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Qing Luan looked at the chickens, ducks, and some eggs in their hands, feeling quite emotional. She understood their intentions, but there was no way she could accept these gifts. "Uncle Ma, if I accept these, it would be too much. We are from the same village; we should help each other. When I was busy here, wasn't it you and everyone else who helped me? So please don’t be so polite. Take everything back; I won’t accept it. However, you all have to sell your fish to me and come over to do some work today as a way to repay my life-saving grace. How does that sound?"
After hearing her words, Uncle Ma and the others exchanged glances, feeling uncertain about what to do. They wanted to show their appreciation with these gifts, but listening to the young lady made them feel like accepting them would mean they were no longer part of the same village. Their simple and honest minds were in a bit of a knot.
"Go on back now! After you eat, come over. I’ll have to deal with anyone who tries to slack off," Qing Luan said playfully, pretending to threaten them.
"Ah, okay! We’ll go back right away!" Uncle Ma and the others immediately turned to leave, eager to prove they weren’t trying to be lazy.
"Ha!" Seeing them leave with their things as they had come, Qing Luan let out a sigh of relief. She was really worried that Sister Ma would come by; if she insisted on giving her something, it would be hard for her to refuse. But since she and Plain Grandmother didn’t farm or raise poultry, having those animals around would only complicate things.
After saving Little Bai, his activities were restricted outside the workshop. This was both to train his independence and to fulfill her initial decision of making him a watchdog. Occasionally, she would take Little Bai for a run by the sea or a stroll in the mountains so he wouldn’t feel lonely.
The first snowfall of winter fell lightly for two days. The children trapped inside the house rushed out as soon as the snow stopped, playing wildly in the white blanket.
Afraid of the cold, Qing Luan had lost her usual cheerfulness and instead nestled beside the heater, looking at Plain Grandmother and saying, "Sew it tightly; everyone should have one to wear..." This was cotton she had prepared herself, now stuffed into new fabric bought recently and sewn by Plain Grandmother. She could hardly wait to wear it.
The first garment she worked on was her own. She felt too cold to go outside and was quite frustrated. Even though she had the same body as them—a child—why could they ignore the cold while she shivered and faced their teasing? It was unbearable; she had to show them a thing or two.
"All done," Plain Grandmother said as she bit off the last thread and held up the finished garment with a smile. "Miss, give it a try." She didn’t know how well-made it was, but since the young lady liked it, she could only hope for the best.
Receiving the soft yellow coat from Plain Grandmother made Qing Luan's eyes light up with joy as she eagerly put it on. Her small frame instantly looked much brighter. "Ah, this is so comfortable!" The warm and gentle feeling made her exclaim in delight before turning to Qin'er. "You should work together with Plain Grandmother on this; I’m not good at sewing. If you make some for everyone, they won’t get cold." After all, Plain Grandmother had spent three days making this; if everyone got one each, it would surely wear her out.
The room was warm as Qing Luan playfully bantered with Qin'er and the others while outside A-Song played with Tide and Zhao Yun alongside Little Bai. The little white dog blended perfectly with the snow around him, making it quite difficult for them to find him...
"The sound of the carriage was unmistakably approaching, causing everyone in the courtyard to pause their playful antics and look curiously at the lavish carriage that seemed out of place in the desolate village. They wondered who would dare to come here at such a time.
"What's going on?" Sensing something was off outside, Qing Luan stood up and opened the door.
"Sister, a carriage has come to our house," Tide spoke up first.
"Really?" Qing Luan found it strange but didn't dwell on it too much. Whoever was coming at this time surely had urgent business; otherwise, who would be foolish enough to brave the freezing weather? "Zhao Yun, open the gate and see who it is."
"Okay!" Zhao Yun, her face flushed from playing, dashed to the entrance and opened the courtyard gate, allowing the carriage to enter.
"Qing Luan," as soon as the curtain of the carriage was lifted, the person inside revealed herself and immediately smiled upon seeing Qing Luan.
"Linglong Sister?" Qing Luan was taken aback, unable to believe her eyes. "What are you doing here?"
Hu Linglong, having stepped down from the carriage, was pulled into the house by Qing Luan. She instructed Plain Grandmother to prepare some brown sugar water and then frowned in dissatisfaction. "Linglong Sister, this heavy snow has blocked the roads and made them slippery; it's nearly impossible to travel. What were you thinking coming here today? If something happens, what will we do?"
"I..." Sitting on a stool, Hu Linglong looked elegantly simple, her face devoid of the frailty Qing Luan had first seen in her. At that moment, she gritted her teeth, her expression twisted with what seemed like a blood feud. "Qing Luan, I didn't want to come either, but I had no choice. That's why I came to ask for your help."
"What happened?" Understanding that something serious must have occurred for her to arrive in such weather—if there was an emergency, it should have been Hu Lingyun who came—Qing Luan pressed on. "Is it about Big Brother?"
Hu Linglong's strong facade crumbled at Qing Luan's pointed question; her eyes turned red as she choked back tears. "Big Brother is sick, and the tavern is on the verge of closing down."
Everyone present listened in disbelief at Linglong's words. The tavern had been thriving; even with the roads blocked by snow these past few days and fishing boats unable to set sail, it shouldn't have fallen into such despair!
"Stop crying and tell us what happened!" Seeing her weeping softly without getting to the point, Qing Luan grew anxious and angry. "Crying won't solve anything, so stop it!" The sound of her sobbing was distressing; she refused to indulge in such unnecessary weakness.
Holding back her tears, Hu Linglong choked out the details of the situation. "The Zheng Family is being unreasonable. They took advantage of our restaurant being closed due to the heavy snow preventing fishing boats from going out, and they used river fish to make their dishes. They even poached our head chef, causing our business to plummet..."
She understood the situation, but there was still a lingering doubt in her mind: "Brother Hu fell ill because of this?" If that were true, she would really have to reconsider whether to help the Hu Family in the future.
Wiping her tears with a handkerchief, she shook her head and said, "No, it's not that. My brother fell ill because the Zheng Family has been constantly undermining the Hu Family's reputation, and they have the government backing them. As a result, our business is struggling immensely. My brother fell ill under such pressure, and I was desperate, which is why I came to seek your help!"
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