Chapter 430: Even as a Rice Weevil
The scent of cedar and old wood welcomed Lariette and Ruediger as they stepped inside the cottage. The Campbells had already turned on the heating system, thus, the pair could take off their thick coats immediately.
While holding Ruediger’s coat alongside hers, Lariette threw her gaze to the windows nearby. Outside, snowflakes spiraled down lazily, blanketing the yard until it looked like something out of a fairytale.
"Seems like the snow won’t stop soon," she uttered.
Ruediger curled his lips as he moved closer to Lariette while carrying the luggage. Their figures were faintly reflected on the glass panels, showing them sharing the same smile.
"A light snowfall, that’s not bad," he mused while gently patting her back, "Let’s decorate the place after our nap, what do you say?"
"Of course! We can’t let it stay bare," she chuckled, quickly agreeing with him.
As planned, Lariette and Ruediger refused when the Campbells offered help to decorate the cottage with Christmas ornaments. Even though the celebration was only a few days away, they wanted to do it themselves.
The pair had only requested the Campbells to tidy the cottage and receive parcels delivered to their address. The boxes carried various decorations suitable for Christmas, mailed by Ruediger last week. He had also arranged for someone to deliver a Christmas tree.
Lariette and Ruediger didn’t linger in the hallway for too long. After putting their luggage in the bedroom, they changed into comfortable casual wear before going to the kitchen.
Out of courtesy, the Campbells prepared some soup and sandwiches. The pair just needed to reheat them.
"Lettie, hot chocolate or tea?"
Ruediger held two jars in his hands. He looked at Lariette, who stood before the stove. She was scooping the soup into two ceramic bowls.
"Tea for me," she replied without looking up.
The pair of lovers had a simple meal in the living room as they lounged on the couch. They watched the snowfall in silence, seemingly sharing a tacit understanding of appreciating the breathtaking scenery and the tranquility offered by the village.
After cleaning their plates, bowls and cups, Lariette and Ruediger retreated to the bedroom for a short nap. In an hour, they emerged, stirring with new energy.
A lively Lariette opened the boxes of decorations. While pulling out strings of fairy lights and garlands, she cheered, "Time to work! Hurry up, Mr. Elf."
Ruediger let out helpless chuckles as he sat cross-legged on the floor. He untangled a length of the garland, "Yeah, yeah. Don’t go tangling the strings up, Mrs. Elf."
Lariette huffed, "Who told you that? I’ve never done that."
Their chatter and laughter filled the cottage as they worked, accompanied by the Christmas songs played on TV. The boxes were scattered on the floor, holding various ornaments.
Ruediger hung the lights across the windows while Lariette carefully placed ceramic elves and reindeer figurines around the shelves. They also decorate the small Christmas tree by the glass sliding doors of the living room.
By the time evening settled in, the little cottage glowed with fairy lights, garlands and other seasonal ornaments. The place no longer looked out of place compared to the other villagers’ homes.
"Lettie, let’s take some photos," Ruediger lightly shook the sleek smartphone in his hand, his lips tugged into a smile, "Don’t you wanna show them to Grandpa and Maddie?"
"Oh! Let’s!"
Ruediger laughed when Lariette hurriedly pulled him to the Christmas tree, urging him to start from there. They posed for selfies before taking other photos, including the yard outside.
"Let me see!" Lariette leaned close to Ruediger, her eyes narrowed as she scrutinized the photos, "You didn’t take any ugly photos of me, right?"
Her question incited him to laugh. With an indulgent smile, he said, "You’re always pretty, my love."
She eyed him suspiciously, "Even as a rice weevil?"
"Even as a rice weevil," he answered with a firm nod.
Puffing up her cheeks, Lariette rolled her eyes. Ruediger couldn’t resist giving her a few kisses. He forgot to send the photos to Chairman Delaney and Madeline until much later.
The next morning after breakfast, Lariette brought Ruediger to visit Mrs. Evans’ grave.
Despite it being eight in the morning, the sky was still dark. Their boots crunched on the snow, leaving two trails of footsteps behind.
After spending some time at the graveyard, Lariette took Ruediger for a stroll in the village.
The frosty cold temperature didn’t hinder them from having fun. Then, they returned to the warm comfort of the cottage for a short break.
"Excited for the Christmas market?" Lariette asked, her eyes bright with excitement as they lounged on the couch.
The pair planned to head out again at two in the afternoon. Their destination was the Christmas market.
"What else?" Ruediger replied with a knowing smile. He traced a lazy circle on her waist as they huddled together, "Shall we have dinner there?"
She quickly nodded like a chicken pecking grains, "Yes! I’ll tell Aunt Mel not to make us dinner. Hehe, we’ll have lots of choices there."
Near two, Lariette and Ruediger were already clad in thick coats, scarves, gloves and hats. The chilly air bit their cheeks red once they stepped out of the cottage.
Hand-in-hand, the pair walked to the village square. They refused when the Campbells offered to lend their motorcycle or car.
Snowflakes hovered from the sky, barely dusting their hats and coats as they walked along the quiet road. Before they even turned the corner into the square, the merry sound of laughter, chatter and festive music floated toward them.
When they arrived, Ruediger paused for a moment as he took in the sight. Standing by his side, Lariette smiled proudly.
Strings of golden lights were strung above the market stalls, forming criss-crosses as they glowed warmly against the gray sky. A towering, well-adorned Christmas tree stood in the center. The big golden star atop shone as daylight began to fade.
It was truly a wonderful sight to behold.