Lucia: I was supposed to post this on Sunday, but I was unable to do so because I have an exam that day. Thank you for waiting, and I’m really sorry for the late update~ (❁´◡`❁)

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Chapter 62

As Xiao Zhang drove ahead, he occasionally glanced at Su Xiaoxiao through the rearview mirror. Su Xiaoxiao naturally noticed his repeated glances.

Su Xiaoxiao glanced at him from the rearview mirror and said: “Comrade Xiao Zhang, you can speak directly if you have something to say.”

Xiao Zhang was stunned for a moment and shook his head: “No, it’s nothing.”

Su Xiaoxiao doesn’t have the habit of putting a warm face against someone’s cold buttocks. Since the other person is being indifferent, she can simply ignore him.

The car stopped steadily in front of the largest propaganda board in the military district. She noticed that this blackboard was about one-third larger than the regular blackboard. She took Xiao Doubao out of the car and brought down the simple, small stool that Han Cheng had made for him. “Xiao Doubao, would you like to sit here and watch Mommy draw? If you feel bored, you can use the small blackboard to draw along with Mommy.”

Xiao Doubao sat down, holding the small blackboard, and nodded obediently, “Okay.”

Xiao Zhang searched for something in the car for a while before coming over and saying, “Sorry, Comrade Su, I forgot to bring your manuscript. Alright, you guys wait for me here, I’ll go back and get it

Su Xiaoxiao was not at all flustered when she saw him act like this; there was even a hint of deliberate provocation in his eyes. She couldn’t understand his hostility. She asked herself if she had ever offended him. Not to mention offending him, before this, Su Xiaoxiao hadn’t even met him. She truly didn’t know where his hostility came from.

“No need.” Su Xiaoxiao nodded and raised her hand to point at her temple. “I brought it here with me.”

Xiao Zhang paused for a moment and quickly replied, “You know that I don’t know, right?”

“Oh, you don’t need to know. If your handwriting is good, I’ll mark out an area for you to fill in the text. But if your handwriting is bad,” Su Xiaoxiao said calmly and pointed to a nearby spot, “then just stand there and watch me finish before driving me back.”

Su Xiaoxiao believes that it is necessary to be cautious of others, she’s worried that he might drive the car away and not come back. She kept a precautionary measure in place. This location was the eastern gate of the military district, several kilometers away from the residential area. With no clear understanding of his hostility, there was a chance that he might leave her and Xiao Doubao here. At the thought of having to walk back home, she could only cry without tears.

Xiao Zhang’s face became a bit unsightly, and after holding it back for a while, he said, “I’m not a driver.”

Su Xiaoxiao didn’t waste time with idle talk. She directly marked the area that needed to be drawn and handed him the materials. She pointed to a blank space and said, “Comrade Xiao Zhang, please write a few words for me to see.”

Xiao Zhang’s face turned red like a pig’s liver. “You’re not my superior, I don’t need to take orders from you.” 

Su Xiaoxiao calmly looked at him with composure. “Well then, be the leader, you command me. I’ll follow your orders.”

Xiao Zhang: “You…” Although Su Xiaoxiao is not his leader, before he left to pick up Su Xiaoxiao, Xu Daming had instructed him to listen to Su Xiaoxiao and let her take the lead. This arrangement made him very dissatisfied.

Having been on the propaganda team for over three years, he believed he had good professional skills in both internal and external affairs. This time, with Li Min’s hand injured, he thought the responsibility for this task would naturally fall on him. However, he never expected that Su Xiaoxiao would suddenly come and take over the task. It felt like she had stolen the opportunity right under his nose.

Captain Xu appreciated Su Xiaoxiao very much. repeatedly instructing her on what to do before leaving. He couldn’t understand. What qualifications can a housewife who stayed at home all day taking care of her child, even needing to bring the child along when working, have to take over such tasks?

Su Xiaoxiao quickly showed him through her actions why she was qualified.

Even though she had told the cubs during lunchtime to go straight home after school and not go anywhere else, and if they were hungry, to find some snacks to temporarily fill their stomachs, and to wait obediently at home for her and Han Cheng to return home, she couldn’t help but worry.

