Just as the two were talking, the door creaked open. Lan-ger lifted his little head. “Dad!”

Song Ning froze for a moment at the sound. He turned to see Wei Hu approaching, carrying a basket, with a light dusting of snow on his shoulders. Song Ning hadn’t seen Wei Hu in nearly two months and almost thought he was dreaming.

He hurriedly stood up. “Brother Wei Hu!”

“Take it easy.”

Seeing his Fulang looking so flustered startled Wei Hu, so he quickly steadied him. He’d already heard from his mother that there would be a little one in the family next year, and the thought of it melted his heart.

“Oh, Brother Wei’s back! Come on in and have some hot tea.” Bai Xiaoyun poured a bowl of hot tea, seeing just how delighted Song Xiaoning was.

“Brother Wei Hu, when did you get back?”

“I just got to town early this morning.”

When Wei Hu returned, no one was home, and the door was locked. He had the key on him, so he unlocked the door and went inside. He figured his mother must be at the shop, and Fulang was surely at school.

He’d been away for nearly two months, and his beard had started to grow. Knowing that Fulang was a neat and tidy person, he first boiled some water, took a bath, and changed into clean clothes before heading to the shop.

When he heard his mother say that Ning-ger was pregnant, Wei Hu was a bit taken aback—another little one was on the way.

After working in the shop for a while, he came over to bring his Fulang lunch: steamed spare ribs with fermented black beans and braised tofu with Chinese cabbage. Both dishes were heaped high on the plates. Wei Hu set them on the small table next to the charcoal fire. “Eat up—it’ll get cold in a minute.”

“Brother Wei Hu, have you eaten yet?”

“I’ve already eaten.”

Song Ning’s eyes sparkled with delight. “Brother Yun and Manager Bai are joining us for dinner—there’s plenty of food here.”

The aroma made Bai Xiaoyun’s mouth water, so he didn’t hesitate. “Then I’ll go find a bowl and scoop some out for myself. I won’t disturb the three of you.”

Since the family was all cozy and close together, why should he intrude? He went to their kitchen, grabbed a bowl, scooped out some food, and went to eat with his father.

Lan-ger was very happy to see his father return. Although his father wasn’t much of a talker, he still loved him.

Song Ning couldn’t help but look at her husband. Running around outside in the dead of winter had made his face look a bit thinner—he’d clearly been through a lot. “Brother Wei Hu, are you heading out again before the New Year?”

“I’ve got one more escort job to do before the New Year. It’s not far—I’ll be back in about a month.”

“All right.”

Song Ning’s head drooped, which made Wei Hu’s heart melt. He couldn’t bear to be parted from his Fulang, especially now that he was expecting.

Wei Hu had seen a lot on his recent trip and made friends with several brothers from the escort agency. Although it had been hard work, he’d earned a good amount of silver on this run.

Song Ning was quite happy to have Wei Hu back. The three of them sat around a small table eating, and Song Ning couldn’t help but want to kiss and hug him—though it felt a bit awkward in broad daylight.

Wei Hu silently watched his Fulang eat. After they finished, he cleared the table and left. “I’ll come pick you up after school.”

“Okay, Brother Wei Hu, take your time then.”

Two gers—one older, one younger—peered out from beside the doorframe to see him off. Wei Hu chuckled softly, waved goodbye, and headed home first.

Bai Xiaoyun spotted this and teased, “Song Ning, your husband’s back, isn’t he?”

Song Ning blushed a little. “Brother Yun, if you keep saying that, I’ll have Manager Bai find you a partner too.”

Song Ning was in high spirits all afternoon. Before school even let out, he spotted Wei Hu approaching. Wei Hu came over to say hello briefly before heading off to chat with Shopkeeper Bai.

In his youth, Shopkeeper Bai had also dreamed of traveling far and wide—who doesn’t want to go out and see the world when they’re young? Unfortunately, he’d failed the imperial examinations year after year, and by the time he turned his attention to other pursuits, he was already middle-aged.

