Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Opening a Coconut

The clothes that Han Jianhong and Han Jianping were wearing were made of the same material and style. Usually, Captain Han didn't notice it. But now, after a careful look, he found that Han Jianping's clothes fit her perfectly, while Han Jianhong's were much smaller.

Wei Shufang followed the line of sight of the head of the group, and said with a somewhat embarrassed expression, "Haha, this child is growing too fast, and the clothes that have just been made are too small. Look, the cloth that has just been torn has not been made yet at home. Sister-in-law, you don't know, with three children at home, making clothes is very busy."

She pointed at Han Jianbao and said with a smile: "Especially this boy, he is very tough, his clothes get torn easily without any care. I have to follow him around to mend his clothes every day. Hey! It's much easier for you to have only a girl in your family, unlike us boys, who have to worry a lot."

She sounded distressed when she spoke, but she looked very proud that she had given birth to a boy.

Meng Yufei looked at her excited expression with a half-smile, and slowly said, "It is indeed very troublesome to make clothes by yourself. I am not good at sewing, so Qinqin's clothes are all bought from the department store in Hai City to save trouble."

Wei Shufang choked, but she didn't show her displeasure on her face. She smiled and said, "We have three children, so we can save as much as possible. It doesn't matter if I'm a little busier."

Meng Yufei suggested: "Sister-in-law, if you are too busy, you can let Jianhong make her own clothes. Then just give the cloth coupons and money to the child, let her buy them herself, and then make them herself. Isn't this much easier? Besides, the color and style we choose may not be what the child likes."

Wei Shufang's mouth froze, and she said hurriedly, "I couldn't bear to let the children work. I kept thinking that they were still young and I was worried about them handling needles and thread. I helped them with whatever they needed."

Meng Yufei picked up the teacup in her hand and blew on it, then said lightly, "You really dote on your child."

She thought sarcastically: He was reluctant to let her make clothes, but was willing to wash dishes. She just touched Han Jianhong's hand, which was obviously a hand that often did rough work.

Wei Shufang said dryly: "...Haha, what are you talking about?"

Head Han coughed lightly and said, "Jianhong is not a child anymore. She is not studying anymore and has nothing to do at home every day. Let her make clothes by herself in the future to reduce your burden."

Wei Shufang secretly bit her back teeth and said with a fake smile: "Yeah, okay."

…

After leaving Han's house, Xia Junshan saw Meng Yufei with a stern face and asked, "What's wrong? Are you unhappy? If you can't get along with that Wei sister-in-law, don't come here in the future."

He naturally heard that Mrs. Wei was showing off her son. He felt uncomfortable just listening to her in the room. He lifted his daughter up and said, "Qinqin in our family is the cutest. No one else's child can compare to her."

Xia Qinqin is playing the game of lifting up high with her father. Her father is taller than her uncle! Lifting up high is more fun~

When she got home, Xia Qinqin saw the coconut on the dining table and tugged at Xia Junshan's clothes, saying, "Dad, Qinqin is thirsty."

Xia Junshan said without thinking: "You are thirsty. Dad will pour you some water."

He walked to the dining table, picked up the thermos on the table, which contained boiling water from the morning, and poured it into Xia Qinqin's special teacup.

Holding the cup of water, Xia Junshan blew on it, squatted in front of his daughter, and said, "It's still a little hot, drink slowly." Then he handed the cup to her mouth.

Unexpectedly, Xia Qinqin turned her head away and refused to drink the water.

Xia Junshan took the water and looked at it, wondering, "What's wrong? Is it too hot? Let it cool down a little longer."

Meng Yufei smiled and said, "She wants to drink coconut water."

Xia Junshan paused while holding the teacup, then scratched his daughter's nose with a smile: "Little girl, you are already learning to let others guess your thoughts at such a young age."

Then he shook his head and said, "I will have to worry more about this family in the future."

"Hey," Meng Yufei said from behind, "What did you say?"

Xia Junshan turned around and said with a smile: "I'll go open the coconut now. The coconut shells are very strong and opening them requires skills." As he said this, he stood up and went to the kitchen to get a knife.

Although the coconut shell was hard, it was a piece of cake for Xia Junshan, who was very good at using a knife. He pried a hole in it easily.

Under Xia Qinqin's curious gaze, Xia Junshan opened both coconuts and poured out the coconut water, just enough to fill three full cups.

Xia Qinqin knelt on a chair with her upper body leaning on the dining table. She held her chin with her hands and stared at the coconut juice in the cup. She leaned over and sniffed it with her little nose, and a sweet smell came to her face.

She lifted the cup with both hands. The full cup of coconut milk was still a little heavy for her.

When Xia Junshan saw that his daughter was holding the cup with some difficulty, he remembered that he had forgotten that his daughter was still a child and poured so much coconut milk for her at once.

"Dad, let me pour you half of it."

"don't want!"

