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　　回到山中，已經是寒冬。剛剛下了一場雪，林木都披了一層白衣，連呵出的氣都是白色的，仿佛與天地融為了一體。
　　天寒地凍，林木凋敝，枯枝敗葉被白雪埋起來，只有踩上去時，才能感覺到腳下非同尋常的鬆軟。這些枯葉等到來年，就會變成肥沃的養分，深入泥土中，滋養抽枝發芽的樹木。它們敗落，又以另一種形態回歸，生生不息，自然也就沒有苦痛。
　　柳延見到了那松樹精。
　　在這敗落的山景裡，松樹是唯一的綠色點綴，所以要找到他並不難。
　　作為父親，兒子結交了怎樣的友人，面子上不說，心裡也是在意。雖然知道沈玨一直在尋找皇帝的轉世，並遲遲未尋到，柳延希望沈玨能放下。
　　不要找了，別找了，太辛苦。柳延不希望沈玨走上伊墨的後塵，但也知道，有些事情他無能為力。
　　很多事情，他們都無能為力。
　　或許苦痛掙扎，輾轉尋覓，都只是人生的一個過程。柳延知道自己作為父親，也不能護他一世。沈玨的一世太長，而他又太短。護是護不住的，沈玨早已成人，他攔不住時光的步伐。他什麼都攔不住，什麼都阻止不了，只能眼睜睜地看著光陰殘酷的流轉，讓他護在掌心裡的孩子，長大成人，去受成長的過程裡，必須受的苦。
　　
　　小松樹精感應到沈玨時，幾乎狂喜起來，無風自動，枝幹搖擺，粗壯的松樹下又落了一層雪，接著松樹下飄出一個虛虛幻幻的影子，蔥綠的一抹，呼喊著“沈哥哥沈哥哥”，便朝沈玨撲了過去。
　　沈玨張手接住，頗有些尷尬。此時站在一旁柳延笑了起來，聲音悶悶的，似乎壓抑著什麼，他笑得沈玨更尷尬了，喊了聲：“爹，別笑了。”
　　他胸前的小松樹精這才注意到還有旁人，發現其中一人是那唯恐避之不及的半仙蛇妖，頓時駭的臉色慘白，從沈玨懷裡退出，倏忽一晃，躲回了本體裡。樹木修成的精怪，靈識與本體息息相關，他害怕，那松樹也跟著顫顫巍巍，連松枝都在哆嗦。
　　這還是兩百多年來，柳延是第一次見到松樹發抖，樹幹不動，樹枝卻哆哆嗦嗦，松針都抖下了一層，明明是粗壯的一棵松樹，卻駭成這個模樣。柳延益發覺得好笑，裹著狐裘斗篷，笑得蹲在地上直不起身。
　　“爹，”沈玨甚是無奈，怕他笑的太狠，嗆住了氣，一邊給他順氣，一邊道：“有什麼好笑的，笑成這樣？”
　　柳延低頭不吭聲，只是笑，笑的肩頭悶顫，好一會才止了笑，瞟了他一眼道：“沈哥哥。”
　　沈玨一張俊臉頓時通紅。
　　伊墨也蹲下身，認真嚴肅地道：“該叫小沈哥哥。”
　　他這樣一湊樂，柳延更是憋不出，連天大笑，直笑的渾身癱軟，蹲都蹲不住，一頭紮進伊墨胸前，蹭著眼淚喘不過氣地道：“沈哥哥，沈哥哥……好一個沈哥哥。”
　　
　　沈玨被取笑的滿臉都是紅，又羞又窘，本來好好的一個稱呼，硬生生讓他們笑到扭曲的境地，好像那小松樹精叫的不是沈哥哥，而是情哥哥似的。平白添了許多肉麻。肉麻到連沈玨都覺得牙幫子酸了起來——也是怪，以往怎麼不覺得。
　　伊墨把笑到癱軟的人扶起來，攬在懷裡，望著那還在哆嗦的松樹，也不說什麼，只道：“既是喚他哥哥，也該出來見見我們，如何就遇鬼似的躲起來，像個什麼樣子。”這語氣，分明是長輩的苛責了。
