Chapter 137

Xiao Doubao and Zhang Chunying were in the room, taking care of the younger cubs.

Fantuan had drunk ginger soup and was now enjoying a scrubbing service from Xiao Bao and Da Bao. One was using ginger to scrub his back, and the other was pouring water on his shoulders with a ladle, afraid of him getting cold. He was so comfortable that he didn’t want to get up. “Xiao Bao, on the left, on the left. Da Bao, the right side is a bit itchy; press a bit harder.”

Normally, Fantuan couldn’t reach his own back, but now Da Bao was scrubbing off a layer of old mud.

Li Yufeng, seeing him taking so long, shouted from outside, “Fantuan, put on your clothes and come out when your body is warm. Don’t wait until the water cools down and you freeze.”

“I know, Grandma!” Xiao Bao kept adding hot water to the wooden tub, along with white wine and ginger. Xiao Fantuan’s face turned rosy from the steam; he was already warm, just too comfortable to get up.

However, soaking for so long was enough. Xiao Fantuan wiped his body by himself, Da Bao helped him dry his hair, and Xiao Bao assisted in putting on his clothes. It was truly a day of enjoyment.

Da Bao said, “Fantuan, I was scared when you dived. The river is deep, and people have drowned here before. Next time, let’s wait for the adults, okay?” Da Bao was the big brother, and he was afraid of water, keeping a respectful distance from rivers and lakes.

Xiao Fantuan thought for a moment and said, “How deep can it be compared to the ocean? I swam with Dad in the deep sea and dived into the sea. Dad took me down, but we couldn’t reach the seabed. There’s no oxygen in the sea, so we had to resurface for air after a while. If you’re not careful, you might get entangled in seaweed, possibly buried at the bottom of the sea. That’s why Dad always says never to underestimate mountains and rivers, always respect the ocean, and respect nature, because we never know how deep the sea is. Human strength is tiny before nature, and that feeling of possibly being swallowed by the ocean in the next second is still frightening.

So, I’m scared too. The situation just now was critical, and the river was narrow. Even without your bamboo support, I could have reached the shore with a simple kick. Even if I couldn’t save anyone, I would be fine. Don’t worry; I won’t act recklessly.”

Xiao Bao used to think Fantuan was the smartest child he had ever met. After this incident, he began to admire Fantuan. Not only was he intelligent, but his decisiveness and strategic thinking in times of crisis were also worth learning. Despite being younger than Da Bao and himself, Fantuan didn’t immediately think of seeking help from adults. In a short time, he made the best arrangements. If they had waited for adults to rescue them, Liu Shuixian might have already drowned. Fantuan, without hesitation, jumped into the icy river to save her. Even when they prevented him from going in because of the cold water, the courage he displayed and the impact it had on Xiao Bao were unforgettable. Xiao Bao felt that he would never forget this experience in his entire life.

The bathroom door opened, and both Grandma and Mom were waiting outside. Fantuan, with a slight smile and his eyes squinted, said, “Grandma, Mom, you don’t need to worry. I’m fine now, and I feel warm.”

Li Yufeng lifted Fantuan with force, rubbing his head against her shoulder, and said, “Grandma’s Xiao Fantuan, you’re quite brave, my child.”

After Fantuan turned seven, except for his father, who occasionally hugged him, the rest of the family rarely hugged him anymore. As he grew up, he became heavy, and his mother couldn’t even carry him anymore.

“Grandma, I’m fine. I’m too heavy. Please let me down.”

Li Yufeng touched the child’s forehead to make sure he was okay before gently putting him down. “You’re still a child. Don’t do this again, okay?”

In reality, Fantuan was thinking that if he faced a similar situation again, he would still choose to help. Born and raised in a military family, with parents who were dedicated military doctors and grandparents who were also military personnel, he couldn’t stand by when someone needed help. However, to reassure Li Yufeng, Fantuan smiled and said, “Okay, Grandma, I understand.”

Su Xiaoxiao listened attentively to the conversation between Fantuan and the little ones. She couldn’t help but notice that Fantuan had grown into a sturdy young man, much like his father. It seemed like just yesterday when he used to be a cute and playful little Tuanzi in her arms.

Recalling the first time she met Fantuan a few years ago, he was dark and thin. He was wary of the world, but with time, he thrived. He was naturally innocent and just, smart and kind, with a strong sense of responsibility—a little angel that everyone wanted to bring home.

But as she raised this little angel, he grew up, turning into a resolute young man. Despite his still innocent smile and lingering childish features, after all, he was only nine years old.

Su Xiaoxiao, with teary eyes, hugged her child and said, “You scared Mom to death, do you know that?”

As a military family member, she knows that it is only natural for her child to act bravely in the face of justice. Her son was the child of a soldier, and she should be proud to have raised him this way. But as a mother, all she wanted was her child’s safety. Standing at the crossroads of these conflicting emotions, she found it impossible to discuss the right and wrong of the situation with her child. He had already handled the situation well, and she could only focus on the relief that he was safe. Even if he was only nine, she knew he had done his best.

Su Xiaoxiao continued, “Come, bring Da Bao and Xiao Bao over. Let Auntie hug you.”

Da Bao and Xiao Bao went closer, and Su Xiaoxiao affectionately patted their heads. “You’re all brave and wonderful children, but remember, no matter what you do in the future, the top priority is to ensure your own safety. If you encounter similar dangers, always seek help from adults first instead of risking yourself. You’re still children, and before the age of eighteen, you should avoid such risky situations. Can you promise me that?”

