Chapter 50.1

Qin Qingman’s heart raced as Wei Ling looked at her, as if she had just tasted a spoonful of sweet honey, a warmth spreading from her heart to her lips. She thought for a moment and then replied, “Ah Ling, I want a cute little tiger.”

For girls, cute things always attracted their attention.

Because inside their hearts, there lived a little princess.

“Okay.” Wei Ling understood from Qin Qingman’s expression what she meant, and he lowered his head, getting busy.

This was also the first time Qin Qingman had seen Wei Ling carve an ice lamp.

Watching Wei Ling’s precise movements, she immediately understood that this required delicate control. Ice appeared hard, but it was also fragile; a slight deviation in strength could easily ruin everything.

Thinking about Wei Ling’s remarkable skills, Qin Qingman became pensive.

“Wow, a snake, the snake is finished.” Chuchu’s voice brought Qin Qingman back to her senses.

The ice lamp, which had already been clearly sculpted by Wei Ling, was now further refined. This final form wasn’t just about its appearance; the inside had also been hollowed out to hold a candle.

“Here.” Wei Ling handed the finished ice lamp to Chuchu.

Chuchu immediately hugged it tightly, a joyful smile spreading across his face.

“Sis, sis, look, look, this is the most beautiful ice lamp I’ve ever seen. It’s even more beautiful than the ones Grandpa Shan makes!” Chuchu couldn’t help but show off the ice lamp in his hands to Qin Qingman.

The Grandpa Shan he referred to was named Zheng Shan, the best ice lamp maker in the village.

In those days, most ordinary families didn’t have a TV, and even radios were rare. Entertainment was limited, so during the New Year, the village would make ice lamps to decorate their homes, adding to the festive atmosphere.

Zheng Shan was the best ice lamp artisan in the village, attracting large crowds every year to admire his creations. Chuchu had always watched with curiosity, filled with endless admiration.

Today, he no longer had to envy others, because the ice lamp Wei Ling made was even more exquisite and beautiful than the ones Grandpa Shan had made.

With this joy, Chuchu’s gaze turned toward the village.

He wanted to go to the village to take a look.

In the past, he had always envied the children in the village who would proudly carry their beautiful ice lamps around, showing them off. Today, he wanted to show off his own.

The weather was fine, and there was no snow. The children were playing in the village.

Qin Qingman noticed what Chuchu was thinking. After thinking for a moment, she realized that the child still didn’t have his own little friends. So, she said, “You can take Da Bai and Xiao Bai to play outside.” She suggested bringing the two geese along to prevent him from being bullied.

“Sis, can I go out?”

Chuchu was stunned. He hadn’t expected Qin Qingman to allow him to leave the house.

“Of course, you can. Our mountain village doesn’t belong to anyone in particular. If you want to go out, just go.” Qin Qingman said, her voice tinged with a slight ache in her nose. It was natural for a child to long for companionship. She should let him go and interact with others.

“Sis, then I’ll take Da Bai and Xiao Bai for a walk.”

Chuchu was quick to understand Qin Qingman’s intention in suggesting that he take the two geese along.

He glanced at the ice lamp in his hands, worried that it might be snatched or damaged, and taking the geese with him would certainly make things safer.

“Take them with you. Da Bai and Xiao Bai’s feathers will keep them warm. It’ll be fine to take them out for a walk.” Qin Qingman said as she helped Chuchu herd the geese into the living room.

Goose feathers were excellent for warmth. She promised herself that, when the opportunity came, she would make herself a down jacket to wear.

Down jackets were light, warm, and much more convenient for work than bulky cotton coats.

“Ahhhhhh—” As soon as Da Bai and Xiao Bai were let out, they immediately began flapping their wings excitedly and running around in the yard.

They had been cooped up inside during the heavy snow, and the two geese were stir-crazy. When it was their time to go outside, they would sprint wildly, calling out loudly as they ran.

The geese had been well-fed at the Qin household and were in excellent condition, their feathers glossy and smooth. Their calls were crisp and loud, and when they cried out like this, people living nearby looked over.

Then they saw Chuchu, holding the ice lamp, with two imposing geese following behind him.