After all, they are only six and five years old, and no matter how sensible they are, they are just children. Su Xiaoxiao was not at ease and wanted to finish the task as soon as possible to return home early.

However, Xiao Zhang seemed to be deliberately causing trouble. It gave Su Xiaoxiao a headache. It was just a small task, so why did it have to be so complicated?

Su Xiaoxiao took decisive action and followed the previously designed plan. She determined where the figures should be drawn, where the peonies should be depicted, where the red slogans should be written, and where the texts should be placed. She established the overall framework.
At first, Xiao Zhang was quite arrogant, but when he witnessed Su Xiaoxiao effortlessly sketching and writing, completing the major framework within a few minutes, his jaw dropped in astonishment. It was as if his mouth could fit an egg inside out of sheer surprise.

“Are you illiterate or just have terrible handwriting?” Su Xiaoxiao was truly speechless. He appeared to be a sharp and capable young man, so why was he so hesitant and fussy when it came to doing work?

“Either you start writing now and keep up with my pace, or you don’t write even a single character and wait until I finish drawing. Should I erase what you’ve written halfway through, or should I just wait for you? I have two first-grade children in my family who are about to finish school, and I have to hurry home. I don’t have time to take care of your emotions, let alone understand what dissatisfaction you have with me.” Su Xiaoxiao had said everything she needed to say, leaving nothing unsaid. If necessary, she was willing to find a different partner for future collaborations.

Xiao Doubao probably sensed that his mother didn’t like this unfamiliar uncle, and also felt this uncle’s hostility. He got up from a small stool and ran over to vigorously kick Xiao Zhang’s calf vigorously. He said fiercely: “Bad! Military uniforms, not the same!”

Xiao Doubao finished kicking and ran back to his small stool, he looked so obedient as if it wasn’t him who had just kicked Xiao Zhang.

Su Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but laugh and cry. She was surprised to find that Xiao Doubao could speak three words and even spoke with emotions. Before, he used to say everything with a prolonged sound and a particularly lazy little milk voice, but now he knows how to curse people with emotions.

The little cub has grown up.

Xiao Doubao’s cute acts melted Su Xiaoxiao’s heart, and the negative emotions that had been stirred up by Xiao Zhang have also swept away. With her obedient little cubs at home and a wonderful husband, she realized that others were not worth causing any emotional turbulence within her.

Su Xiaoxiao smiled and said to the little cub, “Xiao Doubao, even if someone is wearing the same military uniform as Dad, they may still be different from Dad. Just because someone wears the same clothes doesn’t necessarily make them a good person, right? But remember, Xiao Doubao, you shouldn’t resort to violence either. People who resort to violence are also not good people.”

Xiao Doubao puffed up his cheeks in dissatisfaction and gave Xiao Zhang a fierce look: “He’s bad! Xiao Doubao is good~~~”

When the little guy said the word ‘good’, he began to elongate the little milk sound again.

Su Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but laugh and said, “Hmm, Xiao Doubao is a good child, but promise Mom not to hit someone next time, okay?”

Xiao Doubao reluctantly nodded and said: “Okay~~~”

No matter what, it’s wrong for her cub to resort to violence. Su Xiaoxiao sincerely apologized to Xiao Zhang: “I’m sorry, the child is still young and doesn’t understand.”

Xiao Zhang’s face changed from pale to red. He waved his hand awkwardly. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and bowed to Su Xiaoxiao:  “I apologize, Comrade Su. It should be me who should apologize to you.”

Jealousy makes people look ugly. It’s because of his narrow-mindedness which caused disgrace to the military uniform he wears. He couldn’t tell the reason for his apology, so he could only express his apologies through a bow.

Su Xiaoxiao took a few steps back, refusing his courtesy. Why do people in this era constantly bow and bow? When will this habit change? She really isn’t accustomed to it.

“You don’t have to bow and apologize anymore. Just focus on getting the work done quickly. I’m in a hurry to go home and pick up my children.”

When Su Xiaoxiao previously asked him whether he couldn’t read or if his handwriting was ugly, it was pure nonsense. Being able to join the propaganda team and being sent by Xu Damu to be her partner, there was no way his skills in calligraphy could be lacking.

