Wu Sicheng's arrival was unexpected by An Moxue; she never imagined that she would see him again so soon after returning to China.
She could no longer play dumb and pretend not to see Old Ma's childish behavior. She walked over and said to Wu Sicheng, "Come inside first. Why are you here at this hour?"
Wu Sicheng looked at her, smiled, and whispered, "Didn't I promise you that I would spend every Spring Festival with you from now on? I broke my promise before because of a mission, but now that we're in the country, of course I have to keep my promise." After saying that, he secretly glanced at Old Ma.
An Moxue didn't take his words to heart. They were all citizens of the country, and they couldn't decide where they spent the New Year. They had too many things beyond their control, and times had changed.
She looked at him, curious, and asked, "How did you offend Uncle Ma? Did you upset him?"
Wu Sicheng was also puzzled and said, "I'm wondering the same thing! Everything was fine before, but ever since I said I was coming to visit, they haven't been very welcoming to me. What did I do wrong?"
An Moxue glanced back at the kitchen furtively and asked, "What did you say?"
"I just said I wanted to come see you and spend the New Year with you. Is there something wrong with that?"
An Moxue guessed some of the reasons, but could she say them?
Then, she made Wu Sicheng a cup of malted milk powder and said, "Maybe it's because your children and grandchildren didn't come back for the New Year this year, and you just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time! Be understanding, you're getting old, and you can be a bit willful."
"Really?" Wu Sicheng felt something was off, but couldn't quite put his finger on it.
“Of course,” An Moxue emphasized, then asked, “How did you know I was back?”
"I just called Uncle Li. I found out as soon as you left." Could he say that Uncle Li, despite his advanced age, might have had the intention of helping others, but also had an element of wanting to make a fool of him?
Those who get along well with his third uncle all share a common trait. Despite his usually serious demeanor, he managed to extort two bottles of special-supply liquor from him, even though he calls him "uncle"!
"Can you stay for a while this time you're back?" He took the opportunity to find out her itinerary so he could plan his own vacation. He hadn't taken a vacation in a while and had saved it all up!
"Yeah, I'll leave after the New Year. What about you? Are you on vacation or just passing through?"
As the two were talking, Aunt Ma carried the table into the house and said to Wu Sicheng with a smile, "Comrade Wu, are you on vacation?"
"Yes, Auntie, I knew Mo Xue was back, so I thought I'd spend the New Year with her."
Aunt Ma said, "Have fun while you're here. Stay at my place tonight, and I'll have Mo Xue tidy up the west room for you in a bit."
Wu Sicheng politely thanked her, saying, "Thank you, Auntie."
After speaking, An Moxue raised an eyebrow and said to Wu Sicheng, "Wash your hands and eat. You're in for a treat today. Your aunt has prepared a whole fish feast. We're just waiting for Uncle Ma to come back so we can start eating."
And so, the group washed their hands and served the dishes. When they saw a table full of fish, even Wu Sicheng was slightly shocked. When he tasted the fish, he was even more astonished and didn't know what to say. Every dish was delicious.
At the table, watching Old Ma and An Moxue bickering while eating, and seeing Aunt Ma's occasional helplessness and smiles, he realized that An Moxue was incredibly relaxed and at ease in front of the old couple, and knew that their relationship was even better than he had thought.
After dinner, An Moxue went home, and Wu Sicheng went out to see her off.
On the way, the two chatted casually in a relaxed manner, a state they wouldn't dare to have abroad.
"Mo Xue, were you hurt after I left?" In the snowy night, the white snow reflected the dark sky, making it seem less dark.
"No, I'm fine. How about you? You haven't taken on any dangerous missions since you came back, have you?" The two walked forward, their flashlights casting long shadows.
"No, I've been adjusting, only doing regular training in the army, a rare period of relaxation. Why didn't you contact me when you came back?" He looked at her, only seeing her blurry, beautiful face, but unable to discern her expression.
An Moxue smiled and said lightly, "I just wanted to relax and have a good New Year after coming back. I thought you would go back to Kyoto! After all, it's been a few years since I've been back, so I haven't contacted you."
"Is that so?" He spoke softly, but both of them were sharp-witted and knew what he meant, but An Moxue pretended not to hear him.
The two walked forward in silence, neither speaking for a moment, until they reached the front door of An Moxue's house. An Moxue looked at him and said with a smile, "Go back! You should go home and spend the New Year with your parents. You shouldn't waste your time on me. Go back tomorrow!"
Wu Sicheng, carrying the things in his hands, did not respond to her words, and said, "Mo Xue, these are all the things I brought for you. I'll take them inside and then leave."
An Moxue looked at him and said, "Give me the things and go back! Get some rest when you get back."
Wu Sicheng didn't hand her the things. Instead, he looked at her, smiled, and said, "It's cold outside. Come inside. I have something to ask you. I'll leave after I'm done."
An Moxue looked at him, and he looked at her. Neither of them spoke. Finally, An Moxue gave in and said, "Are you done talking and then you leave?"
He looked at her, smiled innocently, and said, "Just leave after you've finished speaking, okay? Is it really necessary for us to stay stuck here like this?"
“Alright! Come in with me.” An Moxue opened the door and went in first, followed by Wu Sicheng.
Once inside, An Moxue brewed a pot of barley tea for the two of them, giving each of them a cup. Then she sat down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) and said, "Now, tell me! What is it?"
Wu Sicheng looked at her and sighed softly, his voice filled with helplessness: "Mo Xue, why do I feel like you're distancing yourself from me now that we're back in the country and I finally get to see you? It's not like when we were abroad. Is something wrong?"
An Moxue looked him straight in the eye and said, "I think I made things clear when we were abroad, and you accepted it. So, isn't it a bit too much for us to spend the New Year together again? Why don't we just continue being good friends, comrades who can entrust our backs to each other in life and death? Isn't that better?"
He looked at her and said, word by word, "No. You did say it then, but I didn't agree. And you can't make decisions for me, can you?"
An Moxue looked at him and said very seriously, "But, as you know, it's the nature of my job, and I don't even know how many more years it will last given the current situation..."
Before she could finish speaking, he interrupted her, leaned closer to her, and looked at her intently: "We're the same, I don't think that's a problem."
"What about your parents? Aren't they a problem too? What about your family? Have you thought about that?" She paused, then continued, "Besides, I won't compromise myself, give up my ideals and goals, or compromise for anyone. —Most importantly, I've always had this idea—"
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