Chapter 47

While Wei Ling was checking the ice surface and selecting a spot to cut the ice, Qin Qingman pulled out a large wooden scoop from the big leather bag on the side of the sled.

Seeing the unexpected scoop, Chuchu was momentarily stunned before bursting into laughter.

Wei Ling’s lips curled up into a beautiful smile.

“Don’t laugh at me. This scoop wasn’t something I prepared; it was already in the bag.” Qin Qingman explained, blushing.

“Yes, it was already there.” Wei Ling said with a warm look in his eyes as he gazed at Qin Qingman. He had fetched the sled from the Jiang family and knew exactly what was on it. To be honest, he had no idea how this bag had appeared.

Qin Qingman looked into Wei Ling’s eyes and suddenly smiled. “Alright, I just got it.” Ever since she decided to borrow the sled from the Qin Xiang family, she had been preparing for ice-cutting and fish scooping. This bag hadn’t been with them on their journey but was something that her fourth aunt, Qin Anping, had prepared for her.

When Wei Ling went to fetch the sled, she had met her cousin Qin Anping.

Ever since he had eaten wild boar meat at her house, Qin Anping had wanted to get closer to Qin Qingman. Sensing her intentions, he cleverly prepared the wooden scoop and hung it on the riverbank nearby.

Just now, when Wei Ling and Chuchu were squatting on the ice surface discussing where to cut, Qin Qingman had casually pulled over the bag.

That was how Wei Ling and the others had seen the situation earlier.

“Big sister, does Anping want to play with us?” Chuchu could think of no other reason.

Qin Qingman paused for a moment before smiling and nodding, “Yes, your cousin Anping wants to play with us.” The most obvious sign of reconciling a relationship was involvement. Qin Anping sending the scoop was his way of asking Qin Qingman to include him in the fun.

“Big sister, Anping used to bully me.”

Chuchu held a grudge. He still remembered the last time Qin Anping, along with their cousins Qin Jianming, had tried to catch Da Bai and Xiao Bai.

“Then we won’t forgive him.” Qin Qingman said, smiling as she ruffled Chuchu’s head.

Unfortunately, the child was wearing a thick hat, so she couldn’t grab his soft hair.

Seeing that Qin Qingman was supporting him, Chuchu immediately became happy. “Okay, we won’t forgive him.”

“Well, whether we forgive him depends on our mood. If we’re in a bad mood, we won’t forgive him. If we’re in a good mood…” Qin Qingman teased Chuchu with a playful riddle.

“Big sister, what happens if we’re in a good mood? Will we forgive him?” Chuchu became anxious and simply threw his arms around Qin Qingman’s leg.

In the middle of winter, they were all dressed warmly. When Chuchu hugged Qin Qingman, he could only manage to wrap his arms around one of her legs.

It wasn’t because Qin Qingman’s legs were thick, but because both she and Chuchu were wearing so many layers. With his small arms and legs, this was the best result of his attempt to hug her.

“Big sister, you still haven’t told me—what happens if we’re in a good mood?” Chuchu relentlessly asked.

Seeing how determined Chuchu was, Qin Qingman finally answered, “If we’re in a bad mood, we won’t forgive him. If we’re in a good mood, then of course, we’ll forgive him if we want to. If we don’t want to, we won’t. We’ll do whatever we feel like.”

“Great, I like doing whatever I want!”

Chuchu was so happy he jumped up, nearly three feet in the air.

Qin Qingman didn’t stop him. It was so cold, and having the child run around a bit was good for his circulation. Once he warmed up, his hands and feet wouldn’t be so cold.

“Wife, I think there might be fish underneath here.” Wei Ling said after watching Qin Qingman and Chuchu fool around for a while. He then pointed to the spot he had chosen for cutting the ice.

“Alright, we’ll cut here.”

Qin Qingman wasn’t from this area, so she didn’t know much about it and didn’t insist on taking charge.

The hammer and chisel were retrieved from the space beneath the sled.

