HLM -Chapter 1424 Alternative Skiing

Grabbing a hot cocoa, Wang Bo couldn’t wait to take a sip.

“Careful, it’s really hot,” the waiter quickly warned.

Wang Bo, tears of heat streaming down his face, exclaimed, “Damn, it’s so hot… but it feels amazing!”

After swallowing the cocoa, his icy body quickly warmed up.

“This snowstorm really did a number on the South Island,” said a local sitting next to him. “Sunset Town was hit even harder—damn it.”

No tourists had come for a week, and for the coming week, it was unlikely anyone could, since the roads were blocked. One week out, one week back—that was half a month. Sunset Town’s GDP losses were easily in the tens of millions.

Wang Bo shrugged. “It’s okay. We have a Chinese saying: ‘A timely snow promises a good harvest.’ I believe Sunset Town will thrive over the coming year.”

“To Sunset Town! Everyone, a toast!” someone raised a glass. “Let’s wish the mayor a happy marriage, and wish Sunset Town an even better year!”

The café was bustling. Following one person’s lead, others lifted their glasses and shouted:

“Cheers!”

“Happy marriage to the mayor!”

“Here’s to Sunset Town getting better and better!”

Wang Bo laughed and raised his glass. His wedding was still a while away, yet everyone was already wishing him happiness in marriage.

The townsfolk didn’t know that he and Eva had already registered their marriage. In New Zealand, having children before marriage was still common—especially among the Māori, many of whom had several children without marrying.

Atulu now regretted getting married himself. Otherwise, he could have tagged along with this wedding caravan and joined the group ceremony.

After finishing his cocoa, Wang Bo packed drinks for Eva and Dale, then drove home.

When they arrived, they saw Dale, Xiao Si, Ron, and a few others rolling around in the snow with Zhuang Ding, while Little Wang, the Queen, and the chubby cats sat in a row watching with delight.

Wang Bo shook his head and laughed. “Dale, stop playing. Come see what drink I brought for you.”

Dale climbed out of the snow, pouting. “We’re not playing—we’re teaching Zhuang Ding a lesson!”

Zhuang Ding’s dog head was covered in snow, peeking up from the ground with a wide grin.

“What happened?” Wang Bo asked.

“They built a snowman, and then Zhuang Ding knocked it over,” Eva said from the doorway, laughing.

The little one was also in the snow, bundled like a tiny penguin, crawling around. Sometimes, when the Queen got close, she could even pull herself up using her legs and take a step.

Dale fumed, “Just knocking it over? No! He even grabbed our snowman’s head and threw it away!”

While they weren’t paying attention, Zhuang Ding wriggled free from Ron’s hold, dashed toward the deeper snow, and dove in like a diver, disappearing without a trace.

The children ran after him, shouting and trying to corner him.

Wang Bo handed the cocoa to Eva, who poured it into a thermos. “Let the kids have it,” she said.

Seeing this, Wang Bo hugged her from behind and laughed. “You really are a good wife and mother.”

Eva shrugged. “I’d love to take that compliment, but to be honest, I’m not drinking it because it’s too high in calories. I don’t want to gain weight.”

Wang Bo sweetly said, “It’s okay. Even if you gain a little, I still love you. In my eyes, you’ll always look like the day we first met.”

Eva rolled her eyes. “You’re full of sweet talk.”

“I mean it,” Wang Bo said. “Don’t believe me? When we first met, you wore a white blouse with a black pencil skirt, your hair in a side ponytail, and sheer stockings—absolutely stunning.”

Eva teased, “Want me to wear it for you tonight?”

“Tomorrow night. I’ve been exhausted these past two days—no energy left for that kind of battle,” Wang Bo said, laughing awkwardly.

When they first met, if Eva touched his hair, he would instantly get aroused. Now, it was the reverse—her touching his… well, his reaction was immediate.

The heavy snow had caused some damage to Sunset Town, but the townsfolk remained optimistic, keeping a relaxed mindset and finding ways to enjoy themselves.

Many restaurants and hotels took advantage of the break to give their employees time off, making the town lively despite the snow.

The roads and community areas had been cleared, but the snow still lay deep in the wilderness. This created new ways to play on the hills.

The hills were thickly blanketed in snow. Some people put surfboards on the snow, lying on them and sliding down. With such deep snow, falls weren’t painful, and some taller hills offered thrilling, high-speed rides—more exciting than skiing.

Dale asked Wang Bo for a surfboard, but he didn’t have one. He wasn’t much into surfing, and Sunset Town wasn’t suited for it.

Disappointed, she said, “The surfboards at the supermarket are all sold out. Can you make one?”

Wang Bo waved a hand. “No problem, sweetheart. Follow me—I’ll use magic to make you a surfboard.”

Excited, she got in the car, and they drove to a hill ski area. Wang Bo waved at a familiar face. “Hi, Rachel! Having fun?”

“Yes, Mayor. Want to join?” asked a polite young man with black hair.

“I do. Hand me a surfboard,” Wang Bo said.

The young man was speechless.

Wang Bo confidently took the board, giving a thankful pat on the shoulder.

Dale grabbed the board, cheering as she ran up the hill. “Brother-in-law, I know how this magic works! Wait, I’ll cast it for you too.”

Climbing the hill, she called to a child lying on a board: “Ronald, having fun?”

“Yes, Dale! I’m having fun. Are you trying to steal my board? I won’t let you—I’m sliding down now!” The child dashed off.

Eva sighed. “See, darling? Dale has only gotten wild because of you.”

New Zealanders loved to play. They didn’t worry about future problems. At Motak’s farm, he had a pony pulling a sled, playing joyfully with the kids.

Seeing Wang Bo, he laughed. “Hey, Wang! Hop on! The Motak sled is leaving—woo woo woo!”

The sled was large. When Wang Bo stepped on, the pony clopped along, pulling it.

Wang Bo had come to Motak’s to make a batch of lick bricks. The snow had covered the pasture, so the animals needed dry hay, supplemented with lick bricks to provide nutrients.

Motak happily agreed. This time Wang Bo supplied the raw materials himself. After the last experience, he had been preparing lick brick materials year-round, anticipating such needs.