“…”

Meng Yufei smiled and said, "Qinqin, Dad is worried that you can't hold the cup."

Xia Qinqin lifted the cup vigorously and said, "Qinqin can lift it."

Xia Junshan smiled helplessly and said, "Okay, if you can carry it, Dad won't fall down."

Xia Qinqin trembled as she raised the cup to her mouth. Xia Junshan hurriedly supported the bottom of the cup with his hand and finally succeeded in sending the coconut juice into Xia Qinqin's mouth.

After taking a big sip of coconut juice, Xia Qinqin let out a long sigh and said, "It tastes so good~"

She looked up at Xia Junshan with a smile and said crisply, "Thank you, Dad, for holding the cup for me. Otherwise, Qinqin's hands would be sore."

Seeing his daughter's smiling face, Xia Junshan's heart softened. He thought that lifting a cup was nothing. He would have no complaints even if he was asked to lift a coconut tree...

Gently touching his daughter's smooth hair, Xia Junshan said softly, "You don't have to thank Dad."

Xia Qinqin raised her right index finger and shook it, then said seriously, "No, my mother said that my family members have to say thank you too."

Xia Junshan glanced at the smiling Meng Yufei, nodded and said, "Okay, Dad will listen to Mom."

After the family of three finished drinking coconut juice, Meng Yufei took her to rinse her mouth. Coconut juice is sweet, and if it remains on the teeth, it will damage the teeth.

After rinsing her mouth, she returned to the room and saw Xia Junshan putting on his hat and getting ready to go out. Meng Yufei glanced at her watch and saw it was already half past one. She asked, "Don't you want to sleep for a while?"

Xia Junshan shook his head. "No, there are still some things that have not been dealt with in the group. I will go there first. You and Qinqin should go to sleep for a while. I am leaving now."

Xia Qinqin waved and said, "Goodbye, Dad."

"goodbye!"

After seeing Xia Junshan off, Meng Yufei closed the door and took her daughter back to the room for a nap. She still had work to do in the afternoon, and if she didn't rest for a while she wouldn't have enough energy.

In an era without alarm clocks, it seems that everyone has their own biological clock, and they get up on time at the right time.

After waking up from her nap, Meng Yufei gave herself and Qinqin a quick wash and went out with her backpack.

He walked next door and told Mrs. Zhang that he planned to take the child to the logistics department in the afternoon.

Mrs. Zhang said embarrassedly, "Oh, this morning's incident is all my fault. I let them run away without paying attention, and they were almost bitten by a snake. Fortunately, I met Jianhong, otherwise I really don't know how to explain it to you, sister."

Meng Yufei said hurriedly, "Sister-in-law, what are you talking about? I am the one who is embarrassed. My girl is very careful and likes to run around. She disappears when you are not paying attention! I didn't expect there are snakes on this island, and it almost implicated your Fangfang. I am really sorry to bother you."

Mrs. Zhang said, "I have never seen a snake in my family compound for several years. These two girls are also strange. They ran into snakes as soon as they ran out. Don't you think it's a coincidence? Oh, I am so lucky to meet Jianhong."

Meng Yufei said, "Sister-in-law, I am going to make a pair of shoes to thank Jianhong, but my shoemaking skills are not good enough. I wonder if I can trouble you to help me. I happen to have some scraps of cloth left over from making sofas at home. I'd like you to paste the soles for me when the time comes."

Mrs. Zhang clapped her hands and said, "Why not? Jianhong also saved my Fangfang. It just so happens that I still have a piece of material that can be used to make shoe uppers."

Meng Yufei said: "Then I will come to see you after dinner tonight."

"Okay, I'll find the cloth this afternoon." Mrs. Zhang agreed readily.

Logistics Department Personnel Section.

Xiao Zhang walked into the office humming a song. The female colleague sitting next to her asked her, "Sister Zhang, I heard that the new person coming to the Finance Department today is the college student who came yesterday." She had taken a leave in the morning and did not see Meng Yufei who came.

"Well, yes." Xiao Zhang nodded.

"I don't know if she can fix this mess. I heard that the teacher personally recommended her. If she doesn't fix it, then the teacher will lose face as well."

Xiao Zhang glanced at her and said, "Sister Wu, I have never heard of what you are talking about. It seems that you are well-informed."

"Haha, I heard that. I heard that."

There were footsteps outside the door. Sister Wu quickly stood up and picked up the thermos on the tea table at the door. She looked up at Section Chief Chen who had just entered the room. She smiled broadly and said, "Section Chief Chen, you are here."

Section Chief Chen nodded, and when he saw the thermos in her hand, he said, "Xiao Wu, are you going to get some water again?"

"Hey, this water was drawn this morning. It's not that hot now. Using this water to make tea will affect the taste."

Section Chief Chen said, "It's rare that you're taking the trouble to think about this."

