The two of them had been embracing beneath the covered walkway for quite some time when Song Wushen arrived at the residence. With a dry cough, he finally made the inseparable pair stop acting so sweetly.
After Song’s grandfather, the two Song brothers, and Mu Linghui had all arrived, they introduced the elders to one another. Everyone gathered in the main hall to drink tea and chat.
Before the meeting, the Duan family’s elders had been rather ill at ease. Yet after sitting together and talking for a while, they gradually relaxed.
The two Song brothers, who were of the same generation as the Duan family’s elders, as well as Mu Linghui, were all unfailingly courteous. After initially exchanging polite inquiries about one another’s health, they moved on to discussing pastimes and chatting about everyday matters.
Song’s grandfather looked rather stern, but his manner of speaking was extremely kind. His questions to Duan’s father were mostly about farming and household affairs. Though the old gentleman was broad in knowledge and experience, he carried not the slightest hint of arrogance. The entire Song family was truly as easygoing and approachable as could be.
Thus, after they had eaten a simple midday meal, the elders of both families had grown familiar with one another, and the awkwardness of their first meeting had completely vanished.
In the afternoon, a light flurry began to drift down from the sky. The sound of firecrackers from the streets outside was even denser than before. Duan Yan insisted on personally preparing the evening meal, while Song Fengsui followed him into the kitchen like a little shadow, helping Master Duan with the cooking.
A plump, fresh leg of lamb was slashed several times. Master Duan seasoned it with powdered cloves, Sichuan pepper, fennel, dill, star anise, cinnamon, tsaoko, and various other spices.
Master Duan used both strength and finesse as he massaged the lamb leg, while Master Song held the bowl of crushed spices and sprinkled the fragrant powder over it.
Several of the elders came to take a look and praised the two chefs for their excellent skills.
Song’s second uncle sniffed the lamb leg, which had not yet even been roasted but was already giving off a rich fragrance. Seeing how seriously the two young men were preparing the food, he suggested that this year they simply not trouble the servants. Instead, everyone could work together to prepare the New Year’s Eve feast, decorate the residence, and enjoy a lively celebration.
His suggestion immediately won the unanimous approval of all the elders. Song’s grandfather therefore set up a table in the main hall, with brush, ink, paper, and inkstone at the ready, and began writing blessings and cutting paper window decorations.
Song’s second uncle set up a ladder and pasted couplets and door guardians on the doors and windows. Song Wushen and Duan’s father helped in the kitchen, killing the chicken and gutting the fish, then carrying the washed chicken and meat to make offerings to their ancestors and the Bodhisattvas. Mu Linghui and Duan’s mother shelled beans and washed vegetables…
The entire extended family bustled back and forth, talking and laughing.
By evening, red lanterns glowed throughout the residence. The pots on the stove burbled and boiled, while the fragrance of stewed meat and vegetables seemed to warm the entire house.
A large round table had been set up, just big enough for everyone.
It was piled high with hot dishes: roast leg of lamb, hanging-oven duck, winter bamboo shoot and chicken soup, a whole roasted fish, bo xia gong, and more. The feast was extraordinarily abundant—and most precious of all, everything had been prepared together.
Duan’s father brought out two jars of fine wine. For the women, he also fetched sweet and fragrant rice wine and fruit wine that were not particularly intoxicating.
With everyone calling for others to eat and drink, they gathered around the table amid a warm and lively atmosphere.
Song Fengsui naturally took the seat beside Duan Yan. Once seated, he noticed how rigidly upright the man was. Duan Yan usually paid great attention to his posture, but even so, he had never looked as stiff while eating as he did now. His neck seemed almost frozen straight.
Song Fengsui knew that Duan Yan was being so tense because he had something weighing on his mind.
Song Fengsui’s eyes shifted. Beneath the table, he gently hooked one finger around Duan Yan’s.
Duan Yan’s palm felt as though it had been brushed by a soft feather. His brows twitched, and he gave a quiet cough. Taking advantage of the moment when Duan’s father and Song’s second uncle had opened the wine and were loudly declaring that no one would leave until they were all drunk, he tilted his head and quickly whispered into Young Master Song’s ear:
“We should eat some food first. We’ll talk after we’ve had a few drinks.”
