The second day of the lunar new year was when married daughters returned to their maiden homes.
Hu Xiu was also someone’s daughter. Although her parents had passed away, the siblings who had cared for her deeply were all still around.
Thus, on this day, not only did Lin Ting need to return to her maiden home, but Hu Xiu also had plans.
However, her route didn’t align with the Lin family’s, and she had to bring the twins along, making it impossible for her to manage alone.
So, at the crack of dawn, Huo Xiao rode a bicycle he had specially borrowed from Director Hu to first escort his mother and the twins, while also paying New Year’s greetings to his uncles and aunts.
Fortunately, the Hu family was also in a nearby village, and the round trip took less than two hours.
What made Huo Xiao both amused and exasperated was that when he returned home a little past seven, his wife was still curled up in the Kang, not yet out of bed.
On ordinary days, he would have let her sleep in, since it was cold and there was nothing urgent to do after getting up.
But today was his first visit as a son-in-law, and it wouldn’t do to arrive too late.
So, he had no choice but to mercilessly pull her out of her warm blankets…
The Lin family had two daughters in this generation.
The eldest daughter, Lin Xiang, who was married in the neighboring town, was due to give birth in a few days.
Lin Shengli and Li Taohong had personally gone to see her before the New Year, bringing gifts and advising her not to travel on the second day.
The second daughter’s marriage had been fraught with twists and turns, but now, after enduring hardships, she had finally found happiness. Since this was the military officer son-in-law’s first visit, the Lin family had been bustling with activity since early morning—slaughtering chickens to make soup, chopping fish for dishes…
“Why aren’t they here yet? It’s almost nine o’clock.” After urging her youngest son for the eighth time to go check on the situation with no result, Li Taohong sent someone else to take a look.
Lin Hong didn’t mind the hassle and ran out again and again.
Don’t misunderstand—it wasn’t for his second sister’s sake but entirely for his second brother-in-law.
The young man, who yearned for the world beyond and admired military life, saw soldiers as heroes!
Seeing this, Lin Shengli, who was busy sanding furniture for guests, though also anxious, took a moment to reassure his wife: “You know it’s not even nine yet. That girl Tingting doesn’t get up until after seven; they won’t be here so soon.”
Li Taohong knew this well, but she couldn’t help feeling anxious. She shot her husband a glare: “Oh, so you’re the clever one!”
Used to such retorts, Lin Shengli wasn’t bothered and just smiled good-naturedly before burying himself in his work again.
Lin Wei, who was helping his father and eldest brother, joked, “I bet they brought so many gifts they couldn’t carry them all, which is why they’re slow. Mom, just relax and wait for your daughter and son-in-law to show their filial piety.”
Sure enough, Li Taohong was immediately amused: “You and your smooth talk! I don’t care about any grand gifts—I just want the young couple to be happy and harmonious!”
This was true. As parents, there was always endless worry.
Especially with a son-in-law they hadn’t met yet—how did he treat their girl?
If it weren’t for the fact that visiting in-laws on the first day of the New Year wasn’t quite appropriate, she would have gone to see for herself yesterday.
At this thought, Li Taohong’s briefly eased anxiety flared up again.
She decided not to wait for her fifth son to return. Instead, she untied the apron around her waist, smoothed her hair, and headed out to see for herself.
But just as she stepped over the threshold, she saw her fifth son running back at full speed, shouting at the top of his lungs: “…Second Brother-in-Law is here! Dad! Mom! Second Sister and Second Brother-in-Law are back!”
That shout caused quite a stir.
Not only did Li Taohong and everyone else inside hear it, but even the neighbors on both sides came out curiously.
Just as the usual gossips were about to ask a few questions, they saw the entire Lin family rush out to greet them—even five-year-old Yuanyuan was toddling along as fast as she could.
As if completely ignoring her presence, the woman felt her pride wounded and immediately turned sour: “Look at the Lins, fawning over a soldier son-in-law like that—and a divorced one at that!”
Hearing this, a tall, slender woman who was close with Li Taohong immediately shot back: “Shut your filthy mouth, you jealous hag who can’t stand others’ happiness! Want me to tell Taohong what you said? Bet she’d tear your mouth to shreds!”
