Chapter 13: Mo Haoyue’s Return

After settling things with Song Binbin, she turned to go home.

“Sister, wait a minute.” Song Binbin said, then ran into the inner room.

After a few minutes, Song Binbin ran out again, “Sister, this is for you.” He took out the ring he’d been clutching in his hand and offered it to her.

“I don’t want it, Binbin. Quickly put it away, don’t let anyone see it. Sister brought you food, not for this.” Mi Xia stuffed the ring back into his pocket, speaking anxiously.

“Sister, please take it. Grandma agreed to let me give it to you.” Song Binbin blinked his eyes.

Mi Xia had no choice but to accept the ring, and she urged Song Binbin to take good care of his grandmother.

Only after saying goodbye did she realize how hungry she was. It was past lunchtime; how could she not be hungry?

She dashed into her space, ate two hamburgers, and drank a Coke before feeling revived.

She took a fish, a pound of shrimp, a dozen buns, and several apples from her backpack. After going outside, she covered them with some straw she gathered by the roadside, then slowly walked home.

At that moment, Mo Haoyue saw a woman in the distance. She was wearing clothes typical of this era, with two braids, a slender waist, walking gracefully, swaying with the wind.

“Mi Xia.” Mi Xia heard someone calling her. Turning her head, she saw what looked like Mo Haoyue.

But she wasn’t sure, so she stood still until the man walked towards her. Only then did she confirm that this man was her husband from her previous life.

Only when he got closer did she see his face clearly.

A stunningly handsome face, two sword-like eyebrows slanted into his temples, a pair of phoenix eyes that were both sharp and commanding, a high and straight nose, and tightly closed thin lips. He wore a white shirt and green army pants; he looked both valiant and handsome.

While Mi Xia was looking at Mo Haoyue, Mo Haoyue was also looking at her. Her skin was whiter, her posture more upright. She was still the same person, but now she had a more refined air about her.

“How have you been recently?”

Mi Xia heard Mo Haoyue’s magnetic voice. What was she doing? She was so embarrassed; she’d been completely captivated by a man. She wanted to dig a hole and bury herself. But this man was truly handsome.

“I’m fine. Big brother and sister-in-law have been very kind to me and Xia Xia.” Mi Xia blushed, lowering her head and kicking at a stone.

“You…” Mi Xia wanted to say that he hadn’t been in contact for so long, everyone thought he had died, but she didn’t know how to phrase it.

Fortunately, Mo Haoyue understood what she wanted to say, so he continued, “I was on a secret mission before, I couldn’t reveal my whereabouts, so I haven’t contacted home, causing you and Xia Xia hardship.”

“It’s alright. It’s good this way. Xia Xia and I are very happy living at big brother’s house. By the way, I’ve cut ties with your family, you know.”

“Yes, the villagers have told me. I’m sorry for the hardship you’ve endured during my absence.”

“It’s all in the past. Now Xia Xia and I are doing well.”

Mo Haoyue suddenly felt a pang of sadness. His wife and daughter had been happy without him.

Mi Xia sensed Mo Haoyue’s unease, but she didn’t know what to say.

Mo Haoyue took Mi Xia’s backpack and continued walking forward.

Mi Xia felt much lighter. It was a good thing she’d put everything in the backpack earlier; otherwise, she would have had to walk home with an empty backpack.

It was still early, only a little past four when they arrived home.

“Sister-in-law, I’m back! I bought some meat buns for the kids. Save some for them to eat when they get back tonight, you can divide them up later.”

Zhang Hongxia heard Mi Xia’s voice, put down the unfinished schoolbag she was working on, and walked over. Seeing Mo Haoyue and Mi Xia return together, she felt relieved.

Actually, Mo Haoyue had arrived at one o’clock in the afternoon. She said Mi Xia had gone to the county, so Mo Haoyue had been playing with Mo Zhixia.

After more than two hours, Mi Xia hadn’t returned, and Mo Haoyue worried about a woman traveling alone, wondering if she might encounter danger, so he wanted to go to the county to find her.

Now, seeing them return together, Zhang Hongxia was no longer worried. She responded and took the backpack to the kitchen.

They hadn’t seen each other for over a year, they must have a lot to talk about. She should give them some space.

Mi Xia first went to see her little girl. Xia Xia was in Zhang Hongxia’s room, happily playing with Xiao Huan.

Seeing her parents, she rushed over and hugged Mi Xia, then hugged Mo Haoyue.