Chuchu, tightly wrapped in his winter clothes, was already serious as he led the geese outside.

His proud appearance immediately made many people understand what he was trying to show off.

“Hey, Chuchu, is that an ice lamp you’re carrying?” People shoveling snow along the way started teasing him.

“Yes, my Brother-in-law made it.” Chuchu answered seriously, carefully rotating the ice lamp in his hands.

Knowing he wanted to show off, Wei Ling had specially carved a wooden stick to serve as the handle. Now, Chuchu was holding the handle, and as he turned the lamp, it showcased the ice lamp in every direction to the people around him.

The ice lamp, though not small, was very lightweight because Wei Ling had made the ice walls thin. Even if Chuchu carried it for half an hour, his hands wouldn’t get tired or sore from the weight.

Now the child could proudly show off in front of everyone.

As he displayed his ice lamp, all eyes were drawn to the one in Chuchu’s hands.

Earlier, when people were further away, they could tell Chuchu was carrying an ice lamp, but they couldn’t see the details clearly. Now that they were closer, they were astonished by Wei Ling’s craftsmanship.

The small, coiled, chubby snake was endearingly silly, irresistibly cute.

“Chuchu, did your Brother-in-law carve this?” someone asked, their voice filled with disbelief.

“Yes, my Brother-in-law carved it. He’s also going to carve a little tiger and a little monkey.” Chuchu answered seriously, but his little tail, invisible to others, was already shaking with pride.

He was very proud, immensely proud.

“Chuchu, your family is carving ice lamps so early? The New Year is still a month away. Isn’t it a bit too early?” Some people, envious of Chuchu’s ice lamp, were curious about why the Qin family had started making ice lamps so early. Usually, people began making them closer to the New Year.

“This ice lamp is something my Brother-in-law made specially for me to play with.” Chuchu replied with immense pride. His Brother-in-law was the best Brother-in-law in the world.

The word “specially” emphasized the key point.

“Chuchu, your Brother-in-law is so great.”

Indeed, many people envied Chuchu after hearing this, especially the children from the village.

Everyone had noticed the changes in Qin Qingman’s life since Wei Ling arrived. She had already been a source of envy and jealousy, but now that Wei Ling had made such a beautiful ice lamp for Chuchu to play with, the children were even more envious.

Everyone wished they could have such a great Brother-in-law.

Some of the younger, naive children even went to the older sisters in the village and asked why they didn’t marry a Brother-in-law like Chuchu’s.

The older sisters, who were already married, were taken aback. One of them immediately grabbed a broom and started spanking the children, causing them to cry out in distress.

The sister who was scolding was even more upset. If only she had Qin Qingman’s face and figure, would she have married a short and stocky man?

Could marriage be something she could decide on herself?

Did they think everyone could be as lucky as Qin Qingman, to lose their parents and still meet such a wonderful man like Wei Ling?

The sister was angry and upset, and her Brother-in-law didn’t fare any better either.

Anyone who was criticized by his own wife would naturally feel upset. Not daring to shout at his wife, he simply gave his ignorant brother-in-law a harsh glare. If it weren’t for his brother-in-law’s incompetence, would he be left in such an embarrassing position?

When the brother-in-law got angry, he chose to stand by and coldly watch as the brother-in-law was beaten up. The brother-in-law, feeling even more wronged, grew increasingly distressed.

This brother-in-law was useless! He couldn’t hold a candle to Chuchu’s brother-in-law, and even when it came to the single redeeming quality of rescuing people, he was utterly lacking. Truly, he was pathetic—so, so pathetic!

This was the fate encountered by kids whose elder sisters were already married. Then there were those whose sisters were still unmarried.

The girl who had yet to marry flushed red upon hearing her foolish brother’s absurd words, then, overwhelmed by shame and fury, grabbed him and gave him a sound spanking.

How infuriating!

It was as if he had picked the worst possible thing to say! Did he think that men like Wei Ling were common? Did he think that anyone could have Qin Qingman’s luck?

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, and thus the harsher her beating of her younger brother grew.

