Baimei County—where Mei Fang, Xia Yuan, and Lin Youxi were born and raised.

A modest, unremarkable, even somewhat impoverished little town.

Yet within its bounds, they’d spent every single day of their first sixteen years together.

A tiny hometown overflowing with precious memories.

——

As the family neared Baimei, gloomy clouds gathered overhead;

By the time their car pulled into Mei Fang’s private estate, light snow had begun drifting down.

Exhausted from the journey, both Xiaoyuan and Xiaoxixi slept soundly in their mothers’ arms—much to the disappointment of Mei Lijun and Mei Ya, who’d been eagerly awaiting their arrival.

Though upon glimpsing the babies’ peaceful faces, Grandpa Mei could barely contain his excitement.

“Wah… Xiaoyuan, Xiaoxixi… my treasures have grown so big! Yuan Yuan, Youxi, you must be exhausted—let Grandpa hold them—”

“How can you carry both? Give one to Auntie Xiao Ya!”

Mei Lijun carefully took the lip-smacking Xiaoyuan from Xia Yuan. Seasoned from raising his own children, he cradled her effortlessly as she remained undisturbed on his shoulder.

Meanwhile, 16-year-old Mei Ya received Xiaoxixi from Lin Youxi with trembling hands, sweating bullets under the weight of responsibility.

Under Lin Youxi’s guidance, she awkwardly supported the baby’s bottom—

Just as Xiaoxixi’s eyes fluttered open to scrutinize this unfamiliar auntie.

Mei Ya braced for tears…

Only for Xiaoxixi to blink drowsily before nestling back into sleep.

“She… she accepted me?”

Mei Ya gasped at her unexpected affinity. “Kids like me!”

“You smell similar to her father…”

Lin Youxi adjusted Xiaoxixi’s fleece hat. “She’s most attached to Baba.”

“Being compared to him is not a compliment, wuwu—”

“You…“

Mei Fang flicked his sister’s forehead. “Everyone head inside—I’ll park the car.”

“I’ll help with luggage—cough—”

Lin Youxi’s weakened constitution struggled with Baimei’s cold. Xia Yuan quickly intervened:

“I’ll assist Ah Fang! Youxi, go warm up!”

As they drove into the garage, Xia Yuan watched the snowfall through the window with sudden melancholy.

“What’s wrong?”

“Ah Fang… I feel like Youxi forced herself to come.”

She whispered, “After Xiaoxixi’s birth, she’s been frailer. I mean—”

Mei Fang gently bopped her head.

“Silly.”

“We’re family. No need for pretense.”

“Youxi would’ve refused if unwilling.”

“As for her health… I’ve consulted doctors. This is common—she’ll recover with care.”

“R-right…”

“Hey.“

He kissed her cheek.

“Don’t overthink it. We’ll nurture her back together… Though you’ll get wrinkles worrying.”

“Wrinkles?! I am aging!”

“Kidding! Our Yuan Yuan is world’s cutest.”

“Ack! Putting me after Youxi and the babies?! Do you tell them that too?!”

“Since when am I that smooth?!”

He hugged her tightly. “All four of you tie for first.”

“Pfft… Knew you’d say that…”

Xia Yuan cupped his face. “But as family… I won’t compete—”

Their moment shattered upon spotting Lin Guochuan hesitating nearby. They quickly exited the car.

“Lin Papa!“

Xia Yuan’s cheerful greeting earned a warm nod—the tacit acceptance of her as a daughter. Lin Guochuan then turned to Mei Fang with even greater familiarity.

“Dad, why not spend time with Xiaoxixi?”

“Thought you might need help unloading.”

“We’ve got it, Lin Papa!”

“Go rest, Yuan Yuan.”

Lin Guochuan began unloading baby gear himself, refusing assistance.

——

Inside, the reunited families filled the living room with chatter.

Now awake, Xiaoxixi sat blankly on Lin Youxi’s lap as Liang Meijuan and Yu Ling cooed over her, pinching her cheeks;

While Xiaoyuan bounced between Grandpa Mei Lijun and Grandpa Xia Xun’s competing lures:

“Xiaoyuan! Grandpa has strawberry lollipops!”

“Grandpa Mei! No candy for babies! Come hear Grandpa Xia’s duckling story!”

Their rivalry ended abruptly when Xiaoyuan spotted Mei Fang—

“Daddy! Dada!“

—barreling into his arms without hesitation.

The ensuing glares from both grandfathers fazed Mei Fang not at all as he carried Xiaoyuan outside.

“Look! Snow!“

“Now… now?”

“Yes! Snow!”

He removed her mittens, letting flakes land on her tiny palm.

She shivered at the cold, gazing up in wonder:

“Baba… now now… binbin.“

“Mm! Cold but…”

He lifted her toward the drifting crystals.

“…beautiful.“

“Pwetty!”

Giggling, she caught snowflakes one by one, watching them melt—

Experiencing Baimei’s winter for the very first time.