Once the earth kiln is built, the rest of the process is much simpler.
You keep the fire going until the interior of the kiln is glowing red, then place the ingredientsโwrapped in aluminum foilโinside. Using a hoe, you collapse the kiln and pack the earth down firmly to eliminate gaps and prevent heat from escaping too quickly. After that, itโs just a matter of waiting quietly and timing it right.
Having finished their work, the four returned to the wooden cabin to rest, either scrolling through videos or reading novels.
While Qin Nanfeng was busy replying to messages on his phone, the girl leaned against his arm and started reading her novel.
The atmosphere grew peaceful for a time…
ใAre things going well with you and him?ใ
Staring at the text in the input box, Qin Nanfengโs finger hovered over the send button, hesitating to let go.
As the minutes ticked by, he pursed his lips. Finally, his finger slowly relaxed, and the messageโladen with guilt and stubbornnessโwas sent.
Silently locking his phone and shoving it into his pocket, Qin Nanfeng took a deep breath.
He then glanced over at Lin Xinyuan, only to realize she had already closed her eyes.
The girlโs sleeping face was serene, her light breathing moving in a rhythmic cadence. Her phone screen was still lit, displaying the reading page of her novel.
This girl…
Did she get tired just now?
Qin Nanfeng looked at her with a mix of helplessness and amusement. Seeing her grip loosen and her phone start to wobble, he reached out to steady it. He didn’t snatch it away immediately, instead waiting quietly for her to let go on her own.
When Lin Xinyuan finally released her grip unconsciously, the phone landed steadily in the young man’s hand.
Qin Nanfeng took it, intending to put it in his own pocket and return it when she woke up. But just as he was about to turn off the screen, something occurred to him, and he opened the calendar.
As he scrolled, his eyes flickered with thought.
He had almost forgottenโher birthday was coming up soon…
A smile played on Qin Nanfeng’s lips, but it froze after only two seconds.
A strange look flickered in the depths of his eyes, though it vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving behind a highly complex expression…
He instinctively reached out and caressed the girlโs fair, slightly flushed cheek, his gaze as focused as if he were admiring the finest piece of jade in the world.
His slightly calloused fingertips felt her delicate, smooth skin. He rubbed gently, captivated, as if he never wanted to pull his hand away.
Suddenly, Lin Xinyuanโs brow furrowed slightly. Sensing an itch on her face, she subconsciously raised her small hand and swatted at it.
Qin Nanfeng could have dodged it, but he didn’t. He let her soft hand slap against the back of his.
The girlโs strength was minimalโsoft and weak.
Even so, she showed no sign of waking. Instead, as if sensing the warmth of Qin Nanfengโs palm, she unconsciously caught his large hand and pulled it closer to her cheek.
She nuzzled against it gently, letting out a meaningless mumble…
The wooden cabin wasn’t very large, so this heartwarming scene was naturally witnessed by the other two.
They both instinctively lowered the volume on their phones.
Noticing the siblings’ gaze, Qin Nanfeng turned his head slightly toward them. He saw the girl mouthing words at him.
ใIs she asleep?ใ
Qin Nanfeng could tell what Tang Yayun was saying and nodded with a smile.
Seeing this, the siblings both gave an “OK” gesture and pointed outside, standing up stealthily.
They were likely heading out to prepare to open the earth kiln…
Once they left, his gaze returned to the person beside him. Staring at the girl’s quiet sleeping face, he felt a sudden reluctance to wake her.
Letโs wait a little longer… he thought.
For the people of Zhannan, the Nianli (Annual Village Festival) is arguably a more important day than New Year’s Eve.
On this day, people hold sacrifices and parades for the gods, host grand banquets for friends and relatives, and the village is usually filled with various activities. It is incredibly lively…
Of course, the timing of Nianli varies for each village, but they are generally concentrated in the first and second months of the lunar calendar.
Today was the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, the day of Beishui Village’s Nianliโthe very day her cousin had originally invited her to attend.
