Chapter 78

Winter of 2005.

The Su family still lived in the courtyard house. At that time, it was the first lunar month. On this day, the Huo family came to pay a New Year's call.

In the winter of Sijiucheng, the biting cold wind rose, and white snow gradually accumulated on the glazed tiles of the red wall. The vermilion and plain white intertwined, forming a poetic painting.

There were a few red plum trees planted in the courtyard. It was winter, and they stood quietly, but the branches were full of red buds, and the branches were covered with snow. Occasionally, a cold wind blew, and the fragrance of plum blossoms drifted away, intertwining with the coldness of the snow, permeating the air.

After Huo Jingcheng finished paying New Year's calls to the elders such as Old Man Su and Old Lady Su in the front courtyard, he followed the elders' words to find Su Mingyan in the East Wing Room to play. Even if he was reluctant, in front of the elders, he had to agree.

He refused the servant's guidance and walked toward the East Wing Room on his own. Walking through the corridor, because he was reluctant, his steps appeared particularly careless, walking very slowly, one step at a time.

It had snowed a few days ago, and the courtyard was covered with a carpet made of snow. Only a few paths were cleared by servants for walking. The white snow was piled up in between, and a big snowman stood in the courtyard, with a few small footprints beside it.

The carrot nose, the tree branch hands, crooked, but revealing cuteness, and a bright red woolen hat on its head, with the little furry ball on top of its head drooping naturally.

It could be seen that the person who built the snowman had patience and childlike interest.

Huo Jingcheng stopped to watch the snowman for a few minutes, then continued to walk to the right.

Walking for three or five minutes, he inadvertently raised his eyes and saw a little girl in a red cloak jacket sitting on the wall, with drooping braids on both sides of her head, drooping softly, like the tender willow that had just sprouted branches some time ago, swaying back and forth with her little head, her two little short legs hanging down, swaying one by one, comfortable and at ease.

In this place, plus her young age, without thinking, Huo Jingcheng recognized at a glance who the "flying little girl" was, the sister that Su Mingyan often hung on his lips.

He and Su Mingyan didn't get along. The two were born in the same year, the same age, plus they were 'well-matched', so there would always be people who would intentionally or unintentionally compare the two.

Young boys always had a competitive side, and neither of them was willing to let the other, holding a dark force, but sometimes, in front of the elders, they had to pretend to be 'brotherly and respectful'.

Huo Jingcheng stood on the spot, sizing up the little girl on the wall carefully, thinking silently in his heart: Su Mingyan is Su Mingyan, his sister is his sister.

After all, she was only four or five years old, and there were no servants around her, so he walked over worriedly.

The sound of stepping on snow reached his ears. Su Ruoyun turned her head, her peripheral vision swept to the figure standing by the wall, and didn't pay much attention. There were many people visiting the house during the first lunar month, and she only thought it was another guest coming to the house.

Afterwards, she lowered her head again, focusing all her attention on continuing to make the snowballs in her hands.

But she didn't want to hear the person below ask her: "What are you doing up there?"

Su Ruoyun gave him a glance: "Playing."

The girl's voice was crisp, carrying a vague Beijing accent.

Playing on such a high wall?

So playful, same virtue as her brother.

Huo Jingcheng frowned imperceptibly, and soon returned to calm.

He wasn't a person who loved to meddle in other people's business, it was just that this was the Su family. Some things, if he didn't bump into them, that was it. Since he saw this little girl of the Su family staying on the wall alone, he couldn't pretend he didn't see it.

He raised his eyes and said to the top: "It's too high up there, come down."

Su Ruoyun didn't take this stranger to heart at all. She was playing happily, pretending not to hear his words, and on her own, held the white snow on the wall, her hands skillfully pressing and rubbing. Before long, round, cute snowballs took shape in her hands.

Seeing her so "playful", Huo Jingcheng patiently persuaded again: "There is no one else here, you are alone up there, your mom and dad will be worried if they know."

Mentioning mom and dad, Su Ruoyun finally gave him a glance. After hesitating for a moment, she looked down at the snowballs she had grouped, thinking there should be enough to play, and then responded lightly: "Okay."

When she came up, she was supported by a few servants beside her. A few stools stacked up were placed quietly by the corner of the wall.

Looking at the landing point, she turned around, put her hands on the glazed tiles, her movements appeared clumsy but carried a bit of caution, and climbed down level by level along the stools.

Just at this moment, rustling white snow drifted down, and it happened to fall on the stool. Plus Su Ruoyun was carrying two or three snowballs with her, she slipped under her feet, her figure swayed suddenly, couldn't keep her balance, and her whole person fell straight down from the wall uncontrollably.

"Ouch!"

Huo Jingcheng saw this, his pupils shrank, and he couldn't care about thinking more, hurriedly stepped forward, stretched out his hands, and tried to catch her.

"Umm—" a muffled sound.

But because the impact was too great, Su Ruoyun fell heavily on Huo Jingcheng. Her little face was pressed against his heart. Although there was a thick down jacket in between, the powerful heartbeat was still clearly perceptible, hitting her eardrums like a drum, and the warmth on his body was also passed over continuously.

With Huo Jingcheng as a human cushion for buffering, Su Ruoyun didn't fall painfully either.

She climbed off him neatly, first patted her two little hands clean, and then carefully dusted off the snow on her butt. Immediately after, she turned around, stretched out her soft little hand to pull him, and asked milkily: "Are you okay?"

Calm, unlike a five-year-old little girl.

Huo Jingcheng felt that it was inappropriate to pull a girl's hand, so he shook his head, supported the ground with both hands, stood up neatly, and said: "It's okay."

Su Ruoyun's outstretched hand stopped in mid-air. Seeing that he had stood up on his own, she didn't think much, withdrew her hand naturally, and then patted the snow on her pants and cloak.

"I'll take you back." Huo Jingcheng stood in front of Su Ruoyun like a towering mountain, casting a large deep shadow, covering her.

She raised her small, exquisite face and nodded lightly, responding crisply: "Okay."

So, Huo Jingcheng led Su Ruoyun toward the front courtyard. The two kept a distance that was neither far nor near at first, but after a while...

Huo Jingcheng felt a force on his hand. The strength was neither light nor heavy, as if carrying an invisible pull. He looked down subconsciously, and a chubby little hand was tightly gripping his right hand drooping by his side.

I don't know when, Su Ruoyun had already walked to his side.