Chapter 34.1

Wei Ling arrived, his steps leaving marks in the snow. Although he had shortened his travel time by running, the snowfall was heavy, and by the time he reached Qin Qingman’s doorstep, his hair was completely covered in snow.

But he didn’t feel cold—not at all.

When he saw Qin Qingman open the door to greet him, he instinctively opened his arms.

Qin Qingman, without hesitation, rushed into Wei Ling’s embrace.

“Thump thump thump—”

The two embraced, neither of them knowing whose heartbeat was racing, but they could both feel their faces burning, their blood rushing, and an indescribable sweetness filling their hearts.

Behind them, Chuchu had jumped off the kang a step later than Qin Qingman.

With his short legs, and after obediently bundling up in his cotton jacket, he was a little late to leave the house. As soon as he stepped out the door, he saw the two of them in an embrace from a distance. His face turned red, and not only that, but he quickly covered his eyes with both hands.

This seemed to be what his mother meant when she said, “Don’t look at things you shouldn’t”?

Right?

Chuchu’s mind was racing with confused thoughts, but his round, shiny eyes peeked through the gaps between his hands, constantly glancing at his sister and brother-in-law. A little grin spread across his face, showing his small teeth.

One minute…

Chuchu stared at the two of them, who were still in each other’s arms. Not only did they not notice him, but they also seemed unaffected by the cold. He stamped his feet and called out, “Sis, it’s snowing heavily!”

With so much snow, how can they stand there hugging? It made his feet feel cold.

The child’s voice promptly broke the moment, waking up the two in the embrace.

Immediately, the couple, who had been tightly holding each other, sprang apart as if they had been hit by a spring.

Qin Qingman quickly averted her eyes from Wei Ling and, pulling him by the arm, led him into the house.

Wei Ling said nothing, simply following her in silent understanding.

His large, warm hand gently enveloped Qin Qingman’s hand, while his other hand lifted to shield her head from the snow.

The snow kept falling, and in no time, there was a light dusting of it on top of Qin Qingman’s head.

The cold was biting, and as Wei Ling wrapped his arm around Qin Qingman, they quickly made their way to the front door.

Before entering, they exchanged a glance, then, with smiles at the corners of their lips, each lightly brushed the snow off the other’s head and shoulders. Once the snow was shaken off, they stamped their feet and lifted the curtain to step inside.

The warmth inside the house stood in stark contrast to the cold outside.

Qin Qingman had just taken off her cotton jacket and hung it on the coat rack when she casually accepted the towel Chuchu handed her and wiped her face. As she finished, she saw Wei Ling, now without his coat and bag, gazing at her intently.

Her face instantly flushed deeper.

Her large, watery eyes were filled with tenderness.

“Qingman.” Wei Ling, who had been excited all the way here, had countless things to say before seeing Qin Qingman, but once in front of her, all his words melted into this one name.

It was a name full of longing.

Qin Qingman felt the emotion in the way he called her.

It was intense, like wine, deep and rich.

Her face turned even redder and hotter. She felt as though she had drunk a bowl of sweet honey water. She naturally placed the towel on Wei Ling’s face and gently began to wipe it, taking care to dry every bit of the snow on his face.

Meanwhile, Chuchu had already started the stove and added more firewood.

Wei Ling had come through the snow, and whether it was for a hot drink or to wash up, they would need the warmth of the fire.

The crackling sound of the firewood snapped the two out of their affectionate gaze.

Qin Qingman, regaining her composure, asked, “Ah Ling, have you eaten?”

“No.” Wei Ling’s gaze remained fixed on her face, unwilling to look away for even a second.

“I’ll make something for you.” Qin Qingman said, her cheeks still flushed as she turned to prepare the food.

“Okay.” Wei Ling noticed her shyness and naturally took the towel from her hand, heading to the basin to wash his face.

This towel was Qin Qingman’s.

Just thinking that this towel had not only touched his face but had also gently wiped it, made his heart swell with sweetness and warmth, the feeling of happiness enveloping him.