Chuchu had no idea that, while he had wandered around the village, he had inadvertently stirred up a storm of jealousy for Qin Qingman. Nor did he realize that many kids were suffering as a result of his constant, unreserved praise for Wei Ling.

His risk of getting ambushed with a sack had significantly increased.

Many of the children who had been scolded or beaten swore to themselves that they would definitely find a chance to teach Chuchu a lesson.

Completely unaware of any of this, Chuchu wasn’t wandering aimlessly around the whole village; he was only walking down a few main paths. These were areas the village prioritized for snow clearing and also the paths with the most foot traffic.

As he walked, he proudly displayed his ice lantern.

The villagers watched Chuchu with mostly kind expressions, though there were also some older kids who gazed enviously at the ice lantern he held.

These bigger kids stared intently, eyes filled with greed. Were it not for the two fierce geese, Da Bai and Xiao Bai, following closely behind Chuchu, those kids might have already snatched the ice lantern out of his hands.

After all, in the village, that’s simply how kids played—no one considered taking things to be off-limits.

Qin Jianming and his brother, who were under watch to keep them on snow-shoveling duty, along with Liu Sangunzi, also spotted Chuchu proudly making his way through, followed by the two geese.

The two geese seemed to have grown larger and taller; the way they held their heads high and looked at people made everyone feel annoyed, almost to the point of wanting to butcher them and eat their meat.

But whenever they remembered the ferocity of those two geese, both Liu Sangunzi and the Qin brothers quickly shrank back.

This was especially true for Qin Jianming and Qin Jianjun, who had been pecked by those geese before—the painful memory was still fresh.

Rubbing their sore spots, the Qin brothers hurriedly lowered their heads.

There was no way around it—none of them could mess with the Qin family’s Chuchu or the two geese now.

“Sigh—”

A collective sigh from three little thieves captured their shared feeling of helplessness.

Chuchu returned home with rosy cheeks, but it wasn’t from the cold—it was from pure excitement.

Along the way, he’d received endless words of praise. Some were compliments directed at him, others at Wei Ling, and still others praised his sister, Qin Qingman.

The child was overjoyed with all the praise, and his excitement made the blood rush to his face, giving him a warm, flushed look. Even his limbs felt warm, and he didn’t feel the cold at all.

As soon as he got home, Chuchu’s big eyes darted around, taking in the scene.

His family’s yard was quiet, with no sign of Wei Ling or Qin Qingman.

Immediately, Chuchu’s gaze shifted to the eaves of the house, where two beautiful, crystal-clear ice lanterns were hanging—one shaped like an adorably fierce little tiger, the other like a clever, mischievous little monkey. They stood on either side, guarding the grand entrance to the hall.

Chuchu carefully placed the ice lantern he’d brought home in the snowman’s hand and dashed back to the hall, the two geese following right behind him.

“Sis, brother-in-law, I’m back!”

Chuchu’s cheerful voice echoed through the Qin household, and anyone could hear the joy in his tone.

At that moment, Qin Qingman and Wei Ling were each occupied: one was tidying up the west room, while the other was taking a bath.

Chuchu had returned at just the right time; Wei Ling had just finished his bath. After shoveling snow in the morning and handling ice for the lantern-making, he had worked up a bit of a sweat, so Qin Qingman had stoked the fire in the hall’s stove, boiled some hot water, and let him take a bath.

With his short hair, it was quick and convenient for Wei Ling to bathe.

When Chuchu entered, Wei Ling had just finished bathing and was getting dressed, so there was no awkward encounter.

“Chuchu, you should take a bath too. Tomorrow’s the holiday.” Qin Qingman’s voice called from the west room. She had just finished tidying up the room, moving items they didn’t need, or wouldn’t need anytime soon, to the east room. From now on, their family of three would mainly use the hall and the west room.

“Alright, I’ll take a bath!”

Seeing Wei Ling getting dressed and feeling the warm temperature in the hall, Chuchu agreed readily to take a bath.

But before he could bathe, he had to make sure he was nice and warm.

He shooed the two geese into their pen, tossed them a handful of corn kernels and some carrot strips, and then went over to where Wei Ling was standing, inspecting the water in the washbasin.

The water was still steaming.

