Lin Changhai sighed, and seemed to remember something. He then took out a glove from the small bag he carried with him and handed it to Lin Tao.

"I almost forgot about this. This pair of gloves was made for you by your aunt Fang. She cared about you and knew that your hands would easily get frostbite in winter, so she made a pair of gloves for you. But I don't think you need them now."

Lin Changhai glanced at Lin Tao's hands. Obviously, the winter in Shengshan Island was much colder than the winter in Xiangcheng. But Lin Tao's hands were smooth and delicate, without any frostbite like in previous years. Lin Changhai understood that this was all caused by Li Chengxi's pampering.

Yes, the one who washes the vegetables is Li Chengxi, and the one who washes the dishes is also Li Chengxi.

Lin Tao usually just cooks at home, but that's because Li Chengxi doesn't know how to cook and the food he cooks isn't tasty. If Li Chengxi could cook delicious food, Lin Tao probably wouldn't even have to do this job.

Thinking of this, Lin Changhai smiled and said, "Great! Cheng Xi is a really good son-in-law! I'm relieved to leave you to Cheng Xi!"

"You've said this several times before. Now you're saying it again, and you say you're not drunk." Lin Tao replied with a smile. In fact, she agreed with her father's words in her heart.

It was her greatest luck in life to meet Li Chengxi.

"Also, who said I don't need these gloves anymore? I still want them. After the Chinese New Year, I will go back to school to teach. I will have to prepare lessons and teach classes. It will be very cold without gloves. The winter on the island is long, and these gloves are very useful. I like them very much."

As she spoke, Lin Tao took the gloves and tried them on, and found that they were the right size.

Although the gloves are thick, they are soft and do not hinder the work at all.

"Aunt Fang and Manman, are they all right?"

"It's all good, I just miss you. If they weren't worried about not having enough room, they would have come with us."

Lin Tao and Li Chengxi's house on the island was pretty good, but it only had one guest room. If Aunt Fang and Lin Manman came together, it would be really uncomfortable to stay there. But most importantly, Aunt Fang didn't want to be gossiped about anymore. If she came with Lin Changhai, she didn't know how the villagers would frame her.

Lin Tao and Lin Changhai talked a lot, mostly Lin Tao asked Lin Changhai about things in Xiangcheng, while Lin Changhai asked Lin Tao about things on the island.

Both father and daughter wanted to know more about each other.

After washing the dishes, Li Chengxi did not disturb the father and daughter, but boiled water so that they could take a bath later.

Although Lin Changhai kept saying that he slept all the way on the train, it's impossible not to be tired after riding on a train and a boat.

After taking a shower, he went to the guest room to sleep.

In the master bedroom, Lin Tao and Li Chengxi had already finished their shower.

After cooking a large table of dishes today, Lin Tao felt that her hair was a little greasy, so she wanted to wash her hair. Although her belly was a little bigger, she was still able to move around easily. She couldn't squat to wash her hair, but she could put the basin on a stool and wash it while bending over.

But Li Chengxi was worried about her and insisted on washing her hair.

He even thought of a special way to wash her hair, which was to let Lin Tao lie on the sofa, and he would sit on a low stool with a basin of water in front of him. Lin Tao's hair would hang down, which was perfect for washing.

Lin Tao has been feeling lazy since she became pregnant, but if Li Chengxi insisted, she would not say anything.

You know what, washing your hair this way is really enjoyable.

After washing, Lin Tao sat on the bed and Li Chengxi helped her dry her hair.

Lin Tao's hair is smooth and soft, and dries easily. It dries not long after being wiped.

Lin Tao leaned in Li Chengxi's arms, and under the dim yellow light, she raised her fair face and said to Li Chengxi sincerely, "Thank you."

Li Chengxi chuckled and kissed Lin Tao's forehead. "What's the point of saying thank you as a family? But I haven't had a day off recently. I took a day off today and have to go back to the group tomorrow. You have to spend more time with our dad these days. Take him out for a walk and visit the island when you have time. Tell me what dad wants to eat. You have the salary and tickets. There is money at home, so don't be reluctant to spend it. I will come back as early as possible in the evening."

