Chapter 740: Shameless

On the 28th, New Year's Eve, Beijing was blanketed in thick snow, as if the entire city had been draped in a pure white silver robe.

Snow covered the branches and vegetation in the villa's courtyard, burying the grass deep beneath, transforming the once lush green landscape into a spotless white.

Stepping on it produced a crunching sound.

"Wow! So beautiful!" Liu Tianxian held her son, wrapped in a black fluffy fur coat, wearing gray fuzzy ear muffs—looking adorable and elegant.

Her son was similarly bundled tightly in fluffy fur, wearing cute ear muffs like cat ears, appearing exceedingly adorable, though he looked more like a girl.

Liu Tianxian took a deep breath and sighed, "The air is so fresh, isn't it, son?"

She kissed her son's cheek; the baby just chewed on his fingers, making "bababa" sounds.

"Look, is Dad here yet?" She turned and saw Fang Hong walking toward them, holding a plastic shovel in one hand.

The shovel had a long, square head and a lightweight handle; Fang Hong remembered they used to be made of iron, but now they were conveniently made of plastic for lightness.

Fang Hong wore a thick leather-down jacket, its surface smooth and new-looking; as he approached, he asked, "Right here?"

"A bit farther ahead—there's more snow there."

Liu Tianxian pointed forward, then cooed to her son, "Let's watch Daddy build a snowman, okay?"

"Bababa!" The baby reached out his hands forward.

"Oh? You want to build a snowman too? Then come on!" Liu Tianxian set her son down on the ground.

She held his arms from behind, guiding him as he stumbled forward—he was already seven or eight months old, just learning to walk.

"The snow's already up to his ankles—don't let him catch a chill," Fang Hong scooped up a shovel-full of snow and began building.

"It's fine—he's bundled up tightly," Liu Tianxian held her son close to the half-formed snow pile.

The baby didn't care if the snow was cold—he reached out with his soft white hands, grabbed a handful, and shoved it into his mouth.

"Hey hey… you're eating it? You little fool," Liu Tianxian quickly knocked the snow from his hands.

"Just like you—grab anything and shove it in your mouth," Fang Hong chuckled.

"You shameless brute," Liu Tianxian's cheeks flushed red; she grabbed a handful of snow and hurled it at Fang Hong's head.

Fang Hong ducked his neck—the snow struck his head squarely, scattering everywhere; some landed down his collar and melted quickly.

"Is Daddy a bad guy?" Liu Tianxian asked her son.

The baby didn't understand—he just kept babbling "bababa," reaching for more snow.

"Don't eat it, okay? Let's help Daddy build a snowman—see, pick up snow and pile it on top like this," Liu Tianxian taught him to scoop snow and place it on Fang Hong's growing mound.

Though the snow he added was barely noticeable, participation mattered.

"Are your hands cold?" Liu Tianxian held her son's hands.

But the baby seemed unfazed—he kept grabbing snow and piling it on, thoroughly enjoying himself.

That's how children are—they see something fun and play, oblivious to heat or cold, even if their hands crack from frost.

The three of them built snowmen outside, while inside the villa, two mothers prepared the New Year's Eve feast in the kitchen.

This year was the most complete—three generations under one roof.

Xu Liyun kneaded flour and asked, "What do you and Xixi eat in the United States?"

"We eat the same dishes there—I cook everything myself. We rarely eat out; when we do, it's steak, seafood, fried chicken—pretty much like Western restaurants," Liu Xiaoli replied, chopping and washing vegetables busily.

As they cooked, they chatted about everything—family gossip, daily life, anything.

Xu Liyun noticed no movement outside, glanced into the living room—no one was there—and asked, "Hey, where did Xixi and the others go?"

"They went out! I'll go check."

Liu Xiaoli wiped her hands on her apron, went to the living room, then to the front door; seeing them building snowmen, she called out, "Play a bit, then come back—don't let the baby catch a cold!"

"Okay, we'll be right in," Liu Tianxian replied.

Liu Xiaoli said no more, turned back, and updated Xu Liyun on the situation.

The three in the courtyard had finished building three plump snowmen—two large ones flanking a small one, representing the three of them.

"Wow! Dad's amazing—he built three little people! Can you tell which one's you?"

Liu Tianxian teased the child, pointing his tiny finger at the smallest snowman: "This one's you, right?"

Then she pointed to the sides: "This is Mommy, this is Daddy!"

The baby mumbled indistinctly, babbling—perhaps trying to speak, perhaps imitating his mother.

Fang Hong reshaped the three snowmen with his hands, giving their features more definition.