“Don’t worry, there’s plenty of hot water. I’ll change it for you.” Wei Ling said, gently ruffling Chuchu’s fluffy hair.

“Hehe—” Chuchu grinned at Wei Ling.

He was so happy today. He’d met several new friends, and they were all really friendly, already planning to play together again in the future.

“Had a good day?” Wei Ling noticed Chuchu’s happiness.

“Yes, Brother-in-law, I’m so happy! Everyone praised the ice lanterns you made. Even Grandpa Shan said they were beautifully crafted, even better than his!” Chuchu beamed as he recounted, with enthusiastic gestures, how everyone in the village had complimented him and Wei Ling.

Seeing Chuchu’s little face flush red with excitement made Wei Ling feel good as well.

He patiently listened to Chuchu’s chatter, waiting until his hair was nearly dry before lifting the basin and heading outside to pour out the water.

The washbasin was much larger and deeper than a foot basin, and it was heavy after soaking up water. Luckily, Wei Ling was strong enough to carry it. When Qin Qingman took a bath, she usually had to pour out the water in smaller containers.

“Chuchu, stay inside and don’t come out. I’ll wash out the basin.” Wei Ling said, seeing Chuchu trailing behind him. Noticing the boy had just taken off his heavy winter coat, he stopped him.

“Oh, okay.”

Chuchu stood by the door, watching Wei Ling head outside with the basin, then returned to the warmth by the stove.

Just then, Qin Qingman came out of the west room, holding a fresh set of clothes for Chuchu.

In this weather, it wasn’t feasible to change into fresh clothes from head to toe, and the Qin family didn’t have the resources for that anyway. Qin Qingman had only brought inner layers for Chuchu to change, while his outer layers would stay the same.

Now that Wei Ling was living with them, their situation was a little better, with a few extra clothes. Some families in the village had too many mouths to feed, and they couldn’t even provide enough outerwear, let alone inner layers. Often, if the eldest had clothes, there was nothing left for the younger ones.

“Sis, the ice lanterns Brother-in-law made are so pretty! Everyone said…” Chuchu started eagerly, chattering as soon as he saw Qin Qingman.

He had just told Wei Ling all of this, and Qin Qingman had overheard it from inside, clear as day.

But she didn’t mind hearing it again. Instead, she listened attentively.

Her little brother was rarely this happy and excited, and letting him talk as much as he wanted wouldn’t do any harm.

Once Chuchu paused for breath, Qin Qingman asked, a touch of concern in her voice, “Did anyone try to take your ice lantern?”

Although she hadn’t been in Kaoshan Village for long, she knew from her memories of the original Qin Qingman what the village kids were like.

“They wanted to take it, but they were scared of our Da Bai and Xiao Bai.” Chuchu said with a wide grin.

Though young, Chuchu was clever. He had chosen crowded paths on purpose, and with the two geese protecting him, no one dared to snatch the ice lantern from his hands. That was exactly why he felt confident going out alone to show it off.

“Smart little one.” Qin Qingman chuckled, ruffling his hair, before adding more firewood to the stove.

Bathing in this kind of weather required careful attention to warmth, as a cold could be quite troublesome.

Just then, Wei Ling returned, carrying in the freshly washed bath basin.

With limited resources, every household in the village shared a single bath basin. Their family was a bit more particular, at least separating the bath basin from the foot basin. In some families, a single basin was used for bathing, washing feet, and even doing laundry.

“Ah Ling, help Chuchu with his bath. I’m going over to Uncle Ankang’s to order some furniture.” Qin Qingman said, confidently entrusting Chuchu to Wei Ling’s care.

“Alright.” Wei Ling nodded, readily agreeing to Qin Qingman’s arrangement.

Chuchu had no objections either. With the bath basin already carried in, he couldn’t very well insist on going out with her.

Qin Qingman trusted Wei Ling to handle things, and she was sure Chuchu could manage himself as well. After giving a few instructions, she wrapped herself in her thick cotton coat and headed out the door.

The weather outside was calm, with no wind and some sunshine, so she didn’t bother with a hat, just a scarf and gloves. Of course, she also took a few ration tickets.

If she was going to order furniture, she needed something to trade.