"Okay, I know. Just focus on your own things and don't worry about us." Lin Tao nodded.

After turning off the lights, the two quickly fell asleep.

In the next few days, Lin Tao took Lin Changhai out for a walk every day. Shengshan Island is not big, but it is not small either. However, it is not easy to visit the whole island.

Many of the places Lin Tao took Lin Changhai to were places that Li Chengxi had taken her to before.

For example, there were only two of them at the beginning, and later it became a great place for everyone to take a walk after dinner. There was also a place where you can see the lighthouse on the sea, and...

Today, Lin Tao took Lin Changhai to visit Shengshan Primary School. While strolling, she told him some interesting stories about her teaching days.

"During the last National Day, the island held a National Day party, and the students in my class organized a choir to perform on stage. In fact, I really had no confidence at the beginning, and I had never sung in front of others, but Cheng Xi said that I could definitely do it and kept encouraging me. I didn't expect that I would actually win the award later."

Lin Tao was talking excitedly, and Lin Changhai was listening attentively.

Lin Changhai: "Dad remembers that when you were teaching at the commune primary school, you said you wanted to be a teacher in the future."

Lin Tao smiled and nodded: "Yes, but at that time, all the teachers in the commune primary school were full, and it was only because Teacher Chu was not available that I was able to help substitute for the class."

Later, Teacher Chu came back, and Lin Tao went to the blindness class for a while. However, the class was suspended not long after it started because of the busy farming season.

Lin Tao: "These children are very sensible. I really like this job and I really like them."

"You are now married, have children, and are doing a job you love. Dad is really happy for you," said Lin Changhai.

****************************

Shengshan Primary School is not big, and the father and daughter walked around the school for a short while before leaving.

Lin Tao mentioned that it was a good opportunity for them to go to the grocery store and buy some seafood.

During the few days since Lin Changhai came over, Lin Tao discovered that he really liked eating seafood, but he was just average about the dried goods that Li Chengxi had sent him before.

When Lin Changhai returned to Xiangcheng, she couldn't send fresh seafood even if she wanted to, and could only send some dried goods at most. So while her father was still around, she wanted to cook more for him.

Shengshan Primary School and the non-staple food factory are in the same direction and not too far from the non-staple food factory. The father and daughter walked towards the non-staple food factory after coming out of the school.

Unexpectedly, I ran into Lin Hui on the way to the food factory.

Lin Hui did not bring Shen Jiaping this time. Shen Jiaping is almost two years old. The child is precocious and can already pee and poop by himself, and can also wipe his butt by himself. Lin Hui does not need to worry about him anymore.

This is the best way. Anyway, Lin Hui doesn't want to waste time on a child who will not achieve anything in the future.

Lin Hui brought Shen Jiayi and Shen Jiahao to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy things for the New Year. Shen Jiayi was a little unhappy because Lin Hui didn't buy her White Rabbit milk candy. Her eyes were red and her mouth was pouting.

Lin Hui hurriedly coaxed her: "Jia Yi, don't be angry. It's not that mommy doesn't want to buy you White Rabbit candy. It's just that the supply and marketing cooperative doesn't have it anymore. Aren't they all sold out? Next time when the supply and marketing cooperative has it, mommy will bring you to buy lots of White Rabbit candy, okay?"

Another half a year passed, and Shen Jiayi and Shen Jiahao's way of addressing Lin Hui had changed from "stepmother" to "mother".

Lin Hui is very satisfied with the result. Although she is very tired sometimes, it is all worth it when she thinks about the wonderful life in the future.

Lin Hui didn't expect to meet Lin Tao here, and Lin Changhai who was beside Lin Tao.

She was stunned for a moment, then pretended not to see the two people and walked past them with her child.

**************************

Lin Taosi was no exception to Lin Hui's reaction.

Not long after she arrived on the island, the two of them had a falling out when Lin Hui said a bunch of incomprehensible things to her like a madman.