　　小松樹精遲疑了一下，到底拗不過對沈玨的喜歡，深怕自己的膽怯惹得他們不高興，以後不再讓沈玨來找他。所以怯怕著，還是重新走了出來。只是心裡忍不住好奇，修為和他差不多的沈玨哥哥，如何就有這樣可怕的父親。半仙的妖，他還是第一次遇見。又見他懷裡笑到失態的柳延，更是好奇，都說凡人膽小如鼠，這樣一個普通人，如何就不怕他們。
　　他雖膽小卻也不傻，自然體會得出，這兩人對他並無惡意，所以才敢重新走出來，化作人形虛虛渺渺的一抹，站到伊墨跟前，垂著頭，不敢吭聲。連氣都不敢大喘一口，深怕一個不慎，惹他們不高興，被這不知修煉了幾千年的老妖怪一口活吞了。
　　
　　等他站定了，柳延才慢慢止了笑，道：“抬頭我看看。”
　　小松樹精抬起頭來，也是清清俊俊一個少年模樣，一身綠衫，高挑細長，脊樑挺得筆直，就是瘦了些。柳延一想到他就這麼呼喊著“沈哥哥”撲進小寶懷裡，又想笑了，忍了幾忍，才把湧上來的笑意咽下去，正經地道：“這些年在山上從未見過你，想來是怕了我們。今日你也見了，有你想的那般駭人嗎？”
　　小松樹精抬頭快速地看了他一眼，連忙低下頭去，搖了搖腦袋，耳根後面紅紅的，想是心思被挑穿，羞窘罷了。
　　柳延道：“既然你與沈玨要好，我們自然也對你另眼相看，往後不必四處躲藏。”
　　小松樹精聽他不拒絕自己與沈玨相交，頓時喜出望外，忙忙地抬起頭來，露出笑容。
　　這笑容，倒真是乾淨。柳延想他或許是樹木修成，從小到大就長在這山上，不能像飛禽走獸般四處遊蕩，對人世更是毫無歷練，所以心思也乾淨的很。喜怒哀樂，都明明白白的展露在臉上。笑起來就是笑，沒有一絲作偽，笑容純淨難得。柳延突然覺得，若是有他相伴，沈玨餘生也不會寂寞，他也可放心。只是，沈玨無心。
　　沈玨是狼，對伴侶忠貞不二，這是狼的天性。儘管身體裡有人類的血液，卻在他們身上學到了感情的從一而終。這一點，很難更改。
　　可眼前少年的眼底又明明白白，有著對沈玨的傾慕。縱然只是凡人，柳延也知道，這又是一場剪不斷理還亂的情殤。
　　心頭覺得悵惘，柳延對伊墨道：“你們先回去，我與他玩一會。”
　　伊墨自然懂他，一搭手，帶著沈玨離開了，沈玨走了兩步又回頭，沖著站在柳延面前惴惴不安的小松樹精喊道：“你別怕，我爹好得很。”說完這句，才放下心，跟著伊墨走掉了。
　　
　　柳延外表雖是年輕，眼神卻深沉得很，看了一眼小松樹精，便牽了他的胳膊，帶著他在這山林裡慢慢踱步，半仙的老妖怪一走，小松樹精無端的有些懼怕之前並不起眼的這個凡人來了，被牽著胳膊，也不敢掙脫，亦步亦趨小心翼翼的跟著他，心頭忐忑，不知何為。
　　慢慢踱了半個時辰，柳延才開口，語氣是溫和的，問：“你離不開這山林？”
　　松樹精小聲道：“我修行淺，至多離本體三五裡地，再遠就不行了。”
　　“修煉多久了？”
　　“兩百八十年。”
　　柳延點了點頭，又沉默片刻，才冷不丁突然轉了話題：“你喜歡沈玨？”
　　小松樹精臉有些紅，又有些茫然地望著他：“什麼是喜歡？”
