Extra 5

The last person in the family to know that Zhuzi was going to become their brother-in-law was Xiao Doubao. Since Xiao Doubao’s research had been prioritized for national protection, he could only return home to visit family a few days each month, with most of his time spent in the laboratory.

This was supposed to be his last summer vacation during college, but he still had to stay in the lab. In the past, he had traveled with his mother or older brothers during winter and summer vacations; over the years, he had traveled all over the country. Despite this, his favorite activity remained researching various combat weapons in the office.

Xiao Doubao called Su Xiaoxiao several times each week. He still had the same unconditional trust and dependence on Su Xiaoxiao as he did when he was young. When he called home that week, Fantuan and Xiao Roubao had already informed everyone, including Grandpa and Grandma in Su Family Village and Grandpa and Grandma, as well as the uncles and aunts in Shanghai.

Xiao Doubao, who was usually hard to reach unless it was an emergency, only managed to process this news two days after his vacation.

Despite being capable and efficient in the outside world, Xiao Doubao remained the same obedient and clingy Xiao Doubao in front of Su Xiaoxiao. He asked his mother a question he thought was very important: “Mom, should I call Zhuzi ‘brother’ or ‘brother-in-law’ from now on? Does Zhuzi also have to call me ‘big brother’?”

Su Xiaoxiao, hugging her beautiful son, who had been obedient and adorable for twenty years, smiled and said, “Xiao Doubao can call him whatever he wants; Zhuzi won’t mind.”

This child was so exceptionally handsome that it was almost excessive. He usually stayed in the lab, and despite never skipping morning exercises, his fair and delicate skin was unmatched by any other child. Since he spent the least time at home, Su Xiaoxiao still treasured him as much as when he was little.

When Xiao Doubao was young, he was especially fond of his younger brother, even showing affection before the little one was born. As a result, Xiao Roubao adored his big brother the most. He grabbed the nuts in front of his second brother and sprawled lazily on the other side of the sofa with an air of grandeur, mimicking his big brother’s posture and leaning his head on Su Xiaoxiao’s shoulder: “Big brother, according to what you said, I’ve gained the most. Even Zhuzi, who is seven years older than me, has to call me ‘third brother’!”

Su Xiaoxiao held both her beautiful children, one on each side, feeling like a definite winner in life. She pinched Xiao Roubao’s ear: “Don’t bully Xiao Zhuzi, or Mom will spank you.”

Xiao Roubao, like a large pet dog, rubbed his head against Su Xiaoxiao’s neck: “Mom, be honest, am I still your most loved son? You have so many babies at home. Who do you like the most besides Xiao Tangyuan? Don’t hesitate; answer right away!”

When it comes to vying for favor, no one could surpass Xiao Tangyuan. Dad liked Tangyuan the most, and everyone liked Tangyuan the most because she was the only girl in the family. No one could compare.

Su Xiaoxiao released Xiao Roubao and hugged Xiao Doubao, giving him a kiss: “Mom obviously likes you the most, second son. You are the naughtiest. Mom would not have two white hairs if you were half as obedient as your second brother.”

When Xiao Doubao heard his mother say this, he began to search through Su Xiaoxiao’s hair, feeling relieved when he did not find any white hair.

In truth, all the children in the family, including the eldest, the youngest, and Zhuzi, were easy to take care of. Xiao Roubao and Xiao Fantuan were particularly lively, but they were still very obedient despite their energy. However, Xiao Doubao, with his quiet and unassuming nature, was the one Su Xiaoxiao felt most tender towards. Although emotionally, she liked all her children equally, instinctively, she always cared more about Xiao Doubao.

Xiao Doubao was neither the eldest nor the youngest child nor the noisiest. Such children were often the easiest to overlook. Xiao Doubao had always lacked a sense of security and was the most sensitive. What Su Xiaoxiao said was partly to tease Xiao Roubao but also true. Su Xiaoxiao hoped that this obedient angelic child would always be happy, though Xiao Doubao was always a happy and content child, just with a quieter personality.

Xiao Roubao hugged his mother and cried out loudly, still as messy as when he was young, drooling all over Su Xiaoxiao’s face. He shouted that he was his mother’s favorite little darling and that no one else could compete with him.