Wei Ling, wearing gloves, gently swept his hand over the ice. Qin Qingman and Chuchu could see the water plants floating beneath the ice, showing just how clear the ice was.

“Chuchu, come over here. Let’s give Ah Ling some space. Don’t disturb him while he’s cutting the ice.” Qin Qingman called for Chuchu to move a little further away.

Wei Ling unbuttoned his coat and stretched his arms and legs, preparing to start cutting the ice.

The sled from the Qin Xiang family could fit three people, which meant it was large. Wei Ling planned to cut large blocks of ice, about one meter square.

He first carved out a spot suitable for cutting the ice, then began the actual work.

Qin Qingman was initially worried that Wei Ling might catch a cold with his coat open, but as she watched him cut the ice, she stopped worrying.

His movements were powerful and smooth; the coat would definitely get in the way if he kept it on.

Wei Ling was strong and precise. While others would need several people to work together to cut the ice, he could manage it all on his own.

In less than half an hour, he had chopped off three large blocks of ice.

“Ah Ling, that’s enough, the ice lanterns are enough.” Qin Qingman called out as Wei Ling continued cutting the ice. During this time, she and Chuchu hadn’t been idle either; they had been playing by the riverbank, pulling the sled around, and were nearly sweating from all the fun.

“Alright.”

As soon as Wei Ling heard Qin Qingman’s voice, he stopped his work and shifted his gaze to the spot where he had already thinned the ice.

At this point, he hadn’t cut through the entire ice sheet, meaning it was time to make a hole for ventilation.

“Ah Ling, with how hard you were cutting, do you think the fish have already fled?” Qin Qingman asked, a little worried they wouldn’t catch any fish today.

“No, I used technique, not force. It may look loud, but the sound is only on the surface. The water muffles the sound, so any fish below won’t be disturbed at all.” Wei Ling said confidently about his skills.

“Alright then, let’s start cutting and scooping the fish.”

Qin Qingman tightly gripped the wooden scoop.

She remembered watching a documentary on TV in the future, about large-scale fishing with nets in Northeast China during the winter. The nets would be cast into the rivers, and in the end, they would haul in several tons of fish. Of course, she wasn’t expecting tons of fish today; just a few would be enough to feed their family for several meals.

“Brother-in-law, cut!”

Chuchu crouched next to Qin Qingman, anxiously watching the ice surface that was about to crack open.

“Okay.”

Despite being urged by Qin Qingman and Chuchu, Wei Ling remained calm and steady as he brought down the chisel.

With a sharp crack, the ice finally broke open, creating a large hole, and the swirling river water began to fill the gap.

The water beneath the ice wasn’t as cold as the air above it. In fact, it was several degrees warmer, and with the appearance of the hole, mist rose up above it, adding a mystical, ethereal quality to the snowy world.

It was incredibly beautiful.

Qin Qingman and Chuchu kept their eyes fixed on the hole, not blinking, waiting for the fish.

Wei Ling chuckled and explained, “Now that the vent hole is open, we’ll probably have to wait a while.”

“Okay.” both Qin Qingman and Chuchu replied in unison. Then Qin Qingman’s gaze turned toward Wei Ling.

It was only then that she noticed the fine beads of sweat on his forehead from the hard work.

He was sweating from exertion.

After thinking for a moment, Qin Qingman handed the wooden scoop to Chuchu and stood up, beginning to remove her gloves.

“Wife?” Wei Ling asked, a little puzzled when he saw her taking off her gloves.

It was so cold, and even with gloves on, it was freezing. Why was she taking them off?

“I’ll wipe the sweat off for you.” Qin Qingman said, her pale and slightly cool fingers gently gliding over Wei Ling’s forehead, removing the beads of sweat that had just appeared.

“No need to wipe it off. It’ll fade in a moment. Be careful, your hands will get cold.” Wei Ling said, reluctant to let Qin Qingman freeze, quickly putting down the chisel and wrapping his hands around hers.

But his gloves had collected some ice shavings from when he was cutting the ice, so instead of warming her, they made Qin Qingman’s hands feel even colder.

