Chapter 46.2

The Qin family’s breakfast didn’t come much earlier than the others in the village. Just as they finished eating, the whole of Kaoshan Village started to come alive.

Although there wasn’t much work to do in the winter, and it was cold, the villagers still had their way of enjoying the season.

The winter was nearly over, and with the end of the year approaching, people were starting to think about heading into the mountains for hunting. Over the next few days, the strong men from each household would go out to exercise. As Qin Qingman’s family was heading out, people from the village were already appearing one by one.

The sun was shining brightly, and everyone was holding simple ice skating tools.

Some had small stools, others had smooth wooden planks, and the wealthier families even had thin rubber tires.

These were the simple joys of winter for the people of the Northeast. There was no need for a fancy ice rink, as the countryside was full of hills, and anyone could climb up a slope to enjoy the purest kind of ice skating fun.

Even the children who weren’t afraid of the cold had wrapped themselves in every warm piece of clothing they could find and came along.

“Qingman, where are you heading? Are you going to the back mountain to skate with them?” Qin Qingman, who was planning to borrow a sled from her aunt, Qin Xiang, ran into her at the door. Since the last time Qin Qingman had sent over some meat, Qin Xiang had become much warmer toward her, and their relationship had grown closer.

“Aunt, are you using the sled today? If not, can I borrow it? We need to head back to the army base, and Chuchu is coming along. I thought we could let him play with the sled.” Qin Qingman replied as she saw Qin Xiang enthusiastically approaching.

The past conflicts between them had been swept under the rug, and now, they truly had no hard feelings.

When Qin Xiang heard that Qin Qingman wanted to borrow the sled, she called back to Jiang Linshan, who had just stepped out of the house. “Husband, Qingman wants to borrow our sled. Go get it for her.”

“Got it.” Jiang Linshan wasn’t overly warm when facing Qin Qingman’s family, but he was polite.

At this point, Qin Qingman would certainly need to introduce Wei Ling to her two elders.

They were distant relatives and neighbors, so it was important to maintain good relations.

“Uncle, let me help you.” Wei Ling said, following Jiang Linshan to fetch the sled.

“Comrade Wei Ling, take it slow. The ground is covered in snow, so be careful not to slip.” Jiang Linshan said politely. He was clearly under a lot of pressure when talking to Wei Ling, especially given that Wei Ling was a soldier.

“Thank you for the reminder, Uncle.” Wei Ling replied calmly.

He treated Qin Qingman’s relatives with a calm and composed demeanor.

If his Wife recognized them, he would too. If she didn’t, he wouldn’t.

Jiang Linshan, however, had no idea what was going on in Wei Ling’s mind. He was both nervous and excited to meet Wei Ling for the first time, and sometimes his words came out in a jumble.

Wei Ling didn’t mock him. He knew that his status might not be high in the big city, but in the eyes of ordinary people, he was absolutely unapproachable.

The Jiang family’s sled was stored in the storage room. It had only been used a few days ago, so there was no need to tidy it up. A quick dusting was enough, and it could be used again immediately.

“Wei Ling Comrade, the rope was just replaced, it’s sturdy. If you find anything wrong, I’ll take care of it.” Jiang Linshan said, his gaze eagerly fixed on Wei Ling.

Having a relative in an official position was something he could show off to his heart’s content.

At first, he didn’t dare to show off because he didn’t know whether Wei Ling would recognize him as his uncle. But from the moment he heard Wei Ling address him, Jiang Linshan’s face turned bright red, as if he had drunk half a jin of white liquor.

“Uncle, I’m younger than you, so just call me Wei Ling.” Wei Ling said, checking the sled while talking to Jiang Linshan.

“Ah, okay, okay, I’ll do as you say.” Jiang Linshan said, his eyes squinting with a smile, and his mood was unexpectedly good. He had decided that, instead of going ice-skating later, he would find a few good friends and have a few drinks.

Wei Ling accepting him as an uncle was definitely worth a drink or two.

While Wei Ling and Jiang Linshan were checking the sled in the backyard, Qin Xiang looked at Qin Qingman with a gaze full of emotion.

She never imagined that the two families could actually have a day of peaceful coexistence.

“Little Aunt, I’ve gotten my marriage certificate with Wei Ling. We’ll hold the ceremony next spring, and then you and Uncle will come to witness it for us.” Qin Qingman said. She didn’t want to remain a solitary figure. Facing Qin Xiang, a blood relative, she naturally wanted to invite her.

If she didn’t invite her, although no one in the village was gossiping right now, over time, there would certainly be busybodies spreading rumors.

It wasn’t necessary to give others something to talk about.

They were from the same village, after all; no matter what, they were all tied together, and this was the natural course of things.

