Chapter 99 : Little Warmth

Han Zhenyu said apologetically, “Captain, Third Uncle, I know this must be difficult for you, but I really don’t understand this process. Could you please help me think of a solution? After it’s done, I will definitely come back to thank you.”

The captain tapped his fingers on the table, glanced at the accountant, and then said to Han Zhenyu, “You go back first. I’ll discuss it with your uncle and give you a reply in two days.”

When Han Zhenyu heard this, he knew the matter was settled, so he quickly smiled and thanked them. “Then I’ll trouble the captain and Third Uncle.”

After Han Zhenyu left, the accountant said, “If we register these two children in our team, I’m afraid people will start talking again.”

The captain was silent for a moment before saying, “Didn’t Sun Qingshan’s newly married wife bring two children with her? She came to me a few days ago to talk about registering the child. And Han Ruihu also came to me several times to ask about the boy he adopted last year. Let’s handle it together when the time comes.”

“But both of their families are registered in the village. Zhenyu’s household registration has been moved to the city, and his wife is an educated youth from Haishi, so she is not considered a member of our team.”

“Although Zhenyu’s wife is an educated youth who came to work in the production team, her household registration has been transferred to our team, so she is a member of our village.”

The captain pointed to the 20 yuan on the table and said, “Besides, Han Zhenyu has already paid the money, so no one can say anything.”

The accountant glanced at him and felt that although the captain’s explanation was a bit far-fetched, it was reasonable.

Thinking of what Han Zhenyu had just said about coming to thank them after the task was accomplished, he smiled and nodded.

In fact, registering a household is easy for them. If they can get some benefits and hire Han Zhenyu, why not do it? That guy is no longer the gangster he used to be. Now he’s a regular employee in a machinery factory. Who knows, he might be of use someday.

When Han Zhenyu arrived home, the two children were playing in the yard.

Su Xieqiu was in the kitchen cleaning up the remaining wild boar meat and the pig offal.

In addition to the food eaten in the past two days and the food given to Han Zhenyu’s grandfather and aunt, there was still nearly 100 kilograms of wild boar meat.

Su Xieqiu had pickled it all with salt. After it was thoroughly pickled, she would hang it up so it could be kept for a long time.

Han Zhenyu looked at the half-filled basin of pig offal and asked with a smile, “How are we going to eat this?”

“I won’t cook it today. I’ll pickle it first. Aren’t my uncle and my eldest uncle coming over to help chop wood in a few days? I’ll stew it for them then.”

Han Zhenyu smiled and nodded, then told her about going to the brigade to register the two children.

“I’ll go to the captain and the accountant again tonight, and this should be sorted.”

“I feel relieved now that I’m registered.” Su Xieqiu thought for a moment and said, “Wouldn’t it be too little to just take the meat sauce? There seem to be a few cloth coupons in the ticket Comrade Gu gave me. Take them all with you when you go there tonight.”

Han Zhenyu said, “Okay, just give the cloth coupons to the captain and get a can of meat sauce from the accountant.”

Registering for household registration is not a small matter. If the villagers have any objections, they will help to settle them, so the gift has to be more substantial.

He noticed there was not much water left in the tank, so he picked up two wooden buckets and went to the backyard to fetch water.

Su Xieqiu packed up the meat and took the two children to the backyard.

She pointed to the corner and said, “Han Zhenyu, build a chicken coop here this afternoon. Once Chenchen and An an are registered, we can raise two chickens. Then I’ll go to the village to buy two chicks and raise them. They’ll lay eggs next year.”

Han Zhenyu nodded, “Okay, I’ll get it done after I fetch some water. See if there’s anything else you want me to do.”

He would be going to work tomorrow. If he wasn’t on a business trip, he would have one day off every week and could help with some housework.

If he went on a business trip to a faraway place, he wouldn’t be able to take care of his family.

He planned to use the time now to tidy up the house, and then Su Xieqiu would just stay at home to take care of the two children.

Su Xieqiu looked around and saw there was nothing else to pack.

Gu Fangxun had watered the vegetable patch yesterday and pulled up the weeds. Even the firewood that Han Zhenyu had chopped a while ago was neatly stacked.

She thought for a moment and said, “There’s nothing for the two kids to play with. Why don’t you make a swing for them this afternoon?”

When they first built this house, there were two jujube trees side by side on the homestead, just surrounding the left side of the front yard gate.

Grandpa Du saw that they weren’t causing any trouble, so he let them stay, allowing for a swing to be built between the two trees.

Although Han Zhenyu felt that the two children were too young and it would definitely be unsafe for them to play on the swings, he decided to go ahead and make one since his wife had suggested it.

Children might not be able to play on it, but his wife could still sit there occasionally.

Han Zhenyu filled the water tank and started building a chicken coop.

Since three people could only raise two chickens, the coop didn’t need to be too big, so he finished building it before dinner.

After lunch, Han Zhenyu played with the two children for a while, coaxed them to sleep, and then started working on the swing.

He worried that it wouldn’t be strong enough, and then was concerned that it might be uncomfortable to sit on, so it took him the whole afternoon to finish it.

An An was so excited to see the swing, and even Chenchen showed a long-lost smile.

Han Zhenyu let An An sit on it first, helped her hold the ropes with both hands, and gave her a little push. Then, he let Chenchen sit on it and slowly pushed him from the side.

Chenchen became more and more excited as he played, finally shouting with a smile, “Uncle Han, higher, higher!”

Seeing how happy he was, Han Zhenyu smiled and said, “Hold on tight, don’t fall off.”

“Hahahahaha… hahahaha…”

An An saw that her brother had been sitting there for such a long time and still wasn’t getting down, so she cried anxiously.

If Su Xieqiu hadn’t held her back, the little girl would have run over and snatched it from her brother.

Han Zhenyu smiled and carried Chenchen down. “You two have sat here long enough. Now it’s Aunt Su’s turn.”

Su Xieqiu heard him and quickly shook her head. “I won’t sit. I’m too heavy, I’m afraid of falling.”

Although the two jujube trees were thick and the ropes were tied securely, she was still worried.

She had been eating well recently and had gained some weight, probably around 100 pounds now. If the swing couldn’t bear her weight, it would be quite embarrassing.

Han Zhenyu smiled and reassured her, “It’s okay, I tied it very securely. You can try sitting on it. I won’t swing you that high.”

Su Xieqiu hesitated for a moment, then sat on the wooden board tied with ropes.

She had never sat on a swing as a child because there weren’t any. She used to envy the other children who could play on them.

By the time she had the financial means to do so as an adult, she had already lost her childhood innocence.

Han Zhenyu and Chenchen stood on each side and swayed, initially being very careful, afraid of making her fall.

Su Xieqiu sat for a while and found it quite fun, so she said to them, “Try harder and swing me higher.”

Chenchen was very obedient and shook the rope hard, trying to make her swing higher.

Han Zhenyu quickly stopped him. “Chenchen, stop, stop! It’s too high. Don’t make Aunt Su fall.”

“Oh, I see, Uncle Han,” Chenchen said, stopping immediately.

Su Xieqiu also felt that she had been too reckless just now and stood up embarrassedly.

An An was anxious and rushed over, “Sit… An An sit.”

Su Xieqiu smiled and lifted An An up, then said to Han Zhenyu, “You take them to play, I’m going to cook.”

Han Zhenyu asked, “How about you stay with them and I’ll cook?”

“No need, you guys play,” Su Xieqiu waved her hand and went to the kitchen with a smile.