The sheep had been slaughtered, but Wen Ran felt that just eating sheep was a bit monotonous.

So...

~

When the members of the Xiao family casually went up the mountain, later gathering halfway up, led by Hetao and Old Wolf, they looked bewildered at everything in front of them when they arrived at the valley.

The campfire was eye-catching, but even more so were the sheep and cattle being roasted.

Mrs. Xiao muttered, "What kind of treasure did we bring into our family?"

Wen Ran waved her little hand, "Come on over~"

She was exhausted from all the fussing, and felt the laziness in her body was showing.

Now, she just wanted to lie down, pet the wolf, and not strive or struggle anymore.

"Coming, coming," Xiao Chenye hurried over, naturally taking on most of the work.

Hongguo and Xiao Chenxing also helped, and the whole family was busy, feeling pretty good about it.

"By the way," Mrs. Xiao said with a cheerful smile, "Ranran, while you were going up the mountain, just in time, a package from the Northwest arrived."

The Northwest?

Wen Ran was startled, suddenly remembering that Xiao Chenyue was still in the Northwest.

Time had flown by, and she almost forgot about Xiao Chenyue and Xiao Chengguang, the siblings.

"Did Sanjie send things back?"

"Yes, the letter said Chengguang took a leave of absence and is coming back with Yueyue and the family."

"Great!"

With the wedding approaching, coming back would make the whole family lively.

Mrs. Xiao looked kindly, taking out a photo from her pocket and carefully handed it to Wen Ran, "Look, Yueyue’s smile has become brighter."

In the red-background photo, Xiao Chenyue’s face was shown with a big, happy laugh.

In her arms, Minmin’s eyes were big and sparkling, so adorable.

Beside her stood her brother and husband.

"Auntie, Sanjie’s days over there must be comfortable, you can see how deep her dimples have gotten."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Xiao was even more delighted, "Exactly, I never noticed how deep my daughter’s dimples were before."

In fact, they were always there.

Before getting married, Xiao Chenyue would laugh all the time. After marriage, with the pressure of life, along with Li Chenggang’s lack of understanding.

And that difficult mother-in-law and sister-in-law.

Her smiles gradually faded, eventually turning to numbness.

Instead of saying that Xiao Chenyue’s dimples were not deep before, it’s better to say that life is happier now!

Her smile never left her face.

"Auntie, don’t worry, Sanjie will definitely live a good life in the future."

"It’s already a good life now~"

One needs to be content!

A small table was set up, and everyone sat on the ground. Xiao Chengguang even sent some wine from outside, thinking it was remarkable that it hadn’t broken in transit.

Wen Ran remembered in a past life, she had a whim and bought two bottles of wine online. The first time they arrived, the bottles fractured.

She reached out to the seller, sent pictures, and was sent replacements for a second time, and this time it was even funnier.

Without needing to open the package, she held it in her hand and it felt light. With a shake, the contents sloshed around.

Directly shattered to pieces, all the wine leaked out and evaporated.

Xiao Chenye looked at Wen Ran with a smile, curious, "Why are you laughing?"

"Nothing," Wen Ran shook her head. It was all stuff from a previous life, so far away now.

"Just thought of a funny childhood memory."

"Tell me about it?"

Wen Ran glanced sideways at Xiao Chenye, "I don’t really want to, but I do want to know about yours."

Xiao Chenye: "?"

Under Xiao Chenye’s confused expression, Wen Ran started asking Mrs. Xiao about the embarrassing things Xiao Chenye did in his childhood.

Talking about it, Mrs. Xiao had a lot to say.

Something about fishing in the river and getting bitten by a small fish...

Xiao Chenye blushed on the spot, nearly sending himself into a wolf’s mouth as a declaration of his determination.

Mrs. Xiao: "..."

Oops.

The words just came out smoothly, as though chatting with those women from the mountainside, and she ended up rambling on.

Xiao Chenxing looked indifferent, while Hongguo remained calm, pretending to not hear anything.

As for Wen Ran...

She hadn’t eaten pork, but had seen pigs run, right?

Laughing to death, what’s so embarrassing, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.

The topic shifted with a casual remark from Mrs. Xiao, who chatted her way out of it.

It was only then that Wen Ran came to understand, Xiao Chenye’s childhood was indeed filled with joy.

In summer, fishing in the river, climbing trees to catch cicadas.

In winter, going out to ski, playing with ice.

Being mischievous, getting a beating; being disobedient, getting a beating...

~

The roasted lamb, sprinkled with cumin, was immensely fragrant.

The roasted beef was a bit lacking, but when stewed, it would definitely be more aromatic.

The lamb and beef were divided among the Xiao family, to be taken home.

Since there was too much to eat, Xiao Chenye didn’t want to see it go to waste, so he ended up selling some, earning the family another income.

Time flew by swiftly.

During this period, Xiao Chenye had no work, nor did he need to drive out, so he simply stuck to Wen Ran in the brigade all day.

Like a fly, a bit annoying.

But since he came, Wen Ran’s hands were completely freed, needing to do nothing, each day leisurely, with her hands behind her back.

Fine, barely tolerable, right?

"Tomorrow is the wedding day, what are your thoughts now?"

Xiao Chenye looked at Wen Ran, very anxious.

He felt like he had a lot to say, but seeing Wen Ran’s calm demeanor, he just didn’t feel settled.

"Thoughts?"

Wen Ran pondered, feeling that what she wanted to say probably wouldn’t pass censorship.

Forget it, won’t say it.

"My thought is, no thoughts."

Xiao Chenye: "???

This answer was different from what he imagined.

"Not even a little bit?"

His handsome face suddenly appeared weathered.

"Alright, alright," Wen Ran gave a perfunctory response, "My hope is that you dare to think and dare to act!"

"What kind of thought is that?"

Wen Ran smiled gently, "It means, dare to think, dare to act!"

Leaving Xiao Chenye bewildered, Wen Ran strolled away calmly.

For others, getting married just meant setting up a banquet in the brigade and making it official; in everyone’s eyes, this was a pair of newlyweds.

But for Xiao Chenye, it was different.

This wasn’t legal.

He knew, in the military, if you want to marry, you have to file a marriage report and get a marriage certificate.

No need to file a marriage report, but a marriage certificate must be obtained.

Mrs. Xiao naturally found this delightful; she knew that in those days, only those with a marriage certificate were truly married.

"Go, go," Mrs. Xiao beamed, "once you get the marriage certificate, enjoy yourselves well in the town, no hurry to return."

"Auntie, make more dishes tonight, we’ll come back to eat after it’s all done."

"Alright then," Mrs. Xiao waved her hand, "be careful, safety comes first on the road."

Xiao Chenye couldn’t wait to leave, "Mom, you’re so naggy!"

"You brat!"

Mrs. Xiao squeezed two words through her teeth, "If it weren’t for you getting the certificate today, I’d give you a good smack or two."