Chapter 90

Jiang Suihan noticed that Chenchen was distracted while drinking milk, which puzzled her. “He should be hungry at this time. Why does it seem like he’s not in the mood to eat today? Is he feeling unwell?”

Kids have weak immune systems and have been on the train for so long, making them vulnerable to germs. Jiang Suihan couldn’t help but worry. She felt Chenchen’s forehead and then compared it to her own.

“No fever, so why isn’t he drinking milk?”

Usually, Chenchen loved milk and would even wiggle his toes in delight.

Knowing he was partly to blame, Xu Zhao hesitated for a moment but decided to confess: “When you were out earlier, Chenchen saw me eating noodles and really wanted some, so I fed him a couple of bites—really just a tiny bit.”

He gestured with his fingers to show how small the bites were.

Jiang Suihan shot him an incredulous look, glancing at the father and son. The older one looked guilty, while the younger one held the milk bottle contentedly.

“It’s fine. Chenchen is half a year old and can have a little noodle, but not too much. He knows how to read people’s moods, especially when it comes to who’s easier to persuade. Don’t let him fool you.”

When his Grandma was at home, besides his mother, Chenchen loved to be close to his grandma the most. Whatever he wanted—playtime or snacks—he would simply scrunch his brows and pout, and Grandma would immediately indulge him. Seeing this unconditional affection worried Jiang Suihan that he might grow up spoiled.

Xu Zhao frowned. “I think Chenchen is very smart. A clever child is always charming. As his mother, you shouldn’t be biased against him.”

After two months apart, father and son were eager to reconnect. In Xu Zhao’s eyes, Chenchen was adorable, clever, and practically perfect.

Jiang Suihan’s lips twitched in exasperation. “Fine, you two enjoy your bonding. I won’t play the villain here. Do as you wish.”

In a few days, Xu Zhao would understand just how troublesome the little rascal could be. When he wasn’t throwing a tantrum, he could be as delightful as an angel, but when he did start crying, it was a headache and very frustrating. At times, he just wanted to toss the little troublemaker out of sight.

A middle-aged doctor came to check Xu Zhao’s wound. “The healing is going well. Remember, no strenuous activities or heavy lifting for a month. Once the wound is a bit better, you can take short walks downstairs.”

Jiang Suihan held Chenchen and asked the doctor, “How long until he can be discharged?”

The doctor closed the medical record he was holding. “Your husband has good health. Young people recover quickly. I estimate he can be discharged in about two weeks.”

Feeling reassured, Jiang Suihan smiled. “Thank you. You’ve worked hard.”

The doctor looked at her in surprise. After twenty years in the hospital, he had seen many patients and their families express gratitude, but it was the first time someone said, “You’ve worked hard.”

“It’s my job. Just make sure he gets enough rest. I’ll be on my way.”

Jiang Suihan placed Chenchen next to Xu Zhao and playfully scratched his chin. “You’re quite the brave one.”

When the doctor was examining Xu Zhao’s wound, she intended to take Chenchen outside, worried he might be frightened by the gruesome sight. But Chenchen had refused to budge, staring wide-eyed at his dad’s injury without a hint of fear or fuss.

Xu Zhao beamed with pride. “Just look at my child.”

How could his son possibly be timid?

Of course not.

Jiang Suihan exaggeratedly replied, “You’re right. He takes after his dad. With a strong father like you, how could Chenchen not be impressive?”

Xu Zhao nodded, obviously pleased with himself. Jiang Suihan shot him a playful glare and muttered, “Narcissist.”

In his twenties, with a fast metabolism, good military physique, and a loving wife and child around, Xu Zhao was in great spirits. Jiang Suihan took good care of him, ensuring he had three hearty meals a day, so Xu Zhao’s recovery was faster than expected.

They had bought train tickets back to Li Province days ago—two sleeper tickets. With Xu Zhao by her side, Jiang Suihan wouldn’t have to manage the child alone, making things much easier.

Xu Zhao held Chenchen close. “You take a nap. I’ll watch Chenchen.”

Jiang Suihan couldn’t help but yawn. It was past ten at night, and she was indeed tired. She didn’t hesitate to agree: “Then I’ll go to sleep first. It’ll be your turn later. Remember to call me when the time comes.”

Although the sleeper seat wasn’t as crowded or chaotic as the hard-seat carriages, it was still a train, and with a little one who didn’t understand much, they were cautious about not sleeping at the same time. They had agreed to take turns—one would sleep while the other watched the child.

In the middle of the night, Chenchen woke up wanting milk. The little one, still half-asleep, instinctively nudged his head into his father’s arms, seeking the familiar comfort of his mother’s milk. Xu Zhao felt a bit awkward. While holding the child to soothe him, he went to fill a bottle with warm water.

Once Chenchen got the milk he had been yearning for, he stopped fussing, though his little brows remained furrowed.

‘Daddy doesn’t smell as good as mommy, and his embrace isn’t as soft as mommy’s. I want mommy.’

After finishing the milk, Chenchen let out a tiny yawn and, feeling drowsy, nestled against his father’s chest to continue sleeping.

When Jiang Suihan woke up, it was already bright outside.

