Having put her worries to rest, Qi Huan resumed copying medical books.
From early winter to the depths of winter, she completed two more medical books, and her points increased from just over 20,000 to more than 40,000.
Counting the dividends from various shops, her mood was even brighter than the sunshine outside.
As the New Year approached, in addition to buying New Year goods, she also went to the tailor's shop to order a batch of red pouches embroidered with golden ingots.
After receiving the goods, she piled the pouches on the kang bed and took out many pre-cut silver pieces from her spatial storage.
She enthusiastically invited Li Shuchen, "Ashu, would you like to join me in doing something fun?"
Li Shuchen put down the book in his hand and nodded slightly.
"Come on, let's fill the pouches with silver together."
"Two taels in each pouch."
"This year, the staff in the shops have all worked diligently. If I get to eat meat, they should naturally get a bowl of soup too. The New Year is coming soon, giving them some silver will let them have a good celebration......"
Although she was giving silver to the staff, Qi Huan was still very happy because she had even more silver in her spatial storage.
She smiled as she counted out two pieces of silver, put them in a pouch, tied it with a butterfly knot, and casually tossed it into the basket beside her.
After filling all the pouches, she took out a clumsily stitched pouch from her sleeve.
"Ashu, this is the first pouch I embroidered, it's for you."
Li Shuchen took it and couldn't take his eyes off it.
This was no ordinary pouch.
This was a pouch Ahuan had embroidered for him with her own hands.
On the moon-white pouch, the stitches at the seams were messy but very dense. Instead of flowers, birds, or animals, two hearts nestled close together were embroidered on the surface.
However, the most distinctive feature of the pouch was its size - it was as large as a palm.
Seeing him silent for a long time, Qi Huan leaned forward slightly, her fair finger pointing to the two connected hearts, and explained concisely, "Hearts beating as one."
Immediately after, a pack of tissues appeared out of thin air on the kang table.
"Host, the 'hearts beating as one' tissues have been retrieved for you."
"Take them back, I'm blocking you."
The system sometimes felt like a stumbling block on her path to love, occasionally ruining the atmosphere.
Qi Huan then took out a Polaroid camera, moved close to Li Shuchen's side leaning on his shoulder, tilted her head with a gentle smile, and took two photos in quick succession.
"The New Year is coming soon, we're going to be a year older, so let's capture how we look now together!"
Qi Huan took out a pen and wrote on the back of the photo: The 15th year of Longshun, the 25th day of the last lunar month, Qi Huan and Li Shuchen, forever young and invincible, together forever.
After writing.
Of the two photos, she handed one to Li Shuchen, indicating him to put it in the pouch.
She kept one for herself, quietly slipping it into her diary.
After distributing the photos, the snow outside happened to stop. Qi Huan happily invited, "Ashu, shall we go build a snowman together?"
"Mm."
Walking into the courtyard, Qi Huan first rolled a large snowball for the snowman's body, then rolled a smaller one for its head.
Unable to find suitable pebbles, she simply picked up two pieces of dog food from Heizi's bowl to use as the snowman's eyes.
Finally, she stuck a carrot in for the nose.
The snowman was complete, but it was too ugly to look at directly.
Then she turned to look at the snowman Li Shuchen had built - graceful in posture, exquisite and delicate, vaguely resembling her.
"Ashu, did you build a snowman of me?"
"Mm."
"It's so beautiful!"
"Ahuan is more beautiful."
Qi Huan smiled sweetly.
Soon, their snowmen attracted the attention of Yan Qinghe and others. They also built snowmen nearby.
Looking at the snowmen, each ugly in its own way, Qi Huan's lips twitched. It seemed everyone's skill level was about the same.
Yan Qinghe even named his snowman: "Snow General."
Yan Wu followed suit: "Then mine is called Snow Grand General."
Yan Qing thought for a moment: "My snowman is called Snow Great Grand General."
......
Fortunately, Zhao Man's snowman had a slightly more normal name: "Safety."
It meant peace.
After his parents' unexpected passing, he felt the most beautiful wish in the world was — wishing you peace and safety.
Zhao Man looked at the snowman with gentle eyes, then swept his gaze over everyone around him. He hoped they would always be safe and live peacefully to old age.
Along the courtyard wall, a row of snowmen of varying heights and appearances stood bright and white in the sunlight. Huddled together, they were like a family, just like them.
When it was time for the snowmen to melt, Xu Nanny began urging Qi Huan to set off.
"Miss, the weather has warmed up, we should return to the Capital City."
"Nanny, wait a few more days. Let me first settle matters with the shops here."
Qi Huan began to busy herself.
She handed over the management rights of the restaurant and noodle shop to Xu Mingda, with the shopkeeper left by the Yunying Caravan to oversee.
She then purchased a large batch of seasonings again, storing them with the Yunying Caravan to supply the restaurant and spicy strip shop. Due to limited shelf life, Qi Huan only left enough for about a year. When it was almost used up, she would have the caravan transport more.
As for the starch factory and mahjong parlor, they were left in the care of Yuming and the Yunying Caravan.
The greenhouse farm was entrusted to Chen Jinyou, as was the task of building the bathhouse. At Sun Doctor's place, Qi Huan left some medicine and finished copying the last four medical books to lend to him. Her points also increased to 90,000.
With the shop matters settled, Qi Huan began to pack her luggage.
Li Shuchen silently helped beside her.
As she packed the last piece of clothing into the redwood chest, she was suddenly tightly embraced by Li Shuchen.
"See you in the Capital City."
"See you in the Capital City."
The next day, the sun shone brightly.
Xu Nanny brought Ruo Lan and Ruo Zhu to Qi's small courtyard early, with Tao Su following closely behind, afraid of being left behind.
Yan Qing, carrying a small bundle, waited outside Qi Huan's room door. She had never imagined that one day she would be able to go to the Capital City!
Last night, she was so excited she couldn't sleep at all.
Li Shuchen also hadn't slept, and was now instructing Yan Jiu over and over again to ensure Qi Huan's safe delivery.
When he repeated for the sixteenth time, Yan Jiu finally couldn't help but speak up, reciting his words back to him without missing a single one.
Li Shuchen pressed his lips together and turned to find Qi Huan.
"Ashu, this is another new piece of armor I've acquired. It's stab-proof. Please wear it."
"Alright."
Taking the garment, Li Shuchen casually tossed it onto the kang bed. His gaze lingered lovingly over every inch of her brows and eyes, finally resting on her rosy lips.
This kiss was more intense than any before.
After a long while, Qi Huan pulled back slightly, two patches of red appearing on her cheeks: "Ashu, they must be getting impatient waiting."
"Mm." Li Shuchen gently stroked her hair. "Go on then."
Qi Huan boarded the carriage and sat with Yan Qing and Tao Su.
Behind her, Xu Nanny led Ruo Lan and Ruo Zhu onto another carriage, following the Yunying Caravan's southbound convoy as it slowly made its way towards the Capital City.
Li Shuchen rode his horse to escort her ten miles outside the city.
He then watched as the convoy wound its way into the distance, gradually fading from view.
He remained in place for a long while before finally tugging on the reins to turn his horse around.
In the setting sun, his solitary figure cast a long shadow.
As for Yan Qinghe and the others, they had already turned back to eat once the convoy was out of sight. After all, one can't fight on an empty stomach.
Unlike Li Shuchen, who seemed to be sustained by love alone.
Before nightfall, Qi Huan and the convoy entered Linxi County.
At the same time, a group of luxurious carriages and horses rushed, sometimes hurrying and sometimes slowing, to arrive at Mo County.