The two sat up front drinking tea and chatting about this escort mission. Manager Bai was filled with envy and even began to toy with the idea of joining the escort himself. But with his old bones, he wondered: would he be escorting the goods—or would the goods be escorting him?

Song Ning also came out with the children from the school, seeing each of them off one by one. Wei Hu had already picked up his passengers and was on his way home. Shopkeeper Bai wanted to hear more amusing stories from the escort journey, so even after everyone had left, he ran after them and called out, “Brother Wei Hu, come over to my place for a drink some other day!”

This prompted Bai Xiaoyun to tug at his father’s sleeve, “Dad, what are you yelling about?”

“Ah, just look at him when he was young—he’ll have a child of his own next year. When will these old bones of mine ever get to hold a grandchild?”

Bai Xiaoyun rolled his eyes. “It’s not my fault! If you’re going to blame anyone, blame yourself for not trying hard enough. Why don’t you find me a talented young man who’s willing to marry into our family?”

Mr. Bai fell silent. If he had that kind of ability, why would he be holed up in his study?

The first snow of the season had just fallen—not much, just a thin, white blanket on the ground. Wei Hu walked beside Song Ning, supporting him so he wouldn’t slip, while Song Ning held Lan-ger’s hand. The family of three made their way home through the snow.

As soon as they reached the doorstep, they could smell the aroma of cooking. It was still early, but his mother was already busy in the kitchen.

“Mom, we’re home.”

“Go inside and warm up a bit—I’ve already lit the charcoal.”

Now that Chen Cuihua had some money, she’d become more generous with her spending. She chose only the best for the family’s food, clothing, and daily necessities. Now they even used things like charcoal and candles at home—expensive items really did make a difference.

The family’s meals had always been decent, but with Wei Hu back today, they were even better. Chen Cuihua closed the shop, bought two jin of lamb, and prepared a lamb hot pot. The family of four gathered around the charcoal fire to eat.

Eating more lamb in winter is good—it warms the body. This year, the family has been living comfortably; after all, isn’t that what earning silver is for—to spend it?

Chen Cuihua was beaming. By next year, there would be five of them in the family.

That night, Lan’er moved into Chen Cuihua’s room. Ever since Wei Hu had left, Lan’er had been sleeping with Song Ning. Chen Cuihua was worried the little one wouldn’t be able to warm the bed in his own room, so she let him sleep with her—that way, she could keep an eye on him during the night.

Song Ning and his husband had also tidied up early and gone to bed. When Wei Hu returned, the bed was already nice and warm. Song Ning clung to Wei Hu, reluctant to let go—it felt so cozy.

“Brother Wei Hu, you’ve lost weight.”

“It’s fine—I’m just a bit more muscular now.”

Wei Hu’s hand rested on Song Ning’s little belly, making him feel ticklish. His hands were calloused, and the sensation set his mind racing with wild thoughts. Song Ning told him to stop—after all, the little one was still so young.

Song Ning’s eyes crinkled. “Brother Wei Hu, did you feel anything?”

“Nothing.”

All he could feel was that his Fulang’s little belly was slightly rounded—someone who didn’t know better might think he’d just eaten too much. Inside was their little one. “Is he kicking you?”

“No, the little one’s being very good.”

Song Ning thought his little one was well-behaved too. Aside from being a bit fussy when he first found out he was pregnant, things had improved a lot afterward. The little one didn’t cause him any trouble, and sometimes he even forgot there was a little one growing inside him.

The two snuggled together as they talked. Song Ning asked about the escort mission, and Wei Hu recounted it all in detail. Although it had been a bit grueling, the trip had broadened his horizons considerably. Wei Hu’s voice grew a bit hoarse, and as Song Ning listened, his eyelids grew heavy, and he drifted off to sleep.

When he opened his eyes again, the room was already bright. Song Ning stretched lazily. Thankfully, today was his day off. The bed was so warm he almost overslept.