In Su Xiaoxiao’s eyes, the primary task for her children was to grow up safely. Safety always came first. Once they turned eighteen and could make their own decisions, she would respect their choices.

Da Bao and Xiao Bao replied, “Yes, Auntie.”

Fantuan held onto Su Xiaoxiao and rubbed against her. He knew he might have frightened his mom.

“Mom, I’m fine and I know what I’m doing. I exercise with Dad every day, and it’s good for my health. I even wanted to go winter swimming in the sea, but Dad wouldn’t allow it. I promised him that I would protect you and my younger siblings when he’s not at home, and I won’t break my promise.”

Su Xiaoxiao hugged the child tightly, understanding that raising a child was a hundred years of worry.

“You still want to go winter swimming? Fantuan, you’re just a nine-year-old child. There are things you can’t resist against absolute strength. For example, your second uncle can easily lift a load of a hundred kilograms of rice, but you can’t because you’re still small. Having a correct understanding of your strength is also what a real man does. So, in the future, when you encounter such things, can you leave it to the adults to handle?”

When facing danger, Su Xiaoxiao and Han Cheng had entirely different approaches to educating their children. Su Xiaoxiao teaches children to stay away from danger and not to approach it. Han Cheng, on the other hand, teaches children how to face danger directly. He has them climb trees at the age of five, swim at the age of eight, and personally take them up trees or dives into the sea to show them where the danger is and how to avoid it when in dangerous situations.

These two philosophies didn’t conflict; otherwise, they wouldn’t have raised a child like Fantuan.

Fantuan shook his head and said, “No more swimming, it’s too cold in the winter. I’m not going to endure that suffering. Mom, I know, I really understand. I judged that it was safe before going down. Don’t you believe me? Hurry up and roast the pig trotters; I haven’t eaten the ones you cook in a long time. Oh no, I forgot the straw.”

Fantuan knew his mother was worried about him, so he hugged Su Xiaoxiao and rubbed against him again and again.

Li Yufeng had already walked outside and said, “I’ll go get the straw. Fantuan, you should have another bowl of ginger soup, and Da Bao and Xiao Bao should also drink it. Everyone should go inside and stay warm.”

Cubs: “Yes, grandma.”

Li Yufeng quickly brought back a bundle of straw. After lighting it, Su Xiaoxiao placed the whole pig trotter on top to roast. She let it cook until the pigskin turned slightly black, emitting a fragrant aroma mixed with the scent of straw. Su Xiaoxiao then soaked the pig trotter in warm water and gently scraped off the charred parts.

The aroma attracted the kids, who came over to watch Su Xiaoxiao cook the pig trotter.

Li Yufeng thought they were getting in the way and promptly ushered them back inside.

Su Xiaoxiao wasn’t skilled with a knife; Li Yufeng was in charge of chopping the pig trotter. After cutting it open, it filled an entire plate. Li Yufeng looked at it and felt a twinge of pain, thinking about how Fantuan had fallen into the water and needed to be replenished.

In the pot, oil was heated, and white sugar was added and melted. The blanched pig trotters were tossed in, stirring to coat them with the caramelized sugar. An appropriate amount of water was added, along with soy sauce and salt for seasoning. Finally, ginger slices, star anise, and a handful of knotted green onions were added. The lid was placed, and it was brought to a boil over high heat before simmering over low heat for about half an hour. Then, it was transferred to a clay pot lined with wood ear mushrooms, and daylily, continuing to simmer over a charcoal fire.

Almost an hour later, it was brought to the table along with the charcoal stove.

The braised pig trotters were so tender that they fell off the bone, and the scorched pig skin carried the fragrance of straw. After deboning, it was mashed, mixed with some broth, and served over rice. Xiao Roubao needed no encouragement, and even Xiao Tangyuan ate more than half a bowl of rice.

Li Yufeng insisted that Fantuan eat two more pieces, saying it was for his well-being. Initially reluctant, Fantuan had no choice but to accept his grandmother’s kind intentions.

Su Weimin and Su Zhenhua went to the commune for a meeting, so they were unaware of what had happened. Su Xiaoxiao and the others decided not to bring up the matter again.

………

On the other side, Yang Lin didn’t hide anything from Yang Nanhuai and Dong Mingyue. He even mentioned Fantuan jumping into the water to save Liu Shuixian.

Dong Mingyue’s face turned cold and she said, “Lin’er, I have to make it clear. Even if you remain single for a lifetime, you cannot marry someone like her. Bringing home someone who lacks self-respect and dignity is a disaster. From now on, I will follow you wherever you go. I don’t believe she’ll dare to show her face again.”

Originally, they thought that the status of Liu Shuixian being a widow could be overlooked if she had a good character. Little did they expect her to resort to such actions to achieve her goals, causing Fantuan to rescue her in such cold weather.

Yang Nanhuai asked, “Are you sure Fantuan is okay? Don’t let him catch pneumonia in this cold weather.”

Yang Lin replied, “After I dropped him off at the Su family, he immediately took a hot bath. The Su family’s second daughter-in-law also made ginger soup for him. Fantuan looks sturdy, so he should be fine.”

Yang Nanhuai and Dong Mingyue were extremely worried about Fantuan, anxious like ants on a hot pan. However, they were afraid of causing trouble for the Su family, so they decided to send Yang Lin to inquire about the situation.

Since Fantuan couldn’t recognize Yang Lin, they believed it wouldn’t lead to any trouble.

The presentable items at home were all gifts from Han Cheng. Dong Mingyue felt it was unnecessary to return them. After thinking about it, she made some candied apples and oranges at home and asked Yang Lin to send them to the children after everyone had eaten their dinner.