Chapter 162

Ling Yue closed her eyes, then opened them again; finally, helpless, she got up. In an instant, all the warmth inside the blankets escaped; even though the room was hot, there was still a temperature difference from the bed.

Cool air clung to her skin, and Ling Yue became fully awake.

She looked out the window; at some point a strong wind suddenly blew, howling past, and the sobbing sound slipped into her ears—the already faint crying suddenly vanished.

Ling Yue sat dazed, her eyes showing uncommon bewilderment—what was this? She had finally overcome the difficulty to sit up from the kang, and the crying had stopped?

She could be certain: that was indeed crying, not the wind's wail outside in the mountains and forests.

After a moment, Ling Yue clutched the blankets and lay flat; the buckwheat pillow rustled, she closed her eyes, and slept.

Early the next morning, the sun hung red in the sky; Ling Yue had just gotten up when she heard Qiao Qiao's knock, and the girl's clear voice came through the door crack: "Yueyue, I have something to do this morning—go ahead and eat the sweet potatoes under the kang first, remember to leave one for me!"

Ling Yue responded, heard the footsteps receding, then got up, opened the half-sealed kang; at that moment, inside there was only a handful of ash, with only a few scattered embers, and the several roasted, blackened, somewhat carbonized plump sweet potatoes were buried at the opening.

A wave of heat mixed with thin threads of sweet fragrance rushed over her face, continually drifting into her nose.

Truly fragrant.

What she hadn't expected was that Qiao Qiao left quickly and returned just as fast; just as she took out the sweet potato, Qiao Qiao had already walked in, her face not looking good, but the moment she saw Ling Yue, her round face broke into a big smile: "Yueyue, I'm back!"

"Wow!" she exclaimed, looking at the fragrant big sweet potato, her index finger twitching: "This sweet potato looks really good!"

Ling Yue knew she didn't want to bring that up, so she deliberately changed the subject, smoothly taking over: "I haven't peeled it yet—how do you know?"

Qiao Qiao laughed until her eyes narrowed, took the roasted sweet potato Ling Yue handed her, and tapped her fingernail on it, making a crackling sound.

"How could I not know? I wouldn't give you to eat if it weren't a delicious sweet potato."

Having said that, she snapped it in half; the deep-red sugary core and aroma burst out with a splash, looking extremely tempting.

"Yueyue, do you remember? That winter in our dormitory, when I couldn't sleep at night and chatted with you, I said I missed Dongbei roasted sweet potatoes—this is the honey sweet potato I was talking about!"

"As sweet as honey! Take a bite, it's super delicious!"

Unable to refuse such enthusiasm, Ling Yue accepted it as well; moreover, the flavor was truly too fragrant, so she wrapped the charred black shell in a scrap of waste paper, rolled it up, and held it to eat.

With the first bite, Ling Yue couldn't help but narrow her eyes, savoring it carefully; the fragrant, sweet honey-like core melted in her mouth, the texture dense and delicate, and even better, there was no visible fiber—it was like biting into a large mouthful of richly scented honey.

On a Dongbei morning when water freezes to ice, one bite makes both body and mind feel completely soothed, smooth and content.

So, when Qiao Dad was stewing a pot in the morning and called her to eat, he saw Ling Yue and his own silly daughter squatting on the doorframe, one side basking in the sun, the other eating roasted sweet potatoes.

Each held one, their cheeks puffed out, looking just like greedy little squirrels in the old Dongbei forests.

He didn't even glance at them, pulling his daughter: "Hey, I just stewed chicken with mushrooms and corn cakes this morning with your mom—are you really taking the guest to eat roasted sweet potatoes?"

"This girl, is she missing her wits or not!"

Qiao Qiao also looked foolish, nervously glancing at her dad and whispering: "We haven't eaten much, just to curb our cravings."

Qiao Dad gave a hollow chuckle, eyeing the pile of black residue nearby: "Not eating much? Look at that—we might as well skip breakfast."

Ling Yue felt a bit embarrassed holding the roasted sweet potato, but after a bite, it was wonderfully sweet and fragrant!

Ling Yue: O(∩_∩)O

Walking along, Qiao Dad, this old chef, kept introducing her: "Stewed chicken with mushrooms is super delicious! Daughter, I guarantee, ours is the most fragrant—others don't even know, the stewed chicken with mushrooms inside"

"the mushrooms are all hazelnut mushrooms—this stuff is super fresh! The chicken is so tender, paired with corn cakes, I could eat five in one go!"

Ling Yue was made hungry by his words, couldn't help but rub her stomach, as if she could still eat a bit more.