Mi Xia saw the unfinished schoolbag on the bed and remembered that she needed to buy a sewing machine. She needed to make clothes for several people, and a sewing machine would make things much easier.

She thought she would bring one back next time she went to the county.

Watching the father and son play with Mi Xiaohuan, Mi Xia quietly went out to help her sister-in-law organize the things she had brought back.

“Little sister, your brother-in-law brought some cakes and rice flour when he came, they’re all here.”

Zhang Hongxia pointed to the items for Mi Xia to see.

“Sister-in-law, save them for the children. Let’s make extra food for dinner; he eats a lot as a grown man.”

Zhang Hongxia jokingly said, “Oh, little sister, you’re already feeling sorry for your man. Then let’s make extra food for dinner. I’ll clean up half a pig later.”

“I’ll help you. Let’s cook several dishes for dinner.” Mi Xia’s face turned red like she had applied rouge.

She cleaned the pig intestines, Zhang Hongxia cleaned the pig trotters and pork. They worked together to wash and chop everything. Seeing that the time was almost up, Mi Xia started steaming the rice.

They cooked six dishes and a soup: braised pig intestines, braised pig head meat, yellow bean stewed pig trotters, boiled shrimp, braised fish, egg-fried mushrooms, and pig bone and vegetable soup. Each dish was particularly large.

After setting the dishes on the table, Mo Haoyue finally sat down next to Mi Xia with the two children.

Zhang Hongxia and Mi Qiu exchanged smiles. Even Mo Haoyue, a grown man, blushed.

The children were excited to see the food on the table. Although their meals had been good recently, they rarely had such a feast.

Mo Haoyue was also surprised by the food on the table. Thinking about Mi Xia saying that she and her daughter were very happy here, he finally believed it after seeing this table of food.

After all, he had seen that afternoon that his daughter was happily playing with Mi Xiaohuan, and the family’s food was very good.

He couldn’t help but feel guilty. Not only did he not let his wife and children eat well, but he also let his mother bully them.

This time back to the army, he would bring his wife and daughter with him, so he could take care of them.

At Mi Qiu’s command, everyone started eating. Mo Haoyue put a piece of braised pork in Mi Xia’s bowl and another in Mo Zhixia’s. Mi Xia looked at the braised pork in her bowl with mixed emotions.

She had thought he had died, and she didn’t plan to remarry. She just wanted to make a lot of money with her big brother’s family, become a self-made millionaire, raise her daughter, and then travel the world.

But now this man was back, and she didn’t know what his intentions were.

Mi Xia slowly picked up the braised pork and put it in her mouth. But this man was quite warm and patient. If possible, she could consider continuing to live with him. Her daughter would certainly be better off with a father.

Actually, she was captivated by Mo Haoyue’s face.

After dinner, when Mi Xia was about to clear the dishes, Mo Haoyue stopped her. “Let me do it. You sit down and rest, or play with Xia Xia.”

Mi Xia stopped. If they were going to continue living together, he should help with the housework. It was better to let him get used to it early.

“Brother-in-law, put those down, let me clean up.” In Zhang Hongxia’s mind, men didn’t do housework; men worked outside, women worked inside.

“Sister-in-law, let him do it. He hasn’t been around for more than a year, it’s only right that he does some chores. I’ve been very tired taking care of the children alone, he’s showing consideration for me.”

Seeing Mi Xia say this, Zhang Hongxia didn’t stop them. Mi Xia originally wanted to say that the home belonged to both of them, and one person shouldn’t do all the work, but thinking about the customs of this era, her brother-in-law didn’t do anything at home.

She didn’t want to cause an argument between them for her own sake, but her idea was that men shouldn’t be spoiled; the more you spoil them, the more they act up.

Ultimately, it was the influence of her past life; she was different from the women of this era.

After Mo Haoyue cleared the dishes, Mi Xia divided the washed apples equally among them. They didn’t recognize apples; after all, in this era, only wealthy people could afford fruit.

Mi Qiu had heard of apples and knew they were expensive, but he had never seen one. He never expected that he, a rough man, could now eat apples.

Mi Xia took Mo Zhixia for a walk in the yard. Seeing this, Mi Qiu also took his wife and children and followed Mi Xia.

They went to bed early. After a few laps, Mi Qiu and his wife took the children to wash up and go to bed. Since Mi Xia came, they had followed Mi Xia’s example of washing and bathing every day.