Tieniu and Tang Xianling went to the West Market, specifically to the small clinic where they often went for medical treatment. With the cold weather, there had been a lot of patients lately, and Tang Xianling, afraid of passing the flu on to him, had wrapped a scarf around the lower half of his face.

“What’s wrong? Is the strong smell of medicine in here bothering you?” Tieniu asked.

Tang Xianling’s voice came through the scarf, somewhat muffled: “There are a lot of sick people here. Everyone’s breathing, talking, and spitting out droplets—even healthy people can easily catch it.”

A doctor standing nearby overheard this, glanced at the young husband, and nodded. “He’s right,” he said.

“Doctor, it seems my husband might be pregnant,” Tieniu said.

Upon hearing this, the doctor’s previously neutral tone softened. “If he is pregnant, he certainly needs to take care of himself and not push herself too hard.” He added, “You two, follow me.”

He led them to a quieter spot to examine him.

Tang Xianling peeked out from behind his scarf and followed the doctor, thanking him.

“It’s not that I’m looking down on anyone, but if I really am pregnant, taking cold medicine might not be good for the baby or for me.”

The doctor smiled slightly. It was rare to see a husband so concerned for his wife’s well-being; usually, husbands would say, “Don’t worry about him—just treat the child.” But if the mother were to pass away, how could the unborn child ever be born?

“Let me take a look. Have you had any dry heaving, nausea, or drowsiness in the past few months?”

Tang Xianling answered for himself: “I used to suffer through the summer, but this year my appetite has been excellent—I haven’t had any nausea, and I’ve actually been sleeping very well.”

The doctor smiled again upon hearing this; a husband with such a carefree disposition was the only one who could sleep so soundly. He took her pulse, nodded, and said, “Your pulse is very strong and steady. You’re already four months along.”

“Should he take some tonics to help maintain the pregnancy?” Tieniu asked.

The doctor said, “The fetus is stable—why would you need that?”

“I’ve seen others take them—they often eat bird’s nest and things like that during pregnancy,” Tieniu said. He felt his husband should take some too. “My husband was examined by you before; you said he has a cold constitution.”

The doctor furrowed his brow slightly and reached out to take her pulse again. “He doesn’t have a cold constitution.”

“That was four years ago,” Tang Xianling explained.

Doctor: …

He wasn’t angry, though. These two young spouses were clearly first-timers; it was only natural for them to be nervous and anxious about their first child.

“You don’t need to take any bird’s nest or other tonics, though there’s no harm in doing so if you want to.” The doctor noted that the couple didn’t dress like people from a wealthy family, but their speech and mannerisms suggested they were well-educated. “Just eat ordinary vegetables and meat. Don’t eat too much or gain too much weight—it’s best for your husband to control his weight while expecting a child; being too overweight isn’t good.”

Tieniu nodded earnestly and carefully, taking it all in, and asked the doctor about dietary restrictions and other matters.

“I’ll write it down: avoid hawthorn and foods that are excessively cold in nature, such as cold melons…”

As they stepped out of the clinic, they still felt a bit dazed and in a daze. Knowing there was an eighty to ninety percent chance she was pregnant was different from actually knowing for sure. They exchanged a glance, both wearing “dazed, silly grins,” which only made them laugh even harder at each other.

Tang Xianling playfully nudged him first, “Why are you smiling so goofily?”

Tieniu laughed and admitted he was being silly, saying, “It’s been four months.”

“Heh heh heh.” Big Boss Tang’s white teeth were all that showed.

How did we end up with a little one?

Tang Lala.

Tang Xianling now thought that name sounded nice—really nice, exceptionally nice. He was a genius, and he no longer had his usual short fuse—though Big Boss Tang’s recent outbursts were reserved solely for Tieniu; toward everyone else in the courtyard, he remained as tolerant as ever.

It was only in front of Tieniu that he could act like a “bully at home”—and that was because he knew Tieniu wouldn’t get angry with him, but would be patient and comfort him, which is why he dared to throw tantrums, spoiled by the affection.

“Why don’t we build a passenger cart?” Tieniu said.

Tang Xianling sat on the flatbed cart and chuckled in agreement. “We’ve got plenty of space at home anyway. We’ll use the flatbed for hauling goods, and the covered wagon for carrying people.”

The two of them were in high spirits the whole way home. When they arrived, Jiang Yun and Tang Zhen, who had been worrying about them, came out to meet them the moment they heard a noise at the door. Before they could even ask, Jiang Yun saw the smiles on their faces—what else was there to understand?