She quickly sat up and turned to see Xu Zhao playing with Chenchen, who was laughing so hard that drool was dripping from his mouth.

Feeling guilty, Jiang Suihan asked, “Why didn’t you wake me up?”

They had agreed to take turns sleeping, yet she had slept through the night while Xu Zhao stayed up with the baby.

Xu Zhao replied, “I didn’t want to disturb your sleep since you looked so peaceful. It’s nothing. I used to stay up for four or five nights at a time. This was just one night.”

Noticing the dark circles under his eyes, she thought of his recent injury and how he shouldn’t overexert himself. Jiang Suihan took Chenchen from him. “I’ll watch him. There are still over three hours until we arrive. You should sleep.”

Xu Zhao secretly pinched his arm. He was indeed a bit tired after staying up all night. “Okay, but wake me up if you need anything. Don’t do this alone.”

The weather was cold, and Chenchen couldn’t stay still while sleeping; he would move from one end of the bed to the other. The bunk was small, and the military coat didn’t keep the wind out well, so Xu Zhao had spent the night holding Chenchen tightly to keep him warm, leaving his arms numb.

Jiang Suihan nodded, understanding his concern. “I won’t move around. Go to sleep quickly.”

There was another young couple on the train, likely in their early twenties. The woman said, “Your husband treats you so well. Just now, when your son laughed a bit too loudly, he told him not to wake you up. Your son is very obedient. He even covered his mouth. I’ve never seen such a clever and well-behaved child.”

She had gotten married last year and was already feeling the pressure to have children at just twenty-two. She wanted to wait before starting a family. Her husband was the youngest in his family, with four nieces and nephews around, and they were a noisy bunch. He didn’t mind waiting a bit longer for the children.

Looking at Chenchen’s cute little face, the woman’s thoughts changed. “If I could have a child like Chenchen, that would be so wonderful.”

Jiang Suihan smiled lightly. “He’s only a bit cute because of that. Sometimes he can be more chaotic than Sun Wukong, causing havoc in heaven. He sleeps during the day and keeps everyone up at night. When I had just given birth, I lost so much hair because of him.”

When Chenchen was younger, he had quite a temper. If he was a minute late for feeding, he would scream. If his diaper wasn’t changed fast enough, he would cry, and if no one attended to him right away, he would still cry.

After a few months, everyone became conditioned to his cries. Especially Jiang Suihan—every time she heard him cry, she would cover her ears; it was so painful.

Chenchen seemed to know that his mother was saying bad things about him, and he nudged his mother’s belly with his little head.

What? I’m not a crybaby.

The woman seemed shocked by how challenging child-rearing was. “Is it really that tough?”

She thought that it might be better to wait before having children, needing time to prepare mentally. Watching other people’s children was enough for her.

Jiang Suihan quickly reassured her, “I might have exaggerated a bit. You don’t need to worry too much. Life with and without children is entirely different. After you have a child, while there are certainly new challenges, the joy they bring is irreplaceable. That feeling is incredible. You’ll understand once you have your own.”

Before Chenchen was born, she and Xu Zhao had discussed their roles: she would be the gentle mother, and he the strict father. She remembered her firm commitment that if their child misbehaved, she would not intervene when Xu Zhao disciplined him. But now, if Xu Zhao ever tried to scold Chenchen, she couldn’t guarantee she wouldn’t stand up for her son.

Checking the watch on her wrist, Jiang Suihan called out to Xu Zhao to wake him up.

Xu Zhao opened his eyes, still drowsy. “Are we there?”

First, they would get off in the city, then go to the station to buy tickets to return to the county.

Wang Dahe waved happily, shouting, “Over here!”

Jiang Suihan spotted Jiang Weiyu as well. “Why did you come along?”

“It’s Saturday, no work today.” Jiang Weiyu eagerly peeked under the blanket covering Chenchen and, seeing his bright, shiny eyes like black grapes, smiled. “Is Chenchen awake? Do you remember your aunt?”

While at home, Jiang Weiyu often helped take care of Chenchen, and they had a close bond. After half a month apart, Chenchen looked a bit confused at seeing her.

Jiang Suihan pretended to be sad, looking at Chenchen. “Ungrateful Chenchen! You forgot your aunt after just half a month. I missed you so much, and this is how you repay me?”

She lightly patted her cousin’s hand and laughed, shaking her head. “Alright, kids forget easily. When Chenchen just arrived in Yun City, he didn’t even remember his dad.”

Xu Zhao shot Jiang Suihan a glance, silently complaining, wondering why she had to use him as a comparison.

He didn’t think it was something worth mentioning that his son had forgotten his own father.

The four of them first went to the state-owned restaurant to fill their stomachs, then swept through the department store.

Wang Dahe secretly glanced at Xu Zhao. Deputy Commander Xu was holding the child calmly, and his sister-in-law was the only one who handled the payment. This showed how much authority the deputy commander had at home.

Wang Dahe silently gave a thumbs-up in his heart. His sister-in-law is so awesome!

Xu Zhao turned his head and met Wang Dahe’s sympathetic eyes. He frowned, and a question mark slowly appeared on his face.