Chapter 213: Chapter 213: Ji Linhai’s New Year’s Gift

Gu Qinghuan had the three little ones give Cheng Shuying and her husband a proper kowtow—a sign of respect from the younger generation to their elders.

“I hope our Youran becomes more lively and cheerful, our Dabao gets smarter and smarter, and our Beibei grows cuter by the day,” Cheng Shuying blessed them.

“Thank you, great-grandma.”

“Thank you, great-grandma.”

Ever since Youran spoke her first words after coming home, it was as if something had suddenly clicked for her. She was speaking more and more each day, and visibly becoming more outgoing. She played wildly with Dabao and Beibei every day, looking more and more like a normal child. Zhong Luoning saw all this and felt deeply relieved and happy.

Gu Qinghuan figured it probably had something to do with the spiritual spring water. Suddenly, she remembered the demon-expelling flower powder she’d put away—maybe it could cure Youran’s illness completely. She made a mental note to ask the King of the Underworld about it, or perhaps experiment a little herself.

Because Old Master Ji and Ji Linhai lived nearby, they decided to give their red envelopes and New Year’s greetings the next day. After handing out the red envelopes and exchanging blessings, Gu Lanting originally wanted to escort Zhong Zijun and his family home, but Ji Linhai volunteered for the task.

“You go and your mom will just worry until you’re back. Let me do it—I’m used to walking mountain roads at night,” Ji Linhai insisted.

Gu Qinghuan and Zhong Zijun agreed—Gu Lanting was still too young, and if anything happened on the road, he’d be at a loss. Ji Linhai, on the other hand, was tall and sturdy, broad-shouldered, and had spent years in the area. He was much more reliable for the job.

So it was settled. Ji Linhai first took Old Master Ji home, then came back to escort the three of them. When he arrived, he seemed to be carrying something on his back.

Cheng Shuying had trouble walking, and halfway there, she was already struggling. Ji Linhai took the bundle off his back and handed it to Zhong Zijun, then crouched down and carried Cheng Shuying on his back, trudging through the snow.

Looking at Ji Linhai’s strong back, Cheng Shuying’s eyes filled with tears. On a snowy night, even the sound of breathing and quiet sobs seemed amplified.

Ji Linhai thought he’d hurt her and quickly asked, “Auntie, are you uncomfortable anywhere? Should we rest for a bit?”

Cheng Shuying wiped her tears and said, “No, I just saw your back and thought of my eldest. I wonder how he’s doing out in the northwest, if he’ll get a decent meal for New Year’s. And Luoning, too—now that things have turned out like this, who knows what the future holds? If my eldest knew what his only daughter has been through, his heart would break.”

Zhong Weiqian let out a long sigh. The hearts of parents everywhere are the same—what parent doesn’t wish the best for their children?

Ji Linhai comforted them, “Your eldest will get through this, and so will all of us. Uncle, Auntie, just hang in there a little longer—the dawn of hope is coming.”

“I hope so,” Cheng Shuying said.

Zhong Zijun added, “Huanhuan sent a lot of supplies from the capital before New Year’s, and they were sent express. They should have arrived by now, so they’ll have a good New Year. You two can rest easy.”

Meanwhile, the couple Cheng Shuying worried about—Zhong Ziyan and his wife—were sitting around the kang (heated brick bed) enjoying their New Year’s Eve dinner. It was the most lavish meal they’d had since coming to the northwest: rich chicken soup with red dates and goji berries, fragrant pan-fried yellow croaker, and steaming white rice. There were even some snacks and dried fruits for dessert. In the past, they wouldn’t have dared dream of such a meal.

As they ate, they talked about their daughter and granddaughter, wondering how they were doing. Gu Qinghuan hadn’t told them about what happened to Zhong Luoning—her letters only briefly mentioned that mother and daughter were safe, so they wouldn’t worry. But how could they not worry? This was something Zhong Luoning and Gu Qinghuan had agreed on—they didn’t want to burden the couple with the truth, afraid they couldn’t handle it and might fall ill from the stress.

Zhong Luoning’s letters were also brief, simply saying she was safe and well, and urging her parents to take care of themselves.

“Luoning always hides the bad and only reports the good. I suspect she’s keeping something from us,” Bai Jie said anxiously.

Zhong Ziyan was just as worried, but he had to comfort his wife. “You’re overthinking it. With Qinghuan there, everything will be fine—she’s reliable. And I believe our daughter isn’t some delicate hothouse flower—sooner or later, she’ll have to weather the storms of life.”

“I hope so.”

“After the first day of the New Year, we need to keep storing water. If there’s another drought next year, it’ll be tough again. We can’t always rely on others for help—we have to stand on our own two feet,” Zhong Ziyan said, changing the subject to daily life.

Bai Jie nodded. “You’re right, we have to plan ahead. Luckily, my health’s been decent this year—otherwise I’d just be dragging you down.”

“Don’t say that. We’re family—there’s no such thing as dragging each other down. We’re husband and wife, joined at the hip. When the Zhong family was in trouble, you stuck by me and never tried to distance yourself. I’ll never give up on you either—that’s what marriage is.”

They shared a smile. Life was hard, but at least their hearts were together—and that was worth more than anything.

In truth, Zhong Ziyan was even more worried about his younger sister, who’d also been sent down. She was the one who had it the hardest. Betrayal from your own husband was the most devastating of all. He wondered how she’d managed to get through it. Heaven, please let everything get back on track soon—this world can’t go on in chaos like this.

Back to Zhong Zijun’s side—

Ji Linhai delivered them home, and Zhong Zijun stepped out to see him off. Ji Linhai shoved the bundle he’d been carrying into Zhong Zijun’s hands, his face flushing red—thankfully, the darkness hid it.

“This is a New Year’s gift for you. This time, don’t just think about everyone else—make yourself a warm coat too!”

Without waiting for her to refuse, Ji Linhai strode off into the night. It was the first time in his life he’d shown his feelings to a woman, and he felt as red as a cooked shrimp.

Inside the bundle was enough material to make a fur coat—all from animals he’d hunted himself and traded with mountain folk at the market. When he got home, he’d carefully cleaned and washed the hides, drying them one by one before bringing them to Zhong Zijun.

Zhong Zijun stood there for a moment, stunned. She’d already sensed Ji Linhai’s attentiveness before, but since he’d never said anything, she’d just assumed he was naturally warm-hearted. But a man giving a woman a gift like this was a clear confession.

She never expected, at her age, to have this kind of romantic encounter. Truth be told, she didn’t dislike Ji Linhai at all."