Chapter 135

After the dumplings were made, the snow had already laid a white blanket over the ground.

With no other entertainment activities, everyone tidied up and went to bed.

Shi Tingyu lay in bed, her mind filled with countless thoughts. Once tonight passed, it would officially be 1976, bringing her one step closer to her parents’ departure.

In just over six months, this movement would end.

A new year brings new hope. She silently wished that everyone would have a smooth and healthy year ahead.

On the morning of the first day of the new year, Lu’s mother got up early to cook dumplings.

Shi Tingyu, savoring the warmth of the bed, did not get up.

Lu Weiguo brought the dumplings into the room for her.

On this first day, there wasn’t much to do, so everyone was quite relaxed. Seeing Shi Tingyu stay in the room, no one in the family said anything.

Lu’s mother even secretly wondered if the couple had engaged in some passionate activities last night, tiring her daughter-in-law out.

She wouldn’t pry. Without their efforts, when would her grandson arrive?

After breakfast, Shi Tingyu got up, washed up, and then lay back down.

Lu Weiguo, on the other hand, found a large teapot and a smaller cup that fit inside it, then went to the water jar to scoop water.

Seeing this, Lu Jianguo smiled knowingly.

He was preparing to make an ice lantern, a game they used to play as children.

He placed the smaller cup inside the larger teapot and filled the gap between them with water, adding some stones to the smaller cup to keep it from touching the bottom.

Lu Weiguo carefully arranged some pine leaves in the water around the smaller cup and left it to freeze outside in the snow.

By late morning, he checked on it and found that it had frozen solid.

He left it to freeze further.

After lunch, Lu’s parents and Lu Jianguo’s family prepared to return home, as they had to work the next day.

Lu Zhen was a bit sad, not just because he had to part with Lijian, but also because his uncle’s ice lantern wasn’t for him.

He was about to leave, yet the large teapot was still freezing in the snow.

In the evening, only Shi Tingyu and Lu Weiguo were left for dinner. Without the previous day’s bustle, their meal was still warm and cozy.

After dinner, Lu Weiguo told Shi Tingyu to go to bed while he quietly retrieved the teapot from the snow.

He carefully used hot water to separate the teapot and cup from the ice.

What emerged was a cup-shaped ice lantern adorned with green pine leaves.

Lu Weiguo drilled a hole in the bottom with wire, secured a candle inside, and added a wire handle wrapped with cloth.

He lit the candle, and the orange flame flickered inside the ice lantern, casting a fairy-like glow with the green leaves.

Satisfied with his creation, Lu Weiguo eagerly brought the ice lantern inside.

On the kang, Shi Tingyu was reading. She looked up at the sound and saw the lantern in Lu Weiguo’s hands.

Lu Weiguo handed the lantern to her. “Wife, this is for you.”

Shi Tingyu was surprised and delighted. “You made this?”

Lu Weiguo blushed slightly. “Yes. Do you like it? The countryside doesn’t have the same festivities as the city, so I thought I’d make something for you to enjoy.”

Shi Tingyu’s eyes sparkled with admiration. This man, who usually sweated it out on the training grounds, had crafted such a delicate item.

Not only that, but he had done it beautifully, finding green leaves to adorn the icy winter.

The ice lantern, with its transparent ice, green leaves, and glowing candle, seemed more precious than countless flowers.

“I love it, really, I love it!” Shi Tingyu’s voice was full of praise and affection, showing how much she appreciated his efforts.

She hoped he understood how much she valued what he did for her.

To preserve the lantern, she blew out the candle and placed it outside, hoping it would last longer.

Lu Weiguo, seeing her carefulness, said, “Don’t worry. If it melts, I’ll make another one for you.”

Shi Tingyu just smiled and shook her head. “One is enough.”

With this romantic gift, Shi Tingyu was especially passionate that night. Lu Weiguo, in his prime, was a perfect match for her energy, and they were entwined until dawn.

As expected, they slept late again.

Perhaps because they were on holiday, they indulged more freely.

However, shortly after they got up, someone knocked on the courtyard door.

Lu Weiguo opened it to find Xia Jie, whom they had met at the educated youth point on New Year’s Eve, standing with a tall man.

Lu Weiguo recognized him as Zhou Yian, an orphan from the village, originally from a landlord’s family. After a series of family tragedies, he was left alone and had grown up on the village’s charity.

He often helped the Lu family due to their kindness to him.

“Anzi, and Comrade Xia, what brings you here?” Lu Weiguo asked.

Xia Jie glanced at Zhou Yian beside him, knowing that he had a good relationship with the Lu family, so he didn’t hold back. He said, “This morning, I forgot to bring water to work. When I got thirsty, I went back to the educated youth point to get some. That’s when I saw Bai Qiuyue holding a letter, ready to leave. I took a quick look and it seemed like a report letter.”

He didn’t get a clear look at the letter, but he remembered that Bai Qiuyue had been asking other educated youths about the Lu family the previous night. He also recalled that Bai Qiuyue wanted to rent a house from the Lu family, and there had been some unpleasantness over it.

This morning, Bai Qiuyue took leave, saying she was going to the county to send something to her parents.

He felt something was off. She claimed she was going to send things to the county but didn’t bring anything except a letter. Even though she hid it quickly, he still saw it.

He still remembered her nervous expression.

Better safe than sorry. Xia Jie had a bit of idol worship towards Shi Tingyu, so he came over to give them a heads-up.

Zhou Yian, standing beside him, looked surprised at Xia Jie. He had come over for the same reason.

After Xia Jie finished speaking, Zhou Yian said, “My wife said she overheard Bai Qiuyue cursing you and saying she was going to report you for bourgeois behavior, occupying a house without living in it, and wasting national land resources.”

At this moment, Shi Tingyu came out and happened to hear Zhou Yian’s words.

She was speechless.

“Is Bai Qiuyue out of her mind?”

Lu Weiguo frowned and said, “Hard to say. It depends on whether the Revolutionary Committee wants to take advantage of it.”

If they met someone reasonable, it wouldn’t be a problem. But if they encountered someone greedy, they might have to pay even if they did nothing wrong.

“She’s already on her way,” Zhou Yian reminded them.

Lu Weiguo patted his shoulder, “Anzi, thank you.”

Then he turned to Xia Jie, “And Comrade Xia, thank you too.”

Xia Jie waved his hand, “It’s nothing. I just can’t stand these petty people. Well, I have something to do, so I’ll go now.”

Then Xia Jie waved at Shi Tingyu, “Teacher Shi, we’ll chat next time.”

If it weren’t for the situation, Lu Weiguo would have given him a stern look.