Chapter 77

The cafeteria was crowded and noisy. Xu Zhao led Jiang Suihan outside. The cold wind hit her, instantly clearing her head. The stuffy air inside had started to make her feel uncomfortable after a while.

Xu Zhao adjusted her scarf. “What were you thinking? If you’re tired, you should’ve come outside.”

He suspected that if he hadn’t called her, she would have kept standing there, not even thinking of finding an excuse to sit down.

Her scarf covered her mouth, making her voice sound muffled. “I’m not thin-skinned. I was just thinking it was almost done and decided to hold on a bit longer.”

Xu Zhao turned to block most of the wind for her. “Are you cold? Do you want to go back inside?”

Jiang Suihan tucked her neck in. “I’m fine. There are too many people inside—I don’t really want to go back.”

Xu Zhao tucked her hands into his coat pockets. The bright lights from the cafeteria cast a dim, yellowish glow, and children played under the lights, laughing and chasing each other. Their joyful laughter filled the air.

Jiang Suihan watched the kids still running around outside in the freezing weather, playing as if they didn’t feel the cold at all. She suddenly felt a bit envious. “It’s still best to be a child, carefree and without worries. Their minds are only occupied with two things every day: eating and playing.”

When she was little, she used to wish she could grow up quickly. Once grown, she could do all the things only adults could, and her parents wouldn’t be able to brush her off with “you’re still a child.” But after truly growing up and stepping into the adult world, many people start to miss the carefree days of childhood and long for the innocence they once had.

Xu Zhao followed Jiang Suihan’s gaze and saw a little boy holding a bright red candied hawthorn stick. Its vibrant color attracted a group of kids, who crowded around him, chirping excitedly, their eyes glued to the treat in the boy’s hand.

Suddenly, a boy slightly taller than the one holding the candied hawthorn leaned forward, opened his mouth, and bit off the topmost piece. He quickly covered his mouth with both hands, pushed through the crowd, and sprinted away.

The little boy stood frozen at first, likely not expecting someone to openly steal his treat in front of all his friends. He stared dumbfounded at his stick, now missing a piece. After a few seconds, his dazed little head seemed to catch up with what happened.

Then, with a loud wail, an ear-splitting cry erupted.

Jiang Suihan’s mouth twitched, finding the situation both amusing and slightly speechless. She quietly commented, “That’s what happens when you show off.”

Poor kid. If only he had eaten it right away, there wouldn’t have been a chance for someone else to take it.

He’s still young and doesn’t understand the dangers of the world. This little incident will be a vivid lesson for him. He likely won’t forget that, one New Year’s Eve when he was a child, a little friend snatched his beloved candied hawthorn when he wasn’t paying attention.

Xu Zhao couldn’t help but chuckle, “In the end, he was too careless.”

The sweet and sour candied hawthorn is a huge temptation for kids. Some may never have even seen one before, let alone tasted it. The fact that the boy just took a bite without hesitation shows that the parenting at home might be a bit lacking.

The little boy’s mother rushed out, seeing her son crying, his face covered in snot and tears. She looked disgusted but couldn’t ignore him. As she cleaned him up, she asked what had happened. Learning that the candied hawthorn the boy’s father bought for him had been stolen by another child, she became furious and carried her son, determined to confront the other boy’s mother.

The other boy’s mother also came out, embarrassed to learn what her child had done. She apologized repeatedly, scolding her son under her breath while offering compensation.

Xu Zhao gently touched Jiang Suihan’s belly, remarking thoughtfully, “When our child is born, we’ll need to teach them well. No stealing from others. Manners and principles can’t be neglected. I don’t want to end up apologizing to other parents in the future.”

Mostly because it would be embarrassing.

Jiang Suihan smiled at him, “The baby isn’t even born yet, and you’re already worrying about its education. Just so you know, you’ll be in charge of all the discipline. I’ll handle making sure the baby grows up happy. Strict father, kind mother, we’ve decided.”

She didn’t think she could play the role of a strict mother. She’d barely have enough time to shower her own child with love, let alone scold it. The tough tasks should be left to the father.

Xu Zhao lightly flicked her forehead, amused by how she always tried to outsmart him. Should he call her clever?

“Why can’t I be the kind father and you the strict mother? I feel like I’d make a great kind dad. I’m afraid if I’m too strict, the child won’t be close to me. How about we switch? You could be a little tougher, and I’ll try to stay calm. Wouldn’t that work better?”

