It was past 11 p.m. when Lao Sun brought the child back. After the family returned home, Zhao's parents rushed out to greet them and took the child. Seeing Zhao Aiguo sleeping soundly like a little pig, they couldn't help but call out, "My little darling, my little baby!" Zhao's mother, with tears in her eyes, turned away shyly and said, "Your father and I felt so empty all day without Aiguo at home. It's so reassuring to have him back. It's so good that he's back!" As she spoke, she hugged Zhao Aiguo and kissed him gently several times before quickly carrying the sleeping child into the house.
Zhao Dahu then took the steamed bun in his mouth and the lunchbox containing leftovers in his other hand. He sat on the flat pot on the fire wall in his mother's room and ate the steamed bun in big bites. Zhao's mother took off Zhao Aiguo's clothes while frowning at the way Zhao Dahu was eating. Since Zhao Dahu started working in the canteen at the age of 17, he had never been this hungry. She asked in a low voice, "Haven't you eaten?"
Zhao Dahu nodded, then shook his head and said, "We ate, but we weren't full! The whole family was making sure we ate, so how could we possibly eat our fill? We also took advantage of the free time to help my older brother gather some firewood."
Zhao's mother nodded, folding Zhao Aiguo's clothes as she asked, "How is Xiao Wei's mother's family? Are they managing to get by?"
Zhao Dahu shook his head, swallowed the food in his mouth, and said, "When we went there, there were only two jin of cornmeal left at home. My mother-in-law had lost a lot of weight, otherwise I would have to say it was my mother. Their whole family should thank you! They will be grateful to you for the rest of their lives. The cotton-padded coat you made for them saved their lives. You have no idea that when we went there, their cotton-padded coats were not much better than their single clothes. The whole family's faces were blue from the cold. Fortunately, we went back this year, otherwise I don't know how they would have survived."
Upon hearing this, Zhao's mother was filled with regret. "I should have prepared it and sent it over earlier. I don't know how long they've been freezing. Sigh! What a mess!" She sighed again and said, "Xiao Wei's family is good. Even when they were in such dire straits, they didn't try to ask for anything. What a family of good character!"
Zhao Dahu nodded vigorously and said to his mother, "Mom, we are so grateful to you! Thank you! If Shuqing dares to be unfilial to you in the future, I will slap her across the face."
Zhao's mother rolled her eyes at him and said, "If you dare to lay a finger on Shuqing, your father and I will deal with you first. You think you're so great? We've only had a few good days, and you're already acting all high and mighty? You even dare to hit your wife!"
Zhao Dahu chuckled and said, "I said she's not filial to you, but how could Shuqing be not filial to you? She's not that kind of person!"
With a satisfied smile on her face, Zhao's mother said, "As long as you and Xiao Wei live a good life, and Aiguo is always by our side, it's all worth it for me, even if it costs me my life..."
"Mom, you can't say that. If anyone dares to take your life, I'll kill him, chop him into eighty pieces with a boning knife, and throw him onto the road to the Western Paradise, throwing one piece at each checkpoint, so that Tang Sanzang and his disciples can purify his filthy soul by chanting Amitabha along the way," Zhao Dahu said indignantly.
Zhao's mother laughed and said, "I haven't finished yet. I won't give up my life, but I'll take anything else. I need to keep this life so my grandson Aiguo can find me a wife and have great-grandchildren!"
With a haughty tilt of her head, she said to Zhao Dahu, "Alright, alright, hurry up and finish eating and go back to your room. I need to spend some quality time with my grandson. I haven't seen him all day, and I've been missing him terribly!" As she spoke, she picked up the child's toes and smelled them, whispering, "Hmm, sour and stinky! It smells pretty good though!"
At this moment, Zhao's father brought out a washbasin with a towel draped over it and said, "Quickly wipe it clean."
Zhao's mother threw in a towel and first wiped her face and hands, then wiped her feet. The old couple each held one of her feet and kissed them several times.
Zhao Aiguo was dumbfounded by this twisted affection. His father glanced at him and said, "Hurry up and finish your food, we need to sleep!" He then looked at Zhao Aiguo with disdain and said, "You look like a big bear, not at all endearing! It's a wonder Xiao Wei treats you like a treasure!" Seeing Zhao's mother nodding in agreement,
Zhao Dahu was stunned by the rebuke. "What do you mean? You think I'm ugly? Hey! What do you mean I look like a big bear? I'm just a child born from you and my father, aren't I? I haven't even said anything to you about how you made me look like this, and you're still picking on me. This old lady and old man must have gotten so used to seeing pretty pictures every day!"
Father Zhao shoved a can of hot water into Zhao Dahu's arms, giving him a disdainful look and saying, "Why aren't you going back? What are you doing standing here? Go back to your room and eat." Then, with a forced smile, he said softly in a low voice, "Aiguo, Grandpa brought you a hot can of hot water. That way, your little feet won't get cold in bed! Look at your useless father, he's made your little feet so cold! You'd better watch your little feet when you put them in bed later!"
Zhao Dahu felt goosebumps all over his body. When did his father's noise become so disgusting? And wasn't Zhao Aiguo supposed to be fast asleep? He couldn't hear him anyway. Seeing his father's mood change so quickly, he couldn't stand it anymore. He was really disgusted. He grabbed his food and went outside. He finished his meal in a few bites, then remembered Wei Shuqing's promise and quickly washed himself.
Turning around, she went back to her room. She saw Wei Shuqing had just finished washing and taking off her clothes, preparing to get into bed. Ignoring Zhao Dahu as he entered, she turned and arranged the pillows and blankets for him, saying as she did so, "Dahu, thank you so much. It's a good thing we went back today! My mother can wear a warm cotton-padded coat and have a hot meal. I can't even imagine what would have happened to them if we hadn't gone back. My brother only has so little food. What would happen after the New Year? How lucky am I to have married you?" Noticing Zhao Dahu hadn't responded, she turned around and saw him quickly taking off his clothes. Wei Shuqing covered herself with the blanket and whispered, "Zhao Dahu, if you dare throw your clothes on the ground again, you'll see what happens… Waaah…"
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