"Come on, let's take a photo," Liu Tianxian pulled out her phone from her pocket and handed it to him.

Fang Hong took the phone, switched to camera mode, raised it high, then wrapped his arm around Liu Tianxian's shoulder.

Liu Tianxian held the child, tilting her head slightly to the side, creating a more intimate pose.

The family of three stood before the snowmen—the moment was captured.

"I'll take a photo of you two too," Liu Tianxian handed the baby to Fang Hong and took the phone back.

Fang Hong knelt down, placed the child on his lap, and took a photo in front of the snowmen.

He took nearly a dozen photos before finally stopping.

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Liu Tianxian carefully selected a warm photo of the three of them in front of the snowmen and posted it to her Moments, captioning: "The snow and temperature are perfect—Happy New Year!"

This post quickly garnered numerous comments and likes from friends and family.

Zhang Jingying: "Wow! What a loving family! Happy New Year!"

Auntie: "The baby is so adorable—I want to pinch his cheeks! Happy New Year, Xixi!"

Shuchang: "Wishing you all the best—Happy New Year!"

Uncle: "Happy New Year!"

Tang Yan: "How envious—I wish you a Happy New Year!"

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In a short while, Liu Tianxian's Moments filled with dozens of blessings from family and friends, and she was busy replying to each one.

After all, they had wished her a Happy New Year; she had to return the greetings.

This Moments post couldn't reach outside—their circle all understood.

Around afternoon, the New Year's Eve dinner was finally ready: a full table of lavish dishes, steamed items and seafood, prepared in the Hubei style.

"Xiao Fang, go set off the firecrackers at the door," Liu Xiaoli instructed.

"Yes, Mom," Fang Hong said, picking up the firecrackers and heading outside—before eating the New Year's Eve meal, firecrackers must be set off first.

"Come on, baby, let's go too," Liu Tianxian said, excited, following along.

At the door, Fang Hong arranged the firecrackers, then lit them with a lighter—immediately, a "crackling" burst of sound erupted.

Far away, other households were setting off firecrackers too, the noise continuous.

Liu Tianxian quickly covered the baby's ears, watching the firecrackers crackle and pop, skyrockets bursting into flames in the sky.

It was daytime, so the flames weren't very visible.

But it still gave Liu Tianxian a festive New Year feeling—the baby's eyes sparkled with curiosity as he watched it all.

After all, this was his first time in this world; everything fascinated him.

At the dining table, the family gathered around, highball glasses of red wine already poured; they stood up and raised their glasses.

Liu Tianxian and Fang Hong toasted: "Mom! Happy New Year!"

"Happy, all happy," Xu Liyun smiled.

Then they clinked glasses with a "ting," each of the four taking a small sip.

"Yaya…" The baby in the stroller suddenly cried out, kicking his legs as if trying to stand and join in.

"Oh dear, I forgot my sweet baby," Liu Xiaoli picked him up in her arms.

But the baby ignored everything else, reaching only for the red wine—though too far to grasp, he stretched his hand out, babbling "yaya."

"Does he want to drink too?" Liu Tianxian said.

"No, children can't drink alcohol," Xu Liyun said.

But the baby persisted; unable to reach it, he burst into loud "wawa" sobs.

"Oh oh, why's he crying?" Liu Xiaoli doted on him, wiping his tears.

"This little guy wants wine too," Fang Hong said.

"Then let him take just one sip—only a tiny bit," Liu Tianxian made a tiny gesture with her fingers.

"That won't do," Xu Liyun blocked again.

"It's fine, Mom—this wine is only a few degrees alcohol; let him taste a little, just a taste, no more," Liu Tianxian said.

Xu Liyun said nothing—she silently agreed; Fang Hong didn't care—they knew their limits.

Liu Tianxian picked up her own wineglass and held it to her son's lips.

Seeing the wine, the baby instantly stopped crying, eagerly awaiting a drink.

"Slow down, don't spill too much," Liu Xiaoli warned.

"Mm!" Liu Tianxian, still uneasy, dipped a chopstick into the wine, then held it to her son's mouth.

But the baby only sniffed slightly, touched his lips to it, then immediately scrunched his face, turning his head away with no interest.

"Hahaha," Liu Tianxian burst out laughing, finding it adorable.

The other three joined in laughing.

The baby was fine—just slightly disgusted.

This New Year's Eve dinner passed in this atmosphere, teasing the baby and chatting about family matters, and time moved into February.

By the end of February, Oscar season would begin; Fang Hong and Liu Tianxian would leave for Los Angeles after the Lantern Festival to prepare in advance.

After all, whether they won an award or not, the film had to be released.

(End of Chapter)