HNYWEF -Chapter 28 New Year Visits

The second day of the New Year, first year of Zhenguan.

Snow had fallen through the entire night and only stopped at dawn.

Chang’an was blanketed in white. Rooftops, treetops, and the blue stone streets were all covered in a thick layer of snow.

Zhou Yi stood in the courtyard, stepping through the snow with crunching sounds beneath his feet.

“Dad! The snow’s so thick!”

No one answered from inside.

After a while, Zhou Xiong walked out.

He wore an ordinary dark robe with a half-worn cloak over it, carrying two red paper-wrapped packages in his hands.

The moment Zhou Yi saw them, his eyes lit up.

“Dad, what’s that?”

Zhou Xiong didn’t answer.

He stood beneath the eaves, looking at the snow in the courtyard for a long while.

Then he said:

“Let’s go.”

Zhou Yi froze.

“Go where?”

Zhou Xiong said:

“To pay New Year visits.”

Zhou Yi blinked.

His dad—paying New Year visits?

In all his years growing up, he had never seen his father visit anyone for the New Year.

Back when they lived outside the city, New Year’s meant just the two of them, a meal of dumplings, then sleeping early.

Even after moving into the city these past few months, his father rarely even stepped outside.

And now he wanted to visit someone?

While Zhou Yi was still stunned, Zhou Xiong had already started walking out.

Zhou Yi hurried after him.

“Dad, where are we going?”

Without turning back, Zhou Xiong answered:

“To Cheng Yaojin’s house.”

Zhou Yi stopped short again.

Uncle Cheng?

He jogged a few steps to catch up and tilted his head up at his father.

Zhou Xiong ignored him.

He simply kept walking forward.

A trail of footprints stretched across the snow, deep and shallow, crooked and uneven.

The gatekeeper at the Duke of Su’s residence stared blankly when he saw the two of them.

One adult. One child.

The adult wore a half-old cloak. The child’s cheeks were red from the cold.

Each held a red paper package. They looked like people coming to offer New Year greetings.

The gatekeeper asked, “Who are you looking for?”

Zhou Xiong said nothing.

Zhou Yi answered for him.

“We’re looking for Uncle Cheng.”

The gatekeeper frowned.

“Uncle Cheng? Which Uncle Cheng?”

“Cheng Yaojin, Uncle Cheng.”

The gatekeeper’s eyes widened.

He looked the pair up and down several times.

Then he suddenly remembered something.

Before the New Year, the Duke had specifically instructed them—

If anyone came looking for him, no matter who it was, report it first.

Especially…

The gatekeeper dared not delay and immediately turned to run inside.

Cheng Yaojin was currently drinking tea in the main hall.

During these New Year days, he was enjoying a rare bit of leisure.

Lady Pei sat nearby sewing shoe soles, chatting with him on and off. He barely listened, responding absentmindedly with vague grunts.

When the gatekeeper rushed in, Cheng Yaojin had just lifted his teacup toward his mouth.

“My Lord Duke! My Lord Duke!”

Cheng Yaojin frowned.

“It’s New Year’s. What are you panicking for?”

Panting heavily, the gatekeeper said:

“There are… there are two people outside…”

Cheng Yaojin lowered the teacup.

“Who?”

“One adult and one child. The adult’s wearing a half-old cloak, and the child’s face is red from the cold. They said… they said they came to see you.”

Cheng Yaojin froze.

Then he stood up.

Lady Pei also looked up.

“Who is it?”

Cheng Yaojin didn’t answer.

He walked outside.

But when he reached the doorway, he suddenly stopped.

Turning back toward Lady Pei, he said:

“Go check the kitchen. Prepare whatever food and drinks we have.”

Lady Pei blinked in surprise.

But Cheng Yaojin had already turned and left.

Watching his back, Lady Pei suddenly remembered something.

Before the New Year, he had mentioned that Bear Blindman had moved into the city.

Lady Pei set down the shoe sole, rose to her feet, and followed after him.

When Cheng Yaojin reached the front gate, he saw the two figures standing in the snow.

The adult stood motionless.

The child beside him was craning his neck up at the plaque above the gate.

“Bear Blindman.”

Zhou Xiong turned around and looked at him.

There was no expression on his face.

Cheng Yaojin looked into his eyes.

That layer of fog—

It was still there.

But it was different now.

Before, that fog had been dead. Completely still.

Now—

It was moving.

Slowly. Lightly.

But undeniably moving.

Like water flowing beneath a sheet of ice.

For a moment, Cheng Yaojin suddenly didn’t know what to say.

So he simply stood there, looking at Zhou Xiong.

Zhou Xiong also said nothing.

The two men stood face-to-face in the snow.

Beside them, Zhou Yi looked at his father, then at Uncle Cheng.

Then he raised the red paper package in his hands.

“Uncle Cheng, Happy New Year!”

Cheng Yaojin lowered his head and looked at the red package.

Then at Zhou Yi’s rosy little face.