Wei Ling had arrived too late, and the porridge Qin Qingman had made earlier was long gone.

Fortunately, Qin Qingman had thought about having Sanhe noodles with steamed buns for breakfast tomorrow, so she had prepared the dough in advance using sourdough. At this moment, she took some of the dough, began kneading it, rolling it out, cutting it into noodles, and boiling them.

There were still some wild vegetables left from the mountains, so Qin Qingman asked Chuchu to help wash a few small spring onions.

Seven or eight minutes later, a bowl of steaming mixed grain noodles was ready.

The dark yellow noodles were topped with slices of braised fatty intestines, blanched shepherd’s purse, fresh and green spring onions, and then a spoonful of bright red chili oil was poured over. Under the light of the oil lamp, not only did the dish release a tempting fragrance, but the vibrant colors were so beautiful they made one’s mouth water.

“Ah Ling, come eat.”

Qin Qingman handed the bowl of noodles to Wei Ling, who was sitting by the stove, warming himself by the fire.

“Mm.” Wei Ling took the tempting noodles and began eating.

The hot noodles, combined with the spicy chili, were the perfect winter dish.

After finishing a big bowl of noodles, Wei Ling felt full and satisfied, his eyes slightly squinting in contentment, much like a “big cat” after eating, wanting to curl up and rest.

“Is it good, Brother-in-law?”

Chuchu had been sitting next to Wei Ling, his gaze never leaving Wei Ling’s bowl.

When he saw that the bowl, once full of noodles, was now empty, with not even a drop of soup left, a trace of regret flashed in his eyes. Then he asked this question.

Hearing the question, Wei Ling turned his head and noticed the longing in the child’s eyes. He fell silent.

Just moments ago, his full attention had been on the bowl of noodles that Qin Qingman had made, and he hadn’t noticed that Chuchu had wanted to try some too.

Qin Qingman, standing nearby, also saw the longing in Chuchu’s eyes. She smiled and quickly intervened, saying, “I’ll make some more. Chuchu can try it too.”

In reality, it hadn’t been long since she and Chuchu had finished eating, so it wasn’t likely that Chuchu was still hungry.

But Qin Qingman had once been a child herself. She knew that kids could easily feel tempted by fresh food and would want to taste it. With a thought, she decided to make some more to fulfill the child’s wish.

Chuchu hesitated.

He could tell that Wei Ling had already eaten his fill. If his sister made more now, it was probably because she had noticed he wanted some. His face flushed, and the child, trying to control himself, shook his head gently and said, “Sister, I’m not hungry. My stomach is full.”

Although there was still enough food at home, he understood the need to be frugal when it was necessary.

“Your sister hasn’t had noodles like this yet, and I want to eat a bit more. I’ll make just a little bit more, and you can eat with me, okay?” Qin Qingman felt a pang of heartache at the child’s thoughtfulness and also reflected on herself.

In her past life, she hadn’t married or had children, so she lacked experience. That was why she had instinctively overlooked the child’s natural desire for food.

When Chuchu heard that Qin Qingman also wanted some, his eyes immediately brightened, even more than the oil lamp beside them.

His response was loud and clear, “Okay!”

“Then Chuchu, can you help me wash a few more spring onions?” Qin Qingman assigned the child a task. She knew that this would make him feel more at ease, as if he was needed in the family.

“Sister, I promise I’ll complete the task.”

Chuchu cheerfully saluted Qin Qingman with a very unrefined military salute, even having his palm facing the wrong way because it was so unprofessional.

But neither Qin Qingman nor Wei Ling pointed it out.

Instead, they both looked at the happy child with gentle eyes.

When Chuchu ran to the corner of the hall to pull the spring onions, Wei Ling put down his bowl and went to help Qin Qingman. His strength made kneading the dough easier for him than it was for Qin Qingman.

Qin Qingman didn’t stop Wei Ling from working but instead added more firewood to the stove to heat water again.

She then washed her hands and began slicing the braised fatty intestines.

“Qingman, the marriage application has been approved by the department. We can go and register for our marriage now.” Wei Ling said, still kneading the dough, and finally revealed the words he had been holding in.