After cursing, seeing the other woman flinch, she disdainfully spat, “Pah!”
When she looked back toward the road, she could already see Tingting and her son-in-law in the distance. The tall woman muttered, “Goodness, Taohong’s new son-in-law is quite tall.”
Someone chimed in, “Isn’t he? Looks even taller than Lin Ming, doesn’t he?”
Lin Ming, the eldest of the Lin family, was burly and stood at 185 cm—a typical northern man.
The tall woman, being good friends with Li Taohong, felt genuinely happy for her old friend: “He does seem taller… Oh my, look! The new son-in-law is so handsome! And he’s got a bicycle… That military uniform suits him well, so dashing. No wonder we could see Taohong grinning from ear to ear from far away… Come on, let’s go over and have a chat with the new son-in-law!”
And so, Lin Ting and Huo Xiao were soon surrounded by a growing crowd.
Normally, the hot-tempered Li Taohong would have shooed everyone away by now.
But since Tingting’s marriage had attracted so much gossip, and now that her son-in-law was such an outstanding match, she naturally wanted to show him off.
Of course, once the young couple was safely inside, her desire to boast vanished, and she immediately started urging people to leave.
But by then, everyone’s eyes were fixed on the bulging bags, and no one was willing to go.
Even the tall woman who had spoken up earlier leaned against the doorframe, teasing, “Hey, Taohong, that’s not fair! It’s the new son-in-law’s first visit—he must’ve brought all sorts of goodies. Let us have a look, won’t you?”
“Exactly! Don’t be in such a rush to hide everything. My son-in-law’s New Year gifts were openly shown to everyone earlier!”
“Right! When my daughter comes back, I’ll invite you all over to see hers too.”
Realizing most people were just curious and not wanting to offend the neighbors, Li Taohong reluctantly loosened one bag to give them a peek.
Her daughter had already whispered that Huo Xiao and his family had prepared many fine things, and she couldn’t help feeling a bit vain.
But when she actually opened one bag, bent down to sift through it, and saw what was inside, she immediately tightened the bag again.
No wonder she was startled—it was filled with luxury items.
Besides fabric, there were even cigarettes and alcohol. Just those two alone far exceeded what ordinary families spent on weddings.
These days, when a married daughter visited her parents, she might bring some dates or a few eggs at most. Bringing half a catty of meat was already considered quite generous.
Thinking this, Li Taohong felt both delighted and uneasy. She absolutely refused to show the contents to everyone now.
Ridiculous! Though she wasn’t highly educated, she understood the principle of not flaunting wealth.
As for the neighbors being displeased? Who cared?!
Her entire focus had shifted to Huo Xiao—she had no time to deal with outsiders.
Naturally, as a mother, Li Taohong was delighted that her son-in-law was capable and cherished her daughter.
But when the son-in-law was too capable and gave too much, it instead made Li Taohong uneasy.
She pondered that later she would only accept one or two items as a token gesture and have the children take the rest back.
However, no sooner had she sent the neighbors away and stepped inside, before she could even speak, she heard something that made her heart race even more.
“What? Found a job for the eldest?” And at the county furniture factory? If that really works out, he’d become a respectable public servant with an iron rice bowl! A secure future for life!
Unlike now, where ordinary folks are poor, how many families can afford big purchases? No matter how skilled you are, there’s no way to showcase it, and you can hardly earn any money.
Huo Xiao: “It’s not confirmed yet. I’ve made an appointment with the furniture factory director. This afternoon, I’ll take Big Brother there. They’ll test his skills first, and if there are no issues, then it’ll work out!”
At these words, everyone in the Lin family, except for the clueless toddler, rejoiced.
This was because Lin Ming had learned his craft from his father, Lin Shengli, since childhood and was renowned for his skill across ten villages. This job was practically a sure thing!
Thinking this, Lin Ming himself grew so excited his face flushed red, rubbing his large hands together nervously.
He had always been somewhat intimidated by his second sister’s husband, finding him aloof and imposing, not easy to get close to. Yet unexpectedly, the man had given him such a huge surprise.
