Chapter 23.1

The garlic-flavored pork chops are still highly praised by the family.

These home-made dishes with little technical content are nothing in the 21st century, but they can be regarded as delicacies in an era where food and clothing are luxury items.

Su Xiaoxiao feels that she has returned to living a normal life these days.

But these patched clothes…

Well, everyone has a desire for beauty, who wouldn’t want to look better if they could? It has nothing to do with pleasing others. Wearing beautiful clothes can make the wearer happy. 

Han Cheng doesn’t have many cloth tickets every month. Thus, she can’t buy new clothes for two months. The clothes their family had were too few. Buying fabrics is good too, however, the problem is that she doesn’t know how to make them. Again, this is another skill that is outside of her expertise. 

In this era, Su Xiaoxiao found that there were too many things she could not do.

It would be great if Li Yufeng was here. Li Fuyeng is the typical representation of a great worker from this era. She can’t do the work in the field or at home. They were only separated for a few days, and yet she already missed Li Yufeng.

If possible, she still wants to get closer to Li Yufeng in the future.

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After cleaning up, it was already more than nine o’clock in the evening.

Su Xiaoxiao asked Han Cheng to take the paper and pen and let the two cubs go to bed first.

The two cubs refused to listen to Su Xiaoxiao’s bedtime story. Xiao Doubao was already sleepy.

“Mom misses her mother. So, Mom is going to write a letter to your grandma and tell her that everything is okay here. I’ll ask her to come here and take Dabao and Xiaobao when her hands are free. Be obedient, and I’ll tell you stories tomorrow.” 

Fantuan had never met Li Yufeng, and Mom’s mother was not the grandmother he knew. “Then, Mom, if your mother is my grandmother, and my Mother’s mother is also my grandmother, does that mean I have two grandmothers? How can I tell the difference?”

What a clever little Fantuan.
Su Xiaoxiao thought for a while and said, “From now on, you will call my parents’ grandpa and grandma, and your mother’s parents as grandfather and grandmother, so that they can be distinguished.” ^[1]In the North, they call their grandparents “姥爷” or “Lao ye” which means, grandfather and “姥姥” or “Lao Lao” which means, grandmother. In the … Continue reading

Fantuan nodded and said, “That’s a good idea.”

Han Cheng was inside the room, writing a case, and Su Xiaoxiao asked Fantuan to ask his father for an ink pad.

Fantuan ran inside and took the ink pad.

Su Xiaoxiao asked Fantuan to dip his thumb in the ink pad, press his thumbmark on the lower right side of the white paper, and also asked Doubao to press his thumbs on the paper as well. After they had put their thumbmarks on, she wrote Fantuan and Doubao’s names under their thumbmarks.

“Well, now that Mom has introduced you to your grandparents. Can Fantuan take his brother to bed?”

Fantuan looked at the thumbprints on the white paper and their names below their thumbmarks. He said it confidently as he looked at Su Xiaoxiao. “Mom, I will learn to write tomorrow, and I will write to Grandpa and Grandma!”

“Okay, Comrade Fantuan’s task now is, to take his brother to bed. Can you finish this task?”

Fantuan gave a military salute, “Reporting to Mom! Comrade Fantuan, promise to complete this task!”

Doubao was so sleepy that he kept rubbing his eyes. Su Xiaoxiao carried Doubao to the bed. 

The little guy was very obedient. Knowing that his mother was busy, he kissed Su Xiaoxiao, held the quilt, and closed his eyes to sleep.

Su Xiaoxiao said good night to Fantuan before coming out to continue writing her letter.

It was already ten o’clock in the evening when Su Xiaoxiao had finished clarifying her situation here. Su Xiaoxiao stretched her back lazily, while Han Cheng was still busy.

She walked into Han Cheng’s room with the letter and knocked at the door, “Can I come in, Comrade Han Cheng?”

Under the dim light, the man held a thick medical book in his hand. 

He looked tired, but he still couldn’t bear to put the book down. 

Han Cheng was stunned when he heard the knock on the door. It seemed that it was the first time he heard such a sound at home. The voice made his lips rise immediately. He stopped reading and said: “Come in.”

The man’s voice is rough and deep. 

Su Xiaoxiao sighed. This man’s voice was her type, what other reason could there be for her not to marry him?

“Comrade Han Cheng, I’m writing to my parents. Do you want to greet them?”

Han Cheng didn’t think there was a problem with his comprehension, but even so, he couldn’t understand what Su Xiaoxiao meant.

Su Xiaoxiao showed him the letter in her hand and said, “Look, I, Fantuan, and Doubao have all greeted them.”

Han Cheng received the letter and was shocked by Su Xiaoxiao’s handwriting, which looked like it was pasted from the book one by one. 

