As soon as the siblings returned home, they immediately opened their letters. Xu An sat on the heated bed and began to unwrap Xu Yang’s letter, while Xu Ning was outside opening Lu Xiaotang’s letter. She tucked the one addressed to her into her pocket before going inside.

Xu Yang’s letter mentioned his recent situation and reassured them that he was safe. He ended by inquiring about how things were on their side.

Lu Xiaotang’s letter, however, consisted of only half a page. He wrote that he wouldn’t be able to come this year due to a task he had to carry out, but he hoped to make it next year.

Once they finished reading their letters, Xu An sighed and said, “Looks like I won’t be able to see Big Brother Lu again this year. I was hoping to let him taste my new signature dish when he came.”

Xu Ning chuckled, “Why don’t you make your signature dish this morning? Let me have a taste first. I didn’t sleep well last night, so I’m going to take a nap for a bit. Call me when it’s time to eat.”

Xu An… They had just gotten up, and now she was already going to take a nap? And what about his signature dish? Hadn’t they just eaten that yesterday? Were they really going to have it again today?

Xu Ning went back to her room and sat on the heated bed to open her letter. Unlike the half-page note from Lu Xiaotang, this letter was written on two and a half full pages.

After reading through it, she lay back on the bed and sighed. She wondered how long this long-distance relationship would last. Lost in her thoughts, she soon fell asleep.

When Xu An called her for breakfast, Xu Ning was in a deep sleep. She got up from the heated bed, placed the letter in her space, and opened the door to go outside.

Seeing the fried meatballs on the table, she asked, “Xiao An, why did you fry meatballs again today? Didn’t we just have them yesterday? We can’t eat fried food all the time; it can cause heat in the body.”

Xu An…

In the afternoon, when Wei Lanlan came over to play, Xu Ning hadn’t been able to coax Xu An into a better mood. It seemed that this time he was genuinely angry!

Noticing Wei Lanlan’s arrival, Xu An said, “Wei, you chat with my sister. I’m going to play outside for a bit.” With that, he went outside.

Wei Lanlan looked at her and asked, “What’s up with your brother? He doesn’t seem very happy.”

Xu Ning cleared her throat and replied, “He’s just throwing a little tantrum. It’s nothing; he’ll be fine soon.”

Xu Ning invited Wei Lanlan to sit on the heated bed while she went to get some pine nuts. The two of them chatted while munching on the snacks.

Wei Lanlan recounted how Wang Juanjuan had inquired about her that morning. “I didn’t think much of it at the time. When she asked who sent you the money, I just told her it was your brother and your cousin.”

Xu Ning laughed and said, “It’s fine; there’s nothing wrong with that. My brother and cousin earn their money honestly. If she asks again, just tell her the truth.”

Wei Lanlan then shared some events that had occurred since she arrived at the youth commune. “I heard from Gu Wenjing that she has two older brothers and is the only daughter. Her family has spoiled her since she was little, and she probably came to the countryside for Gu Wenping.”

Xu Ning replied, “They spend every day together; didn’t Lin Miao notice anything?”

Wei Lanlan curled her lip and said, “Do you think Lin Miao is naïve? She must have figured it out long ago. I don’t think she’s that into Gu Wenping.

She’s probably just interested in his family background. If someone comes along with a better family situation, she’d definitely turn around and leave.

Haven’t you noticed that for the past two years, she’s been hovering between Gu Wenping and Yang Wenli? But now, Yang Wenli isn’t even hanging around them much; he just eats and stays inside the house all day.”

Xu Ning understood that Lin Miao was like some girls in later generations—cunning and worldly, prioritizing family background when choosing a partner. She hoped to find someone from an influential or wealthy family, aiming for a smooth and easy life without hardship. Such tactics only worked on men.

With someone like Lin Miao, as long as you were stronger than her, she wouldn’t dare to act recklessly. It was best to ignore her.

Wang Juanjuan seemed to be the type of girl who had been spoiled by her family since childhood. She appeared well-mannered, but if someone fell on hard times, she would look down from her high position, offering charity to flaunt her superiority. However, if someone was doing better than her, she wouldn’t be comfortable and would try to find ways to undermine them.

This kind of person was the most dangerous—like a venomous snake that looked harmless but could bite at any moment. If Xu Ning ever found herself in opposition to someone like her, she would have to use different methods than those she employed against Gu Wenjing.

Xu Ning asked, “Is Yang Wenli still eating with Gu Wenping and Lin Miao?”

“They still eat together,” Wei Lanlan replied. “Wang Juanjuan also wanted to join them, but Lin Miao said the place was too small and refused. Right now, she’s eating with Chunhua and Liu Fang, but she doesn’t know how to cook. Sometimes, she buys some meat and brings out some fine grains for everyone to share. It’s mostly Chunhua and Liu Fang helping her cook. Her relationship with them is quite good now.”

The two of them talked for the entire afternoon, and only when it was time to prepare dinner did Wei Lanlan head back.

Having eaten a bit too much of the meatballs at lunch, Xu Ning took a tomato from her space to snack on. These tomatoes were from summer, and she had been secretly eating them in her room—not because she wanted to hoard them, but because there was really no way to explain their presence.

Thinking about Xu An, who was still sulking, she felt a slight headache. He had never been angry for this long before, so she decided to cook something he liked to cheer him up.

When Xu An returned home, he found Xu Ning had already set the table. She smiled at him and said, “Xiao An, you’re back! I made your favorite bean sprouts today. Come sit down and give it a try.”

Having played all afternoon, Xu An had long forgotten about being upset with his sister. Seeing her trying to coax him so carefully, he thought about acting a bit proud.

He sat there with a serious face and took a bite, saying, “Why is it so bland? Is there no salt in the house?”

Xu Ning initially thought maybe she really hadn’t added salt. She grabbed her chopsticks, took a bit of the bean sprouts, and found the taste just right!

Noticing that even though he wore a serious expression, he was barely able to suppress a smile at the corners of his mouth, she picked up her chopsticks, ready to poke fun at him.

Xu An hurriedly grabbed her hand with a grin and said, “Sister, sister! There’s salt and flavor; it’s just right. Come on, let’s eat!”

Xu Ning shot him a glare, then handed him a flatbread while mentioning what Wang Juanjuan had asked about them.

Xu An nodded and replied, “Sister, I know. The other day when I went to find Da Lin, I spoke with Uncle Village Head about building a wall around the courtyard. He agreed. I also talked to Uncle Hongjun, and he said he would help us build the wall when spring comes.”

Xu Ning looked at him with appreciation. This kid was really growing up—managing both family and outside affairs without her having to worry.

After dinner, while Xu Ning was washing the dishes, Xu An took the letter and headed to the cow shed. It had been a long time since he had received a letter from Lu Xiaotang, and his parents were also concerned, so he wanted to inform them as soon as possible.

When Xu An returned, a strong wind was blowing outside. He had Xu Mo on his back, and as soon as they entered the house, the little one climbed onto the heated bed and snuggled up to Xu Ning. He excitedly began sharing the stories he had heard from Grandpa Qi during this time.

The three of them chatted warmly on the heated bed while the cold wind howled outside. The room was warm and cozy. As Xu Ning went to her room to sleep, she opened the door for a moment and saw that large snowflakes were beginning to fall outside. With this snowfall, going out would become even more difficult. It seemed they would be cooped up at home until spring came.