However, due to the impact of the pandemic, the village only held a small-scale parade. Outsiders were not allowed to enter the village, let alone host banquets.
And so, a day that should have been bustling and joyful had become exceptionally quiet…
Because of this, Lin Xinyu had been messaging frequently these past few days, complaining to Lin Xinyuan about being bored out of his mind trapped in the village. He cursed the timing of the pandemic and expressed deep regret that she couldn’t come for the festival.
To this, Lin Xinyuan simply said there would be another chance.
In truth, she didn’t really want to go to Beishui Village anyway…
After all, that man might have returned to the village, and she had absolutely no desire to run into him…
After breakfast, with nothing much to do, Lin Xinyuan prepared to go into the courtyard to play with Xiaohuang.
As for her novel drafts, she had spent most of her time writing over the past few days, so she had a sufficient buffer and wasn’t in a rush.
Lin Xinyuan came out alone.
Her cousins were off playing games, and that certain guy who was usually always with her hadn’t come over. Instead, he was in the living room chatting with the elders.
This left her feeling a bit confused and out of sorts, though she figured she was just overthinking it.
After all, it was normal to bond with the elders…
On the contrary, him accompanying her every single day… felt a bit like he was neglecting his “proper duties”?
Thinking this, the awkwardness in her heart faded, but then she started to wonder.
She had unknowingly grown used to having that “stinky blonde” by her side…
Her gaze drifted off into a daze until the furry little head under her palm nudged her. Only after it let out several “woofs” did she gradually snap back to reality.
“Here, Xiaohuang, eat.”
Lin Xinyuan thought Xiaohuang was eyeing the leftover steamed bun she had brought, so she placed it in the iron bowl in front of him.
She knew that if she didn’t put it down, Xiaohuang wouldn’t come up to eat.
But this time, the little yellow dog didn’t seem to appreciate the gesture. He let out a few aggrieved whimpers, making Lin Xinyuan feel as though the little guy was being quite resentful.
“What’s wrong? Not to your taste?” she asked with a smile.
However, Xiaohuang seemed to snap back to normal immediately, starting to gnaw on the bun as if afraid she would misunderstand.
“Look at you, eating so happily…” Lin Xinyuanโs smile was serene as she watched Xiaohuang with gentle eyes. “Eat a little less; I’ll give you extra meat tonight.”
“Woof woof woof~”
The remarkably human-like Xiaohuang seemed to understand her. His frantic eating immediately slowed down, and his tail wagged joyfully.
Watching this, Lin Xinyuan was occasionally struck with surprise.
Xiaohuang was simply too smart… so smart he was like a monster.
If it weren’t for the rule about “no becoming spirits after the founding of the Republic”…
But then she thought of her jade bracelet and felt it wasn’t so strange after all.
Since something so fantastical had already happened, a dog being like this was probably normal, right?
Still, it was a bit too odd…
Lin Xinyuan couldn’t help but recall the first time she met Xiaohuang.
She was someone with a psychological shadow regarding dogs, even small ones.
Yet, when she first truly looked at Xiaohuang, she surprisingly felt no fear. Instead, there was a mysterious sense of kinship…
Perhaps it was fate?
Thinking of this, Lin Xinyuan nodded silently to herself.
She began to examine the little local dog closely and realized the little guy seemed to have grown a bit.
He used to be chubby, but he definitely wasn’t as sturdy as he was now.
Feeling his fur more carefully, she noticed it had become much smoother…
Lin Xinyuan was very satisfied with this.
After all, this was partly her achievement, right?
It felt a bit like raising a Pokรฉmonโthere was a real sense of accomplishment…
But… she felt like she had forgotten something today…
The thought popped into her head, but she couldn’t quite place it for the moment.
She shook her head gently and decided not to dwell on it, setting the thought aside for now.
Feeling the warm, comfortable fur under her palm, the girl began to pet him even more vigorously. The little guy squinted his animal eyes in bliss.
“Whimper… Woof~”
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