A light hiss escaped from Qin Qingman as she and Wei Ling both looked down at her hand.

Wei Ling immediately released her hand and took off his gloves.

“Ah Ling, it’s fine. My hands aren’t cold. Let me wipe your sweat, then I’ll put my gloves back on.” Qin Qingman stopped him, pulling a handkerchief from her coat pocket.

The handkerchief was one she had bought from the county Supply and Marketing Cooperative earlier, freshly washed and dried. It was the first time she had brought it out.

Made of pure cotton, the handkerchief absorbed the sweat quickly. In just a few seconds, Qin Qingman had wiped away all the sweat on Wei Ling’s forehead.

Just as she was about to put the handkerchief away, her gaze lingered on Wei Ling’s neck.

There were sweat marks there as well, a clear sign of how much effort Wei Ling had put into cutting the three large ice blocks in the past half hour.

“Wife, it’s fine. I’ll wash up when we get back.” Wei Ling said, following Qin Qingman’s gaze. Although he couldn’t see his neck, he could feel that his collar was slightly damp, which was likely the reason Qin Qingman had stopped looking at his face.

Qin Qingman, however, wasn’t convinced. “Ah Ling, it’s cold. If sweat isn’t wiped off in time, you could catch a cold.”

She knew Wei Ling had a strong constitution, but she didn’t intend to ignore his health.

Still holding the handkerchief, Qin Qingman reached for Wei Ling’s neck. Just before she could wipe the sweat off, she felt the warmth emanating from his neck, much warmer than her fingers.

It was almost scorching.

The scent of Wei Ling, the heat of his skin, made Qin Qingman’s heart race uncontrollably.

Under Wei Ling’s gaze, her own face flushed with a subtle but undeniable shyness, making her feel the pull of temptation in the air.

He couldn’t help but long to kiss her slightly flushed face, the color of her lips more vivid because of the cold. Even the delicate touch of her fingers on his neck made his thoughts stray, filled with desire.

The heat of his neck against the coolness of her fingers created a perfect contrast, almost sparking an intense, electric reaction.

“Wife.” Wei Ling whispered, his fist clenching, his head lowering slightly as he gazed at Qin Qingman with clear yearning in his eyes.

Qin Qingman looked at Wei Ling, and her mind drifted back to the scene from earlier in the morning, before they had gotten up.

She glanced at Chuchu, who was still crouching by the river, staring intently at the hole they had made. A mischievous thought crossed her mind. Without hesitation, she pulled her hands back, took off the other glove, and swiftly slid both of her hands around Wei Ling’s neck.

The warmth of his skin instantly made Qin Qingman’s face show an expression of enjoyment.

Wei Ling, already guessing what Qin Qingman was going to do, didn’t pull away. Instead, he offered his neck to her without hesitation.

At that moment, he didn’t feel cold at all.

Because Qin Qingman’s fingers, although cool, felt like fire to him.

Wei Ling took off his gloves and wrapped his hands around Qin Qingman’s, enveloping them in warmth.

With warmth surrounding them, Qin Qingman’s fingers quickly began to warm up.

Just as Qin Qingman was about to speak or do something, Wei Ling spoke first, “Wife, are you cold now?”

“Not cold anymore.”

Looking into Wei Ling’s clear eyes, Qin Qingman could see the tenderness and affection in them, and she immediately understood her position in his heart.

Her playful side emerged, and she gently scratched her fingers inside Wei Ling’s palm.

Wei Ling felt a wave of sweetness rush through him. It wasn’t just his heart that was affected—his entire body felt a tingle, a shiver running from his scalp, down his spine, and through his limbs, all the way to his fingertips.

“Ah Ling, let’s check for fish.”

Qin Qingman could not only feel the heat coming from Wei Ling’s body, but also the emotions he was silently conveying.

Under the broad daylight, she shifted the conversation, trying to avoid further attention.

After all, Chuchu was right there, and it wouldn’t be good if the child saw anything inappropriate.

