They carried the raccoon meat back to the cave.

The curtain was lifted, and Jiang Xi, wearing a sweater, was sitting in front of the earthen stove spinning yarn. A cold wind blew in, making her shiver.

Yan Zheng quickly lowered the curtain and closed it.

Jiang Xi noticed what he was carrying and asked in surprise, "Huh? You have rabbits today?"

Yan Zheng shook his head: "It looks like a raccoon, gray with black and white markings on its face. I've never seen one before. It was frozen in the trap overnight."

As he spoke, he placed the cleaned raccoon meat on the stove, took off his cloak, washed his hands, and sat down next to Jiang Xi to warm himself by the fire.

Jiang Xi is naturally afraid of the cold. When the weather is bad and she can't go out, she sits in front of the stove knitting sweaters and doing needlework, or she boils some water or makes some hot soup for them.

Today she wore a light purple sweater, made from a fruit that Yan Jing'an had somehow found, saying it could be used to dye clothes.

However, the purple color suited her very well, making her look exceptionally healthy. Yan Zheng wanted to reach out and touch her cheek, but then stopped himself, remembering that his hands were cold.

Seeing that she always stays cooped up in the house,

Yan Zheng nudged her shoulder and urged her, "Let's go for a walk later."

She flatly refused, saying, "No, it's too cold." She had a deep-seated aversion to snow.

Just looking at her makes me feel cold, let alone going outside.

He leaned closer and whispered, "Go on, the lake will be beautiful after the snow, it might even be frozen over."

Jiang Xi whimpered and shook her head, "No, the snow is so thick, I'll slip and fall."

In short, there are a hundred reasons why I wouldn't want to.

Seeing that he couldn't persuade him, Yan Zheng had no choice but to give up.

He was so angry that he reached out and ruffled her hair: "Then I'll go look at the fish traps later. You just stay home and wait."

"Hmm, what do you want to eat for lunch?"

Yan Zheng thought for a moment: "Braised mixed fish."

Then, laughing, he said, "Let's see if I can bring back some fish."

As he spoke, he got up, put on his cloak and hat, and hung the raccoon meat on the wooden post above the gate, which served as their natural refrigerator, as it was high up and could also be used for freezing.

After hanging up the bow and arrows on his back and picking up the basket, he said goodbye to Jiang Xi and headed down the mountain.

Last night it snowed all night, but today is a nice day. The trees and the ground are covered in snow. Sometimes when you pass under a tree, chunks of snow fall from the tree and land on your shoulders and head.

As expected, the lake surface was a blanket of white in the distance. After a night of devastation, the lake had changed completely, and it was estimated that the entire surface was frozen.

Yan Zheng walked to the spot where he had placed the fish trap yesterday. He brushed away the snow on the ice with his hand, revealing the flowing water beneath. He found the corner of the fish trap sticking out of the ice, picked up a nearby stone, and smashed it into the ice with all his might.

A hole the size of a bowl immediately appeared on the ice. Yan Zheng knelt on the ice to check its thickness, which was only about three centimeters.

He slammed the cage a few more times until it was completely exposed above the water. Yan Zheng took off his gloves and lifted the cage out. Inside were five or six small fish. He laughed out loud.

Although they weren't very big, the largest being no more than the length of a forearm, they were just the right amount for three people to have one meal.

After cleaning the fish, removing the internal organs and gills, and washing them in the lake water, Yan Zheng's hands were red with cold after processing several fish. He seemed oblivious to this, and threw the fish into the basket he was carrying. He then took out half of the raccoon's internal organs, put them into the basket, and threw them into the river.

Yan Zheng continued walking upstream along the lake, hoping to have better luck today and find a meaty one.

After walking a few hundred meters, I actually came across one that was quite fleshy.

Yan Jing'an and Xiao Lu.

The man and the deer had just finished digging up sweet potatoes, and their faces and hat brims were covered with frost.

The two glanced at each other, neither speaking. But when the little deer saw Yan Zheng, it kept bleating. It carried two baskets on its back and nodded its head, gesturing for Yan Zheng to touch it.

Since that incident, the two of them have disliked each other, and when they do exchange a few words, it's always sarcastic and cynical.

Yan Zheng walked over, took off his gloves, and stroked the fawn's head. The fawn licked Yan Zheng's hand.

Yan Jing'an rolled his eyes: "You ingrate who ate so many of my sweet potatoes."

Yan Zheng stroked the fawn's neck and scoffed, "I saved its life; it's not something that can be compared to a small favor."

After he finished speaking, he continued walking forward. After walking a few steps, Yan Zheng heard Yan Jing'an cough violently a few times. He frowned and stopped walking.

In the afternoon, Yan Zheng returned with nothing but a few small fish in his basket.

Jiang Xi didn't think it mattered; fresh fish was better than salted fish.

She went to the fields on the hillside and picked a few wild scallions. The fish were cleaned and only needed to be washed in the river. Jiang Xi scooped out a spoonful of lard, melted it over a low flame, and then put the fish in to fry. She flipped it over after one side was set, so that the fried fish wouldn't break apart.

After frying the fish, sauté the scallions until fragrant, then add the mixed fish, a spoonful of water, a spoonful of salt, a small amount of Sichuan peppercorn powder and white pepper powder. The mixed fish stewed in this way has tender fish meat and a rich broth. Served with rice made from sweet potatoes, one person can eat two bowls.

Jiang Xi washed the morel mushrooms that had been soaked that morning, and took out another piece of stewed meat, which she sliced ​​thinly, preparing to make a stir-fried morel mushrooms with stewed meat.

She had just picked up the spatula when Yan Zheng came over and snatched it from her hand: "I'll do it."

Then he said to her, "I remember you dried some licorice and orange peels, didn't you?"

Jiang Xi was stumped by his question, and after thinking for a moment, she said, "It seems so."

He said, "Take a look."

Then he gestured towards the door, where Yan Jing'an was calling to Xiao Lu to unload sweet potatoes into the cellar.

She said, "I heard him coughing badly this morning."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xi also remembered that she had vaguely heard coughing last night.

She turned around and searched the shelves according to her memory.

She vaguely remembered that they were all placed in a wicker basket with a pointed lid.

"Found it."

Yan Zheng glanced at what she was holding: "Hmm, I'll put it in a pot and boil it for him later, make him a bowl of it to drink."

She added, "By the way, use less licorice, it's very toxic."

Jiang Xi was puzzled. These two had never gotten along, but she didn't expect Yan Zheng to care about her so much.

Jiang Xi asked doubtfully, "You two were always on bad terms when you met. I thought you didn't like him."

Yan Zheng paused in his stir-frying: "Jiang Xi, do you remember I told you that I used to have a twin brother?"

Jiang Xi nodded.

Back when the two had just started dating, Yan Zheng had mentioned to him that he had a twin brother named Yan Zhao. When they were born, Yan's mother suffered greatly, experiencing severe bleeding and losing her ability to have children.

Unfortunately, due to the prolonged labor, Yan Zhao's health remained poor. When she was three years old, she died after spending half a month in the hospital due to pneumonia and a persistent high fever.

Yan Zheng plated the stir-fried dishes: "Although my family rarely mentions this matter, I know that my parents are concerned about it. Over the years, they have transferred all their regrets about Yan Zhao onto me."

He gestured towards the outside: "Although I don't like him, every time I see him, I think of Yan Zhao. Actually, I do have memories of Yan Zhao. I often think that if he were still alive, my life might be a little easier."