Chapter 65.3

In the afternoon, Zhu Jun and Song Bai went to the train station to buy tickets for the next day in advance. Jiang Nian, Zhang Xiao, and Feng Mei were pulled by Song Xiangdong to make snowmen in the yard. Feng Mei said, “Jiang Nian, I remember the snowman you made in the yard last year was so beautiful. Make another one before you leave.”

So Jiang Nian wore gloves and grabbed snow with Song Xiangdong, Song Xianghong, and Feng Mei. Zhang Xiao couldn’t touch the cold, so she watched the fun on the side. Lu Yu sat by the stove and talked with Commander Song. Turning his head to look at the window, Jiang Nian’s cheeks were rosy, her lips curved into a smile, revealing white teeth.

“Lu Yu—”

Commander Song called twice but got no response. He stretched his neck to look and saw several people building snowmen outside. “What’s so interesting about that?”

Lu Yu withdrew his gaze. “The two kids seem to be having a great time playing.”

Commander Song smiled. “When are you going to Yuan City for your assignment?”

Lu Yu replied, “I’ll go after the 15th. Before leaving, I’ll make another trip back home to see my eldest brother and Uncle Xu.”

Commander Song nodded. “That works.”

Jiang Nian finished making the snowman. She put Song Xiangdong’s hat on its head, and Song Xianghong wrapped its scarf around. Zhang Xiao broke two branches from a tree and inserted them as arms on the snowman’s sides. Feng Mei exclaimed, “Jiang Nian, you’re really skilled! You’re good at embroidery and you can even make beautiful snowmen.”

Jiang Nian smiled. Zhang Xiao said, “Sister Jiang, it seems like it’s still missing a nose.”

“Right.”

Jiang Nian said, “There’s a red chili pepper in the kitchen. Let’s use it as the nose for now. We can cook another dish with it tomorrow.”

“I’ll go get it.”

Song Xiangdong ran into the house and soon returned with a red chili pepper to use as the snowman’s nose.

Lu Yu and Commander Song came out. Song Xianghong ran over and hugged Commander Song’s leg. “Dad, is the snowman that Aunt Jiang and I made nice?”

Song Xiangdong said, “And mine and Mom’s too!”

Song Xianghong nodded. “And brother’s and Mom’s.”

Commander Song lifted Song Xianghong onto his shoulders. “My son has really skillful hands.”

“Dad, I want to be held too.”

Song Xiangdong caught up and Commander Song laughed. “Alright, alright, we’ll do it one by one.”

Jiang Nian looked at their happy family of four and couldn’t help but smile happily.

“Feeling cold?”

Lu Yu’s voice came in her ear. Jiang Nian rubbed her hands. “My hands are cold.”

“Come inside and warm up.”

Lu Yu led Jiang Nian inside to sit by the stove. Zhang Xiao and the others were still outside. As soon as Jiang Nian’s hand reached out, Lu Yu’s warm large hand wrapped around hers. He rubbed her hand. “Next time, don’t touch the snow. Don’t catch a cold again.”

Jiang Nian pursed her lips and smiled. “Mm.”

Lu Yu glanced at Jiang Nian’s wet eyelashes and quickly kissed her on the eyes. Jiang Nian blinked and didn’t come back to her senses for a while. Just as Song Bai and the others came back, they opened the door and Lu Yu pinched Jiang Nian’s soft fingers before letting go.

The train leaves at six o’clock the next day, with two sleeping berths and three sitting berths.

On the day of departure, Feng Mei cried while holding Jiang Nian, and Commander Song pulled Feng Mei away. “Alright, alright, crying like this doesn’t make anyone happy.”

This time, it was Commander Song who sent them off. He sent them to the train station and watched them get on before leaving.

Lu Yu settled Jiang Nian and Zhang Xiao first before going to the sitting berth. Jiang Nian lay on the sleeper and talked to Zhang Xiao until it was completely dark before going to sleep. She woke up several times during the period, vaguely seeing Lu Yu sitting beside her feet.

Lu Yu and Jiang Nian got off the train midway. The two went home for a while. Song Bai and Zhu Jun’s holidays were almost over, so they went back first.

On this side, the weather was obviously not as cold.

The two got off the bus and walked back to the village. As soon as they entered the village, they met many familiar people. Jiang Nian greeted them with a smile, just like when she came back for the New Year last year, openly, without any shadow from before.

“Lu Lao’er is back.”

“When did you and your sister-in-law arrive?”

Several people greeted each other and chatted. Just as they reached the door, aunt Zhao came out holding her chubby grandson. “Jiang Nian, why are you back so late this year?”

Jiang Nian smiled. “Went to visit a friend.”

Knowing that Jiang Nian was back, neighbors like aunt Wang came to talk for a while.

“Jiang Nian, take a look at how my chubby grandson is doing?”

Aunt Zhao loves her grandson very much. She has held him in her arms since he was born and doesn’t want to let go. She shows off to everyone she meets. Jiang Nian looks at the child’s round eyes and smiles, “He’s so cute. He looks like Zhao Gang.”

She asked again, “Should be about a year old, right?”

