“Little Cao is calling for Grandpa, Grandpa is here.” Dad Chen laughed cheerfully, his gaze soft and warm. He gently picked up his little grandson and rubbed his tender little face. “Does our Little Cao want to eat fruit powder or porridge? Are you hungry?” He spoke softly to tease him.

Liu Guixiang, standing nearby, added, “I don’t think he’s hungry, nor does he seem to need to pee. He might just want to see Ping ger. Just now, he was looking around and turned several times.”

“Second Uncle, Second Sister-in-law.”

“Oh, Yuanjiu is back! When did you come back?” Dad Chen was a bit surprised and smiled as he got up to fetch a chair for him.

Still holding Little Cao, Cui Yuanjiu hurriedly said, “I can manage, no need for that. I just got back today.”

“How long can you stay this time?” Dad Chen, seeing he didn’t need help, didn’t insist and let him get his own chair. “It’s almost the beginning of the twelfth month, you shouldn’t need to go out again this year, right?”

Cui Yuanjiu set his bags on the table in the kitchen, took a chair, and poured himself a bowl of cool boiled water as he sat under the eaves. “I probably won’t go out again, but there might be special circumstances, depending on how the escort agency arranges it.” He took a few sips of water to quench his thirst, then looked gently at Little Cao, smiled, and extended his arms. “Hug?” It was tentative, as he hadn’t been back for two months and wasn’t sure if Little Cao would remember him.

Little Cao blinked his big eyes, looked for a moment, and then grinned, flailing his little body to get into Cui Yuanjiu’s arms.

“Wow, he really let you hug him. He must remember you!” Dad Chen joked, placing Little Cao in his arms. “This child has grown a bit and doesn’t smile as much anymore as he’s a little shy. You’ve been away for two months, yet he’s willing to hug you, so he must recognize you.”

He thought that Yuanjiu and Ping ger were truly a perfect match, destined by heaven, but he didn’t know how those two felt about it.

With a guest in the house, who might even become part of the family in the future, Dad Chen had a great impression of Cui Yuanjiu and considered preparing a few more dishes.

“Alright, Yuanjiu, keep an eye on Little Cao. I’ll leave the stall to you while I go prepare lunch.”

Cui Yuanjiu saw Dad Chen walking out and quickly said, “Second Uncle, I bought meat, fish, and some pork ribs, they’re all on the kitchen table.”

“So generous? I didn’t see that.” Dad Chen turned back towards the kitchen. “You even bought salted fish? This salted fish doesn’t look like it’s from town. What is it? It smells pretty good.” There were all sorts of food, many of which he didn’t recognize.

“I bought some spices for Ping ger and a few other things that looked good. I’ll let Ping ger take a look, if they’re useful, I can buy more next time.”

Hearing this made Dad Chen genuinely happy: “You’re thoughtful, Yuanjiu. Alright, we’ll use the dishes you bought for lunch today, I won’t go out.”

“Is Ping ger not coming back for lunch today?” After a while, noticing that Ping ger was still absent, Cui Yuanjiu curiously asked.

Liu Guixiang chuckled, “Not long ago, we bought a shop in town, Chen Ji Roujiamo at the end of South Street. Ping ger is busy in the shop and usually comes back in the afternoon.”

“Is he alone?”

“Of course not! Business is booming, and he doesn’t even have time to eat lunch.” Liu Guixiang exaggerated a bit, wondering if there would be any news about Ping ger during lunch, but she didn’t mention that Father Chen and Yuanqiu were also there.

In Cui Yuanjiu’s arms, Little Cao suddenly spoke up, “Daddy.” His little voice was quite clear, much clearer than when he called Grandpa.

“This child really knows how to call his daddy, just hearing the name makes him call out.” Liu Guixiang remarked, somewhat amazed. “Little Qiao never did that.”

“Ping ger raises him really well, keeping him close to his heart, and Little Cao naturally knows that.”

After chatting for a while, Cui Yuanjiu set Little Cao down on the bamboo couch and walked toward the kitchen. “Second Uncle.”

“Hey.”

“I don’t have much to do, how about I take Little Cao to the town this afternoon to buy him some clothes and shoes and also bring some lunch to Ping ger?”

Dad Chen was taken aback: “The ox cart is still in town.” If it weren’t for this, he would have sent meals to the town every day.

“I’m quick on my feet, it won’t be a problem.”

Feeling pleased that he cared so much about his third son, Dad Chen said, “It’s perfect timing for a sumptuous lunch today, so the three of them can have something good. Don’t underestimate the small shop in town, the business is excellent, and they’re busy from morning till night. They usually don’t have the energy to prepare lunch, just making do.”

“Yuanjiu wants to take lunch to town? You should borrow an ox cart, they won’t know we’re sending food, so they might eat out.” Liu Guixiang reminded him. “I’ll go borrow an ox cart, it’ll be quick.”

Cui Yuanjiu approached the stall: “Thank you, Second Sister-in-law.”

“Don’t mention it, I should be thanking you for bringing lunch to father and them.”

After Liu Guixiang borrowed the ox cart, she went directly to help Dad Chen in the kitchen.

Outside, Cui Yuanjiu kept an eye on the stall and the two children.

After lunch was ready and Cui Yuanjiu finished eating, he didn’t delay, taking the packed lunch and driving the ox cart toward the town.

He held Little Cao with one arm, steering the cart steadily.

In town, at Chen’s shop, Chen Yuping was discussing what to eat for lunch with his father and younger brother. They were too tired to have much appetite.

“There’s nothing to eat.” Chen Yuanqiu wasn’t very interested in the food outside, he preferred the meals his third brother made. At the very least, their dad’s cooking was also good, and eating outside didn’t feel quite right.

“You have to eat something. What about you, Father?”

