Chapter 230

Li Yufeng had lived in Qingfeng Town for quite a long time. It was because her daughter needed her; she could help with many chores, making it easier for her.

Now that she came to the capital, she found herself unable to help anywhere. On the contrary, her daughter and grandson were always worried that she would be bored, thinking of ways to keep her company every day. The main reason was that she couldn’t adapt to the capital’s climate. Being old, no matter how much snowflake cream she applied, it didn’t work. Her body was always itching badly, and the key was that she couldn’t sleep well at night. It was even harder for her to wash her hair and bathe, and she had to go to a bathhouse.

Li Yufeng stayed for a little over a week and couldn’t stay any longer. She told Su Xiaoxiao that she wanted to return to Sujia Village.

Even though Su Xiaoxiao’s family was hesitant to let her leave, they had taken her on a tour of the entire capital and were concerned that she might fall ill if she stayed. She strongly preferred staying on the train rather than flying again, so Su Xiaoxiao had no choice but to purchase a train ticket to send her back.

“Mom, it wouldn’t be hard for you to adapt if you came in a warmer season next time.”

Li Yufeng nodded, “Things are good at home. Now, with the redistribution of land, everyone is motivated. As long as they’re willing to work, there’s food to eat. Last time, you mentioned letting your second brother contract the breeding farm, and your Dad also talked to the secretary about it. He said that he will sign a contract with your second brother once the policy allows individual contracting. Daughter, My daughter, life in our Sujia Village is getting better day by day. You don’t have to worry about us.”

Su Xiaoxiao hugged Li Yufeng with tears in her eyes. In the past, she was busy and took care of the children all day long. Now that the children are grown up, she wants to spend more time with Li Yufeng, but unfortunately, this wish cannot be realized for now.

“Mom, take care of yourself and Dad. We’ll install a telephone line in a while. I’ll pull one to the shop and one to our home. Then we can call each other anytime.”

Su Xiaoxiao reluctantly sent Li Yufeng away and was depressed for several days.

Even Xiao Roubao, who was usually oblivious, noticed that his mom wasn’t happy these days.

“Big brother, Mom seems unhappy these days. She doesn’t even smile when I tease her. Does she miss Dad or grandma?”

Fantuan rubbed his brother’s head: “She misses both. I thought grandma would at least stay until after the New Year, but she went back so soon. But if grandma can’t adapt, there’s nothing we can do. Let’s call Dad through Old Gu Zhanwang.”

Xiao Doubao said: “Can we make an overseas call?”

Fantuan pinched the face of the little meat dumpling in his arms: “That depends on how close our Xiao Roubao is to his godfather.”

Xiao Roubao didn’t understand, but he knew that his big brother meant that he could contact his Dad by finding Gu Zhanwang.

When Gu Zhanwang came to eat at noon, Xiao Roubao was busy massaging his back and rubbing his legs, showering him with compliments as if they cost nothing.

“Godfather, are you full? Should I ask Aunt Lan to make another meat bun for you? Let me tell you secretly, Aunt Lan’s meat buns this morning were especially delicious. I sneaked two away. If you’re still hungry, I’ll give you one.”

Gu Zhanwang looked at Xiao Roubao in horror: “Did you do something bad behind godfather’s back? Did you break godfather’s antiques again?”

Xiao Roubao shook his head, his big eyes looking very innocent: “No.”

Gu Zhanwang: “Do you want to eat chocolate?”

Xiao Roubao shook his head again: “No!”

Gu Zhanwang: “Then you must have taken a fancy to some toy. Tell me, what toy do you want.”

Xiao Roubao glared at him angrily and said: “Oh come on, it’s not that! I just miss my Dad. Can you please find a way to call him for me?”

Gu Zhanwang breathed a sigh of relief: “You scared Godfather for nothing. Did you really have to massage and rub my legs for such a small matter?”

“Just had to.” Xiao Roubao insisted. “Can you find my dad or not?”

Gu Zhanwang, exhausted from the ordeal, eventually had to return to his office with Xiao Roubao. After a series of complications, he managed to locate Han Cheng. Before leaving, Han Cheng had left his contact details and instructed them to reach out in case of any family emergencies.

It was the middle of the night when Han Cheng received Gu Zhanwang’s call. Fearing that something had gone wrong at home, he broke out in a cold sweat. “Brother Gu, did something happen at my home?” he asked.

