socalfunplaces Chapter 1396 One Year Later
Chapter 1396 One Year Later
After the Battle of Floating Feather Bay, the dust settled and time quietly passed, and more than a year went by in the blink of an eye.
The Shao family settled down completely on Nata's ranch, living a peaceful and tranquil life far from strife.
For more than a year, no one dared to provoke this family again.
The deterrent effect left by Shao Yun was like a curse etched into the hearts of every potential threat, and no one dared to cross the line.
Meanwhile, Shao Yun's family had long since put the troubles and turmoil of Teyvat behind them, focusing wholeheartedly on their little family, living their own simple life, and diligently managing this ranch full of life.
Life on the ranch was peaceful and warm, and the happiest thing was watching Xi grow up.
Over the past year, Shao Yun, Ying, Kong, Paimeng, Shen He, Ningguang, and Yuan Shang, the whole family, have been around Xi, witnessing the little life go from being a naive newborn to struggling to sit up and then crawling around on the ground.
They accompanied Xi as she explored and grew, watching her progress from only knowing "abba aba" to being able to utter simple syllables; watching her carefully stand up, her legs trembling slightly, yet stubbornly refusing to fall, supported by her family members.
Until one day, Xi took her first steps in life, wobbling unsteadily. Although her steps were faltering and she even fell into the arms of Shen He, Ying, or Shao Yun after only two steps, everyone present was overjoyed.
And this joy reached its peak on an ordinary day.
At that moment, Ying was sitting on the floor of the nursery, gently holding Xi, while Shen He was gently teasing her beside her.
Just then, Xi blinked her bright, sparkling eyes, looked at the two people in front of her, opened her little mouth, and mumbled out two words: "Mom... Mom..."
At that moment, the two women froze, their smiles frozen, and the next second, ecstasy swept across their faces.
Xi is calling for her mother! She really is calling for her mother!
The two were so happy they almost fainted. How could there be such an adorable baby in this world? How could there be such a heartwarming moment?
It's worth mentioning that Yuan Shang specially bought a precious camera from Fontainebleau to record all of this.
Our little princess is just so adorable.
……
The ranch was always well-managed.
Ningguang continued to assist Shaoyun and Ying in managing the affairs of the ranch in an orderly manner.
Everything, from taking stock of outputs and cleaning to planning income and expenditure, was done meticulously.
However, most of the time, Ying still acts as a hands-off manager, leaving all the problems to Ningguang to handle.
In addition to this, Ningguang has another important identity: Xi's godmother.
Whenever Shen He was about to be overwhelmed, Ning Guang would always come over immediately to help take care of Xi, feeding her complementary foods, playing with her, and coaxing her to sleep. She was incredibly gentle.
Throughout, Ningguang's role in this family has always been that of the child's godmother... family!
……
The moment Xi called out "Mom," not only were Ying and Shen He overjoyed, but Shao Yun also silently remembered the promise he made to Kong.
Now that the baby had met the agreed conditions, he kept his promise, settled Shenhe, Ningguang, Kong and Xi at the ranch, and took Ying and Paimon to Winter to help Ying obtain ice elemental power.
Before setting off, Shao Yun had already made thorough preparations in his mind.
In his mind, after the Winter Fleet's defeat in Nata, Winter would most likely impose a complete lockdown, with Fatui patrols everywhere on the streets, creating a tense and suspenseful atmosphere. Successfully retrieving the ice elemental power would likely be quite a challenge.
But when the three of them stepped into the city in the dead of winter, the scene before them was completely beyond Shao Yun's expectations.
It was indeed very cold here. The cold wind swirled with fine snowflakes, stinging my face slightly. The buildings on both sides of the street were covered with a thick layer of white snow, crystal clear, showcasing the charm of a snowy wonderland.
But apart from that, there was no sense of gloom or oppression as one might have imagined. Instead, everything was in good order and exuded a normal, everyday atmosphere.
On the streets, pedestrians came and went, most of them wrapped in thick coats.
At roadside stalls, vendors hawk hot drinks and local snacks.
The children, dressed in thick cotton-padded coats, chased and frolicked in the snow, their clear laughter echoing through the streets.
It seems that all people in the world are the same; they all need to make a living... Such high pressure is unbearable for ordinary people!
