Shao Qi had selected a plump mutated mountain chicken, cleaned it, and roasted it over the fire. This type of chicken was a favorite for many because of its tender meat, and importantly, its lack of aggressiveness made it easy to catch.

When the white tiger dragged over a deer that was still breathing, Zhou You hurriedly intervened, saying, "That's enough, we can't transport any more."

The white tiger caught the scent of the roasted chicken. Even though it primarily consumed raw food, it would occasionally indulge in cooked meals. It lay next to Zhou You, staring intently at the roasted chicken, occasionally licking its lips.

Shao Qi divided a chicken leg for both Zhou You and himself, giving the rest to the white tiger. As they ate, he mused, "When it returns to the wild, do you think it might struggle to adapt? It's become too dependent on you."

"I suppose it's fine," responded Zhou You, stroking the white tiger's fur. "It's grown so large that a simple push from its paw could knock me over. Human dwellings are no longer suitable for it. Even with the spacious yard at Litchi Mansion, it can only wander a few steps before reaching the boundary. It's definitely more comfortable out here."

After their late-night snack, Zhou You and Shao Qi leaned against the white tiger. "It looks like the snowfall will start soon," Zhou You remarked. "The regular livestock from the farm have been moved to the slaughterhouse, leaving only the caged mutated beasts. Someone will likely come to hunt them before the snowfall to stock up on meat. Once the snow covers everything, this place will be deserted."

Zhou You patted the white tiger's head, advising, "Stay further away tomorrow. Once it's quiet here, you can return. This will be your territory after the snowfall, with no one to bother you."

An idea struck Shao Qi, "Have you ever considered moving out of the city to live here?"

"Here? At the farm?"

"Yes. It's a ready-made estate with some defenses. The space is vast and it's not too far from the base. Plus, it's unlikely that we'll encounter a large number of high-level mutated beasts here. With the white tiger around, living here would be safer and less restrictive than living in the inner city."

"But the snow is about to fall, and the New Year celebrations are just around the corner. Moving now..."

Shao Qi embraced him, whispering, "I want to celebrate the New Year with you, just the two of us."

They had mostly been accompanied by others since they met. Now, in a stable phase of their relationship, Shao Qi yearned for some undisturbed time together.

The world slows down after the snowfall, with the entire city preoccupied with the New Year celebrations. Given the recent events in the city, staying at Litchi Mansion would attract many visitors. Even if they chose to ignore them, peace would be elusive.

And there was the matter of the Zhou family. Given Zhou Hua Jin's affection for Zhou You, they would undoubtedly be invited to join the family for the New Year celebrations, perhaps even to accompany them for visits. Shao Qi felt he'd be lonely then.

"This is our first New Year together," Shao Qi murmured seductively into Zhou You's ear. "I want to spend it with you, just us."

The idea appealed to Zhou You. He enjoyed social gatherings, and after spending a decade in seclusion, anyone would yearn for human company. But the thought of a private celebration with Shao Qi sounded equally enticing.

"Alright."

Shao Qi, elated, kissed Zhou You's face and pulled him to his feet. "Let's inspect the living conditions at the farm first. Tomorrow we can return to the city to gather supplies and take over the farm's operations to prevent any disturbances."

The two dashed towards the farm, with the white tiger following closely behind. Its full sprint matched their pace, and they soon entered the farm.

The outer defenses remained intact, but the inside was deserted. No mutated beasts had entered to wreak havoc, though the workers had left hastily, leaving behind various items.

Zhou You inspected the food reserves in the kitchen, while Shao Qi checked if the heating system was still operational. By dawn, the two had managed to restore the basic utilities. The storage contained enough food to sustain a hundred people for a year, and various feedstock, ensuring their sustenance for years if needed.

The next day, Zhou You released the white tiger at a distance before returning to the city via a secret passage. They first stopped by Litchi Mansion to inform of their whereabouts for the coming days and then drove into the city for supplies.

Miaomiao and the others didn’t mind. They believed spending New Year with the boss wasn't special, and it's even better without a leader around. Only Cheng Yuran was upset, muttering, "They are leaving us to enjoy their couple’s time. That's so unfair. I can't even return home. How heartless!"

Li Yunxi, dressed in sportswear, entered, a knife clutched in her hand. Her expression was stern. Hearing Cheng Yuran, she slowly regained composure, asking, "Who's off to spend time as a couple?"

"Who else? That shameless one... Did you just return from morning practice? Wait, I think I saw you leave last night and didn’t see you return."

Li Yunxi switched the knife from her right to her left hand, chuckling lightly, and walked past him.

"Why did that laugh send shivers down my spine?"

Miaomiao passed by with some snacks, her gaze following Li Yunxi for a moment. Frowning, she remarked, "Has she been going out in the middle of the night and returning only at dawn lately?"

Cheng Yuran rolled his eyes in response, "How would I know? Aren’t you two close?"

Lately, Li Yunxi seemed normal during the day, so Miaomiao hadn’t taken much notice. Following her, Miaomiao peeked through the slightly ajar door to see blood stains on Li Yunxi's arm after she shed her jacket.

Entering the room, Miaomiao immediately inquired, "Where were you last night?"

They had logged off the game quite late. Afterwards, Shao Qi and Zhou You left, and everyone else retired to their rooms. They hadn't noticed Li Yunxi sneaking out during the night.

Li Yunxi jumped, instinctively covering her wounded arm, "I... I didn’t go anywhere specific, just some practice."