Xiao Jing ran back.

She ran back, panting, and as soon as she entered the door, she couldn't wait to tell Fang Qiao the good news: "Sister-in-law, Director Yang just received a call from the Southwest this morning, saying that he will be back by plane on the afternoon of the 7th of the twelfth lunar month and will arrive in Beijing in the early morning of the 8th of the twelfth lunar month."

Fang Qiao's eyes lit up: "The afternoon of the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, isn't that this afternoon?"

Xiao Jing nodded emphatically: "Yes, it's today."

She said cheerfully, "Director Yang said that my brother went to a place deep in the mountains where there is no signal, which is why we haven't heard from him for days. He was afraid you would worry, so this morning, as soon as he came out of the mountains and reached a place with a signal, he made a long-distance call back. Director Yang told me to tell you to eat well, sleep well, and not to worry. He said that my brother will be home by tomorrow morning, before you even wake up."

"Okay, okay, I'll wait for him to come home."

Fang Qiao was relieved to receive confirmation that he was safe and sound.

Knowing that Cheng Baidong would be on an overnight flight and would be cold and hungry when he got home in the early morning, she asked Xiaojing to soak the rice and beans for Laba porridge the afternoon before, and then cook them in a deep fryer and keep them warm on the stove the night before, so that Cheng Baidong would have Laba porridge to drink when he got back.

Having hot porridge to drink can warm you up.

Sweetie was overjoyed to learn that her uncle was coming back.

Fang Qiao thought she would be too happy to sleep that night, but she was so heavy that she fell asleep as soon as she touched the bed.

In the middle of the night, I vaguely heard the outer door creak.

She turned over, about to go back to sleep, when she suddenly remembered that Cheng Baidong was coming back tonight. Her mind jolted, and she instantly became much more awake.

The soft footsteps grew closer. Fang Qiao propped herself up and tugged on the light switch cord next to the bed.

The dim light bulb came on, and Cheng Baidong just pushed the door open and came in.

Some snow fell on his head and shoulders, which melted into water as it was warmed by the fire in the stove, soaking the general's overcoat and turning it a dark color.

"You're back."

I woke you up.

The two spoke almost simultaneously.

Their eyes met, and they couldn't help but smile at each other.

Fang Qiao said, "There's some Laba porridge cooked in the clay pot on the stove outside. It's been kept warm, so it shouldn't be cold yet. Why don't you take a bowl and have some?"

"I don't have the habit of eating late at night, so I won't drink now. We'll have one tomorrow morning." Cheng Baidong shook his head.

He closed the door, took off his military overcoat and hung it on the floor-standing coat rack behind the door, then turned to Fang Qiao and said softly, "It's not even four o'clock yet, sleep a little longer."

Fang Qiao hummed in agreement: "I'm a little thirsty. Could you pour me a glass of water? I'll drink it before I go to sleep."

"Okay," Cheng Baidong replied.

A stove was lit indoors, which made the room warm but also drier, so a thermos was kept in her bedroom for her to drink water at night.

Cheng Baidong poured a cup of water into an enamel mug. It was a little hot to the touch, so he used his spiritual energy to cool it down to a suitable temperature before handing it to Fang Qiao.

Fang Qiao took the cup, tasted it, and found the temperature was just right. She quickly gulped it down and returned the cup to Cheng Baidong.

Cheng Baidong also poured himself a glass of water and drank it all in one gulp.

On the way back, he had traveled over mountains and valleys, by truck, by plane, and by connecting flights. Just the journey took more than twenty hours. He was exhausted and too tired to wash up, so he cast a cleansing spell on himself and decided to rest first.

Fang Qiao nestled in Cheng Baidong's arms, enveloped in a familiar sense of security, and soon fell asleep.

I slept without any dreams.

The next day, she was awakened by An'an's slight movements.

The moment she moved, Cheng Baidong, who was next to her, woke up.

He closed his eyes, his face still showing signs of weariness: "What's wrong?"

Fang Qiao: "An'an is awake, change her diaper."

"I'll do it." He rubbed his face to shake off his weariness, lifted the covers, got out of bed, and bent down to clean up An'an's wet diaper.

Fang Qiao took this opportunity to get up, change into a thick cotton coat, and draped the clothes An An was going to wear over the edge of the crib for Cheng Baidong to change her into.

Cheng Baidong skillfully put the cotton coat on An'an, and then took her out of the crib.

After twenty days apart, An'an seemed a little shy.

She didn't cry, but stared blankly at Cheng Baidong with her big, watery eyes, looking both bewildered and adorable.

Cheng Baidong was amused by her appearance and deliberately rubbed his stubble against her arm: "What's wrong, An'an? Don't you recognize your dad?"

An'an was a little sore from the stubble, and she whimpered as she waved her chubby little hands, slapping her father's handsome face.

The child's pat on the head didn't hurt at all, but Cheng Baidong was not only not angry, he was also extremely happy, thinking that his daughter could hit people, which was really amazing.

When it comes to spoiling children, he's number one in the family!

Fang Qiao chuckled and shook her head helplessly: "Don't let her hit people, or she'll be a real handful when she grows up."

As Fang Qiao spoke, she reached out and pulled back the curtains, revealing a vast expanse of white outside.

Her eyes widened in surprise: "Oh, it's snowing outside!"

Outside the window, everything was covered in a blanket of white snow. The ground, rooftops, walls, and trees were all covered in a pristine white. The snowflakes were soft and fluffy, seemingly light and airy, yet they bent the branches low. Fang Qiao estimated that the snow was at least three fingers thick.

It looks like it snowed quite a bit tonight.