Until later, when the two met on the street, they pretended not to know each other.

However, Lin Tao was prepared for this. She didn't care about it, but she was afraid that her father would feel uncomfortable. After all, her father was Lin Hui's second uncle. Although the relationship between the two families was not good, her father had never done anything to Lin Hui.

When Lin Hui saw him, she didn't even call him "Second Uncle". Lin Tao was afraid that her father would be heartbroken.

Lin Tao glanced at her father and said, "Dad, don't take it to heart. That's just how she is."

Lin Changhai shook his head. He knew exactly what his eldest brother's family was like. When the family was divided, he saw through them all.

As for his niece Lin Hui, she has been naughty since she was a child and often joins outsiders in bullying his daughter A Tao. He doesn't like her.

So Lin Changhai didn't feel bad because of such a small matter. Instead, he said, "It seems that Dad was right to oppose you marrying someone else as your stepmother. I just saw Ah Hui's appearance. She is really a completely different person from before she married. She has become much more haggard in the past year and looks like she has aged several years."

But Tao was different. When Lin Changhai saw Lin Tao in front of him, he felt that she was still the same as when she was at home in Xiangcheng.

No, it seems like he laughs more and talks more than before.

Lin Changhai felt a surge of relief in his heart.

He should thank Li Chengxi for taking such good care of his daughter.

*****************************

On the twenty-eighth day of the lunar year, the family makes dumplings to eat.

Originally, Lin Tao meant that Lin Changhai would rest on the side, and she and Li Chengxi would just do the work. But Lin Changhai also wanted to help, saying that making dumplings would be more fun if they made them together.

Lin Changhai: "When our troops first ate dumplings, our entire platoon was involved in making them. Although the dumplings we made were different in appearance, they all tasted delicious."

Li Chengxi: "Dad is right. Dumplings taste better when they are wrapped together."

Lin Tao said that since they were of the same family, she let Lin Changhai and Li Chengxi knead the dough together, while she went to the yard to pick a handful of green onions, chopped them up and mixed them with the minced meat. She then took out the seasonings she had saved and added some of them into the mixture.

There are wild peppercorns, wild star anise, and cinnamon on the mountains of Xiangcheng. Every time Lin Tao goes up the mountain and sees them, he picks them, then dries them in the sun and keeps them for a long time.

Over the years, she has saved up a lot of seasonings, so she is willing to add seasonings when cooking. Having good cooking skills is one thing, but adding seasonings will make the dishes taste naturally delicious.

After preparing the filling, Lin Changhai also kneaded the dough, picked up the rolling pin and started rolling out the dough.

Even though Lin Changhai has been retired from the army for many years, he still has the skill of rolling dough, and he rolls it quickly and well.

After the dough was rolled out, Lin Tao started making dumplings with Li Chengxi. Lin Tao flipped the dough with her fingers a few times and made small ingot-like dumplings that looked cute and honest.

Looking back at Li Chengxi's dumplings, the appearance of which is really hard to describe.

Most importantly, he wanted to make it more fancy and deliberately added lace, which made it look even uglier.

When Lin Tao saw this, she couldn't help but laugh at him: "What are you packing..."

Li Chengxi touched his nose awkwardly. He admitted that he was really not good at cooking.

"Don't move, your nose is dirty." Lin Tao saw that there was flour on Li Chengxi's nose, which must have been rubbed on accidentally just now, so she stood on tiptoe to wipe it for him.

But after she finished wiping, Lin Tao remembered that there were not only her and Li Chengxi at home, but also her father...

Lin Tao's face was flushed, and she didn't know if her father had seen her just now.

Li Chengxi saw Lin Tao blushing and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Dad is still here..." Lin Tao said in a low voice.

The two of them subconsciously turned their heads to look in the direction of Lin Changhai and found that Lin Changhai was still rolling the dough with his head down and was not paying attention to what was happening over here.

Lin Tao breathed a sigh of relief. Normally, she and Li Chengxi were alone at home and were used to doing everything together. Now, she felt embarrassed to be intimate in front of her father.