Aunt Zhao laughed. “In a few months, he’ll be a year old.”

At this time, Zhao Gang and his wife also came out of the house. When they saw Jiang Nian and Lu Yu , they exchanged a few words. When the child saw his mother, his grinning mouth suddenly shrank and he began to cry. Aunt Zhao patted the child and said, “Grandma will hold you.”

“After such a long time, why do you cry every time you see your mother? “

After talking for a while, everyone went back.

Jiang Nian walked into the house. It was snowing a lot. However, when Lu Yu left last year, he had tidied up the roofs. Except for Father Xu’s room, which was not suitable for sleeping, Xu Cheng’s room and the room where she slept were both in good condition. There was no snow leaking. Although the bedding was a little damp, it would be fine after drying.

Lu Yu went to buy corn flour and vegetables and came back to clean the snow in the yard. Jiang Nian burned fire pots in both houses, and Lu Yu went to the side of the fire basin after he had cleaned the snow and had them shake the blanket on the fire basin to let it dry.

She first made her bed, then went to the other side of Lu Yu, and Lu Yu was preparing dinner in the kitchen. The two worked together faster.

Jiang Nian just stood beside the bed, her eyes dimming for a moment. She shook her head and looked at the place where Xu Cheng had previously lai. In Jiang Nian’s memory, Xu Cheng had lain here for four years and had never done anything that crossed the original owner.

They were obviously husband and wife, but they lived together like family.

During the four years that the original owner had been married to the Xu family, Xu Cheng always forced her to sleep in Lu Yu’s house.

Xu Cheng was a man of steel, but he ended up in such a state. Jiang Nian knew that this was closely related to the original owner’s cowardice and foolish filial piety, but even so, Xu Cheng never complained about the original owner.

Xu Cheng’s face became clearer and clearer in Jiang Nian’s mind. His smiling eyes revealed a sense of alienation between the two of them. Jiang Nian seemed to feel that Xu Cheng was lying on the kang, smiling at her and calling her name.

Jiang Nian suddenly felt as if she was possessed by a demon. Her mind was foggy and it seemed as if all she could hear was Xu Cheng’s voice.

She blinked, and before she could calm down, she heard Lu Yu’s voice behind her.

“Jiang Nian.”

Lu Yu walked over to her, noticing her pale complexion and furrowed brows. “What’s wrong?”

Then he glanced at the bedding on the kang, and his deep black eyes narrowed slightly for a moment. He took Jiang Nian’s hand and led her to the next room. Jiang Nian leaned against the cabinet, her back against its edge. Her head was still a bit dizzy, feeling like this trip back was somehow different from before.

As if… someone was occupying her thoughts.

This thought emerged, causing a chill to run down Jiang Nian’s spine. Lu Yu bent down, holding Jiang Nian’s slender shoulders. He looked at her, his voice calm but with an undertone of urgency, “Tell me, what are you thinking?”

His grip on her gradually tightened, as if urging her to raise her head and tell him her most genuine thoughts.

At that moment, Jiang Nian suddenly felt that Lu Yu was afraid.

She didn’t know what Lu Yu was afraid of.

“Jiang Nian, look at me.”

Lu Yu’s deep voice was restrained. Jiang Nian resisted the dizziness in her eyes and slowly raised her head to look at Lu Yu. She opened her mouth to speak, but her throat seemed blocked, unable to produce a sound.

Jiang Nian’s heart skipped a beat, and the chill on her spine grew heavier.

“Jiang Nian, who am I?”

Lu Yu leaned down, meeting Jiang Nian’s confused gaze. He suddenly tightened his grip on her shoulders, as if trying to stimulate her with pain. The clarity and brightness in her eyes were gradually covered by confusion and numbness. Lu Yu’s usual calmness suddenly showed a hint of fissure. He lowered his head and kissed Jiang Nian’s lips.

On her lips, he bit down heavily. The hot breath of the spoon tangled in the invisible.

Lu Yu hugged Jiang Nian tightly, making this warm, living Jiang Nian compatible with his bones and blood. He used force to bite Jiang Nian’s lip, and the smell of blood spread between their lips and teeth. Finally, he heard a cry of pain from the person in his arms.

Lu Yu let go of Jiang Nian, grabbed her slender shoulders again, leaned down, and stared at her tightly. His deep voice was unexpectedly trembling, “Jiang Nian, tell me, who am I?”

He repeated this sentence again.

Jiang Nian’s pupils gradually focused, returning to their previous clarity. She licked the corner of her lips, tasted the blood, and felt the pain on her lips. Then she looked at Lu Yu, who was close at hand. The man’s deep black eyes were tense, and his temples were tight, with a faint red blood stain on his thin lips.

“Lu Yu.”

Jiang Nian finally spoke.

As she breathed a sigh of relief, she reached out and hugged Lu Yu’s thin waist, feeling his tense muscles even through their winter clothes. She buried her head in his arms and said again, “Lu Yu, is dinner ready?”

“It’s ready.”

Lu Yu held Jiang Nian, his palm resting on the back of her neck, fingers gripping the smooth skin. “What were you just thinking about?”