"This guy..."
Zhou Qiqi was both annoyed and amused, muttering to herself as she looked at the empty box.
"You promised to tell each other everything, but you've been keeping it a secret for so long!"
She was thinking that when Shen Huaichuan returned, she would definitely give her a good "interrogation".
Unexpectedly, Shen Huaichuan had a temporary mission and would not be back for at least four or five days.
That's just how it is for soldiers; they can leave whenever they want. As a military family member, she's gotten used to it.
The planned photo shoot on Sunday was naturally canceled.
Even without Shen Huaichuan, life goes on as usual.
While busy with the details of the dance costumes for the performing arts troupe, Zhou Qiqi also squeezed out some time to make new clothes for the family of three.
On Sunday, Shen Huaichuan rushed back early in the morning. Her clothes were almost finished, and all three of them could put them on.
Shen Huaichuan was wearing a dark blue woolen Zhongshan suit with strong shoulder pads, which made him look even more upright.
Zhou Qiqi herself wore a maroon modified cheongsam. Although the style was simple, it was fitted at the waist, had exquisite buttons, and the fabric was draped and lustrous.
Zhouzhou wore a warm orange corduroy pinafore dress with a Peter Pan collar trimmed with delicate white lace and embroidered star patterns, making it playful and cute.
The most eye-catching item is the three matching off-white cashmere scarves that Zhou Qiqi knitted herself. They are soft and fluffy, and when you put them around your neck, anyone can tell that this is a family of three.
She also made a modified version of youth clothes for Qin Lei. The boy was only seventeen years old and had been following Shen Huaichuan for two years, which was not easy for him.
However, due to time constraints, she didn't give the clothes to Qin Lei in advance. Instead, she put them all in a large snakeskin bag and asked Qin Lei to carry them to the trunk.
The military jeep drove very fast and soon took the four people to the city's largest and most famous "Red Star Photo Studio," which was located diagonally opposite the department store.
Pushing open the thick glass door, a unique atmosphere mixed with medicine and old set decorations hits you.
The photo studio wasn't large; a row of green-painted wooden chairs lined the wall, where several customers sat waiting.
There were some sample photos hanging on the wall, mostly standard ID photos, and a few family photos. The backgrounds were all the same: either a backdrop with artificial mountains and pavilions and plastic flowers, or a huge screen with the majestic Tiananmen Square printed on it.
In the corner, an old-fashioned wooden-cased camera covered with a black cloth sat on a tripod, next to a large light covered with a silver-white umbrella cloth for illumination.
Shen Huaichuan went to register and pay, and after a while it was their turn.
An elderly photographer with gray hair, wearing faded work clothes and reading glasses, greeted us warmly:
"Come on, comrade, this way please! Taking a family photo, right? Okay!"
The experienced photographer has been taking pictures for so long, and he's rarely seen such a good-looking family of three. They're so pleasing to the eye, and it's really ignited his enthusiasm for his work.
He deftly pulled over a long bench covered in red velvet and placed it in front of the Tiananmen Square backdrop, skillfully directing the operation:
"Come on, Daddy, stand on the left, that's a safe spot! Mommy, stand next to Daddy, closer! And the kids, stand between Mommy and Daddy, yes, on the little stool, it'll make them look taller! Okay, good!"
When Zhou Qiqi heard the terms "father" and "mother," she instinctively wanted to open her mouth and explain that they weren't her biological children.
Before she could even speak, Shen Huaichuan gently tugged at her sleeve.
She looked up and saw Zhouzhou nervously clenching her little fists.
Zhou Qiqi's heart softened, and she swallowed back the words that were on the tip of her tongue.
Following the old master's instructions, he sat down next to Shen Huaichuan.
Shen Huaichuan then steadily picked up Zhouzhou and placed her on the stool between himself and Zhou Qiqi.
"Alright! Look at the camera!"
Shen Huaichuan was used to standing at attention in the army, so when he was in front of the camera, his body's instinctive reaction was to stand at attention, straighten his chest, pull in his stomach, and raise his chest, with his hands subconsciously reaching for the seams of his trousers.
Zhouzhou stood next to him, feeling as if she were sitting on a hard wooden board, her little body too afraid to move.
The old craftsman crawled into the black cloth behind the camera, his voice muffled.
"Hey, you guys, relax! Don't hold your shoulders so straight, be more natural, yes, droop a little... Hey, good! Head! Tilt your head a little towards your partner, it'll look more intimate... Yes, yes, tilt it a little more... Oops, that's too much! It's too deliberate!"
Shen Huaichuan was a little nervous as the master instructor instructed him. He tried hard to make the movements of "drooping shoulders" and "tilting his head", but his body was as stiff as an iron plate and his neck was tilted at an extremely unnatural angle, just like he had a stiff neck.
Seeing his awkward expression, not knowing where to put his hands, Zhou Qiqi couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Zhouzhou also pursed her lips and secretly smiled.
The old craftsman peeked out from under the black cloth, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
"Hey comrade, are you in the military? Goodness, this pose is even more demanding than taking a standard ID photo! Relax! Relax! Just be natural, like you are at home!"
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