“Don’t even ask—he’s definitely pregnant,” Jiang Yun told Erniang.

Tang Zhen was genuinely happy for her younger brother. It had been four years since he got married, and he’d finally had a child. She thought back to when she’d first married into the Cui family—she’d struggled to conceive for a long time and didn’t have her first child until her third year. Thankfully, her younger brother and Tieniu got along well, and Tieniu’s relatives—especially his uncles—weren’t pressuring them.

She had originally thought that thinking about these things would make her feel sad, but when Tang Zhen came to her senses, she realized that as she recalled the hardships and heartache she had endured in the Cui household, she actually felt quite calm—as if it were no big deal. If it weren’t for her younger brother’s pregnancy this time, she wouldn’t even have remembered it.

“What did the doctor say?”

Tang Xianling: “Four months along. He said it’s going well and there aren’t any problems.”

Xiao Mi was stir-frying ingredients in the courtyard; the aroma of chili oil was irresistible. Tang Xianling had only eaten two buns and a bowl of congee before leaving that morning, so he was already hungry. “Let’s have hot pot for lunch too,” he said.

Jiang Yun: …She really doesn’t like spicy hot pot.

“You and your second sister, Tieniu, can have that. I’ll have the mutton soup with the kids,” Jiang Yun said.

Tang Xianling smiled and said, “I have the same taste as my second sister—we can both handle spicy food!”

That was true. Ever since the weather turned cold, the house had been stocked with plenty of hot pot base—if nothing else. Since becoming pregnant, Tang Xianling had developed a real craving for spicy food. Sometimes, finding hot pot too slow to eat, he’d simply use the base to make a spicy salad or a spicy stir-fry. Their mother wasn’t too keen on it, and Tieniu was indifferent—he could eat it but didn’t want it every day. Only Tang Zhen found it delicious.

The sister and brother hit it off immediately; they could eat it every day without getting tired of it.

As soon as Tang Zhen heard the word “spicy,” she hesitated a bit. Tang Xianling looked at her and asked, “Second Sister, don’t you want to eat spicy hot pot today?” That didn’t make sense—just a couple of days ago, she’d been saying how they should have a proper hot pot feast during the holiday.

“Not exactly,” Tang Zhen said hesitantly, furrowing her brow. Seeing that Tieniu was unloading the truck and couldn’t hear her, she added, “They say ‘sour for boys, spicy for girls.’ You love spicy food…” She thought of herself.

Tang Xianling：……

“Second Sister, are you serious?”

Tang Zhen felt so flustered under her younger brother’s gaze that she didn’t know where to put her hands or feet.

Seeing this, Tang Xianling, much calmer and more understanding, explained things clearly to Second Sister: “Setting aside whether that old saying about ‘sour for a son, spicy for a daughter’ is true or not, let’s just talk about having children. You’ve lived in this family for so long—not everyone is like the Cui Bo’an family, who only want a son. The child Tieniu and I have will be our child, just the two of us.”

It has nothing to do with gender.

It’s simply the little baby they’ll have together—Tang Lala.

Tang Zhen realized what she’d said and felt helpless, as if she’d put her foot in her mouth. She wanted to explain but didn’t know what to say when her younger brother took her hands in his, holding them tightly, embracing her with understanding.

“Second Sister, I don’t blame you for those words, and I’ve never held them against you. What upsets me is the Cui Bo’an family and Old Tang. If they hadn’t pressured you, constantly nagged you, and used this to be mean to you, you wouldn’t have thought that way.”

“I know you mean well, but that ‘well-meaning’ isn’t necessarily a good thing in my eyes.” Tang Xianling looked at his Second Sister and smiled. “Second Sister, don’t worry. We’ll grow up together, little by little.”

Tang Zhen’s earlier panic had been soothed by her younger brother’s words—she’d just been worried that she’d said the wrong thing and offended him. It was so cold out; what would she do if he were unhappy and kicked her and her mother out?

Then she wondered if she really was just as the Cui family—specifically Cui Bo’an—had said: clueless, unable to bear a son, useless, and good for nothing.

“I’m not a child anymore,” Tang Zhen managed to say. She was quite grown up now.

Tang Xianling smiled. “Look at Mother—isn’t she very different from before? Mother is growing up too, and so can you.”

Tang Zhen suddenly realized that what her younger brother meant by “growing up” wasn’t about her height.

The conversation ended there.

