8. Not a single mistake can be made.

Sometimes, snow can cover up dirt, but when it does, it transforms into a beautiful snowscape.

In the blink of an eye, more than half a year had passed. Beijing winters are dry and cold, and the wind feels like knives on the face. Gao Sheng was finally officially transferred back to the Beijing headquarters in winter. His rank had been promoted, but the corresponding substantive position would have to wait until the personnel adjustment in the spring of next year. This period became the most leisurely transitional period of his career, with him going to and from work on time every day.

This rhythm was unfamiliar to him and to his family.

As soon as he arrived home, his mother was busy in the kitchen, a pot of soup bubbling away. "You're back!" she said, turning around with a smile of relief that had been building up for years. Her son was finally back by her side, and she wanted to pour all the care she had accumulated over the past decade into this pot of soup.

Haha, who was watching cartoons, didn't even turn her head.

Gao Sheng dressed up and strolled around the kitchen, exchanging a few meaningless words with his mother before being "kicked" out. "The fumes are too strong, don't let them bother you. Go watch TV." He felt like he'd been granted a pardon and went to the living room.

"Haha, have you finished your homework?" he asked, trying to play the role of a father who should supervise.

"No." Haha's eyes were still glued to the screen.

"Haha, that's not good! We need to do our homework first, and then we can watch TV." Gao Sheng said patiently, his voice still relatively gentle.

"No!" Haha blurted out his refusal right when the animation was at its most exciting point, his refusal crisp and decisive.

The simple word "no" was like a spark thrown into a haystack. Gao Sheng's frustration over his uncertain job situation and his awkwardness stemming from his unfamiliarity with the role of "father" were instantly ignited. His voice rose uncontrollably: "I said, do your homework first! Did you hear me?"

From birth until now, Haha's world has been made up of his grandmother's care, his mother's love, his playful interactions with his friends, and the neighbors' praise. "Dad" is just a blurry figure he sees a few times a year, not as familiar or warm as Uncle Zhuang and Uncle He next door. This person who suddenly barged in and called himself his dad not only didn't play with him, but was also so fierce... Haha pouted and burst into tears.

Grandma rushed out of the kitchen, spatula in hand, looking anxious. "What happened? Did you bump yourself?" Her eyes were fixed on her grandson, almost forgetting that her son was standing right next to her. She hadn't fully adjusted to the new family order since her son's return.

Haha cried even louder when she saw her grandma come out.

Gao Sheng was even more annoyed: "Mom, don't interfere." His tone was harsh.

Grandma then realized what was happening, gave an awkward "Oh," and hesitantly retreated back to the kitchen. She was always proper, diligently managing what she should and never interfering in what she shouldn't. At this moment, she judged it to be a matter of "the son disciplining his grandson," and although she felt sorry for him, she chose to remain silent.

Haha was shocked and aggrieved when his backer backed down, and he burst into tears. Boys, crying at the drop of a hat! Gao Sheng's anger flared even higher: "Shut up! What are you crying for! What kind of behavior is this!"

The natural difference between fathers of boys and fathers of girls is that when a girl cries, the father immediately transforms into a doting father, frantically trying every possible way to make her laugh; while a father of a boy, upon seeing his son cry, might wonder, "Is this really a son? Will he grow up to be a sissy and a coward?" and thus scold him even more harshly. This is especially true for men like Gao Sheng, who have always been good at self-motivation but lack understanding of children.

Haha, who was frozen there refusing to do her homework, immediately stood up and tried to rub against her grandma for comfort as soon as she heard "eat."

But Gao Sheng shouted, "No food until you finish your homework today!" blocking his way.

"There's not much homework. Let the child have something hot first, then he can do his homework," Grandma couldn't help but whisper, offering a word of advice. She had forgotten how strict she had been with her son when she was young, but her heart softened when it came to her grandson.

"Mom, don't worry about it." Gao Sheng lowered his voice, but it was firm and undeniable. "This isn't about how many there are, it's about the rules! If these rules aren't established now, they won't be able to be established later!"

He walked over and slammed the TV off. The screen went black instantly, reflecting Haha's astonished, tearful eyes. Then, he grabbed his son, who was crying so hard his body was limp, and practically dragged him into the small bedroom: "Come out when you're done writing!"

The door was closed, shutting out the crying.

The atmosphere at the dinner table was somber. Gao Sheng wore a stern face, and Grandma was restless, unable to eat. "The child is small; he'll go hungry." "One meal won't make him go hungry. Mom, good habits are more important than a single meal."

But even after they finished eating, washed the dishes, and cleaned up, Haha still hadn't come out. Grandma pressed her ear to the door, listening; the crying had long since stopped, and the silence was unsettling. She didn't dare go in, afraid of ruining her son's "education," but worry gnawed at her like ants. Children are so tired these days; they can't even leave the classroom during breaks at school, and after school they just want to watch cartoons to relax, but…

Ding Xiaojuan entered the house at eight o'clock and found it unusually quiet.

