Lan Yan and Jun Yelan explored the mountains and rivers near Dingzhou, eventually finding a small wooden cabin where they settled down.
"I'm planning to fence off an area nearby to raise chickens and ducks, so we'll have meat every day."
"And how about we get a dog at the gate of the courtyard? It can guard the house and also play with us."
Jun Yelan listened to Lan Yan's plans, his lips curved upward in a smile, nodding indulgently. He embraced Lan Yan from behind, smiling softly, "Yan'er, this is our home together. Everything you think of is wonderful."
Lan Yan smiled, turned, and asked, "And you?"
"Me? Having you is enough," Jun Yelan reached out, pinched Lan Yan's nose, and drew her into his arms.
Lan Yan leaned against Jun Yelan's chest, her heart filled with a sense of security.
The next day, Xia Lian delivered everything she had requested, including chickens, ducks, and a small white dog.
The moment Lan Yan saw the puppy, her eyes lit up. She couldn't help but scoop it into her arms, stroking its head, and laughing, "Little white dog, what should I name you?"
She turned the dog's head towards Jun Yelan, seeking his advice.
Jun Yelan stared at the puppy's glistening eyes, then his gaze fell upon its head. Yan'er had never even touched his head. He turned away and said, "Call it Anfen."
"Huh? What kind of name is that?" Lan Yan saw the puppy's head droop, clearly displeased. "He's so cute, let's call him Xiao Ke."
The puppy immediately wagged its tail and nuzzled into Lan Yan's embrace.
Seeing this, Jun Yelan snatched the puppy from Lan Yan's arms and tossed it into a corner of the courtyard. "This is where you belong from now on. Behave yourself, or I'll send you away."
The puppy whined pitifully and curled up.
Not a bit of it moved Jun Yelan; he turned to find Lan Yan.
Lan Yan watched the scene and smiled helplessly. She prepared some food for the puppy and stroked its head, "He's not fierce."
However, the puppy showed no affection for Jun Yelan, only drawing close to her.
Jun Yelan then instructed Xia Lian, "Bring another fierce female dog to live with him." He refused to believe the puppy would remain this way.
Xia Lian glanced at the puppy and quickly went to carry out the order. Offending the Prince never ended well.
After arranging for the puppy, Lan Yan began preparing dinner, intending to make dumplings.
Madam Li and Lan Yue arrived just then and went to help in the kitchen.
Jun Yelan didn't want to be idle, so he went to assist Lan Yan, taking charge of chopping the filling. He rolled up his sleeves, revealing his long, slender fingers, picked up a nearby cleaver, and began chopping pork on the cutting board.
Lan Yan, meanwhile, was kneading dough, preparing the dumpling wrappers. Catching a glimpse of Jun Yelan's actions out of the corner of her eye, she couldn't help but chuckle. This was likely Jun Yelan's first time doing such a thing; who would have thought the current Third Prince would be personally chopping filling?
Madam Li and the others beside her also found it incredible and stole a few more glances. Madam Li even praised, "Your Highness, you've chopped the filling quite well."
Lan Yue nodded in agreement. His brother-in-law was doing all this for his sister.
Jun Yelan showed no reaction until Lan Yan also offered a word of praise, at which point he immediately sped up his chopping.
Lan Yan and Madam Li were responsible for wrapping the dumplings. They placed a wrapper in their palms, scooped a spoonful of filling onto it, and with a gentle pinch, a dumpling was formed.
She secretly slipped something into a few of the dumplings: a copper coin into one, and a chili into another. Let's see who had the fortune to eat them!
After the dumplings were cooked, the three of them gathered around the table and began to eat.
Lan Yan took a small bite first. Seeing nothing inside, she realized she hadn't won. She ate the dumpling with peace of mind.
Jun Yelan beside her found it a bit strange, as it wasn't Lan Yan's usual way of eating heartily. He looked perplexed, took a bite of his dumpling, and frowned.
He looked inside the dumpling. "Is this a copper coin?"
Lan Yan immediately clapped her hands. "Congratulations on winning! May it bless you with a year of good luck."
"Oh, I got one too!" Madam Li exclaimed in surprise.
Even Lan Yue held up his dumpling and nodded vigorously, indicating he had received one as well.
Lan Yan looked at her own bowl. Why hadn't she gotten one? No, she wanted good luck too. She picked up her pace eating dumplings and suddenly began to cough violently.
"Cough, cough, cough! Water!"
Jun Yelan handed her water and patted her back. He looked at Lan Yan's reddened lips and said with amusement, "Did you put chili in it yourself and end up eating it?"
Tears streamed down Lan Yan's face as she choked out, "I only made one with chili, the rest were copper coins. Poor me, my luck is too bad."
"Who says?" Jun Yelan wiped the copper coin in his hand clean and placed it in her palm. "This one is yours too. All my good luck was always meant for you."
Lan Yan was instantly moved, tears of joy flowing. She took a large gulp of water, no longer feeling the sting, and happily tucked the copper coin into her money pouch.
Seeing Lan Yan's immediate happiness, Jun Yelan realized the copper coin was quite effective. He had a good idea.
Madam Li and Lan Yue, watching them, also had smiles gracing their faces. They truly hoped these two would remain like this forever.
After dinner, Lan Yan went to bathe first. On her way back to her room, she picked up a copper coin at the doorway, and as she walked further, another one. In such a short distance, she had already found ten.
Such good luck, she didn't believe it was her own; it must have been Jun Yelan's doing for her. She clenched the copper coins in her hand, a smile spreading across her lips as she returned to the room.
"Yelan, hold out your hand."
Jun Yelan extended his hand, watching Lan Yan place the copper coins in his palm, and said with a smile, "It seems your luck comes at night."
"Heh heh, I suddenly feel that copper coins aren't my good luck anymore. You are." Lan Yan sat beside Jun Yelan, divided the copper coins into two portions. "Meeting each other is the best luck for both of us. Keep these."
Jun Yelan was amused and put one portion into his money pouch, tightening the drawstring.
Lan Yan didn't tell Jun Yelan that she still had the one he had given her earlier. So, her luck was slightly better than Jun Yelan's now; if anything were to happen in the future, she would bear it.
As night fell, the two lay in bed, preparing to sleep.
Jun Yelan, as usual, held Lan Yan tightly in his arms; only then could he sleep soundly.
Lan Yan also felt this was good, like having an extra warm cushion. Except for being a bit hot in the summer, it was especially warm in the winter. She habitually rested her head on Jun Yelan's arm, listening to his steady breathing.
Hearing his breathing, Jun Yelan smiled slightly and slowly closed his eyes.
The sound of insects chirping from outside the window accompanied them into sleep.
In the days that followed, the two lived a leisurely life in the small wooden cabin. When they had free time, they would go sightseeing in the surrounding areas.
Ten years passed in the blink of an eye...