warm winter
On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, in Kaoshan Village.
Bright red lanterns are hung high in front of every household.
The freshly printed couplets, still fragrant with ink, stand out strikingly red against the backdrop of the white snow, as if trying to ignite the cold desolation of winter.
The imposing "Shen Family Residence," with its blue bricks and gray tiles, had its vermilion gate wide open, above which hung a powerful couplet written by Xuan Chenzi himself:
"Mountains protect the home and stars illuminate the gate of fortune."
The ink strokes are unrestrained and vivid, exuding extraordinary style.
The courtyard, inside and out, had been swept spotless. The snow had been piled up into several adorable snowmen, wearing "hats" that Hu Zi had carefully made from tattered straw hats and dry branches, grinning as they greeted the guests.
The kitchen was filled with steam, like a fairyland.
Da Niu and Da Ya became little commanders, leading a few older girls and the women from the village who came to help, keeping them busy and laughing and chatting.
The steam from steaming rice cakes fills the air, the oil from frying meatballs dances joyfully, and the rich, savory aroma of braised pig's head spreads powerfully... All sorts of tempting aromas intertwine and rise, piercing straight into one's nose.
Outside the smoking room, under the eaves, became the most enticing sight. Strings of glistening, reddish-brown cured pork, sausages, chicken, duck, and fish gleamed with an irresistible luster like agate under the rare warm winter sun.
Su Wan stood beside a makeshift cutting board in the outer room, wearing a simple and well-fitting new cotton-padded jacket, her eyes gentle and focused.
She was skillfully cutting new clothes for the children using the soft fabric newly woven from the "Kaoshan Xueyun Cotton" unique to the mountain peak, which Ling Zhan had brought back, mixed with fine linen. The clothes were already taking shape in the sewing basket, with fine stitches that revealed her loving care.
However, at this moment, the absolute focus of the entire courtyard—
Without a doubt, everyone's attention was focused on the tall, elegant, and radiant figure standing at the entrance of the main room—Shen Yan!
He clearly pulled out all the stops today, having dressed up meticulously!
His attire was dazzlingly new: an overcoat of brocade embroidered with silver thread and made of "Mountain Snow Cloud Cotton"! The color was an extravagant peacock blue, shimmering and sparkling in the snow, as if the deepest clear sky and the most magnificent peacock feathers were woven into it. The collar and cuffs were embroidered with intricate and delicate lotus patterns in shimmering gold thread, appearing and disappearing with his subtle movements, exuding an aura of opulence!
A matching belt inlaid with mutton-fat jade was tightly tied around his waist, which accentuated his wasp waist and broad back, making him as tall and straight as a bamboo.
His jet-black hair was meticulously tied back with a gold hairpin inlaid with translucent tourmaline, revealing his smooth, full forehead and his handsome, almost demonic face, which was currently radiant with energy. Most strikingly, he was also holding a gold-flecked folding fan, which was obviously useless in the freezing cold of December, but the young master had said so.
The stance must be perfect!
Villagers, young and old, carrying homemade New Year's gifts such as rice cakes, fried dough sticks, and dried wild game, came in an endless stream to wish "Sister-in-law Ling" and "Son-in-law Shen" a Happy New Year in advance.
Upon entering this bustling courtyard, my eyes were immediately drawn to this "golden peacock" with its tail feathers spread wide, and I couldn't look away!
As soon as Aunt Wang, carrying a basket, stepped across the threshold, her eyes widened and she slapped her thigh.
"Oh my goodness! Mr. Shen! You...you look amazing today...tsk tsk tsk! You're even more handsome than the immortals riding the clouds in those paintings! Look at this fabric, this color, this embroidery...it's so dazzling! Can our Kaoshan Xueyun Cotton really weave such precious fabric? Miss Su is truly amazing!" She raised her voice for the last part, praising sincerely towards the kitchen.
Shen Yan's lips curled into a smug smile. With a flick of his wrist, he unfolded his folding fan with a "whoosh" and waved it lightly twice in a deliberately elegant manner. Although the tip of his nose was slightly red from the cold wind, his smile was as radiant as the warm winter sun breaking through the clouds.
"Aunt Wang, you flatter me! You flatter me! The New Year is just around the corner, a time to say goodbye to the old and welcome the new, so we need something new to celebrate! As for the fabric, it's indeed the first bolt of 'brocade satin' from our own workshop, a testament to Miss Su's exquisite craftsmanship! As for the color..."
