Chapter 37 A Warm Embrace

The afternoon air was warm and cozy, with a touch of languor.

Cheng Cheng slowly woke up, her eyes still groggy and her consciousness somewhat hazy.

I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, lost in thought for a while.

Suddenly, he raised his hands upwards, kicked his feet downwards at the same time, twisted his body, and stretched out a big yawn.

She arched her back like a lazy cat, and at the same time, she kicked off the thin blanket covering her.

He let out a sigh of "Ah!"

Hearing the noise, the two children, one big and one small, turned around at the same time.

After stretching and relaxing, Cheng Cheng turned her head and saw Zhou Yue and Xiao Xiao staring intently at her.

She sprang up in bed with a jolt, but a few seconds later, the computer failed to boot, and she lay back down.

He rolled from inside the bed to the edge, rolled over and lay face down, waving at the two children, his voice languid from waking up.

Good afternoon!

There was a large and a small table in front of the desk. One was sitting upright in a chair, while the other, being too short, was standing on a stool.

The father and daughter smiled at the same time, their smiles perfectly synchronized, except that little Lingxiao had two adorable dimples on her lips, while the man did not.

"Good afternoon, Mom~"

Good afternoon, Cheng.

The person on the bed lazily nodded their chin and involuntarily yawned, "You two go ahead with your work, don't worry about me, I'm going to lie here a little longer."

Then, Cheng Cheng saw that the father and daughter had perfectly synchronized expressions, looking at her for a few seconds before turning away at the same time.

What's it like to have a large roll of bouncy rolls and a small roll of bouncy rolls at home?

Cheng Cheng: Thanks for the invitation! This lazy bum is feeling perfectly content lying here.

She stared at the ceiling for more than ten minutes, then turned to face the father and daughter, watching their diligent backs as they walked away, and stared blankly for a while longer.

She couldn't help but think about going with the army, struggling with whether or not to go. Although if she made up her mind to stay, no one could change her mind, and now someone was automatically taking the blame for her.

So, should we go or not?

She picked up a pillow and hugged it to her chest, then suddenly said, "Zhou Yue, tell me about things in the Northwest."

Upon hearing this, the man stopped writing and turned to look at the woman.

Their eyes met, and at the moment their gazes collided in the air, there was a mixture of surprise and languor.

"good."

At this moment, Xiao Lingxiao spoke up, "Dad, I want to hear too!"

Zhou Yue turned around, picked up his daughter and put her on his lap, looked at his wife, and began to tell them about Northwest China.

"The Northwest is different from here. Here, you can see lush vegetation, verdant vegetable fields, golden rice paddies, bustling towns and markets everywhere. The Northwest only has endless Gobi Desert, vast deserts, and sandstorms that can be seen at any time..."

"However, the Northwest has poplar forests that you can't see here, vast grasslands, mobile yurts, as well as camels, herds of cattle, sheep and horses..."

"The sunsets in the Northwest are incredibly beautiful. The sun turns into a round, red sun, and the rolling sand dunes take on a magnificent golden hue."

"At night, the sky in the northwest becomes very vast and low, with countless stars embedded in the night sky, as if you could reach out and touch them. You will be amazed when you see it; the starry sky in the northwest is so beautiful."

"…………"

Zhou Yue talked a lot, which repeatedly amazed and prompted Xiao Xiao to ask questions. Xiao Xiao tilted her little head up and looked at her father with eyes full of admiration.

Cheng Cheng could see through Zhou Yue's sinister intentions, but shamefully, she was actually moved!

A lone plume of smoke rises straight from the vast desert, the setting sun hangs round over the long river!

And then there's the wind blowing through the grass, revealing cattle and sheep, and the countless stars that seem within reach—who wouldn't be moved?

Moreover, it is a sky that has never been polluted by industry, the purest sky. Perhaps in a few years, when industry develops, we will no longer be able to see such a pure view.

Of course, Cheng Cheng was only tempted; it wasn't time to make a decision yet.

"Zhou Yue, is life at the base convenient?"

Zhou Yue did not give a direct answer, but instead talked about the base's facilities. He explained everything except for the classified information, which was not open to the family area. He said that anyone who lived at the base for a long time would know about it sooner or later.

After years of development, the base now has very complete supporting facilities, and has successively established a guard regiment, a motor transport regiment, a hospital, a supply and marketing cooperative, an art troupe, a power plant, a farm, a military post office, a canteen for family members, a bathhouse, a children's education class, a primary school, a middle school, and other units.

Hearing this, it really does seem like a small city, with all the essentials.

