Chapter 98

Chenchen clung to his grandmother, tears welling up in his eyes. “I don’t want to go!”

Su Ying held him tightly, feeling equally reluctant. “Alright, alright, we won’t go.”

Xu Zhao stood by, making no effort to persuade them. “Since you don’t want to leave, you can stay here with Grandma. There are chicken legs, shrimp, and candied hawthorn—all yours! You can eat whenever you like. Your mom and I are going back to our place.”

The little rascal thought his father couldn’t possibly leave him behind!

When Chenchen heard his parents were abandoning him, he immediately protested, bursting into loud sobs and trying to hit his dad. “Bad guy!”

His words came out too quickly, and the drool escaped uncontrollably, prompting an annoyed look from Xu Zhao.

Xu Grandpa laughed heartily. Once, when he took Chenchen out, they overheard a fight, and Chenchen picked up the term, using it on his dad.

Jiang Suihan sighed, glancing at Xu Zhao, warning him not to stoke the flames. She reached out to take the child from her mother-in-law.

But Xu Zhao, being tall, scooped Chenchen up first. “This kid is getting heavier. You’re not feeling well, so let me handle him.”

Chenchen didn’t want his dad to hold him and reached out to his mom instead.

Xu Zhao patted his son’s bottom. “Behave yourself. If you keep this up, you’ll have to stay here and sleep alone tonight.”

Chenchen pouted angrily and turned his back to his father, expressing his annoyance through body language.

Xu Zhao refused to coddle Chenchen’s little tantrum. If he didn’t want to talk to him, fine—he wouldn’t talk back.

“Grandpa, Mom, we’re leaving. It’s cold, so you don’t need to follow us. Xiao Li will drive us to the train station.”

Su Ying was worried. “Your wife is pregnant, and Chenchen is still too young to understand. It’s a long train ride. You can’t manage both of them alone. How about I go back with you for ten days or half a month until your wife is more stable?”

Xu Zhao disagreed. “If you come, you’ll just have to take a long train ride back after a few days. Aren’t you tired? Plus, if you leave, my dad will be alone at home, and he won’t be on board with that either. Just don’t worry. I can take good care of them. We still have Weiyu at home. She can help too.”

His grandfather was getting old, and his father was usually busy with work, so it wasn’t practical for him to be home alone.

Su Ying glanced at Xu Zhenguo. “If I leave, who will watch him to keep him from drinking or smoking? Your dad will be thrilled. It’s like he’s ready to celebrate!”

Xu Zhenguo replied, “You keep bringing this up. You only saw me smoke one cigarette and drink half a bottle of liquor the other day, and you took the rest away. I haven’t said a word about it!”

Was he really airing his dirty laundry in front of the kids?

Su Ying shot back, “You didn’t say a thing. You’re just feeling guilty. Don’t think I didn’t see you sneaking into the cabinet at night!”

Xu Zhenguo puffed out his cheeks in defiance. “You’ve got it wrong. That was a mouse! I’ll ask around to borrow someone’s cat.”

Chenchen, with his bright eyes, looked between his grandparents and clapped his hands excitedly. “Cat! Little cat!”

Last year, they adopted a kitten named Tuan Tuan from a villager. When it first arrived, it was less than a month old and incredibly cute.

Chenchen adored the kitten. Every morning, after finishing his milk, he would rush to find Tuan Tuan. One night, he sneakily brought the kitten to bed with him. When asked why, he said, “I’m scared the kitten will be cold, so I covered it with a blanket.”

His innocent reasoning was both endearing and amusing.

Jiang Suihan pinched Chenchen’s cheek. “Missing Tuan Tuan? When we get home, you can play with him.”

Su Ying couldn’t bear to part with Chenchen, showering him with affection. While living in the capital with his grandparents offered better conditions, being close to his parents was what mattered most at this age.

“Chenchen, you must listen to your mother, don’t make her angry, and eat more vegetables, okay?”

“No!”

Chenchen furrowed his little brows. Like his dad, he loved meat but despised vegetables. Every time his mom served him greens, he would eat all the meat first and leave the veggies behind.

This drove Jiang Suihan crazy as she racked her brain for ways to coax her son into eating more greens. After becoming a parent, she finally understood why mealtime with little ones felt like a battle—it was truly exhausting!

The clever child knew he needed his mom’s coaxing for vegetables. If his dad served him greens, he wouldn’t dare resist; he would pinch his nose and eat everything, or else his dad would make him eat stir-fried bamboo shoots with meat.

Xu Zhao glanced at his watch. “It’s about time. Chenchen, say goodbye to Great-Grandpa, Grandpa, and Grandma.”

