Chapter 713: First Day of the New Year

Nan decided not to call out to her. For Amanda Chapman, these few days of the Lunar New Year were her only chance to get a proper rest all year. Normally, she had to get up at the crack of dawn to work. ’I should just let her get some proper rest for a few days.’

She got dressed by herself and went downstairs with her hair loose to find Phoebe Huxley to braid it for her. But the downstairs area was cold and deserted, and the main door hadn’t been opened. Phoebe Huxley and Felix Thorne weren’t up. Nan went to their room to check, only to find the bed neatly made. They hadn’t slept in it at all last night.

"Dad, Mom."

Nan called out a few times, but no one answered. Her calls woke Howard Thorne, who got out of bed, his eyes heavy with sleep. Seeing Nan wandering around by herself, he quickly scooped her up. He felt her small feet and chided, "Running around without even wearing socks? If you catch a cold, you’ll have to get a shot!"

"Big Bro, where’d Mom and Dad go?"

Nan asked with her arms wrapped around Howard’s neck. ’As for a high-tech task like braiding hair, I can’t count on my three brothers. I’d be better off doing it myself.’

"They’re not sleeping in their room?"

Howard muttered to himself in confusion. Carrying Nan, he went to check their parents’ room, but it was indeed empty. The mantel clock on the cabinet struck eight times. It was eight in the morning. By this time, Phoebe Huxley would normally have been up for a while and finished a round of chores, and on the first day of the Lunar New Year, both she and Felix Thorne always got up extra early.

"Maybe they’re at Grandma’s. Let’s go check."

Howard put socks and cotton-padded shoes on Nan and combed her hair. Then, holding an umbrella in one hand and his sister in the other, he headed to the old family house to look for them. But only Raina, her husband, and Goldie Thorne were there. Gentry Chapman was playing alone in the courtyard.

"Grandma, where’s my mom?"

Nan called out while still at a distance. Raina came over, touched her hand, and found it a bit cold. She cupped it in her own hands to warm it up. Although the old woman’s hands were coarse and rough, they were incredibly warm and felt wonderfully comforting.

"They went to the clinic. Your second aunt is having a baby. They haven’t come back yet, so I don’t know what the situation is."

As she spoke, Raina grabbed a hand warmer basket. She scooped some glowing red embers from the stove hearth, emptied out half of the old ash from the basket, and then added a few shovelfuls of the hot embers. Next, she covered them with a layer of plant ash before putting on the perforated lid. Finally, she handed the warmer to Nan for her hands.

This was the first time Nan had encountered a hand warmer basket since arriving here. It was typically made of iron, with a handle, and was slightly larger than a tea mug. It looked drab and unremarkable, but it was an indispensable treasure for the winter.

A few shovelfuls of charcoal could provide warmth for hours. As soon as winter arrived, you could see elderly women all over the countryside carrying these hand warmers. Especially on sunny days, they would bring a rattan chair out to the threshing ground, place the warmer on their lap with their hands on the handle, and move it to their feet if they felt too hot. Your whole body would feel toasty. ’It’s far more comfortable than modern heating.’

After warming herself with the basket for a moment, Nan felt much warmer. Raina then started to comb her hair, as rough and forceful as always. Nan’s head was yanked back and forth, making her scalp ache with every tug—it was the exact same treatment she got from Phoebe Huxley.

"Grandma, I want to go see Second Aunt, too."

With her braids finished, Nan hovered around Raina expectantly. ’I want to see the cousin I saved. I’ve saved two of my cousins since I got here. Allister is doing great now—eating well, sleeping well, and pooping well. He’s changing by the day. But I have no idea how this new cousin is doing!’

Raina was boiling dumplings. She planned to have Goldie Thorne deliver them to the clinic later. If it hadn’t been the first day of the Lunar New Year, with guests expected to arrive, she wouldn’t have been able to stop herself from rushing over there long ago.