After traveling through the book, I realized my wish in my previous life

Shen Xiaoxia looked at Jiang Yan with a smile on her face. She also felt that Jiang Yan had good taste.

Jiang Yan held Shen Xiaoxia's hand and said, "I mainly want to give Xia Xia a real home. I remember when you were educated youth, wasn't the thing you longed for most to have a stable home of your own?"

This sentence brought back memories for everyone, and He Tingyuan said with emotion, "Although I had my own room at that time, I just felt very uneasy."

"That's right," Xie Yunheng continued, "I was really hesitant at first. I didn't feel any sense of belonging to that place."

"It's all good now," Han Zhuxin broke the brief silence, "We've all returned to the city and have our own careers. Jiang Yan and Xia Xia even have such a beautiful house. Come, let's toast to their wonderful new life!"

Shen Xiaoxia picked up her teacup and clinked it with hers, "You're not bad either."

Han Zhuxin's relationship with He Tingyuan is stable now. She also bought a three-in-one courtyard house of her own a year ago. Shen Xiaoxia went to see it. The yard is okay, but there are many places that need repairs. It is not habitable at present.

Han Zhuxin smiled suddenly when she heard what Shen Xiaoxia said, "Yes, we are not bad at all. Let's toast to our good lives!"

Everyone raised their teacups, and amid the crisp clinking sounds, five young faces were filled with hopeful smiles.

At noon, a group of people were preparing hot pot in the kitchen.

"This copper pot is quite good," He Tingyuan said, helping to set the tableware. "This is the kind of pot that Lao Jingshi uses for hot pot."

"I bought it specially from Donglaishun," Jiang Yan said, looking at everyone with a smile, "and used their secret seasoning."

The steaming copper pot was soon brought to the table, the charcoal fire was burning red, and the clear soup was boiling at the bottom of the pot.

Fresh lamb slices, pork slices, cabbage, tofu, vermicelli, mushrooms and other ingredients were laid out in a circle. Everyone sat around and raised their glasses to celebrate Jiang Yan and Shen Xiaoxia's new life.

"Let's drink!" Jiang Yan raised his glass. "Cheers to our wonderful lives!"

Five wine glasses clinked in the air, and the rich aroma filled the warm room.

Shen Xiaoxia picked up a piece of mutton, dipped it in the pot, dipped it in sesame sauce and put it into her mouth. The delicious taste made her squint her eyes.

"Zhu Xin, how is your clothing workshop going?" Shen Xiaoxia asked.

"Not bad," Han Zhuxin said as she ate. "I've now accepted an OEM order from the Friendship Store, producing shirts for export. But I still want to start my own brand. It's boring to just keep doing OEM."

"The world has really changed," Xie Yunheng continued, sighing, "Now people are starting to support the development of the individual economy. I think it won't be long before there are more private business owners."

The heat from the hot pot blurred the glass windows. The cold outside formed a sharp contrast with the warmth inside. The five people ate and chatted, talking about their time as educated youth to the current reform and opening up, from national affairs to personal ideals, as if they had endless things to say.

After dinner, after cleaning up the kitchen, everyone moved to the tea room to drink tea and chat. The tea set brought by Xie Yunheng came in handy. Jiang Yan personally brewed a pot of Tieguanyin, and the fragrance of tea filled the warm room.

"Old He, when are you and Zhuxin going to do it?" Xie Yunheng suddenly asked, "We can't keep putting it off like this, can we?"

He Tingyuan and Han Zhuxin smiled at each other. "Soon," He Tingyuan held Han Zhuxin's hand. "Maybe in the first half of next year."

Shen Xiaoxia quickly looked at Han Zhuxin, "Is the date set?"

Han Zhuxin shook her head. "The specific date hasn't been decided yet, so let's just plan it this way for now."

Xie Yunheng looked at He Tingyuan and asked, "Will your rating be finalized by early next year?"

He Tingyuan thought about it and said, "It should be about the same."

"Oh, Old He's getting a promotion?" Jiang Yan raised an eyebrow. "Congratulations! It's a double blessing!"

