Chapter 68

Han Cheng bought a train ticket for tomorrow to go to the capital to attend an academic exchange conference.

In recent days, Han Cheng hasn’t been bothering Su Xiaoxiao too much. He’s not sure if she’s pregnant or not, so they have been taking it easy and satisfying their “cravings” in moderation. The most important thing for him is to make Su Xiaoxiao comfortable. Without the constraints of precautions, both of them are enjoying themselves immensely.

After the rain of passion, Su Xiaoxiao comfortably fell asleep in Han Cheng’s embrace.

Han Cheng held his delicate wife in his arms, tenderly looking at the bags beneath her eyelids.

Taking care of such a big household, Su Xiaoxiao tirelessly manages everything. Every night, she insists on telling bedtime stories to the children. 

She waits until after 10 p.m. for the children to fall asleep before she can finally rest. Sometimes, Han Cheng keeps her occupied until two in the morning, and by six o’clock, she has to wake up to prepare breakfast. 

At eight o’clock, she has to take the children to school and teach their class. After school, she reviews her high school textbooks, and then she prepares lunch. 

While the children take their afternoon naps, she remains busy with various tasks. In the afternoon, she has to handle the matters of the propaganda team. If the team’s work is planned as originally agreed, it is manageable. However, if she has to handle additional tasks like they did the other day, she has to work overtime in the evening to complete the designs.

Although he is also busy himself, there is a fundamental difference between being fully committed to one thing and this kind of busyness.

Having three children at home is relatively manageable, as they can help with simple household chores. However, taking care of Xiao Doubao, who is very young, requires a lot of attention and effort. Otherwise, just taking care of the three children alone can be quite chaotic and overwhelming.

If Su Xiaoxiao’s mother was still here, seeing her beloved daughter busy like a spinning top, she would surely feel very distressed.

Han Cheng kissed his beloved’s little dimple. Su Xiaoxiao used to smile a lot in the past, but recently, it seems like those adorable little dimples have appeared less frequently. Han Cheng’s heart ached a little at the thought.

Su Xiaoxiao hasn’t been to the propaganda team these past two days, and Xu Damu hasn’t sent anyone to pick her up for fieldwork. She finally found her rhythm, followed her usual schedule for class, and did what she needed to do. She quietly researched the background information for the stage and used an afternoon to draw a design.

Han Cheng came home at noon and saw Su Xiaoxiao’s design sketches. The main theme was the vibrant red of China, depicting the majestic and continuous mountain ranges spanning 9.6 million square kilometers, the golden waves of bountiful harvests swaying in the breeze, the unity and solidarity of people from all walks of life, and the peaceful dove carrying the beautiful wishes of the entire nation soaring into the blue sky. After Su Xiaoxiao’s artistic touch and calligraphic embellishments, the entire painting became soul-stirring, brimming with vitality and hope. It was no longer just a simple stage backdrop but an artistic masterpiece that embodied the hopes of the entire nation.

After looking at it, Han Cheng felt excited and overwhelmed. He could already imagine how shocked the people in the propaganda department would be when they saw this design plan.

The collective efforts of their entire team for ten days or even half a month may not compare to what Su Xiaoxiao can accomplish in just two days with his insightful attention. Such talent and ability cannot be solely achieved through hard work alone.

Su Xiaoxiao’s departure from the propaganda team is definitely their biggest loss. Just because she doesn’t adhere to the traditional office hours doesn’t mean her work hours are fewer than others. Her efficiency and the quality of her work are not compromised. The previous work and the current stage backdrop are the best proof of her capabilities.

Han Cheng still feels heartbroken. Educating and nurturing students is also important, and Su Xiaoxiao is the best teacher in the entire primary school and even the entire military district. However, for the sake of their family, she willingly sets aside her own brilliance and becomes his strongest support.

“Moistening things silently” perfectly describes his wife. ^[1]“Moistening things silently” is a poetic expression that implies quietly and subtly bringing positive change or improvement to the surroundings or people without drawing attention or … Continue reading

Han Cheng believes that if he fails to achieve higher and better results in the medical field and save more people, he will disappoint Su Xiaoxiao’s silent efforts.

During lunch, Han Cheng was unusually silent. The couple cleaned up their household chores as usual and sent the cubs to take a nap.

Han Cheng took his wife’s hands and kissed her lips, “Xiaoxiao, I saw your design draft, it’s great, it’s better than all the ones I’ve ever seen.”
Su Xiaoxiao smiled and said, “I’ve put a lot of effort into it, and I think it’s quite good.”