As expected, Xiao Zhang’s handwriting was as sturdy and powerful as his personality. It had a robust and vigorous quality, almost resembling the style of iron and silver hooks, which seamlessly complemented Su Xiaoxiao’s elegant and free-spirited artistic style.

Both of them are focused workers who don’t like to talk too much nonsense, and if there are areas that need discussion, they can be resolved in just a sentence or two.

Before five o’clock, a masterpiece propaganda poster was born. With three years of experience on the propaganda team, this was undoubtedly the most satisfying poster Xiao Zhang had ever produced.  Su Xiaoxiao’s painting was vibrant and had a sense of leisure, flowing effortlessly like clouds and water. Combined with his calligraphy and the overall artistic concept, it could be considered a work of art. He believed that anyone passing by would surely pause and take a closer look. The promotional effect would undoubtedly be excellent.”

Now he finally understands why Captain Xu repeatedly instructed him to follow Su Xiaoxiao’s arrangements. After working together this time, he truly respects and trusts Su Xiaoxiao.

Apart from being disliked by Su Xiaoxiao for his personality, this Xiao Zhang still has exceptionally strong competence in his job. As a work partner, as long as he doesn’t deliberately find faults, he is more than qualified for the role.

She picked up Xiao Doubao and kissed him: “Are you tired, Xiao Doubao? Shall we go pick up your older brothers after school?”

Xiao Doubao doesn’t always sit still either. Occasionally, he gets up and takes a few steps to see what his mother is drawing, or he goes to play with the butterflies and dragonflies by the roadside. Then, he returns to his little blackboard to write and draw. He kept himself quite busy.

“Comrade Su, let me take you back first, “Xiao Zhang took the initiative to say.

Su Xiaoxiao had the thought of teasing him and saying ‘Are you going to do the job of a driver even if you’re not one?’ but she decided not to do it. It was a chance encounter, and she had no intention of getting too involved with Xiao Zhang. They wouldn’t have any interaction beyond their work-related tasks.

However, Xiao Zhang’s mind was filled with numerous question marks. On the way back, he constantly wanted to ask Su Xiaoxiao who she learned painting, who taught her calligraphy, and if she had any techniques for conceptualizing layouts that she could share with him. However, Su Xiaoxiao never even glanced at him and kept talking to her child the whole time.

Xiao Zhang actually knows that he has offended her, and besides, he doesn’t want to embarrass himself even further. After all, there’s plenty of time in the future, and he can always ask those questions when they become more familiar with each other.

Su Xiaoxiao got off the car at the entrance of the elementary school. She still had to go to another place tomorrow to work on it. So, she only took Xiao Doubao’s small blackboard, leaving the small stool in the car.

As Xiao Zhang caught a glimpse of the content on the blackboard through the rearview mirror, he was shocked and turned his head abruptly. It happened to coincide with the little one’s gaze resting on his mother’s shoulder. If he wasn’t mistaken, it was indeed this little one who appeared to be just over a year old who was scribbling and drawing on the blackboard, right?

Such a small guy actually roughly copied the parts painted on the blackboard. The crooked and whimsical drawings were filled with childlike innocence, exuding a unique sense of beauty.
Comrade Xiao Zhang was deeply discouraged. The area where he had been kicked in seemed to throb with pain. He not only fell short compared to Su Xiaoxiao but if things continued this way when the little one grew a few years older, he might be beaten up by a child!

Su Xiaoxiao is not interested in knowing what Comrade Zhang is thinking.

The class should have ended a while ago, and one by one, the children were coming out from inside. Almost everyone had left, and Su Xiaoxiao hadn’t seen Fantuan and Zhuzi yet. Just as she was about to turn around and head home, a child around the same age as Zhuzi came running over. Su Xiaoxiao recognized him as a student from their class.

“Teacher Su, Teacher Su, it’s good that I found you! Fantuan and Zhuzi got into a fight with someone, and they’re still with Principal Liu. You should hurry over there!” he exclaimed.

Su Xiaoxiao was taken aback. Fantuan and Zhuzi got into a fight with someone. It was only their second day of school, after all.

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Lucia: See you on Friday~

Thank you, everyone, and I hope you all had a great day~ (✿◡‿◡)

You can also read advance chapters on my Patreon