Chapter 28: The Plan

Qin Huai set down the ointment and once again reminded Su Nianmei of the precautions for applying it before leaving with his basket.

Su Nianmei tidied up, changing into a neat outfit for both herself and Gu Xiaobao before heading out.

She took Gu Xiaobao on a bus to the city, bringing along some small items that others had gifted during Xiaobao’s hospital stay, which weren’t very useful, intending to exchange them at the market for some cash. She also planned to buy a few winter clothes for Xiaobao.

She had previously inquired about it and learned that a small market was open all day next to the largest shopping mall in Jiaan City, the Baimao Center, specifically for trading second-hand goods.

Gu Xiaobao followed Su Nianmei off the bus, and after walking for quite a while, they finally reached the mall. The child was drenched in sweat, and all this time, he wouldn’t let Su Nianmei carry him.

Su Nianmei first took Gu Xiaobao to buy clothes in the mall. Although it was said to be the biggest mall, it was only two stories high.

There were also some small vendors in front selling food and toys.

Su Nianmei bought a bag of boiled peanuts for the little one.

At first, he was reluctant to eat, clutching the bag to his chest as if it were a treasure.

Su Nianmei removed a peanut, cracked it open, and pulled out a peanut kernel. “Ah—”

Only then did Gu Xiaobao open his mouth and take a couple of bites.

Su Nianmei also popped one into her mouth, and the juice from the boiled peanut burst out, rich and fragrant. “Sweetheart, is it good?”

Gu Xiaobao chewed on the small peanut, nodding his little head. He then dug another peanut out from the bag in his arms. “Mom, you eat.”

The elderly man selling peanuts watched the interaction between mother and son, almost feeling the urge to give the child some more peanuts, but he managed to hold himself back.

Su Nianmei held Gu Xiaobao’s hand and strolled around the mall. The first floor mainly sold daily necessities, while the second floor was for clothing.

After some difficulty, they finally found a few children’s clothing stores. Su Nianmei didn’t want to leave, as although the styles weren’t very diverse, Gu Xiaobao looked so cute that she wanted him to try on each piece.

They finally settled on a yellow cotton coat with a little tiger hat, black cotton pants, and black tiger-head slippers, along with a set of clothes that was currently in demand for the child.

Once dressed, the little guy looked quite adorable, exuding a charming tiger-like vibe, and even the shop staff commented that he resembled a doll from a traditional Chinese painting, looking exceptionally handsome.

Su Nianmei would have loved to buy a few more outfits for Gu Xiaobao if it hadn’t been for their tight budget.

As they passed by a wool shop, Su Nianmei spotted a nice-looking scarf that she wanted to buy for Gu Xichao.

However, when she asked about the price, it turned out to be beyond what they could afford at the moment.

In the end, she decided to buy a few balls of yarn, planning to knit scarves for the father and son when she got home.

Now that she received a salary each month, their lives should have been a bit more comfortable.

However, Gu Xichao had recently told her that he might be transferred to Kyoto, meaning he might not be able to hold onto this job for long. They needed to save money and live frugally while she also planned for their future.

Wearing his new clothes, the little guy walked with an air of pride, strutting confidently in his new shoes ahead of Su Nianmei. He frequently stopped to lift his foot and look back at her. “Mom, do my new shoes look good?”

Su Nianmei found it somewhat amusing and nodded.

“They look great! Baby’s the best-looking!”

With Su Nianmei’s affirmation, the little guy turned back and continued walking.

The small market was bustling with people and quite chaotic.

Gu Xiaobao’s sharp eyes spotted someone and shouted, “Brother!”

Su Nianmei turned in the direction of the voice to see a tall boy with a bamboo basket on his back, looking a bit frail amidst the crowd.

Qin Huai waved his hand shyly, a gentle smile on his face.

“Su Jie, Xiaobao.”

Qin Huai squatted down, and Gu Xiaobao climbed into his lap, using his hands to pinch the small bamboo basket and peek inside. “Brother, you have more books again!”

Su Nianmei smiled and asked, “Qin Huai, are you here to buy books?”

Qin Huai protected Gu Xiaobao’s back, making sure he didn’t fall and chuckled. “The second-hand books here are cheaper than those in the bookstore; if you’re lucky, there might be notes written by previous readers.”

“Su Jie, are you here to sell things? I know this place well. I’m going to buy a few books anyway, so I can help you sell your stuff along the way.”

Thinking about having to manage a child, Su Nianmei replied, “Then I’ll have to trouble you.”

Qin Huai stood up, took Gu Xiaobao’s hand, glanced at the items Su Nianmei wanted to sell, and led them as they chatted. He would mention which stall had good items and which one was cheaper.

Su Nianmei laughed, “I didn’t realize you were the king of the small market, Xiao Qin.”

At first, Qin Huai didn’t understand, but his face turned beet red as he slowly got it.

After Qin Huai helped Su Nianmei sell her items, she noticed it was still early in the day, so she decided to accompany him and Gu Xiaobao to the place where he bought books.

As soon as Qin Huai entered, he greeted the owner. “Hello, Grandpa!”

Su Nianmei followed Qin Huai inside, reminding Gu Xiaobao not to touch anything before entering.

The person at the door was an elderly man, over eighty years old but still quite vigorous. “Xiao Qin, you finally made it! I’ve received some new books since you last came, and I saved them all for you!”

