Lu Hehuan asked Xu Xiaoyou to stay but shamelessly requested a bowl of food to take home to share with Xu’s mother and Xu Shihua.

Xu Xiaoyou sighed, thinking that the stepmother probably wouldn’t get any.

Fang Dihua looked at her daughter’s back and thought it read “fool” in big letters.

She regretted inviting her younger daughter for dinner and thought it would have been better to just send her away and keep Xu Xiaoyou, avoiding the situation of losing meat and getting upset.

Lin Shu quickly reassured her, “Mother, it’s fine. Next time, we just won’t keep her for dinner.”

Fang Dihua considered this and agreed.

There was no need to be angry.

Providing meat to her daughter was her own business, and whether her daughter shared it with her husband was her daughter’s concern.

As long as she felt clear in her conscience, it was fine.

Lu Dage ate with gusto, looking very pleased, “I could eat five meals a day, and sister-in-law’s cooking is getting better and better.”

He even stretched his head and said to Fang Dihua, “Mother, promise me that we will never separate our families.”

Fang Dihua thought, “Why do I feel like hitting you?”

While they were eating, Old Lu noticed Panpan sneaking around and quietly reminded him…

“Why aren’t you enjoying the meat properly?”

He had seen Panpan run into the room with a bowl earlier, which seemed suspicious.

After all, the children usually ate their meals quietly and without distraction.

Panpan sighed, “It’s such a happy day, and my dad didn’t come back. Oh, he missed all the excitement.”

Tiantian said, “It’s okay. I’ll draw it all.”

Xu Xiaoyou added, “Yes, yes. I’ve already memorized where you were standing on the stage. I’ll tell Tiantian later.”

Panpan sighed again. “If only Dad had been here. If he had stood next to Mom and held both of us, everyone in the commune would have seen us. That would have been so impressive.”

After dinner, Fang Dihua asked Lin Shu to bring out some roasted melon seeds for visitors.

A few close neighbors would come by to chat and offer their congratulations.

It was indeed a joyous day for the Lu family, and soon Xu Lao Nian, Qiu Pozi, Li Shaner, and others came to extend their congratulations to the second master and second madam.

They chatted for a while, snacked on some melon seeds, and then took their leave, not wanting to waste the oil for lamps.

With all the awards and prizes received, every room now had a warming pot.

Lu Cuicui happily ran into the room to experience this joy and specially went to her parents’ room to have some water.

“Dad, now every room has a warming pot and teacup. It’s so nice.”

Lu Erge was also very happy.

He didn’t go because he wanted to know about the event, so he kept silent and listened to the children’s descriptions.

He said, “It’s cold now. Use hot water to wash your feet every night.”

Lu Cuicui wasn’t so diligent.

She thought that Third Aunt’s daily foot washing was overkill and that washing once a week was enough.

But since Dad said so, she happily agreed, knowing it was her choice whether to do it or not.

Lu Er sneered and sarcastically remarked, “Just one warming pot, and you’re so happy? Others have three in their homes.”

Lu Cuicui, chatting happily with her father, unwittingly said, “People with three pots must be capable. Why aren’t you being praised…”

Before she could finish, she realized she had said something wrong and was afraid of being hit by Lu Er.

Her face turned pale.

Lu Er indeed raised her hand to slap her.

Lu Erge happened to be nearby, grabbed Lu Er’s arm, and frowned as he said in a low voice, “Don’t hit the child.”

Lu Cuicui knew she had upset her, so she didn’t drink the water and ran back to her own room, closing the door and going to sleep.

Lu Er was furious. “She spoke that way about me, and you didn’t hit her?”

Lu Erge replied, “She didn’t say anything wrong.

…

Around 8:30, Lin Shu and the children went to bed on the kang (a traditional heated bed).

They were extremely excited during the day, but now they were very tired.

Panpan was still climbing on the windowsill, looking outside, wondering if her father would come back tonight.

Lin Shu had three hot water bottles in the room because she was very clean and liked to wash things frequently.

So, her sister-in-law and Fang Dihua gave her the extra bottles.

She insisted on maintaining cleanliness for herself and also for Tiantian and Panpan.

At night, she would first wash their bottoms and then soak their feet.

After tucking them into bed, she would blow out the lamp and go to sleep.

Today was the day Lu Shaotang was supposed to return, as he had mentioned last time.