He deliberately turned slightly to the side, the sleek and luxurious cut of the jacket drawing a dazzling arc in the sunlight. "My wife has a discerning eye; she personally picked out this peacock blue! What do you think? Does it suit my skin tone?"
The smugness in his tone was practically overflowing.
Old Man Li, with his pipe dangling from his lips, squinted as he looked him up and down, then couldn't help but take a puff of his pipe.
He clicked his tongue and said, "Young man, young man, your impressive attire... is even more incomparable to that of a prince or nobleman!"
The weary fan waved even more vigorously, its surface sprinkled with gold that reflected the snow's light, adding a touch of "elegance."
"Uncle Li! Seeing all the villagers come here so warmly, it feels like I have a little stove inside me! Those princes and nobles really can't compare!"
A group of teenagers, unable to contain themselves any longer, jumped and chattered around Shen Yan, shouting, "Daddy Shen! Daddy Shen! You're so handsome!"
Er Gou sniffled, his eyes fixed on the shimmering robe, his little hands itching: "Dad! Your clothes are so shiny! Can...can I touch them? Just for a moment!"
Shen Yan quickly covered the hem of his luxurious robes, pretending to put on a stern face: "Go away! You bunch of little mud monkeys! Stay away! Don't rub your oily paws on your father's 'battle robe'! When you grow up, become successful, and get married, your father promises to get you even more handsome ones than this!"
The children burst into laughter at his exaggerated expressions, adding to the lively, childlike noise in the courtyard.
Under the eaves, Xuan Chenzi, wrapped in his thick but worn-out Taoist robe, squatted beside a blazing brazier to keep warm.
Watching Chen Yan move with such ease and grace in the crowd, he couldn't help but roll his eyes. He nudged Hu Zi, who was diligently adding firewood, and muttered in a low voice, "That 'Immeasurable Heavenly Venerable'... Hu Zi, did you see that? This is what they call 'a pheasant wearing phoenix feathers, shivering but still dancing'! Wearing such thin clothes in the dead of winter and fanning himself, who is he showing off to? Doesn't he fear getting sick from the cold! And peacock blue... to me, it's clearly rooster blue!"
His tone was sarcastic.
Tiger grinned憨厚ly, revealing his white teeth: "Daoist Master, my dad... he's happy. My mom didn't say anything."
As he spoke, his gaze unconsciously stole towards the quiet main seat in the hall.
Inside the main room, Ling Zhan unusually did not go to the backyard to practice his skills or inspect the livestock shed today.
She wore a thick, warm indigo-blue cotton-padded jacket and trousers, newly made by Su Wanxin, with a simple and neat style, just like her usual look. Her hair was neatly tied up in a bun, with only a simple wooden hairpin in the hair.
Before her sat a cup of steaming coarse tea, her posture serene, as if the bustling noise and clamor in the courtyard were merely an invisible backdrop. She listened quietly, watching Shen Yan flit among the crowd like the most dazzling butterfly, socializing and accepting the villagers' sincere or joking compliments and New Year's greetings.
Just then, Shen Yan, once again like a peacock spreading its tail feathers, appeared in front of Ling Zhan with dazzling brilliance.
He deliberately straightened his back to show off, presenting the most perfect angle of his expensive peacock blue brocade robe, and even turned around slightly, his proud voice softening a bit.
"My wife, look... how does this outfit... seem? Your husband..."
"Put on cotton gloves."
The enormous, unprecedented surprise, like a surging tide, instantly overwhelmed and overwhelmed the sullenness!
He simply couldn't believe his ears! His handsome, almost otherworldly face flushed crimson with extreme excitement and disbelief, a blush even more dazzling than the peacock-blue brocade robe he wore!
He slammed shut the folding fan that had long since become a decoration, practically lunging at the low table in front of Ling Zhan. His eyes shone like shards of diamonds filled with the stars, and his voice was excited: "Really...really? Ling Zhan! My wife! You...you think it's alright? You don't mind...uh...you don't mind this outfit...it's too...too...whatever?"
"Whatever makes you happy."
Just as Shen Yan was overjoyed and almost jumped up on the spot, she added calmly, with an undeniable chill: "Wear cotton gloves. If you catch a cold, brew your own medicine."
Although the final phrase, "brew your own medicine," still carried Ling Zhan's characteristic coldness and a desire to distance himself—
But the first two sentences, "put on cotton gloves," sounded to Shen Yan like celestial music from the heavens!
This is unprecedented care!
Shen Yan was instantly overjoyed! Her heart was filled with warmth.
