Chapter 31.1

As usual, before the children went to sleep at night, Su Xiaoxiao told them bedtime stories.

The three children slept in a row, and Su Xiaoxiao sat at the end of the bed, telling the children the story of "Little Horse Crosses the River."

The more Fantuan listened, the more he felt that he was the little pony sent out by his mother's horse to deliver wheat: "Mom, is this the reason why you started to send me on a mission? Unfortunately, we don't have a river here; otherwise, I also want to try to determine whether the river is as shallow as Uncle Buffalo said or as deep as the little squirrel said. How about going to Grandma Zhang's lotus pond and trying it when there is water?"

For the first time, Su Xiaoxiao thought of spanking the little baby's butt. How did he come up with such a conclusion after listening for quite a while?

"Fantuan, this is just a story. It means that when you encounter something, you can't just listen to what others say. You need to have your own ideas and mobilize your own brain. Try it for yourself to find out the truth, but it must be done with the assurance that it won't be dangerous for you. It's not all about measuring the depth of the river, as the saying goes, do not look down on mountains or the waters. We should be in awe of rivers, lakes, and seas. You must not go into the water without authorization, do you understand?"

Fantuan still disagreed: "Then why can Xiao Zhuzi go to the stream to catch the snails? Isn't the stream, water?"

Su Xiaoxiao:"…"

Can she say in front of other children that Xiao Zhuzi had no food to eat for his family, so he had no choice but to go to the stream to catch snails?

Xiao Zhuzi's calm voice rang out in the dark: "Fantuan, I catch snails because there is no food at home, and the stream is very shallow. It is only as shallow as my calf, and there is no danger."

Xiao Zhuzi used to hate the river snails very much. His Grandma would put some salt on the snail and let it boil in the water. With salt as the only seasoning, it would be fishy and hard. It was not delicious at all, which made him hate river snails. He didn't know until today that river snails could still be this delicious.

He was also very grateful to these river snails. If Grandma hadn't found Aunt Su to exchange for these river snails, he might never have met such a good family in his entire life. He might never meet his first friend, Fantuan, nor would he have the chance to sleep in this house and listen to the stories of the gentle Aunt Su.

"Then Zhuzi, I will go catch the stone snail with you in the future, and then we will ask my mother to cook it for us. Is that okay with you, Mom?"

Su Xiaoxiao hasn't moved on to their last topic yet, how did this become about food again?

"Not now. Wait until you grow up." Su Xiaoxiao said the little boy is only five years old. She can't trust him to play by the stream.

"How long should it be for me to grow up? Can I grow up tomorrow?" Fantuan asked again.

In these past few days, this child was no longer easy to cheat. The bedtime story is no longer a bedtime story, but a bedtime discussion meeting: "Go to bed now, you still have to run with your father in the morning. Wait until your Dad says that Fantuan has grown up."

"All right." Xiao Fantuan closed his eyes. He was still obedient.

When Su Xiaoxiao came out of the children's room and saw that the light in Han Cheng's room was still on.

Su Xiaoxiao tiptoed over and saw Han Cheng still working at his desk under the light. Probably writing a report or something.

It is said that; hardworking men are the most attractive. Su Xiaoxiao held the door frame open, poked her small head in, and looked at Han Cheng, then retracted to avoid disturbing his work.

Just as Su Xiaoxiao moved back, a man's deep voice came over: "Is there anything wrong? Come in and let's discuss it."

Su Xiaoxiao leaned back with her head tilted. She smiled and shook her head: "It's fine, good night."

Han Cheng smiled and said, "Good night."

Han Cheng thought: It's time to urge the officers to approve their marriage quickly.

Su Xiaoxiao has been sleeping with the children for the past few days, and for some reason, she felt somewhat uncomfortable sleeping in the guest room alone tonight, however, she rarely had a calm and silent moment to ponder.

It is only about four years before the college entrance examination resumes. Although the original owner's foundation is very solid, she was busy every day. If she does not review the past and learn the new, it is easy to forget all the knowledge she learned if she spends all of her time doing these works. It's not easy for her to find time to study. Besides, she has to go to work. Starting tomorrow, she must make a study plan. Consolidate it every day. After accumulating knowledge for four years, it should not be difficult for her to maintain the level of education the original owner had, and she can at least enter a good university.

If possible, Su Xiaoxiao still wants to go to the capital, or return to her original city life. Anyway, it is more convenient to live in a big city, and they will have more opportunities there. If she had the chance, she planned to bring her Su Family to the capital in the future. From Su Xiaoxiao's point of view, Dabao and Xiaobao will definitely go to college in the future. But before that, she must get a firm foothold in a city before she can bring them into the capital.

Su Xiaoxiao realized that she had completely regarded them as family members, so she, who was a salted fish, actually thought about the problem from the perspective of the original owner.

As for Han Cheng

The reason why Su Xiaoxiao feels unreal is probably that she was forced to come here step by step. She likes Han Cheng, who is practical, intelligent, hardworking, capable, and knows how to sympathize with her. She thinks this partner is very suitable.

Suitability is such a rare word. It is rarer than love. In her last life, she lived in a highly civilized society. She could not find a suitable partner. So, no matter where she went in the future, she did not intend to separate from Han Cheng, and she could not bear to part with the children. When the time came, she thought, would she take the children to move there, or would she go to school first, and let Han Cheng take care of them and let them stay here for some time?

Su Xiaoxiao thought a lot and found no answer to her questions.

The quality of her sleep this whole night was bound to be very bad.

The next day, when Han Cheng called the children up for morning exercises, Su Xiaoxiao also woke up.

Not only did he take Fantuan to do morning exercise with him today, but he also took little Zhuzi with him.

He said that little Zhuzi's father was a great soldier, and like his father, little Zhuzi must have a strong physique so that he can contribute to the country and society like his father in the future.

What can she say? Director Han's ideological level has reached this height. Su Xiaoxiao can't refute it. She'd better go and prepare breakfast for these pillars of the country.

Chapter 31.2

The leeks cut from Zhuzi's house yesterday are tender. Su Xiaoxiao mixed the noodles, chopped the leeks, and sprinkled some salt to remove the moisture. Then she cracked two eggs, wrung the water out of the chives, and put it in the beaten eggs. Then she added a little salt for seasoning.

Finally, she sprinkled a pinch of shrimp skin on it and mixed it. A bowl of fried Chinese leek dumplings filled with more chives and fewer eggs was ready. There's nothing she can do about it. There was no hen at home to lay eggs, so it was hard to buy more eggs at the market. She can only make do with the ingredients she has on hand.

Su Xiaoxiao feels that her cooking is already very fuel-efficient, but the oil at home is still decreasing at a speed visible to the naked eye. She feels that she needs to take some time today to go to the black market. Even if she can't buy oil, she must buy some fatty meat and make some lard.

Not to mention, if you can add a little lard residue to the leek stuffing, it would be the best.

Unfortunately, she can only think about it.

Su Xiaoxiao's Fried Chinese Leek Dumplings, a healthy and less oily version, are ready for cooking. The three pillars of the country who went out running are also back.

Fantuan had a sharp nose and said after entering the house, "Wow, it smells good. I didn't lie to you, Zhuzi. The dishes my mother cooks every day are new and delicious. Today's dishes are more delicious than yesterday's."