He wanted to express his gratitude, but being naturally inarticulate, he couldn’t manage to utter a single word now.
The others weren’t much better off than Lin Ming. Lin Wei, though eloquent, didn’t rush to speak either, merely hiding his observations behind a warm smile.
Gradually, the atmosphere began to tilt toward awkwardness.
Finally, it was Lin Ting, sitting beside her husband, who broke the silence: “Why didn’t you mention this yesterday?”
Saying too much might come off as boasting. Huo Xiao had always been a man of action rather than words, so he replied simply, “I meant to, but then with Guo Guo’s fuss, I forgot.”
Hearing this, Lin Ting thought of yesterday’s embarrassing incident and felt awkward. She unreasonably chided, “It’s your fault!”
Huo Xiao good-naturedly agreed, “My mistake.”
Seeing this, Li Taohong grew curious.
Lin Ting hadn’t planned to share, but noticing how her family was both overjoyed and flustered by Huo Xiao’s job offer, she decided to lighten the mood and entertain them, like donning colorful clothes to amuse one’s parents.
Sure enough, after hearing the story, everyone burst into laughter. Li Taohong laughed and asked, “So who ended up with the walnut cake?”
Lin Ting, aiming to keep the mood lively, playfully patted her husband’s arm and said coyly, “Ask him!”
Huo Xiao curled his lips: “Tingting shared it.”
Suddenly hearing him call her “Tingting,” Lin Ting felt as if a cat’s claw had scratched her heart, unsettled. But outwardly, she feigned nonchalance and complained, “After making such a fool of myself, all I got was half a biscuit. Really not worth it!”
Li Taohong laughed and scolded, “Don’t act coy when you’ve gained the advantage! My son-in-law was thinking of you!” Then, she turned to her son-in-law: “We’ve spoiled this girl, making her a bit delicate. Please be patient with her, son-in-law!”
Her underlying meaning, however, held no intention of asking her daughter to change.
Though it was his first time being a son-in-law, Huo Xiao was no fool. He immediately declared, “Tingting is wonderful. If anything, I’m the one who owes her a great deal.”
Lin Ting also chimed in, “Mom, your son-in-law may seem cold and aloof on the surface, but he’s genuinely sincere. All the cigarettes and liquor he brought this time were obtained through his leaders in Rongcheng—you can’t find them on the market. And as for the roe deer and rabbits, he braved the snow to hunt them in the mountains. When he returned, his hands and feet were frozen like icicles. Then there’s the fabric…”
Truthfully, this wasn’t her usual style of speaking, nor did she intend to show off.
But her husband was a man of few words who never mentioned the hardships he endured behind the scenes, so Lin Ting had to speak up for him.
At the very least, by laying this groundwork, she could help her parents see how well Huo Xiao treated her—and by extension, how he cared for her family.
Later, when she brought up the topic of moving to the military base, everyone would feel more at ease.
Sure enough, after Lin Ting’s explanation, not only did her kind-hearted parents and Lin Ming soften, but even Lin Wei’s smile grew more genuine.
It wasn’t about the rare and valuable gifts—it was the significance behind Huo Xiao’s gestures, showing how much he valued Lin Ting.
Once Li Taohong understood the thoughtfulness behind the gifts, she abandoned the idea of having the children take them back. Instead, she started thinking about what she could give in return, even if it meant borrowing from her old friends to make up for anything lacking.
With that thought, she grew restless and beckoned to her eldest daughter-in-law, He Yun, whose cheeks were flushed with excitement: “Eldest daughter-in-law, come, let’s start cooking. We need to send your eldest brother to the county town early—we can’t keep the leaders waiting.”
“Alright!” He Yun responded briskly, promptly handing the child in her arms, Yuan Yuan, to her husband.
As she stepped over the threshold, Li Taohong noticed her daughter getting off the kang to put on her shoes and shot her a disapproving glance: “No need for you to help. Your eldest sister-in-law and I can manage.”
He Yun also smiled and said, “Ting Ting, just sit back. A daughter returning to her parents’ home is a cherished guest. Besides, most of the dishes are already prepared.”
