As the rooster crowed, the New Year’s vigil came to an end.

Outside, it was still pitch black, with the cold wind howling.

Four children slept soundly on the bamboo couch, huddled together, creating a warm and cozy sight.

Chen Yuchun prepared a basin of warm water, washed his face, and then nudged his husband: “Go wash your face and wake up.” He then sat beside his father and dad: “It’ll be dawn soon. I think I’ll go back to catch some more sleep, the house needs tidying up too.”

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, it was customary for neighbors to visit each other, with one or two staying behind at home while the rest roamed the village to wish everyone a happy new year.

Kuzhu Village had always been harmonious. Everyone was familiar with each other and generally got along well.

Dad Chen sensed the meaning behind his elder son’s words and didn’t insist on keeping them longer: “Let your father hitch the ox cart for you. The children are sound asleep, let them continue sleeping and wrap them up warmly later.”

“I’ll take you,” Chen Yuandong said, a bit drowsy, but became clearer-headed as he heard the conversation: “I’ll wash my face first.”

“What’s going on?” Father Chen seemed half-awake, his words slightly slurred as he shook his head.

“Stop shaking, you’ll make everyone dizzy.” Dad Chen quickly held his husband’s shoulder to steady her.

Cui Yuanjiu stood up: “I’ll help Uncle go back inside to catch some more sleep.”

“Okay, take it slow. He’s heavy and can’t exert himself right now, it’s all up to you to support him.”

“Uncle, don’t worry, I may not have much, but I have strength.”

Father Chen was the second son of the family, and Dad Chen was also the second son. After they got married, the younger generation called them Second Uncle or Second Aunt, and they could tell them apart quite well, except for the little ones.

Cui Yuanjiu helped Father Chen steadily out of the kitchen. Before he could close the door, Chen Yuandong walked in.

“The ox cart is ready.”

Dad Chen bent down to pick up the sleeping An ger, but Chen Yuchun stopped him: “Dad, you rest, I can handle it.” He then turned to his slightly dazed husband and instructed, “Zhiwei, you carry Dazhuang. Be gentle and don’t wake him.”

Zhang Zhiwei was moving slowly, with his eyes barely open. He was swaying as he took three steps, looking like he was floating in and out of reality.

“Let me do it.” Dad Chen was genuinely worried he might drop his grandson, as he didn’t seem reliable at all.

Chen Yuchun quickly picked up his younger son: “Dad, step aside. Don’t block him, just let him carry.”

Usually, with Zhang Zhiwei’s sluggishness, Dad Chen would have ignored it. He preferred to handle things himself than to waste time and get frustrated. From now on, he wouldn’t repeat the mistake of calling once and expecting action, he had plenty of patience.

“How’s brother-in-law? Did washing his face not wake him up? Should I get a basin of cold water for him? That might work better.” Chen Yuandong spoke kindly, still smiling.

Zhang Zhiwei responded slowly, “Huh?” with a dazed expression.

“This basin of water hasn’t been mixed with warm water yet, should brother-in-law wash his face first?” Chen Yuping said as he brought over a basin of cold water.

Seeing the icy water brought close, Zhang Zhiwei grinned foolishly, and with a rough hand, he splashed some on his face: “I haven’t had such a good time drinking in a long time. I didn’t sleep well last night and can’t take it anymore.” He laughed and yawned widely.

“Hurry up, what are you dragging your feet for?” Chen Yuchun was already at the door with An ger.

Zhang Zhiwei hurried over to the bamboo couch and swiftly picked up the sleeping Dazhuang: “Coming, coming.”

“I’ll see off your brother and his husband. If you’re sleepy, go home and rest first, I’ll carry Qiaoniu back inside later.”

Liu Guixiang nodded: “Then I’ll go back and sleep.”

“Okay, take care and hold onto the wall.”

“I’m fine.” Liu Guixiang rubbed her face, beaming with a smile: “You go on, don’t keep your brother waiting.”