Tang Xianling said no more. Second Sister was already changing. Over the past few months, she had gone from occasionally telling anyone who would listen about the Cui family and how Cui Bo’an had taken another woman and had a child behind her back—breaking down in tears whenever she spoke of it—to eventually keeping it to herself. Only the children would quietly tell him, “Uncle, our mom’s been secretly wiping away her tears again.”

For the past month or so, Second Sister has rarely mentioned the Cui family and has cried very little.

It’s good to see progress.

Just before the New Year, he delivered the goods to Lord Pus. Lord Pus, accompanied by his men, was heading back to his tribe, hauling a full load of goods. When he saw the raw materials, he was very pleased—perhaps because he was already in a good mood about returning home—and he was very generous, giving him a sack of agate in addition to the payment for the raw materials.

Tang Xianling：……

“Hahahaha, my good brother, a true friend to the people of my tribe! I’ve tasted your base ingredients—they’re delicious and nice and hot,” Lord Pus said.

Tang Xianling: “I’m glad you like it.” He felt a bit embarrassed and immediately added, “Chili peppers are scarce and expensive right now, but once I’ve grown plenty of them—in two years—I’ll give you a discount: just two hundred wen per piece.”

Pus paused for a moment; beneath his thick beard, his mouth curved into a somewhat sincere smile as he nodded repeatedly and said, “All right, my good friend, I’ll wait for you.”

He was a foreigner from a small tribe. He knew full well that the imperial court sought to pacify his tribe by granting him an official title—one with little real power—while still wanting to make use of his people. He knew the proper officials in Fengyuan City looked down on him; only Liu Baojian showed him any genuine sincerity—though not much. Liu Baojian was a smooth and cunning man, but he was a useful connection.

And this small-time businessman introduced by Liu Baojian—who would have thought…actually possessed a tiny shred of sincerity.

Sincerity is good; sincerity is the most precious thing of all.

Mr. Tang hadn’t expected Lord Pus to find him sincere either; if he’d known, he would have felt even more embarrassed. Now, carrying a bag of cash, he returned to the restaurant with Tieniu. With the Lunar New Year fast approaching, the small eatery would close for a few days so they could prepare extra stock—customers were eager to buy it, so they’d stock up to entertain family and friends during the holiday.

The Tang Family Restaurant used up all its ingredients, stayed open for five more days, and then closed its doors for good.

“Same as always: once you’ve cleaned up the restaurant, head home first. Come back in two days to pick up your New Year’s supplies and hold our New Year’s party,” said Boss Tang.

Hearing this, everyone felt even more motivated.

The next day, Tang Xianling and Tieniu took their mother, second sister, and the kids to the East Market to soak in the fragrant hot springs. Before entering the bathhouse, Tieniu reminded his husband, “Don’t stay in there too long. The floor is slippery, so be careful when you bathe—stay safe.”

Tang Xianling replied, “I know, I know—you’re so naggy these days.” But in reality, he was grinning from ear to ear.

After their bath, everyone’s skin glowed with a healthy rosy hue, and the children were beaming with joy.

Tang Xianling said, “Come on, let’s head to the West Market. We’ll buy clothes, hair ornaments, and toys—and get all our New Year’s shopping sorted out. You and Second Sister will come to my parents’ house for the New Year’s preparations.”

“Got it,” Jiang Yun agreed.

Tang Zhen felt a bit embarrassed. “Wu-ger, don’t buy them too much—”

Jiang Yun cut her off, “The New Year’s almost here. If Wu-ger wants to spend some money, don’t stop him.”

“All right.”

Earlier, Tang Xianling had made a bet with Second Sister that Cui Bo’an would come to pick them up before the New Year, but now that the holiday was fast approaching, Tang Xianling hadn’t brought up the subject again—even if he’d won, what good would it do? Bringing it up would only rub salt in Second Sister’s wounds and embarrass her.

There was no need to dwell on winning or losing; Tang Xianling simply wanted his second sister and the children to have a better life.

Tang Zhen had grown calmer day by day. In the past, when she worked here, if Cui Bo’an didn’t show up after the New Year, she would often wander around the entrance, waiting and hoping—but she didn’t do that anymore.

The Lunar New Year is a time for spending cash. Big Boss Tang made a fortune this year, so he’d also increased employee benefits.

Each person received one sheep, two chickens, and two ducks; a bag of candies, pastries, peanuts, and sunflower seeds; another bag of candied fruits and dried fruits; a jar of wine; and a year-end bonus of five taels of silver per person.

