Chapter 128.1

Xiao Zhuzi looked at his soft and sweet little sister, feeling warm inside. He reached out and picked up Xiao Tangyuan, saying, “Does my sister like the jade pendant that Big Brother has? Then Big Brother will give it to you.”

Su Xiaoxiao intervened and said, “Zhuzi, your younger sister is still young, giving her things makes it easy for her to break or lose them. You should wear them yourself.”

Su Xiaoxiao tried to take it from Xiao Tangyuan’s hand to give it back to Xiao Zhuzi.

But unexpectedly, Xiao Tangyuan held onto it tightly, her big grape-like eyes looking at her mother with confusion, as if saying, “Mom, why are you trying to take my things?”

Su Xiaoxiao said, “Xiao Tangyuan, this is something your older brother’s grandmother left for him. How about returning it to him?”

Xiao Tangyuan understood what her mommy said, she looked at the Ping An Kou in her hand, then at his mother. He flattened his mouth and grabbed the rope with a look of wanting to cry or not. ^[1]The Ping An Kou is a Chinese symbol of peace, protection, and well-being, believed to ward off negative energy and bring good fortune. At the present time, it is often a gift between lovers for … Continue reading

Xiao Zhuzi felt sorry for her and took the Ping An Kou from Xiao Tangyuan, putting it around her neck. “Aunt Su, it’s okay. Giving one to my sister can be considered me  wishing her peace and safety.”

Xiao Tangyuan, content with her new possession, held onto the smooth jade pendant. Whenever Xiao Zhuzi carried her or played with her, she liked grabbing the jade pendant around his neck. Now that the jade pendant was on her neck, Xiao Tangyuan was so happy and refused to let go of it.

Dundun’s grandma smiled and said, “Our Xiao Tangyuan has good taste. Ping An Kou means peace and safety. Grow up quickly.”

Yali also said, “They are all their own children, and everyone wears them the same.”

Su Xiaoxiao remembered that Li Yufeng had also given her a Ping An Kou. She wore it for a while, but it became inconvenient to wear. She was always worried about losing it, so she stopped wearing it. The Ping An Kou that Xiao Tangyuan is wearing was something Grandma Zhuzi left for Xiao Zhuzi. It has sentimental value. Xiao Tangyuan naturally shouldn’t take it.

After thinking for a moment, Su Xiaoxiao turned around and went back to her room.

Xiao Fantuan and Xiao Doubao were very sad when they saw their younger siblings choose things from Xiao Yu and Xiao Zhuzi instead of their own. Their little brother is a foodie and can’t resist food when he sees it. Choosing the Big Apple was unavoidable, but Xiao Tangyuan wasn’t like that at all. Fantuan had cleverly drawn a big red flower, shouldn’t his sister like it?

Xiao Fantuan took Xiao Tangyuan from Xiao Zhuzi’s hands and rubbed her forehead with his own. “Little sister, don’t you like flowers? Why don’t you choose the flowers that your brother painted?” He regretted not picking a real flower from the vegetable garden. What a mistake!

Xiao Doubao also asked, “Sister, don’t you like your brother’s little chicken backpack? You also love to hear your brother sing while happily going to school with the backpack. Why not choose this?”

Xiao Tangyuan bit her pink fingers, curled his eyes, and just smiled, not giving any response.

Su Xiaoxiao took out the Ping An Kou given to her by Li Yufeng, removed Xiao Zhuzi’s jade pendant from Xiao Tangyuan’s neck, and put it back on Xiao Zhuzi’s neck. She then replaced it with the one given by Li Yufeng, hanging it around Xiao Tangyuan’s neck. “There we go, now both Xiao Tangyuan and Zhuzi brother have peace charms. Let’s grow up together peacefully.”

Xiao Tangyuan grabbed her small jade pendant and touched it, then glanced at his brother’s. She happily revealed a small dimple, expressing her satisfaction.

The birthday celebration was just a formality, a way to bring everyone together. Su Xiaoxiao asked Han Cheng to bring out the freshly baked egg cake, cut it into small pieces, and share it with everyone.

The cake, soft and moist from the “oven,” melted in the mouth, rich with the aroma of eggs and a hint of slight crispiness on the surface. Both adults and children loved it, praising it endlessly, even Xiao Roubao and Xiao Tangyuan enjoyed it.

After finishing a piece of cake, the little ones still felt it wasn’t enough, but that was all there was.

After finishing the chicken cake, it was time to go home and go to work. Busy days could only be briefly interrupted for such gatherings.

…………..

A few days later, it was the first day of school. Eight-year-old Xiao Fantuan and nine-year-old Xiao Zhuzi were already fourth graders, while eight-year-old Xiao Yu and Dun Dun had just entered the second grade.

In previous years, many primary schools had switched to a five-year system, but in the military area, they still followed the traditional six-year system.

Before school started, Han Cheng asked the children’s opinions and planned to exchange Huahua for a small hen that would lay eggs. He explained the chicken’s lifespan to them, emphasizing that without exchanging, it might age without laying eggs.

“Dad, if we don’t exchange, will someone else eat the Huahua?” asked Xiao Fantuan.

For the children, this was a heavy topic; to delve deeper, it was the destiny of all poultry, destined to end up on people’s dinner tables. Han Cheng didn’t want to deceive the children and nodded. “All poultry and livestock are like this. When weak-bodied people eat them, their health improves, fulfilling the purpose of their existence.”

Fantuan and Zhuzi, being older, had raised Hua Hua with their own hands. They understood Han Cheng’s meaning. Xiao Doubao, being younger, loved Hua Hua the most. He pressed his lips tightly, not wanting Dad to take Hua Hua away.

Su Xiaoxiao held the cub in his arms. It’s difficult for such a young child to understand something so profound: “Xiao Doubao, do you remember how many days Hua Hua hasn’t laid eggs? She needs to rest. Let’s have Dad change it to a little hen similar to Hua Hua and come back to take over her job, okay?”

Although Xiao Doubao was reluctant, he agreed and said goodbye to Hua Hua before letting his father take him away.

The next day, Han Cheng came back with a little hen that looked similar to Hua Hua and had spots on its tail. The cubs decided not to change its name and still called it Hua Hua.

After some investigation, Xiao Doubao found that she seemed to be the same old Hua Hua, just a bit smaller and cleverer. He wasn’t sad anymore.

Children have short memories. Balancing school, looking after their increasingly mischievous younger brother, and protecting their delicate sister, they soon forgot about Hua Hua.

Time quickly arrived in February 1975, and soon it was the Spring Festival of another year.

Time quickly passed to February 1975, and the Chinese New Year was approaching.

Han Cheng’s project team had to report their work in the capital. Zhuzi’s family also planned to reunite with their grandfather in the capital. With no one next door to take care of things, Han Cheng thought for a moment and wrote a detailed work report. He intended to give it to the director of the project, who had the knowledge to represent him. However, this meant he wouldn’t be able to take an extended leave this year and would have to stay on duty at the hospital during the spring festival.

Li Yufeng could bring Da Bao and Xiao Bao to celebrate the New Year, but because Su Xiaoxiao had given birth to twins, she hadn’t seen her father and other family members for two years. No one else in the family had seen the twins either, and Su Xiaoxiao really wanted to take them back for a visit. She was in a dilemma.