An Moxue looked at the outfit; its gorgeous, vibrant colors and silky texture clearly indicated it wasn't suitable for the current weather. "Auntie, you can't wear this now! It's too thin!"
Aunt Ma smiled and said, "Of course, when I was making it, I was thinking that you would look beautiful wearing it when spring is in full bloom and the willows are green along the embankment."
"Oh! This material?" An Moxue wanted to ask something, but before she could speak, Old Ma interrupted her, saying, "Just wear it, why make such a fuss! Don't you like it?"
"I like it." An Moxue touched the fabric again. If she wasn't mistaken, this should be shimmering brocade. Where did the old couple get this fabric?
"If you like it, put it away. You can wear it when it gets warmer. It's getting late, go back to sleep!" Aunt Ma said with a smile, urging them to leave.
Old Ma also said, "You need to get some sleep. You're getting old, your body can't take it anymore. Let's go!" He sounded rather impatient.
“Alright!” An Moxue, with the gifts prepared by the elderly couple and Wu Sicheng accompanying her, walked home.
Wu Sicheng had doubts in his heart, but he didn't say them out loud. He was happy that she, who had no relatives or friends, was treated so sincerely by Old Ma and his wife. At least besides him, she had other people who were genuinely good to her, and that was good enough. He also hoped that there were other people in places he didn't know who were genuinely good to her, like Old Ma and his wife, the more the better, because she deserved it.
Upon reaching the door, Wu Sicheng didn't go in. He simply watched her from the entrance, his deep gaze hidden in the darkness, unseen by An Moxue. He simply said softly, "Happy New Year, may you have peace and good fortune. Go inside! Get some sleep."
"Yes, you too."
He wanted to raise his hand to touch her hair, but in the end he couldn't. He just said, "Go inside! I'll leave after you close the door."
"Hmm." An Moxue answered, went into the courtyard, and closed the door. Only after hearing the door close and seeing the light on inside the house through the crack in the door did Wu Sicheng turn around and walk towards Old Ma's house.
He had hoped to spend more time alone with her during the Chinese New Year, but that didn't happen. Only he knew the joy he felt.
It took more than five years for her to agree to be his girlfriend. I don't know how much longer it will take before I can tear off her calm facade and make her heart beat for me. It's so hard to fall in love with a girlfriend who is too rational!
An Moxue had drunk a little alcohol that night, so she didn't think too much about anything. She fell asleep quickly when she got home and slept soundly all night.
The next morning, not long after An Moxue got up, groups of children from the village came to her to wish her a Happy New Year.
When Wu Sicheng arrived with the food box, a group of children had just left.
Wu Sicheng asked, "What are you doing? Didn't you go eat breakfast? These kids in the village are up really early for New Year's greetings."
An Moxue glanced outside, "Did you run into them?"
"Um."
"We just sent away a batch, which might be the ones you encountered."
"You seem to be quite popular with the kids."
An Moxue smiled, and the two went into the house. "Uncle Ma said you might not be able to leave the house and eat at home, so he asked me to bring you food. It seems he knew you would be blocked at the door by the children."
"Yes, I get along well with the kids. During the Lunar New Year, they all came to wish us a happy new year. I used up two plates of candy alone. That was three candies per person. They didn't take any more than that. They are very considerate."
"You really like these children."
"Yes, do you remember the first autumn when I rescued you? It was during the harvest season, and all the food I brought back was from trading with them."
"I remember, she would leave with a handful of candy in her pocket every day and come back with a string of food." Wu Sicheng recalled with amusement. She always managed to find a way to survive in difficult situations and live comfortably without ever making herself suffer.
He laid out the food and urged, "Eat quickly, or your little friend will come again. Are you going to eat or not?"
An Moxue smiled at him and said, "What's a little kid? We still have old friends!"
An Moxue looked at the dumplings and two meat and two vegetable dishes on the table, picked up her chopsticks and quickly started eating. And wouldn't you know it, the children weren't all here yet! They'd be here soon.
After finishing breakfast, An Moxue said, "Let's go quickly, before anyone comes. Otherwise, if it's some auntie or grandma who comes, we'll be in trouble."
Wu Sicheng looked at her with a smile that revealed no emotion: "Am I really that shameful?"
An Moxue looked him straight in the eye. "Is this a matter of whether it's in the light or not? It's a troublesome matter. If you want to be a monkey being watched, then don't leave."
Wu Sicheng looked at her, reluctantly giving in, "Fine, I'll take Gale and Lightning up the mountain, okay?"
"Yes, hunt more game. I want to eat hazel grouse."
He looked at her, and said with a mixture of helplessness and indulgence, "Okay—"
All day long, people didn't stop. Wu Sicheng originally thought he could have a very warm and cozy New Year's Day with An Moxue, but in reality, he went into the mountains with Jifeng and Shandian and didn't return until before dark. He could hear the lively voices inside the house from outside the gate.
Wu Sicheng said helplessly to the two wolves, "You should go back to the mountain for now! Come back after your sister's guests have left." Then he buried the prey under the back wall of An Moxue's house, planning to retrieve it after the guests left.
As darkness fell and most people had gone to bed, Wu Sicheng carried his prey and threw it over the courtyard wall into An Moxue's yard.
Hearing the noise, An Moxue came out and saw her prey falling into the yard one by one.
An Moxue tentatively called out, "Wu Sicheng?"
Outside the courtyard wall, Wu Sicheng carried his last prey, a roe deer, and said to An Moxue, "Yes, it's me. Open the door, I'm coming in."
Wu Sicheng carried the roe deer into the house, and An Moxue asked, "Just got back?"
"No, I came back before dark. I went to Uncle Ma's house when I heard there were people at your house. Boil some water. Didn't you want to eat hazelnuts? I'll prepare them. You can eat them however you like."
"Where are Gale and Lightning?" An Moxue asked, not seeing the two wolves.
“He went back to the mountains. Maybe he'll be back later. How was it? More than twenty hazel grouse, but he and his two companions helped me hunt them.”
"Well, my two little ones have grown into wolf kings who lead a pack. Their prestige is growing stronger every day, and their skills are getting better and better. What do you think about me taking them with me this time? But I'm still a little reluctant to leave them."
"Take it away, but where should we put it? In the nearby mountains?"
"I haven't decided yet, but I'm tempted to see them every few years, but I'm also afraid of disrupting their peaceful lives."
"So you're hesitating?"
"Um."
“I understand, but are you taking them both or the entire tribe?”
"Of course we'll take everything with us!" An Moxue sighed in relief. "Forget it, let's not take it. We'll talk about it in a few years. We're not even stable enough ourselves yet!"
Wu Sicheng looked at her, a smile appearing in his eyes, and said, "Don't worry about it. I'll keep an eye on things for you. Come back and visit whenever you want."
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