Hearing this, and recalling the matter she had been pondering for days, Lin Ting didn’t insist. She settled back onto the kang, tucking her legs under her, and said, “My mother-in-law said I could stay here overnight. Tomorrow morning, I’ll make breakfast for you and Dad.”
“Ah! You can stay home tonight? Why didn’t you say so earlier? Your in-laws are so understanding!” Much better than her eldest daughter’s mother-in-law, Li Taohong immediately turned back, her smile so wide her eyes nearly disappeared. Then another thought struck her: “Why not invite your in-laws and the children over? It’d be lively with the whole family together!”
Huo Xiao also smiled and replied, “That won’t be necessary. My mother took the children to her brother’s place, and they won’t be back tonight.”
Li Taohong clicked her tongue twice, feeling a bit disappointed, but didn’t press further. Cheerfully, she headed to the kitchen.
Meanwhile, Lin Ting seized the opportunity to bring up her idea about villagers raising rabbits.
Though the north was cold, with proper temperature control and care, some cold-resistant long-haired rabbits could still be raised. The real challenge was securing purchase orders.
Moreover, the person in charge would likely need to negotiate repeatedly with higher-ups, apply for funding, and perhaps even travel to Huacheng for training.
Trade, exports, foreign exchange certificates… these were entirely beyond the understanding of ordinary folks.
So, Lin Shengli and Lin Ming only grasped bits and pieces of what she said.
Lin Wei and Huo Xiao, however, understood immediately.
Neither of them spoke hastily, instead carefully considering the feasibility.
After a long pause, Huo Xiao was the first to speak: “This afternoon, I’ll stop by the Commune and mention this to Secretary Wang.”
Lin Wei added, “This won’t be easy. Secretary Wang might not be willing to take the risk. Don’t get your hopes up too high.”
Lin Ting waved her hand. “I just mentioned it in passing. If it works out, we can at least place a few people in the factory. If not, it’s no big deal.”
To be more precise, she should have prepared a detailed report with assessments to increase the chances of it being adopted. But she wasn’t a government employee, didn’t want to draw attention during this sensitive period, and had no particular ambitions, so she never actually wrote it.
That afternoon, after Huo Xiao and Lin Ming left on their bicycles, the Huo family—who always took afternoon naps—gathered in the main room, waiting.
Lin Ting, who was playing chess with her second brother to pass the time, noticed her parents and sister-in-law were too distracted to focus. Seizing the opportunity, she brought up the topic of moving to the Troop.
“What? You’re leaving already?” Li Taohong’s attention was immediately diverted. Even though she had suspected it might happen, she still felt a pang of reluctance. “When are you going?”
Lin Ting replied, “Not for at least another month. We need to wait until Huo Xiao settles into his new unit first.”
Setting aside other factors, Lin Ting herself preferred moving to the Troop. The longer she stayed here, the higher the risk of someone noticing something off about her. Even now, she shuddered at the memory of her second brother testing her right after she got off the train.
Seeing her daughter so nonchalant, Li Taohong smacked her in frustration. “You heartless girl! A month will fly by. Once you’re at the Troop, who knows how many years will pass before we see you again?” As she spoke, her eyes welled up. It wasn’t that she was overly sentimental—she just couldn’t bear the thought of parting.
Witnessing this, Lin Ting—who was eager to leave—felt her own nose tingle. But afraid that comforting her mother would only make her cry more, she stiffened her neck and joked, “Fine, I won’t go then. Tianjing is only four days’ journey from home anyway. Let Huo Xiao come back once a year!”
“Don’t talk nonsense! How can a married couple live apart? I still want to hold my grandson!”
To distract her mother from her sadness, Lin Ting—who hadn’t even held hands with Huo Xiao—deadpanned, “What’s wrong with a granddaughter?”
Li Taohong raised her hand threateningly. “You brat, asking for trouble! If I favored boys over girls, would I have spoiled you and your eldest sister so much?”
Mentioning her eldest daughter made Li Taohong glance at her younger one. Hesitating for a moment, she tentatively asked, “Your big sister is due to give birth in a few days. Will you have time to visit her? What grudge can sisters hold overnight?”