At mealtime, the family gathered around the small table; Qiao Qiao's household was the very picture of a typical Dongbei family, they didn't observe the rule of no talking while eating or sleeping, and it was bustling beyond measure.

Sometimes they'd cue Ling Yue to say a few words, and the atmosphere was very harmonious.

However, sometimes Ling Yue envied Bai Ze, who ate with head down in earnest; taking a closer look, she slowly widened her eyes—the man said nothing, had already eaten two, and was now making a third.

You know, each corn cake is the size of an adult's palm.

Because she had eaten too many roasted sweet potatoes, Ling Yue, who was still grunting away making her first, fell silent.

Jun Jun on her wrist was drooling uncontrollably, couldn't help but shake, and its voice reached Ling Yue's ears: "So fragrant, so fragrant!"

Ling Yue startled, then immediately realized, the corn cake blocked it: "Jun Jun, don't make a sound."

Jun Jun: "... Only we can hear it, Yueyue, it smells so good—I want to eat."

Ling Yue startled, but didn't notice; Bai Ze, eating nearby, glanced over as if unbothered.

Ling Yue was still smuggling food— a piece of fragrant hazelnut mushroom, a piece of chicken—and could still hear Jun Jun's praise while eating.

Suddenly Qiao Dad laughed: "Hey, young man, you're quite capable—this is your third, right? How is it? My twenty-year-old craft isn't bad, huh?"

Ling Yue jumped; just as she thought Bai Ze would stay silent to the end, he laughed and said: "Very tasty. The cake is fragrant and soft, the chicken falls off the bone tender, and the mushroom flavor is fully absorbed."

For a chef, nothing is happier than guests praising his cooking.

Qiao Dad burst out laughing: "Then eat more, eat more!"

Speaking, he suddenly brought up his silly daughter: "Qiao Qiao, look at yourself—no manners in eating or sitting, over twenty and still no boyfriend, look at little Ling—what a handsome boyfriend she has!"

Suddenly cued, Ling Yue: "!!!"

"What? When did I get a boyfriend? I didn't even know."

She suddenly turned her head, glanced toward Bai Ze on the side, and a bold thought flashed through her mind, almost making her bite her own tongue.

"Bai Ze?"

Ling Yue shook her head: "No, no, he's just my friend, not a boyfriend."

Qiao Dad: "Ah... this... isn't this awkward?"

He slapped his thigh, wincing with clenched teeth, forcing himself to endure, his face flushed red, and he chuckled: "Hahaha, speaking of which, if it weren't for a lucky coincidence, I wouldn't be a chef. Originally, I was supposed to inherit my father's trade and become a hunter, but I ended up a chef—truly fate."

Ling Yue looked at him in surprise; she expected the old man's story to surely be interesting.

Actually, Qiao Qiao interjected: "Yueyue, you guys shouldn't listen to my dad's nonsense; he told me before that Grandpa disliked him for lacking talent, couldn't even shoot straight, so they made him study cooking."

"Hey, what nonsense are you spouting!"

Qiao Qiao instinctively shrank her head, looking at her dad; Ling Yue thought that was the end, but after leaving the table, Qiao Qiao's father brought out a photo, presenting it proudly, somewhat smug.

On the black-and-white photo, a young man with a square face holds □□, beside him is a man whose eyebrows and eyes resemble his; in front of the two is a small child, the photo is less than half a palm in size, so it looks a bit crowded.

They all wore fluffy big hats; the child's expression is candid, a bit silly; looking closely, one can still see the traces around his eyes, as if he had just cried and then broken into a wide grin.

This was still Ling Yue's first time seeing a real-life version of someone both crying and laughing.

Qiao Dad: "This is my father, this is my uncle, and this youngest one—is me."

He said, pausing for a moment, deliberately skipping over his expression, and told Ling Yue: "Going back a few decades, my father was a famous marksman around here."

hand, nobody in the surrounding ten-li eight villages didn't know his name; my uncle was a bit inferior…

Pat-pat, he started bragging.

Ling Yue listened, entranced, but she was more curious about that expression—what was going on? Still, Qiao Qiao, a professional at wrecking things for twenty years, giggling, secretly told Ling Yue: "Aren't you also wondering why my dad cries and laughs?"

Ling Yue fell silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Because he wanted to take a photo; back then, taking a photo cost a lot. As my uncle told me, my grandfather refused, so my father cried and pestered him until he agreed, and that's how we got this photo. My uncle even squeezed in—people said it was just two people, but my grandfather insisted on pulling my uncle in too."