　　他問的認真，沒有作偽的痕跡，由此可見，確確實實是不懂。柳延看他，不知為什麼突然想起伊墨來，心道這些修行的妖精，難道個個都是這樣麼？又呆又傻，將來不知要吃多少苦頭。
　　
　　柳延想了一會，沒有回答這個問題，轉而道：“沈玨有喜歡的人。”
　　“啊？”小松樹精愣了一下，莫名的覺得不舒服，心頭酸酸的，還有些澀，本能道：“我怎麼沒見過？他也沒跟我說過。”言辭間，無意流露出將沈玨視為己有的意思來，他自己或許還未曾領悟，柳延卻聽得明白，心中猜疑才算落了底。伊墨說的沒有錯，這小妖精，真對沈玨動了情。
　　柳延道：“那人死了。”
　　小松樹精又是一愣。
　　“他死了，這些年沈玨一直在尋他轉世。”柳延淡淡道：“你離不開這山，將來沈玨卻要雲遊天下，四處找尋。你怎麼辦？”
　　小松樹精腦子裡一時有些亂，聽他這麼問了，想也不想地答：“我陪他一起找不行嗎？等我再修行一段時間，就可以脫離本體，陪他去找那個人。”
　　柳延不說了。
　　小妖精膽子小，又單純的很，卻想也不想的給了他這個答覆。不需思考得回答，往往是最真實的答案——我陪你。
　　不論做什麼，不論去哪裡，他陪他。或許將來會後悔，也會傷痛，但這份心意是最重要的——因為是自己選擇，再苦也甘之如飴。
　　連他都沒有評價的權利，自然也無權干涉或左右他們的意志。至於將來找不到如何，找到了又如何，那些事他管不上，也相信，自己一手教出來的孩子，會有最妥善的處置辦法。
　　柳延笑了一下，道：“去我家不去，沈玨此時定在收拾院子，你去不去幫他？”
　　小松樹精一聽能和沈玨在一起，哪有不去之理，加上柳延雖然隱約讓他心生畏懼，卻也感受到了善意，就放大膽子，點了點頭。
　　柳延便帶著他回家了。
　　
　　院子裡沈玨揮著竹帚在掃地，將滿院的積雪清到角落裡，堆成一座小山丘。伊墨坐在房頂上，無所事事，便看著兒子忙碌，一邊施法，幫些小忙，比如勾勾手，讓木桶從廚房裡飛出來，飄到河邊自己汲水，又飛回水缸邊，將滿肚子水傾瀉進去，而後繼續飛，直到水缸裝滿，飛來飛去的木桶才得以休息。抹布則還在孜孜不倦的擦拭各處灰塵。
　　小松樹精跟在柳延身後，第一眼望見的就是這說不出的詭異，卻又溫馨的繚亂場景。
　　
　　早已習慣這些，柳延視若無睹，坐在剛剛拭淨的椅子上，敞開的房門裡便飛出茶盞茶壺，落在他手邊。沈玨頭也不抬，一邊掃地一邊道：“爹，天冷得很，你喝點熱茶，一會回屋裡去，火盆已經燃好了。”
　　屋頂上坐著的伊墨終於站回庭院中央，柳延問他上屋頂幹什麼，伊墨說煙囪被堵住了，故而疏通疏通。
　　說著回屋，又將被褥都拿了出來，扔上了庭院裡唯一一棵大樹，就著枝幹，也不用扯繩索，直接晾被子。他一人時，對什麼都無要求，唯有跟柳延在一起時，連睡覺的鋪蓋都挑挑揀揀，定要從被子上嗅到陽光的味道，懷裡摟著柳延，才覺著睡得舒適。
　　他們說著話，小松樹精早已溜到沈玨身邊，躍躍欲試地想搶他的掃帚，幫他的忙。
　　屋子裡和院子裡的地已經掃的差不多了，只因天寒地凍，沈玨怕地上濕滑，故而掃的仔細，見小松樹精殷勤，也不客氣，竹帚往他手裡一塞，叮囑一定要掃仔細了，連院門外的地都要掃乾淨，才卷了袖子，進廚房去做糕點。