Han Cheng hugged her in his arms and said, “Xiaoxiao, I always feel like it’s me and this family that burden you. With your abilities, whether it’s in the propaganda team, school, or any other field, you could achieve great success.”

Su Xiaoxiao was a bit surprised when he said this, and she quickly shook her head: “I don’t want that. You and our children are my greatest achievements. I can work and strive for progress, but working too hard is impossible for me.” 

Han Cheng smiled, suddenly feeling relieved. His wife is soft-tempered, gentle, and tolerant. She had her own thoughts and pursuits, which might differ from the majority. It was he, who became secular.

“Alright, I understand,” Han Cheng gently tousled his beloved’s silky hair. “I’ll take the documents over in the afternoon. You stay at home and rest.”

Su Xiaoxiao stretched out her hand and said, “Alright, aren’t you going on a business trip tomorrow? I’ll cook delicious food for you tonight.”

Han Cheng kissed her face and said: “Okay.”

After taking a nap, Han Cheng took Su Xiaoxiao’s design sketches and went to the headquarters. He bypassed even the head of the propaganda department and delivered them directly to the designated leader for Su Xiaoxiao at the propaganda department.

Han Cheng said, “This is a task given to my wife by the leader. She took two days to complete it. During these two days, she had to take care of our three children at home and teach them a Chinese language lesson at the elementary school. I have a busy job, and there are no elders at home. She has been taking care of everything in the rear, which is already very hard.

She can’t participate in fieldwork. The information board in the eastern district is where she usually takes my little son, who is over a year old, to complete it. She had just become pregnant, but she didn’t even know it herself. Sometimes she was so tired that she could fall asleep while standing.

She knows that hard work is the good quality of every comrade in our military region. She has never said a word about how hard her work is. However, as her husband, I could only feel distressed. The reason I can wholeheartedly focus on my work is because she is taking care of everything at home. If she breaks down from exhaustion, I won’t be able to concentrate on my work. Therefore, she cannot participate in the subsequent tasks. If the propaganda team cannot understand this, I can only pass her resignation on her behalf. I hope Chief can understand.”

The leader has always admired and understood Han Cheng. He has never been a romantic person, and I would not directly approach him if there were no major issues. This time, he even spoke on behalf of his wife. It’s like a rare occurrence—something that happens when the sun rises from the west.

The leader asked, “I remember Zhang Zhu was also raised at your house, right? How has he been lately?”

Han Cheng nodded and said: “Reporting to the leader, he is doing well and is very obedient. He is healthy and smart. Now, every morning, he follows me and Zhao Xianfeng for morning exercises. He attends classes with my eldest son in my wife’s class. He is living a very happy life.”

The leader nodded with satisfaction and said, “Zhang Zhu accidentally went to your house. This is the best arrangement. I know your character, and I don’t need to remind you to take care of him and treat him well. I am very relieved to have you take care of Zhang Zhu. Don’t worry, I will directly tell the propaganda team about your wife’s situation.

Comrade Su is truly a rare talent. I’ve heard that even the leaders from the elementary school are trying to recruit her. Here’s what we can do: to avoid any complications, she can temporarily be affiliated with the Propaganda Department as an unofficial staff member. She won’t be under the jurisdiction of the Propaganda Team anymore, and her involvement in fieldwork will be unrelated. She can continue to teach classes at the elementary school, and her salary and benefits will be fully provided. However, we should keep this arrangement confidential. Please keep it in mind.”

By doing so, the leader is also considering Zhuzi’s well-being. After all, if Han Cheng’s family’s living conditions improve, Zhang Zhu’s standard of living will also improve. Therefore, while we can’t overtly show favoritism, a slight behind-the-scenes consideration won’t have any negative impact.

Han Cheng thanked the leader.

The leader waved his hand and said, “If the design plan is not approved by the propaganda department, she still needs to redesign it. This is her job.”

Han Cheng smiled confidently and said, “As long as the people in the propaganda department have no problems with their eyes, there is no reason for them to disapprove.”

The leader glanced at Han Cheng and said, “Where did you get that confidence, kid?”

Han Cheng stood up and said, “If you take a look, you’ll understand, right? If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back to work now.”

The leader waved his hand and said, “Go ahead, go ahead. Oh, by the way, when you’re in the capital, please convey my greetings to the former leader.”

Han Cheng nodded and said. “Understood.”

After Han Cheng left, the leader slowly opened Su Xiaoxiao’s design drawings. As soon as he saw them, his eyes widened, and then he burst into laughter. “No wonder this kid is so confident. Brilliant, simply brilliant!”