Chen Yuping asked, “Sister-in-law, aren’t you going to wash your face?”

“No, if I wash my face, I’m afraid I’ll lose my drowsiness. Dad, I’m heading back to sleep now.”

Dad Chen was a bit uneasy, seeing his second daughter-in-law off from the kitchen.

“Dad, I’m quite awake.” Liu Guixiang shivered, pulling her coat tighter: “This wind is really cold. You should catch some sleep too, it’ll be dawn soon.”

“I’m going.” Dad Chen chuckled, standing under the eaves, watching his second daughter-in-law wobble into the yard before heading back inside.

In the kitchen, apart from the sleeping Cao ger and Qiaoniu, only Chen Yuping and Cui Yuanjiu remained.

“Are you not going to sleep?”

Cui Yuanjiu retorted, “When will you sleep?” After a pause, he added, “In the past, when I followed the caravan, I often stayed up all night and only caught a bit of sleep during the day.”

“Are you really not planning to return to the escort office?”

“Hmm, living on a knife’s edge isn’t stable. If you don’t mind, I’d like to stay with the Chen family. Whatever you say goes, I won’t go against you. If you think it’s inappropriate, that’s fine, I won’t return to the escort office anyway. I’ll find a way to make a living in town. I really want to marry you. You’re right, it’s partly because of Cao ger, but I also genuinely want to live with you. I’ve thought for a long time about what kind of partner I wanted and what kind of life I wanted to have. I thought it through carefully, and sometimes I felt I was thinking too much, wondering if I could ever meet such a good person. Heaven has treated me well by letting me meet you. You are the one I’ve imagined countless times, and the partner I want. I can’t even tell if it’s love, I’ve never liked anyone else. I just want to be with you and our Cao ger.”

Chen Yuping was not a naive nineteen-year-old, he had experiences from a previous life and could see that Cui Yuanjiu was earnest. Perhaps he didn’t fully understand love, as emotions were often distant and intangible in this era, especially for those who couldn’t even read properly.

But he believed that marrying this young man would lead to a comfortable life.

What is love? Perhaps it’s what Dad Chen said: keeping someone at the forefront of your heart, and that’s a rare happiness.

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Chen Yuandong and his wife took Qiaoniu to the Liu family in town.

In previous years, without an ox cart, they would walk if the weather was nice or hitch a ride with neighbors if it was bad.

Last year, the Chen family bought an ox, so this year they could drive their own cart to town, allowing the family to travel comfortably.

Not long after sending off the second couple, Dad Chen entered the kitchen, barely warming the chair when he saw the eldest son’s family push the door open.

“Dad!” Chen Yuchun said as he placed the items he was carrying on the table.

Zhang Zhiwei quickly placed An ger on the bamboo couch. Cao ger, seeing An ger, giggled and climbed over to him. The two little ones were tumbling together, and playing closely.

After calling out, Dazhuang sat beside the bamboo couch, watching his younger brothers play, and laughing joyfully.

Chen Yuping immediately noticed the change in his eldest ger, who was all smiles, and said, “Eldest looks great, his complexion is glowing.”

“Thanks to our third brother’s luck,” Chen Yuchun implied.

Dad Chen saw his eldest son’s bright demeanor and felt happy inside, smiling broadly: “What do you want to eat for lunch today? I’ll prepare it for you.”

“I want something light, I’ve had too much rich food lately.” Chen Yuanqiu was always the most proactive about food: “Third brother, I want to eat those pumpkin pancakes you made. They’re crispy on the outside, soft and slightly sticky inside, with a bit of chewiness, sweet and fragrant. Ah…” He licked his lips: “I really want to eat them.”

Having not had pumpkin pancakes for a while, Chen Yuping felt a bit tempted: “Shouldn’t we just skip cooking? If there are steamed buns, bean cakes, and dumplings at home, I can make some pumpkin pancakes. Let’s eat whatever we want. Dazhuang can have pumpkin pancakes, and I’ll make some pumpkin porridge for An ger and Cao ger.”