　　剛進了廚房，又探頭問：“爹，你們想吃點什麼？”
　　伊墨坐在椅子上與柳延一起喝茶，聞言扭過頭道：“松仁酥。”
　　小松樹精傻傻的，硬是沒聽出自己被人拿來取笑，連忙放下竹帚，熱切地說：“我有好多松子，小沈哥哥你要嗎？”他已經改口，叫“小沈哥哥”了。
　　柳延一口茶含在口中，險些噴出去，又忙忙咽回來，燙的舌頭都發麻，橫了一眼伊墨，意思說：你且收斂著些罷！
　　伊墨轉開視線，認真端詳手中的熱茶，仿佛那東西他從未見過，看得分外認真。
　　那廂沈玨明知道伊墨壞心眼，當著小松樹精的面也不好戳破，只好接了對方拿來的一堆松子，裝著什麼都不懂，繼續做點心。抽出空來，對著柳延擠眉弄眼，目光可憐兮兮，指望著爹爹發慈悲，把這個老妖孽帶回房去吧，別折騰他了。
　　柳延收到了兒子的求救，眨了眨眼，竟然也轉開了視線，低頭認真研究手中熱茶。
　　沈玨直磨牙，卻有外人在場，這口氣他忍了。
　　
　　從未離過山的小松樹精這還是有生以來第一次與人接觸，處處充滿好奇，因此格外認真觀察他們一家，只以為山下的世界，人人都是如此，家家都是這般。
　　和樂美好，甜美融洽。
　　並不知道，這個家的美好，只若曇花，綻放不過是悄然一瞬。
　　他不清楚，這家中三人卻都清楚，所以這一瞬，他們更是分外珍惜。
　　都有了珍惜的心意，日子就仿佛是踩在雲端上過的，飄飄然讓人幾乎以為這場夢永不會醒。
　　
　　寒冬裡迎來了新年，孤山上燃了許多爆竹，熱鬧了一宿。新年過後又到正月十五元宵節，連伊墨都鑽進了廚房，學著裹餡包元宵，先前幾個將芝麻餡裹出來了，後面就做得有模有樣，一家人煮了一鍋元宵，放了桂花蜜，擁在火爐旁吃著自己做的元宵，過完了這個節。
　　寒冷的冬天一轉眼就過去了，山林又萌發新綠，蟄伏的生靈活動起來，在林子裡吵吵嚷嚷。小松樹精時常來這山中唯一的院子裡做客，說是做客，這一家人散漫慣了，連柳延都越來越散漫，少了教條禮俗的約束，拿他也不當客人。見他來了點了頭，照舊做自己的事。
　　這日小松樹精又跑來玩，站在門外，院門未鎖，卻是閉著的。他推開門，喊了幾聲，也無人應答。
　　山林裡只有他們一家，所以出門也無須閉戶，小松樹精在院子裡轉了一圈，掩好門跑出去尋了。
　　最後在山腰的溪流邊找到了這一家子，他的小沈哥哥化了原形，通體烏黑的一條巨狼，側躺在草地上合眼睡覺，豎著的耳朵偶爾一抖一抖，明知道他來了，卻懶得睜開眼。而黑狼毛茸茸的肚皮上歪著一個腦袋，卻是柳延，枕著黑狼也在打盹，身上還纏著一條大蛇，埋頭紮在他的衣襟裡，同樣在睡覺。可不是，春困的日子，氣溫不冷不熱，陽光又正好，不睡覺做什麼呢？
　　一家三口裹纏在一起，他們頭頂上枝葉繁茂的樹萌，遮住了臉上的光線，給他們一個好夢。而身上樹萌罩護不住的地方，暖融融的春日陽光，在他們身上脈脈流淌，仿佛睡在金色殿堂。呼吸間是草木清香，耳畔有溪水潺潺，還有家人的溫暖。
　　這一幕仿佛烙印，深深的烙進了小松樹精的腦海裡，並終生沒有忘記。
　　彼此親愛，彼此相依。
　　
　　若不是夏天到來，這一家雲端上的日子還會一直飄下去，自欺日子還長，自欺時候還未到。可是，夏天已經來了。

