Chapter 29: New Year’s Celebration

“Hmph.”

“Really, don’t you believe me?”

Lin Bingwei: “…” Just look at my expression.

Zhang Tingyuan hurriedly took her hand, realizing it was icy, and he quickly pulled her hand under the covers and pressed it against his chest.

“I guarantee it with this.”

Meeting his serious eyes, Lin Bingwei, who had been single for over twenty years, felt a flutter of emotions.

This sensation was different from her earlier acceptance of life.

Back then, she thought maybe it would be better to just act like a true couple and continue living like this in the future.

One reason was that she was quite satisfied with her understanding and reasonable in-laws; Zhang Tingyuan treated her decently, and Zhang Jianguo was not a burden to her.

Everything seemed just fine.

Living with their family would be more relaxed and pleasant. Why would she refuse?

But at this moment, the feeling of fluttering emotions was indescribable.

Just as she was feeling perplexed, Zhang Tingyuan pulled her hand toward the bed. “It’s cold outside; come to bed.”

Lin Bingwei shyly averted her gaze, wanting to retract her hand, but she was unable to do so.

She said, “Mom and Dad are still outside keeping watch; they haven’t gone to sleep yet.”

“I didn’t say to sleep right now. Look how cold you are sitting on the edge of the bed; wouldn’t it be better to get into the covers and chat with me?”

“It’s not good; mom will come in soon.”

“That’s fine; she won’t laugh at you. Come on, I’ve already warmed the covers for you.”

But at this moment, a lingering affection hung between them, and her intuition told her that it wasn’t appropriate to crawl into the covers now. However, she couldn’t resist his temptation, so she finally fell in half-heartedly.

Originally, they had been sleeping separately under different blankets, even the hot water bottles had been one for each, but now she was snuggling under his covers.

Accidentally brushing against his warm body made Lin Bingwei feel nervous, and she quickly shifted to the side.

Zhang Tingyuan was not doing any better.

They lay awkwardly under the quilt in silence.

Lin Bingwei thought to herself, weren’t you quite the talker before? Now you’re suddenly mute.

While she was lost in these thoughts, the person next to her broke the silence with a hoarse voice, “Are you still cold?”

Um…

“Have you warmed up yet?”

Lin Bingwei: “…” Isn’t that the same question?

“Why don’t you move a bit closer? I’m a little warm; it’s just right for you to warm up with me.”

Can she move closer?

Staying in this home and living with this man didn’t seem like too much to ask after all.

Alright then, she’ll move a bit closer.

Zhang Tingyuan lifted his arm to make space for her. “Move in a little closer.”

Huh? Even closer?

Then… she wouldn’t hold back.

How cold was it that day? The damp chill from the south was like a magical assault, all she had was her vitality to counter it.

Her body was as cold as an ice stick, especially her hands.

Lin Bingwei deliberately reached out first to touch his waist, encountering a solid surface, which was different from when she’d pressed against the fixed plate on his chest.

He gasped at her icy touch.

“Why is it so cold?”

Lin Bingwei stifled a laugh. “How about now? Am I close enough?”

“Yes, of course!” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close until her cold body was firmly pressed against him.

It was chilly, but the girl’s body was really soft, even softer than on their wedding night.

It’s strange—despite having been married for a while and having fulfilled their marital duties that night, he only now felt like he truly had a wife. Just holding her made him feel quite nervous.

Perhaps it was because that night, she had been as pliable and unresisting as a rag doll?

Thinking this way, he asked,

“Hey, Weiwei, why didn’t you say anything that night we got married?”

“What do you mean I didn’t say anything?”

Zhang Tingyuan thought for a moment. “After the person from the post office came and delivered the message, you stopped talking. Oh, I get it; you were actually upset but just held it in and ignored me.”

Lin Bingwei twitched her mouth; could she explain that she was busy processing the information about this body at that time?

Zhang Tingyuan was really something. She hadn’t said a word, completely in stunned silence, yet he managed to carry on with things as if he wasn’t scared at all.

“Actually, I feel quite sorry for you,” Zhang Tingyuan continued with a sigh. “It’s normal for you to be mad and ignore me.”

Wow, so he was capable of self-reflection.

“Let’s live well together; in the future, I’ll treat you even better.”

Lin Bingwei replied, “Sure, as long as you don’t just give me empty promises.”

“Empty promises?”

“Yeah, promises are as good as empty; they won’t satisfy your hunger. I’m still hungry after all, essentially it’s deceiving.”

Now he understood. “You don’t trust me? No empty promises here; I’m not deceiving you.”

“What empty promises?” Just as they were talking, Li Yurong walked in, carrying a large bowl with two roasted sweet potatoes inside.

Zhang Tingyuan frowned. “Mom, why are you here?”

Lin Bingwei smacked his hand away, preparing to get up.

But Zhang Tingyuan pulled her back down again.

Lin Bingwei said, “Don’t fool around; Mom is here.”

“So what if she’s here? It’s so cold outside; why would you want to get up?”

Li Yurong smiled as she brought in the roasted sweet potatoes. “Weiwei, Tingyuan is right; it’s cold outside, so don’t get up. Here, I brought you two roasted sweet potatoes; you can eat them in bed. If you want anything else, just call me, and I’ll bring it in.”

This was so awkward.

Lin Bingwei took the sweet potatoes and said, “Thank you, Mom.”

Li Yurong was very pleased with her. This child was polite; more so than the young wives and daughters in the village.

Though she didn’t have much education, Li Yurong felt that this girl acted more like a university student than those actual students.

Ah, right, she was a child prodigy.

“Why be so polite with me? Alright, I won’t disturb you, so eat up.”

After saying that, she left, kindly closing the door behind her.

Once she was gone, Lin Bingwei asked, “I heard that Mom graduated from high school?”

“Yeah, when Mom was young, her family was relatively well off and ran a private school. My dad studied at her family’s school when he was little.”

“Oh, the daughter of a landlord?”

Zhang Tingyuan smiled, acknowledging it.

Lin Bingwei was surprised. “Then how did you enlist?”

With that background, he shouldn’t have.

Zhang Tingyuan said, “My grandfather and several uncles served in the military and earned honors on the battlefield. The only one left in the family was my mom, the youngest daughter. Wasn’t it easy for me to enlist?”

Lin Bingwei then understood that his family had such a background.

No wonder her father-in-law’s superstitious practices weren’t criticized.

Their big ‘mansion’ hadn’t been taken away, and the furniture was all still there; Zhang Tingyuan could still enlist.

It turned out he was part of the “red third generation.”

Zhang Tingyuan continued, “Actually, my mom lost out when she married my dad.”

Lin Bingwei: “……” Is it appropriate for you to talk about your father like that?

But thinking about it, with Li Yurong’s background, after her brothers had garnered some glory, she must have received quite a bit of care from above and could have easily married someone within the elite circle.

Had she not married into the Zhang family, their house likely wouldn’t have been kept.

“Quickly eat the sweet potatoes; they’ll get cold and unappetizing if you take too long.”