Jiang Suihan stared at him in disbelief, “No way. I’m gentle, kind, graceful, and elegant. I can’t ruin the good image I’ll have in the baby’s mind. One of us has to play the ‘bad cop,’ and I think the role suits you better.”

She knew herself well. She couldn’t play the “bad cop” role.

Xu Zhao tried hard not to laugh, “I still think we can discuss this. You’re so smart, you could…”

Before he could finish, Jiang Suihan interrupted with a firm look that said the matter was settled. She abruptly changed the subject, “I want some candied hawthorn.”

She had actually wanted to ask earlier, but felt a little embarrassed.

Xu Zhao sighed helplessly, “Where am I supposed to find candied hawthorn this late at night?”

Jiang Suihan just wanted to tease him for a bit since he had been teasing her earlier. She playfully tugged on his sleeve, “Then figure it out. I really want some. If I don’t get it tonight, I won’t be able to sleep.”

Xu Zhao let her pull at his sleeve. “You really want some?”

Jiang Suihan nodded seriously, “I really do.”

Xu Zhao ruffled her hat. “Wait here.”

Jiang Suihan quickly adjusted her hat. He had used so much force that her hair got messed up. She followed him, asking, “Where are you going?”

Xu Zhao scanned the surroundings, then found a stool from somewhere and made Jiang Suihan sit on it. “I’m going to find some hawthorn and sugar. Stay here. It’s cold outside, don’t wander off.”

Feeling a bit guilty, Jiang Suihan grabbed his arm. “Maybe let’s forget about it? It’s too much trouble. I don’t need the candied hawthorn anymore.”

She admitted that she had been acting a bit spoiled recently, always wanting to test Xu Zhao’s patience. She wanted to see just how far she could push him. But the more accommodating he was, the more guilty she felt. When reason returned, she couldn’t help but reflect.

Xu Zhao gently touched her cold face. “I’ve seen people make candied hawthorn before. It’s not hard. Just wait here and don’t run off.”

Jiang Suihan mumbled quietly, “I’m not a kid. I won’t run off. I’ll come with you. It’s boring to sit here alone.”

She was a bit curious about how to make candied hawthorn and wanted to see it for herself.

Unable to refuse her persistence, Xu Zhao decided to take her along. At home, they had white sugar but no hawthorn. They did have some apples and oranges, so he called for Jiang Leyun to quickly go back home and bring some.

When Jiang Leyun heard that his brother-in-law was making candied hawthorn, his eyes lit up instantly. He excitedly ran back home with Zhao Xiaojun.

Zhao Xiaojun had some leftover hawthorn at home, and Wu Guihua gave him the keys to her house so he could get it as well.

Nearby children, hearing about the candied hawthorn, were overjoyed and began jumping around. A group of kids followed Jiang Leyun and Zhao Xiaojun eagerly.

Wu Guihua asked curiously, “Why did Xu Zhao suddenly decide to make candied hawthorn?”

Candied hawthorn is a snack loved by children, so Xu Zhao, being an adult man, was clearly not making it for himself. Wu Guihua glanced suspiciously at Jiang Suihan, feeling she had figured out the reason.

Jiang Suihan, feeling a bit embarrassed to admit it was just her craving, vaguely explained, “I saw a kid outside with a candied hawthorn, and other kids around him were drooling but couldn’t have any. Lele was fussing about wanting some, so Xu Zhao said he had seen someone make it before and decided to give it a try.”

Good brother, please lend me your reputation for a while.

Someone nearby chimed in, “Xu Zhao is indulging the kids too much. Hawthorn may be free since it’s picked from the mountains, but white sugar is expensive. Just for a child’s whim, he’s willing to try making it. If it fails, think of how much white sugar will be wasted.”

It’s only because the Xu family is wealthy that they don’t mind this small amount of sugar.

At first, everyone thought Xu Zhao’s younger brother-in-law was just staying temporarily. When news came that the elders of the Jiang family had passed away, leaving only Jiang Suihan and her brother, it became clear that Xu Zhao was expected to support his brother-in-law permanently.

People privately remarked that Xu Zhao was completely charmed by Jiang Suihan. Even before their child was born, he was supporting his brother-in-law. When Xu Zhao’s mother arrived, many silently watched the situation, speculating whether she would object. Surprisingly, the Xu family remained calm, and Jiang Leyun was cheerful every day, showing no signs of being a burden. It became clear that Xu Zhao was genuinely willing to support his brother-in-law.