Wei Hu hadn’t gotten up yet either; he’d stayed in bed with Song Ning for a little while longer. Living rough out on the road was, of course, no match for the comforts of home.

“You’re awake.”

Song Ning smiled at Wei Hu. “Brother Wei Hu, you’re back.”

It seemed he’d been half-asleep, which made Wei Hu’s lips curve into a smile. He leaned down and kissed his Fulang on the lips. “I got back yesterday.”

Wei Hu got up and got dressed, while Song Ning sat up and leaned against the bed to clear his head. Wei Hu handed Song Ning a money pouch. “Here’s the silver we earned on this trip—fifteen taels in total.”

“That much?”

Song Ning was a bit surprised; he hadn’t expected to earn so much from just one escort run.

Wei Hu was skilled in martial arts; although this was his first time escorting a consignment, he earned more than those newcomers just starting out in the trade. Naturally, he didn’t tell Song Ning about the dangers they faced along the way, so as not to worry his Fulang.

They’d encountered two bands of bandits along the way. Wei Hu, who spent years hunting, had sensed the slightest disturbance early on and had put in plenty of effort throughout the entire escort mission.

After dinner yesterday, he’d been too preoccupied with spending time with his Fulang to unpack the things he’d brought. Aside from these fifteen taels of silver, there was a piece of cloth for his mother, a set of calligraphy brushes for Lan’er, and a white jade hairpin for Song Ning.

Wei Hu thought his Fulang had a gentle disposition, and that a silver hairpin wouldn’t look as nice as a jade one. On the way back, he spotted a white jade hairpin; at first glance, he knew it would suit his Fulang perfectly, so he tucked it away and brought it home.

Song Ning hadn’t expected Wei Hu to bring back gifts for everyone upon his return, especially the hairpin for him. Song Ning liked it very much; as soon as he got up and combed his hair, he pinned it in place and, looking at himself in the copper mirror at home from every angle, was absolutely delighted.

Song Ning took out their joint savings, which contained small silver ingots and some loose silver coins. “We’d saved thirty taels before, our mother gave us another twenty taels, and with the fifteen taels from this trip, we have a total of sixty-five taels.”

Sixty-five taels of silver—since one mu of land costs roughly three to five taels, they could buy at least twelve mu.

Song Ning knew Wei Hu had always wanted to acquire more farmland. Now that they had some silver on hand, it was the perfect time to use it to buy land. “Brother Wei Hu, we’ll be able to buy some land for our family by the time the New Year comes.”

Wei Hu looked at the box full of silver coins and was in high spirits. “Mm-hmm. A dozen or so mu isn’t a huge amount, but it’s enough to ensure our family never has to worry about food and drink.”

After the two of them counted the silver they had on them, Song Ning carefully put it away. When he had first found out he was pregnant, his mother had given him twenty taels of silver all at once—twenty taels! That was enough to feed an ordinary rural family for three to five years.

With so much silver, it seemed his mother had given him every last coin she’d earned. Song Ning was deeply moved. With the whole family pulling together, how could life not be good?

It had just snowed, but as soon as the sun came out, the snow began to melt. On the way to school that morning, the roadsides were already icy. Wei Hu had been home these past few days, accompanying Song Ning to school every day.

The weather was nice today. Ever since Wei Hu had returned, Song Ning hadn’t really gone to the market much—Wei Hu always got up early to cook for him. Song Ning found it a bit stifling, so today he asked Wei Hu not to cook; he wanted to go to the market to eat the willow-leaf noodles from that particular stall, and Wei Hu went with him.

Ever since the first snowfall of the year a few days ago, the weather had grown even colder. Song Ning kept both hands tucked into the mittens his mother had made for him. She’d bought some scraps of silk fabric from the fabric shop—not only were they inexpensive, but the mittens she made turned out beautifully.

The pale blue silk fabric featured a subtle scrollwork pattern. Chen Cuihua was very skilled with her hands; she lined them with fine cotton and even trimmed the cuffs with a row of white rabbit fur, just like the ones worn by the young masters and ladies of wealthy families.