Last year’s New Year’s gifts were about the same as the year before—when Mrs. Tong and the others came to the courtyard for the New Year’s gathering, they never expected there to be so much this year. Even the sheep—one per person—were truly astonishing.

“There’s no way we can carry it all,” Mrs. Tong said, though her face was beaming with a broad smile.

Tang Xianling replied, “No rush. If you can’t take it all today, just have your family come pick it up tomorrow.”

“Business at our restaurant has been great this year, thanks to everyone working overtime from time to time and taking such good care of the place. We’ve worked together as a team to achieve these results, so we’re offering more year-end bonuses and benefits. Everyone should take what they’re entitled to.”

The group bowed in unison to thank the boss and wish him a Happy New Year.

A-Liang had originally planned to save up for a few years to buy a small courtyard house, but now he felt that goal was getting closer and closer. The bitter, resentful look he’d had when he first arrived a year ago was long gone; his appearance was still the same, but his face and eyes now sparkled with vitality.

Lu Sanniang lived closest to the shop, so she joyfully called out to her second and eldest brothers to come pick up their sheep.

Upon hearing this, Father Lu stood up and headed toward the courtyard gate. “They’re handing out sheep again?”

“Yes, everyone here gets one sheep,” Lu Sanniang replied.

Chen Qiaolian and Zou Ling were taken aback as well. Chen Qiaolian asked, “You got one too?”

“Of course. Since I’m an employee, I get one.”

Who could still remember that two years ago, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in the Lu family courtyard had spent their days bickering and arguing behind the scenes? Due to a lack of money, even in winter, Father Lu couldn’t bring himself to treat himself to a bowl of mutton soup—he could only afford to buy mutton offal to make soup. Unfortunately, that pot of offal soup had even been knocked over.

And now, how long has it been since then? They’ve already eaten a whole sheep.

And it was a sheep that their own daughter had earned…

“Besides the sheep, there’s also wine, pastries, peanuts and sunflower seeds, and chicken and duck. The boss even gave each of us five taels of silver. Mother and Father, please don’t tell anyone outside,” said Lu Sanniang.

Father Lu nodded, while Chen Qiaolian added, “Even if we don’t say anything, everyone in the neighborhood already knows. Everyone knows how well the Tang family’s restaurant treats its staff—not to mention that they’ve handed out so much this year. The delivery men passing through the alley have made sure every household knows.”

“Come to think of it, ever since Sanniang started working at the Tang family’s inn, everyone in the entire Baxing District has been green with envy over the job she landed. It’s a shame the Tang family isn’t short on staff and isn’t hiring anymore.”

Zou Ling nodded in agreement as her mother-in-law spoke, “Some people have even asked me about it, saying that since my younger sister is getting on in years and will eventually get married, if the Tang family ever needs more staff, could their daughter take over Sanniang’s position?”

Chen Qiaolian grew anxious upon hearing this. “What did you say? Which shameless family dared to make such a demand?”

“I gave them a piece of my mind,” Zou Ling reported.

Chen Qiaolian joined in the tirade, praising Zou Ling for her sharp retorts and saying, “Next time you run into them, if you’re too shy to confront them directly, just come tell me—I’ll give them a piece of my mind.”

Now that the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had stopped bickering, their relationship was actually better than before.

Lu Sanniang found it a bit disheartening to hear her mother and sister-in-law talking like this. They’d been praising her just a moment ago—why had they stopped now? After all, she’d brought home so many New Year’s gifts for the family…

As she listened on, a pang of sadness welled up inside her, and Lu Sanniang finally realized what was going on. She stammered, “I don’t want to get married so early.”

“Your second brother hasn’t married yet—what’s the rush? Let’s wait three or five years,” Chen Qiaolian said with a smile. After speaking, she instructed Dalang and Erlang to go to the Tang family’s house to help fetch the New Year’s provisions.

That night, the Lu family enjoyed mutton soup with rice noodles.

In front of the whole family, Chen Qiaolian said, “I’ve talked to your father. Since he’s not in a hurry about Erlang’s marriage, we’ll put it off for another year or two. At the very latest, he needs to be betrothed by the time he turns twenty. Your third sister is doing well now—she sends money home every month—but she mustn’t touch the year-end bonus. That needs to be saved up for Sanniang’s dowry.”

“These past few years, Sanniang has helped support the family with food and drink. Once she gets married, you two—as her older brother and sister-in-law—will need to chip in some cash for her as well.”

Lu Dalang nodded. “Of course, Mother.”