Su Xiaoxiao took a towel to wipe the baby's sweat and tapped at Fantuan's nose: "Your mouth is the sweetest. Please wait and take care of your brother at home with little Zhuzi. Your father and I will go to the market later. You can't go out of the yard before we come back. Watch your brother and listen to Zhuzi. Can you do that?"

Zhuzi is very capable. Although he is only one year older than Fantuan, Su Xiaoxiao thinks he is much calmer than Fantuan. Having this big brother with kids, she and Han Cheng are relieved to go away for a while.

Fantuan wrinkled his nose and disagreed: "We usually go to the market as a family. Why can't we go today?"

"Because your father and I are going to do something, it is inconvenient to take you and your brother with us. Mom promised to make delicious food for you. If you're obedient, you will be rewarded with a fried Chinese leek dumpling. If you're not obedient, you can only eat one." Su Xiaoxiao said.

Fantuan smelled the fried Chinese leek dumplings and felt they were too fragrant. For the sake of the fried Chinese leek dumplings, little Fantuan reluctantly agreed: "Well, okay, then you should come back early."

"Yes, we will be back soon."

Su Xiaoxiao made a bowl of malt cream for each of the three children and gave Fantuan and Zhuzi two fried Chinese leek dumplings and Xiao Doubao one to eat slowly.

Zhuzi only drank malt milk when his father was still alive. His mother said that it was a child's drink. He didn't need to drink it when he grew up. It's been a while, so he had long forgotten the taste: "Aunt Su, I won't drink it. Give it to Doubao to drink."

Before Su Xiaoxiao said anything, little Fantuan said, "Everyone has a share of everything in our family. If you don't drink it, I and Doubao can't drink it."

What a clever Fantuan. Su Xiaoxiao patted Zhuzi's head: "Fantuan is right, drink it together with your friends."

Xiao Zhuzi stretched out his tongue and licked it. He couldn't bear to swallow a sip.

Su Xiaoxiao touched the children's heads one by one and repeatedly told them that they couldn't walk around and do anything dangerous.

Su Xiaoxiao has already eaten a fried Chinese leek dumpling, so she only asked Han Cheng to take two for him to eat while walking. She also told Zhuzi a few words before holding Han Cheng's hand and going out.

The time would be less than seven o'clock, and there were no pedestrians on the road. Han Cheng let Su Xiaoxiao lead him away while eating the fried Chinese leek dumplings, without asking where Su Xiaoxiao would take him.

When they saw the market from afar, Su Xiaoxiao asked Han Cheng, "Do you know where the black market is?"

Han Cheng almost choked on the last bite of the dumpling: "Is this why you dragged me out so early? Do you want to go to the black market?"

Su Xiaoxiao nodded: "Yes, the oil at home has bottomed out, and it is almost ten days before they issue you the oil ticket. According to our family's way of eating, we will have to eat boiled cabbage tomorrow, and we will have to eat boiled dishes for more than a week if we don't have oil. However, if we can't buy some oil, we can buy some fats and make it ourselves."

Although Han Cheng has never been to the black market to buy things, he knows where Chen Aimin often goes. When he comes back, he will talk about it a lot, so it is difficult for him to not know where the black market is.

He has never cared about the daily necessities of his family before. The food in his family is delicious, but he has not seen how much oil Su Xiaoxiao puts in. So he didn't know that their family had run out of oil.

"You should have said so earlier, this is not the right direction," Han Cheng said.

Su Xiaoxiao took out his handkerchief and wiped the oil on the corner of Han Cheng's mouth, then said softly, "I saw you eating happily, so, I don't want to interrupt you."

Han Cheng smiled. The food she cooked was so delicious. How can he not eat it happily?

Han Cheng pulled her hand back and pointed in a direction: "It's over there. Let's go. It's a bit far. We should go by bike."

In this era, people pay attention to men's and women's interactions. There are a few couples walking down the street hand in hand, such as Han Cheng and Su Xiaoxiao. They usually carry two small light bulbs everywhere. They usually carry two small light bulbs with them wherever they go. Only now does Su Xiaoxiao feel a little bit in love.

It's not easy.

However, in a crowded place, she took the initiative to let go of Han Cheng's hand so as not to be the topic of gossip among these people.

The so-called black market is under the bottom of a bridge in the easternmost part. There are only two or three people who are buying and selling things. At this time, they are strictly controlled. It is illegal to trade privately. Su Xiaoxiao heard Aunt Rong say that it will only disperse from 5 to 7:30 in the morning, and there are not many varieties of things, but they are all scarce materials.

Su Xiaoxiao knows that in a few years, the planned economy will move towards the market economy, and buying and selling what you like is not illegal at all. So, she didn't have any psychological burden from buying goods on the black market.

Han Cheng didn't either. In his view, this unbalanced supply-demand relationship will be broken sooner or later. It is only a matter of time, so, just like Su Xiaoxiao, he didn't feel any burden buying things on the black market.

Su Xiaoxiao just didn't expect to meet Zhou Yuhua here.

"Han Cheng, go back first. I'm always worried about the children's well-being. They are home alone. I'll go shopping with Sister Yuhua and try to go back before you go to work."

Han Cheng frowned.

Zhou Yuhua said, "What? Are you worried that I will sell your wife? Speaking of it, Xiaoxiao can be sold at a high price."

Su Xiaoxiao pushed Han Cheng away: "Come on. Sister Yuhua, don't tease him. Go back."

Han Cheng said, "Don't take her to a messy place."

Zhou Yuhua jumped and said, "Hey, Han Cheng, what do you mean? Where is this messy place?"

Su Xiaoxiao took Zhou Yuhua and said, "Let's go. If we don't go, the stalls will be closed by then."

Zhou Yuhua: "This old Han is very attentive to you. It's like he's too protective for his eyeball [1]. I haven't seen him act like this to Yangmei before…"

Realizing that she had said something wrong, Zhou Yuhua said, "I'm sorry, Xiaoxiao. My mouth has no filters. She's not here anymore, and I won't mention her again. You treat her child like your own, and her spirit in heaven will only thank you."

Su Xiaoxiao shook her head and said, "It's okay, I don't mind these things."

Su Xiaoxiao is a person who looks at things with a clear conscience.

Zhou Yuhua changed the topic: "Let's go, I'll take you to a good place…"

Su Xiaoxiao: "What's this 'good place'?"

Zhou Yuhua: "You will know when you get there."

References

↑1 the apple of one's eye/favorite person

Chapter 32

There is a bridge between the military region; on the west and another small town on the east side.

The residents living in the alleys on both sides of the bridge have taken advantage of their geographical location. They become profiteers at home and secretly resell some things.

In the era of material scarcity, if you don't have the money and tickets, you can't buy things. There were only a few bills allocated to your hands every month, and sometimes even those people who had red armbands had to come here to replenish their goods.

The aunt from Head Rongshu's family said that she had encountered a man with the red armband in the black market. Supposedly, they are the ones who catch vendors from the black market, but she saw him wearing a hat while covering his mouth and nose, as he bought things in the black market. She couldn't help but be speechless at what she witnessed.

In short, as long as they are not reported or they spend outrageously, they will sometimes turn a blind eye. After all, it is not easy for anyone to eat and have warm clothes these days.

Zhou Yuhua and Su Xiaoxiao came to an old wooden door and knocked several times; sometimes long and sometimes short, like a secret signal. The old wooden window on the side was pushed open with a "creak," and a dark head came out. When the person saw Su Xiaoxiao, that person frowned, and then looked at Zhou Yuhua. That person leaned out half of his body from the window to make sure that there were two people outside.