Since the situation at the winter solstice was more peaceful than expected, and the ice elemental power was successfully retrieved without any trouble, Shao Yun simply changed his mind on the spot.
Since we're here, we might as well take a stroll and have some fun at Zhidong. It would be a real shame to miss such a rare ice and snow world; once we return to the warmer climate of Nata, we'll never see anything like it again!
Ying was naturally overjoyed; she had long been captivated by this silver-clad, snow-covered world.
Paimon was overjoyed, rubbing his little hands together and talking about wanting to try all the local delicacies of Zhidong.
Despite their joy, the three of them did not forget to maintain proper boundaries.
Winter Solstice is ultimately the territory of the Fools. If the Winter Solstice officials recognize it, it will inevitably cause unnecessary trouble and disrupt the current peace.
After some discussion, the group came up with an excellent way to disguise themselves.
Paimon volunteered, curling up into a tiny ball to pretend to be a newborn baby. Ying wrapped her up tightly, leaving only her big, round eyes showing, which blinked occasionally, making her look extremely cute.
And so, Shao Yun and Ying disguised themselves as an ordinary young couple. Ying held the "baby" Paimon in her arms, looking just like a couple taking their several-month-old baby out for a stroll.
The blond traveler with the white companion star is quite conspicuous, but a family of three is a dime a dozen in Teyvat!
They blended into the crowd, inconspicuous, just like countless ordinary families living in the depths of winter; no one would give them a second glance.
Moreover, carrying such a small child will save you a lot of trouble wherever you go.
Who would have the time to thoroughly search a couple with a nursing baby?
This family of three enjoyed a carefree snow country vacation...
……
Life went on at a leisurely pace, without any waves or disturbances.
This day was just another ordinary day, yet it was full of the warmth and life of everyday life.
Nata, the Suspended Wood tribe, and Shao Yun's ranch still look vibrant with life.
In the morning, everyone in the family was busy with their own tasks, and everything was in good order.
Shao Yun still rode a horse, herding cattle and sheep out to graze; Kong went to work at the Abyss Order, busy with his own work.
Yuan Shang stayed at home and took on all the heavy physical labor; Ning Guang stayed inside, methodically managing the housework, wiping tables and chairs, tidying up the rooms, and keeping the house clean and spotless.
Shen He stayed by Xi's side full-time, taking care of the little baby without leaving her side for a moment.
As for Ying and Paimon, they are the two most "free" people in the family.
The two of them weren't bothered by trivial matters and could do whatever they wanted—go to the Adventurers' Guild? Or wander around? In any case, they lived a comfortable and carefree life.
At this moment, in the ranch's living room.
Shen He changed into a fluffy onesie pajamas in the style of "Jifenglong". The brown fur was fluffy and soft, making her look like a gentle mother dragon.
Her usually slender and curvaceous figure, though completely covered by thick, fluffy pajamas, lost its sexy and sharp edge, but gained a rare soft and cute charm.
She looks like a cute married woman, and the more you look at her, the cuter she becomes.
Shen He squatted slightly on the ground, his face full of gentle smiles, his eyes sparkling as he gazed at the little one not far away. He opened his arms and softly called out to Xi:
"Baby! Come here, come to Mommy~"
On the carpet not far away, Xi was wearing a mini version of the Little Dragon Onesie Pajamas. Her small body was wrapped in fluffy fur, like a round little ball of fluff, so cute that you wanted to pet her.
She opened her big, round eyes and looked at Shen He, who was squatting not far away. A sweet smile appeared on her lips. She clumsily stretched out her chubby little arms and toddled forward, her short legs swaying every now and then, as she walked towards Shen He, calling out in her childish voice:
"Mommy! Mommy!"
Before long, Xi swayed over to Shen He. Shen He quickly reached out and carefully picked her up, holding her gently in his arms, afraid of accidentally dropping her.
Then, she lowered her head and placed a gentle kiss on the baby's smooth, soft forehead, her movements as tender as if she were cherishing a rare treasure.
Xi, who had just been kissed, burst into giggles. Her laughter was as clear and crisp as a wind chime, and she looked incredibly cute.
She stretched out her chubby little hand and gently tugged at the fluff on Shen He's pajamas, laughing and muttering "Mama" softly.
At first glance, one might mistake Xi for Shen He's biological child.
……