Zhang Hongyan's pupils dilated as she looked at the two watches Xia Qingqing had taken out: "Qingqing, this, this is the gift you mentioned?"
“Yes, Mom, you and Dad should try them on and see if they fit,” Xia Qingqing said with a smile.
Xia Heping took the watch from his daughter with trembling hands: "Is this watch very expensive? Your mother and I don't need such expensive things. You keep it for yourself."
If a bicycle is his dream, then a watch is something he never even considered. Even now that his family is wealthy, he still hasn't thought about buying a watch.
“Yes, we don’t want them. Qingqing can keep them for your wedding,” Zhang Hongyan said, looking at the two watches, one for a man and one for a woman, so that her daughter and son-in-law could each have one when they get married.
Xia Qingqing rolled up the sleeves of her cotton coat: "Look, I already have one. I bought this especially for you."
She knew her parents wouldn't accept the watch if she didn't have one, so she made a point of wearing it.
"Oh dear, let me help you put them on," Xia Qingqing said, pulling Zhang Hongyan's hand and putting the watches on.
Zhang Hongyan stiffly fiddled with her right hand, the sudden cold touch making her a little uncomfortable: "It would be a waste for us to wear such a precious thing. Besides, we still have to work, so we can't wear this. We don't want it to get damaged."
While putting the watch on Xia Heping, Xia Qingqing replied, "Just take it off when you're working. Besides, you can keep it at home to check the time. This thing can last for many years."
“Isn’t that obvious? Something this expensive can certainly last for many years,” Zhang Hongyan said, pursing her lips.
I've heard that a watch can cost as much as several months' salary for a city dweller. If it breaks after a year or two, who would want to buy it? It's not like we're being ripped off.
After putting the watches on both of them, Xia Qingqing put her parents' hands together and said, "Look how well they match! I specially picked out these as a couple's watch."
"Sister, where's my present? Let me see it!" Gou Dan had been quietly watching his sister and parents interact. He wasn't interested in watches at his age; he just wanted to know what his present was.
Seeing Gou Dan's anxious look, Xia Qingqing smiled and ruffled his hair: "Don't worry, how could we forget you?"
She took a cloth bag out of her parcel and handed it to Gou Dan: "Take this, it's all for you."
Dog Egg quickly opened the cloth bag. On top of it were a green tin frog, a red tin rooster, and a tin mouse, followed by a harmonica, and at the bottom was a large bag of glass marbles.
"Ahhh, sis, I love you so much!" Gou Dan excitedly hugged Xia Qingqing's waist and shouted.
Zhang Hongyan slapped Gou Dan's arm: "You brat, keep your voice down, or people will think something's happened to our family."
Xia Qingqing smiled and taught Gou Dan how to play with the tin frog, and Gou Dan couldn't stop playing with it.
Actually, she had a lot of toys that Zhou Wei had bought in her system warehouse, but she couldn't take them all out at once. These things weren't meant to be eaten or drunk, and buying too many at once would get her scolded to death by Zhang Hongyan.
Sure enough, Zhang Hongyan frowned involuntarily as she looked at Gou Dan lying on the ground playing with the tin frog: "Qingqing, why did you buy him so many toys? These things are neither edible nor drinkable, isn't it a waste of money?"
Xia Qingqing explained with a smile, "Mom, this thing doesn't cost much. It's almost Chinese New Year, and I just wanted to make Gou Dan happy."
“Just this once. Don’t buy Gou Dan so much stuff next time. It’s good enough for a boy like him to play in the mud.” As soon as Zhang Hongyan finished speaking, Gou Dan looked at her incredulously.
"Mom, I'm still here. Why should I be the only one playing in the mud? You've really hurt my feelings."
Zhang Hongyan glared at him: "You're lucky if you can play in the mud. When your dad and I were your age, we were always busy with chores. How could we have time to play like this?"
Hearing his mother say this, nine-year-old Gou Dan paused for a moment and said, "Mom, then I'll help you with chores every day from now on."
He knew that many girls in the village, around his age, had already started working, taking care of their younger siblings, cooking, washing clothes, collecting firewood, and so on.
Gou Dan didn't think he was more precious than girls, and his parents had never instilled this idea in him. In fact, his older sister had a higher status than him at home, so he felt that he could do any job that others could do.
"Go away, what can a little kid like you do?" Zhang Hongyan scolded with a laugh.
Looking at his sensible son, Xia Heping felt a sense of relief: "Our Gou Dan is so sensible. He knows how to care for his parents, but we can still work. When we get old, we'll need you to take care of us."
"Dad, don't worry, I will definitely take good care of you and Mom from now on," Gou Dan promised earnestly.
Before Xia Heping could even feel touched, Gou Dan grabbed his new toy and ran off excitedly: "Mom, Dad, and Sister, I'm going to Da Niu's house to show him my new toy. I'll be right back."
He was so excited that his family couldn't understand his excitement, so he had to find someone who did to share it with him.
"That little rascal," Xia Heping wiped away the tears that hadn't even had a chance to well up before they disappeared.
Xia Qingqing laughed uncontrollably from the side: "Alright, Mom and Dad, I still have something to give you."
As she spoke, she opened another package, which contained two military overcoats.
Xia Heping picked up a coat and held it up to himself: "Isn't this a military overcoat? The battalion commander has one; it was sent to him by his family's Jianguo."
Captain Zhang Yougen's military overcoat was the envy of all the men in the brigade.
"Where did you get these clothes?" Zhang Hongyan asked in confusion.
"I got it through a friend. They have inside connections, but it's a replica of a military overcoat, and it's different from a real military overcoat," Xia Qingqing explained simply.
In this era, soldiers are highly respected, so military uniforms are very popular and can be considered a trendsetter.
While the mother and daughter were chatting, Xia Heping had already changed into his military overcoat and asked Zhang Hongyan with a smile, "How do I look, wife? Do I look good in this?"
Zhang Hongyan spat at him: "He's just a filthy old man, what's so interesting about him?"
Meanwhile, Gou Dan, clutching his precious toy, dashed off to Da Niu's house.
"Da Niu, my sister bought me a lot of toys. I brought them to play with you."
Da Niu's eyes lit up when he saw the toy Gou Dan was holding: "Wow, is this a frog? That's amazing!"
“Yes, it can jump too. I’ll teach you how to play.” Gou Dan put the other things on the table and then squatted down to play with the tin frog.
Da Niu and Er Niu, watching from the side, exclaimed in amazement, "Amazing!"
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