Li Chengxi saw Lin Tao heaved a sigh of relief, with a look of relief in her eyes. After thinking for a while, he decided not to tell her that his father was actually pretending not to see it...

When he looked back just now, he noticed that the corners of his father's mouth were raised, and it was obvious that he was laughing at them.

In fact, Li Chengxi guessed correctly. Lin Changhai saw all their actions. When Lin Tao turned around, he deliberately lowered his head and pretended that he saw nothing.

But he was laughing secretly in his heart. When he saw his daughter and son-in-law in front of him, he remembered himself and Arong in the past.

He and Arong were once like them.

Ah Rong, did you see that? Our daughter has grown up, got married and had a child, and the other party is a very good person.

They are living very well.

*****************************

On the twenty-ninth day of the lunar year, Lin Tao suggested eating hot pot.

In this way, the radishes and cabbages they had stored in the cellar had a place to be used. Li Chengxi washed a whole bucket of cabbages and radishes, and also went to the vegetable garden to pick a handful of garlic, which he washed and kept clean for later use.

Lin Tao was frying the hot pot base in the kitchen. She was frying dried pork trotters and preparing to eat dried pork trotter hot pot.

Lin Tao didn’t know how hot pot was eaten in other places, but in Xiangcheng, they fried the bottom of the pot, then added some water, and started to add the dishes after the water boiled.

Cabbage is especially delicious when cooked in hot pot. Lin Tao ate a lot of it by herself and also had two pig trotters.

In the end, Lin Tao ate as much as expected. In the evening, Li Chengxi accompanied Lin Tao for a walk in the bedroom.

The two of them walked back and forth for more than a hundred rounds, and finally stopped because Lin Tao was tired.

After the twenty-ninth day of the lunar year, it is New Year's Eve.

When Lin Tao woke up in the morning, she found that Li Chengxi was no longer by her side.

She threw back the quilt, put on a thick cotton jacket and got out of bed. As soon as she walked into the living room, she saw through the window two people busy in the yard.

Her father was killing a chicken. With a flick of the knife, the chicken's blood flowed down its neck into the bowl below. The rooster, which was struggling at first, soon became motionless.

Li Chengxi had already boiled the water and poured it into a full basin.

As soon as Lin Changhai killed the chicken, he threw it into the basin, planning to pluck the chicken's feathers later.

Lin Tao smiled, these two people cooperated well. But the way Li Chengxi squatted there plucking chicken feathers was also quite funny.

I couldn't help but think of the first time I met Li Chengxi. He was wearing a white shirt and a black jacket on the outside. He had a tall posture and a handsome face.

He stood there, bringing with him an oppressive force that could not be ignored.

Lin Tao was actually a little afraid of him at the time, fearing that he was here to cause trouble for her on behalf of Zhao Yuejin. She could only argue with him and hide her fear.

Unexpectedly, he came to help me.

I never expected that I would end up marrying him and having two children.

The scene before her eyes now collides with the scene before, and Lin Tao can't help but find it funny. Captain Li, who was so arrogant outside, was actually plucking chicken feathers. She was afraid that if the soldiers of the 13th Regiment saw it, they would say that Captain Li was a "henpecked man".

Li Chengxi noticed that Lin Tao had woken up, so he told her that there was some seafood porridge cooked in the kitchen and it was warm in the pot.

Have a light meal in the morning and then a big dinner on New Year's Eve.

The New Year's Eve dinner was prepared by Chef Lin Tao, with Li Chengxi and Lin Changhai as assistants. The family prepared a large table of delicious dishes, including: fried duck with sauce, pickled fresh vegetables, braised fish, spicy fried chicken, seaweed and sea cucumber soup, stir-fried octopus, crab with egg custard, spicy and sour shredded potatoes, stir-fried cabbage, braised radish...

There were ten dishes in total, enough to fill the entire dining table.

However, it is a custom in Xiangcheng to cook more dishes on New Year's Day, mainly to wish for a prosperous year.

