Chapter 79.1

Ever since Han Cheng returned home, the clinginess of Xiao Doubao has triggered a phenomenon of “contagious affection.” Su Xiaoxiao follows Han Cheng everywhere, while Xiao Doubao follows his mother like he is his mother’s tail. This scene was quite amusing.

After being at home for quite a while now, this is the only time Han Cheng could take out the gifts he bought from the capital. Xiao Doubao and Su Xiaoxiao are gathered around the table like two curious babies, eager to see what good things Han Cheng has brought back.

Han Cheng doesn’t keep them in suspense and pours out everything brought back from the capital at once. “In the kitchen, there’s also a roasted duck and a box of Beijing Eight Delicacies, tokens given at the conference.”

Su Xiaoxiao looked pitifully at Han Cheng and said, “They even have such benefits? I really want to eat the roasted duck.”

She doesn’t really want to eat the roasted duck because it’s too greasy. She wants to eat lotus leaf pancakes and Beijing sauce with cucumber and scallion; just thinking about that taste makes her crave it.

Han Cheng was very helpless. When he presented the roasted duck and Beijing Eight Delicacies, he thought Su Xiaoxiao would love this gift. He never could have anticipated that she would have gastritis, and this time she couldn’t eat it, and he doesn’t know when she’ll be able to eat it again.

Han Cheng suggested, “How about I go back to the army base and get some ice cubes to keep for a few days until your stomach is better, then we can eat together?”

Su Xiaoxiao shook her head and said, “No, I just wanted to eat lotus leaf pancakes and Beijing sauce, but it seems like you didn’t bring them.”

Han Cheng didn’t forget to bring them; he ate them at the guesthouse. The train was overcrowded, and it was difficult to carry those things. He ended up eating the side dishes at the guesthouse and only bringing back the duck.

Su Xiaoxiao said, “But it’s fine. When I get better, I can make it myself. We have a ‘roasting oven’ at home, and I can make the roasted duck too. Just rub a little white vinegar on the duck and put it in a clay pot to roast it slightly. Its skin will become crispy and taste even better. The Beijing Eight Delicacies can last for a long time in this weather.”

When it comes to food, Su Xiaoxiao is an expert, and Han Cheng always listens to her opinions.

Su Xiaoxiao went through the things Han Cheng brought back. He brought many small windmill toys and toy cars for Xiao Doubao to play with, as well as a set of wooden building blocks. Su Xiaoxiao first gave the toy cars to Xiao Doubao, who was overjoyed. He touched them and then carefully put them into the little backpack his grandmother made for him. Then he looked at the other goodies on the table.

Han Cheng brought a simple version of Toy Gun to Xiao Zhuzi and Xiao Fantuan, some picture cards not available here, and a box each of “Flight Chess,” “Military Chess,” and “Chinese Chess.”

Su Xiaoxiao thought to herself that her husband, Han Cheng, was just too sincere. She asked him to bring toys for the kids, and he ended up bringing back a bag full of them.

“Are these ‘Lv Da Gun’ and ‘Tang Hu Lu’?” Su Xiaoxiao exclaimed with delight as she opened two other paper bags, and indeed, they were snacks.

Han Cheng realized that there was nothing about food that Su Xiaoxiao didn’t know; she could always tell what something was with just a glance. “Yes, I picked them up from a snack factory on the way,” he replied.

Su Xiaoxiao wanted to eat Tang Hu Lu, but her stomach was not in great condition, so she didn’t dare eat anything randomly. Instead, she broke off a piece and gave it to Xiao Doubao. “This is a Tang hu lu. Mommy wants to eat this very much. Xiao Doubao, try it for Mommy.”

Xiao Doubao had never seen such a thing before, but if Mommy gave it to him, it must be something good. He took a bite, not even tasting it fully, and nodded, saying, “Mommy, it’s delicious~~~”

Su Xiaoxiao’s mouth was watering; unable to resist, she broke off another piece and took a small bite. The sweet and sour flavor burst onto her taste buds, and indeed, it was really delicious.