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When we returned to the mountains, it was already winter. It had just snowed, and the trees were covered in a layer of white. Even the breath we exhaled was white, as if it had merged with the world.

The weather is cold and the trees are withered. The dead branches and leaves are buried in the snow. Only when you step on them can you feel the unusual softness under your feet. These dead leaves will become fertile nutrients in the next year, penetrate into the soil, and nourish the trees that sprout branches. They fall and return in another form, and there is no pain.

Liu Yan saw the pine tree spirit.

In this desolate mountain scenery, the pine tree is the only green embellishment, so it is not difficult to find it.

As a father, he cares about the kind of friends his son makes, even if he doesn’t say it out of face. Although he knows that Shen Jue has been looking for the emperor’s reincarnation and has not found it yet, Liu Yan hopes that Shen Jue can let it go.

Don’t look for it anymore, it’s too hard. Liu Yan didn’t want Shen Jue to follow in Yi Mo’s footsteps, but he also knew that there were some things he could do nothing about.

There are many things they can’t do anything about.

Perhaps the painful struggle and the wandering search are just a process of life. Liu Yan knew that as a father, he could not protect him forever. Shen Jue’s life was too long, and his was too short. He could not protect him, Shen Jue had already grown up, and he could not stop the pace of time. He could not stop anything, he could only watch the cruel flow of time, letting the child he protected in his palm grow up and suffer the pain that must be suffered in the process of growing up .

When the little pine tree spirit sensed Shen Jue, it was almost ecstatic. Its branches swayed without wind, and another layer of snow fell under the sturdy pine tree. Then an illusory shadow floated out from under the pine tree , a touch of lush green, shouting “Brother Shen, Brother Shen", and pounced towards Shen Jue.

Shen Jue opened his hand to catch it, feeling quite embarrassed. At this moment, Liu Yan, who was standing beside him, laughed, his voice muffled, as if he was suppressing something. His laughter made Shen Jue even more embarrassed, and he shouted, “Dad, stop laughing."

little pine tree spirit on his chest then noticed that there were other people around, and found that one of them was the half-immortal snake demon that he was trying to avoid. He was immediately horrified and turned pale. He withdrew from Shen Jue’s arms, and suddenly hid back in his body. The spirits that were transformed from trees have their spiritual consciousness closely related to their bodies. He was afraid, and the pine tree also trembled , and even the pine branches were shaking.

This was the first time in more than 200 years that Liu Yan had seen a pine tree trembling. The trunk did not move, but the branches trembled, and the pine needles shed a layer. It was obviously a thick pine tree, but it was in such a state. Liu Yan found it even more funny, and wrapped himself in a fox fur cloak, squatting on the ground and laughing so hard that he could not stand up.

“Dad," Shen Jue was helpless, afraid that he would choke if he laughed too hard, so he helped him breathe and said, “What’s so funny? Why are you laughing like this?"

Liu Yan lowered his head and said nothing, but smiled, his shoulders trembling with laughter. After a while, he stopped laughing, glanced at him and said, “Brother Shen."

Shen Jue’s handsome face suddenly turned red.

Yi Mo also squatted down and said seriously: “You should call Xiao Shen brother."

When he joined in the laughter, Liu Yan couldn’t hold it back any more, and laughed continuously, until he was completely limp, unable to even squat, and buried his head in Yi Mo’s chest, wiping away tears and gasping for breath, “Brother Shen, Brother Shen… What a great Brother Shen."

Shen Jue’s face was red from being teased, and he felt ashamed and embarrassed. It was originally a good name, but it made them laugh to the point of twisting, as if the little pine tree spirit was not calling him Brother Shen, but Brother Lover. It was so corny that even Shen Jue felt his teeth ache – it was strange, why didn’t he feel that way before.

Yi Mo helped the man who had laughed so hard that he collapsed to his knees, held him in his arms, and looked at the still trembling pine tree without saying anything. He only said, “Since you call him brother, he should come out to see us. Why is he hiding like he’s seen a ghost? What a disgrace ." The tone of his voice was clearly that of an elder’s harsh criticism.

