The logistics department leadership attended today’s meeting as well. Besides the backbone staff from each department, the cadres from yesterday’s meeting were also present. Looking at the hospital’s key personnel gathered there, the logistics department leader silently sighed inwardly. During these difficult times, even their own children were still going hungry, so who would willingly bring another mouth home to feed?
That was why the higher ups had decided that any family who adopted a child would be allowed to add a twenty square meter side room onto their courtyard, with the extra space officially registered on the property deed. The child would not need to squeeze into the family’s original living space, though the family themselves would have to pay for the construction.
The leadership did not want families adopting children merely for the extra twenty square meters of housing, so the matter of the room was deliberately not mentioned during the meeting. Instead, they emphasized the adoption requirements.
“You must treat the child equally. Whatever food your family eats, the child eats. Whatever clothes your own children wear, the adopted child must wear as well. If a child reports being beaten or abused and the accusations are verified, disciplinary punishment will follow.”
With the logistics department leaders personally present, several people who had originally wanted to show political awareness by adopting a child immediately hesitated after hearing the conditions.
Bringing a child home was easy, but how could an adopted child truly be treated exactly like a biological one? Worried their families might show favoritism, their brief thoughts of adoption faded away.
Mu Chengfeng watched everyone lower their heads and realized nobody was willing. Since he had already decided to adopt, he had no intention of putting on airs. Calmly, he stated, “My family will take Yu Wangzhou.”
Everyone in the room looked up at once, all feeling that Mu Chengfeng had gone mad. Once he got home, wouldn’t his young wife scold him to death?
Vice Director Xiao was honestly afraid his own wife’s predictions might come true. If Mu Chengfeng ended up arguing with his wife over the children, then Gao Hongfen would definitely spread gossip everywhere.
“Chengfeng, your family already has three children. Taking in another one would be too heavy a burden.”
Everyone else thought the same. Pan Mengping, who only had an average relationship with Mu Chengfeng, let out a mocking chuckle. “Your conditions clearly aren’t suitable, yet you still rush to volunteer. Who exactly are you trying to impress?”
Wei Mancang, who was close friends with Mu Chengfeng, disliked his sarcastic tone immediately. “Doctor Pan, if you’re unwilling to adopt a child yourself, why mock others for stepping forward?”
Pan Mengping had once secretly admired Mu Chengfeng’s late wife, naturally back before she married. Yet the moment Mu Chengfeng’s wife died, he married a young and beautiful new wife. What had those ten years of marriage even meant?
So he deliberately said, “Am I wrong? Among all the families here, isn’t Mu Chengfeng’s family the least suitable? Yet he still wants to adopt the youngest child, the foolish boy who can barely speak. Isn’t that just taking advantage of the fact that the child can’t report mistreatment?”
Mu Chengfeng slammed his hand against the table. “If anyone in my family treats the child badly, I’ll willingly accept punishment. And stop saying the child can’t speak and can’t report abuse. Can’t adults tell whether a child’s smile is genuine or not?”
The logistics department leader glanced at Doctor Pan, then at Mu Chengfeng, nodding slightly.
“Doctor Mu, you said your family will adopt a child. Have you discussed it with your wife? It’s already not easy for your wife to be a stepmother to three children. If she only agreed because of pressure from you, then that would be terribly unfair to her.”
Even the leader thought that way, much less everyone else. They all assumed Mu Chengfeng was acting like a hands off shopkeeper, taking all the benefits for himself while leaving the burden of childcare entirely to his wife.
Seeing the contempt in everyone’s eyes, Mu Chengfeng thought smugly to himself, Just wait until you all see it. My wife’s political awareness is far higher than that of you grown men.
Clearing his throat, he spoke proudly. “Bringing Wangzhou home was my wife’s idea. Director Qian can testify to that.”
Qian Chunmei had long wanted to say something. The moment Mu Chengfeng brought up adoption, she knew Jiang Xiaoyu had not been speaking casually yesterday. She had truly discussed it with Mu Chengfeng already, and Qian Chunmei genuinely admired her for it.