She took another small bite before feeding the remaining half into Han Cheng’s mouth.

Han Cheng saw her staring longingly at the Tanghulu, feeling a bit sorry for her yet amused at the same time. “Do you want to have some more?”

Su Xiaoxiao shook her head: “No, eating too much hawthorn is not good for the baby. I just want to taste a bit. In the winter, I can make tanghulu with other fruits.”

Han Cheng took a bite of it from her hand and asked, “Other fruits can be used to make tanghulu too?” He always thought tanghulu was just hawthorn covered with sugar.

Su Xiaoxiao nodded. “Of course, you can make ‘Tang Hu Lu’ with any fruit. You just need to coat it with sugar.”
‘Alright then, when it comes to this matter, his wife is an authority, and whatever she says goes.

Han Cheng took out another item from a different package and handed it to Su Xiaoxiao, saying, “Try this on.”

Su Xiaoxiao was stunned for a moment. It was a coffee-colored double-breasted retro-style coat with a large collar. They say fashion is cyclical, and in a past life, there was a period of popularity for the Sino-European retro style, and Su Xiaoxiao bought similar clothes back then. She never expected to see such clothing in this era. She touched the material and was pleasantly surprised. “Is this cashmere?”

‘Are cashmere items available at this time? ’

Han Cheng helped her stand up and draped the coat over her like dressing a child, lifting one of her hands and then the other to put them through the sleeves. Su Xiaoxiao allowed him to handle her like a human mannequin.

“I met a friend from Great Britain at the meeting, and we happened to talk about wanting to buy you a warm coat. He helped to buy it, and as a foreigner, he doesn’t need an exchange ticket.”

Han Cheng freed Su Xiaoxiao’s hair from the collar, buttoned up the coat, and then adjusted the collar, stepping back a few steps with a satisfied nod. “Looks great.”

Xiao Doubao also nodded and said, “Mommy, pretty~”

Originally, Han Cheng wanted to exchange his new military coat for a female version for Su Xiaoxiao. Although military coats are very warm, Su Xiaoxiao is petite, and even the smallest size looked bulky on her, making it inconvenient to work. At that moment, Han Cheng noticed this simple and well-fitting cashmere coat. Su Xiaoxiao already had fair skin, and wearing this coat brought out a delicate Eastern charm, making her look even more beautiful than foreign female stars in the same coat in movies.

Every woman loves beauty, and Su Xiaoxiao, in her previous life, had worn all sorts of clothes. Perhaps she didn’t desire much now; comfort was the most important thing for her. However, this is a gift from Han Cheng, and the meaning is different. 

Su Xiaoxiao really likes it. She searched around the coat but couldn’t find the price tag. She’s unsure if it was missing or if Han Cheng had removed it. The coat appeared to be expensive. “It must be very expensive, right? The cotton jacket my mother made is actually quite warm.”

Han Cheng refused to give a direct answer and only said, “During the commendation ceremony, they gave out some bonus money, and there’s a bit left.”
Last time, during the engagement, Han Cheng mentioned that the reward for the mission was 600 yuan, which happened to be the amount for her dowry. Though I’m not sure how much the reward is this time, it’s probably at least a few hundred yuan. In this day and age, a few hundred yuan is a considerable sum, showing that Han Cheng is truly willing to spend it on her.

Su Xiaoxiao is not an unscrupulous person. In the future, she just needs to find a way to earn more money. She stood on her tiptoes, clasped his neck, and kissed his cheek. “Thank you; I really like it.”

Xiao Doubao was watching, so Han Cheng didn’t want to be too affectionate. He just rubbed her head gently. “As long as you’re happy.”

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Hello everyone! As a bonus for reaching my goal on Ko-fi, here are chapter 79.1 to 84.2. Enjoy reading!!