The little pine tree spirit hesitated for a moment, but he couldn’t resist his love for Shen Jue. He was afraid that his timidity would upset them and they would not let Shen Jue come to him again. So he walked out again timidly . But he couldn’t help but be curious in his heart, how could Brother Shen Jue, whose cultivation was similar to his, have such a terrible father. It was the first time he met a half-immortal demon. Seeing Liu Yan laughing in his arms, he was even more curious. It is said that mortals are as timid as mice, so how could such an ordinary person not be afraid of them.

Although he was timid, he was not stupid. He could naturally understand that the two had no ill will towards him, so he dared to come out again, transformed into a vague human figure , stood in front of Yi Mo, lowered his head, and dared not say a word. He did not even dare to breathe, for fear that if he was careless, he would upset them and be swallowed alive by this old monster who had practiced for thousands of years.

After he stood still, Liu Yan slowly stopped laughing and said, “Look up and let me see."

The little pine tree spirit raised his head, and he was also a handsome young man, wearing a green shirt, tall and slender, with a straight back, but he was a little thin. When Liu Yan thought of him shouting “Brother Shen" and throwing himself into Xiao Bao’s arms, he wanted to laugh again. He held back for a few seconds before swallowing the laughter that was coming up, and said seriously: “I have never seen you in the mountains in these years. I think you are afraid of us. You saw it today. Is it as scary as you think?"

have felt embarrassed because his thoughts had been exposed .

Liu Yan said: “Since you are close to Shen Jue, we will naturally look at you differently. You don’t have to hide around in the future."

When the little pine tree spirit heard that he did not reject his friendship with Shen Jue, he was overjoyed and hurriedly raised his head and smiled.

This smile is really pure. Liu Yan thought that he might be a tree, and he grew up in this mountain since he was a child. He couldn’t roam around like birds and beasts, and he had no experience in the world, so his mind was also very pure. Happiness, anger, sorrow, and joy were all clearly shown on his face. When he smiled, he smiled, without a trace of pretense. His smile was pure and rare. Liu Yan suddenly felt that if he was with him, Shen Jue would not be lonely for the rest of his life, and he could rest assured. But Shen Jue was not interested.

Shen Jue is a wolf, and he is loyal to his partner. This is the nature of wolves. Although he has human blood in his body, he has learned from them to be faithful in love. This is difficult to change.

But the eyes of the young man in front of him clearly showed his admiration for Shen Jue. Even though he was just a mortal, Liu Yan knew that this was another tangled love affair .

Feeling lost in his heart, Liu Yan said to Yi Mo: “You go back first, I will play with him for a while."

Yi Mo naturally understood him. He put his hand on the man and took Shen Jue away. Shen Jue took two steps and turned back, shouting to the little pine spirit who was standing anxiously in front of Liu Yan, “Don’t be afraid, my father is fine." After saying this, he felt relieved and followed Yi Mo away.

Although Liu Yan looked young, his eyes were very deep. He glanced at the little pine spirit, then took his arm and led him to walk slowly in the forest. As soon as the half-immortal old monster left, the little pine spirit was inexplicably afraid of the arrival of this previously inconspicuous mortal. Being held by the arm, he did not dare to break free and followed him carefully step by step, feeling uneasy and not knowing what to do.

After pacing slowly for half an hour, Liu Yan finally spoke in a gentle tone, asking, “Can’t you leave this forest?"

The pine tree spirit whispered , “My cultivation is shallow, and I can only stay three to five miles away from my main body. No further than that."

“How long have you been practicing?"

“Two hundred and eighty years."

Liu Yan nodded, and then remained silent for a moment before suddenly changing the subject: “Do you like Shen Jue?"

The little pine tree spirit blushed a little , and looked at him blankly: “What is love?"

He asked seriously, without any trace of pretense, which showed that he really didn’t understand. Liu Yan looked at him, and for some reason he suddenly thought of Yi Mo, thinking to himself, are all these goblins who practice cultivation like this? They are so stupid and dumb, and I don’t know how much suffering they will have to endure in the future.