Hearing this, Lin Ting froze for a second before digging out the memories of the conflict between the original owner and her eldest sister, Lin Xiang. She wasn’t sure how to react.
Both she and Lin Xiang had been doted on by their parents. But Lin Xiang had average grades and dropped out before finishing junior high. The family urged her to at least get her diploma, but she was already dating at 16—her now-husband, who was her junior high classmate. While this would be considered puppy love in modern times, it was perfectly normal back then. Seeing their daughter so determined and the young man decent, Lin Shengli and Li Taohong agreed to the match but made her wait until 18 to marry.
The original owner was four years younger than Lin Xiang. When she was 15, her 19-year-old sister had already given birth. Seeing that her brother-in-law had entered high school and aimed for college, the original owner worried he might develop wandering eyes if he succeeded. So she urged her sister to continue studying. Both sisters were spoiled at home—they might bicker like cat and dog, but neither meant any real harm. The original owner’s intentions were good.
Helplessly young but sharp-tongued, her words cut like knives.
Coupled with Lin Xiang having just given birth and feeling uncomfortable all over, even well-intentioned words sounded unpleasant to her ears.
The two sisters had a huge argument, and while they didn’t exactly cut ties completely, their relationship grew distant.
The original host felt her sister failed to appreciate her kindness.
Moreover, after being admitted to university and living away from home for years, even if Lin Xiang wanted to mend their relationship, the sisters grew increasingly out of touch.
Thinking of this, and facing her mother’s hopeful gaze, Lin Ting initially intended to agree outright, but the words that came out were lukewarm: “We’ll see.”
There was no helping it—her second brother was right beside her, sharp as a fox, and she was afraid of giving herself away.
Though disappointed, Li Taohong wasn’t entirely surprised and scolded irritably, “You wretched girl, I must owe you all a debt in my past life.”
By the time Huo Xiao and Lin Ming returned home, it was already dark!
Seeing Lin Ming’s beaming expression, the whole family knew the matter had been settled.
Yet they couldn’t help asking about the outcome again and again.
Lin Ming, who hadn’t stopped smiling since leaving the factory, patiently repeated each time: “It’s settled!”, “I start work officially the day after tomorrow!”, “All thanks to my brother-in-law!”, “The factory director was very kind.”
Huo Xiao also took the opportunity to mention that Secretary Wang was quite interested in rabbit farming and exporting rabbit fur, suggesting a good chance of success.
Thus, after another round of joy and excitement, the liquor that had been held back at noon was brought to the table.
They had to celebrate!
They had to celebrate properly!
After all, the family now had two formal workers.
This was a step upward, a trend toward prosperity.
Not celebrating with drinks and a hearty meal would be downright unreasonable.
Sitting beside her husband, Lin Ting felt her scalp tingle at the sight of the large bowl in front of him, filled to the brim with half a jin of liquor. Leaning close, she whispered anxiously, “How’s your alcohol tolerance?”
Completely unaware of his wife’s inner turmoil and assuming she was just concerned for him, Huo Xiao cheerfully leaned in closer, their heads almost touching. “This bowl will just get me pleasantly tipsy.”
Understanding his meaning, Lin Ting quickly addressed her parents and brothers: “Only one bowl allowed! Huo Xiao has to travel by vehicle tomorrow.”
“One bowl is only half a jin—hardly enough to wet my whistle. Besides, isn’t brother-in-law leaving tomorrow afternoon?” Lin Wei rarely got to see his brother-in-law and felt it would be a waste not to take the chance to get him drunk.
Half a jin isn’t enough to wet your whistle? Lin Ting ignored her second brother’s bragging and kept a close watch on her husband all evening.
Aside from the initial half jin, she didn’t let Huo Xiao drink another drop.
Even amid teasing from her parents, brothers, and sisters-in-law, she refused to budge.
There was no other way—the two had to share a bed that night, so they couldn’t afford to be careless!
Of course, even though she successfully prevented Huo Xiao from getting drunk and rowdy,
when they lay down on the kang that night, Lin Ting still pressed herself as close to the wall as possible.
