoyue also took one, held it in her hands, and nibbled on it in small bites.