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Qin Huai smiled and said, “Grandpa, I’ve been busy at home and haven’t had a chance to come visit you.”

The old man began to stack the books into piles while Qin Huai browsed through them.

Su Nianmei stood beside him, watching.

As she flipped through the materials, familiar yet vague knowledge points danced before her eyes.

She studied science in high school, and seeing these materials felt familiar and comforting.

Qin Huai squatted nearby, carefully selecting books.

His serious demeanor reminded Su Nianmei of her high school days.

It was a time filled with passion and hope, vibrant and spirited!

A thought flashed through her mind.

When Gu Xichao returned in the evening, he noticed a stack of books on the desk in their bedroom. Upon closer inspection, he saw they were all filled with problems and textbooks.

As Su Nianmei entered the bedroom, she saw Gu Xichao flipping through the books on the table.

Realizing she needed something from him, she greeted him with a smile, “You’re back!”

She set down what she was carrying and rushed over to squeeze Gu Xichao’s shoulder.

Gu Xichao was a bit taken aback, raising his eyes to see Su Nianmei’s profile and the exposed skin of her neck.

Suddenly, a phrase popped into his mind—*white as fat*.

Upon closer inspection, he could see the tiny hairs on her skin, so delicate that they seemed to glisten with moisture.

His little wife had just finished showering, her hair wrapped in a towel and smelled delightful.

Gu Xichao raised an eyebrow. “What good news do you have?”

Su Nianmei smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Guess!”

Gu Xichao casually kissed her small hand lightly: “What if I can’t guess?”

Feeling a bit shy, Su Nianmei pulled her hand back, but Gu Xichao held it in his palm, his fingers gently tapping on the back of her hand. “If you can’t guess, it means you’re silly!”

Gu Xichao held her restless hand and rubbed it against his chin. “Hmm, I’m silly.”

Su Nianmei’s hand brushed against his stubble, and whether it was her hand or heart that felt restless, a strange sensation made her feel flustered. She quickly withdrew her hand and placed it on the stack of books instead.

“Alright, I’m going to start talking to you about something serious now.”

Gu Xichao responded earnestly with a brief “Hmm,” sitting up straight.

Su Nianmei leaned against the table, her feet resting against the legs of the chair. “Don’t be so serious. Actually, I—I want to take the college entrance exam and go to university. The registration for this year’s exam hasn’t started yet, and I want to give it a try.”

She paused, trying to recall the dozens of ways she had planned to express this.

After all, it was quite unbelievable for a girl who had never really studied to suddenly want to take the college entrance exam.

Then she noticed Gu Xichao blinked at her. “I support you.”

Su Nianmei thought she had misheard, so she continued, “I’m not just messing around. I had previously…”

Suddenly, she froze. “You? Support me?”

Gu Xichao laughed and pulled her into his embrace. “Yes, I support you.”

“You’re still young, and it’s time to start planning for the future. This is something I should have considered for you. Now that you have your own goals, Amei, I’m really happy!”

Su Nianmei still couldn’t quite believe it. “I’ve never attended a formal school. You really support me taking the college entrance exam?”

Gu Xichao tilted his head to look at her. “The fact that you can bring this up shows your determination to improve. I should support you.”

Su Nianmei then asked, “But what about our home? We don’t exactly have… our life is already pretty…”

She switched her wording, not wanting to discourage Gu Xichao, the head of the household. “Ordinary? I’m afraid it might bring a burden to our family.”

Gu Xichao gazed at his little wife and gently poked her nose with his index finger. “Worried about our family so much?” He couldn’t help but pinch her cheek playfully.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of providing for the family. Just focus on studying and doing what you want.”

“Oh.” Even though her wish had been granted, Su Nianmei felt an inexplicable sense of loss.

Gu Xichao furrowed his brows, wondering what made his little wife feel that their family was poor. “Wait a moment.”

He freed his hands and pulled a bankbook from the drawer, handing it to Su Nianmei.

As Su Nianmei opened the bankbook and glanced at Gu Xichao a few times, she regretted not buying Gu Xiaobao more clothes that morning!

“You… where did this money come from?” The amount was so large that Su Nianmei could hardly believe it.

“Don’t worry, my wife. It’s all from legitimate sources. Before, Er Ge was running a business, and I invested a little. I received some dividends, and also, I’ve saved up my salary from the army over the years.”

Gu Xichao focused intently on Su Nianmei, looking her in the eye. “So, Amei, you can boldly pursue what you want to do without too many worries.”

Su Nianmei felt a warmth in her heart and smiled sweetly. “Hmm!”

She instantly recalled something and playfully slapped Gu Xichao’s shoulder.

Gu Xichao looked puzzled. “??? Shouldn’t my wife be happy?”

“Then why did you let Xiaobao wear such tattered clothes before?”

Gu Xichao was taken aback; in his view, boys should be raised with a sense of frugality.

Su Nianmei continued, “You have no idea how understanding Xiaobao is.”

Gu Xichao watched his little wife as she scolded him for his mistakes. “Okay, I was wrong.”

Su Nianmei looked up at Gu Xichao. “You’re admitting your mistakes so quickly; your attitude must not be sincere!”

Gu Xichao was confused again. “???”

He pulled her into his arms.

He said, “A family is complete only when you and I are together. We’re both new to this and might not know how to do many things, but we can learn slowly.”

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