Chapter 91

After returning home, Jiang Suihan looked at her own yard and said with emotion: “A golden nest or a silver nest is not as good as my own doghouse. Home is still the best.”

As Xu Zhao walked past her with some things, he glanced at her and teased, “Why are you comparing yourself to a dog?”

Jiang Suihan paused, realizing he had caught her in a slip of the tongue and was teasing her openly.

“Stop right there! Just wait until I catch you!” she yelled.

Xu Zhao quickened his pace, avoiding her grasp. Jiang Weiyu strolled leisurely behind them, looking down at Chenchen and saying, “Poor Chenchen, your parents were so busy playing that they forgot about you.”

Wang Dahe chimed in from behind, “Is the deputy commander always this lively at home?”

Jiang Weiyu replied, “Not really. He can get a bit childish sometimes, but that’s only in front of my sister. Outside, my brother-in-law is very serious.”

Wang Dahe looked through the yard and saw the deputy commander pretending to be caught by his wife, pinching his ear with a pained expression that was actually a smirk.

After twenty years of being single, Wang Dahe felt full even before dinner.

Time flew by after having a child. Jiang Suihan felt as if it had only been a short time since Chenchen was born, yet he was already over a year old.

Xu Zhao came in through the door, bringing a gust of cold air. Jiang Suihan shivered and urged him to close the door quickly.

“Is Chenchen asleep?” he asked.

Jiang Suihan lay on the bed, “Not yet. He napped a lot during the day and is still wide awake.”

Hearing his name, Chenchen popped his little head out from under the covers and grinned, “Daddy!”

Xu Zhao took off his coat and climbed into bed next to Chenchen. “Why aren’t you sleeping yet?”

Chenchen crawled onto his dad’s chest and tugged at his ears, saying, “I don’t want to sleep. Daddy, play with me!”

Xu Zhao let Chenchen play with his ears. “What do you want to play?”

At not even two years old, Chenchen found joy in everything. Xu Zhao was very patient with him, unlike Jiang Suihan. Whether it was getting dirty playing with mud or catching bugs, he always joined in on the fun.

Other kids in the army envied Chenchen for having such a great dad. The mothers whispered about how Xu Zhao was hands-on with parenting—feeding, changing diapers, and everything in between. Everyone envied Jiang Suihan for marrying such a good man.

With bright eyes, Chenchen exclaimed, “Ride a horse!”

Xu Zhao stood up, “Okay.”

Riding a horse was one of their favorite games. Xu Zhao knelt on the bed, and Chenchen climbed onto his back, excitedly shouting, “Giddy-up!”

Xu Zhao followed Chenchen’s commands, moving when he said to and stopping when he called for it. Jiang Suihan, squeezed against the headboard, watched them with a bemused expression, unable to understand what was so entertaining about such a simple game. Didn’t they get tired of it?

After playing for nearly half an hour, Jiang Suihan called a halt. She poured warm water into a bottle, and Chenchen, tired from shouting, drank eagerly, finishing it in one go.

With his bold demeanor, one might think he was drinking soda.

Chenchen didn’t have his own room, but he did have a little bed. With the cold weather, Jiang Suihan worried about him kicking off the covers and catching a chill at night, so they all slept together in the winter, which delighted Chenchen.

Xu Zhao suddenly said, “This year, we’re going back to the capital for the New Year. Grandpa misses Chenchen.”

The old man had been longing to see his great-grandson for two years. If they didn’t return for New Year’s, he might even come down to Li Province himself.

Jiang Suihan had no objections. They had been married for nearly three years. She was pregnant the first year, and last year they hadn’t returned because Chenchen was too young. Now that he was over a year old, it made sense for the whole family to go back for the celebrations.

Chenchen lay between his parents, holding onto their hands and blinking innocently. “Who is Grandpa?”

Xu Zhao explained, “Your dad’s grandpa, you need to call him Great Grandpa. He’s the one who often buys you milk powder and candies.”

Chenchen didn’t quite understand the difference between Grandpa and Great Grandpa, but he nodded. “Great Grandpa buys me candy. I like Great Grandpa!”