The Lin family was large, and when Lin Ming got married, there simply wasn’t enough space, so an extra room was added.
Though the structure was made of mud and straw, the roof was tiled—making it one of the better conditions in the entire production brigade.
Moreover, while most families crammed together on north-south kangs, Lin Ting and her sister each had their own room.
The room Lin Ting was sleeping in now was her original bedroom before marriage.
The room wasn’t very large, but with two skilled carpenters in the family, it was fully furnished with all necessary wooden furniture.
This left only enough space for a kang bed about 1.5 meters wide.
“Did you blow out the candles?” Huo Xiao asked as he entered the room after washing up, seeing his wife already tucked in bed, and sat down beside her.
Lin Ting blinked: “Mm, go ahead and blow them out!”
As soon as she finished speaking, the candle flames instantly went out, plunging the room into darkness.
Immediately after, Lin Ting felt the bed dip beside her as the tall, sturdy man lifted the quilt and lay down next to her.
Along with it came the scent of alcohol, stronger than yesterday but not unpleasant.
Although they had slept together for two consecutive nights, this was the first time lying side by side while fully conscious.
With their arms almost touching, how far could they be from sharing breaths?
Lost in these wandering thoughts, Lin Ting felt the arm next to Huo Xiao begin to grow warm. Instinctively, she wanted to shift further inward.
But not wanting to be too obvious and hurt his pride, she deliberated internally a few times before naturally turning over as if by chance.
No sooner had she rolled away than a sharp tug at her scalp made her gasp in pain.
Outside the covers, Huo Xiao, who had been lying stiffly, immediately sensed the odd pressure beneath his shoulder and sat up, asking with concern, “Did I crush your hair?”
“Mhm…” It was indeed her hair. She had carefully arranged it all when she lay down.
“Did it hurt badly?” Huo Xiao reached over, “Where does it hurt?”
Lin Ting: “My head, but it’s fine now. It only hurt for a moment.”
Despite her words, Huo Xiao gently massaged his wife’s head with his large hand.
The room was pitch black, and it wasn’t until she felt the soft kneading on her head that Lin Ting realized what he was doing.
Feeling somewhat awkward, she whispered, “It doesn’t hurt anymore.” She wasn’t a child, needing comfort over a bit of crushed hair.
Whether he detected the underlying meaning in her words or not, Huo Xiao chuckled softly. He smoothed her long hair once more with his hand before lying back under the covers.
This time, however, he didn’t maintain his previous sleeping posture. Instead, he turned to face inward, one arm slipping beneath his wife’s neck and the other resting on her waist, pulling her snugly into his embrace.
Caught off guard by this, Lin Ting stiffened completely.
Why had she ended up closer instead of farther away?
Standing at around 165 cm, nestled like this, her face naturally buried into the curve of his shoulder and neck.
The position was unfamiliar, yet not uncomfortable, and… surprisingly, not unwelcome.
Just as Lin Ting’s mind was swirling with chaotic thoughts, the man said, “Sleep. Don’t you need to wake up early tomorrow to make breakfast for Mom and Dad?”
Lin Ting…
How was she supposed to sleep like this?! Lin Ting screamed inwardly.
As if sensing his wife’s silent outcry, the man lifted his hand again to stroke her smooth hair, seemingly unable to get enough of it. “Don’t worry, I won’t touch you!”
The nearly bristling Lin Ting stiffened once more, but this time relaxed quickly… Could it be that something was wrong with the man’s health?
“Don’t overthink it. If you were pregnant, it wouldn’t be convenient for long trips.”
Wishful thinking! Lin Ting flushed with embarrassment and kicked him lightly.
Huo Xiao laughed again, enduring the kick with good humor.
After some time, he drew his wife’s soft body even closer, murmuring as if in contentment or reflection, “A small bed isn’t so bad after all.”
On the verge of drowsiness, Lin Ting grasped his meaning and delivered another kick.
Huo Xiao…
The next day.
Huo Xiao, guided by his internal clock, opened his eyes promptly at 5:30.
He glanced down at his wife, who was half-sprawled on his chest, sleeping soundly.
