The sound of gongs and drums filled the air.
Red silk ribbons danced in the wind.
A festive atmosphere perated every corner.
In the outskirts of Yanshan City, within the settlent of the survivalist refugees, the streets were lined with eaves adorned with rare red decorations, and oversized lanterns swayed gently in the spring breeze, impossible to miss.
"Niu, congratulations!"
"We always knew this lad would make sothing of himself!"
"Exactly, exactly!"
When Xu Xi arrived at the outskirts,
this was the scene that greeted him.
A simple, honest-faced man, clad in neat cloth garnts and draped with a bright red silk sash, stood at the center of the crowd, accepting well-wishes and laughter from his neighbors.
Every ti soone teased him about marital matters, his sun-darkened face—hard as iron ore—would flush with embarrassnt, as if the sunlight were too intense, scorching his cheeks.
Just then,
Niu noticed Xu Xi's arrival.
"Brother Xu! Brother Xu!" he called out excitedly, waving like a child to welco him.
All his unease and nervousness lted away in an instant.
The crowd tactfully dispersed, leaving space for the esteed "Mister Xu" and their humble "Little Niu" to speak.
"Niu, congratulations," Xu Xi said with a smile, taking a seat with Niu on two wooden chairs.
"From now on, you'll be the head of a household, with a family and a whole new life ahead of you. You must shoulder your responsibilities."
"Hehehe..."
The simple, good-natured man grew unusually shy at Xu Xi's words, scratching his head awkwardly.
"Ma says we owe everything we have today to you, Brother Xu."
"I think so too."
"I'm dumb, I'm slow, all I know is how to eat."
"But it’s you, Brother Xu, who kept and Ma alive."
"I’ll listen to you, I won’t let Ma or Cui Er suffer!"
Cui Er was the na of the girl Niu was betrothed to.
Niu’s eyes were bright—so bright they seed to glow. He rose from his chair and thumped his chest as he made his vow to Xu Xi, his voice booming, swearing he would never let Xu Xi down.
Under the sunlight,
that earnest, grinning face gradually overlapped in Xu Xi’s mory with another—one drenched in the blood of demons.
"I believe in you, Niu."
"You’ll do just fine."
Xu Xi raised his head,
gazing toward the sun’s position. Wherever its light touched, lush green fields stretched flat and endless.
No Ten Thousand Mountains. No despair-filled demons.
People like Niu could finally live in true peace.
No more... sacrifices.
"Niu, are you happy now?" Xu Xi asked, as if reliving a mont from the past.
Niu paused, then responded with an even brighter grin.
"I’m so happy!"
"Brother Xu, I’m really happy!"
Is that so...
Xu Xi smiled, standing up and giving Niu’s shoulder a gentle pat. "Then that’s all that matters."
"Niu, as long as you’re happy, it’s all aningful."
"Yeah, I know!"
Niu replied with his usual guileless expression, though his face had grown red under the sun’s glare.
His eyes were the reddest of all.
"Brother Xu, the sand’s really stingin’ my eyes today," he muttered, rubbing at them with his arm as if clearing away dust.
The more he rubbed, the redder they beca, his movents slowing, his voice growing hoarse—as if sand had crept into his throat too.
In the end, Niu could only force a smile through his swollen eyes and bid Xu Xi farewell.
"Brother Xu, I gotta go marry Cui Er now. You gotta watch —I saved you a seat at the big red table!"
"Mm, I will."
Xu Xi’s expression softened as he nodded.
The reassured man then strode forward with newfound courage, accompanied by the jubilant clamor of gongs and drums, stepping into his new life.
Xu Xi watched as that familiar figure dashed toward the sun, bathed in golden light, resolute and unwavering, forging a new path.
Not the path of "Little Niu," but the path of Zhang Tieniu.
What would happen to Niu in the future? What kind of man would he beco?
Xu Xi didn’t know.
Because that simple, foolish man would never go cold or hungry again.
He had a new life now, new goals—a future so bright, Xu Xi couldn’t begin to imagine it.
How wonderful.
Watching Niu’s retreating figure, Xu Xi couldn’t help but let his lips curve upward.
...
The wedding ceremony officially began.
Most of the survivalist refugees ca from harsh poverty, unused to extravagance or lavish celebrations.
But today was an exception.
Niu’s wedding was a joyous occasion.
People spontaneously pitched in—so offering money, others labor—to prepare a grand feast and assemble an impressive procession.
Even though the bride’s ho was just a short walk away,
no effort was spared to make the event spectacular.
Xu Xi observed it all—watched as Niu welcod his bride, greeting his father-in-law with a wide, clumsy grin.
Awkward, sincere, and endearingly funny.
"Sir, what are you doing?"
Soone squeezed through the crowd, edging closer until she was right beside Xu Xi.
It was Wu Yingxue, arriving fashionably late.
"Nothing much, Yingxue. Just thinking about Niu starting a family. It’s got a little emotional."
Xu Xi glanced at her—then did a double take.
Today, Wu Yingxue wasn’t wearing her usual red-and-white martial attire.
Instead, she had donned a pale green dress, one he hadn’t seen in a long ti.
"Yingxue, why are you—"
"Sir, I’m not that clueless."
Her slender fingers smoothed the tiny wrinkles along her collar.
"It’s a happy occasion. Of course I wouldn’t wear red."
Red was the color of celebration.
On a wedding day,
the groom and bride would be dressed in red or adorned with red accessories.
The young lady knew this well.
She had prepared this outfit in advance, choosing the soft green gown to avoid overshadowing the event.
"Sir, do I look nice?"
Her lively eyes blinked up at him.
"Yes, very nice."
"Yingxue, I rember you wearing this once before."
"You actually rember that, Sir..."
His answer seed to surprise her.
In truth, it was precisely because Xu Xi had once complinted this dress during their third simulation that she’d chosen to wear it today.
*If Sir praised it,*
*then it must be beautiful.*
Wu Yingxue’s logic was just that simple.
"Of course I rember," Xu Xi nodded. "How could I forget sothing so lovely?"
His reply delighted the young noblewoman.
She grinned, though she restrained her usual exuberance to avoid tearing the delicate fabric.
Leaning in affectionately, she murmured, "Sir really does have good taste~~~"
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