Cheng You let out a bitter smile.
She probably wouldn't get to eat any of it.
She had made so many dumplings this year, but she couldn't eat more than a few herself.
If it weren't for the cold weather preventing them from spoiling, she wouldn't have dared to make so many.
She looked out at the yard, where a light snow was falling again.
Cheng You took out a bottle of wine. It was made from grapes she had grown herself. It tasted sweet and wasn't very strong.
She took out two cups and poured a glass for the empty seat opposite her.
"Even though you're not here, I still want to have a drink. Qi Chengyan, Happy New Year."
As she raised her wine glass, before she could drink, a voice sounded beside her ear: "Youyou, Happy New Year."
Cheng You's mind reeled. Her hand paused, and she whipped her head around to look towards the door.
"I haven't even had a drink yet, how can I be hearing things?"
The man's figure gradually became clearer.
The dim, yellow lamplight cast shadows on his high nose bridge, making his eyes seem even deeper.
His chiseled, sharp features finally made Cheng You certain that he had indeed returned.
Cheng You pouted. Before she could speak, tears welled up in her eyes.
"Am I dreaming?"
Before she could get up, the man was already there, pulling her into a tight embrace.
"Youyou, Happy New Year. I'm back."
Months of separation had led to an unbearable longing.
Her longing was like a caged beast, finally unleashed, no longer controllable.
Cheng You cried like a child. The hardness of his bones and muscles pressed painfully against her, but she couldn't bear to let go.
He was warm. He was really back.
"How did you manage to come back? Did you break regulations to get here? Wasn't there a war on the frontier? How did you just run back?"
Cheng You had a thousand things she wanted to ask, but she didn't know where to start.
"Shh, we have more important things to do now."
Qi Chengyan swiftly tore at his clothes, his iron arms lifting Cheng You's hips as he strode into the room.
The months of pent-up longing could only be expressed through action. There was no other outlet.
That night, Cheng You was like a small boat tossed on the vast sea, unable to find a safe harbor for a long time.
She didn't know when the storm would cease. When she woke up, the sun was already high in the sky.
The sky was clear after the snow, and the sunlight on the accumulated snow caused water to drip down.
The quilt slipped down, revealing pale skin covered in marks.
If not for the discomfort in her body, she would have almost thought last night was a dream.
"Chengyan."
She called out, but there was no response, and a sense of disappointment washed over her.
Suddenly, she heard sounds from outside.
The man parted the curtain, carrying a steaming bowl of dumplings.
"You're awake? Hungry? Eat some dumplings first to fill your stomach."
They had missed New Year's Eve dinner as the food made last night had gone uneaten.
Cheng You hugged him silently, an inexplicable hint of grievance appearing in her eyes.
"What's wrong?"
Qi Chengyan put the dumplings down and found a blanket to wrap around her.
Although it wasn't cold inside, he was afraid Cheng You would catch a chill.
Cheng You whispered, "I thought I was dreaming."
Qi Chengyan paused. The image of Cheng You talking to an empty seat last night flashed in his mind. His heart felt like it had been hit by a heavy blow.
"Youyou."
Cheng You looked up at him. "Are you leaving again after this trip?"
"I'm not leaving. The matters on the front lines have been resolved."
At least, he wouldn't have to go back.
Originally, he was supposed to return with the main force, which would have been no earlier than after the New Year.
However, because Cheng You had donated medicine to the military, the superiors had been exceptionally lenient with him, granting him permission to return early and exempting him from mop-up duties.
This allowed him to barely make it back to celebrate the New Year with Cheng You.
Cheng You fussed with her hair. "I'm not a qualified military wife. My ideological awareness is practically non-existent."
Among the military wives in the compound, who didn't worry about their husbands? Yet, none of them wished for their husbands to not be on the front lines like her.
Those who always stayed in their comfort zones were not soldiers.
Qi Chengyan gently stroked her cheek. "Who says that? Everyone on the front lines knows about the Zhen Shan Tang. The leaders even praised your high awareness."
"Really?"
"Of course. Put on some clothes, and let's eat first."
Cheng You then remembered she wasn't dressed yet and her face flushed.
After changing, they finally ate the bowl of dumplings, one bite after another.
"This counts as New Year's Eve dinner, doesn't it?"
This year's New Year's celebration wasn't a complete regret.
After they finished eating, they walked out hand in hand.
Since he had returned home safely, he naturally had to inform Song Qinglan and Qi Shengwen first.
As they strolled out, the news of Qi Chengyan's return naturally spread.
Upon hearing that they had returned last night, Song Qinglan chided, "Then why didn't you come back last night to report your safety? We were just talking about you."
Qi Yang came downstairs and happened to overhear her words. He chuckled and teased, "Mom, absence makes the heart grow fonder, don't you understand?"
Song Qinglan suddenly realized. "Oh, right, right. Have a child soon, and then you'll be more careful with more things to worry about."
Cheng You: "..."
They never missed an opportunity to urge her to have children.
She smiled at the gleeful Qi Yang and said, "We have to go by age order. Sister should have one first."
Qi Yang's expression stiffened, and he immediately became the target of Song Qinglan's scolding.
"You're still laughing. How old are you now? If you don't have a child soon, you'll be an advanced maternal age! After the banquet next year, get to work with Boyan and have a child."
Qi Chengyan was surprised for the first time. "Xu Boyan is back?"
Cheng You nodded with a smile. "A lot has happened recently."
Most of it involved the Xu family, so it was easy to explain.
Qi Yang and Xu Boyan had already gotten their marriage certificate, but because the elderly matriarch's health was poor, they had postponed the wedding banquet until after the New Year.
When Qi Chengyan heard about the troublesome affairs of the Feng and Xu families, his brow furrowed.
"Did they bully you?"
Cheng You snorted. "Who could bully me?"
Qi Chengyan's lips curved into a smile. "That's right, Youyou is the strongest."
Song Qinglan, unable to bear their affectionate display, got up and went into the kitchen.
There was still soup simmering inside.
"You two have dinner here later, so I won't have to send the soup over."
The soup contained ingredients like Angelica sinensis and other blood-tonifying herbs, specifically stewed for Qi Yang and Cheng You.
Cheng You gave Qi Chengyan a meaningful look before seeing him get up and walk into the kitchen.
Qi Chengyan's tall stature made the kitchen feel cramped.
"Mom, thank you for taking care of Cheng You during this time."
Song Qinglan's movements faltered, her eyes moist from the steam.
She wanted to say something, but her throat felt clogged with cotton.
She deeply cherished Qi Chengyan.
He was so tiny when he was born, yet they had abandoned him.
But cherishing him wasn't just about words.
No matter how much she did now, it couldn't erase the past harm she had inflicted upon him.
"Mom and Dad were also first-time parents. I did many wrong things before. I know I was wrong now, and I'm slowly changing. Chengyan, thank you for still giving me a chance."