That's why the photo looks so crowded—originally it was a couple's photo, but they forced it into a three-person shot.

"Qiao Qiao, what nonsense are you spouting? This is called being thrifty!"

Qiao Qiao stuck out her tongue mischievously: "Oh oh oh."

It was obviously an excuse, making the old father so angry he wanted to take off his cotton shoes, but after thinking, he put them down—subzero temperatures of minus ten or twenty degrees weren't worth it.

When he got excited, he shouted to his wife: "Wife, bring out the little wine; today I'm happy, I'll have a couple of sips no matter what."

"Dad!" Qiao Qiao also glared at him upon hearing, "What are you drinking in the morning? Didn't you say we'd go visit relatives later? If you fall into a snowdrift on the way, Mom can't drag your two-hundred-plus‑jin self out."

Mrs. Qiao in the inner room didn't even respond, obviously knowing what kind of character her husband is.

Qiao Dad: "Nonsense, look what you're saying—comparing me to a pig?"

Qiao Qiao: "You're pretty self‑aware, huh."

Ling Yue couldn't hold back, she curled the corner of her lips, suddenly remembered something, gave a light cough: "Wait a moment, I'll go and come back right away."

The remaining father and daughter stared at each other.

The silent Bai Ze suddenly stood up: "I'll go too."

Ling Yue didn't even have time to react—he had already snatched the suitcase first, looking at his big frame, Ling Yue looked away.

After packing yesterday, the suitcase now only contains the gifts she brought; if it weren't for suddenly bringing up the topic of wine, she might not have remembered them until tonight.

Ling Yue's gifts were few—Jing Shi specialty foods, three pouch‑shaped peace talismans, and several bottles of fruit wine from the Ling Yue Winery; especially Qiao Qiao, seeing the pretty bottle, her eyes lit up with little stars: "How cute!"

She rubbed the bottle, tapped the little cat, laughing so hard her eyes almost disappeared: "Cuter than what I saw online!"

As for Qiao Dad, he glanced at the characters and said: "Wine?"

"This must cost a fortune, a fortune!" he said, cradling the items to his chest like treasures, making Qiao Qiao cover her face in disbelief—even more exaggerated than her.

Qiao Qiao reminded him: "Dad, look closely—this is fruit wine, the sweet‑and‑sour kind."

The old father froze at once, took another look—surely it was fruit wine—but what does this silly daughter of his know? Under his wife's supervision, he hasn't had a drink in months, and the craving worms in his belly are about to stir.

"What's wrong with fruit wine? You don't know—I've recently taken a liking to fruit wine; it doesn't get you drunk."

Qiao Qiao couldn't stop him, but when she turned around she saw Ling Yue's smile: "Qiao Qiao, fruit wine is low‑alcohol and can even nourish the body—uncle, a few sips won't hurt."

As soon as she said that, Qiao Dad lit up like he'd gotten a get‑out‑of‑jail‑free card, happily declaring, "Exactly— a little drunkenness lifts the mood."

He didn't just drink himself; he poured a few cups for Ling Yue and the others, of course handing the first cup to his wife first—after hearing it was fruit wine, she relaxed.

Qiao Dad was overjoyed, gulping it all down in one go; the mellow, sweet flavor fed his brain and completely captivated him.

This wine…

"It's really delicious, the taste is great."

Qiao Qiao covered her face, her voice leaking through her fingers: "Oh my dad, a bottle costs several hundred—how could it not be good?"

Her dad doesn't know because he doesn't go online; she could also not know.

?, a bottle costs several hundred, yet it can beautify and nourish the skin, and he just gulped it down like a bull chewing peonies.

Upon hearing this, Qiao Dad was instantly startled, looking at his daughter then at Ling Yue, his face flushing red; he repeated like a broken record: "Several hundred? Several hundred?"

Seeing his reaction, Ling Yue's heart leapt: "My cost price is very low, different from what's sold outside—you can drink with confidence, it's definitely not several hundred."

After a moment, Qiao Dad wiped his forehead, getting his hand sweaty; he too likes drinking, has tried various brands seven‑eight‑eight, this taste, this color, this packaging…

He felt uneasy, suddenly losing confidence; despite Ling Yue's repeated explanations, he still watched his former bold drinking vigor fade, gripping the cup and sipping timidly, looking awkward for no apparent reason.

Perhaps it's because he's over 1.8 meters tall, with a bold, unrestrained first impression.

Even the remaining bottles were carefully placed by him into the cabinet; Ling Yue opened her mouth, but Qiao Dad beat her to it: "This is good wine—let's have a few more cups together at New Year."