Cheng Cheng hesitated for a moment: "If I leave, what will happen to my job?"

It wasn't that she loved going to work so much, but rather that she got paid and received various benefits, and the job was also relaxed and flexible.

If you calculate the time, she can retire at the latest at fifty-five and start receiving a pension. The important thing is her future security!

Zhou Yue didn't even flinch at his wife's worries; a smile appeared on his lips. "Leave this to me."

Cheng Cheng let out a cry. Now there's one last question. She looked at the man and said, "You go out first, let's discuss this between mother and daughter."

"good."

Zhou Yue readily agreed, got up, picked up Xiaoxiao, and put his daughter on the bed.

He turned and left, thoughtfully closing the door behind him.

Cheng Cheng glanced at the closed doorway, lowered her voice, and asked the little guy, "Xiaoxiao, do you want to go to the Northwest?"

Fearing the little one wouldn't understand, she explained it in detail: "It means we're going to leave here and go with Daddy to live where Daddy works."

"We may not see your aunt, grandpa, grandma, great-grandpa and great-grandma for a long time, but we can come back again in the future."

Little Lingxiao tilted his head to look at his mother, his eyebrows furrowed, as if he was thinking and considering it seriously.

Cheng Cheng didn't say anything more, waiting for the little guy to process this information.

After a while, the little guy looked up into her eyes, as if he had made up his mind.

"Mom, I want to be with Dad."

"I love Daddy!"

Cheng Cheng wasn't surprised by the result. What child doesn't love their father?

However, she suspected that the little guy was drawn to the entire book of Sudoku puzzles and the vast ocean of knowledge that Zhou Yue had described to him. She felt that the latter might be more appealing to Xiaoxiao!

Well, now that I've made the decision, the reasons don't matter anymore.

She sat cross-legged on the bed, knocked on the bed board, and called out to the outside, "Zhou Yue, come in. We've discussed it."

The man pushed the door open and came in the next second, as if he had been waiting for a long time and couldn't wait.

The man's gaze was intense and tense. Cheng Cheng raised an eyebrow slightly and nodded her chin lightly, exuding a sense of pride.

"Let your daughter tell you."

Zhou Yue took three steps at a time and stood in front of the mother and daughter.

Little Lingxiao raised his face, his dark, bright eyes looking at his father, his dimples curving upwards. "Daddy, we want to be with you."

Zhou Yue's heart instantly settled, and his expression burst with immense joy as he looked at his wife and daughter.

Cheng Cheng looked at him with a smile, the corners of her mouth involuntarily turning up.

Suddenly a figure landed.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Zhou Yue embraced his wife and daughter tightly, with great force.

Cheng Cheng was stunned for a moment. It was clear that Zhou Yue was very excited. The big boss, who would not change his expression even if Mount Tai collapsed in front of him, was now overwhelmed with emotion. He was probably filled with gratitude.

She patted the man's back, which resulted in an even warmer hug from him.

Zhou Yue said to himself, "Thank you."

At the same time, a sense of guilt welled up in his heart. He was too selfish. He couldn't provide a better life for his wife and daughter, and he even made his wife and daughter accommodate him, give up their peaceful life, and go with him to the Northwest to start over.

When Luo Xiaojuan and Leng Gang arrived, Cheng Cheng was discussing with Zhou Yue what things to take with them, what to leave behind, and what to buy.

This is something I can't even think about; it's all just a bunch of problems. Cheng Cheng almost wanted to give up.

Fortunately, Zhou Yue was there and managed to calm her down. "Leave it to me. You tell me what to say and I'll write it down. Let's think about it first, and then we'll fill in the gaps. There's no rush."

Okay.

Cheng Cheng calmed down; if anything was missing, she would blame Zhou Yue!

"Little Cheng!"

Luo Xiaojuan's cheerful voice rang out in the courtyard.

Cheng Cheng heard the commotion and quickly came out, followed closely by Zhou Yue and Xiao Lingxiao.

Xiao Lingxiao whispered to his father, introducing Aunt Xiao Juan and Uncle Leng Gang.

Then Zhou Yue found out that when he saw his wife and daughter yesterday, they had just returned from a blind date.

"Sister Xiaojuan, congratulations to Comrade Leng Gang!"

You can tell from the red paper packets they're carrying that the two of them came to offer their congratulations.

Luo Xiaojuan, beaming with joy, grabbed a handful of wedding candies from the bag the man next to her was carrying and stuffed them into Xiao Cheng's hand.

There was no shyness about getting married on her face, but rather joy and anticipation for a better life. "Xiao Cheng, come to my house for dinner next Saturday!"