Among all the children in the family, Su Xiaoxiao was most at ease with Xiao Roubao and Xiao Fantuan. These two kids thrived in any environment, especially Xiao Roubao. He had the biggest heart, was the noisiest, and was the youngest boy in the family. He received no less love than Xiao Tangyuan. He was never upset about anything, loved to laugh and act silly, and was the source of everyone’s happiness. However, when it came to acting, he was highly versatile and could handle any role. According to Director Chen, Xiao Roubao was like an ancestor who was always fed. It was a pity he didn’t attend a film academy.

Xiao Roubao didn’t have as many ambitions or lofty ideals as his brothers. His ideal life was to inherit the family business after his mother retired, sleep until he woke up naturally each day, play whatever he wanted, eat whatever he wanted, and act in good scripts and preferred roles. If that didn’t work out, he would travel across the country to try new dishes and explore the industry.

    There was no other way. Su Xiaoxiao benefited from the reform and opening up and built many industries. Gu Zhanwang and Jiang Xue also had a big family business and were child-free, leaving only Xiao Roubao as their godson. The other brothers were not interested in business at all, so the family business was left to Xiao Roubao to inherit.

Xiao Roubao chose to major in architecture. As he put it, even if he couldn’t expand his mother and godfather’s business in the future, he didn’t want to become a wastrel. Because Su Xiaoxiao loved to buy real estate, owning properties in the capital and across the country, Xiao Roubao was particularly interested in real estate, influenced by Su Xiaoxiao. He vowed to enter the real estate industry and become a real estate tycoon, allowing his mother and godfather to have property in any city across the country, even in small towns.

One had to admit that Xiao Roubao had a sharp eye. From the mid-1990s, it was the golden age of real estate development. In the coming decades, the country’s economy will grow rapidly, with real estate making the greatest contribution. Su Xiaoxiao and Gu Zhanwang also planned to accumulate enough capital to enter the real estate market, which aligned with Xiao Roubao’s thoughts.

Family members gradually returned home, and it was rare for everyone to be together today. Han Cheng left work early, the Ya Li couple were on vacation, and Old Mr. Zhang didn’t go chess-playing. The two families decided to have a barbecue in their own yard.

The past was difficult to reflect on; twenty years had passed in the blink of an eye. In the earlier days, during holidays in Qingfeng Town, Su Xiaoxiao would occasionally organize barbecues at home. These gatherings usually included Su Xiaoxiao’s family, Ya Li’s family, and Zhou Yuhua’s family. Speaking of Zhou Yuhua’s family, Zhao Xianfeng and Zhou Yuhua had been transferred to the capital for work three years ago. However, their son Xiao Yuer’s school was quite far from there, so they bought a small house near Xiao Yuer’s university for his convenience. It was not easy for them to visit, but Xiao Yuer often came to see Fantuan Zhuzi and the others. Today was a rare occasion when Zhou Xianfeng and his wife could join.

Yao Bao, who was on summer vacation, had also come to the capital for some leisure time. With the university entrance exams approaching next year, his main focus was on reviewing. Given that his older siblings were academic stars, he naturally couldn’t afford to lag behind. They were staying in one of the houses Su Xiaoxiao had provided, while the other two were temporarily rented out. Da Bao and Xiao Bao ate at the office during the day, Yao Bao revised at home, and everyone gathered for dinner in the evening. They saw each other every day, and just like in their younger days, the evenings were lively and bustling.

Typically, adults and children were each occupied with their own lives, so it was quite rare for everyone to gather together like they did today.

Naturally, Xiao Roubao, who thrived on excitement, wouldn’t miss the chance to see his godfather’s family. When Gu Zhanwang arrived, he brought a lot of imported vegetables and fruits for everyone and even gave a special gift to Xiao Roubao.

It was no surprise that Xiao Roubao was the most pampered child in the family. Gu Zhanwang and Jiang Xue had always indulged him, sending him countless gifts from childhood to the present.

Xiao Roubao took the black object from his godfather and examined it for a while before asking, “Godfather, is this a camera?”

