On the way to drop Wen Yan off, Jiang Zhou was suddenly reminded of something.

As they walked side by side, they passed by upland rice fields with half-green and half-yellow wheat ears bowing towards the ground. Most of the rice in these fields had already been harvested, leaving only the second growth of rice plants. The fields appeared mostly dry with stretches of green and yellow.

Wen Yan walked beside him, his fair and cold skin contrasting with his long and narrow eyes and curly eyelashes. The warmth of their breath in the winter air softened their features.

Sensing Jiang Zhou’s gaze, Wen Yan turned his head with a quizzical expression, “Huh?”

Jiang Zhou held Wen Yan’s cold hand in his palm and tried to warm it with his fingertips.

“Xiao Yi’s 100th day is coming up, right?”

After returning, he had inquired about Xiao Yi. Their child was born on the day of the “Winter Solstice” and considering today was already December 17th, the 100th day was approaching in four days.

Wen Yan recalled that it was indeed approaching. His parents had been planning for Xiao Yi’s 100th day celebration half a month in advance. “Yes.”

When he realized that Jiang Zhou was concerned about this, he explained, “My parents want to handle it at home. They… they’re not worried.”

Jiang Zhou had already known that, but he had a glimmer of hope in his heart and decided to ask anyway. He felt a bit uneasy about it because he hadn’t played any part in organizing Xiao Yi’s 100th day celebration. After all, their son couldn’t manage it on his own.

Jiang Zhou’s mood was visibly somber, which made Wen Yan find it a little amusing. He shook the hand they were holding and asked, “Are you upset?”

Jiang Zhou nodded, expressing his unhappiness.

Wen Yan, who knew him well, knew that Jiang Zhou wouldn’t keep his feelings to himself. Whenever he felt upset, he would naturally analyze the reason behind it. So, every time he asked, Jiang Zhou would truthfully explain why he was upset.

Wen Yan found it somewhat heartwarming. “What’s bothering you?” he asked.

“I just feel like I wasn’t there when Xiao Yi was born, and I didn’t do anything for him. Now, even for his 100th day celebration…”

That was what he was unhappy about. Wen Yan had already guessed as much, but he asked anyway and saw Jiang Zhou’s candid response. It tugged at his heartstrings a little. However, he felt that they couldn’t postpone the planned event, so he tried to comfort him from another angle.

“It’s okay, there are many days ahead. We’ll be there for him in the future. Besides, my parents didn’t say you couldn’t come.”

Wen Yan was right; his parents hadn’t forbidden Jiang Zhou from attending the celebration. Jiang Zhou looked at Wen Yan with bright eyes and asked, “Aren’t your parents angry with me?”

Wen Yan couldn’t help but smile, saying, “How could they be angry with you? If they were ever upset, it was because of someone else. All the mistakes were made by him. My parents didn’t know it wasn’t you at that time. Nowadays, when they talk about you, they have no worries at all.”

Jiang Zhou had been working hard recently, and although his parents had softened their attitudes, he still needed reassurance from Wen Yan. “Really?” he asked repeatedly, seeking validation.

Seeing this rare vulnerable side of Jiang Zhou, Wen Yan smiled and reached out to pat his hand gently.

“It’s true, Jiang Zhou,” he reassured.

Jiang Zhou then grabbed Wen Yan’s hand and suggested, “The hundred-day banquet will be at my parents’ place. I’ll help with the preparations, okay?”

Wen Yan replied honestly, “My parents have been preparing for it for over half a month, and I haven’t been involved in the planning. Everything is well-arranged. Maybe we’ll need to prepare a few additional things. If you have time tomorrow or want to come over later, we can discuss it. What do you think?”

Jiang Zhou readily agreed, and they continued walking hand in hand. However, after a few steps, Jiang Zhou suddenly stopped and furrowed his brow, saying, “Why does something feel odd?”

Wen Yan, with an innocent expression, asked, “What feels odd?”

Jiang Zhou called him “Wife,” which caught Wen Yan off guard. He sheepishly replied, “Hey.”

Jiang Zhou raised an eyebrow. “Do you think of me as a child?”

Wen Yan gazed at the green and yellow fields around them and smiled, replying, “No.”

Jiang Zhou pinched his waist lightly. Wen Yan was incredibly ticklish, even when held lightly, he trembled uncontrollably.

Jiang Zhou continued to tease him, saying, “Really? Not treating me like a child?”

Wen Yan couldn’t help but laugh and begged for mercy, saying “Zhou ge-ge” over and over. Jiang Zhou finally released his hold.

However, he immediately played the victim, claiming, “It’s not right; you can’t treat me like a child.”

Wen Yan was still blushing but said, “Thankfully, there’s no one on the road.”

Jiang Zhou held his wife’s hand once again, enjoying his moment of playfulness. He knew Wen Yan was bashful and usually acted with grace, but now he was teasing back. “It’s alright; there’s no one here. They are with wife and child are all at home, warm and cozy in bed.”

He sighed and added, “I can’t wait to take Ah Yan home.”

Wen Yan remained silent, understanding Jiang Zhou’s concerns. He wanted to convey to Jiang Zhou that he didn’t care about wealth or poverty, as long as he was with him, that was home.

But Jiang Zhou was a stubborn person, and his mind wasn’t easily changed. Wen Yan knew it would take time and patience to influence his thinking.

Fortunately, Jiang Zhou quickly brightened up and reassured himself. “But soon, once I’m done with the oden business and save some money, I’ll take you back. It will be spring, and by then, Xiao Yi will be a bit older. Moving during that season is safer, to prevent the baby from getting sick.”

Jiang Zhou continued making plans for their future while walking, and Wen Yan simply listened to him, allowing him to hold her hand as they strolled.

The cold winter wind blew loudly around them, but Jiang Zhou made sure Wen Yan stayed warm by draping a rabbit-skin cloak over her. The cloak was dense and warm, with a fur collar around the neck, making Wen Yan look even whiter and cozier.

Jiang Zhou was concerned about the cold weather, so he wanted to make sure he was well-prepared for the journey.

.

After leaving Wen Yan at his home, they had already arranged for his parents to come over the next day to discuss the details of the 100-day banquet.

Jiang Zhou met Uncle Yu under the locust tree, and as they walked together, the old boatman shared his concerns. He mentioned that the thin river would freeze in a little over a month, which would be troublesome for their business.

Once the river freezes, ferrying goods or passengers across the river would be impossible until the ice melted in spring. This also meant that Jiang Zhou’s business, especially his oden stall, would face challenges.

Jiang Zhou, however, wasn’t too worried. The Chinese New Year was just around the corner, and he had planned to pause his business during that time. But as he thought about Wen Yan’s paleness from the cold weather, he began considering investing in a bullock cart with a shed to make their future endeavors more comfortable and efficient.