Father Chen took a sip of strong tea: “I’ll just nibble on some steamed buns, a bit of braised meat with it is better than the meals bought outside.”

Both father and son had similar tastes, and Chen Yuping thought for a moment, “From tomorrow on, let’s prepare lunch at the shop. We have pots and firewood, it’s quite convenient.”

“I think that’s good. Third brother doesn’t need to work too hard, just some dumplings or flatbreads would be fine,” Chen Yuanqiu said happily.

“I agree.”

Cui Yuanjiu arrived at the shop, getting down from the ox cart. As he approached the door, Little Cao in his arms suddenly became lively, flailing around and excitedly shouting, “Daddy!” His little voice rang out loud and clear.

Chen Yuping thought he misheard and looked up to see his beloved son! He was surprised: “Little Cao, how did you get here?” He rushed over, scooped him up in his arms, and kissed his forehead. “Good Little Cao, how did you come? Did your grandpa bring you?”

As he spoke, he noticed, “Oh…”

“Second Uncle, Yuanqiu.” Cui Yuanjiu placed the lunch on the stove, the shop was small, with no table.

Father Chen smelled the familiar aroma of the food, which was his wife’s cooking: “Did your Second Uncle send you with lunch?”

“When did you come back, Yuanjiu?” Chen Yuping asked.

“I just got back today. Second Uncle said the shop is very busy, that you don’t even have time to eat lunch, so I thought to bring Little Cao to the town to buy him some clothes and shoes, and I brought some food too. It’s cold, you need to eat it warm.”

Father Chen knew what was on his Dad Chen’s mind and added, “Ping ger, it won’t be busy in the afternoon. You and Yuanjiu take Little Cao to stroll around the town. He doesn’t know what size clothes and shoes Little Cao needs, plus, Little Cao misses you.”

“Little Cao will have new clothes to wear, how happy is he?” Chen Yuping teased his son, thinking how lovely he looked.

Regarding Cui Yuanjiu bringing clothes and food for the Chen family, the family had their own thoughts. They genuinely wanted Ping ger and him to become a couple. More importantly, Cui Yuanjiu wanted to repay a debt of gratitude. He had clearly stated that he wanted to treat the Chen family and Little Cao well, hoping they wouldn’t refuse. Little Cao’s grandfather was his master, who had treated him very well, and now that his master was gone, he felt even more responsible for Little Cao.

They had a whole afternoon to take their time strolling through the town.

Chen Yuping held Little Cao while Cui Yuanjiu walked beside him, and from a distance, they looked like a family of three.

“I bought the spices you mentioned last time, along with a few other things I thought might be useful. Take a look, if they’re needed, I’ll buy more next time. They’re rare in the town or county,” Cui Yuanjiu actively spoke to get closer to Ping ger.

He wasn’t naive, he could see that both of Chen elders hoped he would marry Ping ger.

Chen Yuping smiled and asked, “Where did you go this time? Tell me all about it.”

“This time, I didn’t go far, just to Yao City, which is next to Xiu City. Yao City is quite different, it’s very mixed and has a strong jianghu vibe. Most people living there come from all over, and everything from food to clothing to people is unique. It’s a particularly lively place.”

Cui Yuanjiu slowly recounted his experiences in Yao City. Though it wasn’t too far, he hadn’t wasted time on the road and arrived in about ten days. This trip took nearly two months because he had stayed in Yao City for over a month, but thankfully, he still completed the mission.

While strolling and talking, in the small town, Chen Yuping and Cui Yuanjiu spent more than an hour walking around.

Little Cao had fallen asleep, and when they returned to the shop, he had just woken up. Upon opening his eyes, he saw his dad and was clearly delighted, grinning like a little sun.

When they returned, Father Chen took his youngest son to close the shop. They should have closed an hour earlier since they had sold out of food, but the third son and Cui Yuanjiu hadn’t returned yet.

With two ox carts, Father Chen and his youngest son managed their own, while Chen Yuping and Cui Yuanjiu took care of the borrowed cart.

The two ox carts set off slowly from the town toward Kuzhu Village.

When Father Chen got home, noticing no one was paying attention, he wanted to make him happy, leaned toward his wife and told him how Ping ger and the young man from the Cui family had been strolling in the town for over an hour.

Dad Chen was indeed very pleased. As evening approached and it was time to prepare dinner, he pulled Ping ger into the back room, saying they were going to the vegetable garden to pick some vegetables, but in fact, he wanted to ask him what he thought.

“Ping ger, what do you think of Cui Yuanjiu? If you think it’s good, let him stay here tonight. He doesn’t have a home and lives in the deep mountains, and seems quite pitiful.” Dad Chen said, adding, “Don’t think I’m rushing. I want him to stay to see what kind of person he is.”

Chen Yuping laughed. He wasn’t a woman, even though he was a ger, he still felt like a man and didn’t care about reputation: “Let him stay. The room where second brother used to live can be tidied up for him. Starting tomorrow, he can go to town with me, let Father stay at home.”

“You have your mind made up, if anyone asks, just say we hired him as a helper.”

After dinner, the sky darkened.

Winter days are short, and nights come quickly.

Cui Yuanjiu was preparing to leave the Chen family when Dad Chen smiled and said, “It’s winter now, it’s inconvenient for you to live in the mountains. We have a spare room at home. If you’re willing, stay with us. We’ve been busy at home and could use an extra hand.”

Cui Yuanjiu didn’t rush to answer, he looked toward Ping ger, hesitating.

“If you want to stay, then stay,” Chen Yuping encouraged.

Cui Yuanjiu smiled brightly, beaming with joy. “Then I’ll have to bother you.” His eyes sparkled with happiness.

“Alright, I’ll go tidy up the room.” Dad Chen happily walked out, feeling that the matter was moving forward, his heart filled with joy.