Time Travel: My Comfortable Life After Going to the Countryside

After exiting the station, Liu Xiangyang tied all his luggage to his bicycle, and the three of them pushed the bikes and walked towards Chen Jie's house.

When they arrived at Chen Jie's house, Liu Xiangyang stopped and said to the two sisters, "This is Captain Chen Jie's house. She's the one who helped you get your tickets before. She's a very kind person. Knowing that you were arriving today, she specially lent us her house to stay temporarily. You can go in and rest for a while and wash your faces."

Upon hearing "Captain Chen," Le Qi's eyes flickered with gratitude, but more so with exhaustion. She nodded, while Le Yao showed little reaction, simply leaning against Liu Xiangyang with dependence.

Once inside, the warm and clean environment helped the two sisters relax a little.

Liu Xiangyang poured them hot water and wrung out hot towels. The two women took the towels and wiped their faces, looking at him excitedly.

Seeing that they had calmed down a bit, Liu Xiangyang said, "Don't stay cooped up inside. The Songhua River in Harbin in winter is quite a sight. I'll take you out to relax and go ice skating."

Le Qi looked at him blankly, and Le Yao also looked up at him. Liu Xiangyang pulled them up without saying a word: "Move around, work up a sweat, it'll make you feel better."

The wind was biting cold on the river, but the vast ice surface, the sleds moving back and forth, and the laughing and playing crowds did indeed dilute the suffocating sadness.

Liu Xiangyang rented ice skates and patiently taught them. Le Yao initially had a long face, but after skating a few times and almost falling, she was caught by Liu Xiangyang, which distracted her and finally brought some life back to her face.

Leqi studied diligently, but her eyes remained calm. Only with each glide and the biting wind did her tightly clenched fists slowly loosen a little.

Tired from skating, Liu Xiangyang led them to a sheltered spot by the river, bought three strings of candied hawthorns, and the three of them sat side by side on a bench, looking at the frozen river.

Liu Xiangyang put his arms around the two of them and said, "What happened to Uncle has already happened, and no amount of sadness can undo it, but remember, you still have me."

He paused, looked at the two sisters, and took out two brand-new household registration books with red seals from his pocket.

"These are two blank household registration books, both stamped. After the autumn harvest this year, I will go to Haicheng with you to get the certificates. From then on, you will be part of my Liu family, and you won't be able to run away even if you want to."

The two sisters were stunned for a moment, staring blankly at the household registration booklet.

Leqi's lips trembled, and Leyao's tears welled up again, but this time they were not tears of sadness, but tears of joy that confirmed she had found a place to belong.

"Brother Xiangyang..." Le Yao's voice was thick with emotion, a mixture of tears and laughter welling up inside her. Finally, it turned into a soft, dependent sob as she gripped Liu Xiangyang's arm tightly. "We'll follow you for the rest of our lives, we'll never go anywhere!"

As if she had finally shed some heavy shackles, Leqi reached out and grasped one of the household registration books.

She looked up and finally burst into tears: "Brother Xiangyang, you're all we have left."

Liu Xiangyang's heart skipped a beat, and he pulled the two of them into his arms tightly: "With me here, the sky won't fall! From now on, I will be your support."

After sitting for a while, Le Yao even perked up a bit. Pointing to a sled speeding along in the distance, she whispered, "Sis, look at that! Let's try that next time, okay?"

Le Qi nodded, and was about to speak when Liu Xiangyang interrupted, "What are we waiting for next time? Let's go now."

In the evening, Liu Xiangyang brought the two sisters, whose mood had clearly improved, back to Chen Jie's house. Shortly after they entered, the key turned, and Chen Jie returned home from get off work.

"Captain Chen!" Le Qi stood up this time, her smile much more sincere, with the politeness of a junior. "I'm so sorry to bother you again."

Le Yao also called out in a clear voice, "Hello, Captain Chen!" Her eyes curved into crescent moons.

Chen Jie took off her coat, her smile gentle and warm: "Don't be so polite. He calls me godmother, so don't stand on ceremony. You're his friends, so make yourselves at home here. Don't be shy."

After dinner, Chen Jie neatly cleared away the dishes and wiped the table clean. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she turned around, her face showing a clear hint of embarrassment that she deliberately wanted Liu Xiangyang to see.

"Xiangyang, look, I only have two proper rooms in this house that people can sleep in." She pointed to the master bedroom and then to the small guest room. "I usually sleep in the master bedroom, and the small one is for occasional guests. Today, Qiqi and Yaoyao are here, so we can't squeeze them into my room, and it wouldn't be right to let the guests sleep in the small room."

Leqi quickly said, "Captain Chen, we're fine with anything. We're sorry to trouble you."

"It's no trouble at all, it's just that our Comrade Liu will have to make do for a bit." Chen Jie's eyes gleamed with slyness as she walked to the old but sturdy wooden sofa in the living room, patted it, and said, "Xiangyang, will you just make do with this tonight? It's long enough, just a bit firm. I'll put on extra mattresses for you."

Liu Xiangyang saw the familiar smugness in her eyes, the kind that comes from someone who'd succeeded in their mischief, and knew she was doing it on purpose. He cooperated by putting on a long face: "Godmother, this sofa... if I sleep on it for one night, my back will be completely broken tomorrow. How am I supposed to ride my bike back with them then? How can you bear to do that?"

"Then what should we do?" Chen Jie spread her hands, feigning helplessness, but a smile played on her lips. "We can't let Qiqi and Yaoyao sleep here, can we? Or... you can sleep on the floor in the small room? But the floor is cold."

Le Yao glanced at the narrow sofa, then at Liu Xiangyang's tall and imposing figure, and whispered to her sister, "Sis, why don't we let Xiangyang squeeze in with us? The bed in that little room seems pretty narrow too..."

Leqi gently squeezed her sister's hand, signaling her not to interrupt the host's arrangements. She vaguely felt that there seemed to be a special kind of intimacy and joke in Captain Chen's "difficulty," rather than real mistreatment.

"Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore." Chen Jie finally chuckled, turned around and pushed open the door of the small house. "I've already tidied it up for you. This room is small, but the bed is clean, and the quilts were aired out a few days ago. You sleep here. Qiqi, Yaoyao, you two can sleep in the big room with me. The kang is wide and warm, and we can chat."

The arrangements were reasonable and considerate. Liu Xiangyang finally smiled with relief: "My godmother really cares about me."

Leqi and Leyao were relieved and thanked Chen Jie. After washing up, they went back to their rooms. The master bedroom quickly quieted down, with only the sisters occasionally whispering and Chen Jie's gentle replies. In the small cabin, Liu Xiangyang lay on his narrow but comfortable cot, listening to the sounds outside gradually subside.

In the stillness of the night, assuming the person in the master bedroom was fast asleep, the door was gently pushed open and closed. A body, carrying a familiar fragrance and warmth, nimbly slipped into Liu Xiangyang's bed, bringing a touch of nighttime coolness, which was quickly warmed by his body heat.

"Not asleep yet?" Chen Jie asked in a low voice with a hint of amusement, her arm naturally encircling him, her head resting on his shoulder. The small bed suddenly felt even more cramped, and the two had to snuggle close together.

"I've been waiting for you." Liu Xiangyang lowered his voice and hugged her tighter. "I knew you'd come."

------

Chen Jie requests that all readers give her a five-star review, leave comments, and add her to their bookshelves if she hasn't already.