After confirming that they were the only people, the window creaked as the person closed the window again.

Su Xiaoxiao blinked and looked at Zhou Yuhua; clearly, she couldn't understand what happened.

Zhou Yuhua patted Su Xiaoxiao's hand.

Before long, the old wooden door opened, and the thin and dark-skinned middle-aged man waved at them.

Zhou Yuhua pulled Su Xiaoxiao in, and the man quickly closed the door.

The room was dark, and there were no lights. Su Xiaoxiao could not see anything.

Zhou Yuhua was familiar with the road and followed the man.

It wasn't until he saw the light that Su Xiaoxiao realized that there was something hidden inside.

Gray-haired grandmas came in twos and threes, nimbly shuttled back and forth among the thin threads with shuttles in her hand and foot, and there was a small parting machine with a shape similar to that of a water wheel. Su Xiaoxiao was shocked and looked at Zhou Yuhua. Are these grannies weaving cloth?

Zhou Yuhua nodded.

Just then, the thin- and dark-skinned middle-aged man took out two plain clothes, one gray and the other milky white, but not so white, more like a creamy latte in the 21st century.

Without looking at it, Zhou Yuhua paid directly, and put it in her prepared sack. She pointed at Su Xiaoxiao, and the man nodded. Zhou Yuhua directly pulled Su Xiaoxiao out.

The two men didn't say a word during the whole journey. Su Xiaoxiao followed Zhou Yuhua through the fog and was foolishly dragged home by Zhou Yuhua.

Along the way, they also specially copied the trails that few people walked on and checked from time to time to see if anyone was following behind them.

People who didn't know about this wave of operations thought that some underground intelligence joint party had accomplished some great joint tasks.

Su Xiaoxiao didn't realize until she arrived home that she hadn't bought oil yet!

After entering the house, Zhou Yuhua closed the door, and even a few children were not allowed in.

At this time, Zhou Yuhua put down the sack, took out two pieces and put them on the table, and said generously, "You can choose one. It's enough to make a quilt."

Su Xiaoxiao: "…"

How can a hard and thick old course cloth be comfortable to use? She just wants to buy 1 kilogram of oil!

"Sister Yuhua, take it back and use it. I won't use it. Han Cheng was able to obtain cloth tickets by exchanging money with his colleague. It's better for me to go to the state-owned shopping mall to buy them then."

Zhou Yuhua said, "Don't worry about the ugliness of this cloth. It is also good to use it as a mat in the winter. If you think it is too hard, you can polish the surface by hand. After washing it with water a few times, it will be soft. Believe me, you can only buy this today. Xiao Hei will only sell one piece of cloth a year and only sell it to acquaintances. The cloth you buy at the mall will be kept for clothes, and Han Cheng won't have enough cloth tickets to buy things for winter."

Zhou Yuhua had been wearing this patched dress since the first time she saw Su Xiaoxiao, and she was kind enough to help her with some cloth. This old coarse cloth might not be very good for making clothes, but it is the most suitable for making bedding.

Su Xiaoxiao also thought that when the temperature becomes colder, it is time to put on a quilt cover when the mat is replaced. The number of quilt covers at home is just right, and there is no extra bedding. In case Xiao Doubao wets the bed or something, they don't have any bedding to replace it.

"Thank you, Sister Yuhua. I'll take any color. I'll give you the money first."

Zhou Yuhua held her down and said, "Okay, okay, logically speaking, the children call me their godmother, so, keep it for the children. You haven't gotten a job yet. Han Cheng's salary might not be enough. By the way, the one outside is Zhuzi, right? Why is he also in your house?"

Su Xiaoxiao told Zhou Yuhua about Zhuzi's situation and her idea of extending her hands to little Zhuzi.

Zhou Yuhua frowned and said, "You are kind, but Zhuzi's mother is not a fuel-efficient lamp. I'm afraid you won't be flattered when she comes to make trouble. If she comes to make trouble, you, a delicate little girl, may suffer. Well, I'll let Old Zhao come to the scene. Let's just say you reluctantly accepted to help the organization take over the task. If Zhuzi's mother comes to make trouble, ask her to go to the army to find Lao Zhao and let Lao Zhao take over." [1]

This is also a good way. Although Su Xiaoxiao is not afraid of Zhuzi's mother coming to make trouble, if she dares to come again, she will hold her accountable for hurting people and escaping her crimes, but if she can save energy, then she must save it. Many things are waiting for her to do.

Su Xiaoxiao nodded: "Thank you, Sister Yuhua, but don't you have to discuss with your family's Zhao first?"

Zhou Yuhua: "If he can't agree with this little thing, then he is not worthy to be the head of the regiment. Although Zhuzi's father was not under him, he is also a member of our military region."

Surely, it was not unreasonable for Zhao Xianfeng to call his wife a tigress. Su Xiaoxiao originally thought that Zhou Yuhua's character was too strong and was not easy to get along with.

But, after coming into contact with her, she thought she was very good, generous, flexible, and did not stick too much to details.

Zhou Yuhua rushed to work and finally left the milky-colored cloth behind. Before leaving, she repeatedly told Su Xiaoxiao not to say anything.

"Xiao Hei is mute, and the old grannies who weave cloth are also deaf and mute, so we generally don't ask to lower the price, we just consciously give more with a conscience. In short, you must not tell others."

Knowing the seriousness of the matter, Su Xiaoxiao nodded and said, "Don't worry, I won't say anything. Go to work right away. By the way, I made several fried Chinese leek dumplings this morning. You can take two and bring two to Xiao Yu."

Zhou Yuhua: "Oh, I have to try the fried Chinese leek dumplings you made. Xiao Yu still comes to your house every day for dinner. By the way, don't buy vegetables on August 15. You don't need to bring anything. I will buy them in advance. You can come here when the time comes. You have good skills. Remember to come here early to help with cooking."

When Zhou Yuhua came out of the house, he saw little Zhuzi. She turned around and whispered: "When the time comes, as Zhuzi and his grandma come, let's ask Grandma for help in cooking."

"I know." Su Xiaoxiao went into the kitchen and gave her the rest of the fried Chinese leek dumplings. "Go to work quickly."

After Zhou Yuhua left, Han Cheng came out of the room and said, "Where did she sneak you in? Were you able to buy the oil?"

"You haven't left yet?" Su Xiaoxiao thought he went out to work. He was a few minutes later than usual.

Su Xiaoxiao went to help him tidy up his collar: "We went to a place where we can buy coarse cloth, and I saw some poor people weaving cloth. Zhou Yuhua gave us a piece of coarse cloth and said it was for children, so, I wasn't able to refuse her."

Han Cheng nodded. He and Zhao Xianfeng's family didn't care so much about these things, and they can exchange courtesies. Next time, they can just send back some suitable things to the Zhao Family.

"You go to work first, and I'll tell you about Zhuzi later," Su Xiaoxiao said.

"I heard it. That's a good way to deal with it. Let's do it like this, and I'll report it when the time comes." Han Cheng said.

Su Xiaoxiao squinted at him: "Since you've heard it all, why did you ask me where Sister Yuhua took me?"

Han Cheng bowed down and kissed her small dimples. He raised his lips and said, "I just want to talk to you and see if you are lying to me."

Su Xiaoxiao: "…" Han Cheng, you have learned badly!