"It hasn't been decided yet," He Tingyuan smiled modestly, "I hope so."

Shen Xiaoxia said, "Of course!"

Looking outside, Xie Yunheng suggested, "Now that the snow has stopped, let's go for a walk. Shichahai will definitely be beautiful after the snow."

Everyone looked out the window, and sure enough, the snow that had lasted all morning had stopped at some point. The sunlight penetrated the clouds and shone on the snow in the yard, reflecting tiny flashes of light. The icicles under the eaves began to drip, making a crisp sound.

The five people dressed neatly and went out. The snow in the alley was trampled into a muddy path, but the snow piles on both sides were still pure white. Several children wearing cotton hats were playing snowball fights, and their laughter was particularly crisp in the winter.

"Be careful, the floor is slippery," Jiang Yan naturally took Shen Xiaoxia's hand. Shen Xiaoxia looked down at their intertwined fingers, and the sweetness of the newlywed life surged in her heart.

After passing through several alleys, the view suddenly opens up. Shichahai Lake, covered in silver, appears before our eyes. The lake is completely frozen, and the snow-covered ice is like a huge mirror, reflecting the weeping willows and gray-tiled roofs on the shore. The bell and drum tower in the distance looks particularly majestic after the snow. A few sparrows are jumping on the eaves, shaking off snowflakes from time to time.

"This place is really nice," He Tingyuan looked around. "It's so close to Houhai. I can play in the water in the summer and ice skate in the winter."

"I was attracted by this location in the first place," Jiang Yan said, holding Shen Xiaoxia's hand. "Although it's a bit expensive, it's worth it."

"It's so beautiful..." Shen Xiaoxia sighed softly, the white breath she exhaled swirling in front of her eyes. She thought of the snowfields in the northeast, where the snow was thicker and the wind was colder, but not as exquisitely charming as the one in front of her.

"Would you like to go for a walk on the ice?" Xie Yunheng suggested, "I think the ice is thick enough."

Jiang Yan squatted down and checked the ice. "Okay, but don't go to the center of the lake. The ice there might be thinner."

The five of them stepped onto the ice cautiously. Shen Xiaoxia was a little scared and held Jiang Yan's arm tightly. The ice made a slight "cracking" sound under their feet, like some kind of mysterious response.

"Relax," Jiang Yan said softly, "Haven't we played this before in the village?"

"That's different," Shen Xiaoxia bit her lip. "I'm familiar with the village and know where it's safe. But I don't know what's happening at the bottom of the lake."

As he was speaking, Xie Yunheng had already skated a long way and made a beautiful circle on the ice.

The few of them didn't play on the ice for too long. They got off after they had enough fun and then took a slow walk along the lakeshore. The sun gradually set in the west, dyeing the snow a light golden color.

When passing by a pavilion, I found an old man selling candied haws inside.

"Five skewers, please!" Xie Yunheng took out the money generously.

The old man took the candied haws with a smile and said, "I just dipped it. The hawthorns are from my own tree. They are very sweet."

Several people took the candied haws and tasted them. When they bit into the cold candied haws, the sweet and crispy rock sugar and the sour and refreshing hawthorn were perfectly blended.

Unconsciously, I came to the Yinding Bridge. Standing in the middle of the bridge, the entire snow scene of Shichahai was in sight. The setting sun dyed the ice surface orange-red. The weeping willows on the shore were covered with icicles, which gently collided in the wind, making sounds like wind chimes.

"Let's go back," Jiang Yan looked at the sky, "It might get colder at night."

On the way back, they chose an alley different from the one they came from. This alley was quieter, with courtyards made of blue bricks and gray tiles next to each other. Some of the doorways still retained exquisite brick carvings, and occasionally the sound of a radio could be heard coming from the courtyard.

At an intersection, we parted ways.

Jiang Yan held Shen Xiaoxia's hand and went to their own home.

As dusk fell, warm lights began to light up in the alleys. In the distance, the voices of mothers calling their children to come home for dinner could be heard, and the aroma of cooking wafted through the air.