“That’s only right.” Zou Ling nodded as well.

Lu Erlang agreed.

The atmosphere in the Lu household had improved. Cash is the foundation of life; when they were short on it, things were a bit tight, but now that the family’s situation had stabilized, life had returned to normal.

This year, Sanniang’s family didn’t come for the New Year, so the Tang family courtyard felt a little quieter than usual.

On New Year’s Eve, the Cui family (father and son), the Lu family, Zhou Xiangping’s family, as well as Xiao Mi, Sister Tong, and A-Liang—all brought their children and younger relatives to the Tang family home to pay New Year’s respects. Jiang Yun handed out red envelopes to the children from each family; the amounts inside weren’t large—just a dozen or so cash each—but it was all in good fun.

Later on, his eldest sister and her family came to wish them a Happy New Year.

On the fifth day of the New Year, Mother and his second older sister took the children to visit his eldest sister. As usual, Tang Xianling brought Si-ger and Tieniu back to the village. As soon as he arrived, the Zhang family’s courtyard was bustling with activity. Villagers had come to the Zhangs to pay New Year’s calls and socialize, and when they happened to run into Mr. Tang, they all offered him words of good fortune.

Everyone was happy because they’d all made money from their chili fields this year.

Uncle Wang had prepared plenty of sunflower seeds, peanuts, and malt candy, and invited everyone into the main hall to chat. However, everyone was tactful enough to realize that since Mr. Tang and Tieniu had brought the children with them, they shouldn’t stay too long so as not to interrupt the others’ conversations.

Zhang Hainiu took Si-ger’s hand and went off to play with Shuanzi—but before leaving, he asked his dad and older brother if it was okay.

Si-ger was a year older now and had grown a bit healthier and sturdier.

“Put on your hat. Don’t go ice skating on the river. Play outside for a little while, then come back inside.”

“You’re his uncle—make sure you keep a close eye on Si-ger.”

Zhang Hainiu gave repeated assurances and cheerfully led Si-ger by the hand. After walking for a while, he stopped—not because Si-ger was walking too slowly. Zhang Hainiu squatted down and said, “Si-ger, climb onto Uncle’s back. I’ll carry you. The snow up ahead is deep and dirty; it’ll get your shoes and socks dirty, and your little feet will get frostbitten.”

Si-ger wore a small, fluffy rabbit-fur hat on his head, a fur-lined scarf around his neck, and a fleece vest trimmed with fur. He looked as delicate and well-behaved as a little porcelain figurine.

“I’m heavy, Uncle. I’m heavy.”

Zhang Hainiu was overjoyed to hear this. He flashed his big teeth, turned his head, and said to Si-ger, “Are you worried Uncle might get tired, Si-ger? Come on up—Uncle isn’t tired. You’re so light—you’re not heavy at all.”

Si-ger glanced at his uncle and broke into a smile as well.

Though he was small, he seemed to understand everything deep down—he could tell who was truly kind to him and who wasn’t. So he took a couple of steps and plopped down onto his uncle’s back with a thud.

The way Si-ger “plopped” onto his back made Zhang Hainiu so happy he could have burst.

Carrying Si-ger on his back, Zhang Hainiu strode briskly toward Shuanzi’s house. Before he even reached the courtyard, he shouted at the top of his lungs, “Shuanzi! Shuanzi! Si-ger has come to visit me this year!”

Shuanzi hadn’t even seen him yet, but his voice rang out first: “Hainiu, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were in your seventies or eighties—your eldest nephew has come to visit you.”

The two kids bickered.

“Go ahead and be jealous!”

Shuanzi had intended to insist he wasn’t jealous, but when he stepped outside, he spotted the child on his good friend Hainiu’s back right away in the heavy snow—the boy was even more handsome than the kids in the city. Shuanzi had never been to the city himself; he’d only heard from Brother Huzi that city folks were fair-skinned and good-looking.

Zhang Hainiu’s Si-ger was quite handsome.

“Uncle Shuanzi,” Si-ger called out.

As soon as Shuanzi heard that, his defiance vanished, and all that was left was a toothy grin.

Zhang Hainiu: … He turned around and carried Si-ger home on his back.

Shuanzi called out “Hey, hey” a couple of times, then scampered after them, laughing and saying, “Zhang Hainiu, are you jealous? Your Si-ger is just so handsome, well-behaved, and sensible—he even calls me Uncle Shuanzi!”

“Say that again, and I won’t play with you anymore.”

“Hahahaha, I knew I was right.”