There was a proper time to discuss important matters.
If he brought it up the moment they sat down, before anyone had taken even a bite, then if the elders approved of what he had to say, the food would taste all the better. But if they did not, the entire feast would be as tasteless as chewing wax.
Song Fengsui pressed his lips together to hold back a smile. “I want some of the winter bamboo shoots in front of Father. I peeled them one by one just now. Who told you to rush into talking about it?”
Duan Yan squeezed Young Master Song’s finger in return. “Such short hands.”
With that, he rose, took up a spoon, and ladled both soup and bamboo shoots into a small bowl, setting it in front of Young Master Song.
Song Fengsui picked up a slice of winter bamboo shoot with his chopsticks. The fresh bamboo shoot was crisp and tender. It had been salted beforehand, which gave it an exceptionally delicious flavor. The salt had drawn out its raw bitterness, and after simmering for half a day with free-range black-boned chicken from the farm, it had become indescribably savory.
He had worked hard all afternoon and was famished. After tasting how delicious the bamboo shoots were, his appetite opened wide. He had Duan Yan pick him out a piece of lamb as well. Master Duan had given him a special treat earlier and let him sneak a few bites while the lamb was roasting, but he had only tasted it and had not had nearly enough.
The table was full of noise and laughter, yet every movement of the two young men escaped neither father’s notice.
“You know nothing but ordering Xiao Duan around,” Song Wushen remarked.
At that, Duan’s father chuckled and poured more wine for Song’s father. “Eldest Son is a rough and clumsy lad, stiff as a wooden post, and doesn’t know how to show consideration. It’s fortunate that Young Master Song doesn’t dislike his awkwardness and is willing to guide him.”
Song Xuemu took a sip of wine and said, “Duan, you’re being far too modest. In my opinion, it would be difficult to find another man with Xiao Duan’s good temper and thoughtfulness. Just look at how he trains every militiaman on the practice grounds until they’re thoroughly convinced, and then at how he obeys Suisui in absolutely everything at home.
“Really, our Suisui truly lives up to his medical training. His eyes are sharper than anyone’s.”
Song’s grandfather was amused by Song Xuemu’s teasing. Duan’s mother and Mu Linghui did not say much, merely watching the two young men with smiles that they could not hide.
Song Fengsui’s face flushed. He had only been eating, so how had the conversation suddenly turned to the two of them?
He lowered his eyes slightly and pretended not to understand what they were saying, taking a sip of chicken soup.
Seeing that even the usually quick-witted Young Master Song could not withstand the elders’ teasing, Duan Yan gently supported the other man’s waist beneath the table.
Then Duan Yan rose and filled a cup of wine for each of the elders, pouring one for himself as well.
Outside the window, fireworks suddenly burst across the snowy night sky. Perhaps some wealthy household in the eastern part of town had set them off especially for the New Year celebrations.
Strangely enough, Rock Town was livelier this festival season than in previous years. The streets were thick with the atmosphere of the New Year, and red lanterns hung everywhere along the roads, both large and small.
Perhaps the wars outside and the sealed town pass, which prevented any contact with the outside world, had instead made ordinary people cherish their present family lives even more.
After the fireworks faded, everyone slowly turned their attention back from the window. At the same time, Duan Yan’s voice rang out.
He called each of the elders present by name. When everyone at the table had turned their eyes toward him, he spoke with utmost solemnity:
“Sui Sui and I have discussed it. Once spring arrives and the weather grows warm, we wish to become a true family.
“Today, with all the elders whom I love and respect here by my side, I give you my word. No matter whether the future brings war and famine or peace and prosperity, I, Duan Yan, will devote all my sincerity to caring for and protecting Sui Sui. Even if it costs me my life, I will never break the promise I make today!”
With that, he drained his cup in a single swallow.
The room fell silent in an instant. No one had expected Duan Yan to bring this up so suddenly, or perhaps they had simply not yet fully come back to themselves after the fireworks just now.
