Li Xiulian quickly shook her head and said sincerely, "Director Lin, you're too kind! If it weren't for you, I'd still be stuck at home cooking, how could I have the life I have today? Let alone just doing a little more work, I'd be willing to go through fire and water for the food workshop!" Since joining the food workshop, Li Xiulian not only received a stable monthly salary, but also learned management and business operations. Her family's living conditions improved significantly, and her husband's attitude towards her changed from disdain to respect. She was filled with gratitude towards Lin Wanqiu.

Lin Wanqiu smiled and patted Li Xiulian on the shoulder, "I'm relieved to hear you say that. The success of our food workshop today is inseparable from everyone's hard work. Let's work together to make the 'Wanqiu' brand even more famous."

In the days that followed, Shen Tingzhou indeed became very busy. He would leave home before dawn every morning, sometimes to inspect militia training in neighboring counties, and sometimes to attend meetings at the regional armed forces department, not returning home until very late at night. But no matter how busy he was, he never neglected his family—he would get up early every morning to prepare breakfast for Lin Wanqiu, and no matter how late he returned home at night, he would check on the children in their rooms and tuck them in; whenever he had free time on weekends, he would take his family for a walk in the fields of the commune, or practice target shooting with Shen Nian'an, or play hide-and-seek with Shen Nianxi.

One evening, Lin Wanqiu was tidying up the dishes in the kitchen when she suddenly heard the door open. She went out of the kitchen and saw Shen Tingzhou dragging his tired steps in, his face showing obvious weariness, and there were faint dark circles under his eyes.

"Tingzhou, why are you back so late? Are you tired from work?" Lin Wanqiu quickly stepped forward, took the briefcase from Shen Tingzhou's hand, and reached out to touch his forehead. "You don't have a fever, do you?"

Shen Tingzhou smiled and held Lin Wanqiu's hand. "It's nothing. I just went to three communes today to inspect militia training. I'm a little tired after running around all day." He looked down at Lin Wanqiu, his eyes full of tenderness. "Wanqiu, you've worked hard. You not only have to manage the food workshop, but also take care of two children."

"Why are you being so polite with me?" Lin Wanqiu smiled and pulled Shen Tingzhou to sit on the sofa. She then turned and went to the kitchen to fetch a bowl of steaming lotus seed soup. "I made you some lotus seed soup. Have some to help you relax."

Shen Tingzhou took the bowl, and the warm lotus seed soup slid down his throat, carrying a faint sweetness that instantly dispelled his fatigue. He looked at Lin Wanqiu's busy figure, feeling guilty. "Wanqiu, I haven't been able to help you much lately. Is there a lot going on at the food workshop? If you're really too busy, hire a few more workers. Don't overwork yourself."

"Don't worry, Xiulian is helping out with the food processing plant, I can handle it." Lin Wanqiu sat down next to Shen Tingzhou and leaned on his shoulder. "But you, no matter how busy you are with work, you need to take care of your health. Don't always stay up late. What will happen to me and the children if you collapse from exhaustion?"

Shen Tingzhou felt a warmth in his heart and reached out to hug Lin Wanqiu. "I know, I'll be careful. By the way, I'm free next weekend, let's take the kids to the zoo in the city. I promised Nianxi I'd take her to see the giant pandas."

"Great! The children will definitely be very happy." Lin Wanqiu nodded with a smile, her heart filled with happiness. She knew that although Shen Tingzhou was busy with work, he always kept his family in mind and had never neglected her and the children because of work. This sentiment touched her more than any material thing.

The weather was exceptionally clear on the weekend, with sunlight filtering through the clouds and warming the earth. Shen Tingzhou drove the jeep assigned to him by the military, taking Lin Wanqiu and their two children to the city zoo. Shen Nianxi sat in the passenger seat, her little head pressed against the window, curiously watching the scenery outside and occasionally letting out excited shouts; Shen Nian'an sat in the back seat, holding a math book, occasionally discussing a few difficult problems with Lin Wanqiu. The family's laughter echoed in the car, warm and happy.

Upon arriving at the zoo, Shen Nianxi, like a happy little bird, grabbed Shen Tingzhou's hand and ran towards the panda enclosure. Seeing his daughter's excited expression, Shen Tingzhou smiled gently and patiently watched the pandas eat bamboo with her, occasionally explaining their habits to her. Lin Wanqiu and Shen Nian'an stood to the side, watching the interaction between the father and daughter with eyes full of satisfaction.

“Mom, look how good Dad is to your sister,” Shen Nian’an said softly, a hint of envy in his voice. Lin Wanqiu smiled and patted her son’s head. “Dad is good to you too, but now that you’re older, Dad thinks you can take care of yourself, so he spends more time with your sister.”

Shen Nian'an nodded, a hint of understanding flashing in her eyes. "Mom, I will be more sensible in the future and help you take care of my sister so that you and Dad won't have to worry."

Lin Wanqiu was deeply moved. She knew that Shen Nian'an had always been a sensible child. Since her younger sister was born, she had not only not felt lost because of the shift in her parents' attention, but had also taken the initiative to take care of her younger sister. This made her both gratified and heartbroken.

At noon, the family ate at a restaurant near the zoo. Shen Tingzhou ordered a table full of dishes that the children loved, including sweet and sour pork, braised pork belly, stir-fried shrimp, and Shen Nianxi's favorite, scrambled eggs with tomatoes. During the meal, Shen Tingzhou frequently served food to the two children and chatted with Lin Wanqiu about interesting things at work, creating a warm and harmonious atmosphere.

"Dad, will you still bring us to the zoo in the future?" Shen Nianxi asked while eating scrambled eggs with tomatoes. Shen Tingzhou smiled and nodded, "Of course I will. Whenever Dad has time, I'll bring our Xixi to play. I'll also take you to Beijing to see Tiananmen Square, okay?"

"Great!" Shen Nianxi clapped her hands excitedly, her little face full of anticipation.

In the afternoon, the family went to a park in the city. Shen Tingzhou played a shooting game with Shen Nian'an and even won a small rabbit doll to give to Shen Nianxi. Lin Wanqiu sat on a park bench, watching the interaction between the father and his two sons, her heart filled with happiness. She knew that although Shen Tingzhou was busy with work, as long as the family was together, even just for a simple outing, they could feel a great deal of happiness.

This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!