Gu Zhanwang nodded and replied, “Yes, it’s a digital camera. It hasn’t been released yet, and it will probably take another two years before it officially hits our country’s market. I wanted to study it to see if it was feasible to use. It took quite a bit of effort to get my hands on it, so I thought you would like it.”

Xiao Roubao was very interested in high-tech products and was thrilled, his eyes squinting with joy. “I like it, thank you, Godfather!” he exclaimed.

He examined the buttons, finding them quite user-friendly. All he had to do was press the shutter when the focus was right, and the image would be captured. Elated, Xiao Roubao held the camera and called out to everyone, “Come, come, come! Godfather brought a great treasure. Since we’re all here today, let’s take a big group photo!”

Su Xiaoxiao took the digital camera, inspected it, and nodded. “Indeed, it’s a great item with a promising market. At least for the next twenty years, it will sell well.” The true boom for this type of item started in the late 1990s and early 2000s when almost everyone owned one. A decade later, it gradually got replaced by phones. Since it was still the early 1990s, there was another ten to twenty years of market potential ahead. The profit margin could be substantial. It wasn’t easy for Gu Zhanwang to obtain one now.

Gu Zhanwang recognized that Su Xiaoxiao had a keen eye for valuable items and realized they were about to explore a new business opportunity. “Then let’s research it.”

Su Xiaoxiao generously agreed, “Sure, we’ll follow the old rules.”

Su Xiaoxiao was the most compatible business partner Gu Zhanwang had ever met. She had a sharp market sense, always making decisive decisions without dragging things out. Despite her delicate appearance, she was more resolute than most men. Her accuracy in evaluating projects was unmatched. Working with her in business was both reassuring and efficient.

Digital cameras were still rare then, so the kids eagerly gathered around to see.

The adults arranged themselves in a tacit agreement. Elder Zhang sat in the center of the front row, with Su Xiaoxiao and Han Cheng on one side and Ya Li and Zhang Hongtu on the other. Zhao Xianfeng and Zhou Yuhua were next to Su Xiaoxiao and her husband, while Gu Zhanwang and Jiang Xue were next to Ya Li and her husband.

Gu Zhanwang had brought all the necessary accessories, including the camera bag and tripod. As the adults took their positions, the kids had already figured out how to set the timer.

Once the setup was complete, they quickly ran to line up behind the adults. In the middle were Fantuan and Zhuzi. Fantuan hugged Xiao Doubao, Zhuzi hugged Xiao Tangyuan, Xiao Yuer held Xiao Bao, and Xiao Roubao held Da Bao with one hand and Yao Bao with the other. The kids who had a free hand hugged each other, forming a line. All nine kids squeezed their heads together, showing their big white teeth, and counted down together: “5, 4, 3, 2, 1, cheese…”

With a “click” of the digital camera, everyone’s smiles were captured, freezing all the joyful moments in that photo, while everyone’s happy lives continued…

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Author’s note: Zhuzi and Xiao Tangyuan were established as a couple from the very beginning of the story. From the moment Zhuzi pushed open the Han family’s gate with a basket on his back, his life was destined to be part of the Han family. As for the other children, I haven’t paired them up. Everyone can pick whichever child they like and take them away. I’ll see you in the next book.

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Translator’s note: After two years, I finally finished translating this novel. I took a long time to finish this because of my day job. I couldn’t find time in my business schedule, but fortunately, I was able to finish translating this novel. What can I say? I love this novel; their day-to-day life and little adventures were too healing. I will miss the children, Han Cheng, and the sunshine, Su Xiaoxiao. I hope you also enjoyed reading this novel and if you did, please leave a positive review at NovelUpdates (ㄒoㄒ)/~~

See you on my next project!

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New Projects:

Beautiful Mother Raising Cubs in the 1970s

When she woke up, Wen Nuan, who was fair-skinned and beautiful, found herself transmigrated to the 1970s—a time of scarcity in both clothing and food. She had become the female supporting character in a 1970s novel.

In the original story, her character was lazy, idle, and greedy. Upon learning that she was about to be sent to the countryside as an educated youth, she schemed to marry Deputy Regiment Commander Gu Qinghan.

After marriage, the two hardly saw each other and grew to despise one another.