His father taught him how to write every stroke of the characters, however, it was neither systematic nor standardized. His father figured things out and made his style, and everyone who saw his characters would praise him for their good looks.

However, what Su Xiaoxiao wrote was the standard print, which can no longer be described as good-looking. In other words, it is just like printing on paper.

Su Xiaoxiao knew why Han Cheng was so shocked. She was also shocked when she started writing. She didn’t expect that the original owner’s writing was so good. After all, being the Xueba wasn’t for nothing. ^[2]Xueba, which translates to “academic guru,” has been spreading on the Chinese Internet for over a year. The term is used to label students who study all the time and have outstanding … Continue reading

Coincidentally, writing, drawing, and painting were some of her few hobbies in her last life, so she can write well. Since she was a child, the original owner enjoyed practicing calligraphy and used textbooks as references for her style.

The characters she practiced continuously for more than ten years were almost identical to those in textbooks. Now is the time when simplified and traditional fonts are used alternately. She uses the original owner’s handwriting and style, which is somewhat different from her own, but the problem is not serious.

Su Xiaoxiao gently pressed the top of Han Cheng’s head with her palm. and said with bent eyes, “Why are you in a daze? My handwriting is beautiful, isn’t it? It’s not printed. I just liked to practice calligraphy using the style in textbooks when I was young.”

“Comrade Su Xiaoxiao, you are great.” Han Cheng imitated her tone of voice. He knows that “great” means excellent, and indeed, no matter what field that is, his wife will always do an excellent job.

“Practice makes perfect. It’s not a skill. You are the great one. You can understand complex medical terms.” When Su Xiaoxiao walked closer to Han Cheng, she saw that the medical books he was reading were in English.

Just like they said, each person has expertise in knowledge and skills. Although she graduated from a graduate school in her last life and is fluent in speaking and writing English, she can’t still understand these professional terms.

“Let’s get back to business. Do you want to say hello to your father-in-law and mother-in-law? Look, this fingerprint belongs to comrade Fantuan, and this one belongs to comrade Doubao. Your thumbprint is the only one missing in this family of four.”

Han Cheng browsed over Su Xiaoxiao’s letter. The contents and tone were warm. She 
explained the situation here in detail. There was also a short paragraph dedicated to Dabao and Xiaobao. The handprints of his two sons were printed on the edge of that paragraph. There are two small figures drawn under the handprint with only a few strokes. But at a glance, you could tell which was Fantuan and which was Doubao.

“Your painting is also excellent.” With just a few strokes, it is lifelike, and Han Cheng sincerely praised it.

“I can’t do the work in the field, and if I still can’t write or paint well. My mother will clean me up.” Su Xiaoxiao jokes.

At this time, rural parents hope that their children will be able to work in the fields or marry young to receive their dowry. Su Xiaoxiao was lucky, only her parents insisted on letting her study.

In a few years, she won’t let them down.

Han Cheng’s handwriting is the same as his personality, firm in writing, smooth like flowing water, vigorous, and powerful. They formed a sharp contrast with her beautiful and graceful fonts, and it looks really good when they are paired together.

Han Cheng wrote very simply. He greeted them and praised Su Xiaoxiao. telling the two elders to take good care of their health, and finally signing his name. 

Su Xiaoxiao’s first completed letter written by the family of four came out fresh from the oven.

Han Cheng had never seen anything like this before.”Yours is more beautiful than they print on the army’s bulletin board.”

Su Xiaoxiao became more and more satisfied with the letter she wrote.

I guess I have to ask Mother to put mothballs on them and take care of them. 

Little did they know; it would be the most precious memory for them after several decades.

“I’ll buy some of our local specialties here and send them back tomorrow,” said Han Cheng.

“Hmm.” Su Xiaoxiao nodded.

This man is so considerate. She originally planned to do this. If the logistics were not too slow at this time, she would like to send some persimmons back. But after some thought, she didn’t pursue it, knowing that it would be spoiled on the way.

Su Xiaoxiao was happy and put her face close to Han Cheng.

A faint fragrance came over Han Cheng, who didn’t know what to do, and Su Xiaoxiao kissed his little pear-shaped dimple.

Han Cheng remembered that she often kissed the children’s faces and kissed him too. He suddenly realized that her eyes were closed, and she touched her face gently. 

After the kiss, Han Cheng’s neck and ears turned red.

Su Xiaoxiao was overjoyed. He is the father of two children, and yet, he is still so innocent. kissed him hard on the cheek again, and she said, “Good night, I have to cook breakfast tomorrow.” Then she went out of the room happily with the letter in her hands.

Han Cheng looked at her brisk back, and the arc of the corner of his lips never went down.