Han Cheng walked outside and then turned back and said, "I bought some pork and some shells. It's in the kitchen, you can refine some oil from it, and it should be enough for a few days."

Su Xiaoxiao leaned against the door frame, and the small dimples on her cheeks could not be hidden, so she went outside to join in the fun.

What should I do if I like this man more and more?

"Mom, come here, it's such a big shell!" Little Fantuan shouted in the kitchen.

Zhuzi has gone out to school. Fantuan and his brother are in the kitchen to see the shells bought by Han Cheng.

Su Xiaoxiao thought Han Cheng might have bought some scallops, but she never expected that she bought a big scallop, It was bigger than her palm.

Fantuan squatted there with his brother to count, and told Su Xiaoxiao after counting: "Mom, we have ten scallops! Our family can have two each!"

Su Xiaoxiao looked at Fantuan in surprise. She hadn't taught Fantuan how to add and subtract, and yet he still knows how to multiply and divide. He also knows that for ten scallops, five of them can have two scallops. Isn't he amazing?!

"How does Fantuan know that each of us can have two? Why not three for one?"

Fantuan looked at Su Xiaoxiao with a face of "Mom, you are so stupid" and said, "In our family, five people are standing in a row, and in front of them are another two rows of scallops, and there are no more scallops left for another row. Isn't that two for each person?"

Su Xiaoxiao: "…"

Well, Su Xiaoxiao decided not to ask this smart kid stupid questions in the future.

Xiao Doubao is also so smart. Isn't she the one with the lowest IQ in the family?

Su Xiaoxiao decided to teach young Fantuan to recite the multiplication table in the afternoon and teach him to recite the three-character classic and three hundred Tang poems tomorrow. I will drive you crazy, hmmp!

References

↑1 Fuel-efficient lamp means that this person is not simple, shrewd, and capable, has many tricks, and is very difficult to handle; in most situations, it is a pejorative phrase, suggesting that someone is crafty, cunning, stubborn, difficult to deal with, and unpredictable.

Chapter 33

As a child who grew up in the southern coastal area, seafood was one of Su Xiaoxiao's favorite foods in her last life. She would always eat seafood every week, but most of the food she ate at that time was the farmed fish at the seaside. Fish that come from the wild are extremely rare.

This era's seafood should be mostly wild, so it will naturally taste even better. Su Xiaoxiao couldn't wait to steam it now, but she thought, it was better to wait for Han Cheng to come back at noon.

At this time, Han Cheng, who had just arrived at the military hospital, went in the opposite direction, leading to the offices of the leaders.

Leaders used to like seeing Han Cheng, but now, they get headaches whenever they see him.

In the past, he was urged every day to find a revolutionary comrade to take care of the rear so that he could charge forward. However, even though there are many outstanding female comrades with good personalities and appearances in the military region, no one was able to catch his attention.

To everyone's surprise, when he asked for vacation leave to pick up his sons, he unexpectedly brought back a girl from the countryside as his wife.

The political investigation was just passed on to the court, and he would always inquire about the status of their marriage certificate three times a day.

In the past, Han Cheng valued his work more than his life. He used to live at the hospital every day. Even if, when he married Yang Mei, nothing changed, he would still stay in a room, studying cases and writing paperwork, and rarely return home on time.

But now he couldn't wait to leave after work and would rather bring all the paperwork home.

If it weren't for the ban on engaging in feudal superstition, he would have wanted to find an exorcist to do a ritual at Han Cheng's house to see if he had brought a fox spirit back. It's just that Han Cheng, who was blind to the outside world and devoted himself to medical research, as he knew it, disappeared.

He just came back and heard the female nurse at the front desk said that she saw Han Cheng standing in line to buy meat at the vegetable market this morning.

The leader couldn't help but be depressed. They wanted Han Cheng to get married to have a wife who can help him take care of the rear, not to find a wife to treat like a princess. Are his hands holding the scalpel, and the pen can be used to carry the vegetables? After Yang Mei left, he ate in the canteen three times a day, and never bought any food.

Han Cheng knocked at the door and asked, "Director Yao, how many days will it take for my wife's political trial? Can you give me the exact date?"

He could already hear the ringing in his ears. How many days has it been up there? Head Yao's ears were already calloused after hearing this countless times.

"Head Han, it can't be done so quickly. This time, the fastest time is next week. It's already the fastest time." Director Yao was very tired.

Han Cheng took a look at him. Today is only Monday, and even if it's reviewed next Monday, it will take ten days before it's sent: "Next week is too late, so I'll ask Political Commissar Zhao at the military department to urge them to make it quicker. At the end of the year, the workload in the public relations team is heavy, and they are still waiting for my wife to report to their team."

Director Yao's temples twitched: "Okay, the documents have been delivered; I will call to remind them later and try to get the reply to you next Monday. Much better?"

Han Cheng came so many times, and finally, he got the exact date. 'Wait for a week.' He knew it was already the fastest process.

"Then I'll ask you for a leave in advance, and I'll go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get a certificate on the day it arrives."

Director Yao was tired and finally couldn't help asking, "Han Cheng, what kind of beauty did you marry that made you this anxious?"

Had Han Cheng's work not remained at a high level of quality, even though they didn't want to approve the marriage, here they are, rushing to approve the marriage because of Han Cheng's urging.

Han Cheng was stunned after hearing Director Yao's question, but immediately smiled and shook his head. "She is a kind and simple girl. Although we completed the wedding in her hometown, we still have to take the certificate to make our marriage more reliable."

Director Yao glared at him: "Are you still afraid that she will run away?"

Han Cheng really thought about it. The resources in Sujia Village are far less abundant than here. Su Xiaoxiao likes to cook delicious food so much that she must not have the intention of going back, right? He will buy delicious food for her every day. She likes children so much that she kisses them voluntarily. She also likes me to kiss her. She won't run away, right? She wouldn't, right?

"Han Cheng?" Director Yao waved his hand in front of him. "What are you thinking about?"

Han Cheng then found himself distracted, cleared his throat, and shook his head: "Nothing. If it doesn't arrive next Monday, I will go to see Political Commissar Zhao in person."

Director Yao now became annoyed and waved his hand to shoo Han Cheng away: "Now go. Whenever I see you, I become upset. By the way, how is the research paper on aortic insufficiency prepared? Oh, and, we must prepare an English version of that research paper, which will be submitted to the International Medical Journal. So, you must pay attention to every detail."

"When did I lose focus?" Han Cheng asked back.

Director Yao said: "Go, go, I don't want to see you."

Han Cheng walked out of the dean's office, and Chen Aimin appeared out of nowhere: "Head Han, did you come here to ask about the status of your political investigation again?"

Han Cheng raised his eyelids and glared at him, "Can you shut up?"

Dr. Chen would not be so disliked by Han Cheng if he were a man who could read the room.

"I have heard that you bought a big clam shell and pork this morning! Can I go to your house for lunch? I can pay for the food ticket, but should I double the price?"

"No!" Han Cheng denied, "Stop thinking about eating my wife's food in the future. If you want to eat delicious food, marry a wife who can cook. Don't bother my family's Xiaoxiao."

Doctor Chen: "Hey, Head Han, don't be so stingy. One person only needs an extra pair of chopsticks, and I can wash dishes, and pots, and clean the kitchens, okay?"

'It's just a matter of adding one more pair of chopsticks' He said so lightly, but Su Xiaoxiao is already taking care of so many people by herself, and she still has a lot of things she manages at home and at work. Cooking for them was hard enough; how could he not feel distressed for his own wife? Han Cheng firmly decided not to take other people home for dinner.