Xiao Zhang lowered his head and curled his lips in disdain. He was no longer surprised by the scene before him. This Sister Wu had been here for more than half a year, and although she hadn't learned much about her job, her skill in making tea had become a master.

Section Chief Chen sat in his seat, looking at Xiao Zhang and Xiao Wu sitting in the seats in front of him, frowning in thought.

After Meng Yufei arrived in the morning, the director called her over for a talk, meaning that he would send someone from the Personnel Department to the Finance Department to ask for her opinion first.

What opinion could she have?

There are four people in their personnel department now, and there is only Meng Yufei working in the finance department, plus accountant Zheng who is on maternity leave, there are only two people. Logically, they should transfer one person to the finance department.

She counted the three people under her. Deputy Section Chief Ma, who sat at the next table, loved drinking tea and reading newspapers and was slow in doing things, so a lot of work could not be assigned to him.

Xiao Zhang's work ability is good. She does things efficiently and never complains. She has been here for two or three years, and she is responsible for most of the work in the department. She is just a bit outspoken.

As for Xiao Wu, his working ability is not as good as Xiao Zhang. He has been here for more than half a year but still hasn't gotten the hang of the business. However, he is diligent and considerate. It's just that he always focuses on social interactions. It would be better if he could focus more on his work.

If she were given a choice, her first choice would definitely be to transfer Deputy Section Chief Ma over.

But this was impossible. The director wanted to send someone to assist Meng Yufei, who was her subordinate. It would be ridiculous to send Deputy Section Chief Ma. Not only would Meng Yufei have objections, but the leader would also think that he had deliberately set a trap for her.

Hey, who should we let go, Xiao Zhang or Xiao Wu? Section Chief Chen thought to himself in distress.

Meng Yufei brought Xia Qinqin to the Finance Department, arranged for her to sit down at the side, took out colored pencils and drawing paper from her bag, and gently said, "Qinqin, Mom is working over there, can you draw here?"

"Yeah, okay~"

Xia Qinqin agreed happily. She looked around the office curiously and asked, "Mom, is this your new unit?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"This new unit is not as big as the one my grandmother brought me to see you in the past."

She was talking about the bank where Meng Yufei worked in Hai City. In the past, Meng's mother often brought Xia Qinqin to pick up Meng Yufei after get off work, so there naturally couldn't be a big bank here.

Meng Yufei smiled and said, "No matter how big or small the unit is, work needs to be done seriously. Mom has to work now, so you should start painting too."

Xia Qinqin nodded and said, "Yeah, grandpa said that we should take painting and reading seriously. I have to take painting seriously now."

"Okay, let's work together."

Xia Qinqin looked at the drawing paper in front of her, thought for a while, and prepared to draw the fruits she had eaten in the past few days, strawberries, pineapples, coconuts, she wanted to draw them all and show them to her grandparents and uncle after returning to Haishi.

She first drew the shapes of the fruits on paper and then colored them. The strawberries were pink, the pineapples were yellow, and the coconuts were gray.

When Xia Qinqin finally finished drawing the fruit picture, Meng Yufei also closed the account book. She had finished reading it.

I looked down at my watch; it was exactly half past four.

Putting the account book on the lock of the drawer, Meng Yufei picked up the notebook for recording data and put it in her bag, then took Xia Qinqin to find Wang Cuilan.

The Women's Committee is right in front of the cafeteria, and the Women's Committee office is on the far left of the row of houses.

When the mother and daughter arrived, Wang Cuilan had just resolved a conflict between two military wives and was drinking water because she was thirsty. When she saw the visitor, she quickly put down her teacup and said, "Xiao Meng, why are you here? I was thinking of looking for you after I finished my work here."

She looked down at Xia Qinqin and smiled, "Qinqin, you're here with mommy too."

Xia Qinqin greeted obediently: "Hello, Aunt Wang."

Wang Cuilan pulled the two of them to sit down and wanted to pour them some water. Meng Yufei hurriedly said, "No need, Sister Wang, we just drank some water and we are not thirsty anymore."

She pulled out a notebook from her bag and said, "I've finished reading the account book and came to report to you."

"Oh? You've finished reading it!" Wang Cuilan was a little surprised and immediately asked, "Tell me what happened?"

Meng Yufei said: "There is nothing wrong with the accounts. The income and expenditure data can match."

Wang Cuilan heaved a sigh of relief when she heard this: "That's good." She then asked, "Then what's the matter with the shortage of food coupons for Captain Qin's family?"

Captain Qin's family said that their youngest son's food coupons were shortchanged for half a year, but Meng Yufei just said that there was no problem with the accounts. She had great confidence in Meng Yufei's work ability.

Could it be that Captain Qin’s family members were lying?

Just as Wang Cuilan had this thought, she heard Meng Yufei say, "Captain Qin's family is not wrong. Her family did receive fewer food coupons."

Wang Cuilan: “?”