Ling Yue: "……If you like it, I'll have someone send more later."

Seeing her dignified demeanor, Qiao Dad couldn't help wondering what kind of wealthy friends his silly daughter keeps—several‑hundred‑per‑bottle wine, sending seven or eight bottles would run into several thousand, right?

He hurriedly protested verbally: "No, no, no—better not, alcohol harms the body."

Ling Yue shook her head and explained: "Our fruit wine won't do that; we'll launch other styles later—this fruit wine is suitable for children, women, and the elderly, and later we'll have hard liquor that will definitely suit your taste! I'll send a few more bottles then."

"Hiss—"

Qiao Dad waved his hands vigorously: "I daren't, I daren't."

As he spoke, he suddenly stopped, realizing: "Your family's wine?"

Ling Yue pursed her lips: "Just a private little winery."

At that, Qiao Dad's expression changed instantly; after Qiao Qiao's enthusiastic explanation, he couldn't help but click his tongue, eyes tinged with envy: "College‑student entrepreneurship is great, daughter—you're smart and hardworking!"

Ling Yue was still being praised like this for the first time; she curved her brows and eyes, smiling: "Qiao Qiao isn't bad either."

Although they've never met, they keep in touch often, so Ling Yue also knows that Qiao Qiao has become a College Graduate Village Official this year, just as she once said—who wouldn't want to stay in the big city, be a white‑collar worker, shuttle between office buildings, grab a coffee, and work at a desk?

Occasionally tired, she'd look at the city's neon lights and enjoy the abundant resources from all over—yet her family had scraped together to support her; does she really rush to cleanse herself and put down roots in the big city?

Qiao Qiao told Ling Yue she doesn't want that; in her sophomore year she already planned her path—after graduation she'll return home to repay her parents and her hometown kin.

So she chose to go home.

But when she brought it up, Qiao Qiao's eyes dimmed, and even Qiao Dad couldn't help sighing: "What's special about our place—just a bunch of poor, cold hills?"

"Even if it's tourism, how many visitors can we get a year? As for opening factories, Qiao Qiao has negotiated a few this year—what are they? They've polluted the good land and water! They're all chemical plants!"

Just these few sentences, Ling Yue could imagine how difficult things were—every step was a struggle.

On the contrary, Qiao Qiao thought the situation was still fine; things can't change in a day or two—she's only been working hard a few years, not even a year yet.

Qiao's father shook his head, looking at his own silly daughter, couldn't help but sigh, yet a smile appeared on his face as he shouted, 'Good!'

Startled, several people shuddered: 'No wonder it's my daughter—she has ambition; I'll always support you, Dad!'

His exaggerated expression made Qiao Qiao unable to help glaring at him angrily.

The stagnant atmosphere lightened in an instant.

Ling Yue secretly kept this in mind, but she, for a moment, also had nothing.

No good solution.

On the silvery-white small hill, Ling Yue looked at the few large sleds beneath her feet, feeling a bit doubtful about life.

It's no wonder she feels that way; after the meal, Qiao Qiao patted her chest and mysteriously told her she would take her to experience a Dongbei specialty. Ling Yue didn't know what a specialty was, but that didn't stop her from looking forward to it.

Then, Qiao Qiao brought her here, to a vast expanse of icy snow, the huge snowfall truly clean.

Qiao Qiao looked at her, stepped in, and the deep snow immediately rose past her ankles, making a creaking sound.

Qiao Qiao: 'This is the place.'

She proudly looked at Ling Yue: 'The snow here is thick and soft, perfect for skiing! If you slide down from above, it's like flying—especially exhilarating!'

'This is my favorite natural ski slope—want to give it a try?'

Ling Yue: ⊙﹏⊙

To be honest, can I still go back now? Give me a chance.

Seeing her expression, Qiao Qiao knew what she was thinking and assured her: 'It's really fun!'

She first sat on the custom sled, one hand gripping the edge, and said to Ling Yue: 'Watch, I'll give you a demonstration—it's really great for relieving stress! And it's even safer than bungee jumping!'

When she heard those words, Ling Yue felt a bit dazed—'Bungee jumping, what does that mean?'

The next moment, she understood.

Qiao Qiao swooshed down the snow slope.

'Ahhhhh!!!'

At the instant the scream rang out, Ling Yue jumped in fright—Qiao Qiao, reckless as ever, grabbed the edge and slid down, leaving Ling Yue expressionless.

Never mind, she can still make it back now.

Qiao Qiao: QAQ

She genuinely wanted to recommend this fun activity to her good friend; every kid who grew up in Dongbei has tried it, and it's super fun.