Jiang Suihan chuckled and pinched Chenchen’s cheek. “It’s true you’re a little foodie. What food don’t you like when it’s given to you?”

Xu Zhao wasn’t particularly fond of sweets, while Jiang Suihan enjoyed them a bit, feeling happy when eating sugary foods—though not overly sweet. But Chenchen was different. He loved sweets, especially candies. The sweeter, the better—he practically wanted to dive into a jar of honey.

Jiang Suihan strictly limited Chenchen’s candy intake. Jiang Weiyu and Jiang Leyun were warned not to sneak him any candy. Hearing that Great Grandpa would buy him candy filled Chenchen with genuine joy.

Holding onto his mom’s arm, Chenchen pouted cutely, “I like Mommy the most.”

Jiang Suihan glanced at Xu Zhao. “What about Daddy? Don’t you like Daddy anymore?”

Chenchen insisted, “I like Daddy too, but Mommy is my favorite!”

Jiang Suihan laughed and kissed Chenchen’s little face. “Mommy likes you the most, too!”

Chenchen grinned, revealing his small, white teeth, and leaned in to give his mom a smooch.

The mother and son put their foreheads together and laughed happily.

Every time this happened, Xu Zhao always felt like an outsider. He said he loved his father. Even if he didn’t love him the most, he couldn’t forget him, right?

Jiang Suihan has been busy packing her luggage these past two days. The weather in the capital is much colder than in Li Province. She doesn’t know if the cotton clothes here can withstand the cold air in the capital. Just in case, she prepared a lot of thick clothes. She would rather be a little tired on the road than catch a cold.

She first sorted out the clothes and then turned her attention to snacks for the trip.

Jiang Suihan was good at making dumplings and had learned some techniques from her mother-in-law, so her cooking had improved significantly. She made a large batch of dumplings, half of which would go on the train, while the other half was saved for Jiang Weiyu.

It was decided that Jiang Weiyu would stay home while Xu Zhao took his wife, son, and brother-in-law to the capital.

At first, Jiang Suihan was a bit worried and wanted to convince her cousin to come along, but Jiang Weiyu disagreed, saying she didn’t know anyone in the Xu family and didn’t want to trouble them. She noted that many people were staying in the family compound for the New Year, and if anything came up, she could ask Sister Wu for help, so there was no need to worry.

Jiang Suihan didn’t press the issue. Traveling wasn’t easy these days, with inconvenient transportation and slow speeds. The conditions on the train were poor, and it was tiring, so staying at the army base would be more comfortable.

Jiang Leyun was the happiest. He had long dreamed of visiting the capital, and when he heard he could go, he was overjoyed, counting the days and wishing he could wake up there the next morning.

He packed his own things, and Jiang Suihan didn’t interfere. The result was that he nearly stuffed his room into his bags.

Jiang Suihan rubbed her temples in frustration. “You have too much stuff. Don’t think we’ll help you carry it. You’ll have to manage on your own.”

“Huh?” Jiang Leyun looked at the piles of bags on the floor in disbelief. “How am I supposed to carry all this? Are you joking?”

Jiang Suihan shrugged. “I’m holding Chenchen and can’t carry anything. The luggage will have to be handled by your brother-in-law. He only has two hands, and with all of Chenchen’s things, our clothes, and gifts for relatives in the capital, just think about how much that is. And look at all your random junk—how can you possibly carry it?”

With a groan, Jiang Leyun reluctantly pulled out a bunch of toys and other items he deemed unnecessary in his sister’s eyes.

Their train tickets were for around seven in the evening. Jiang Suihan and the others went to a state-owned restaurant for dinner before heading to the train station.

Xu Zhao purchased three sleeping berths, all in the same compartment—two lower berths and one middle berth. It was crowded at the train station because of the upcoming New Year. He led the way while Jiang Leyun held onto Chenchen, keeping a tight grip on his clothes. Jiang Leyun clutched his sister’s sleeve, afraid to let go.

Once they finally boarded the train, they were all sweaty from the winter heat. Jiang Suihan pulled back the small blanket wrapped around Chenchen, who had bright, sparkling eyes and was still full of energy.