Suddenly, he laughed.

“Good, good.”

He accepted the red package and rubbed Zhou Yi’s head.

Zhou Xiong still stood beside them without speaking.

But his hand moved slightly.

He extended the red paper package in his own hand as well.

Cheng Yaojin froze.

He stared at that red paper package.

He looked at it for a long while.

Then he accepted it.

His hand trembled a little.

Just once.

Very lightly.

But he knew it himself.

He gathered the two red paper packets in his hands, lifted his head, and looked at Zhou Xiong.

“Come inside. It’s cold out here.”

Zhou Xiong did not move.

He looked at Cheng Yaojin and suddenly said one sentence.

“Happy New Year.”

His voice was still as hoarse as ever.

Cheng Yaojin’s eyes suddenly stung.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something.

But nothing came out.

He simply stood there, looking at Zhou Xiong.

At that moment, a figure ran out from inside the door.

Madam Pei.

She had run so quickly that even the hem of her skirt was dusted with snow.

When she reached them, she stopped and looked at Zhou Xiong.

“Bear Blind…”

Zhou Xiong looked at her.

Then nodded.

Madam Pei’s tears immediately fell.

She wiped them away with her sleeve and said with a smile,

“Come inside, quick! It’s cold outside! Bring the child in too!”

As she spoke, she had already crouched down and taken Zhou Yi’s hand.

“This is Zhou Yi, right? He’s grown so big! He looks so much like his mother…”

Zhou Yi was pulled along, a little dazed.

He raised his head to look at his father.

Zhou Xiong said nothing.

But he walked inside.

Madam Pei held Zhou Yi’s hand as she walked, talking the whole way.

“Are you hungry? There are pastries inside. Thirsty? There’s hot tea. What do you like to eat? Tell Auntie…”

Cheng Yaojin stood behind them, watching the three figures walk inside.

He looked at Zhou Xiong’s back.

That back.

It used to be curled up.

Later, it stood upright.

And now, it was moving forward.

Very slowly.

But it truly was moving.

He stood in the snow, watching that figure disappear through the doorway.

Then he lowered his head and looked at the two red paper packets in his hands.

He stood there for a long while.

Snow began falling again, thin and delicate, landing on his shoulders and on those two red packets.

He tucked the packets into his chest.

Then he walked inside.

In the main hall, the charcoal fire burned brightly.

Madam Pei had already pressed Zhou Yi into a chair and stuffed pastries into his hands.

Zhou Yi held them helplessly, looking at the pastries, then at his father.

Zhou Xiong sat beside him, accepted the hot tea Madam Pei handed over, and took a sip.

Madam Pei sat down across from him and began talking.

“The place you’re living now is alright, isn’t it? I heard from Old Cheng that you’ve opened the shop. How’s business? Has Zhou Yi started studying yet? What did you two eat for New Year’s? Just the two of you spending it together?”

Zhou Xiong listened, occasionally nodding once.

Madam Pei did not mind whether he answered or not.

She simply kept talking.

After speaking for quite a while, she suddenly stood up and headed toward the inner room.

“Wait here. I’ve got something for Zhou Yi.”

Zhou Yi held the pastries and watched her go inside.

After a while, Madam Pei came back out.

Holding a red envelope in her hand.

It looked thick and stuffed full.

She walked over to Zhou Yi and shoved the envelope into his hands.

“Take it. This is your New Year’s money from Auntie.”

Zhou Yi froze.

He looked up at his father.

Zhou Xiong said nothing.

Madam Pei said, “Why are you looking at your father? This is for you!”

Zhou Yi looked toward Cheng Yaojin again.

Standing by the doorway, Cheng Yaojin smiled and said,

“Go on and take it. Your aunt prepared it long ago.”

Zhou Yi lowered his head and looked at the red envelope in his hands.

He had never received such a large red packet before.

He lifted his head and said softly,

“Thank you, Auntie.”

Madam Pei’s eyes reddened again.

She reached out and gently touched Zhou Yi’s face.

“Good child.”

The room fell quiet for a while.

The charcoal crackled softly.

Cheng Yaojin walked over and sat beside Zhou Xiong.

He looked at Zhou Xiong’s profile.

Looked at it for a long while.

Then he softly asked,

“What about Brother Qin? Are you going?”

Zhou Xiong said nothing.

He looked at the teacup in his hands.

For a very long time.

Then he nodded.

Just once.

Very lightly.

Cheng Yaojin smiled.

“I’ll go with you.”

Zhou Xiong said nothing.

But he stood up and walked outside.

Cheng Yaojin followed.

When Zhou Yi saw them leaving, he quickly set down the pastries and ran after them.

Madam Pei followed them to the doorway.

Snow was still falling.

The three figures slowly walked farther and farther away.

Madam Pei stood at the doorway, watching them.

Watching for a long while.

Then she suddenly smiled.

A very faint smile.

Before turning and walking back inside.

Under her breath, she muttered:

“This damn Bear Blind…”