“Okay, okay, next year your uncle and I will definitely come.” Qin Xiang said, not expecting Qin Qingman to invite her to witness the wedding. After a few seconds of surprise, she immediately answered with excitement, and even her face turned rosy from the rush of emotion.

Seeing Qin Xiang like this, Qin Qingman couldn’t help but ask with more concern, “Little Aunt, is your health better?”

Qin Xiang, along with her third and fourth aunts, had been hit by a wild boar on the mountain. Although her injuries weren’t as severe as Zhu Hongxia’s, she had still needed to rest in bed for several days.

“I’m much better. I used Uncle Lin’s medicine, and I can get out of bed and walk now. I just can’t do any heavy work yet, so I still need to rest.” Qin Xiang said. As she remembered the time when she and Zhu Hongxia had schemed against Qin Qingman, guilt washed over her.

She couldn’t help but sincerely regret her actions.

“Qingman, I’m sorry. Back then, I was blinded by deceit and listened to malicious gossip. Thankfully, you’ve been blessed, and you’ve found a man who truly cares for you.”

As she spoke, Qin Xiang looked toward Wei Ling, who was walking over with her husband.

Wei Ling was the most handsome and imposing man she had ever seen. A man like him was beyond comparison to someone like Liu Hechang. It was fortunate that the Qin family ancestors had blessed them, or else Qingman would have really gotten into trouble. If that had happened, they wouldn’t be in a position to have any connection to a person from the military like Wei Ling.

Qin Qingman didn’t respond to Qin Xiang’s apology.

The original owner of the body was already dead, so Qin Xiang’s apology held no real meaning.

If it hadn’t been for her scheme with the wild boar, she wouldn’t have easily forgiven Qin Xiang and the other two aunts.

The debt wasn’t wiped clean without consequence; it was only settled after paying a price.

“Little Aunt, it’s cold outside. You should let Uncle help you back home to rest properly. We’re leaving now.” Qin Qingman said, having gotten the sled. She had no intention of chatting with Qin Xiang for much longer. After expressing a few more words of concern, she prepared to leave with her husband.

“Ah, I’ll go back now.” Qin Xiang said.

She was so touched by Qin Qingman’s concern that she nearly shed tears. Originally, she had planned to take a walk outside since the weather was good, but now, she decided to go back and rest.

Her body wasn’t fully recovered yet, and it was better not to wander around unnecessarily. If she fell again, it would cause more trouble.

With Qin Qingman’s invitation, Qin Xiang took her recovery even more seriously, repeatedly urging her husband to help her back to the hall.

Jiang Linshan: … Wasn’t she just using a wooden stick to walk out earlier? Why does she seem so weak now?

“Hurry up.” Qin Xiang said, seeing that Jiang Linshan had not moved after a while. She tapped his leg with the wooden stick in her hand.

“Yes, yes, I’ll help you back right away.” Jiang Linshan said helplessly as he assisted his wife. He had also decided not to go out anymore. Today was a good day for a small drink, and he planned to call up Qin Shu and Qin Shi, since the two families were close to Qin Qingman’s.

Qin Qingman and her brother, Chuchu, were very popular in the village due to Wei Ling’s high standing, and they met people greeting them every step of the way.

At this moment, Chuchu was sitting on the sled.

Wei Ling was strong, and with a gentle pull, the sled glided smoothly across the ice.

Originally, Wei Ling had invited Qin Qingman to sit with him.

There were so many people in the village, and they kept running into familiar faces. As an adult, Qin Qingman felt too embarrassed to sit on the sled, so she decided to walk alongside Wei Ling. It wasn’t easy either, as the freezing ground, covered with ice, could cause them to slip at any moment.

So, Qin Qingman and Wei Ling were walking hand in hand.

Every villager who passed by them would smile warmly at the sight of their joined hands, then move aside.

A single pair of eyes made Qin Qingman feel embarrassed, but after countless pairs of eyes, she became used to it.

As they walked, their warm connection made them the object of envy for everyone in the village.

Whenever Qin Qingman and Wei Ling exchanged a glance, they could feel the unspoken sweetness between them.

About ten minutes later, the three of them had left the village. As they exited, one side of the road was covered in thick snow, and the other side was the river.

The surface of the river had frozen over in the frigid temperatures, with ice several inches thick. Standing on the ice, one could not only feel the solidity of the surface but also the smoothness.

“Wife, you and Chuchu should sit on the sled.” Wei Ling said.

Being skilled, Wei Ling had no fear of the slippery ice. Normally, such an ice-covered surface was dangerous to walk on, but with a sled, it was perfect for gliding.

Walking or slipping could lead to accidents.

There was no one around on either side of the river, so Qin Qingman wasn’t worried about people gossiping. She happily sat on the sled with Chuchu.