Liu Yan thought for a while and did not answer the question. He said, “Shen Jue has someone he likes."

“Ah?" The little pine tree spirit was stunned for a moment, and inexplicably felt uncomfortable, with a sour and bitter heart. He instinctively said, “Why haven’t I seen it? He didn’t tell me either." In his words, he unintentionally revealed that he regarded Shen Jue as his own. He himself might not have realized it, but Liu Yan understood it, and his suspicions were finally resolved. Yi Mo was right. This little goblin really had feelings for Shen Jue.

Liu Yan said: “That person is dead."

The little pine tree spirit was stunned again.

“He’s dead, and Shen Jue has been looking for his reincarnation for these years." Liu Yan said calmly: “You can’t leave this mountain, but Shen Jue will have to travel around the world in the future, looking for him. What will you do?"

The little pine tree spirit was confused for a moment, but when he heard the question, he answered without thinking: “Can’t I go with him? After I practice for a while, I can separate from my original body and go with him to find that person."

Liu Yan stopped talking.

The little fairy was timid and naive, but she gave him this answer without thinking. The answer that does not require thinking is often the most truthful answer – I will accompany you.

No matter what he does, no matter where he goes, he accompanies him. Maybe he will regret it and feel pain in the future, but this feeling is the most important – because it is his own choice, no matter how hard it is, he will be happy.

Even he didn’t have the right to comment, so naturally he had no right to interfere or influence their will. As for what would happen if they didn’t find it in the future, or what would happen if they did, he couldn’t control those things, and he believed that the children he had taught would have the most appropriate way to deal with it.

Liu Yan smiled and said, “Would you like to go to my house? Shen Jue must be cleaning up the yard right now. Would you like to go and help him?"

When the little pine tree spirit heard that he could be with Shen Jue, there was no reason for him not to go. Moreover, although Liu Yan made him vaguely feel afraid, he also sensed his kindness, so he plucked up his courage and nodded.

Liu Yan took him home.

In the yard, Shen Jue was sweeping the floor with a bamboo broom , clearing the snow in the yard into a corner and piling it into a small hill. Yi Mo sat on the roof, doing nothing, so he watched his son busy, casting spells and helping out a little, such as making a hand gesture to make a wooden barrel fly out of the kitchen, float to the river to fetch water, fly back to the water tank, pour a bellyful of water into it, and then continue to fly until the water tank is full, and the flying wooden barrel can rest. The rag was still tirelessly wiping the dust everywhere.

The little pine tree spirit followed behind Liu Yan, and the first thing he saw was this indescribably weird, yet warm and confusing scene.

Accustomed to this, Liu Yan ignored it and sat on the chair he had just wiped clean. Teacups and teapots flew out of the open door and landed beside him. Shen Jue didn’t even raise his head. While sweeping the floor, he said, “Dad, it’s very cold. Drink some hot tea and go back to the house. The brazier is already lit."

Yi Mo, who was sitting on the roof, finally stood back in the center of the courtyard. Liu Yan asked him why he was on the roof. Yi Mo said that the chimney was blocked, so he went to clear it .

He went back to the house, took out the bedding, and threw it on the only big tree in the courtyard , hanging the quilt directly on the branch without pulling the rope . When he was alone , he didn’t ask for anything, but when he was with Liu Yan, he would be picky even about the bedding he slept on. He must smell the scent of sunshine from the quilt, and only when he held Liu Yan in his arms could he feel comfortable sleeping.

While they were talking, the little pine tree spirit had already slipped to Shen Jue’s side, eager to grab his broom and help him.

The floor in the house and the yard had been almost swept, but because it was cold, Shen Jue was afraid that the ground would be slippery, so he swept it carefully. Seeing that the little pine spirit was diligent, he didn’t hesitate to stuff the bamboo broom into his hands and reminded him to sweep carefully, even the ground outside the courtyard gate, before rolling up his sleeves and going into the kitchen to make pastries.

As soon as he entered the kitchen, he poked his head in and asked, “Dad, what do you want to eat?"

