The April morning light streamed through the window lattice, bathing the main room in a soft golden glow. Shen Nianxi was still fast asleep, her little face rosy, a faint smile playing on her lips, as if she were still savoring the joy of first calling out "Mama" the night before. Lin Wanqiu sat by the kang (heated brick bed), her fingertips gently stroking her daughter's soft hair. The tears of the previous night seemed to still linger in the corners of her eyes, yet they had long since transformed into the warmest warmth in her heart.
Shen Tingzhou walked in carrying freshly cooked millet porridge. Seeing Lin Wanqiu's absent-minded look, he slowed his pace and said, "What are you thinking about? The porridge is getting cold. Eat some first." He placed the bowl on the small table by the kang (a heated brick bed), then sat down next to Lin Wanqiu. His gaze fell on Shen Nianxi, his eyes full of tenderness. "I'm afraid I'll never forget Xixi's 'Mom' last night."
Lin Wanqiu took the bowl of porridge, the warmth spreading from her fingertips to her heart. She sighed softly, her voice still choked with emotion: "Yes, I always hoped she would speak soon, but when I finally heard her, it felt like a dream." She scooped up a spoonful of porridge but didn't drink it immediately, her gaze drifting to the window—the night-blooming jasmine in the corner of the yard still had morning dew on it, the water droplets on the leaves reflecting the sunlight like tiny diamonds.
This reminded her of her first winter after transmigrating to this era. She had just been rescued from the river, covered in injuries, cradling the frail Shen Nian'an in her arms, facing the cruel face of Old Mrs. Shen and the gloating gaze of Zhang Lan. To find food for Nian'an, she braved the cold wind to dig wild vegetables in the mountains, her fingers swollen and red from the cold; to avoid her in-laws' mistreatment, she moved with Nian'an to a dilapidated cowshed, shivering at night, listening to the cows moo. Back then, even survival felt difficult, let alone the possibility of owning a shop in the city, having a complete family, and hearing her daughter sweetly call her "Mom."
"Thinking about the past?" Shen Tingzhou held Lin Wanqiu's hand, his fingertips touching the thin calluses on her palm—marks left from years of housework and managing the workshop. "It's all in the past. From now on, things will only get better and better for us."
Lin Wanqiu nodded, but tears welled up again. She wasn't a weak person. In her previous life, she had struggled in the modern world, enduring all the hardships with gritted teeth. Even after transmigrating and facing a toxic in-law family and scheming relatives, she had never shed a tear. But last night, her daughter's cry of "Mom" was like a gentle key, unlocking the softest corner of her heart. All the grievances, hardships, and forbearance turned into tears at that moment, yet they carried a sweet taste.
"Tell me, am I too useless? I cry over such a small thing." Lin Wanqiu wiped away her tears and smiled sheepishly.
"How could it be useless?" Shen Tingzhou gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, his tone solemn. "You raised Nian'an alone through the most difficult days, opened a workshop, ventured into the county town, entered the city, built the 'Late Autumn' brand, and raised Xixi so well. You earned all of this bit by bit. Now that you hear your daughter call you 'Mom,' it's normal to cry. This is the happiness you deserve."
Just then, Shen Nian'an ran in with her schoolbag on her back, holding a drawing in her hand, and excitedly shouted, "Mom! Dad! Look at the family portrait I drew! It has Dad, Mom, me, and my little sister who can talk!" On the drawing, four little people are holding hands and standing at the entrance of "Late Autumn Food Store". Each of them has a big smiley face drawn on their face. Next to Shen Nianxi, there are five crooked words written: "Can say 'Mom' now".
Lin Wanqiu took the painting, her fingers gently tracing the little figure on the paper. Tears welled up in her eyes again, but this time she smiled brightly: "Nian'an painted it so well. Shall we put it in the most conspicuous place in the main room?"
“Okay!” Shen Nian’an nodded vigorously, then leaned closer to Shen Nianxi and whispered, “Little sister, when you wake up, I’ll teach you to draw little flowers and sing the nursery rhymes I just learned.”
Shen Nianxi seemed to hear her brother's voice. Her little mouth moved, and she uttered "Brother... Brother." Although it was still unclear, it delighted the whole family. Shen Nian'an jumped up excitedly, "My little sister called me brother! My little sister can call me brother!"
Looking at the bustling scene before her, Lin Wanqiu felt a sense of peace. She recalled the unconditional trust Brother Zhou and Sister Liu had shown her when she first started running the workshop, helping her purchase raw materials and take care of the workers; she remembered the support from Comrade Li and Dr. Wang when she opened a shop in the county town, helping her deal with Zhao Jianjun's difficult behavior; she remembered that when she met Wang Fugui in the city, she didn't choose to confront him head-on, but instead won respect through her abilities, ultimately reaching a cooperation agreement; and she especially remembered that after Shen Tingzhou returned, he always stood by her side, becoming her strongest support.
These people and these events, like pearls, string together her life in this era. From the initial struggles to her current happy family and successful career, every effort she made has not been in vain. All those sleepless nights, shed sweat, and endured grievances have become the most precious memories the moment she hears her daughter call her "Mom."
“Oh, right,” Shen Tingzhou suddenly remembered something, “the commune secretary said yesterday that the city’s food fair will start next month, and we need to prepare samples in advance. Which products do you want to promote?”
Lin Wanqiu wiped away her tears, her eyes hardening: "I want to promote our red date paste, sesame brittle, and newly developed purple sweet potato cake. The red date paste uses Xinjiang grey dates from our space, giving it a smoother texture; the sesame brittle uses this year's new sesame seeds, making it more fragrant; and the purple sweet potato cake has a touch of honey added, making it more suitable for city customers. We also need to make the packaging more exquisite, using bamboo baskets wrapped in oil paper and labeled with our store's tag, so that people can immediately tell it's clean and authentic."
“Good idea.” Shen Tingzhou nodded. “I’ll go to the workshop today and talk to Brother Zhou to ask him to prepare more raw materials. Nian’an, if you have time at school, help Mom design some labels, draw some little flowers and moons to match our shop’s signboard.”
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