The sled at her aunt’s house was large, and even with two people sitting, there was still room to spare.

“It’s a pity we don’t have charcoal at home. If we did, we could put a charcoal brazier on the sled, and with just a blanket over our legs, it wouldn’t be so cold even outdoors.” Qin Qingman said with longing.

She was from a later time, and naturally, her cells were filled with a yearning for beauty and romance.

“When we buy charcoal for the house, we’ll make a sled ourselves, just like you imagined.” Wei Ling replied as he walked with steady steps.

Qin Qingman liked how Wei Ling indulged her, “It’s a pity we don’t have enough resources. Otherwise, we could have a few dogs to pull the sled. We could go anywhere, and it would be much faster than driving.”

In her past life, she had been very curious about the Inuit people living in the Arctic Circle.

She never imagined that one day she would find herself in such an extremely cold region.

“We might not be able to raise dogs.” Wei Ling said as he continued walking, his pace not slow at all. While pulling Qin Qingman and her brother, he was still able to thoughtfully consider Qin Qingman’s words. Dogs were high-maintenance and expensive to keep. Otherwise, during the winter patrols in the mountains, the troops would have found it more convenient to use dogs rather than horses.

Although horses could also pull sleds, they were less agile in the forest due to their size, making them less suitable than dogs for moving quickly.

“That’s true. Compared to vegetarian food, dogs prefer meat, bones, and with so many people struggling to get by, it’s definitely not feasible to keep them.” Qin Qingman agreed with Wei Ling’s assessment.

This was also why the troops used horses during the winter.

Horses were herbivores, and forage like silage and legumes were relatively easy to obtain.

“When the country grows stronger and resources become abundant, we’ll keep a few dogs. Every winter, we can have them pull our sleds, and we’ll be able to go everywhere in the mountains.” Wei Ling promised, seeing that Qin Qingman was a bit down. He wanted to cheer her up.

“Okay.” Qin Qingman said, looking at Wei Ling’s back with her heart stirred.

She had realized that Wei Ling was a man who pampered his wife, and at this moment, he was showing her affection in his own way.

“Big sister, do you think our Da Bai and Xiao Bai could pull the sled?” Chuchu, who had been listening to their conversation the whole time, suddenly spoke up.

Qin Qingman wanted to laugh but took a moment to seriously think before answering Chuchu, “They could, but they’re not very strong. They could probably only pull you as you are now. If you get any bigger or heavier, I don’t think our two geese will be able to pull you.”

“Oh, well then. When we get dogs, we’ll have them pull Da Bai and Xiao Bai along with the sled.” Chuchu said.

The two geese had been with the Qin family for some time, and Chuchu had grown fond of them. Even before riding a sled pulled by dogs himself, he was already planning for his two feathered companions.

“Okay.” Qin Qingman said with a smile, adjusting the hat on Chuchu’s head. Her eyes were soft and warm with a smile that curved her brows and cheeks.

As long as the geese weren’t afraid of the dogs, there was no harm in having the dogs pull the geese along.

Kaoshan Village was not far from the troop base, and although walking took some time, Wei Ling made it in less than half an hour with his half-walking, half-sliding pace.

The troop base was located on a flat area halfway up a mountain, and it could be seen from Kaoshan Village.

Wei Ling left the sled next to the sentry post and then led Qin Qingman and her brother, who had finished registering, into the base.

Chuchu was small, and if he had to walk on his own, he would surely slow Wei Ling and Qin Qingman down. So, without hesitation, Wei Ling hoisted Chuchu onto his shoulders.

The last time they came to the troop base, Wei Ling had carried Chuchu in his arms, but this time he simply carried him on his shoulders.

It was a completely normal gesture for both Wei Ling and Chuchu, and even Qin Qingman didn’t think it was unusual.

In the future, parents often show their closeness to their children by lifting them up, and a perfect childhood always includes the “shoulder love” from a father or an elder.

While it felt completely natural to Wei Ling and his family, anyone who witnessed it couldn’t stay calm.

Was that Colonel Wei, the one carrying the child so naturally?

The Colonel, known for his ruthless and ironclad demeanor on the training grounds, was actually so affectionate with a child?

Could it be that the infamous Colonel Wei had been swapped out with someone else?

Regardless of what people thought, when Wei Ling’s family arrived at the base, they had to visit the highest-ranking officer, Wang Chengping.

Upon their arrival, Wang Chengping, who had no more trouble to deal with, greeted them with a much warmer attitude. He even gave Chuchu a pen, encouraging him to study well and grow into someone who could contribute to the country in the future.

After chatting with Wang Chengping for a while, Wei Ling took Qin Qingman to the logistics department.

They needed to ask the logistics team to help transport coal from the provincial capital for their family.