Yi Mo was sitting on a chair drinking tea with Liu Yan. Hearing this, he turned his head and said, “Pine nut pastry."

The little pine tree spirit was so stupid that he didn’t realize that he was being made fun of. He quickly put down his bamboo broom and said eagerly, “I have a lot of pine nuts. Do you want some, Brother Xiao Shen?" He had changed his words and called him “Brother Xiao Shen."

Liu Yan took a sip of tea in his mouth and almost spit it out, so he quickly swallowed it back. His tongue was numb from the burn. He glanced at Yi Mo, meaning: You’d better restrain yourself!

Yi Mo turned his eyes away and looked at the hot tea in his hand carefully, as if he had never seen that thing before and looked at it extremely seriously.

Shen Jue knew that Yi Mo had bad intentions, but he couldn’t expose it in front of the little pine tree spirit, so he had to accept the pile of pine nuts brought by the other party, pretending that he knew nothing, and continued to make snacks. He took some time to wink at Liu Yan with a pitiful look, hoping that his father would have mercy and take this old monster back to his room and stop torturing him.

Liu Yan received his son’s call for help, blinked, and actually turned his eyes away, lowering his head to carefully study the hot tea in his hand.

Shen Jue gritted his teeth, but since there were outsiders present, he endured it.

little pine spirit, who had never left the mountain , had come into contact with humans for the first time in his life. He was full of curiosity and therefore observed their family very carefully, thinking that in the world below the mountain, everyone was like this and every family was like this.

Harmony is beautiful, sweet and harmonious.

Little did I know that the beauty of this home was like a blooming flower, which only bloomed for a moment.

He didn’t know, but the three people in the family all knew, so they cherished this moment even more.

With a heart that cherishes each other, the days seem to be spent on clouds, so light that one almost thinks that this dream will never end.

The New Year came in the cold winter, and many firecrackers were set off on Gushan Mountain, making the night lively. After the New Year, it was the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month. Even Yi Mo went into the kitchen to learn how to wrap the stuffing for the dumplings. The first few people were able to wrap the sesame stuffing , and the others were able to do it in a very good way. The whole family cooked a pot of dumplings, added osmanthus honey, and huddled by the stove to eat the dumplings they made, and celebrated the festival.

The cold winter passed in a flash, and the forest sprouted new green. The dormant creatures moved and made a lot of noise in the forest. The little pine tree spirit often came to visit the only courtyard in the mountain. Although they called him a guest, the family was used to being casual. Even Liu Yan became more and more casual. Without the constraints of dogma and customs, he was not treated as a guest. Seeing him coming, he nodded and went on with his own business.

That day the little pine tree spirit came to play again and stood outside the door. The gate was not locked but closed. He pushed the door open and called a few times, but no one answered.

They were the only family in the forest, so there was no need to lock the door when going out. The little pine spirit walked around the yard, closed the door, and ran out to look for it.

Finally, he found the family by the stream on the mountainside. His little brother Shen had transformed into his original form, a giant black wolf, lying on the grass with his eyes closed and sleeping. His ears were twitching occasionally. He knew he was coming, but he was too lazy to open his eyes. A head was tilted on the black wolf’s furry belly. It was Liu Yan, who was also dozing off with the black wolf as his pillow. There was also a big snake wrapped around his body, buried in his clothes, also sleeping. Of course, on a sleepy spring day, the temperature was neither too cold nor too hot, and the sun was shining. What else could he do if he didn’t sleep?

The family of three huddled together, the lush branches of the tree above their heads blocked the light on their faces, giving them a good dream. And the warm spring sunshine flowed through their bodies where the tree cover could not , as if they were sleeping in a golden palace. There was the fragrance of grass and trees in their breath , the gurgling of streams in their ears, and the warmth of their family.

This scene was like a brand, deeply imprinted in the mind of the little pine spirit, and he never forgot it for the rest of his life.

Love each other and depend on each other.

If summer had not arrived, the days in the clouds would have continued, deceiving themselves that there was still a long time to go, and that the time had not yet come. But summer has already arrived.