Upon hearing Yin Chuan's words, An An felt somewhat apologetic, realizing she might have touched on a sensitive topic.
She thought that if he was a descendant of scientists, his family members probably didn't have an easy life when scientists were persecuted.
Yin Chuan didn't seem to mind discussing these matters and shared his family's story with An An. His ancestors, who were scientists, were killed. While his parents' generation survived, they endured great hardships.
His parents later became elementary school teachers, and life became a bit more peaceful.
However, Yin Chuan's parents passed away early, leaving him with no attachments. This led him to move far away and live on his own.
The war lasted for half a year, finally ending at the beginning of spring.
For Wen Qian, this was just another piece of news. She felt that her life had truly been colorful, especially if she were to be considered a witness to history.
An An usually shared her experiences with her mother when she returned home, so she also told Wen Qian about Yin Chuan's past.
After hearing this, Wen Qian believed that what he said was probably true, though she suspected there were some parts about himself that he hadn't disclosed.
His words were likely all true, but incomplete. Thus, it wasn't lying, but it wasn't the whole truth either.
Wen Qian thought that since they weren't particularly close, if he and An An maintained contact, she might learn more later. If not, there was no need to pry further at this point.
It must be said that Wen Qian's intuition was remarkably accurate, despite having only met Yin Chuan a few times.
She sensed that these two young people were interested in each other. It wasn't just because a new young face had appeared, prompting her to pair them up.
Rather, the reasons for their meetings seemed very reasonable on the surface, but upon closer inspection, they appeared quite deliberate.
Later, the two indeed confirmed their relationship. An An went home to tell her mother, who didn't seem surprised, which made An An feel a bit embarrassed.
As the two grew closer in their relationship, they could be seen together in the bustling marketplace that had come back to life.
People who knew them commented that they were well-matched in both height and appearance.
The couple dated for nearly a year before deciding to get married, with Yin Chuan bringing his belongings to live at Wen Qian's house.
An An, considering that she didn't want to leave her mother, had discussed with Yin Chuan about taking care of Wen Qian together after their marriage.
Yin Chuan didn't mind where they lived. To him, both places were fine, and since his wife wanted to care for her mother, he naturally followed her lead.
Conveniently, Wen Qian's property was quite large, and they built a new house next to the storage room.
An An moved out to live with Yin Chuan in the new room, separated from Wen Qian's original bedroom by the storage room.
Wen Qian, being an elderly lady, didn't want to hear the young couple's noises, so she didn't let them live right next to her bedroom.
An An gained a new appreciation for her mother's stockpile of building materials. Yin Chuan was also surprised by this, realizing that such a large amount of materials must have been accumulated over time.
In the second autumn after Yin Chuan's arrival, they held their wedding, inviting nearby neighbors to join the feast.
The young couple prepared plenty of ingredients, and the younger neighbors who came helped with the cooking.
Wen Qian sat with a few elderly neighbors, watching the others work while chatting.
For them, as they grew older and less mobile, they attended fewer and fewer of these lively gatherings.
They all congratulated the newlyweds on starting their family and brought gifts – not expensive, but full of good wishes.
They also thought that Wen Qian could now be at ease, believing that An An's unmarried status had been her greatest concern.
However, Wen Qian's main worry had always been An An, regardless of her marital status.
When An An was single, she worried about her being lonely and having no one to support her through difficult times.
Now that she was married, Wen Qian worried about her potentially marrying a bad person, which would not only fail to provide support but could bring storms into her life.
If someone's concern for their child ends when the child gets married, either they're too naive, believing marriage guarantees happiness, or they simply don't care about their children, thinking their duty is done once the child is married, regardless of how well they fare.
But most people probably relate to the saying: "Parents worry about their children for 99 years out of 100."
Wen Qian was no exception.
As winter approached, it was no longer just An An going to the cabin for the hunting cycle; Yin Chuan would accompany her.
Wen Qian thought this was good, as it allowed the young couple to have some time alone, away from her, though it would be somewhat tiring.
After all, walking in the snow during winter was no easy task.
In autumn, they had already placed sun-dried quilts in the cabin, along with chopped and stacked firewood, and some simple, powdered dry rations.
Now, as winter passed, they only needed to bring some meat and sweets, ensuring both nutrition and warmth.
This was Yin Chuan's second winter here, but his first time doing these tasks.
When he first arrived, he had built a house and hunted in his own area. During winter, he mostly stayed indoors, at most setting small traps near his home.
The art of trapping sables was something An An would have to teach him slowly. In fact, Yin Chuan needed An An to teach him hunting as well, as he couldn't yet be considered a qualified hunter.
Yin Chuan felt that An An knew everything, probably taught by her mother. When he first chatted with An An, he discovered that he could talk about most things with this girl.
Later, when he formally met her family before the wedding, he found that they had many books at home.
He believed that even if Wen Qian wasn't a scientist, she must have been someone who loved reading and learning.
He was interested and curious about many of these books, so An An specifically recommended a few to him, all about how to survive well in this place.
Yin Chuan felt that his wife was reminding him that living here required more survival skills than he currently possessed.
Going out together was a nice feeling, having someone for company. Although An An and he had been dating, being married still felt fresh.
Wen Qian stayed at home by the fire, waiting for the children to return from the mountain. An An had originally wanted to leave someone at home to take care of her, but Wen Qian thought the young couple should keep each other company.
At her advanced age, she hardly left the house during winter. She spent her days at home eating, drinking, and knitting sweaters.
This winter, she planned to knit sweaters for two young people. Initially, she had thought about knitting children's clothes, but later realized this might seem like she was pressuring them to have kids. So, she decided to knit adult sweaters instead.
Wen Qian felt that as long as An An was safe and well, it didn't matter whether they had children or not. An An was already married, so it was up to the couple to decide. This wasn't something she needed to worry about.