Han Cheng looked serious: "If you mention this matter again, I will transfer you to other departments, and stop spreading how delicious my Xiaoxiao's craftsmanship is everywhere. Doctor Chen, cooking meals is not easy, If you don't believe me, go back and try it."

In the past, he used to eat in the canteen or take out foods from the canteen. Even Yang Mei herself eats in the canteen.

Later, when Yang Mei came, Yang tried to cook meals at home, but her cooking was so bad that Han Cheng would rather eat in the canteen.

In his opinion, Su Xiaoxiao loves her family, the children, and herself so much that she is willing to wash her hands and make soup every now and then and be busy every day. [1]

Not to mention, it is impossible for Zhou Yuhua to cook three times a day. She was either assisted by Zhao Xianfeng's attendants or from the canteen. Cooking meals at home a few times a week can be considered good enough.

Han Cheng also thought that if Su Xiaoxiao also went to work in the future, it would be better to have lunch in the canteen at noon; otherwise, it would be too hard for her.

When Dr. Chen saw that Han Cheng was so serious, he shut his mouth and never dared to mention the matter of going to Han Cheng's house for dinner again.

Without waiting for the afternoon, when Fantuan finished writing in the morning, Su Xiaoxiao found chalk and a small blackboard in Han Cheng's room and wrote the multiplication table for Fantuan to recite.

Su Xiaoxiao taught Fantuan to read it several times, and the little guy began to stand there with his hands behind his back, shaking his head and chanting, "One multiplied by one, is one. One multiplied by two is two… Two multiplied by two is four. Three multiplied by three is Nine… "

Su Xiaoxiao doesn't know whether he was reading it or not, but one thing is for sure: he didn't mispronounce any words. Even the pause before every sentence was correct. No matter how long it is, he recited it in one breath, and he was almost out of breath when he recited nine multiplied by nine. That cute and serious look of little Fantuan made Su Xiaoxiao smile.

Even Xiao Doubao watched his brother with great interest and drew what Su Xiaoxao wrote on the blackboard on the ground with his little twig.

The two clever cubs studied so hard that Su Xiaoxiao naturally didn't want to lag behind. She took out Han Cheng's high school textbook from the cupboard.

Su Xiaoxiao disliked the familiar smell of mothballs above, and just like her mother said, Han Cheng's book was kept well and had not been bitten by insects for so long because of the mothballs. Aside from that, he also made a bookcase to cover them. On the cover, there are Han Cheng's vigorous and powerful characters. In the center, there are two big characters, "Chinese" neatly written, and on the lower part, "Senior High School, Class 1, Han Cheng. " is written on it.

Su Xiaoxiao opened it and found that Han Cheng's textbook was well-kept. It was clean inside and out, without any stains or wrinkles. But the lines were filled with comments and marks, which showed that it was a textbook used by a very diligent student.

So Su Xiaoxiao was very careful when turning the page, for fear of damaging the textbook of the Xueba. [2]

It was also the same for the other textbooks. Each book has a book cover with its name and class name written on it, looking like what a person with an obsessive-compulsive disorder would have. Even the position of the signature is exactly the same.

At this time, the lessons were not too difficult. Su Xiaoxiao's learning experience in her previous life and the foundation laid by the original owner also made Su Xiaoxiao review these materials with ease. According to this difficulty, Su Xiaoxiao feels that reviewing for one or two hours a day is enough.

Even if she goes to work, she still has plenty of time.

After gaining confidence, Su Xiaoxiao finally knew how to manage her time. She closed her textbooks and went to prepare lunch.

After Fantuan judged that he already memorized the multiplication table, he squatted in the vegetable garden and started digging worms to feed "Zhou, Fen, Mian, and Fan".

Xiao Doubao is still the smart Xiao Doubao. Even the difficult character "得" is copied by Xiao Doubao, without missing a stroke. Although it is not neat, there is no mistake in the strokes or the order of strokes. He can only move his one hand now, and it's already written very well.

Su Xiaoxiao picked him up and kissed him.

She took out a toffee from her pocket, peeled off the wrapping paper, and handed it to his mouth: "Mom will reward the good baby with a toffee."

The little baby laughed so hard that his eyes disappeared. He stretched out his hand to take it, but instead of putting it in his own mouth, he handed it to Su Xiaoxiao's mouth, signaling to Su Xiaoxiao to eat it.

Su Xiaoxiao guided him: "What does Xiao Doubao want to do? Mom doesn't know what you want to do until you start talking. If you want your mother to eat candy, you don't need to speak in long sentences, just say, 'Mom~~ eat', so Mom can understand it. If you don't speak, mom won't understand."

Xiao Doubao puffed up his small face, but he didn't speak, and when he saw that Su Xiaoxiao didn't eat the candy, he got impatient, so he stuffed it into her mouth.

Su Xiaoxiao leaned his head back and avoided his hand.

"WAAH" Xiao Doubao burst into tears.

Su Xiaoxiao doesn't know what to do with him. He actually knows everything, but even if knows a lot, he doesn't want to learn to speak.

Su Xiaoxiao bit the candy in Xiao Doubao's hands: "Okay, okay. Men don't cry. Mom is just teasing you; however, Xiao Doubao still needs to speak. Mom can guess what you want to convey, however, your brother and Brother Zhuzi, can't guess what you want to say. Then, you have to properly tell them, okay? For example, right now, when Mom eats the candy given by Xiao Doubao, I need to say 'thank you' in order to express my gratitude. When Mom thinks it's sweet, I will say, 'Xiao Doubao's toffee is really sweet'. But if my mother doesn't talk like Xiao Doubao, then Xiao Doubao will never know how Mom feels, right?"

Xiao Doubao put the toffee bitten by Su Xiaoxiao into his mouth with a grievance; his cheeks became more puffed up, teardrops hung on his two long eyelashes, and his big eyes filled with tears as he blinked; two pea-sized tears rolled down from his eye sockets again.

Su Xiaoxiao was heartbroken. Xiao Doubao is an obedient kid. Seeing him cry was rare, he almost never cried, but he was almost two years old and still refused to talk. Su Xiaoxiao was a little anxious and always wanted him to speak.

Su Xiaoxiao took out her handkerchief to dry his tears and kissed him again: "Well, Mom is too anxious because Mom wants to listen to Xiao Doubao's voice very much. So, can you tell Mom when Xiao Doubao wants to talk?"

As soon as Su Xiaoxiao's voice fell, he heard a little sweet and milky voice calling out "Mom~~".

Su Xiaoxiao couldn't regain her senses for a long time. She looked at Xiao Doubao in astonishment.

The small and big eyes looked at each other. Su Xiaoxiao was immediately ecstatic. She didn't know what words to use to describe her surging feelings at the moment, but she was still very happy amidst her bewilderment: "Xiao Doubao, did you speak? You just opened your mouth and said, Mom, didn't you?"

References

↑1 "She is willing to wash her hands and make soup"—in the later generations, this sentence is used to describe the woman's willingness to give up her superior living conditions for the man.

↑2 Xueba means that you are the boss when it comes to studying, or you're an academic guru.

Chapter 34.1

Still, Xiao Doubao didn't answer Su Xiaoxiao's question. He stuffed his cheeks with toffee, and the baby's cheeks were bulging.