She paused, glanced at the man beside her who was grinning like an idiot, and said, "The location is the meat processing plant's residential compound."

Luo Xiaojuan turned around and grabbed a handful of candy from the bag for Xiaoxiao. Looking at the tall man in front of her, she smiled and asked Xiao Cheng, "This must be your lover. He looks like a perfect match for you!"

The tradition of distributing wedding candy started with the neighbors. They made a special trip to Aunt Xiulian's house to thank the matchmaker and gave Aunt Xiulian a large red envelope.

I learned from Aunt Xiulian that Xiao Cheng's husband had returned.

The man is tall and handsome, and he looks especially good standing next to Xiao Cheng!

Just like the radio said, it's a beautiful sight.

Cheng Cheng smiled upon hearing this and introduced Sister Xiao Juan and Comrade Leng Gang to Zhou Yue.

Zhou Yue nodded politely to them and said, "Congratulations on your marriage."

Just then, an old woman suddenly rushed in from outside, holding a large broom in her hand, looking fierce and menacing: "Luo Xiaojuan, you slut, you little whore!"

Old Mrs. Zhuang's eyes were practically spitting fire. As soon as she heard Luo Xiaojuan's voice, she immediately pressed herself against the corner of the wall.

To her surprise, she heard that this slut had gotten married and was there to hand out wedding candy. She grabbed a large broom from the corner of the wall and rushed out. When she saw Luo Xiaojuan and her lover, Old Lady Zhuang swung the broom and started hitting them!

She yelled, "You've already found someone else so quickly, you unfaithful little whore! I bet you've already found a lover! You deliberately got a divorce so you could be with your lover!"

"You barren old hen! You have a rotten heart! You have impure thoughts yourself, yet you falsely accuse me, slandering my son's innocence! I'll fight you adulterers to the death!"

As soon as the old lady rushed in, Leng Gang pulled his newlywed wife behind him, his face grim as he stepped forward and grabbed the broom.

"Old lady, watch your mouth! I, Leng Gang, may not hit women, but if you dare to insult my wife again—"

Leng Gang glared angrily and snatched the broom from the old woman's hand.

Old Mrs. Zhuang was pulled forward by him and fell to the ground in front of her, slapping her thigh and howling.

The commotion attracted the attention of everyone else nearby.

Cheng Cheng was shielded behind Zhou Yue. Peeking out from behind the man, she saw that Old Lady Zhuang had been subdued and couldn't help but silently praise Comrade Leng Gang!

"Mother, what's wrong?"

Yu Xiagu squeezed out of the crowd and rushed to her mother-in-law's side, her face full of timidity.

Luo Xiaojuan ignored the tricks the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were up to and paid them no attention. When she saw her old neighbors, a smile returned to her face.

The man tugged at Leng Gang's clothes, then immediately raised his hand and effortlessly hurled the large broom he had snatched towards the neighbor's house.

Then, Cheng Cheng heard a "Ouch".

The voice sounded like Zhuang Zhifeng's. She stared in surprise, glancing at Comrade Leng Gang, and saw that everyone's eyes were on him.

My eyes couldn't help but show admiration. Sister Xiaojuan has such good taste!

Aunt Xiulian also has excellent taste; she's a superb matchmaker!

Upon hearing her husband's cry of pain, Yu Xiagu immediately disregarded her mother-in-law, got up, pushed through the crowd, and ran towards her own courtyard.

Old Mrs. Zhuang also got up from the ground and lunged at Leng Gang, but he grabbed her by the neck with one hand, lifting her like a chicken, and warned in a rough voice: "Old woman! If you dare to cause trouble for my wife again, I'll beat Zhuang Zhifeng every time you do! I won't settle accounts with you, I'll settle accounts with your son!"

"Watch your mouth! Now get the hell out of here!"

"Cough cough cough..."

Grandma Zhuang was truly terrified this time, tears streaming down her face as she clutched her neck with her withered hands and gasped for breath!

Under the man's fierce gaze, Old Lady Zhuang shuddered. "I'm leaving, I'll leave right away!"

With the eyes and ears closed, Luo Xiaojuan and Leng Gang distributed wedding candies to their neighbors.

While congratulating them, everyone took every opportunity to peek at the man next to Comrade Cheng.

Cheng Cheng: Hey! I can see you!!

"Comrade Cheng, what does your wife do? Is she in the military?"

"Comrade Cheng, how did you and your wife meet? Does your wife have a younger brother? I have a niece who is beautiful, hardworking, and capable..."

"Comrade Cheng..."