The temperature is low now, but these dishes can still be eaten on the first and second days of the Chinese New Year and will not go bad.

The family gathered at the dinner table. Li Chengxi poured a glass of wine for Lin Changhai and himself, and made a glass of milk for Lin Tao, asking her to drink the milk instead of the wine.

The three of them clinked their glasses and wished each other better and better luck in the coming year.

After the New Year's Eve dinner, the three of them sat in the living room, eating melon seeds and snacks and chatting. Today is New Year's Eve, and Li Chengxi said that the troops will not turn off the lights today, so they can stay up to celebrate the New Year.

Lin Tao was determined to stay up all night to celebrate the New Year, but she began to doze off before ten o'clock.

She couldn't help but yawn, her eyes were a little red, and her eyelids were about to collapse. Li Chengxi saw this and told her to go to bed quickly.

Lin Tao held out for a while at first, but later she couldn't hold on any longer and went back to her room to sleep.

She couldn't help but think of the time when she was a child, when she and her father watched the New Year's Eve. When she was a child, her father lied to her and said that on New Year's Eve, at twelve o'clock, mice would come to the house to get married. At that time, there would be mice playing suona, and eight mice would carry a sedan chair. It was very lively.

Lin Tao easily believed what her father said and was particularly eager to see the mouse wedding.

But she always couldn't hold out until 12 o'clock, because her eyelids would start to droop. When she finally woke up, it was already the next day, and she began to regret why she fell asleep and didn't get to see the mice get married.

Early in the morning of the first day of the New Year, Li Chengxi got two pieces of red couplet paper and ink from somewhere, intending to write a pair of couplets himself.

Lin Tao and Lin Changhai were watching from the side and didn't think anything of it at first, until they saw Li Chengxi writing. Then Lin Tao realized that her man had excellent calligraphy.

Even if Li Chengxi told people that he bought the couplets he wrote, some people would still believe him.

New couplets were posted on both sides of the door, ushering in the new year.

We had rice noodles at home in the morning. Lin Tao heated up the dishes from last night and the three of us ate them together with the rice noodles. It tasted pretty good.

On the second day of the Chinese New Year, Zheng Xiangyang brought his younger brother Zheng Hongxing to visit their home to pay New Year's greetings. Zheng Hongxing was one year older now, and spoke much more fluently than when Lin Tao first arrived on the island.

Wearing a new shirt made by Chen Shuifen for each of them, he bowed to Lin Tao and said, "Happy New Year, Auntie!"

This little thing is so adorable.

Lin Tao smiled and gave each of the two brothers a handful of candy, and stuffed a small red envelope into each of them. There wasn't much in it, but it was a token of her appreciation.

Zheng Xiangyang refused to take any red envelope no matter what. Not only did he refuse to take his own share, he also returned his brother's red envelope to Lin Tao, which made Zheng Hongxing very anxious.

When leaving, Lin Tao secretly put another one into Zheng Hongxing's pocket.

However, not long after, Chen Shuifen came over and wanted to return the red envelope to Lin Tao. Lin Tao asked her to accept it, saying that she didn't have much money in the first place, and she just wanted to bring good luck and buy snacks for the children.

Only then did Chen Shuifen accept it.

Lin Changhai arrived at Shengshan Island on the 24th day of the lunar year and returned after the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month.

Li Chengxi asked Xiao Ning to see him off, but this time Lin Changhai said that he didn't want Xiao Ning to go with him no matter what. The journey was long, and it would take nearly half a month to go back and forth, which was too tiring for Xiao Ning.

When he came back for the first time, he didn't know how to get there, so it was acceptable for Xiaoning to pick him up. But now that he has been here once, there is no need for Xiaoning to pick him up anymore.

Besides, he was a transporter, it was impossible that he couldn't even find the way home.

Lin Changhai insisted on not letting Xiaoning see him off, so Li Chengxi and Lin Tao had no choice but to let him go. They bought a ticket for him in advance, and on the morning of the 16th day of the first lunar month, Lin Tao and Li Chengxi saw Lin Changhai off to the pier.