” Wife.” Wei Ling said, noticing how Qin Qingman teased him and then quickly moved away. There was an unspoken hint of a slight grievance in his voice.

He had always been restraining his impulses, but every time, it was his wife who teased or provoked him.

Qin Qingman was someone who responded better to softness than to harshness. Seeing the grievance in Wei Ling’s eyes, she immediately reflected on herself and realized that she had indeed gone a bit too far. She quickly glanced at Chuchu, whose gaze had never left the ice hole, and then stood on tiptoe, swiftly pressing her red lips to Wei Ling’s lips.

It was a brief touch.

But Wei Ling was satisfied.

He was satisfied with his wife’s initiative.

“Fish! Fish!” Just as the couple was reminiscing about that fleeting kiss, Chuchu’s excited voice suddenly rang out, and the wooden ladle in his hand eagerly reached into the water.

The focus of both Wei Ling and Qin Qingman was instantly shifted.

Qin Qingman reached out to help Chuchu, but the wooden ladle could never scoop up a fish!

In their flurry of movements, not only did they fail to catch the fish, but they also splashed the cold water all over themselves. In the end, it was Wei Ling who, with swift hands and eyes, used the chisel to knock out five fish.

As soon as the fish left the water, they stiffened rapidly.

They weren’t dead yet, but they weren’t far from it.

The five fish were all very large, and Qin Qingman estimated that each one weighed at least a dozen pounds. She glanced at the ice hole that no longer produced fish and decisively gave instructions: “Ah Ling, fill the hole. Let’s go home.”

These five large fish would be enough for the family to eat for a week. Her and Chuchu’s clothes were a bit damp, and they needed to hurry back to dry them, or else they would catch a cold and fall ill.

“Okay.”

Wei Ling also noticed that Qin Qingman and Chuchu’s clothes were wet and immediately began sealing the hole.

If such a hole was left unattended, it would freeze over in half an hour. After a whole night, the ice layer would become as thick as the surrounding area. But Qin Qingman was worried that someone might not notice the hole and fall into it.

So it had to be sealed.

The hole was easy to seal. When Wei Ling had been chiseling ice blocks earlier, he had reserved one to block the hole. At Qin Qingman’s instruction, he quickly shoved the ice block into the hole, and with that, it wouldn’t be long before it would freeze completely over.

By the time Qin Qingman had moved the five fish onto the sled, Wei Ling was finished with his task.

To warn anyone unfamiliar with the situation, he even broke off a pine branch from the riverbank and stuck it in the ground near the hole as a marker. After finishing everything, Wei Ling rushed back to Qin Qingman and Chuchu’s side. He lifted Chuchu onto the sled and then said to Qin Qingman, “Wife, you get on too. I’ll go fast, and we’ll get home as soon as possible.”

“Okay.”

Qin Qingman didn’t try to be coy with Wei Ling anymore. She climbed onto the sled and sat down.

“Brother-in-law, can you pull it?” Chuchu, holding onto Qin Qingman’s leg, looked a bit worried. The sled already carried three large blocks of ice. With the added weight of his sister and himself, he was concerned whether Wei Ling would be able to pull it.

“I can pull it as long as you sit still.”

Wei Ling knew that on the ice, it only took half the effort to exert double the strength when pulling a sled.

“Brother-in-law, we’re sitting still now.” Chuchu reported their progress to Wei Ling.

“Mm.” Wei Ling tested the rope in his hands, and seeing that he could pull the sled, he began to apply more force. As the force increased, the sled, laden with weight, began to glide quickly over the ice.

Luckily, Kaoshan Village had relatively flat terrain, with no uphill or downhill paths.

In just over ten minutes, Wei Ling had pulled the sled all the way home.

Their family had once again made quite a stir.

This was no ordinary snow village. The freeze here lasted a long time, and every winter, the ice on the river was particularly thick. The speed of people chiseling ice couldn’t keep up with the freezing pace, and while there had been people who had tried to fish in the river for meat, no one had ever succeeded in eating fish during the winter.