Now, Xu Zhao was even making candied hawthorn just because his brother-in-law wanted it. This treatment was more than even his own son would receive.

Jiang Suihan’s expression was calm as she said, “It doesn’t matter if it fails. It’s New Year’s, and the most important thing is to be happy.”

The cafeteria chef, upon learning that Xu Zhao was making candied hawthorn, teased him a bit but set aside a stove for him to use.

The hawthorn was cleaned and dried, the skin cut off, and the pits removed. It was then threaded onto chopsticks. Apples were peeled and cut into small pieces, oranges were peeled and divided into segments, and these were also threaded onto chopsticks.

Xu Zhao asked while cutting an apple, “Do you want some?”

Jiang Suihan nodded, feeling a bit thirsty since she hadn’t brought a water cup.

Xu Zhao handed her a piece of apple and half an orange. Jiang Leyun looked on eagerly, signaling with his eyes that he wanted some too.

Xu Zhao put the apple pieces into a bowl and handed it to Jiang Leyun, who happily shared it with his friends. They ate it quickly, and no one was asking for more since they were all waiting for the candied hawthorn.

After the preliminary work was done, Xu Zhao got a pot and placed the sugar inside. Unsure of the exact ratio of sugar to water, he added it gradually and carefully.

To avoid burning the sugar, he started with low heat and gradually increased it as the sugar melted and bubbled. When the bubbles became dense and the color turned yellow with a caramel aroma, he added a small handful of sesame seeds and stirred quickly with a large spoon.

Xu Zhao kept Jiang Suihan away, worried she might get burned, so she had to stand back.

Jiang Leyun and a group of kids stood by the door, eagerly waiting for the candied hawthorn and stretching their necks to peek inside, growing more impatient.

Xu Zhao, holding a chopstick without fruit, quickly dipped the hawthorn into the sugar mixture, then placed it on a tray lined with oil paper. He repeated the process until all were done.

The freshly made candied hawthorn was very hot, so Xu Zhao asked the kids to take the tray outside to cool off. A crowd quickly gathered around the cafeteria entrance.

Wu Guihua looked up and, surprised, said, “Xu Zhao really made it, and it looks pretty good.”

Nearby, someone smacked their lips, saying, “There’s so much, I wonder if there will be any left for us to taste.”

Wu Guihua couldn’t help but roll her eyes and said, “How can you, an adult, still be fighting over a little food with kids?”

The person smiled awkwardly and said nothing more.

Jiang Leyun swallowed unconsciously, staring at the candied hawthorn in the tray. “Can we eat it now?”

They made five trays in total, with about forty sticks of candied hawthorn. There were at least thirty kids surrounding them.

Xu Zhao counted to ensure each child got one stick and handed the remaining five sticks to Jiang Leyun. He took one stick and gave it to Jiang Suihan, saying, “It’s cold outside. The candied hawthorn can last a few days, but don’t eat too much.”

Jiang Suihan took the stick of hawthorn, realizing that it might not look as perfect as store-bought ones, but was impressed that Xu Zhao managed to make it.

She looked at him with bright eyes and admiration naturally showing, “Is there anything you can’t do?”

Just by watching someone else do it once, and he was able to make it himself—she had to admit he was quite skilled.

Xu Zhao replied nonchalantly, “It’s not difficult.”

Jiang Suihan looked at him, speechless, and said, “Do you know that this sounds quite pretentious?”

Xu Zhao asked, “Pretentious?”

Jiang Suihan said, “Being overly modest is a form of boasting. You’re making it very easy for someone to get annoyed.”

Xu Zhao: “Usually I’m the one who beats up others.”

Indeed, sincerity is a surefire way to win.

The two were clearly on different wavelengths. Jiang Suihan moved past the topic and was about to take a bite of the sugar-coated hawthorn when she remembered it was Xu Zhao’s effort. She held the sugar-coated hawthorn up to his mouth, saying, “I’m a grateful person. I still remember who helped me.”

Xu Zhao actually didn’t like such sweet and sour foods. However, since she was feeding him, he glanced at her and took a bite of the top hawthorn.

Jiang Suihan eagerly asked, “Is it good?”

Xu Zhao didn’t answer but urged her to eat as well.

“Oh, look at you two sneaking off to show off your affection.”