She staggered to her feet at the bottom and shouted up: 'Ling Yue, come down—it's so fun, don't run away!'

Ling Yue hesitated, wondering what to do, and suddenly felt like running away even faster.

In the end, she was still caught by her friend, with Bai Ze watching nearby—how could he look so relaxed?

Ling Yue suddenly came up with an idea: 'Sliding alone would be so boring.'

Qiao Qiao: 'Huh?'

Ling Yue pointed at Bai Ze: 'He's here too, isn't he? Look at him gazing longingly—so boring, perfect to be my companion.'

'Gazing longingly?'

For a moment, Qiao Qiao doubted her own eyes—was something wrong? Did it look like that?

Before she could react, Ling Yue had already pulled him in: 'Let's slide together—no need to thank me.'

She laughed, utterly sincere and kind.

Conveniently, there was an empty sled nearby.

Bai Ze fell silent for a moment, then nodded. He looked tall and big, and once seated, he seemed even taller—actually a head taller than Ling Yue, with long limbs curled up on the simple sled, looking rather pitiful.

For an instant, Ling Yue dared not look at him, feeling she owed him.

Immediately, she took a deep breath of fresh air filling her chest, glanced aside, and said: 'I'm going to slide down.'

Bai Ze: 'Hmm.'

Only then did Ling Yue realize how little he spoke—like a robot, you have to poke him to get a reaction.

However, the instant she slid down, Ling Yue realized she had still underestimated this small hill—the biting wind muffled her ears, producing a wailing howl; the sled beneath her didn't just glide down, it also spun!

Ling Yue, trying this for the first time, was fumbling—even having heard Qiao Qiao's explanation, she still had no idea how to control it.

'The rope? Where is the rope?'

If she opened her mouth, all she got was a gulp of cold air—she had already cried out 'ahhh,' flailing her arms, when suddenly she heard a voice: 'Watch out! You're going to hit!'

'What does that mean?'

By the time Ling Yue reacted, the accident had already occurred—she never imagined she would end up trapping herself!

Straight ahead was Bai Ze with a furrowed brow; Ling Yue didn't even have time to speak before they collided, the strong inertia making it impossible to brace—she felt that either she or Bai Ze would be flung off.

Ling Yue shook her body; in the collision, someone suddenly grabbed her hand, and before she knew it, he had her waist in his arms while the sled beneath them continued to speed along.

The howling wind brushed past her ears.

Ling Yue dazed for an instant, a hand suddenly pressed against the back of her head, and a man's voice rang from above: 'Don't move, we'll be safe soon.'

As he spoke, one hand could still manipulate the rope, steering the direction.

Ling Yue: '!!!'

A faint, gentle scent of grass and wood rose at her nose; she didn't feel like she'd plunged into a man's embrace, but rather like she'd fallen onto a soft, plush meadow.

Ling Yue lifted her head, her light gaze finally settling on his face, and her heartbeat skipped a beat.

A flicker of astonishment crossed Ling Yue's eyes—whether it was the bridge effect or not, there's no denying that this face completely matched her aesthetic, but that was all.

As her thought settled, the sled also came to a stop.

Ling Yue: 'Thank you.'

Although with her current physique she wouldn't get hurt even if she fell, who wants to be embarrassed rolling in the snow?

If it weren't for her, this wouldn't have happened.

Ling Yue sighed inwardly, then looked at Bai Ze and said, "You're really a good person."

Bai Ze stared, doubting that what he just saw was an illusion, then suddenly laughed: "You're welcome."

Above, Qiao Qiao personally witnessed the accident as it happened; a pleasant ski run suddenly turned into a bumper-car collision, and she was nearly scared out of her wits.

Qiao Qiao was about to go down to rescue them when she saw Bai Ze turn the danger into safety.

Qiao Qiao: "So big! So bright!"

"Who's the big light bulb? The big light bulb turned out to be me!"

Qiao Qiao realized and hurriedly slid down, but the snow was too slippery; she didn't know why, why could someone be so unlucky!

A perfectly good rope suddenly snapped; Qiao Qiao grabbed the broken rope, hadn't reacted yet, the out-of-control skateboard already slid down in an S-shaped curve, and as luck would have it, it happened to carry her straight to the scene—

Ling Yue and Bai Ze in between, Qiao Qiao patted the snow off her body, embarrassed yet polite as she waved at them: "Hi~" Recently encoding issues have been severe, giving us more motivation, updating faster; please trouble yourself to lift a finger to exit the mode. Thanks:,,.