Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Prepare cotton clothes

Qi Huiying's departure had no impact on the people on the island. She would only be mentioned occasionally at the home of Captain Cao at the "intelligence station." The rest of the time, everyone continued to live their lives as usual.

Meng Yufei was worried about picking up her child for a long time, but no strangers appeared in the family compound, and it seemed that the other party was wary.

The days passed peacefully one by one. The summer here is too long, and it seems to be always hot. By the time the weather starts to get cooler and we need to wear coats, it is almost the end of the year.

This year seemed to have passed in the blink of an eye.

When school was almost over that day, Xia Qinqin packed her schoolbag early and urged the person next to her: "Brother Yannan, hurry up, my dad is back today."

Xia Junshan went out on a mission some time ago and hasn't been back for half a month. I just received news last night that he would be back today.

Lu Yannan packed his bag slowly and put it on his back just as the school bell rang.

"Okay, let's go."

Lu Yannan looked at Xia Qin and spoke calmly.

Xia Qinqin grabbed Lu Yannan's hand and trotted to the entrance of the kindergarten. At first glance, she saw Xia Junshan, who was a head taller than others.

"Dad, you're back!"

Xia Qinqin happily threw herself into Xia Junshan's arms, hugged his neck and said coquettishly: "Dad, I miss you so much. You went out to work for a long time and didn't come back for a long time."

Xia Junshan's eyes were gentle, and he couldn't help but kiss his daughter's cheek. He smiled and said, "Dad misses us Qinqin too. I won't be working outside for a while."

He weighed his daughter in his arms and said, "Oh, our Qinqin is heavy."

Xia Qinqin smiled and said, "I eat well every day."

"That's great." Xia Junshan praised.

He looked down at Yan Nan who was walking towards him slowly and said with a smile, "Hey, I haven't seen you for a few days. I feel like you have grown taller."

Lu Yannan smiled slightly and said, "Uncle Xia, you're back."

When Xia Qinqin heard Xia Junshan say that Lu Yannan had grown taller, she hurried to get out of his arms, "Dad, I've grown taller too."

Xia Junshan put his daughter down, and the two children stood together. They both had beautiful features, red lips and white teeth, and were cute. They were about the same height. No wonder people said they looked like twins from heaven and phoenix.

He nodded and said, "Really, Qinqin has grown taller too."

Xia Qinqin stood on tiptoe and gestured with her hands: "I will continue to grow taller, and I will grow very tall."

Xia Junshan smiled and said, "Then you should eat well."

"Yeah." Xia Qinqin nodded her head vigorously.

"Okay, let's go back. Mom is waiting for us at home." Xia Junshan walked home holding a child in one hand.

Meng Yufei went on a business trip to the city today. When she came back in the afternoon, she didn't go to the office but went straight home.

Thinking that Xia Junshan would be back today, I specially brought two extra lunch boxes when I went to the city in the morning, and packed two dishes from the state-owned hotel in the city.

Xia Junshan came back early today. When Meng Yufei got home, he had already taken a shower, changed his clothes, and shaved. He looked neat and tidy, and didn't look like he had been sleeping outdoors for half a month.

Meng Yufei stared at his face for a long time and said, "You've lost weight. You must not have eaten well these days."

Xia Junshan touched his face and said with a smile, "Really? It will be the Chinese New Year soon, so I ate it all back in no time."

Meng Yufei nodded and said, "Well, when we return to Hai City this year, Mom likes you as her son-in-law so much, she will definitely make a lot of delicious food for you."

Then, she tilted her head and looked at him with a smile, "When the time comes, you must save some space to eat more. Mom is retired and has nothing to do at home. She likes to study food the most."

Xia Junshan smiled and said, "I guarantee that the mission will be completed."

…

When Xia Junshan and his two children arrived home, Meng Yufei had already prepared the meal. On the table were white-cooked chicken and braised spareribs that she brought back from the state-owned hotel in the city. She also ordered a dish of stir-fried cabbage and a bowl of kelp soup from the cafeteria.

"Wow, there are spare ribs." Xia Qinqin's eyes lit up.

Meng Yufei asked: "Have you washed your hands?"