“Let’s braise some potato and chicken chunks.” Dad Chen added some firewood to the stove.

Zhang Zhiwei chuckled, “I had a delicious winter melon and ham soup made by Ping ger once, it was really fragrant and fresh.”

“So you’re all ordering dishes that Ping ger can make,” Dad Chen couldn’t help but laugh: “Looks like I’ll have to help Ping ger today, I can’t handle the cooking myself.”

“Your potato chicken is also delicious.”

Dad Chen glanced at his husband, a smile blooming on his face like a flower.

“Let’s make some dumplings and eat them with sauce,” Cui Yuanjiu didn’t order any dishes.

Chen Yuping asked him, “Anything else?”

“I love everything you make.”

“Third brother’s cooking is great, who can compare within ten miles? It’s truly divine!” Chen Yuanqiu chimed in happily.

Cui Yuanjiu looked at him silently, his eyes downcast.

“Big brother, what do you want to eat?”

“Me? Anything works, how about steamed preserved fish and meat? It’s strange, the same preserved fish and meat taste best when steamed by our third brother.” Chen Yuchun really couldn’t understand why.

Chen Yuping knew the reason, he was favored by heaven! But he didn’t say anything, just kept smiling.

Potato and chicken, steamed preserved fish and meat, winter melon and ham soup, scallion oil taro, twice-cooked pork, stir-fried greens, pumpkin pancakes, and braised fish.

It was relatively light fare.

Chen Yuanqiu enjoyed the pumpkin pancakes the most, followed by Dazhuang, who also loved them.

An ger and Cao ger enjoyed the pumpkin porridge, smacking their little lips with delight.

With farming season at a lull, there was little work in the fields, and after lunch, it was too windy outside to visit neighbors, so everyone huddled by the stove, doing small chores and chatting idly.

Chen Yuping patiently taught Cao ger to talk, holding him in his arms, teasing him by rubbing noses. Cui Yuanjiu sat nearby, smiling and occasionally speaking up, or holding Cao ger himself to play and let him sit safely on his shoulders.

It looked very much like a family of three.

Zhang Zhiwei didn’t have the energy to play, so he let Dazhuang take An ger and said he had something to do outside.

So he left.

Chen Yuchun also had something to discuss with the family, so he didn’t stop him.

“I’ve finally seen through everything. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, we took the kids to the old house. From Old Lady Zhang to the eldest and second sisters-in-law, it was all the same tone, weird and cryptic. There was nothing I wanted to hear, so I shot back at them. Zhang Zhiwei just hid in a corner, not making a sound. It was fine if he didn’t say anything, as long as he didn’t bend his elbow toward the old house.”

“Originally, whenever there was something going on at the old house, he would answer honestly, and it all fell on me. I considered his face, thinking it was just a little effort, so a bit of fatigue wouldn’t hurt. Now I don’t think that way, whatever he should handle, he should do it himself, and he shouldn’t push it onto me.”

“The eldest and second sisters-in-law stay overnight every time they visit their family. I’ll do the same this year, and I won’t go back tonight. What will those two in the old house eat? They won’t starve, I don’t want to care, and I’m too lazy to manage it. If Zhang Zhiwei listened to me, whatever I said would go. Big or small, he’d just follow my lead. I would still treat him well and care for him. If he doesn’t listen, there are ways to handle it. Third brother is right, I need to be stronger. He’s too compliant, not like a man, I’ll take care of both inside and outside. He just needs to work hard, and I won’t expect him to care about me too much. If life doesn’t go as I wish, I’ll just make it comfortable and enjoyable for myself.”

This was about taking control of his own life. Previously, his brother had always been in a passive position, hoping one day he would understand and they could live a harmonious and happy life like their parents.

Instead, he was disappointed for a long time, but after his reminder, his brother really did come to understand.

Chen Yuping felt secretly pleased, thinking that his seemingly simple and honest brother-in-law would likely have a tough time ahead, how delightful! It felt as refreshing as a cool summer breeze!