Lin Shu, feeling sleepy, suddenly felt a cold breeze coming in and knew Lu Shaotang had arrived.

He moved quietly, but when he opened the door, the cold wind rushed in, quickly filling every corner of the room, even affecting the outer room.

Women who have given birth are particularly sensitive to cold wind and can sense it immediately.

When Lu Shaotang came in, he first took off his thick military coat in the main room to keep the cold out and rubbed his hands before entering the bedroom.

Lin Shu asked, “We made pork ribs tonight. Do you want to have some?”

Seeing her awake, Lu Shaotang smiled with his dark eyes bright, “Is it in the pot? I’ll serve myself; you don’t need to get up.”

Lin Shu sat up, put on her cotton jacket, and chatted with him casually.

“Panpan has been thinking about you. he was afraid you wouldn’t get to eat any meat, so he hid half a bowl of the best ribs in our room for you.”

Lu Shaotang entered carrying kelp and rib stew in one hand and two large steamed buns in the other.

He first placed the food down and went over to kiss his daughter and son.

He wanted to take the opportunity to kiss his wife too, but she was sitting too far away.

Panpan called out, “Daddy!”

Lu Shaotang responded, “Yes, it’s me.”

Panpan asked, “Eating meat?”

Lu Shaotang replied, “I’m eating.”

Lin Shu signaled Lu Shaotang, “Don’t respond to him; he’s talking in his sleep and doesn’t know you’re here.”

Lu Shaotang laughed, thinking this little one was just like he was as a child.

When he was young, if he made a mistake, he would adamantly deny it.

Even if his parents punished him, he would never admit it.

But when he fell asleep, he would talk in his sleep, and his parents would question him, getting the whole story out of him, while he was completely unaware.

It was quite amusing.

After chatting for a while, Lin Shu lay down.

Sitting made her back tired.

She heard Lu Shaotang washing up and brushing his teeth downstairs.

He was a clean man, which was good.

Actually, Lu Shaotang had only rinsed his mouth before.

That night, Lin Shu taught him to brush his teeth after meals, saying it would prevent tooth decay.

He didn’t argue and followed her advice.

His teeth were well-aligned and in excellent condition, quite rare.

Good-looking eyes were common, but a beautiful mouth and healthy teeth were rarer.

After lying down for a while, Lin Shu heard him quietly say, “I went to the bathhouse with Chen Yanming today.”

Lin Shu asked, “Oh? Was it relaxing?”

Lu Shaotang replied, “It was pretty good. Next time, I’ll take you all with me.”

Lin Shu responded, “Alright, let’s go before the New Year and get everyone cleaned up.”

After a moment of silence, Lin Shu felt sleepy. Then Lu Shaotang said, “Can I switch places with our daughter?”

Lin Shu, feeling drowsy and her mind foggy, mumbled, “Sure.”

Lu Shaotang happily sat up, moved their daughter to the bed with Panpan, tucked them in, and then cheerfully slipped into his wife’s bed.

Lin Shu was puzzled as she found herself suddenly in the warmth of his chest. “What’s going on?”

His deep, magnetic voice whispered in her ear, “Dear, I bought that thing.”

Lin Shu asked, “What thing?”

Then she realized what he meant.

She remembered that Lu Shaotang had wanted to be intimate, but she had been hesitant, fearing pregnancy, and had asked him to buy some protection.

At that time, he didn’t even know what it was!

Now that he knew, it seemed she was in for some trouble.

The next morning, Lin Shu had no idea when Lu Shaotang had left!

Tiantian and Panpan were busy on the kang, discussing the additions Lu Shaotang had made to their drawings.

Panpan said, “Dad draws really well.”

Tiantian asked, “How does Dad draw so straight? Did he use a ruler?”

When they saw Lin Shu waking up, they rushed over, “Mom, you slept so long today!”

Lin Shu replied, “I must have drunk too much water last night.”

“Oh no, Mom, you’re hoarse. Are you getting a cold?”

“I’ll get some dandelion tea for you to drink!”

Lin Shu’s cheeks flushed with heat. She quickly stopped them and said quietly, “No, it’s just that I ate too many spicy peppers.”

Hearing Fang Dihua making breakfast downstairs, Lin Shu thought maybe Lu Shaotang shouldn’t come back too often.

Once a month was enough.