Chapter 60: Changed

In recent days, Hu Yao did not go to bother Lin Zhaodi, and she was also very obedient and did not go out to sell things. Even if she went to town to buy some small items, she would only go to the wine shop.

This made Jiang Han very satisfied.

He was going to go out for a while, and he couldn’t stay home to watch over them and their son. It was good that she was so “well-behaved.”

This wasn’t the first time he’d traveled far, but for some reason, before Hu Yao recovered, he was just worried and distressed. Now that she’s recovered, he has a feeling of both reassurance and unease, a strange contradiction. It seemed that Jiang Fuchao could make him feel more at ease.

The mother and son didn’t know about his contradiction. They were still playing on the swing in the yard. This was their daily routine.

Jiang Xiaochao loved his little cow. A few days ago, there was a little rain, and he kept pestering Jiang Han to build a home for his little cow. He didn’t want his little cow to get wet, and he said in a soft and sweet voice that his little cow would get sick if it got wet. He was so considerate.

Jiang Han was speechless. Seeing him being more concerned about the cow than his own father, he was not happy. He told him to get lost, but the next day, he was annoyed by his persistence and built a simple cowshed next to the swing in the courtyard wall for his precious little cow.

Every day, except for the fixed time to take his little cow to graze at the foot of the mountain, Jiang Xiaochao even wanted to bring his little cow with him when he went to play with his friends.

His friends were envious of him having a cow. He was the only one who had one.

When the cow was first bought, he strutted around with his chin held high, showing it off to everyone. He was so proud.

Ever since he gave Jiang Han the milk the cow had drunk, Jiang Han couldn’t stand seeing him and his cow together.

It was the same now.

The mother and son were swinging on the swing, smiling and talking, a heartwarming and joyful scene. It should have been a pleasant sight.

Except that Jiang Fuchao was eating a half-eaten biscuit and gave the other half to his precious cow.

He had never seen a cow get such good treatment, having biscuits to eat.

The cow didn’t eat it, it just licked it twice.

“Dad, you eat it?”

“Go away!”

Jiang Han felt that Jiang Fuchao needed a good beating. He was only so generous to him now!

He only wanted to give him the part the cow didn’t eat. Didn’t he think of his mother now?

Heh, a useless son, so filial!

Hu Yao’s eyes twinkled with amusement. Now, seeing this scene, she didn’t feel the same anxiety and fear as before. She even found it a bit funny.

Because she knew that Jiang Han wouldn’t do anything to Jiang Xiaochao.

“I’m going out for a few days. You two stay home and behave yourselves, understand?” Jiang Han looked at her smiling eyes, and after a moment, he spoke, giving them the usual instructions.

In the past, whether they understood or not, he would stand in front of them and say it anyway.

It was pretty good. He had made progress. In the past, when he spoke, the two of them would play with their fingers, talk in whispers, and eat biscuits. He never saw them listen to him seriously. Every time he left, he wanted to beat them up before he left.

It was different now that he was better. He could listen now.

Jiang Han looked at Hu Yao’s focused eyes listening to him, and his heart softened for a moment. Then he saw Jiang Fuchao, who was still eating the cow-licked biscuit, and he turned away in disgust.

“If you need anything, go to Tang, Song… Forget it, go to the old lady.” He continued to instruct.

“I know.” Hu Yao nodded, hesitating for a moment, “How long are you going for? Do you need to pack anything?”

This was the first time he had been treated like this when he went out. It was strange. Jiang Han couldn’t describe the strange feeling in his heart, but he obviously felt satisfied. He naturally took her hand and patted away the crumbs that hadn’t been cleaned up yet. “Just pack a couple of clothes.”

“Oh.” Hu Yao waited for him to pat her hand clean before retracting it.

Now, he would always clean her hands when he saw them dirty.

“Dad, pat my hands too.” Jiang Xiaochao finished the last bite of his biscuit, raised his little hand, and naturally asked Jiang Han to pat it clean.

Jiang Han slapped him, telling him to go away.

Jiang Xiaochao puffed up his cheeks, unhappy, and ran over to rub himself on Jiang Han’s pants.

“Jiang Fuchao! You’re itching for a beating again!” Jiang Han’s face darkened.

Jiang Fuchao, having done his mischief, ran away before Jiang Han could beat him. He was still happily showing off a mischievous little smile.

Seeing his bad mood again, Hu Yao bent down and reached out to pat his pants clean. “I’ll talk to him later…”

“Talk your head off!” Jiang Han glared at her, annoyed.

When had she ever talked to Jiang Fuchao? She held him in her mouth for fear of melting! She would talk to him later! She would hold him in her arms and kiss him later!

“I’ll stew his cow when I make dinner later!”

Jiang Xiaochao, who had already stepped out the door with one foot, heard this and stopped smiling. He immediately ran back nervously. “No, no!”

“Dad, I’m back! You beat me! I’m so annoying, how can I be such a kid!”

“Are you going to beat my butt or my feet? The stick is here!”

To prevent Jiang Han from doing anything to his precious little cow, he brought over the cane that Jiang Han usually used to beat him.

“Heh, you’re quite eager.” Jiang Han glanced at him.

Hu Yao didn’t know what to say about this.

…

The next day, Jiang Han took the mother and son to the county.

Jiang Xiaochao knew they were going to play, and he was so happy. He told Jiang Han again that he wanted to bring his little cow with him.

Jiang Han told him to stay home with the cow and not go anywhere.

“We’re all going to play, it’s so pitiful for it to stay home alone.” Jiang Xiaochao had many reasons.

“I can beat you up so you can be pitiful and have company with it!” Jiang Han rolled his eyes, already impatient. Ever since he bought this cow, it had been annoying him all day long.

“What are you wearing? Change it! Who are you showing your legs to!” He turned around and saw Hu Yao in new clothes.

He paused, then his gaze slid down to the small section of her white, bare calf, and his face pulled down again.

“It’s ugly.”

Hu Yao pursed her lips and glanced down at herself. She didn’t think it was ugly.

The new dress was very pretty, the fabric and workmanship were both good, and it fit her figure well. She thought it was great, unlike what he said.

This was the first time she’d bought something with her own money after she stopped helping Lin Zhaodi pay him back. She really liked it.

What woman doesn’t love beauty and pretty clothes? She saw this dress when she went shopping with Jiang Xiaochao the other day and really liked it. She saved up for a while before buying it.

He said he was going to take her and Jiang Xiaochao to the county to drink at a wedding. She had to dress decently when going out, so she changed into this dress.

“No, I like it.” Hu Yao didn’t want to change.

Jiang Han’s face turned black. Great, yesterday he said she should be obedient, and today she’s giving him this!

“You can wear it all messy and dirty at home for me to see, but when you go out you wear it all fancy for others to see! Do you believe I’ll beat you flat!” He was increasingly annoyed.

“Do you think you’re still in your teens or twenties? Change it!”