Qin Qingman’s knife slipped, almost cutting her finger.

Wei Ling was startled and immediately put down the dough to grab Qin Qingman’s hand, checking to make sure there was no injury. Once he confirmed there was no wound, he let out a sigh of relief and then chastised himself seriously. “Qingman, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said this now.”

Qin Qingman didn’t really listen to Wei Ling’s apology.

Her entire focus was on Wei Ling’s face. She had a sense of disbelief, as though she were dreaming.

It had only been a few days since she had accepted Wei Ling’s proposal, and now the marriage application had been approved. Didn’t they say that the political review process in the army was extremely strict? It should take a long time for approval. How had it been just a few days for them?

“When… when did you submit the application?”

After a long pause, Qin Qingman finally found her voice. Her tone was so light, almost floating, that it betrayed her disbelief.

“I submitted the application on the day we returned to the camp, and then I asked a comrade from the political department to expedite the process, so we got the approval this quickly.” Wei Ling explained, though he didn’t mention how he had urged Wang Chengping to stamp it for him.

After hearing Wei Ling’s explanation, Qin Qingman understood how the freshly approved marriage application had come about. With Wei Ling’s actions, those in the army who didn’t know the details would likely think that they were in such a rush to get married.

Her face quickly turned red under Wei Ling’s gaze.

Red enough to look like it might bleed.

Qin Qingman’s skin was already fair and delicate, and when her face turned red, it only drew more attention. Wei Ling couldn’t help but focus his gaze on it, even absentmindedly reaching out to feel the warmth of her cheek.

So hot, so smooth.

After touching her, Wei Ling’s hand remained frozen on Qin Qingman’s face.

Qin Qingman’s face turned even redder and hotter. She looked at Wei Ling with a gaze that mixed shyness with annoyance. She felt not only that she had been teased but also possibly turned into a “painted cat.” since Wei Ling had just been kneading dough and his hands were covered in flour.

“Hahaha, sister’s a painted cat.”

Sure enough, Chuchu’s laughter sounded from the side.

“I’m sorry.” Wei Ling said, the tension in his eyes lessening, and his gaze toward Qin Qingman now held a hint of amusement.

In truth, he hadn’t meant to smear flour on Qin Qingman’s face.

But sometimes, mistakes have their own consequences.

In this case, it only helped dissipate the awkward atmosphere that had lingered.

Qin Qingman, having been teased by Chuchu as a “painted cat.” immediately pulled her hand away from Wei Ling’s and touched her own face. Afterward, she pointed at the child, who was grinning widely, revealing all his teeth. As she touched her face, she also left a few black and yellow specks on Chuchu’s smooth face.

Chuchu immediately widened his eyes in shock.

He first looked at Qin Qingman, who was wearing a smug expression, then glanced at Wei Ling. Finally, he asked in disbelief, “Sister, clearly it was Brother-in-law who painted you as a cat. Why did you paint me?” He couldn’t figure out what had happened.

At Chuchu’s question, a trace of shyness flashed in Qin Qingman’s eyes.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to get back at Wei Ling, but whenever she thought of touching Wei Ling’s face with her hand, she felt so nervous that she couldn’t do it. She had no choice but to take this alternative approach.

“Who told you to laugh at me, hm?” Qin Qingman turned her head and continued slicing the fatty intestines, offering Chuchu an explanation.

…Indeed, Chuchu had teased Qin Qingman, and now he silently grabbed his towel to wipe his face.

Chuchu was still young and easy to fool, but Wei Ling, being a perceptive person, had already noticed Qin Qingman’s discomfort. Trying to suppress his laughter, he returned to the counter and continued kneading the dough.

He enjoyed spending time with Qin Qingman and Chuchu.

Everything felt very natural and harmonious, with the warmth of a home and a sense of happiness.

Meanwhile, Qin Qingman was glancing at Wei Ling out of the corner of her eye. When she saw his expression, for some reason, she felt a little unhappy. After finishing with the braised fatty intestines, she moved over to take over the task of slicing the noodles.