It was Duan Yan’s father and mother who recovered first. Their expressions tightened as they hurriedly said, “You foolish child, you must have gotten carried away with happiness on such a festive day. These are troubled times, and even if things settle down outside once spring arrives, it’ll still be too late to make all the arrangements for your wedding. Are you trying to wrong Young Master Song by rushing things like this?”
The elder Duans were genuinely anxious. They had dressed carefully and come over today with the hope of leaving a good impression on the Song family, so that the two families could continue visiting each other in the future. Though their family could not compare with the Songs in status, they wanted the Songs to see that the Duans were honest and decent people, not a bunch of crude, unreasonable peasants. If the two young men continued to get along well, it would make asking for the marriage that much easier.
But how could anyone bring up such a matter at a time like this?
The elder Duans had considered much the same things as Duan Yan beforehand, but since they had never interacted with the Song family’s elders, they had even more concerns.
If this foolish boy brought up marriage now, wouldn’t the Songs think they were trying to take advantage of the situation? The blockhead had not even given his parents any warning. He had truly caught the two of them completely off guard, leaving them with no prepared explanation to salvage the situation.
In the suddenly gloomy room, Song Fengsui’s grandfather gave a kindly laugh. “What do you mean, ‘dead or alive’? Don’t say such unlucky things on such a wonderful day.”
He looked at Song Fengsui, who sat upright beside Duan Yan. “Is this your wish as well?”
Song Fengsui rose to his feet, his eyes resolute. “Yes. What A-Yan said is exactly what I wanted to say too.”
“Your grandfather has no objection. I’m old now, and I’m delighted that I’ve lived to see you meet a man who suits your heart and settle down with him.”
After making his own position clear, Song’s grandfather turned to Song Wushen and Mu Linghui. “A marriage is arranged by the parents, so we must still hear whether your father and mother agree.”
Song Wushen had happened to come over earlier that morning and found the two of them together. They must have spoken about something, because his eyes had been reddened. Since they had not seemed to be arguing, he had not asked about it. Now, seeing the situation before him, he guessed that what they had discussed was precisely tonight’s matter.
“I truly can’t find a reason to refuse,” Song Wushen said. “The two of you are different from ordinary men and women—or from ordinary men and ge'ers—entering into marriage. You genuinely understand one another, and after gaining that understanding, you’ve decided together that you want to build a family. I imagine you’ve thought it through seriously.
“Whether the future brings hardship or happiness, you must continue to discuss things as you have today and support each other.”
Mu Linghui’s eyes reddened. “Xiao Duan is a responsible young man. He isn’t some pretty ornament propped up beneath fine embroidery. If you build a family with Xiao Duan, your mother will feel much more at ease.”
The elder Duans had never imagined that the Song family would be so open-minded. Their hearts filled with emotions that were difficult to describe. Then again, when they thought about it carefully, Young Master Song was a gentleman from a prominent family, yet he was so kind and easy to get along with. His elders must surely be just as good. Otherwise, how could they have raised such a fine child?
“Brother Duan, though we are all living through troubled times, a good marriage is hard to come by. All the more reason to cherish the happiness we can find now. Don’t you agree?”
Duan Yan’s father’s eyes grew hot as he replied to Song Wushen, “What a fine ge'er Young Master Song is. If our Duan family can receive such a blessing, it must be the result of several lifetimes of good fortune. We couldn’t be happier that the children are getting married. We only feel that Young Master Song is the one being wronged.”
“In times of chaos, being able to care for and support one another, and to see true feelings revealed through hardship, is already a rare blessing. How could that be called a wrong?”
After this exchange, the elders were filled with joy, though their hearts also felt a little tight and sore. In the end, they raised their cups and drank together, and the matter was considered settled.
The entire table then began discussing the wedding. After talking it over for quite some time, they decided on the latter half of April the following year, when the weather would be neither too cold nor too hot—a fine season for a wedding.
They would not make a lavish production of the wedding feast. They would simply complete all the necessary rites, set out a modest banquet, and invite only close relatives and friends. Ten or so tables would be more than enough.
The New Year’s dinner lasted a long time, and the dishes were reheated twice in the middle of it.