As a supporting character destined to be cannon fodder, she caused the heroine, her sister-in-law’s miscarriage out of jealousy, leading to her eventual downfall, with everyone turning against her and despising her.

Now, with Gu Qinghan about to be transferred and assigned to the Northern Military District, Wen Nuan packed her luggage without hesitation and followed Gu Qinghan to the North with her hungry daughter.

The residents of the military compound were shocked when they saw the arrival of Deputy Commander Gu’s delicate-looking wife and baby.

The wives living in the military compound all shook their heads, thinking: “How could this delicate and pampered woman withstand the harsh northwest winds?”

Later, the people of the compound drooled every day when they smelled the meat aroma coming from Captain Gu’s house…

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Transmigrated as the Ex-Wife of the Villain Who Dotes on His Daughter (COMPLETED)

The first time Jiang Rou saw that man was in the interrogation room. He looked Desperate, silent and sinister. His fierce gaze and sarcastic smile on the corners of his mouth. Even at his forties with fine lines around his eyes, it can’t hide his handsome face. It’s hard to imagine what he looked like when he was young. This person’s name is Li Xiao, and the person that the police have been tracking for eleven years. This time, he allowed himself to be arrested; he no longer wanted to hide.

In the eyes of her parents and relatives, Jiang Rou had always been seen as a well-behaved and sensible child. The only rebellious thing she had ever done was secretly applying to the police academy when she entered university. However, after joining the academy, the heavy workload and intense training erased her initial longing for the police profession when she used to watch police dramas. She was even planning to take the civil service exam after graduation.

Jiang Rou’s encounter with Li Xiao was purely coincidental, as she was assigned to intern in this case by the school. She thought it was just a fleeting episode in her ordinary life, something she would soon forget. Then she would proceed with her work, blind dates, marriage, and having children, following the expected course of life…

So she never expected that when she woke up one day, she would become the ex-wife of Li Xiao who had ran away with someone twenty years ago.

Jiang Rou sat on the bed, looking down at her round belly, and for a moment, she fell into silence.

Author’s Note: The OG male lead’s daughter died because of campus bullying in her previous life. The bullies went unpunished, so the male lead planned revenge but ultimately did not do the last step. The OG male lead did not commit murder in his previous life, and the case was a wrongful conviction. The present male lead is a good person from beginning to end.

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Cannon Fodder Little Sister-in-law from the 1960s (ONGOING)

Su Xi transmigrated to a book.

After crossing through the book, she becomes the troublesome “sister-in-law” of the villainous Big Boss. The original owner was beautiful but arrogant and brainless, dutifully running all the way on the road of cannon fodder.

Her life’s pleasure was humiliating her only brother, who happened to be gay. In the end, the younger brother succumbed to the pressure and committed suicide due to depression. However, the villainous Big Boss retaliated against this “sister-in-law,” and she met a miserable end.

The peach blossom spirit, Su Xi, who came through, trembled.

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Rebirth: The Young Wife of the 1980s (COMPLETED)

Jiang Ci went into the mountains to pick chestnuts, but deep in the mountains, she became separated from her group and was pushed down a slope by someone.

Gu Qingchuan carried her on his back for six hours without stopping to rest, rushing her to the hospital for emergency treatment.

Those people slandered Gu Qingchuan, accusing him of taking advantage of her while she was unconscious. Before she could wake up to testify and clear his name, she was reported for speculative trading and sentenced to several years in prison.

When Jiang Ci was released from prison, not a single so-called family member came to see her, only Gu Qingchuan was there to pick her up.

Later, that man became the richest person in Qin Province and gave her the happiest ten years of her life.

When she was critically ill, the man’s heart shattered. He asked her if she had any regrets in this lifetime.

She struggled to breathe and said, “That year when I fell down the slope, you carried me to the hospital. If only I had woken up earlier, you wouldn’t have had to go to prison for nothing.”

After saying this, Jiang Ci closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she had returned to fifteen years earlier.

An hour later, the man would be convicted of the crime of harassment.

Jiang Ci pulled out her IV, saying, “Gu Qingchuan, wait for me.”

In this life, she had woken up early, and she would seek revenge where it was due and repay the kindness where it was owed.