Song Ning had a large one, and Lan-ger had a smaller one. When their hands got cold in school, they could slip them inside to warm up; if they stuffed a hot water bottle inside, it would be even warmer, and the hot water bottle wouldn’t cool down as quickly that way.

Now, whenever Song Ning went out, he took his handwarmer with him; whenever his hands grew cold from writing, he’d put them inside to warm up. Song Ning really liked the handwarmer his mother had made for him.

Wei Hu walked silently beside Song Ning, keeping him safe. The snow on the ground had long since melted, and not even a trace of water remained. Song Ning thought Wei Hu was being a bit too cautious, but he still felt warm inside.

Even though it had gotten much colder this morning, the market was still bustling, especially the food stalls and stands, which were all billowing with steaming hot vapor.

“Fried sugar cakes, fried sugar cakes~.”

“Big steamed buns, piping-hot big steamed buns.~”

Although it was cold, quite a few men and women had gotten up early to buy groceries. There weren’t many fresh vegetables available at this hour—mostly Chinese cabbage, radishes, and dried greens—but the tofu vendor’s stall was by far the busiest spot that morning.

Song Ning made his way to that little noodle shop with ease. Not many people were eating noodles this early in the morning; only a few were scattered about inside. The woman rolling out the dough smiled when she saw Song Ning. “Master Song, you’re here. Will you have the egg-drop willow-leaf noodles again?”

“Yeah, I’ll have three bowls.”

“Sure thing, just give me a moment.”

Song Ning really liked the willow-leaf noodles here; he’d bring Lan-ger here to eat them from time to time. Having a bowl in the dead of winter warmed him right through.

The three bowls were brought out quickly, topped with egg that smelled especially fragrant. Song Ning picked up his chopsticks and began to eat. The willow-leaf noodles were rolled to be wonderfully chewy, and he particularly liked the broth here, which had a slight tang to it.

“Brother Wei, what a coincidence.”

Hearing someone greet them, the group turned to look. There stood a young man dressed in coarse, short-sleeved clothing, with an exceptionally honest smile. Even on such a cold day, he was still wearing only a single layer—clearly, he wasn’t one to fear the cold.

Wei Hu introduced him: “This is a brother who works as an escort; his surname is Zhao, and his name is Tieniu.”

Zhao Tieniu didn’t hesitate to sit down with them. “I take it these are your Fulang and your youngest son.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Wei Hu didn’t go into further explanation—Lan-ger was, after all, his own child. Tie Niu, however, was a bit surprised; he hadn’t expected Brother Wei, who looked no more than two years older than him, to have a child this big already.

Song Ning smiled at him. “Brother Tieniu, you haven’t had breakfast yet, have you?”

He then asked the innkeeper’s wife to cook a bowl of willow-leaf noodles. The man had never seen anyone as gentle as Song Ning; he scratched the back of his head with a smile. “No wonder I couldn’t get Brother Wei to come out for a drink—it turns out he was spending time with his Fulang.”

Tie Niu tutted to himself. Back when they’d all returned to town together, the brothers who’d escorted the convoy had arranged to go out for drinks, but Wei Hu had declined, saying he needed to go home to spend time with his Fulang—prompting the rest of the brothers to tease him about being kept on a tight leash.

Now that he’d seen Brother Wei’s Fulang, it was no wonder he didn’t want to drink with rough-and-tumble guys like them. Though Brother Wei came from a rural family, his Fulang exuded the same air of refinement as the wealthy young masters he’d seen before. Could it be that Brother Wei’s family was one of the town’s wealthy households?

Zhao Tieniu had originally just come over to say hello to Wei Hu, but before he knew it, he’d ended up eating a bowl of noodles there. Feeling rather embarrassed, Zhao Tieniu insisted on paying for the meal after he finished, but Wei Hu stopped him: “Don’t be so formal.”