The troop base had a large population, and the logistics department was responsible for distributing everything from coal and grains to vegetables and everyday supplies. Each time the logistics department was called upon, it required five or six large trucks. Helping Wei Ling’s family with transportation was no big deal.

The director of the logistics department was an old subordinate of Wang Chengping, and Wei Ling was well-acquainted with him, often referring to him as “Uncle” in private.

After hearing Wei Ling’s request, Hong Wei looked at Qin Qingman and Chuchu with a smile. “Comrade Qin Qingman, from now on, you need to keep an eye on Wei Ling. If he does anything wrong or doesn’t do something properly, come to the base and we’ll all back you up.”

“Thank you, Uncle Hong.” Qin Qingman said, her face turning slightly red as she thanked Hong Wei.

She knew that another reason Wei Ling had brought her to the base today was to introduce her to the people close to him.

“He’s such a good kid. When you two have your wedding next year, I’ll definitely come and bring you a big gift.” Hong Wei said, growing fonder of Qin Qingman the more he looked at her.

She was an open and generous girl, no worse than the girls in the city.

“Uncle Hong, you’d better prepare an especially big gift, or else my Wife might just stop calling you ‘Uncle,’” Wei Ling teased, showing his usual lighthearted side around those he was close to, not always so serious.

“You brat, I knew you were eyeing my big gift!” Hong Wei laughed, giving Wei Ling a hearty pat on the shoulder before ushering him out of his office.

As the head of the logistics department, Hong Wei was very busy. By the time he had finished speaking with Wei Ling and his wife, several people had already come in with requisition slips for supplies.

After leaving the logistics department, Wei Ling took Qin Qingman around to meet a few more people before they slowly made their way out of the base.

By the time they had finished their rounds, they had met all the important people and had a general understanding of the layout of the various departments within the base. Next time Qin Qingman needed help, even if Wei Ling wasn’t around, she’d know who to turn to.

“Brother-in-law, your place is so big and so impressive.” Chuchu couldn’t help but express as they walked around.

“How about you join the military when you grow up?” Wei Ling asked, curious about the child’s aspirations.

Chuchu furrowed his brows. He had promised Colonel Grandpa that he would focus on his studies, but seeing how impressive his Brother-in-law was, he was also very interested in the military and wanted to be like Wei Ling.

Qin Qingman gently smoothed Chuchu’s furrowed brows and smiled. “Chuchu doesn’t need to be conflicted. Studying and joining the military aren’t in conflict. You can study hard and go to a military academy. That way, you’ll meet Colonel Grandpa’s expectations and be just like Ah Ling.”

Chuchu’s eyes lit up, and he solemnly declared, “I’m going to a military academy, study hard, and become a soldier.”

“I believe you can do it, Chuchu.” Qin Qingman encouraged the little boy.

Chuchu’s face flushed with a bright smile.

On the way back, the mood of the family of three was even better because the road was slightly downhill. Not only did Qin Qingman and Chuchu sit on the sled, but Wei Ling also joined them.

With Wei Ling’s superb control of the direction, the sled smoothly slid along the icy river towards Kaoshan Village.

The thrilling excitement made Qin Qingman and Chuchu unable to control their volume, and their crisp, joyful voices spread through the air.

This made Yuan Xiangyang, who had just finished training and was preparing to lead his team into the mountains for patrol, look envious to the point of gritting his teeth.

This Lao Wei was really too much!

What was the big deal about marrying a wife? Did he have to show off like this?

“Definitely worth showing off. If you have the ability, go find such an outstanding wife yourself.” Zuo Gaopeng stabbed at Yuan Xiangyang.

Yuan Xiangyang clutched his chest and glared angrily at his teasing friend. “If you have the ability, you go find one!”

“Can’t find one, alas!” Zuo Gaopeng sighed deeply.

The night before, the three of them had gone to find Political Commissar Zhang as soon as they returned, but they were kicked out of his office. Only then did they realize the full story, and seeing Wei Ling so happy, the three of them were seething with jealousy.

“Tell me, how is it that Lao Wei’s luck is so good? Maybe we should spend more time in the mountains too?” Yuan Xiangyang was ready to end his single life.

“I think it’s a good idea. Let’s split up.”

Zuo Gaopeng glanced at Yuan Xiangyang and immediately led his team into the forest.

As the end of the year approached, they had intensified the patrols in the mountains to ensure the safety of the local people.

Wei Ling had no idea that his three comrades were ‘resenting’ him. The group continued to slide quickly down the river, and after three or four minutes, they stopped. The spot where they stopped was not far from Kaoshan Village.

After checking the clean ice surface, Wei Ling decided to harvest some ice here.

He also planned to let his wife experience the fun of ice-cutting and fish scooping.