Chenchen waved his little hand. “Goodbye!”

Xiao Li drove steadily. Chenchen wanted to sit in the front seat, but Xu Zhao wouldn’t allow it, so the little boy had to sit beside his mom, far away from his dad.

As Jiang Suihan gazed out the window at the passing scenery, she sighed. “Time flies. It feels like we just arrived, and now we’re leaving again.”

Xu Zhao patted her head. “It’s okay. As long as you want to come to the capital, I’ll always accompany you.”

Resting her head on his shoulder, Jiang Suihan smiled with pursed lips. “You just know how to sweet-talk me. The army keeps you so busy. When would you have time to come along? But even if you’re just saying nice things, it makes me happy to hear.”

Xu Zhao smiled silently.

Xiao Li, overhearing the conversation from the front, felt a pang of envy. The commander’s son and daughter-in-law had such a great relationship. Old sayings claimed that a wife and children warm the hearth, but he was still unmarried. His family had written to urge him to find a partner, suggesting he return home for a blind date. He thought he was still young and in no rush, but having a wife and kids sounded nice—coming home to warm meals and a son happily calling for him felt like a dream.

Chenchen leaned against the car window, playing. After getting bored, he saw his parents whispering to each other without including him, and his little temper flared. He squeezed between them, hugging his mom’s arm and yawning.

“Are you sleepy?” Jiang Suihan asked.

Chenchen nodded. At this time of day, he would usually be in bed. His sleep schedule was very regular: he went to bed at seven in the evening, woke up at six in the morning, and took a nap at one in the afternoon for over an hour.

Jiang Suihan gently patted his back. “Go ahead and sleep.”

With no worries on his mind, he closed his eyes and was asleep in under a minute.

What a dreamer. Who wouldn’t envy that sleep quality?

Jiang Suihan watched Chenchen, poking his nose. “You’re only good when you’re asleep.”

With a lot of luggage to carry, her mother-in-law packed plenty of food and new clothes for Chenchen. Her second sister-in-law also sent some items for them to take home.

After the New Year, the train station was bustling with people. Xiao Li carried the luggage in front, while Xu Zhao held a large bag in one hand and tightly gripped Jiang Suihan’s hand with the other. Chenchen was carried by his mom, still sound asleep after waking up early that morning.

Once they arrived, Xiao Li set down the luggage. “Alright, I’m leaving.”

Xu Zhao replied, “Thank you! Next time I come back, I’ll treat you to a meal.”

Jiang Suihan carefully placed Chenchen down. As soon as he touched the bed, he groggily woke up, rubbing his eyes and softly calling, “Mommy.”

Jiang Suihan pinched her son’s cheek. “Awake? Want some water?”

Winter was dry, and it was easy to get thirsty.

Still half-asleep, Chenchen took a moment before slowly nodding. “Yes.”

Jiang Suihan turned to Xu Zhao. “Your son wants some water. The water in the thermos has cooled; can you go get some hot water?”

Xu Zhao tucked the luggage under the bed, pulled out the thermos, and headed to another carriage for hot water.

Feeling uncomfortable in his many layers, Chenchen tugged at his collar. “Mommy.”

Understanding what he meant, Jiang Suihan touched his back; it felt warm and dry. She softly advised, “You can’t take off your clothes. You’ll catch a cold and end up with a runny nose, and then you’ll have to take very bitter medicine. Do you want to drink medicine, Chenchen?”

He shivered, shaking his head. “No!”

A few days ago, when Chenchen visited his grandpa, he saw a friend’s grandson who was about his age. That boy had played outside in the snow and caught a cold, crying and refusing to take medicine. After much persuasion from his family, his dad had to force the bitter medicine down his throat, and Chenchen found that memory particularly striking. He definitely didn’t want to be like that boy, getting forced to drink nasty medicine!

After helping Chenchen sip some hot water, she offered him a snack from her bag. He happily took a couple of pieces and sat on the bed playing with the little dog toy his great-grandfather bought for him.

“Woof woof…”

Watching his son imitate a dog, Xu Zhao patted his little head. “You can’t bark. You’ll disturb others.”

Chenchen raised the toy cat and offered it to his dad. “Play.”

The implication was clear: if you play with me, I’ll stop barking.

What a childish game! Xu Zhao felt a strong reluctance but couldn’t bear to let Chenchen sulk. He had to grit his teeth and join in the childish fun.

A young female comrade in her twenties nearby watched Chenchen with bright eyes, thinking he was so adorable and wishing to have a child like him one day.

Unable to resist, she turned to Jiang Suihan. “Your son is so cute!”