The wind at the dock was as cold as the day Lin Changhai went to the island. Lin Tao stood on the dock, her scarf covering most of her face, leaving only a pair of red eyes with tearful eyes.

When Lin Changhai went back this time, Lin Tao and Li Chengxi prepared a lot of things for him. There were two big bags when he came and another big bag when he left.

Lin Changhai got on the boat and turned around to wave at Lin Tao and Li Chengxi: "Go back, go back quickly, it's windy outside."

Lin Tao stood there without moving, her nose felt sore and she felt like crying.

But she held back her tears. She didn't want to cry in front of her father. She shook her head and said, "Dad, we will watch you go before we go back. When you go back, take good care of yourself. When you get home, send us a telegram to let us know you're safe!"

"Okay, Dad got it. I'll come to see you guys again when I have the chance in the future!" The boat started slowly. Lin Changhai stood on the deck and waved at them, "Chengxi, take good care of Ah Tao for Dad!"

The boat slowly went farther away, and even if Li Chengxi answered, Lin Changhai might not be able to hear him.

He stood straight and saluted Lin Changhai. This was his most supreme oath as a soldier.

Lin Tao watched the boat slowly disappear from her sight and sniffed. Li Chengxi put his arm around her shoulders and said soothingly, "Don't be sad. Dad will come to see us again in the future, and we can go back to see him, too."

"Yeah, I know." Lin Tao raised her face and smiled at Li Chengxi.

She has grown up and is about to become a mother. She won't cry so easily anymore.

****************************

After the first month of the year, school starts.

Lin Tao went to school and home as usual, and occasionally went to the grocery store with Li Chengxi to buy some groceries.

After the first three months, Lin Tao was no longer as sleepy as she was at the beginning, and her spirits were much better. However, the only thing that remained unchanged was her appetite. Since she became pregnant, she really enjoyed everything she ate.

A few days ago, Lin Tao took a good look at herself in the mirror and discovered that she had gained some weight and had more flesh on her face than before.

While looking in the mirror, she muttered that she couldn't eat so much in the future.

Li Chengxi, who was standing by, walked up behind her, hugged her, looked her left and right, and said, "Where has she gained weight? She's not fat at all, and Lin Tao was too thin before, and she would look better if she was a little fatter."

However, the little fat that Lin Tao had gained was all on her face, not much, but her cheeks were rounder than before, and her original melon-seed face had turned into an oval face.

Moreover, she has been pregnant for more than three months, but her waist is not thick at all, and you can't tell that she is pregnant from behind.

Since Lin Tao became pregnant, Li Chengxi has been reading a book to her every night, and it is an English version. He said that he wanted to give the child prenatal education while the child was still in the belly.

In fact, Lin Tao started learning English since last year. When Li Chengxi was at home, she would ask Li Chengxi if she didn't understand something. If Li Chengxi was not at home, she would look up English in the dictionary herself.

However, she usually has to teach and take care of the family, and now she is pregnant, so she does not have much time to study and gains very little. But she can still handle some simple words and dialogues.

However, when Li Chengxi read long passages of English like this, the knowledge in her head was not enough. She hadn't even heard what Li Chengxi said in the previous sentence, and he said the next sentence. She simply stopped thinking about what it meant.

Lying on Li Chengxi's legs, Lin Tao felt a little drowsy.

At this moment, there was a sudden movement in her belly. The fetus, which had not moved for four months, suddenly kicked Lin Tao, and Lin Tao's sleepiness disappeared.

Lin Tao quickly opened her eyes and looked at her stomach.

She couldn't see the movement of her belly through her clothes, but she could feel that the little brat was still kicking her. She quickly unbuttoned two buttons of her clothes, revealing her bulging belly.

Seeing this, Li Chengxi coughed lightly and stopped studying. An unspeakable emotion flashed across his eyes. He turned away and advised, "A Tao, it's not convenient for you now. Let's..."