"Brother Shen, don't worry, we'll take care of the workshop!" Brother Zhou patted his chest and assured him, "If anyone dares to cause trouble, I'll be the first to object!" Sister Liu added, "It's not easy for Manager Lin to raise two children by himself, we'll help you out as much as possible, you must take good care of yourself while you're away."
Shen Tingzhou nodded gratefully. He knew that with the help of these reliable villagers, Lin Wanqiu would suffer less. Back home, he taught Shen Nian'an how to feed the chickens and how to coax his younger sister to sleep. He also told his son the location of the kerosene lamp and water tank in the house, as if he wanted to explain everything in the house before he felt at ease.
The night before departure, Lin Wanqiu prepared a table full of dishes that Shen Tingzhou loved, including braised pork, scrambled eggs, cold spinach salad, and his favorite corn porridge. Shen Nianxi sat in her high chair, holding a steamed bun, babbling "Daddy." Shen Nian'an kept putting food on Shen Tingzhou's plate, whispering, "Daddy, eat more. You won't be able to eat Mommy's cooking when we're away."
Shen Tingzhou looked at the dishes on the table, then at his wife and children beside him, his heart filled with warmth. He raised his bowl and said to Lin Wanqiu, "Wanqiu, you've had a hard time these past few days. When I come back, I'll take care of you and the children."
Lin Wanqiu also raised her bowl and clinked it against his: "Your well-being outside is the best care you can give us." She didn't say anything more, all her unspoken words were transformed into the porridge in the bowl, flowing warmly into her heart.
The next morning, before dawn, the sound of a horse-drawn carriage could be heard at the courtyard gate—Brother Zhou had specially driven to take Shen Tingzhou to the commune station. Shen Tingzhou put on his military green coat, checked his luggage one last time, then bent down to pick up Shen Nian'an and kissed him on the cheek: "Nian'an, remember to listen to your mother and study hard." He then walked to the baby chair and patted Shen Nianxi's head, "Xixi, be good, don't bother your mother."
Lin Wanqiu stood to the side, watching Shen Tingzhou's figure, tears welling up in her eyes, but she held them back—she couldn't cry, she had to let Shen Tingzhou leave in peace.
"Wanqiu, I'm leaving." Shen Tingzhou walked to Lin Wanqiu's side, hugged her tightly, and whispered in her ear, "Take care of yourself, and wait for me to come back."
"Okay, be careful on the road." Lin Wanqiu's voice was a little choked up. She held Shen Tingzhou's hand tightly until the carriage was about to depart, and then reluctantly let go.
The carriage slowly drove away. Shen Tingzhou sat inside, looking back at his wife and children standing at the courtyard gate—Lin Wanqiu was holding Shen Nianxi, and Shen Nian'an was tugging at her sleeve. Both were gazing in the direction of the carriage, their figures gradually shrinking in the morning mist. A pang of sadness gripped his heart, but he straightened his back—he was a soldier, burdened with responsibility, and had to charge forward. But he also secretly vowed that after this mission, he would stay by his family's side and never leave them again.
Lin Wanqiu stood at the courtyard gate until the carriage disappeared at the end of the road before turning back into the house with Shen Nianxi in her arms. Shen Nian'an held her hand and whispered, "Mommy, Daddy will come back, right?"
Lin Wanqiu knelt down, wiped away her son's tears, and said with a smile, "Of course he will. Dad promised us he would come back safely. From now on, Mom and you will take care of your sister together and manage the workshop together. When Dad comes back, we'll show him how well we've managed the household, okay?"
Shen Nian'an nodded vigorously, a determined expression on her little face: "Okay! Mom, I will help you with many things. I will feed the chickens, keep accounts, and change my sister's diapers. Don't worry!"
Looking at her son's sensible demeanor, Lin Wanqiu felt a surge of relief. She knew that after Shen Tingzhou left, the burden of the family fell entirely on her shoulders—she had to take care of two children, manage the workshop's production and sales, and guard against the harassment from villains like Old Lady Shen and Lin Moli. But she wasn't afraid. She had the supplies in her spatial storage as a backup, her sensible son to help her, and the support of her fellow villagers like Brother Zhou and Sister Liu. She was confident she could hold the family together and wait for Shen Tingzhou's safe return.
Back in the main room, Lin Wanqiu placed Shen Nianxi in the cradle, then picked up the cloth bag left by Shen Tingzhou, inside which money and food coupons were neatly arranged. She opened the account book and began to plan the workshop's next production schedule—the orders for complementary foods from the hospital and the supply and marketing cooperative could not be interrupted, and new categories needed to be developed, such as warm complementary foods suitable for winter, in order to ensure the workshop's stable income.
Shen Nian'an walked to the table, took out her little ledger, and said to Lin Wanqiu, "Mom, I'm going to help Grandma Wang feed the chickens today, and I can earn five cents! I'll save the money I earn and buy Dad some good wine when he comes back."
Lin Wanqiu smiled and patted her son's head, her heart filled with warmth. The cold wind still howled outside the window, but the main room was filled with a cozy atmosphere. She knew the days ahead would be tough, but as long as the family worked together, no difficulty was insurmountable. She would raise the children well, manage the workshop meticulously, and wait for Shen Tingzhou to return, giving her a reassuring hug and bringing the family together again.
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