He tilted his head, bent his big eyes to look at Su Xiaoxiao, and grinned.

He immediately hung his small head, as if he were a little embarrassed.

Truly, the little cub can melt the hearts of anyone. If it wasn't for his hands not being fully healed, Su Xiaoxiao would have liked to give him a set of hugs, kisses, and lifts, How can a human cub be so cute?

"Mom is really happy to hear Xiao Doubao speak. Mom hopes to hear Xiao Doubao speak every day, OK?"

The baby hugged Su Xiaoxiao's neck and stopped talking.

Su Xiaoxiao caressed his little head. She no longer forces him to speak and will not force him again to speak in the future. The baby is too obedient, and he will naturally speak when he wants to.

When it was time to prepare lunch again, Su Xiaoxiao first refined the pork belly oil.

In the other pot, she cooked coarse-grained rice. Su Xiaoxiao didn't want to eat sweet potato rice anymore, so she replaced it with brown rice, wheat, and corn.

In short, she ensured that the amount of white rice is enough to not make the rice difficult to eat and that its nutritional value will be more balanced.

In the 1970s, pigs were not too fat. Every family is short on oil, and everyone is unwilling to eat lean meat. No matter how good lean meat is when buying meat, lean meat is less desirable than fats; there's no such thing as too much fat. The pork belly bought by Han Cheng was probably one kilo, while the lean meat was about half a kilo at most.

The scallops can't be stored for a long time, so Su Xiaoxiao decided to cook them at noon. Each big scallop is divided into two.

She let Fantuan move a small bench to sit on the side of the pump, wash each one by one, and then dry it for use.

Su Xiaoxiao began to prepare the garlic sauce. She chopped a lot of garlic, and reluctantly put oil in the garlic. She took a few pieces of pork scraps and diced them before adding them to the garlic sauce. Su Xiaoxiao also added a little white wine to remove the fishy smell. The simple version of garlic sauce was completed.

Su Xiaoxiao hasn't eaten pepper since she arrived here in this era. She has been so greedy for pepper and remembered that in the vegetable garden of Zhuzi's grandma, it seems like she grew peppers.

When Zhuzi came back from school, his patched schoolbag was covered with some dirt, and his overall atmosphere looked a little unhappy.

However, when he saw Su Xiaoxiao's smiling face, he still braced up and pretended as if nothing happened.

"Does little Zhuzi recognize pepper?" Su Xiaoxiao asked.

Little Zhuzi nodded: "Yes, Grandma planted two."

"Yes, there are two in Grandma's vegetable garden. Well, Auntie needs a little for cooking. Can you go home and pick some for Auntie?" Su Xiaoxiao asked again.

Little Zhuzi nodded and put down his schoolbag: "Yes, I will go now."

"I want to go too!" The little Fantuan, who had been playing with scallop meat for a long time, heard that he could go out to play, and immediately came over and said he wanted to go together.

"You can go with Zhuzi, but Fantuan, come here first." It's not good for the children to stay home all day. Anyway, little Zhuzi is leading them, so Su Xiaoxiao was not worried.

Su Xiaoxiao looked at Zhuzi's bag quietly and called Fantuan into the room.

Su Xiaoxiao handed two milk candies to Fantuan: "You and little Zhuzi have one each. Now listen, Mom will assign you a special task."

Little Fantuan peeled a piece of milk sugar and put it in his mouth. He put another piece of milk sugar in his pocket, puffed up his cheek, and asked Su Xiaoxiao, "What's the task?"

"Mom suspects that little Zhuzi is being bullied at school. You can secretly ask how little Zhuzi is doing at school later, but you can't say that Mom asked you to ask about it. As much as possible, you must ask about it; it must feel like you are just having a casual talk. Then remember the information you get and tell Mom word for word, but you can't let little Zhuzi find out. Can you do it?"

Su Xiaoxiao was not mistaken; the dirt on Zhuzi's schoolbag should be a shoe print, although he concealed it very well. But Su Xiaoxiao could tell that he was forcing a smile, probably because he was bullied by someone and he thinks no one can handle it, so he dared not say it.

Little Fantuan blinked and was a little angry: "Was Zhuzi bullied like how Tiedan and Tieniu bullied me and my brother?"

Su Xiaoxiao rubbed the child's head. It seems that the impact of this incident on Fantuan still exists. How can someone afford to bully such an obedient child, like Fantuan?

"Mom asked Fantuan to know about this because Mom still doesn't know what happened. Xiao Zhuzi has no father or mother. He only has his grandma, but his grandma is old and she is still in the hospital. If Fantuan is bullied, you can tell Mom and Dad, and Mo and Dad will protect Fantuan. However, Little Zhuzi won't take the initiative to tell his mother. You are little Zhuzi's good friend. When you ask him, he will tell you, and when he does, don't forget to tell me what happened. Only when I know what happened will I be able to help little Zhuzi? Do you understand?"

Fantuan quickly understood the importance of this matter. "Um," he said, pressing his lips together. "I understand, Mom. I promise to finish the task!"

Su Xiaoxiao rubbed the child's head and said, "Go ahead, don't be too obvious, just…"

Su Xiaoxiao is still organizing the words she wanted to convey when Fantuan took her hand and said, "Mom, I know. I should ask him when he is not paying attention. Let him tell me unknowingly, and I will tell you secretly."

Su Xiaoxiao was dumbfounded. Are children so smart now? Is this little Fantuan going to become a master?

Before she could process her emotions, little Fantuan had already run away.

Su Xiaoxiao came out and looked at Xiao Doubao, who was writing and painting at the door. Xiao Doubao did not look at his brother, nor did he bother to go out with him. He grinned at Su Xiaoxiao.

Su Xiaoxiao couldn't help holding up the cub and rubbed his forehead against her forehead: "It seems that only Xiao Doubao is mother's sweet little cotton-padded jacket."

In response, her little cotton-padded jacket kissed her, leaving Su Xiaoxiao's face with drool.

Chapter 34.2

The intelligence agent, Little Fantuan, gave the milk candy to Little Zhuzi when he left the door.

"This is the reward that my mother gives us when I do a task. My mother will reward me every time I do a task." This little clever ghost indirectly explained why Su Xiaoxiao just asked him to enter the room.

Little Zhuzi didn't suspect him and shook his head: "Eat it; don't give it to me; I have eaten enough food from your house."

Little Fantuan directly peeled the milk candy paper and stuffed it into little Zhuzi's mouth. Little Zhuzi missed it, and the candy nearly fell to the ground. He quickly caught the candy with his hand and reluctantly stuffed it into his mouth.

"Little Zhuzi, is it fun to go to school?" Fantuan walked backward and asked as he walked.

Little Zhuzi's eyes darkened. The white rabbit milk candy seemed not so sweet anymore. He shook his head and said, "It's not fun. I don't want to go to school."

"My brother and I were bullied at the old witch's house, so I didn't want to stay at the old witch's house. Fortunately, my father and mother saved us. Were you bullied at school?" Fantuan asked.

Little Zhuzi was silent for a moment, and finally shook his head: "No."

'It seems that I can't ask for information with this move' thought Little Fantuan.

"My mother is my stepmother; do you know this?" Fantuan suddenly asked. The white rabbit milk candy was a little sticky, and Fantuan's words are a little vague.

But little Zhuzi had no problem understanding it. He stared at Fantuan with disbelief and shook his head.