“Exactly! Yesterday, Xiaoyu was the only one who brought all three of her children to visit. Then around five or six in the evening, she even sent dinner over. Otherwise, the children would’ve gone hungry for their first meal. She was the one who suggested bringing Wangzhou home, and she even asked Damei and Second Sister for their opinions first. Only after all the children agreed did she say she’d return home to discuss it with Mu Chengfeng. This adoption is entirely due to Xiaoyu’s own awareness.”
So it had actually been his young wife’s idea?
At once, some people’s thoughts turned ugly again. They felt Mu Chengfeng’s little wife was too impulsive, acting on whims without thinking things through. What if she regretted it after only a few days and wanted to send the child back? That would become troublesome.
Mu Chengfeng hated petty people like this. “You worry about this and worry about that. Since you distrust every family, why not just bring the child home yourselves?”
The moment he said that, all questioning voices disappeared.
Wei Mancang seized the opportunity to announce that he would adopt Xiaojun.
“My wife fled here during the famine years. My mother took her in and saved her life, so she’s always been grateful. She wanted to help another child in need if she ever had the chance. The adoption was suggested by both my wife and my mother. And my mother already said that because my wife’s health isn’t very good, no matter whether this baby is a boy or girl, we’ll only have one biological child. Together with the adopted child, two children are affordable for our family. As for chores, what child doesn’t do chores? I’ll teach him and raise him exactly like my own child. What problem is there?”
Other than Mu Chengfeng and Wei Mancang, nobody else volunteered to adopt. As originally planned, Qingshan and Qinghe would be brought home by the director’s family.
The meeting had only just ended when Gao Hongfen came looking for her husband to ask how the children had been assigned. As a cadre, she should have attended the meeting herself, but she had been afraid nobody would volunteer and that the responsibility might be forcibly assigned. Worried it would become difficult to refuse, she had deliberately made excuses not to come.
“Have things been decided? Nobody volunteered, right? Are they postponing the discussion or forcing assignments?”
How could adoption ever be forcibly assigned? That would only harm the children.
Xiao Baoguo deliberately replied, “You’d never guess. Mu Chengfeng and Wei Mancang both volunteered on their own initiative. And it was their wives who first brought up adoption at home last night, which is why they dared to mention it at the meeting today.”
Gao Hongfen froze. Whoever it was, it definitely could not have been Jiang Xiaoyu.
“She’s already a stepmother to three children. If she still wants to raise another one, she must be crazy.”
Xiao Baoguo sneered. “So anyone willing to do something you think is a loss must be crazy? Let me tell you this. Only after the meeting ended did the logistics department leaders inform Director Jiang and me that adopting families would be allowed to build an additional twenty square meter side room, officially registered with the housing bureau and added to the property deed. Mu Chengfeng and Wei Mancang didn’t know about it beforehand, so nobody needs to feel jealous.”
Gao Hongfen was stunned speechless.
“If they’d announced that condition earlier, our family would’ve adopted one too.”
Xiao Baoguo shot back immediately, “If they announced it beforehand, then the adoption wouldn’t be for the children’s sake anymore, it would only harm them. Only families who adopt willingly, and then receive rewards afterward, will truly treat the children well. You’re even a deputy director. Where’s your political awareness?”
Gao Hongfen still refused to believe it. “I don’t believe Jiang Xiaoyu is sincere. Just wait and see. If she truly acts the same as she speaks, then I’ll admit defeat.”
…
Once the adoption arrangements were finalized that morning, Jiang Xiaoyu and Ke Xiu immediately began reorganizing the sleeping arrangements at home.
Jiang Xiaoyu’s house was easier to arrange. Wangzhou and Little Brother could sleep together on the large bed. The children were still small enough to make do for now, but once they got older, boys and girls living mixed together would become inappropriate.
Ke Xiu’s home also had only two rooms. For the moment, Xiaojun would share a room with Aunt Hua. But considering how lightly the elderly slept, Ke Xiu suggested dividing the east bedroom in half with a wall. She planned to hire carpenters and masons to estimate the cost and construction time.
Jiang Xiaoyu had the same idea. Since workers would already be hired, they might as well renovate together. She also wanted a row of cabinets built for storing clothes and bedding.
“If we only add a wall in the middle, then entering the inner room means passing through the outer room, which is inconvenient. The room itself is wide enough, so I’m thinking of building a whole row of cabinets against the wall, then leaving a hallway beside them. That way we can install two separate doors, and nobody will disturb each other.”
