Chapter 88

Chapter 88

The snow fell.

Jiang Mianmian lay in front of the window, watching the fluttering snowflakes outside.

She was amazed.

This was the first snow of winter.

And also the first snow of her life.

Her tiny body only reached the very bottom of the wooden window, and to see outside, she needed to cling to the window and stand on tiptoes.

Watching the flakes drift, the lid of the well in the courtyard slowly turned white.

The black soil also turned white.

She saw Mom hurry out, carrying a large bundle of firewood back inside.

From the next house came Elder Sister's shouts.

"Ah!"

Followed by Elder brother's voice.

"Don't make such a fuss, you're a young lady, you won't get married like that."

"Mom said we should make dumplings on a snowy day, ah ah ah, last New Year we didn't even get to eat dumplings." Elder Sister's voice was excitedly loud.

Jiang Mianmian took out Jiang Xiaoshu from her pocket and placed it on the windowsill. Seeing it curl up and retreat from the cold, she put Jiang Xiaoshu back in her pocket.

Ants are cold-blooded creatures, very active in autumn. During autumn, Jiang Mianmian often collected various foods.

In winter, Jiang Xiaoshu was also lazy, and most of the time liked to stay close to her, and she often kept it in her pocket.

Jiang Mianmian now liked to carry Jiang Xiaoshu, because with Jiang Xiaoshu, she was a clean baby, and wouldn't make a mess everywhere when eating.

Jiang Mianmian watched the snow for a long time.

Until a figure picked her up.

It was Father.

Jiang Changtian, after finishing his work, came back and saw his little daughter standing on tiptoes, clinging to the window to look outside. Her tiny figure had a strange sense of loneliness.

He picked her up and felt her cheeks and hands, icy cold.

It seemed like she had been standing there for a long time.

He couldn't help but ask, "What is Mianmian looking at?"

Jiang Mianmian, with a reddened nose, said, "Looking at white."

"That's snow, it's snowing." Jiang Changtian held his daughter and looked out the window.

"Husband, husband, bring Mianmian over here." Mom's call came from the next room.

Breaking the somewhat distant and fragmented atmosphere between father and daughter.

Jiang Changtian carried his daughter to the next room, which was the kitchen.

Qin Luoxia's strong figure was kneading dough.

Jiang Feng was chopping stuffing.

Jiang Yu was tending the fire.

Qin Luoxia brushed aside a loose strand of hair with her elbow and said with a beaming smile, "Husband, we're making dumplings for dinner, come help out."

Then she went to the cellar, and Jiang Mianmian saw that it was now wide, large, and deep - Mom had dug out an underground room.

Mom rummaged in a corner and brought out a small jug.

Outside, there was snow, and Mom's footprints trailed behind, one by one.

Jiang Mianmian, on her mother's back, found the winding footprints very intimate.

They returned to the warm, steamy kitchen, where the dumplings had floated to the top and were ready to eat.

Mom served everyone a large bowl.

With pickled vegetables in the middle.

She opened the jug and poured wine for Father, Jiang Feng, and Jiang Yu.

For Jiang Mianmian, she poured a bowl of dumpling soup, blatantly tricking her and pretending to pour it from the jug, using the jug to hide it.

Jiang Mianmian: ...Even if I'm naive, everyone else's wine doesn't steam, only mine does. I can tell the difference.

Qin Luoxia raised her cup first, then said to her husband, "Today is your birthday, let's eat well and drink well, and wish for our days to get better and better."

Jiang Changtian's tears immediately welled up.

He had forgotten.

He didn't remember that today was his birthday.

No one in the family had ever celebrated it for him before.

Jiang Feng handed Father a brush he had made himself, "This is for you from me, Father."

Jiang Yu also took out a crooked little handkerchief, it was unclear what was on it, and gave it to Father, saying, "Wishing Father good health and growing younger with each year."

Jiang Mianmian: ...

Unreasonable. Such a big event, yet they hid it from little Jiang Mianmian. She didn't even have a chance to prepare a gift.

Jiang Mianmian reached into her pocket, rummaging around until she finally fished out a small, round, yellowish stone that Jiang Xiaoshu had brought for her. It looked quite pretty, so she had kept it in her pocket.

"Father, here, here, Happy Birthday, Father." Jiang Mianmian handed over the little stone.

Jiang Changtian accepted the gift from his child.

He raised the cup of wine in front of him and drained it in one gulp.

He didn't drink alcohol, not since that time he was wrongfully accused. Yet today, with his wife and child by his side, he could drink without worry.

Jiang Changtian had a very low alcohol tolerance and passed out after just one cup.

He slumped over the table, emitting soft snores.

Asleep.

Mom carried Father away.

Outside, snow was falling.

Jiang Mianmian and her Elder Sister and Elder brother ate dumplings.

So today was Father's birthday.

Mom had been gone for so long and still hadn't returned.

The dumplings had gotten cold.

What a pity.