"How can that be possible? Aunt Su is so good to you and Doubao." Little Zhuzi wants to say that she is better than his mother, his mother is not good to him at all.

"You've never seen such a good stepmother, have you?" Little Fantuan jumped and squatted down by the roadside to pick a small wild chrysanthemum, and he prepared to take it home to give to his mother later. "I've never seen one before."

"I have never seen such a good stepmother." Little Zhuzi was honest and envied little Fantuan for a moment.

Fantuan picked a few more flowers and said, "My mother is such a nice person. She is very kind. If she cares about your business, she will take care of it to the end. Do you know the reason why she pulled me into the room?"

Little Zhuzi continued to shake his head.

Fantuan looked distressed and said, "She said that she saw footprints on your schoolbag and thought you might have been bullied, so she asked me to be a little intelligence agent and ask who bullied you. I can't let you know, but you won't tell me the truth. I won't be able to explain this to my mother when I go back, and I can't be called a good kid in front of her. What do you think I should do?"

Little Zhuzi was shocked. His heart was warm, and his eyes were warm. It never crossed Zhuzi's mind that such things, which his grandma couldn't find out, were easily found out by Aunt Su.

"Mom also said that she needs to know what happened before she can find a way to help you, but if you don't say anything, she can't help you." Little Fantuan knows how hard it feels to be bullied, so he is also trying to help little Zhuzi.

"I didn't tell my father when I was bullied by Tieniu and Tiedan at the old witch's house. Father didn't know that his baby was bullied. He was very sad and distressed when he finally knew about it. So was my mother. For the first time, I saw my father cry when he saw the injuries on my brother and me. At that time, he told me that some things can't be solved by children and need to be solved by adults. Something can't be hidden from adults, so as a young Zhuzi, you must tell adults when you are bullied, so they can find ways to help you. You must trust my parents. "

Su Xiaoxiao described him as a clever little child, however, he is not just a clever little Fantuan." He is far more mature than his peers, and in front of Su Xiaoxiao and Han Cheng, he acts like a naive and ignorant kid.

At the age of four, he can protect his brother under the watchful eyes of Zhou Cuihua. For a year, he fought with the old witch's family. Although he received injuries, this is the best result of his efforts to minimize the injury, otherwise, the consequences would have been much more serious.

Smart and wise children can easily identify whether someone is good or bad. Little Fantuan's acceptance of Su Xiaoxiao has a little process to recognize that she is a fairy sent by his mother to protect him and his brother. Therefore, he was burdened when accepting Su Xiaoxiao's kindness, and in return, he treated her well and became an obedient child to his Mom and Dad.

After hearing what little Fantuan said, little Zhuzi couldn't help crying. Since childhood, no one had ever said such words to him, and no one could help him. Fantuan was younger than him but more mature than him.

"It's him! His parents don't want dirty and smelly little beggars like him! Bleh bleh~" Several children who are slightly taller than Zhuzi passed by, making faces at little Zhuzi and laughing at him.

Little Fantuan recognized one of them, it turns out that it was Dashu, who had stolen persimmons from their house that day and was hit in the head by him.

Little Fantuan was very angry. He habitually picked up a little stone from the ground and held it in his hand. He remembered his father's words and could not take the initiative. If he did it casually, others would think he was a bad child and would blame his parents for not teaching children well, so Fantuan didn't take the initiative to hit them this time.

Dashu saw little Fantuan and immediately shouted, "Run! That bad boy is going to hit someone with a stone again! He hit my head with a stone!"

Another big boy said disdainfully, "We are too many to run. If he wants to hit us, we will beat them! Pick up the stone!"

When little Zhuzi saw this, he wiped the wet tears from his face, picked up a big stone, and dragged it with his hand. He walked quietly in front of Fantuan and protected Fantuan behind him. Zhuzi raised his head and said, "Come on! Who dares to do it? Anyway, I have no father or mother. I will kill you one by one!"

You can bully him, but you can't bully little Fantuan!

After little Zhuzi finished speaking, he threw the big stone onto the side of the wood with all his strength.

The residual root was a bit rotten, and it was smashed by little Zhuzi with all of his strength. It immediately split up and scattered everywhere.

Little Zhuzi squatted down and quickly picked up another bigger stone to throw at them.

Several bear children were stunned and retreated one after another. Little Zhuzi had been bullied by them for so long and had never resisted. They stepped on his schoolbag, and he didn't say a word. How could he suddenly be so fierce?

Yes, those with bare feet are not afraid of those who wear shoes. Little Zhuzi has no father or mother. He is so strong that he can even break a tree. They can't find his parents to pay for injuring them. The stone in their hands is not as big as that in Zhuzi's hands!

After weighing the pros and cons, several bear children scattered like a mob and ran away while shouting.

Fantuan, who was standing behind little Zhuzi, was shocked. He looked at the small stones in his hand, the big stones in Zhuzi's hand, and the group of chicks that were scared and trying to flee. Fantuan seriously suspected that his mother was wrong. 'Mom misunderstood. Such a fierce little Zhuzi, no one should be able to bully him, right?'

Little Zhuzi threw away the stone in his hand and looked back at little Fantuan: "It's all right. They are gone. Let's pick up the peppers quickly. Aunt Su is waiting for us to cook."

Fantuan threw away the little stone in his hand and followed Zhuzi.

"Xiao Zhuzi, I believe no one would dare bully you now, but why don't you want to go to school? Even my mother is reading and teaching us to read every day. Xiao Doubao is writing. Mom probably doesn't like children who don't like to read."

Looking at the broad road in front of him, little Zhuzi felt an indescribable feeling and felt like there was still a path that he walked through. If he were a little older, he would know that it was a sudden enlightenment.

Little Zhuzi shook his head and smiled. Instead of answering Fantuan's question, he said: "Thank you, Xiao F Fantuan, and your whole family. In the future, I will let you know if something happens to me.

But for this kind of small matter, I won't bother you, for the time being, little Zhuzi thought. He will never let others bully him again, let alone let others bully his good friend, little Fantuan.

I will also study hard and be the good child that Aunt Su likes.

Chapter 35

The two cubs wandered around for a long time before they picked the pepper peppers. Han Cheng had already returned home from work and was checking Xiao Doubao's hands to change his dressings.

Xiao Doubao is obedient and quiet, and won't move or scratch, so he keeps his hands well and recovers well. He should be free of bandages next week.

"Xiao Doubao called me Mom today." Su Xiaoxiao squatted down and rubbed Xiao Doubao's head, her smile reached her eyes, sharing her happiness with Han Cheng.

"Really?" Han Cheng looked at his cute little quiet son. How could he not believe it?

"Xiao Doubao, call father?"

Xiao Doubao looked at Han Cheng with his big black and white eyes. He shook his head and looked at Su Xiaoxiao, who was behind his Father.

Han Cheng: "…" Why does it look like his son is despising him? Did he guess it right?

Su Xiaoxiao laughed with joy.

The cubs who went on missions also came home, and little Fantuan yelled at the door: "Mom, mom, your babies have successfully completed the mission and are back!"

Su Xiaoxiao got up and saw the two cubs pick up the clothes in front of them and make them into a pocket shape; it was filled with peppers.

Embarrassed, Su Xiaoxiao, reached out and touched her forehead: "You two, you didn't pick all of the peppers in Grandma's garden, did you?"

'I did tell them to pick a few, right?'

