Chapter 39: New Year’s Eve Dinner

Despite being as insignificant as a blade of grass, she received special treatment from him.

Leng You looked up again, only to see Xiang Wentian put a dumpling in his mouth, chewing it for a moment before pausing.

Leng You: “…”

This mystery was almost as incredible as her rebirth.

“Wentian, did you get a peanut again?” Xiang Huaixin, her beloved adoptive father, noticed the anomaly immediately.

“Mm!” Xiang Wentian glanced at Leng You.

Their eyes met, both revealing a trace of bewilderment, yet overflowing with joy.

“If we weren’t sitting together, I’d suspect you two marked the dumplings beforehand. Haha…it’s quite interesting,” Bai Changpu laughed heartily.

“These two children have a good relationship. Xiaotian takes care of Youyou like a younger sister. I hope they’ll always be this way,” she said.

Wen Jiuyue hesitated to say that she hoped Xiang Wentian would take care of Leng You in the future. But the gap between the two children was too vast, both in terms of status and background. Xiang Wentian would eventually return to Pingdu, while Leng You, even if she became successful, would likely only find a stable job in the county.

Wen Jiuyue was not someone who lacked discretion, nor would she do anything annoying or embarrassing.

“He will. Wentian will take care of You girl,” Xiang Huaixin chimed in.

Although they hadn’t seen each other for years, a father still understands his son.

Xiang Wentian rarely played with other children when he was young. He particularly disliked delicate, crybaby girls. His already cold personality became even colder around them.

Strangely, although all the little girls in the compound were terrified of him, they inexplicably liked him, clinging to him whenever they saw him, some even chasing him home.

This annoyed young Xiang Wentian. When he couldn’t bear it, he wouldn’t speak; he’d just stare at them for a few seconds with a stern face, causing the little girls to cry and run away.

Xiang Huaixin had completely missed his son’s growth for five years (he and Bai Changpu had been sent to Daheishan Village for five years; before that, when they were sent to the Pingdu suburbs, he could see Xiang Wentian for a few days each month). However, his wife’s letters always detailed the children’s situation, especially their youngest son.

He knew that his son’s one unchanging trait over the years was his aversion to little girls, to the point of actively avoiding them.

Therefore, seeing Xiang Wentian’s unique treatment of Leng You was both surprising and deeply comforting to Xiang Huaixin, because he genuinely loved Leng You and believed she was a child with a bright future. Moreover, Leng You had saved his life.

“Xiaotian will,” Bai Changpu affirmed.

“This… wouldn’t it be troublesome for Xiaotian?” Wen Jiuyue was surprised by Xiang Huaixin’s immediate agreement, still feeling uneasy as she looked at Xiang Wentian.

“No,” Xiang Wentian looked at Leng You, his voice low.

Leng You looked up, meeting Xiang Wentian’s gaze again. The firmness and seriousness in his eyes struck her deeply.

A corner of the glacier seemed to tremble slightly, as if struck by a warm current.

“That’s wonderful! Thank you, Brother Xiang, thank you, Xiaotian, thank you both!” Wen Jiuyue’s eyes welled up with emotion.

She sensed that Xiang Huaixin and Bai Changpu would eventually return to Pingdu. Pingdu was a place everyone longed for, a place even someone like her dared not dream of—a paradise.

For her, for all the people of Daheishan Village, and countless others living in small towns, those who lived in Pingdu were like royalty, beings beyond their reach, like weeds compared to towering trees.

Especially a child like Xiang Wentian, who seemed extraordinary, destined for greatness. Having him look after Leng You would secure her future.

After all, she was fifty years old, her health weakened by years of hard work. If she were to die, leaving Leng You alone would haunt her. Xiang Wentian’s response seemed to provide a guarantee for her dearest one.

After New Year’s Eve dinner, Xiang Wentian and the other three left, taking some leftovers for breakfast the next day—a habit that had slowly formed.

On the first day of the new year, Leng You and Xiang Wentian remained in the valley. They discussed selling as much game as possible before the snow melted, as transportation would become a problem afterward, and the game would spoil easily in warmer temperatures.

After selling the game, they would start digging herbs, processing them while the weather was warm, and transporting them to the county to sell during the next winter.

In the following days, they hunted, while Xiang Wentian sawed dried dead trees for building their house.

Xiang Huaixin knew some carpentry, so making these simple things wasn’t a problem.

Initially, Leng You worried about transporting the wood. Xiang Wentian was strong, but the beams and rafters were thick and long, and the valley walls were steep, making it impossible to carry them up.

Unexpectedly, Xiang Wentian was incredibly clever, coolly saying, “Use pulleys,” leaving Leng You speechless.

After a few days of intense work, they prepared all the necessary lumber. Xiang Huaixin and Bai Changpu had sawn the necessary floorboards, and the doors, windows, and furniture were taking shape, though they looked a bit rough.

Northern China began to thaw after the first month, so before the tenth day of the first month, Leng You and Xiang Wentian went to the county to order several bags of cement, a small amount of bricks, asphalt, and glass.

Because of the heavy snow last winter, sleds had become popular in the Beian County area. They ordered their supplies to be transported by sled.

They arranged for the goods to be delivered to the edge of Daheishan Village.

On the delivery day, Xiang Wentian and Leng You waited at the agreed location with a sled. As soon as the goods arrived, they unloaded them onto their own sled.

Leng You gave the deliveryman several large buns wrapped in small quilts, and some dried venison, for him to eat on the road.

The 100-mile mountain road, even with a horse-drawn sled, would take a long time, and it was so cold. If it weren’t for their livelihood, who would endure such hardship?

When settling the transportation fee, Leng You gave the deliveryman an extra twenty yuan.

The man’s eyes welled up with gratitude. Although he was a young boy, it was clear that his elder brother doted on him and remained silent about everything she did.