Zhao Tieniu gave a couple of sheepish laughs. “Well, then, I won’t stand on ceremony.”

Wei Hu knew that although Zhao Tieniu’s family lived in town, they were just an ordinary household. He was the only son, and he had to support his elderly mother. Even though he was a bachelor, there were plenty of others just as desperate for a few wen.

After lunch, Wei Hu walked Song Ning to school. Today was the last day of classes; after this, they’d be on winter break, which would spare them from having to get up early in the dead of winter.

The school was quite lively today. The little ones, who were usually well-behaved, were especially excited since it was the last day. They chattered away about what they planned to do during winter break—some said they’d go watch a play, others said they’d visit their maternal grandparents’ house to play…

Bai Xiaoyun, however, was a bit reluctant to part with these little ones. Ever since Ning-ger opened the school at his house, things had really livened up—even his father had stopped nagging him as much. But once winter break started, even Ning-ger wouldn’t be coming by as often.

Class had let out mid-afternoon today, and the little ones had scampered off in a clatter, their small backpacks slung over their shoulders. Wei Hu had already come over to wait for Song Ning. Once all the children had left, Wei Hu grabbed a broom and gave the schoolhouse a thorough sweep, which made Song Ning chuckle.

The desks meant for the children were already low, and with Wei Hu being so big, he looked a bit awkward as he bent over to sweep the floor. Bai Xiaoyun also came over carrying a stack of books. “Song Xiao Ning, well… I thought you might be bored at home, so I picked out some storybooks for you.”

“Thanks a lot. Come by my place when you have some free time.”

“Of course.”

Once everything was tidied up and the classroom was locked, the three of them headed home together.

A couple of days later, Wei Hu set out on another escort mission—his last one before the New Year. The destination was a bit closer than the last one, and he said he’d definitely be back by the start of the New Year.

That night, Song Ning rummaged through every nook and cranny, packing Wei Hu’s belongings. He packed all his thick coats, including the rabbit-fur coat and the fox-fur hood, and stuffed the new, thick-soled, layered cotton shoes his mother had made into the bundle.

Song Ning looked a bit frustrated. “Isn’t this rabbit-fur coat a bit too thin? The fox-fur coat would be warmer. Even though we can’t afford a fox-fur coat, we can still afford a sheepskin one. How could I have forgotten to buy it when I went shopping yesterday?”

Hearing her Fulang muttering to himself, Wei Hu couldn’t help but chuckle softly. “This rabbit-fur coat is plenty. It keeps the wind out, and when it snows, you can just brush the snow off. It’s getting late—come to bed.”

Only then did Song Ning crawl over from the foot of the bed. A hot water bottle had been placed inside the blankets, so it felt toasty warm when she slipped in.

Song Ning felt sorry for Wei Hu, who rarely got a break all year round. He’d been going into the mountains nonstop before this, and even on the rare days he did rest, he was either chopping firewood or working in the fields. Now, in the dead of winter, he was tagging along on an escort mission—these hardships were too much for him to bear, and she felt even more sorry for him.

“Brother Wei Hu, take good care of yourself out there. There’s always more money to be made, and our family is doing pretty well these days.”

Wei Hu gave a soft “Mm-hmm,” hugged his Fulang, and patted him on the back. “Don’t worry. Isn’t it a grown man’s duty to take care of his family? While I’m away, you take good care of yourself, too.”

“I’ve still got Mom to look after me. Besides, I’m safe and sound indoors—no wind or snow to bother me.”

Song Ning was reluctant to part with Wei Hu. He chattered away at him, unable to bring himself to sleep, but eventually, his eyelids grew heavy, and he drifted off in a daze. When he opened his eyes the next morning, the hot water bottle in his bed was still scalding hot—but the person beside him was gone.

Song Ning sat up, still wrapped in her jacket. Wei Hu must have refilled the hot water bottle with fresh water when he got up. She gave her little belly a gentle pat. “Little one, your dad’s gone out to earn some silver. You have to be a good boy, okay?”