Xuan Chenzi, with a sour expression, rescued a half-burnt sweet potato from the brazier, took a big bite, and gasped for breath from the heat. He mumbled indistinctly, "That 'Buddha of Boundless Longevity'... Did the sun really rise in the west? Could it be that this rooster really dazzled the heroine's eyes today? 'As long as she's happy'... Tsk tsk tsk, for such words to come out of Lady Ling's mouth... Should I, this old Taoist, also rummage through my trunk and buy a new Taoist robe? Hmm... How about a peach-pink one? To match the occasion!"
His serious expression as he pondered the peach-colored Taoist robe made Tiger next to him burst out laughing.
Su Wan looked at Shen Yan's ecstatic expression, as if she had received a great reward, and then secretly glanced at Ling Zhan, who remained calm and composed in the main room. Her heart was filled with mixed feelings, including relief, relief, and perhaps a touch of indescribable complexity.
She quickly composed herself, smiled gently at Shen Yan, who was practically floating on air with excitement, and said softly, "Young Master Shen is already exceptionally handsome, and this peacock blue is the icing on the cake, making you even more refined and radiant. I also put some thought into the weaving and dyeing of this fabric, and now that I see you dressed so well... so perfectly and elegantly, looking so radiant, I am truly delighted and pleased."
Shen Yan was immersed in immense joy, and upon hearing this, he became even more elated, as if he were walking on clouds: "Miss Su, you are too modest! Too modest! A good horse deserves a good saddle, and a fine sword deserves a hero! It's mainly because your craftsmanship is superb! Hahahaha!"
He laughed loudly, and his eyes suddenly lit up as if he had seen mountains of gold and silver.
"Great!! When spring comes, our workshop will weave several more exquisite pieces in this color! I'll personally go to the shop to oversee things. Once this 'Peacock Blue' is hung up, it's sure to be a great success! May everything go smoothly!"
The New Year's greeting atmosphere reached its peak thanks to Shen Kongque's "legal display of her tail feathers," Ling Zhanshen's earth-shattering "as long as you're happy," and his caring gesture of "wearing gloves."
In the courtyard, the laughter of adults, the congratulations and blessings exchanged between them, the screams and laughter of children chasing and playing, the clanging of pots and pans in the kitchen, and the sizzling symphony of oil in the pan... all combined to create the warmest, noisiest, and most vibrant New Year's Eve scene in the history of Kaoshan Village.
On the edge of this bustling and noisy scene, in a corner under the eaves, Little Stone squats by the brazier, maintaining a strangely harmonious distance from the hustle and bustle.
After Tiger finished adding firewood, the other children called him to build a snowman.
Little Stone didn't move; his small figure was almost entirely enveloped in the shadow of the pillars.
His gaze did not fall on the ostentatious Chen Yan, nor on the bustling crowd, but was focused intently on a small, clean patch of ground beside the brazier. He carefully took out a few fragrant roasted soybeans, which he had deliberately saved that morning, and a small pinch of crushed cornmeal from his bulging pocket, and gently and evenly sprinkled them on the ground.
Almost simultaneously, on the bare branches of the old locust tree outside the courtyard wall, several sparrows that had been peeking out and being disturbed by the voices in the courtyard seemed to receive some kind of silent call.
They tilted their little heads, their black bean-like eyes darting around, and hesitated for a moment. Finally, the boldest of them, a grayish-brown sparrow, fluttered lightly down to the ground not far from the small stone.
It looked around warily, its little paws hopping quickly, catching a soybean, and then swiftly flying back to the branch.
Then, a second, a third… and more sparrows flew down. They no longer fled in panic at the sight of people as usual, but instead gathered around the small patch of food, chirping softly and cheerfully as they quickly pecked at it.
Little Stone watched quietly, his face expressionless, but his large, clear eyes revealed a focus and tranquility beyond his years. He even moved his lips slightly, without making a sound, as if silently responding to the chirping of the little creatures.
A bold little sparrow, after eating its fill, did not fly away immediately. Instead, it hopped a couple of steps closer to him, tilting its head and curiously "sizing him up."
The little stone slowly and very gently extended his finger. The sparrow did not fly away; it simply rubbed its little head against his rough fingertip before chirping and fluttering its wings back to its companions.
Ling Zhan remained seated quietly in the main seat of the hall.
The scalding hot tea steamed with white mist. Behind the rising steam, her lips, which were always tightly pursed and had a cold, hard line, curved upwards in a very faint, almost imperceptible arc.
The curve, though faint, was undeniably real.
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