After setting down their luggage, Xu Zhao walked over and asked, “Is Chenchen okay?”

Jiang Suihan smiled, “He’s fine. Your son has always been brave. He’s not scared at all.”

Jiang Leyun, sitting on a bunk, wiped the sweat from his forehead nervously. This was only his second train ride, and with so many people around, he felt overwhelmed. Being short, all he could see were legs, and someone had even stepped on his foot.

The bunks were assigned: Jiang Leyun took the middle berth, while Jiang Suihan and Xu Zhao shared the two lower berths with Chenchen. Concerned for their child, they decided to take turns sleeping, just like on their return trip from Yun City.

Chenchen behaved well, hardly crying at all. With his uncle to play with, he alternated between eating and sleeping, adapting well to life on the train.

“Wake up, we’re almost in the capital,” Jiang Suihan called to Xu Zhao.

He rubbed his eyes, his voice a bit hoarse. “Hold onto Chenchen and stick close to me.”

The capital train station was large, and with the New Year approaching, the crowds were thick. It was easy to get lost if you weren’t careful.

Jiang Suihan handed him a water bottle. “Drink some water to soothe your throat.”

As they stepped out of the train station, a biting cold wind hit them, making them stamp their feet to keep warm. Jiang Suihan wrapped Chenchen tightly to shield him from the wind, while Xu Zhao draped his military coat over Jiang Suihan to keep her warm.

“Xu Zhao!” Qin Jianming waved at them.

Xu Zhao led Jiang Suihan over. “Brother Jianming, long time no see.”

Qin Jianming took the luggage from Xu Zhao and smiled. “It’s been two or three years. Is this your wife and Chenchen?”

Jiang Suihan politely smiled. “Hello, Second Brother-in-law.”

Qin Jianming didn’t waste any time on pleasantries. “It’s too cold. Let’s get in the car. Mom and Dad are waiting at home.”

Once they were seated in the car, Jiang Suihan uncovered Chenchen’s blanket, finally able to move her hands and feet. Chenchen planted his little feet on his father’s lap, leaning toward the window to watch the buildings rush by—so different from the sights around the army base. The little dumpling stared wide-eyed, occasionally exclaiming “Wow!” and “Oh!”

Qin Jianming, sitting in the passenger seat, glanced back at Chenchen. “Does Chenchen like the capital?”

Though Chenchen didn’t know his uncle very well, he felt secure with his parents nearby and chirped in his tender voice, “Pretty! I like it!”

Everyone present understood his words. The capital was beautifully lit at night, and children naturally gravitate toward bright places.

At the Xu family home, Su Ying was bustling around, directing everyone: “Have the pillows and blankets in Xu Zhao’s room been changed? Is the chicken soup simmering? Are the cotton slippers ready? Take out the cotton coat we bought for Chenchen; it’s not as cold in Lisheng, and those coats might not be warm enough.”

Sitting on the sofa, Xu Xiaoling was cracking sunflower seeds, watching her mother dart around the living room without a moment’s rest. She couldn’t help but say, “Mom, aren’t you tired? You’ve been running around all day. Sit down and take a break.”

Su Ying shot her daughter an annoyed glare. “There’s so much to do at home. I don’t have time to rest. Go check outside to see if your brother has come back.”

Xu Xiaoling shrugged. “I’m not going. It’s freezing outside. Jianming will bring them back from the train station. They won’t run away. Why are you in such a rush? You’ve made such a fuss that the whole compound knows your son is bringing his wife and child back. I know exactly what you’re thinking.”

She paused for a moment, then turned to her dad, “Dad, can you explain why Mom loves to compare us with Aunt Wang’s sons and grandsons? Why doesn’t she ever brag about her daughter?”

Xu Zhengguo, holding a book, looked up at his daughter and replied, “Your mom is in charge of family matters; you should ask her.”

Xu Xiaoling rolled her eyes at her dad, realizing she couldn’t rely on him for this.

Just then, they heard the sound of a car outside. Su Ying hurried out, exclaiming, “They’re back!”