Jiang Suihan laughed. “Thank you! He’s only charming at times like this. When he cries, it’s like the sky is falling; he’s like a little demon, always causing trouble.”

Chenchen turned to look at his mom, his eyes seeming to say, ‘I caught you talking bad about me!’

The young woman rummaged in her bag and pulled out two milk candies. “Here, for the little one.”

She was getting married in March and hoped to have a cute baby of her own someday.

Jiang Suihan waved her hand to refuse, but the female comrade forced it in. “It’s okay, you don’t have to be polite to me. I brought a big bag and there’s still a lot left.”

The journey was boring, and the female comrade was a talkative person, so having someone to chat with could help kill some time. The female comrade got off the train halfway and exchanged contact addresses with Jiang Suihan before getting off, saying that she would write to her when she got back.

Finally, they arrived at the station. Xu Zhao carried the luggage in front while Jiang Suihan held onto his shirt with one hand and carried Chenchen with the other. As they made their way through the crowd, someone accidentally stepped on Jiang Suihan’s foot. She didn’t bother to find out who it was. She just wanted to get out quickly.

The weather in Li Province was still quite cold. Jiang Weiyu tightened her coat and anxiously scanned the crowd. “Do you see them?”

Wang Dahe stood on tiptoe, straining to see, and his face lit up with excitement. “I see them! Over there!”

He waved cheerfully. “Deputy commander, over here! Look this way!”

Xu Zhao followed the sound and spotted them. “It’s Dahe and the others. Let’s go.”

Jiang Weiyu hadn’t seen her little nephew in over half a month and missed him terribly. She rushed over, snatching Chenchen from her cousin’s arms. “Good boy Chenchen, your aunt has missed you so much! Do you miss me too?”

After being showered with kisses, Chenchen looked quite reluctant. He covered his face with his small hands and shouted, “Mommy!”

“Come save me, there’s a bad person!”

Jiang Suihan took Chenchen back. “Alright, stop fussing. It’s windy outside. Let’s head home first.”

Wang Dahe helped put the luggage in the car. As he opened the driver’s side door, Xu Zhao walked over and said, “I’ll drive.”

Wang Dahe was a bit worried. “Deputy commander, you’ve been on the train for two or three days. You must be exhausted. Let me do it; you can rest in the car.”

“It’s fine,” Xu Zhao insisted.

Not wanting to argue with his deputy commander, Wang Dahe quickly moved to the passenger seat and hopped in. Jiang Suihan and her sister sat in the back, with Chenchen squeezed between them.

Jiang Suihan asked, “Have you two eaten?”

Wang Dahe replied loudly, “Yeah!”

Just then, a rumbling noise came from his stomach.

Everyone in the car exchanged glances and then turned to look at Wang Dahe, whose face turned bright red. He wished he could dig a hole and hide; it was so embarrassing.

Jiang Suihan shook her head with a laugh. “Weiyu, open the bag under your feet. There are two boxes of snacks inside that we didn’t finish on the way. You can share them with Dahe to hold you over until we get home.”

The snacks were special pastries that their mother-in-law bought from a department store. They were famous in the capital and a must-have local specialty for people visiting. The pastries were completely different from those in Li Province—varied and suitable for all ages.

Chenchen loved them so much that one time, he secretly ate four pieces without telling the adults, which made his belly ache. His grandmother had to go get him some hawthorn balls from the neighbor to settle his stomach.

Jiang Weiyu pulled out the two boxes of pastries and opened one. “Wow! These look so exquisite! They must be expensive, right?”

Jiang Suihan chuckled. “One box is almost equivalent to a month of your salary. So, are they expensive or not? Share some with Dahe.”

Wang Dahe quickly said, “I’m not that hungry. We’ll be there soon, and we can eat in the cafeteria. Save the pastries for Chenchen.”

One box of pastries cost over ten yuan, and they contained expensive ingredients. He couldn’t bring himself to buy them, preferring a hearty meat bun and rice that would fill him up more effectively.

Chenchen wriggled and gathered the two boxes of pastries tightly in his arms. “Mine!”

Jiang Suihan couldn’t stand it and pinched his cheek. “Little foodie! What’s wrong with sharing a couple with your aunt and uncle? You can’t eat all of that by yourself, remember what Mommy taught you? Sharing is caring, right? Our Chenchen is the most generous.”

Chenchen glanced at the pastries and then at his mother. He pulled one out for her, but Jiang Suihan shook her head. “Mommy won’t eat it. Give it to your aunt.”

The pastry was slightly squished in Chenchen’s little hands, but Jiang Weiyu didn’t mind and popped it into her mouth. “Delicious! Chenchen, give Aunt another piece.”

Jiang Suihan looked at Chenchen. “Hmm?”