"Haha?" she asked as she changed her shoes. Usually, her son would have rushed over to hug her like a little cannonball.

While she was getting rice from the kitchen, her grandmother, who was helping to heat up the food, whispered to her, "His father punished him by telling him to finish his homework before coming out to eat, but he hasn't come out of the house yet."

Upon hearing this, Ding Xiaojuan frowned, glanced at Gao Sheng who was sitting on the sofa watching the news with an unpleasant expression, and walked straight towards Haha's bedroom.

She froze the moment she pushed open the door.

Seeing her frozen in the doorway, the old woman behind her felt a pang of unease and slammed the plate of food she was carrying onto the table with a clatter. The noise startled Gao Sheng, who frowned, stood up, and strode over: "What happened?"

On the ground, not thrown, but...

Full of

Picture books. Like a small, silent exhibition.

First row: *My Dad* and *The Big Bad Guy* stand side by side. Second row: On the cover of *Sometimes, I Really Like My Dad*, a crooked note with a huge "No" written on it is stuck in front of "Like". Third row: *The Best Dad in the World*, also has a "No" pasted on it. Fourth row: *My Dad Is So Troublesome* and *Bad Guy, Go Away!* A *Homework* book is spread out on the bed, with two huge, angry "X"s marked on it with a thick black marker.

The little planner who had "set up the exhibition" was now curled up in the corner of the bed, asleep. Tears still clung to her cheeks, and her breath was punctuated by sobs of grievance.

Ding Xiaojuan quietly closed the door and tiptoed back to the dining table. Grandma briefly recounted the events, and as Ding Xiaojuan listened, she recalled the shocking scene, feeling both heartbroken and amused. Gao Sheng's mood, however, was clearly worse. He sat down, picked up his wine glass, and downed it in one gulp.

"You're not really angry, are you?" Ding Xiaojuan glanced at him and tried to ask in a relaxed tone, "Why argue with a child? Doesn't this just show that our son has ideas and creativity?"

"I feel like such a failure! I've worked so hard for ten years, and this is the result I've gotten."

"What was the result? The child said you're a big bad guy, doesn't like you, and told you to go away?" Ding Xiaojuan continued jokingly, still not shaken off the scene in the bedroom!

“Even a dog knows to be grateful, but what about him? He can’t even do something as simple as asking him to do his homework first, and he cries at the drop of a hat. He’s not like a boy at all, and he even told me to leave!” Gao Sheng said indignantly, complaining about Haha like another unloved child. “I worked so hard to give him a better material foundation, and I put in so much effort to get him transferred back!”

"He's still a child!" Ding Xiaojuan said, somewhat surprised.

"How can a child be so insensible!" Gao Sheng was still indignant, wondering where his usual high emotional intelligence had gone.

"Those who are sensible are not called children."

"Who said that? I was very sensible when I was a child. How can someone like him, who doesn't set any expectations for himself, possibly amount to anything in the future?"

Are you worried that he won't amount to anything in the future?

"I'm afraid that all these years I've worked so hard like an idiot, and in the end, he'll just see me as an unlikable idiot!" Gao Sheng became more and more agitated as he spoke, his words clearly filled with displaced anger.

Ding Xiaojuan understood the underlying meaning, and her face darkened: "What are you talking about? Are you dissatisfied with your son, your job, or... me?" Her gaze was sharp, getting straight to the heart of the matter. "If you have any complaints, just say so, and see if we can resolve them. Don't take your anger out on the child."

Gao Sheng was taken aback by her question, turned his face away, and remained silent. The air at the dinner table froze once more.

The next day, Ding Xiaojuan told Yi Yi and He Miao about it. They were initially amused by Haha's "picture book protest" and praised the child for being so talented. But when they heard Gao Sheng's reaction, they both sensed that something was wrong.

"Is something wrong at work?" Yi Yi guessed. "Sometimes men bring the pressure from outside into their homes without even realizing it."

He Miao then probed, half-jokingly: "Could it be... that there are some 'unresolved matters' in Cambodia that you brought back, and you're feeling annoyed?"

Ding Xiaojuan scoffed, "If he dares to have any 'unresolved matters,' I can make him have 'impossible matters.'" Her tone was relaxed, but her eyes held no mirth.

She actually leaned towards Yi Yi's assessment. Gao Sheng had just returned to China, and his position was still uncertain. Given his pride and past success, this "gap period" would probably be harder to endure than imagined. And Haha just happened to be the safest outlet for his anxiety and sense of loss of control.

However, while she could understand, she couldn't accept her husband treating their son this way. The silent "front line" depicted in the picture book was not just a child's rebellion, but also a mirror reflecting the still-unresolved cracks in this newly pieced-together family.

She knew she couldn't just be a peacemaker. There were some things she needed to clarify with Gao Sheng. But not now, not while he was still emotionally conflicted.

She picked up her coffee and looked out the window. The winter sunlight was pale, but it still shone.

The road ahead is long, let's take it one step at a time. Any mistakes we make, we'll find a chance to correct them gradually.