After a few moments of silence, he slowly withdrew his numb arm.
Rubbing it a few times to ease the tingling sensation, he quietly got out of bed and dressed.
Once everything was tidied up, Huo Xiao walked back to the bedside, unsurprised to find his wife burying her face in the covers. Amused, he gently tugged the quilt downward.
Only when her nose and mouth were exposed did he lean in, soothingly smoothing her lightly furrowed brow. He waited until her breathing steadied before turning to leave the room.
“Why are you up so early? Go back and rest a while longer.” Li Taohong, who was also an early riser, had just finished getting ready and was heading to the kitchen when she spotted her son-in-law, already fully dressed. A tender smile immediately spread across her face.
Huo Xiao replied, “I couldn’t sleep anymore. In the troop, we always wake at this time. After washing up, I’ll help you prepare breakfast.”
Li Taohong paused for a moment, then recalled what her daughter had said the day before.
She couldn’t help but laugh and scold, “That silly girl is always trying to act cute, making herself out to be the good one. Don’t spoil her too much.”
Huo Xiao’s eyes softened. “I’m not spoiling her. I didn’t let her get up.”
Hearing this, Li Taohong said nothing more, but inwardly she was overjoyed that her youngest daughter had finally found happiness after enduring hardships.
Her son-in-law might appear aloof and reserved, but deep down, he was incredibly considerate.
How wonderful. Now she and her husband could rest easy…
After breakfast, Lin Ting and Huo Xiao prepared to return home.
After all, they still needed to pick up Hu Xiu and the Dragon and Phoenix Twins from her uncle’s house, and Huo Xiao had to depart in the afternoon. Time was truly tight.
As they were about to leave, Li Taohong walked arm-in-arm with her daughter, imparting endless advice on how to navigate married life. She also emphasized that Hu Xiu was a rare and wonderful mother-in-law who deserved careful respect: “…I don’t want you to suffer too much after marriage, but now that you’re married, you can’t act like you did as a single girl, doing nothing at all. You should share some of the household chores.”
She was referring to the fact that her son-in-law had made breakfast while her daughter had slept in.
Lin Ting felt utterly wronged. Knowing she hadn’t yet developed a so-called biological clock and was unlikely to wake up on her own, she had specifically asked Huo Xiao the day before to wake her.
Little did she expect that he would focus on showing off his own virtues instead.
Although… ahem… although she couldn’t help but appreciate it.
So, no matter how much her mother lectured her, Lin Ting patiently took it all in.
It wasn’t until Huo Xiao finished strapping the two large bags of gifts, forcefully given by her parents, onto the back of the bicycle and glanced her way that she finally escaped her mother’s nagging.
Skillfully sitting sideways on the thickly padded crossbar, she bid farewell to her father, brothers, and sisters-in-law before turning to her mother. “Mom, I have to go now. I still want to prepare some food for Huo Xiao for the road. If you miss me, come visit, or I’ll come back to see you. It’s not far, after all.”
“What nonsense are you spouting? You’re married now—you can’t keep running back to your parents’ home.” Li Taohong swatted her daughter lightly, then remembered that her youngest would be joining her husband in the troop next month and quickly changed her tone. “I’ll come see you in a couple of days.”
Lin Ting…
The bicycle ride home was uneventful.
Huo Xiao only drank a bowl of hot tea before hurrying out again.
By the time he returned home, it would likely be around ten o’clock.
Though chilled to the bone, Lin Ting didn’t dare rest. She immediately lit the kang.
As the icy room gradually warmed, she took off her thick coat and began preparing the dough.
Just as her mother had said, now that she was married and reasonably satisfied with her partner, certain things required effort and attention.
Moreover, though she hadn’t voiced it, Lin Ting deeply appreciated Huo Xiao’s initiative in finding a job for her elder brother.
So, she had already decided the day before what to prepare for his journey.
During this cold season, everything freezes solid when taken outdoors.
Apart from the pre-prepared roasted sesame, peanut, and flour mixture that could be brewed with hot water, she decided to steam two baskets of bite-sized Hua Juan.
Though it was quite troublesome, they would be easy to reheat during the journey and taste better than plain steamed buns when soaked in hot water.