If he didn’t give it, he would surely be in trouble with his mother. Chenchen reluctantly handed over several more pieces, and as he saw the box getting emptier, he panicked. “Mommy!”

Worried that her child would throw a tantrum, Jiang Suihan decided to call it a day and help him close the box. “Alright, the rest is all yours.”

Chenchen hugged the two boxes tightly, flashing a big grin with his little teeth.

Jiang Weiyu remarked, “Sister, you and your husband aren’t stingy at all. Where did Chenchen learn to be so greedy? He wants to keep all the good food for himself.”

Chenchen gave his aunt’s arm a playful poke, his eyes wide open. “Bad!”

Wang Dahe couldn’t help but laugh. “See? You asked for it by talking badly about Chenchen.”

As they pushed open the courtyard gate, the familiar sights of home greeted them. Jiang Suihan felt a sense of belonging. Although life in the capital was good, it never quite felt as comfortable.

Jiang Weiyu said, “Before you left, I made some soup. I’ll heat it up for you.”

Having spent two days on the train without a shower, Jiang Suihan wanted to take a hot bath and wash her hair, even though the cold weather didn’t make her sweat much.

Since the hot water wouldn’t be ready immediately, she decided to organize the things she had brought back, sorting out what to keep at home and what to give away.

Xu Zhao said, “You’re not feeling well, let me handle it.”

Jiang Weiyu overheard this and grew anxious. “Sister, are you okay? Did the trip tire you out? Do you need to lie down and rest for a bit?”

Jiang Suihan shook her head. “I’m fine. It’s just that Chenchen is going to have a little brother or sister.”

Jiang Weiyu was momentarily stunned, her face lighting up with joy. “Sister, you’re having a baby! That’s wonderful!”

She turned and grabbed Chenchen’s shoulders. “Chenchen, you’re going to have a little brother or sister! Are you happy? Excited?”

Chenchen, not understanding what a brother or sister was, was nearly dizzy from his aunt’s enthusiasm. His little mouth trembled, and it looked like he was about to cry.

Jiang Leyun quickly rushed over to rescue her nephew, holding him close and soothing him. “Don’t worry, Chenchen. Your aunt is just being silly. We won’t play with her.”

At that moment, Wu Guihua entered with a bowl of dumplings, smiling as she said, “I saw your gate open and figured you must be back. I made some dumplings—try my cooking!”

Jiang Suihan stood up with a smile. “Sister-in-law, you didn’t need to bring food! We have plenty at home. Please take it back for Xiaojun and the others.”

Wu Guihua replied, “It’s just one bowl, not much. They’re filled with chives and eggs, and Xiaojun and the others have already eaten. How was your journey?”

Jiang Suihan said, “It went pretty well. Staying in the military district was convenient for food and lodging, but it was much colder than here. Every time I stepped outside, the north wind made my face freeze.”

After more than a week in the capital, she had been using her pregnancy as an excuse to laze around indoors. She hardly went out; her mother-in-law handled the guests while she smiled from the sidelines. Each day was spent eating and sleeping, more useless than at home in Li Province. She joked with Xu Zhao that it felt like she was being pampered like a pig.

Wu Guihua expressed a bit of envy. “I’ve never been to the capital. If I get the chance, I’d love to see the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square and climb the Great Wall. I just wonder if I’ll be able to climb with these old bones of mine.”

Jiang Suihan teased, “You’ll definitely have the chance. Just make sure to encourage Captain Zhao to work hard so he can get stationed in the capital soon.”

Wu Guihua thought for a moment and then slapped her thigh. “You’re right! Whether I can go to the capital depends on my husband’s abilities. When I get home, I’ll push him to work harder.”

After chatting for a while, Wu Guihua, worried about taking up too much of Jiang Suihan’s family’s time, decided to leave. Jiang Suihan sent her off with some local treats from the capital for her three kids to try.

She asked Xu Zhao to put away the gifts to be distributed to each family one by one. The one for Political Commissar Zhou’s family must not be left out, and she also asked her brother to run errands for the ones for the other sisters-in-law’s families.

After enjoying the soup and noodles, they all felt warm and cozy. Chenchen, drowsy, was taken by Xu Zhao for a bath, and then it was Jiang Suihan’s turn. Since she needed to wash her hair, she took a bit longer.

Xu Zhao collected the dirty clothes from the basin. “I’ll wash these later. Just dry your hair before you sleep.”

Jiang Suihan replied playfully, “Got it, housekeeper.”

Xu Zhao playfully pinched her nose. “Say that again?”

Just then, Jiang Weiyu happened to pass by, covering her eyes and running away. “I didn’t see anything!”