Cheng Cheng's face was almost frozen from smiling. She glared at the culprit, who looked at her with a smile in her eyes, carefully and gently peeling candy wrappers for her daughter.

Before Sister Xiaojuan left, she gave Cheng Cheng a large red envelope. Cheng Cheng accepted it without refusing, planning to add a little more to it when she went to the banquet on Saturday to congratulate Sister Xiaojuan and Comrade Leng Gang.

After seeing off his neighbors, Zhou Yue went to the post office to call his superiors and apply for a military dependent's quota and housing. Because he was unsure whether his wife would be willing to live with him at the Northwest base, Zhou Yue did not make a decision on his own.

Now that his wife and daughters are willing to go with him, Zhou Yue is eager to report to his superiors and finalize the matter.

Little Lingxiao also went out with his father. Now Little Lingxiao has become Zhou Yue's little shadow, following his father wherever he goes.

Cheng Cheng stayed home instead of going with the father and daughter who were very close.

It was getting late, so she took out the large bones she had bought at the market that day, blanched them, and then put them into a clay pot. She added the chopped lotus root and carrots to the pot and simmered them together to make soup.

When Zhou Yue brought Xiao Xiao back, she had just finished stir-frying pig intestines and was about to take them out of the pan. The whole kitchen was filled with the unique smell of pig intestines.

The man walked in, leading his daughter by the hand, and subconsciously frowned.

Cheng Cheng happened to see this, raised an eyebrow slightly, and asked cheerfully, "You're back? Did you finish what you were doing?"

Zhou Yue nodded to his wife, and then he heard her say, "Take Xiaoxiao to wash her hands, dinner will be ready soon!"

"good."

The man took his daughter out to wash her hands, and Cheng Cheng ladled the stir-fried pork intestines with pickled chili peppers and pickled cowpeas from the pot into a bowl.

Then she took the pot out to rinse it with water. Zhou Yue happened to be coming back with his daughter after washing their hands. He walked over and held out his hand, saying, "Give it to me."

"No need, there's still one dish left to cook, I'll just rinse the pot."

Cheng Cheng turned her head to dodge and walked past the man, instructing, "Go inside and get some bowls and chopsticks, and serve Xiaoxiao some soup first."

The man did as she was told. Cheng Cheng put the cabbage and vermicelli in the pot, covered it, and put it on the stove to simmer over low heat. She didn't need to do anything about it for the time being.

Zhou Yue had already placed the casserole on the table, filled three bowls with bone broth, and moved the fan from the room to the kitchen.

While enjoying the breeze from the fan, Cheng Cheng sipped soup and ate lotus root, occasionally picking up a piece of pig intestine with pickled chili peppers and pickled cowpeas and putting it in her mouth, looking completely satisfied.

Little Lingxiao followed her mother's example, while Zhou Yue looked at his wife and daughter with a hesitant expression, which eventually turned into a barely perceptible sigh.

"Dad's pig intestines are delicious! You'll know once you try them!"

"Mom said we should be brave enough to try new things and accept new things. Dad, here you go!"

With a serious, childlike face, Lingxiao lectured his father like a little adult, saying that this was wrong!

Holding chopsticks in her little hands, she picked up a piece of pig intestine and put it in her father's bowl. Then she looked at her father expectantly, her big, round eyes shining brightly.

Cheng Cheng chuckled from the side, enjoying the spectacle, and said seriously, "That's right! Your daughter is right!"

"Our Xiaoxiao isn't picky about food anymore, right? She eats whatever Mommy cooks, doesn't she? Shouldn't Daddy learn from Xiaoxiao?"

Little Lingxiao nodded vigorously when he heard his mother's words. His adoring eyes looked at his father, but his gaze held disapproval.

His wife was mischievous, and his daughter was adorable. Faced with them, Zhou Yue could never harden his heart. He smiled helplessly and, under the watchful eyes of his wife and daughter, picked up the piece of pig intestine and tried to relax before putting it into his mouth.

Ignoring its strange taste, its chewy and springy texture does indeed offer a unique flavor.

The scene was hilarious no matter how you looked at it, and Cheng Cheng couldn't stop smiling. Suddenly, she remembered that her cabbage and vermicelli were still stewing in the pot.

"Oh no, my rice noodles!"

The man was faster than her; he immediately got up and put down the bowl.

Seeing this, Cheng Cheng sat back down.

Cabbage and vermicelli is also one of the little guy's favorites. He ate until his belly was round and full. Cheng Cheng was no exception. After the meal, she took Xiao Xiao for a walk in the yard while watching Zhou Yue wash the dishes and pots, and they strolled around to digest their food.

In the evening, I took a shower and went to bed.