If that wasn’t enough, they could buy a few boxed meals on the train for a couple of meals. That should suffice since the train ride would only last two and a half days.
While scooping the flour, she remembered how much she enjoyed the small Hua Juan brushed with lard and scallions, and that she needed to make enough for the Dragon and Phoenix Twins and her mother-in-law as well.
Lin Ting hefted the cloth flour sack and scooped another large ladleful into it.
Well… she couldn’t shortchange herself, could she?
Kneading the dough, letting it rise, preparing the filling… Though she had never steamed Hua Juan before, Lin Ting had already mastered steaming buns.
She had also casually watched videos on how to make Hua Juan before.
Relying on her fragmented memories, she managed to shape them quite decently.
After the second round of fermentation succeeded, she arranged them one by one in the steaming baskets.
She placed them over the pot and lit the fire.
Just as the rich aroma began to waft out, Lin Ting heard the ringing of a bicycle bell.
Knowing her mother-in-law and the children had returned, she rose from the stove and walked to the kitchen door.
Outside, the two little ones bundled into round balls spotted her, their eyes instantly sparkling. They waddled like penguins, struggling to run toward the kitchen.
Surprised by their excitement at seeing her, Lin Ting was momentarily stunned before quickly crouching down, her Peach Blossom Eyes curving as she opened her arms to catch the rushing Dragon and Phoenix Twins.
She was about to ask if they had missed her when Guo Guo piped up in his milky voice, “Mom, what are you making? It smells so good!”
Lin Ting… So it wasn’t about her after all.
Adults could be so mischievous. As she helped the little one out of his thick coat, she teased him in his own tone, “It’s Hua Juan! But Mom made them all for Dad. What should we do if there aren’t any for Guo Guo?”
Guo Guo was dumbfounded. He didn’t burst into tears immediately but, after a moment, raised his little hand and negotiated, “Then… can Guo Guo just try one?”
He was surprisingly polite. Indeed, human toddlers could be utterly delightful when they were being cute. Suppressing a laugh, Lin Ting shook her head, “No way!”
Rejected again, Guo Guo was disappointed for a second before his big eyes darted around. Soon, he exclaimed excitedly, “Sister has some! Guo Guo will share with Sister.”
Miao Miao had already figured out that Mom was teasing her brother but stayed silent, leaning against Mom’s chest to see how silly her brother could get.
Meanwhile, Lin Ting hung the thick coat on the back of a chair and went to fetch their hats and gloves. Hearing this, she added, “There aren’t any for Sister either.”
“Then…”
As the little guy anxiously turned to look at Grandma, Lin Ting struggled to hold back her laughter, her stomach aching, but she crushed the child’s hope nonetheless: “Mom said, they’re only for Dad. All for Dad. Mom, Grandma, Guo Guo, and Miao Miao don’t get any.”
This was simply too cruel for the little one to bear.
He stared at the steaming baskets, then glanced at his tall, sturdy dad.
Realizing he couldn’t wheedle any out and certainly couldn’t win a fight, tears of sorrow instantly welled up in his eyes: “Wah… sob… Mom lied! You said you loved Guo Guo the most just the day before yesterday, sob… You clearly love Dad the most… Wah!”
What does it mean to hoist with your own petard?
This was it!
Just as the little one started wailing, Lin Ting had intended to comfort him and explain that the top layer was all theirs.
But his words caught her off guard for a moment.
Then she found herself in an awkward predicament.
She didn’t dare glance at the man chuckling softly beside her, nor could she bring herself to look at her mother-in-law, who was laughing heartily.
Scooping up the little boy, she carried him over to the steamer baskets, covered his mouth, and explained, “Mommy was just teasing you. Look, this top layer is all ours. Guo Guo can eat as much as he wants.”
Hearing this, the child immediately forgot about his tears.
But the relief was short-lived.
Guo Guo, who had already learned to count, carefully tallied the layers.
There were three layers in total, but Mommy said only one belonged to them.
So… “Wah… sob… Mommy really loves Daddy the most…”
Lin Ting… couldn’t find a way to explain it clearly.