Little Fantuan said, "Little Zhuzi picked it, not me. I told him that Mom only wants a few, and I just picked five. I picked only five. Little Zhuzi picked a total of 17, and we have a total of 22 peppers!"

Little Fantuan is very sensitive to numbers after learning how to count. He has to count everything. If it weren't for the fact that Su Xiaoxiao cooked too many rice grains, he would have to count how many grains Su Xiaoxiao used for cooking.

Little Zhuzi said, "It's okay, Aunt Su. We didn't pick the little ones. My grandmother didn't eat much pepper. It used to rot in the trees."

All right, it's just a matter of using them.

Su Xiaoxiao broke off one of the green peppers and tasted it, which seemed not very spicy. The rest can be used to make a tiger skin pepper at night.

Su Xiaoxiao only cut pepper and put it in several of the scallops; she didn't put pepper in the cubs' share.

Scallops can be steamed for eight minutes, so Su Xiaoxiao didn't steam them until Han Cheng come home. Seafood will be especially delicious if it is served on the table fresh from the steamer.

In fact, it is best to place mung bean starch noodles under the scallops. Unfortunately, there are mung bean starch noodles. Su Xiaoxiao cut several eggplants and placed them under the scallops. In this way, the eggplants can absorb the juice from the scallops, which is convenient and delicious.

Han Cheng cleared the table and served the rice. Su Xiaoxiao's scallops also came out of the pot.

As soon as the lid was lifted, the onlookers exclaimed in astonishment.

Little Zhuzi has been very frugal since he was young. He hasn't eaten much seafood in his memory. He can't help swallowing his saliva when he smelled it.

Fantuan took a breath of fragrance and began to show off: "Little Zhuzi, I didn't lie to you, did I? Every time my mother cooks a new dish, it's more delicious, isn't it better than the Fried Chinese leek dumplings in the morning?"

Little Zhuzi nodded: "They are both delicious, every dish is delicious."

Every time Su Xiaoxiao makes something, Fantuan updates his views on which dish is the most delicious. Last night's lotus root soup and stone snail, this morning's fried Chinese leek dumplings, and now's scallops are not more delicious than each other, but each one is different. As Fantuan said, each one is the new first.

Han Cheng didn't like seafood very much in the past because it was fishy. Even if he cooked a lot of shredded ginger, there would still be a fishy smell. But what Su Xiaoxiao cooked did not have any fishy smell at all, instead, it was very fragrant and refreshing.

"Unexpectedly, when you combine garlic and seafood, they won't have a fishy smell." The little bit of lard residue and pepper is the finishing touch—a little spicy, a little salty, and very refreshing.

Han Cheng has never seen this practice before. He wants to swallow his tongue.

Even Han Cheng is like this, let alone a few cubs. Even the shells are licked clean and can't be thrown away.

Su Xiaoxiao also likes it very much. The spicy and tasty wild scallops are very good. It's invincible with garlic. This is also the first time she has done this. She didn't expect it to be delicious.

"If seafood is cheaper than meat, you can buy more seafood to eat in the future. It will be delicious if it's steamed with garlic, but unfortunately, there is not enough oil, otherwise, there are many other ways." You don't have to think about frying meals with oil because there's no oil.

"Shellfish and crabs are cheaper because they don't have much meat, and most of them don't need tickets. But some still need tickets, such as shrimp and fish," Han Cheng said.

Su Xiaoxiao suddenly remembered hearsay saying that the Huangpu River was flooded with yellow croakers, and the poor people in Mordu could not afford to eat, so they could only eat mitten crabs. She doesn't know the validity of this hearsay.

But shells and crabs are far less popular than meat at this time.

"Shells and crabs are very good. We can eat them once or twice a week." Su Xiaoxiao loves to eat crabs, especially frozen crabs, which are delicious without oil.

"I agree!" Fantuan was the first to raise his hand, and the others naturally had no objection.

After dinner, Fantuan was not willing to throw away the shells and was not sure how many he could keep. Su Xiaoxiao said that he could only keep two for digging worms. If he keeps too much food at home, it will cause rats to come to their house.

Fantuan finally tried bargaining and asked to keep four. His reason was that if he kept two, they would still need another two shells for Doubao and Zhuzi when they dig for earthworms.

Su Xiaoxiao had no choice but to let him keep four.

When the children went to take a nap, Han Cheng and Su Xiaoxiao discussed the matter between Zhuzi and Grandma.

Han Cheng said: "Grandma is fine. She can leave the hospital tomorrow morning. Zhao Xianfeng will send someone to tell her in the afternoon. If she doesn't want to, we can't force her."

Su Xiaoxiao couldn't find the reason why she would refuse the offer: "They must tell her clearly that we won't touch her money, we will save it for Zhuzi to go to school later. We will just use the tickets. She and Zhuzi can eat their breakfast at their house, while lunch and dinner must be eaten at our home, and you can say that Zhuzi and Fantuan can study and improve together."

Zhuzi's Grandma only wanted to make money to buy books for Zhuzi, so she probably paid much attention to Zhuzi's studies.

Han Cheng nodded: "Don't worry, I know what to say."

When Su Xiaoxiao noticed Han Cheng looked a little tired, she asked him to rest first.

Han Cheng lay down and Su Xiaoxiao sat beside the bed and gently massaged his temples.

Han Cheng closed his eyes, pulled one of her hands, put it on his lips, and kissed it gently, then squeezed Su Xiaoxiao's palm before releasing it.

He hadn't understood the meaning of the sentence " Hundreds of tempered steels turned into soft fingers." before. Since he married this delicate and simple wife, he fully understood the meaning of this sentence. Even if there was any great worry or anger, he had, it would disappear automatically when he was with Su Xiaoxiao. [1]

Really astonishing.

After returning to the hospital in the afternoon, a person from the military logistics department came. The person directly told Grandma Zhuzi that she and her grandson's pension would be handed over to Han Cheng's family for management, and she and her grandson could eat at Han Cheng's house.

Grandma Zhuzi didn't want to take advantage of their kindness, so she shook her head. "No, no, the food at Han Cheng's house is too good. We don't have enough money to pay for our meals. Besides, we have no money and no tickets."

The people in the room didn't know how to respond.

Han Cheng was also there, so he repeated what Su Xiaoxiao told him, saying that the money will be saved for Zhuzi's tuition fees and they don't need to pay much, just food and meat tickets.

Grandma Zhuzi's tears came out after listening, but she shook her head and said: "I know you are kind, but the money and tickets are for Zhuzi's mother. This time I want to leave some meat tickets for Zhuzi to mend his body, but she won't give them all. All of them were taken away by her. If I don't give them to her, what will she do after I leave(pass away)? Our old Zhang family has three generations of single biographies. If I leave, then my one and only grandson will be alone. There are only two of us. My poor grandson is only six years old. I'm too old to take care of him for a few years, but his mother said that when her side becomes stable, she will take Zhuzi to live with her, and she promised me that Zhuzi will not change his surname. When he goes there, it is still the root of our old Zhang family. "

Everyone looked at each other after listening.

Is this how Zhuzi's mother cheated Zhuzi and the old lady to take their pension?

References

↑1 This is from the Song of Fufeng, left by Liu Kun, a Chinese military general and poet of the Jin dynasty, before his death. "Hundreds of tempered steels turned into soft fingers." comes from "Response to Lu Chen.", which means "Where would I have thought that I, an imposing and tough guy, would fall to the point of being slaughtered and unable to resist his weakness."