But Wei Ling had broken that tradition.

The villagers watched in envy as the five large fish on the sled caught their attention, almost making their mouths water.

The Qin family still hadn’t finished the wild boar meat, and now they were going to have fish meat!

It was envy—immense envy.

Qin Qingman and Chuchu’s clothes had gotten wet, and before they even reached home, the water had frozen into clumps of ice, weighing them down heavily. As soon as they entered the house, Qin Qingman quickly rushed inside with Chuchu and started the stove to dry their clothes.

Wei Ling took care of the items on the sled.

The three large blocks of ice were placed by the water well, making it easier to access them later.

“Ah Ling, when you go to my little aunt’s house, bring a fish with you as a token of thanks.” Qin Qingman instructed Wei Ling on how to handle things, speaking through the window.

When borrowing something, one must always show gratitude, or else it would be hard to borrow again next time.

Since the fish had come from the river, and Wei Ling had the ability to catch them, Qin Qingman wasn’t worried about not being able to get fish again in the future. There was no need to be stingy with one fish.

“Wife, I understand.”

Outside, Wei Ling finished organizing the sled and chose the smallest fish to take to the Jiang family.

Though it was the smallest fish, it was only small compared to the others.

The fish in Wei Ling’s hand probably weighed around fifteen or sixteen pounds.

The Jiang family was both surprised and delighted by Wei Ling’s visit. They hadn’t expected him to politely bring them such a large fish.

If they saved it, it could feed them for a week at least.

“Wei Ling, how could we accept this? Qingman and Chuchu need to build up their health too. Take it back and give it to them. We’re just borrowing the sled, there’s no need for such a gift.” Jiang Linshan said, though he was eyeing the fish greedily, he still had to be polite.

“Uncle, this is from Qingman, she asked me to give it to you. Please accept it.”

Wei Ling didn’t like to go back and forth with politeness. He put down the fish and sled, preparing to head home. His wife and brother-in-law’s clothes were wet, and he didn’t feel at ease.

“Wei Ling, wait a moment.” Jiang Linshan saw that Wei Ling was genuinely offering the fish, and he was so pleased that he quickly turned to call inside. “Dongmei, go to the storage room and get a pound of monkey head mushrooms for your uncle.”

“Got it.”

Jiang Dongmei responded from inside and quickly packed some dried monkey head mushrooms into a small wicker basket before bringing them out.

She didn’t feel comfortable handing the basket directly to Wei Ling, so she gave it to her father instead.

Jiang Linshan handed the wicker basket to Wei Ling, saying, “Give this to Qingman and Chuchu to help them build up their strength.” Monkey head mushrooms were rare. Even though he often went to the mountains last year, he only managed to gather a small amount, and after drying, there were less than five pounds.

Qin Xiang’s injuries healed so quickly because she had been using monkey head mushrooms in the past few days.

Wei Ling had originally not planned to take the wicker basket from Jiang Linshan, but upon hearing that the mushrooms were meant to help his wife, he naturally accepted it, saying, “Thank you, Uncle.”

“There’s no need for such politeness, we’re family.” Jiang Linshan replied, seeing Wei Ling off.

Jiang Dongmei secretly watched Wei Ling, and when she clearly saw his appearance, her face flushed. She fantasized about being able to marry a man like her cousin-in-law one day.

Such a man would be capable of making sure his wife could eat well.

Wei Ling’s gaze never lingered on Jiang Dongmei’s face. With the wicker basket in hand, he returned home. Wicker baskets weren’t worth much in Kaoshan Village; every family could make their own, so he hadn’t planned on returning it.

At the Qin family’s house, Qin Qingman and Chuchu had already tidied up, and their wet clothes were drying by the stove.

When Qin Qingman saw the wicker basket in Wei Ling’s hands, she was pleasantly surprised.

Monkey head mushrooms, and wild ones at that—this was a rare delicacy, something highly prized in later times. The taste was incredibly delicious.