“Come on, come on, let’s go play by the river.” Shuanzi tugged at him.

Zhang Hainiu: “My dad won’t let me take Si-ger out to skate on the river.”

“Then don’t go out on the ice. What if it’s thin and there’s a hole? That wouldn’t be good.”

In the end, the two of them went to the riverbank with their friends, but they didn’t actually go out onto the ice; they just played along the edge. Si-ger’s cheeks were rosy from the wind, and as soon as Zhang Hainiu saw that, he said, “I’m done playing. I’m taking Si-ger home.”

“Come on, Si-ger, Uncle will carry you.”

Zhang Hainiu crouched down, and Si-ger climbed onto his back.

The others: …

Shuanzi burst out laughing, “Zhang Hainiu’s become Si-ger’s ‘big horse’ now. Back in the day, he’d never go home after just a little while of playing.”

“Don’t laugh. We’ll have a race later,” Zhang Hainiu boomed.

Si-ger thought his uncle was angry, so he reached out his little hands to cup his uncle’s face. Unable to see, he lay quietly on his uncle’s back and said in a soft voice, “Uncle isn’t angry.”

Sigh—

“Hehehe, Uncle isn’t mad at all. Let’s go home. Uncle will bake some red date steamed buns for Si-ger—my dad made them, and he even mixed in some brown sugar…”

The two returned to their room, sat on the kang, and obediently ate the steamed cake.

Tang Xianling stayed in the village with Tieniu until the tenth day of the month. Since there were no major events this year, he didn’t need to return home early, and his days in the village were quite leisurely. After Uncle Wang and Uncle Zhang found out he was pregnant, they treated him just like Si-ger.

“I’m fine, really. I can run and jump just fine.”

Wang Susu said, “You still need to be careful. Go back inside with Si-ger and sit on the kang.”

Zhang Huai chimed in from the side, “It’s colder than usual this year, and there’s been a lot of snow.”

“Then it’s a good thing my third sister hasn’t come back yet—otherwise, it would be a hassle,” Tang Xianling sighed.

Zhang Huai said, “Actually, if we get a good amount of snow here, it’ll be good for the farmland when it melts next spring. It’s just a worry if other places get too much snow—too much of it turns into a disaster.”

“Pfft, pfft, pfft! What are you talking about on New Year’s Day?” Wang Susu said.

As soon as Zhang Huai heard this, he quickly agreed, “Right, right, right. I was just talking nonsense.”

Tieniu also felt that it was unusually cold this year, but Xidu Province was a good place—slightly to the north, with a river running through it, fertile soil, and a winding mountain range acting as a barrier. Historically speaking, this area didn’t seem to have ever suffered any major disasters.

As for snow disasters, Subei had indeed experienced them.

It was even colder and harsher there, and with the rivers and seas nearby, floods sometimes occurred as well.

Tieniu thought about it for a moment but decided not to say anything. Just as his uncle had said, it was the New Year—one shouldn’t speak of bad omens, or else it would be bad luck to scare his husband.

It was cold this year, and it had snowed. Zhang Huai and Wang Su Su kept his son close and didn’t let Hainiu come along on the trip back, saying, “We’ll go to the city in a few days; it’s fine if we stay there for two or three extra days.”

Zhang Hainiu could only agree reluctantly.

When Tang Xianling and Tieniu brought Si-ger back to the city, they entered through the West Gate. There were makeshift shelters set up at the gate, with some soldiers stationed there, and security checks had become stricter. However, upon seeing Si-ger’s attire in the cart, the guards let them through without asking too many questions.

Tang Xianling loved to eat, but when it came to clothes, he didn’t care for luxury—as long as they were comfortable, practical, and durable.

This Lunar New Year, he had been quite generous, buying new clothes for all four of Second Sister’s children. The children’s outfits were all in bright, eye-catching colors, featuring patterns and embroidery, with rabbit fur trim around the edges of their vests—they looked both elegant and adorable.

Now, as soon as the soldiers and officials saw how the children were dressed, they knew this family was telling the truth—they had left the city to visit relatives in the countryside for the New Year and had just returned home.

Tieniu clasped his hands and asked what was going on.

“There’s been a disaster in the north of Su. The city has issued an order forbidding disaster victims from entering the city; they’re being housed outside the city for now…”

Inside the car, Tang Xianling’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing about the disaster, but when he heard they were being housed outside the city, he felt slightly relieved—at least the authorities were still keeping track of the displaced people who had made their way there.