At this point, the noodles at home had to be rolled into thin sheets of dough and then sliced.

“I’ll do it. You give the instructions.”

Wei Ling had seen how Qin Qingman made noodles before and knew how to do it, but he said the words in a very pleasant way, handing over the responsibility to Qin Qingman.

Seeing that Wei Ling was being cooperative, Qin Qingman’s mood lightened a bit.

She then gently explained the key points of slicing the noodles.

Wei Ling, with his strong hands and better control, sliced the noodles so evenly that each piece was the same size, as if measured by a ruler.

Qin Qingman watched Wei Ling work, and for some reason, she was reminded of some pictures she had seen online in her previous life.

The kitchens of soldier brothers weren’t just neat and tidy; even the arrangement of things looked like soldiers in formation, as if lined up perfectly.

“Qingman, how about I double the punishment on myself?” Wei Ling, having finished his task, looked at Qin Qingman with a smile. His hands were naturally covered with some flour, which he was about to smear on his own face.

“No.” Qin Qingman glared at Wei Ling, stopping him.

She wasn’t that petty. The reason she was upset was because Wei Ling’s rush to handle their marriage might make the people in the army think they were making a joke of it.

“Then punish me.” Wei Ling said, noticing that Qin Qingman still seemed upset. He quickly grabbed her hand.

Qin Qingman’s fingers were slender and elegant, looking as beautiful as green onions.

The moment Wei Ling held her hand, his gaze froze.

As someone from ancient times, he had never been this close to a girl’s hand, especially not one belonging to the person he liked.

Wei Ling’s reaction made Qin Qingman laugh.

She gently tried to pull her hand back, but seeing the regret in his eyes, Qin Qingman finally reached out and lightly wiped his face with her hand.

With that one motion, Wei Ling’s face was marked with several streaks of flour.

Now, Wei Ling was satisfied.

A family should be harmonious and neat.

“Such a fool.” Qin Qingman blushed and gave Wei Ling a glare before turning to cook the noodles. The water on the stove was boiling, bubbling with steam.

“Ah, Brother-in-law, you’ve become a painted cat too!” Chuchu, who had just finished wiping his face, turned and saw the flour marks on Wei Ling’s face. The streaks of flour seemed so out of place with Wei Ling’s usual demeanor, making the child laugh even harder, his whole body filled with joy.

He then cheerfully helped by pouring hot water and handing over the towel.

“Thank you, Chuchu.”

Wei Ling was very fond of Chuchu. The child was not only quiet but also sensible, much more adorable than the several nephews from his previous life in the Duke’s residence.

“Brother-in-law, you should wipe your face. I’ll go heat up the kang in the east room.”

Now that Wei Ling was here, Chuchu knew he would be sleeping in the east room with Wei Ling tonight, so he eagerly went to heat the kang. To get it warm, it had to be started in advance.

Qin Qingman didn’t cook many noodles this time, just a small bowl for each person, enough to finish in a few bites.

Wei Ling didn’t say he wasn’t eating. Considering his usual appetite, adding this little bit wouldn’t be an issue at all.

After cleaning his face, Wei Ling glanced at the towel in his hand.

This towel was the one he had used the last time he was at the Qin family’s house, meaning it was his personal towel.

Thinking about how he had, by chance, left his scent on Qin Qingman’s towel, Chuchu also wanted his towel to receive the same treatment. He changed the water in the basin, soaked his already clean towel in it again, wrung it out, and finally walked over to Qin Qingman.

“Qingman, wipe your face.”

The flour he had rubbed on Qin Qingman’s face had dried a little.

Qin Qingman, who was busy fishing out noodles, couldn’t spare a hand.

“Chuchu went to stoke the stove in the east room.” Wei Ling timely solved Qin Qingman’s dilemma.

Qin Qingman glanced at the towel Wei Ling was holding, her face slightly flushed, but she still tilted her face up and muttered, “You did that on purpose.”

“Mm.” Wei Ling openly admitted to her intentional actions.