Ke Xiu immediately understood. That would practically turn it into two independent little bedrooms, which was perfect.
“What are you two scribbling and drawing over there?”
Qian Chunmei entered the courtyard beaming with joy.
Jiang Xiaoyu showed her the floor plan she had sketched, explaining that she and Ke Xiu were trying to rearrange the rooms so the children could live as comfortably as possible.
“Since we’re already hiring carpenters and masons, we figured we might as well build some cabinets too. We were planning to bring the children home this afternoon, then look for workers to measure the rooms.”
Qian Chunmei felt truly gratified. These were the kinds of families who genuinely cared for children. She quickly shared the good news with them.
“You two don’t need to rush anymore. The three families adopting children will each receive permission to build an additional twenty square meter side room, and the space will officially count toward the property deed. Of course, the construction costs are still your own responsibility.”
“An extra room? Is there such a good thing?” Aunt Hua, who had just arrived at the doorway, was overjoyed. She had originally only come over for casual conversation and never expected such wonderful news.
Earlier, Jiang Xiaoyu had worried that once Damei, Second Sister, Little Brother, and the others grew older, there would no longer be enough space to live comfortably. The leaders truly had good intentions, only revealing this reward after the adoptions had already been finalized.
“But won’t some people object?” Jiang Xiaoyu asked worriedly.
Aunt Hua replied, “Of course some people will make snide comments about an extra room. We’ll just treat the children well enough that nobody can criticize us.”
Qian Chunmei agreed. “Exactly! My family’s building one too. Originally my son and daughter in law kept grumbling, but now they’ve quieted down completely. Start preparing yourselves. Tomorrow the workers will come to measure the foundations.”
Both Jiang Xiaoyu and Ke Xiu asked at once, “Then should we bring the children home now?”
Qian Chunmei shook her head. “Aren’t you both planning to renovate the rooms first? Your homes are already cramped, and adding another child immediately will make things difficult. Better to wait until the side rooms are finished, then the children can move directly into their own rooms. For these next two weeks, they’ll stay at the kindergarten first.”
Jiang Xiaoyu immediately volunteered, “Then I’ll go cook at the kindergarten during these two weeks. It’ll also help me become familiar with Wangzhou.”
Ke Xiu quickly added, “I’ll go too. I can help Xiaoyu out.”
Aunt Hua worriedly objected, “You’re pregnant. You’ll only cause extra trouble going there.”
Jiang Xiaoyu smiled. “Auntie, if Sister Xiuxiu goes too, Xiaojun can gradually accept the idea of having another younger sibling. Of course she should go.”
Qian Chunmei looked at Jiang Xiaoyu with approval. “Now that the children are being adopted by our three families, the men from our households will take turns staying overnight during these two weeks. Old Jiang stayed last night, tonight it’ll be Mu Chengfeng, tomorrow Wei Mancang, and we’ll rotate from there. Prepare your bedding and mosquito coils.”
Jiang Xiaoyu packed the sleeping mats and mosquito coils, then waited for Mu Chengfeng to return home.
Before long, Wei Mancang came back instead. He explained that Mu Chengfeng had an emergency surgery tonight, so he would be going to the kindergarten in Mu Chengfeng’s place.
Because Mu Chengfeng had spent years living separately from his family before, overtime had practically become routine for him. Whenever emergency surgeries appeared, people instinctively thought of him first. But today could be covered by someone else, what about tomorrow if another emergency came up? They could not keep troubling others every single time.
So Jiang Xiaoyu said, “Then I’ll bring Damei, Second Sister, and Little Brother with me. The more children there are, the happier they’ll be playing together anyway.”
Wei Mancang refused immediately. “I already promised Mu Chengfeng. With his temper, he’ll scold me to death.”
Jiang Xiaoyu laughed. “Then ask him first. Damei, Second Sister, go to the hospital and tell your father. I’ll prepare a midnight snack at home. We’ll make shrimp and cabbage pancakes again, skewer potatoes, eggplants, string beans, and chili peppers, bring some charcoal, and grill vegetables together. What do you think?”
Damei and Second Sister nodded enthusiastically and dashed out the door in a flash.