Chapter 120.1

Four youngsters held hands and skipped over to Zhao Xianfeng’s doorstep, shouting inside, “Uncle Zhao, Aunt Zhou, Xiao Yu, we’ve come to wish you a Happy New Year!”

Xiao Yu had just gotten up for breakfast when he heard Fantuan calling out to him. He dropped his chopsticks and hurried to the door. “Da Bao, Xiao Bao, Xiao Fantuan, Xiao Doubao! You’re all here!”

Fantuan handed over the sponge cake and said, “For you, this is made by my mom. Wishing you all the best!”

Zhao Xianfeng and Zhou Yuhua also stepped out, and seeing the spirited children, their faces lit up instantly.

The four cubs clasped their fists and loudly bid their New Year’s greetings, as if in training. Their voices were neat and uniform, clear and powerful: “Uncle Zhao and Aunt Zhou, Happy New Year, and we wish you all the best!”

This was exactly what Zhao Xianfeng wanted, feeling like the entire courtyard had come alive. “Very good, everyone. Happy New Year, and may everything go smoothly for you too!”

Xiao Yu stepped forward, like offering a “treasure,” and said, “Mom, since you didn’t make sponge cakes, look at what Aunt Su made. I’m sure Aunt Su knew I wanted some and sent them over. They smell delicious! “

Zhou Yuhua looked at her son angrily and said, “Alright, alright, I know Aunt Su cares for you. Come here, children, Aunt Zhou will give you red envelopes.”

Zhou Yuhua and Zhao Xianfeng smiled and handed out red envelopes one by one.

The cubs received red envelopes and loudly said thank you.

Xiao Doubao happily placed the red envelope into his chicken-patterned backpack. Zhou Yuhua couldn’t resist lifting the adorable Xiao Doubao and giving him a kiss, then she went inside and grabbed a handful of candies from the “Eight Treasures” box and stuffed them into his little bag.

Xiao Doubao, who was sensible, felt a bit embarrassed and said, “Aunt Zhou, it’s too much, I only need one.”

Zhou Yuhua touched the child’s head and said, Don’t be polite to Aunt Zhou. Your mom also gave Xiao Yu such a big piece of sponge cake, so take your time eating these.”

Xiao Doubao shyly said thank you, but Zhou Yuhua was still reluctant to let him go, so she held onto him for a bit longer.

Xiao Yu brought his friends into the house, and the children gathered around, chattering and talking. Zhao Xianfeng sighed. “Now, this feels like the New Year.”

Zhao Xianfeng touched Zhou Yuhua’s arm and said, “When will we have another one?”

Zhou Yuhua slapped him on the arm and whispered, “Why are you talking about this in front of the kids during the Chinese New Year?”

Zhao Xianfeng said, “Which family in the entire military region doesn’t have many children? Is it reasonable for us to have only one child?”

Zhou Yuhua immediately retorted, “Yali doesn’t belong to our military district, does she? She also has only one child! Anyway, if you want to have another, go ahead and have it yourself.”

Zhao Xianfeng pinched her chin and gritted his teeth. “You, this unreasonable woman, do you think I would beg you if I could bear a child?”

“Ouch!” Zhou Yuhua slapped his hand and glared. “Let go!”

Zhao Xianfeng released his grip and said, “I didn’t squeeze hard. Does it hurt?”

Zhou Yuhua reached for his ear, causing Zhao Xianfeng to wince in pain. “Ow, ow, ow, let go!”

The children glanced over as Zhou Yuhua casually released her hand, which was twisting Zhao Xianfeng’s ears, even patting Zhao Xianfeng’s ear while smiling kindly at the kids. “Children, go get some snacks from the fruit tray. Take whatever you like.”

Zhao Xianfeng gritted his teeth and whispered, “I’ll get back to you tonight!”

Zhou Yuhua reached out to hit him again.

Xiao Yu took his friends to get something to eat, and the kids were not greedy either. They just took candy or a piece of cake. Xiao Doubao, with his eyes squinted, patted his own little chicken-shaped backpack. “I don’t want any, Aunt Zhou packed a lot for me.”

Xiao Yu still stuffed a cookie into his hand and said: “There’s only so much delicious food during the Chinese New Year. After the holiday, there won’t be candies and snacks here anymore. If there’s something to eat, you have to eat it quickly!”

The kids happily munched on their snacks, and, noticing the time, Xiao Fantuan said, “Xiao Yu, let’s go. We’ll visit my parents and have lunch at our place. My mom’s making that Buddha’s Delight. It sounds delicious, and we’ve never tried it.”

Xiao Yu looked envious and said, “Everything Aunt Su does is delicious, but what is Buddha’s delight?”

Xiao Fantuan and the other kids shook their heads and said, “I don’t know, it’s also our first time eating Buddha’s delight.”

Xiao Yu turned to ask Zhou Yuhua, “Mom, what are we having for lunch?”

Zhou Yuhua was still playfully bantering with Zhao Xianfeng, “We’re having radishes and cabbage today.”

Xiao Yu immediately took his friend’s hand when he heard what they were having for lunch: “I don’t want to eat radish and cabbage. I’m going to my Aunt Su’s house to eat Buddha’s delight. Let’s go, let’s go, hurry!”

Zhao Xianfeng picked up his son, hugged him in his arms, and said: “No, you can’t go. It’s been a while since our house became this lively. Da Bao, Xiao Bao, Fantuan, and Xiao Doubao, all of you stay and have lunch here. There’s Xiao Roubao and Xiao Tangyuan at your home. Stay and keep Uncle Zhao company.”

The four kids exchanged glances, shaking their heads unanimously. Fantuan said, “Uncle Zhao, my dad’s on duty today. Mom’s alone at home and needs help with taking care of my younger siblings. We have to go home and help mom.”

The other three cubs kept nodding. It was true that they didn’t want to stay to eat radish and cabbage! It’s not like they wanted to go home to eat the Buddha’s delight at home! It was because they wanted to help take care of their younger brother and sister!

Zhou Yuhua chuckled and said to them, “Buddha’s delight is just radishes and cabbage. It’s the same wherever you eat it.”

The three older kids didn’t want to hurt Aunt Zhou’s feelings, so they stayed quiet. Only Xiao Doubao, who didn’t understand what it meant to be worldly wise, strongly disagreed and expressed his opinion: “My mother makes the best food, and everything she makes is the best!”

Zhou Yuhua bent down and pinched his cute little face. “You haven’t tasted Aunt Zhou’s cooking, how do you know it’s not good?”

Xiao Doubao blinked. “Aunt Zhou, I didn’t say your cooking isn’t good, I haven’t even tasted it. But I just prefer what my mom makes.”

Zhou Yuhua: “…”

Alright, Su Xiaoxiao’s cooking skills were indeed much better than hers.

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Buddha’s Delight