Hearing the commotion, Lan-ger ran into the room. “Little Daddy, you’re awake.”

Lan’er’s eyes crinkled with a smile. His stepdad looked so handsome with his hair down—he was the most handsome person in the whole alley.

Chen Cuihua was worried that Song Ning and Lan-ger wouldn’t eat well at home, so she’d sent Lan-ger to the shop early that morning to pick up some food, and she’d bring lunch over herself. This made Song Ning feel quite embarrassed. “Mom, you don’t need to go to all this trouble. Lan-ger and I can just cook at home.”

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten, son—your cooking isn’t even as good as Lan-ger’s.”

Song Ning blushed at the teasing; his cooking really wasn’t as good as Lan-ger’s.

As the days grew colder, Song Ning became less inclined to go out. On sunny days, he’d take Lan’er to the market for a stroll; on gloomy days, they’d stay indoors reading storybooks or copying texts.

As soon as it got cold, even the little calico cat stopped running around; she often curled up by the charcoal brazier to keep warm, and Song Ning could hold her in his arms from time to time—she was finally not as wild as she used to be.

As one snowfall followed another, business at the shop grew increasingly brisk. Chen Cuihua was shrewd and capable; she even took over the shop next door, added some hot pot dishes to the menu, and ran the business with great success.

With less than half a month left until the end of the year, Song Ning thought Wei Hu must be coming back soon. He waited for him joyfully every day, looking up at the slightest sound at the door.

Song Ning sat by the charcoal fire, sewing a little outfit. Although he wasn’t very good at needlework, he knew how to make a small garment. It wasn’t as pretty as the ones his mother made, and the stitches were a bit rough, but just thinking about how the little one would look wearing it filled him with joy.

Song Ning waited for several days. With the Lunar New Year just around the corner and Wei Hu still not back, he couldn’t help but start to worry. It should be any day now, he thought. By now, he could already hear the sporadic sounds of firecrackers. The closer it got to the New Year, the happier the children became, and they were running and playing in a chaotic crowd right outside his door.

They hadn’t prepared their New Year’s provisions yet, and Chen Cuihua was extremely busy. Today was the twenty-eighth, so she closed the shop and went out with Song Ning to buy the New Year’s supplies. The three of them didn’t go to the street near their home; instead, they headed to the busiest street in town.

Chen Cuihua’s face beamed with joy. “If we see something we like, let’s buy it—no need to skimp on the silver.”

Chen Cuihua now had silver in hand, and life at home was getting better and better. Another year had flown by in the blink of an eye. Thinking back to this time last year, the whole family had been braving the cold wind to sell their wares—Ning-ger selling Spring Festival couplets, she selling window cutouts, and Wei Hu selling firewood. The family didn’t get a break until the thirtieth.

This year was different. They’d opened a shop and a school, welcomed the little one, Lan’er, into the family, and Ning-ger was expecting another child—no wonder their lives were getting better and better.

“Mom, why isn’t Brother Wei Hu back yet?”

“He’ll be back soon, very soon. I reckon it’ll be any day now. Don’t worry.”

Chen Cuihua tried to reassure Song Ning. Not only was his Ning-ger getting anxious, but she, as his mother, was worried too. They’d agreed he’d be back just before the New Year—there were only a few days left, so why hadn’t he returned yet? She hoped nothing had happened to him.

Chen Cuihua didn’t dare show it. Her son-in-law was already worried enough; if she showed her anxiety, wouldn’t her son Ning-ger just get even more anxious?

Chen Cuihua coaxed Song Ning into shopping. “Don’t think about your brother Huzi just yet. Let’s buy some New Year’s supplies so that when your brother Huzi comes back, he won’t see that it’s already the New Year and we haven’t bought anything yet.”

Song Ning laughed at her teasing. “Hey, Mom, let’s buy a leg of lamb—Brother Wei Hu likes to eat that.”

“Sure, let’s get a big leg of lamb!”