By the time they dispersed, several of the elders had drunk a little too much. They were not drunk, exactly, but their steps were certainly less steady than before the meal.
Duan Yan personally escorted the Song family’s elders back to their residence. After speaking with them for a while, he returned to settle his own parents in for the night.
Master Song had spent the entire day trailing after Master Duan. He followed him to see his parents home, and then followed Master Duan back to the residence.
“I truly never imagined you’d be so bold—or that your skin could be so thick. You actually proposed right there at the New Year’s Eve dinner table! You gave your father and mother quite a fright!”
Duan Yan had the servants bring hot water to his parents’ room so the two elders could soak their feet and sleep more comfortably that night.
His father kept him behind to talk. “Who would have thought the Song family would be so easygoing? They didn’t even mind that you had no manners, and they agreed just like that.”
At the thought of it, a broad, happy smile naturally spread across his face. “You’re not getting any younger. Among all the young men in the village your age, you’re the only one who still hadn’t settled down. The others your age have already had two children. Now you finally have someone, and your mother and I can sleep soundly at night.”
Duan Yan’s father was overjoyed, and he could not help feeling proud as well.
His son was capable, led soldiers who could defeat bandits, and was one of the finest young men around. Now he had also secured a ge'er from a good family. How could the old man not be delighted?
But amid his happiness, he grabbed Duan Yan—who was likewise unable to hide his joy now that the family had given him their permission and blessing—and sternly said, “The Song family is open-minded and generous enough to marry Song ge'er into our family. They didn’t make any demands about the ceremony or give us the slightest trouble. Listen to me, boy: you must remember not to get cocky!”
Though Duan Yan’s father believed that, judging from the way his son had once treated Ji He, he was not the sort of fool who would make a mess of marriage, the boy had plenty of past offenses. He had done more than enough foolish things to drive people mad. So the old man still wanted to give him a serious warning.
“Don’t think that just because you got Song ge'er without having to suffer for it, and have gained such a great advantage, you can start acting high and mighty and stop treating him properly.”
Duan Yan’s mother chimed in as well. “That’s right. Song ge'er was willing to marry you, and his family was so accommodating. He must have said plenty of good things about you in private. Otherwise, how could such a wonderful thing have happened? You absolutely mustn’t mistreat him!”
“Once you’re married and the years pass, things may not stay as passionate as they were at the beginning. You’re both men, but you must remember the goodness you share today, and be more forgiving and considerate of each other.”
Duan Yan sat down beside them, his expression softening. “I know. I’ll keep everything you’ve said in mind.”
“Even if you hadn’t told me, I would still take good care of him and cherish him.”
Song Fengsui led An Ge'er over, carrying two bowls of soup to help settle the elders’ stomachs after the rich meal.
Perhaps they had eaten too much meat that evening. At their age, it was easy for food to sit heavily in the stomach, making sleep uncomfortable. He had not expected that, while standing outside the door, he would overhear a conversation between a family of three.
Song Fengsui pressed his lips together, his heart warmed as well. He was touched by the consideration shown by the two elders of the Duan family.
Though they might not necessarily live together after the wedding, having such honest and kind parents-in-law was certainly something that brought comfort to the heart.
He waited outside for a while before knocking and carrying the soup inside.........
On the final night of the year, the snow fell with a sound.
Song Fengsui leaned against the window, watching the snowflakes drift down outside, slowly gathering on the flowering trees in the courtyard.
Back when he had lived in the capital, he had only thought winter terribly cold. Admiring the snow from the pavilion in the middle of the lake had seemed dull, and brewing tea around the brazier had been utterly pointless. But tonight, curled up in someone’s warm embrace as he watched the snow fall in soft, rustling streams, with the occasional crack of firecrackers sounding outside, he found it unexpectedly charming.
He rubbed himself against Duan Yan, then coquettishly asked him for a kiss.
Duan Yan touched his cool, soft lips. For a moment, he felt that even if he were to live only this single instant, life would already be more than enough.
In the first half of his life—or, more precisely, in his previous life—he had never once experienced such happiness. Now, all of it had come to him at last.