Xiao Lingxiao took out the building blocks her great-grandfather had made for her and spread the sheet on the bed.

With her little face tilted up, she declared, "Mommy, I'm going to beat you today!"

Cheng Cheng was combing her hair. She had washed her hair tonight and it was almost dry. Now she was combing it smooth.

Hearing the little guy's bold words, he smiled and said, "Comrade Zhou Lingxiao, I accept your challenge."

"Dad, come quick!"

While calling out to his father, Xiao Lingxiao counted the building blocks and divided them into two groups.

Zhou Yue closed the door and walked over, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Cheng Cheng got into bed, sat cross-legged, and began to explain the rules of the game, "We'll have your dad time you and be the referee. The time limit is five minutes. Whoever builds the tallest and most stable stack of blocks that doesn't fall down wins!"

"However, since you're my daughter, Mom can turn a blind eye and allow you to seek outside help."

"But only your father is allowed to guide you; he can't help you. You have to do everything yourself, understand? Can you do it?"

"Understood! Yes!"

"That's ambitious!"

Cheng Cheng gave Zhou Yue a look, and the other party smiled and nodded.

At a command, the two, one big and one small, worked quickly to build the foundation. Cheng Cheng remained focused and single-minded throughout the entire process, concentrating solely on the work in front of her.

At first, Xiao Lingxiao could keep up with her mother, but when she saw that her mother was a finger taller than her, she immediately sought help from her father.

It was the first time the father and daughter had worked together; one spoke, and the other carried out the instructions. Little Lingxiao was flustered, trying to put the logs up as her father said, but her movements were a bit clumsy, and she would occasionally look back at her father to confirm.

Cheng Cheng glanced up occasionally, feeling reassured, and calmly reminded Zhou Yue, "Pay attention to the time."

The man glanced at his watch. "One minute and forty-seven seconds left."

Without a doubt, Cheng Cheng won this round.

He cast a smug look at the father and daughter, and proudly raised his chin.

Little Lingxiao pursed his lips, "Mommy, again!"

Zhou Yue glanced at his wife, then leaned down and whispered a few words in his daughter's ear. The little girl nodded repeatedly!

Cheng Cheng didn't stop her. She raised an eyebrow, quite magnanimous, saying it was no big deal to discuss it casually and she wasn't afraid!

In the second round, Xiao Lingxiao was clearly more experienced than in the previous round. He did almost exactly what his father said without having to think much, which saved him time and made him much faster.

Cheng Cheng glanced at them and thought, "Wow, the two are evenly matched, almost neck and neck." She perked up and focused intently.

This game ended in a draw.

Little Lingxiao happily gave his father a high five!

Next, Cheng Cheng learned her lesson this time. Zhou Yue was instructing Xiao Xiao from the side, and she would do whatever the man said, even faster than the little one!

Little Lingxiao pouted and looked at his mother, accusingly saying, "Mom, you can't do what I do!"

Cheng Cheng spread her hands, looking at the little guy with a smile, a hint of smugness in her expression, "So you're allowed to put together outfits like this, but I'm not?"

"Then you two whisper it to each other, but don't let me hear."

Let me show you what the treacherous world of martial arts really is!

The little one pursed his lips, looked at his mother with a huff, not knowing how to refute her, and turned his gaze to his father.

A smile slowly spread across Zhou Yue's eyes, from his eyes to the corners of his mouth. His wife's mentality was sometimes just like Xiao Xiao's, and even a bit more childish than her daughter's.

Seeing her daughter's pleading look, Zhou Yue leaned down and whispered a few words in her ear.

The little girl smiled with her eyes narrowed, and was instantly appeased by her father.

Xiao Lingxiao suddenly stood up, walked to the opposite side, stomped his little foot, and the small tower, almost an arm's length tall, collapsed instantly.

Cheng Cheng: "..."

"Well, Xiaoxiao, you've been corrupted by your dad, haven't you?"

Cheng Cheng reached out and caught the little one, then placed her on her lap and tickled her.

"Hehehehehe... Daddy, save me!"

The family of three was playfully bickering, their laughter filling the room. Some things seemed closer, while others were quietly drifting away.

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Author's Note: My darlings, I asked the editor to change the title today. It's now called "I'm a Lazybones in a Historical Fiction." Thank you all for your love and support since I started writing this story! I'm so honored by your hard work! I love you all! I will continue to work hard and strive to present you with even better stories!

Around 9 AM tomorrow, before the update, there will be a shower of red envelopes in the comments section of this chapter! Thank you again for your support and love, you are truly my angels!!! *kissing sounds*