Hearing Huazi's cry in the distance, Zhao Wu hurried out to greet her and said loudly, "Sister is here. I killed a deer yesterday and brought it back to honor mother..."

There was joy in the voice, echoing in the valley.

Xu Lanyin's giggling sound came from outside the woods, and Huazi shouted even louder.

Suddenly, a wild pigeon flew onto Hanako's back and pecked at her feathers. Hanako was not angry at all, but happily turned around and coaxed it with her mouth.

This pigeon is usually tied with a rope, but today it was not tied. Surprisingly, it did not run away but came to play with Hanako.

Is this supporting the family?

Zhao Wuying came out of the woods and said with a smile, "I gave it a name, Mazi."

Xu Lanyin shook her head and laughed, "What kind of name is that? It's so ugly."

Zhao Wu smiled and said, "Although this name doesn't sound nice, it suits its image, and it sounds like they are from the same family as Huazi." He stretched out his left hand again and called to Ma Zi, "Mama, come here."

Ma Zi really understood what he said and flew onto his hand and stood there. Hua Zi also ran to bite Zhao Wu's trouser legs. It liked coming here because it could not only play with Ma Zi but also eat a lot of meat.

Xu Lanyin was extremely surprised and asked, "It has only been here for more than half a month. How did you train it so well?"

Zhao Wu smiled and said, "Birds are like people; some are stupid and some are smart. I was lucky enough to meet a smart one. I've been unlearning since I was a child, but I've always loved raising birds in cages, so I know how to make them behave." He then asked, "Sister, do you remember what auspicious day it is today?"

Xu Lanyin smiled as she walked towards the cabin, "Of course I remember. Today you're fifteen years old and an adult now. I brought some goodies to celebrate your birthday."

She turned fifteen on June 12, and Zhao Wu turned fifteen on the eighth day of the winter month, exactly five months younger than her.

Zhao Wu smiled brightly.

A stag weighing at least two hundred pounds was lying at the door of the cabin.

Zhao Wu said proudly, "I went up the mountain and hunted it yesterday."

"You're alone, so don't go too high. It's dangerous. Just hang around the foot of the mountain."

"Well, listen to me."

The two entered the house. On the stove stood a skinned rabbit and a plucked pheasant. However, the skin was scratchy and had few good spots. Some of the feathers had been plucked, and some had been curled by the boiling water.

Xu Lanyin put down the bamboo basket and took out a set of coarse cotton-padded jackets and trousers, a pair of rabbit-skin boots, a hat with ear flaps, some food, and a small pot of wine. The boots and hat were bought at the shop, and the clothes were made by Qin.

She took out a purse embroidered with a few plum blossoms and said with a smile, "I embroidered this. It's not well done, so don't despise it."

Zhao Wu happily took the purse and looked at it over and over again, and said with a smile, "I like it, thank you, sister." He first tied it to the hemp rope around his waist, thought about it, and then untied it and put it in his arms.

Xu Lanyin carefully examined the two scabs on his face. The edges of the scabs had already detached and were about to fall off. After washing her hands, she first rubbed a little Yushengji Cream around the scabs, then rubbed it all over his face. She told him not to wash his face for three days and not to pick at it.

Zhao Wu told her to remember to bring a bronze mirror next time so that he could see what she looked like.

Afterwards, Xu Lanyin cooked while Zhao Wu prepared the deer. Xu Lanyin couldn't carry the whole deer back home, so he first skinned it, cut it into four large pieces, and cleaned out the offal.

There were four dishes and one soup for lunch.

Xu Lanyin first filled a glass of wine for Zhao Wu, and then filled a small half glass for herself. She picked up the glass and said with a smile, "Happy birthday, brother. May you always be happy."

Zhao Wu clinked his glass with hers and said, "Thank you, sister. You are the one who gave me all my happiness. I will always remember it."

Xu Lanyin took a sip of wine and smiled, "You can't say that. Happiness is a state of mind. Once you let go of the unhappiness, all that's left is happiness."

Zhao Wu really wanted to say that he couldn't let go of some unhappiness... He smiled, finished the wine in the glass, and asked, "When is your birthday, sister?"

Xu Lanyin said, "June 12th."

"Oh, your birthday has passed this year. How old are you?" Zhao Wu had been reluctant to ask Xu Lanyin's age before, but after drinking, he became bolder.

Xu Lanyin lied, "Twenty." He always felt that he was old, so he just said a few years older.

Zhao Wuzhen believed it, but he still flattered her, "Sister, you really look young. I always thought you were only seventeen years old."

Xu Lanyin rolled her eyes at him. What a self-righteous fool! She was still a fifteen-year-old girl, why did she look so old in his eyes?

She had also carefully observed her face in the mirror. Her features were impeccable, with a hint of youthfulness, though her skin was a little darker and her pores were a little larger. Furthermore, the fact that she had traveled through time and space in her past life had brought her to her thirties, with a calm gaze and a serene temperament, gave Zhao Wu this impression.

It seems that I can no longer go up the mountain to collect herbs regardless of the cold winter or the hot summer. I have to take care of my face and hands.

After dinner, Xu Lanyin cleaned the deer and boiled it in a pot. Once cooked, she cut it into pieces and left them outside the cabin to freeze. When she was ready, she could just bring some in and stir-fry it. Winter in the mountains is like a natural refrigerator, more than ten degrees lower than outside.

The two played four more games of military chess before Xu Lanyin left. This time, she took home the deerskin and a large piece of venison, leaving the rest of the meat for later.

Zhao Wushi often sent wild animals to the family, and Xu Lanyin told Qin Shi how he wanted to be filial to her, which touched Qin Shi so much that she treated him as her own son.

Qin held the deerskin and said, "I'll use this to make him a waistcoat. What a sin! Living alone in the mountains in such cold weather."

I kept five pounds of venison for myself and sold the rest in town. I didn't dare give it to my eldest wife because I couldn't tell her where it came from.

On the morning of the tenth day of the first lunar month, Xu Lanyin was about to go into the mountains when Xu Lanting's excited voice rang out from the yard, "Mom, Brother Hong, Aunt Hong, and Sister Fang are here."

This family is a distinguished guest.

Qin, Xu Lanyin and Xu Lanzhou hurried out to greet them.

Hong Zhen was accompanied by a soldier who was holding the reins of two horses.

Hong Zhen stood at the gate and said with a smile, "I won't go into the house. The weather is good today, so I'll take Lanzhou out for some horseback riding." He knew that Xu Lanzhou wanted to learn horseback riding and archery, so he came here today specifically to teach him.

Xu Lanzhou was so happy that he ran out quickly.

Xu Lanyin smiled and said, "I'll prepare some delicious dishes and treat Brother Hong and this military officer to a good drink at noon."

The man quickly cupped his fists and said with a smile, "I dare not."

Mrs. Hu smiled and said, "That man is my master's personal soldier, his name is Liu Yong."

A few people entered the house and the maid presented them with gifts: two pieces of pork, a basket of apples, and a basket of walnuts.

Qin was going to entertain the guests, and Xu Lanyin was too busy to handle it alone. She ran to the main house to ask Gu to come over and help, and asked Xu Ershi to go to town to buy two jars of good wine and a big fish. At noon, she asked Old Man Xu, Xu Qingming, and Xu Ershi to come over to drink with the guests.