“Just a moment…” Gu Zhanwang began, but Xiao Roubao snatched the phone away. “Dad, dad, it’s me, Xiao Roubao! I miss you so much, Dad!”

Han Cheng, taken aback, replied, “Dad knows. Give the phone back to Uncle Gu. Dad needs to talk to him.”

Xiao Roubao picked up a piece of biscuit and ate it while saying, “No, Dad. It’s Xiao Roubao who needs to talk to you about something important. It’s just that Mom misses you and might be feeling unwell.”

Han Cheng’s heart tightened once more. “What’s wrong with your mom?” he asked.

Xiao Roubao told Han Cheng in detail about Li Yufeng’s coming and going, Dad’s absence for the New Year, Mom’s downcast state —she hadn’t even eaten her favorite chicken wings—and her inability to eat or laugh properly for several days. Finally, he asked, “Dad, can you come back and spend the New Year with us? Mom really misses you.”

Han Cheng exhaled slowly, relieved that the situation wasn’t as serious as he had feared. He missed Su Xiaoxiao, his children, and his home but couldn’t abandon the entire exchange group to return to China alone. Unable to explain this to the little one, he said, “Xiao Roubao, listen to me and take good care of Mom and your sister with your brothers. I’ll probably be back around the tenth day of the first lunar month and will bring you a gift then. Please tell Mom I miss her and ask her to care for herself.”

Finding out Dad couldn’t return for Chinese New Year made Xiao Roubao a bit unhappy. But Mom had said Dad’s work was important and noble; he would save many lives in the future. Feeling helpless, Xiao Roubao hung up, feeling down after saying goodbye to his Dad.

Gu Zhanwang’s overseas phone line was a special one that he had applied for multiple times and had been approved for. He used it only in emergencies due to the high cost of international calls. He had to submit a separate report to call numbers outside the ones he had officially reported. He made considerable efforts for the sake of Han Cheng and Xiao Roudun’s family life.

Gu Zhanwang hugged Xiao Roubao: “Didn’t we find Dad? Why are you still feeling down?”

Xiao Roubao sighed, saying, “This is the first time my dad has been away from us for a long time.” He quickly encouraged himself, jumped off Gu Zhanwang’s lap, and added, “But it’s okay; I can take care of Mom.”

After speaking, Xiao Roubao ran out and said, “Thank you, godfather! I’m going home to find my mom! Uncle Xiao Du, please drive me home!”

Gu Zhanwang, the tool man: “……”

When Xiao Roubao got home, he first hugged his mother and kissed her: “Mom, I found Dad. He said not to be unhappy. He misses you as well and wants you to take care of yourself. He also asked Xiao Roubao to give you a kiss and a hug for him.”

After Xiao Roubao finished speaking, he kissed his mother several times.

Su Xiaoxiao was at a loss for words. She had no idea when this little child had gone to find Han Cheng, and she was certain Han Cheng would never say something like that. “It’s the middle of the night over at Daddy’s place. If you call him now, you’ll scare him. He’ll be back soon, so let’s not disturb him for now, okay?”

Xiao Roubao hugged his mother and said, “But Mom hasn’t been smiling lately. Xiao Roubao likes to see Mom happy.”

Among the family’s children, Xiao Roubao is the most carefree one. The other children are still busy with manuscripts for the magazine, and now even Xiao Doubao senses her bad mood, making them all more worried.

Su Xiaoxiao hugged the child, kissed him, then smiled and said, “Mommy misses Daddy a little and is reluctant to leave your Grandma. But Mommy isn’t unhappy because you’ve been by Mommy’s side all this time. It’s just that the weather is cold, and Mommy’s appetite isn’t great. Xiao Roubao, don’t worry, okay?”

Xiao Roubao also smiled, nodded, and kissed his mother. “Yeah, Xiao Roubao knows.”

The little guy let go of his mother and ran into the house, “Big Brother, Xiao Roubao completed the mission! Mommy is happy now. When can you give me the big meat bun you hid for me?”

Su Xiaoxiao sighed inwardly. She knew well that only food could catch Xiao Roubao’s attention.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

The Spring Festival in 1980 was livelier than in previous years, or it could be said that each year’s Spring Festival was growing more vibrant. The variety of goods on the streets was becoming increasingly abundant. The “Guowang” shopping mall stood out with its extensive selection and the highest foot traffic. Thanks to the GG effect and the popular theme comics, the “Guowang” shopping mall had almost become a new landmark in the capital. Both adults and children flocked to the mall, making reading comics and shopping the top activities for the New Year. This led to a steady stream of visitors from morning until night.

