Sold into a ghost marriage? Four-year-old and his thuggish father go on a killing spree.

The winter solstice is as important as the New Year.

Before dawn, Gu Yanqiu rushed back from the county.

He specifically asked Lao Han for a day off. His face showed signs of exhaustion from his travels, but his eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Niannian! Look what Daddy brought back!"

He proudly pulled out a heavy object wrapped in oiled paper from his pocket.

Upon opening it, I found a small piece of pork with alternating layers of fat and lean meat, along with a small bunch of bright green chives.

In this day and age, this is almost the most extravagant New Year's gift that an ordinary family can afford.

"Let's make dumplings!" Gu Yanqiu's voice was filled with a childlike pride.

For the first time, the small mud-brick house had a festive atmosphere.

Gu Yanqiu clumsily kneaded the dough, white flour smearing all over his face and body, making him look like a clown in a theatrical performance.

Gu Niannian moved a small stool, stood on it, and skillfully rolled out the dough with a short rolling pin.

She learned this skill from Aunt Wang next door several times before she mastered it.

Thin, round dough sheets appeared one after another in her small hands, as if by magic.

The filling of chives, eggs, and pork exudes an enticing aroma.

Gu Niannian's dumplings, though oddly shaped like little ingots, are guaranteed not to leak filling.

Gu Yanqiu's wrapping was even more appalling, crooked and twisted, like a deflated balloon.

The father and daughter looked at each other's "masterpieces" and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Inside the house, the stove fire was burning brightly, and the water in the pot was bubbling and steaming, dispelling the winter chill.

"Knock knock knock".

There was a knock on the door.

It's Granny Wang.

She walked in carrying a large bowl, smiling broadly: "Oh, it smells so good! I knew you two had something delicious to eat!"

She placed the bowls on the table; inside were two bowls of freshly made brown sugar water and a small dish of golden, crispy fried peanuts.

"It's cold on the winter solstice, so have a bowl of sweet soup to warm yourself up!"

"Thank you, Aunt Wang!" Gu Niannian said sweetly.

Before Aunt Wang could even sit down properly, another head poked in through the door.

It was Chen Zhiyuan from the educated youth settlement.

He wore black-rimmed glasses, looked refined, and held two old books with their corners wrapped in kraft paper.

"Niannian, I heard you're going to school soon. Uncle Chen doesn't have anything nice to give you, but you can keep these two comic books."

"Uncle Chen!" Gu Niannian's eyes lit up, and she quickly ran over to take it.

More and more people.

Before long, even the wife of the brigade leader, Cheng Tiezhu, arrived.

She carried a small piece of tofu and a few heads of cabbage, her voice booming, "Tiezhu, let me take a look! I know you two rarely have meat, so I added extra cabbage to cut the grease!"

The small room was suddenly crammed with several people.

The adults sat around the table, chatting animatedly about village gossip and the prospects for the coming year.

Gu Niannian sat on the doorstep, holding a small bowl, and ate the steaming dumplings in small bites.

She looked around the house and saw Aunt Wang helping her father clear the dishes, Uncle Chen discussing the county news with her father, and Grandma Cheng holding her hand, asking her if she was cold.

Everyone wore a sincere and warm smile.

There is no scheming, no insults, no cold stares here.

Only the most basic concern and the most sincere affection.

Gu Niannian's eyes reddened without her realizing it.

She looked up at her father, who was talking to Chen Zhiyuan, and said loudly, with a slight sob in her voice:

"Dad, this is the best winter solstice she's ever had."

Gu Yanqiu turned around and looked at her daughter's satisfied and happy face under the lamplight. Looking at the kind and simple people in the room, a warm current instantly surged into her heart.

He used to feel like he was a homeless person.

But now, he suddenly understood.

A family doesn't necessarily have to be based on blood ties.

With love, warmth, and people who truly care about you, this is the best home for Gu Yanqiu and Niannian!

He nodded vigorously, smiling as he said to his daughter, "Yes! From now on, we'll celebrate this wonderful Winter Solstice every year!"

The new year is almost here.

His performance at the agricultural machinery station is about to experience a huge leap forward.

And Niannian, this little girl who has experienced countless hardships, is about to put on her schoolbag and officially step into the hall that can change her life—the school.

What challenges and opportunities await them?