In Gu Zhanwang’s words, half the capital seemed squeezed into the “Guowang” Shopping Mall, and his pockets were overflowing with earnings.

Gu Zhanwang capitalized on this success, promoting the upcoming Food Court on the sixth floor. Everyone was eagerly anticipating its opening.

With the spring breeze of reform and opening up growing stronger and Gu Zhanwang at the helm, the vast business opportunities were obvious to anyone with eyes. Whether it was the government or investors, those seeking cooperation with Gu Zhanwang were essentially knocking down his door.

Yet, Gu Zhanwang was eagerly waiting for Su Xiaoxiao to come in, especially after reviewing the “food court plan” she had drafted. Su Xiaoxiao, a top economics student from Capital University, was long considered his best choice for a business partner.

With the continuous rise in international gold prices, Gu Zhanwang had already helped her convert two boxes of gold bars into cash. He knew exactly how many resources she had at her disposal. Even if Su Xiaoxiao chose not to collaborate with him, she could still make a significant name for herself in the business world with her skills and capital.

Gu Zhanwang had a long-term vision. Beyond the fact that he and Han Cheng were close friends and the only brothers who could be absolutely trusted, he also believed that the children they had raised would surely excel in the future. Any one of them could become a dominant force in their respective fields.

These resources are not visible to others, but Gu Zhanwang is well aware of them. As a businessman focused on capital and profit, he believes that while a gentleman values money, it should be acquired through honorable means. He upholds moral principles and has a vision of establishing a business empire. However, he cannot achieve this on his own. To realize his ambitions and potentially unify the country in the future, he needs to find capable and like-minded partners with whom to collaborate.

Su Xiaoxiao’s family was his most unexpected gain since returning to the country and his best choice. Though others perceived them as dependent on him, Gu Zhanwang knew that they would soar high and far beyond anyone’s reach once their potential was realized.

They didn’t need any shortcuts in their relationships; sincerity and mutual trust were enough. While he could be cunning in dealings with others, he never treated them that way. He was willing to wait for their feathers to grow, accompanying them in their growth, becoming the best business partners.

-o-o-o-o-o-

On the eighth day of the first lunar month, Han Cheng returned home two days earlier than expected. He had noticeably lost weight and had dark circles under his eyes, indicating the numerous sleepless nights and the significant fatigue he had endured to come back ahead of schedule.

Su Xiaoxiao didn’t feel as bad when she thought of him, but seeing him in this condition made her eyes well up with tears. She threw herself into his arms, crying, “Are you foolish?”

Han Cheng embraced her, his own eyes red as well. It was their first time apart for such an extended period since their marriage. He had always believed he wasn’t a sentimental person and that many tasks were still awaiting him. However, being in a foreign country, the constant worry that kept him awake every night made him realize that even heroes might struggle with their feelings. If emotions could overcome heroes, then it was understandable that he, as an ordinary person, could be as well.

“Xiaoxiao, I missed you, and I will love you forever!”

Su Xiaoxiao looked up, tears streaming down her cheeks as she gazed at Han Cheng. “Han Cheng, did you learn to speak love words in English when you went abroad?”

Han Cheng solemnly kissed Su Xiaoxiao on the forehead. “It’s not something I learned. I’ve loved you for a very, very long time.”

Suddenly, the sky began to snow heavily, as if moved by their love that had guarded each other for eight years.

“I love you too, Han Cheng,” Su Xiaoxiao said.

The children peeking by the window, seeing the two embracing, didn’t utter a sound.

When Han Cheng kissed Su Xiaoxiao, Xiao Roubao covered his eyes with his tiny hands but couldn’t resist peeking through the gaps, whispering, “Woah.” Eventually, unable to contain himself, he shouted into the snow-filled sky, “Mommy, Daddy, Xiao Roubao loves you too!”

The other kids also shouted:

“Mom and Dad, we love you!”

“Aunt Su and Uncle Han, we love you!”

Su Xiaoxiao lay in Han Cheng’s arms with a smile as beautiful as a flower, with tears in her smile, and shouted to the kids through the white snow: “I love you all too!”

Su Xiaoxiao felt that her life was truly complete.

———end of the main story!

T/N: Finally! After two years, I’m done with this novel! I will be translating the extras now! Thank you for waiting patiently. Hopefully, the extras will be translated by the end of July!trans