Xia Qinqin quickly raised her hands and said, "I've already washed them. Dad just took me and Brother Yannan to wash them at the faucet in the yard."

Meng Yufei nodded: "Then come over and have dinner."

At the dinner table, Meng Yufei picked up a piece of pork ribs for each of the three people and asked Xia Junshan: "Qinqin and the others will have winter vacation in a few days. When will you have your vacation?"

Xia Junshan said, "I have already asked the division commander for leave, and he has approved it. I will be off on the 25th of this month."

Meng Yufei said, "Then we will go back on the 26th, and we will arrive on the 27th, just in time for the two days before the New Year, and we can still help out at home."

They are talking about the lunar calendar.

Xia Junshan nodded: "Then I will go to the city in a few days to buy the train tickets in advance."

When Xia Qinqin heard that they were going to buy train tickets, she asked excitedly, "Mom, are we going back to Hai City?"

Meng Yufei nodded: "Yes, the New Year is coming soon, how about we go back and spend the New Year with our grandparents?"

"Okay!" Xia Qinqin nodded excitedly, "I miss my grandparents and my uncle so much."

Meng Yufei touched her head and said with a smile, "You'll be able to see them in a few days. They miss you too."

Knowing that she would soon return to Hai City to celebrate the New Year, Xia Qinqin happily hummed songs while eating. She couldn't help but swing her calves dangling in the air as she sat on the chair, expressing her joy.

Suddenly, she thought of her good friend, turned around and said to the person who was eating leisurely beside her: "Brother Yannan, come back to Hai City with us to celebrate the New Year. I tell you, the New Year will be lively and fun. Then let my uncle take us to visit the City God Temple and buy us some little rabbit lanterns..."

Xia Qinqin happily described the lively atmosphere of the Chinese New Year. Although she was young and had not experienced many Spring Festivals, she had a good memory and clearly remembered what she did during the Chinese New Year last year.

After finally finishing her words, she looked at Lu Yannan expectantly and said, "It's fun, right? Come back with us."

Lu Yannan shook his head and said, "I will be returning to Beijing in a few days."

Xia Qinqin was surprised: "Ah? Why?"

Lu Yannan said: "My grandfather lives there, I want to go back and spend the New Year with him."

Xia Qinqin said: "Then you can ask your grandfather to come to Hai City to celebrate the New Year."

Xia Junshan smiled and patted his daughter's head, saying, "Brother Yannan's home is in Beijing. It's the New Year, and he wants to go home to celebrate the New Year."

Xia Qinqin squinted her big round eyes and said, "They come to Hai City to celebrate the New Year as well."

Meng Yufei smiled and explained to her daughter: "But Yannan's relatives and friends are all in Beijing. They have to visit relatives during the New Year. Is that right, Yannan?"

Lu Yannan nodded. Every year during the Chinese New Year, many people would come to the house to pay New Year’s greetings to grandpa.

Meng Yufei said: "After the New Year, you can meet again when school starts."

Xia Qinqin pouted, thought for a moment and said, "Okay."

After dinner, today was not the day to go to Teacher Zhou's house to dance, so Xia Qinqin and Lu Yannan went to the study to practice calligraphy. After half a year, their handwriting had improved significantly.

Xia Qinqin can now write a complete line of poetry and is no longer the child who could only write two words.

She also learned to control the font size, unlike before when she could only write a few words on a piece of paper.

After writing a piece of paper, Lu Yannan stopped writing and turned around and asked, "Xia Qinqin, what New Year's gift do you want to receive?"

Xia Qinqin held the pen and said without hesitation: "Chocolate! The chocolate that Uncle Lu sent is so delicious."

Now they receive chocolates from Lu Shaohuan every month.

"What else?"

"Well, I also want to eat chestnut cake."

"…Anything else?"

Xia Qinqin tilted her head and thought about it, then said, "I can't think of anything. Brother Yannan, what New Year's gift do you want?"

Lu Yannan said: "No. I don't want anything."

"Ah? That's right, you don't like sweet things."

Every time the chocolates were sent to her, most of them went into Xia Qinqin's stomach.

"Well, then I'll give you a rabbit lamp. It's so beautiful. My uncle gave me one last year, and this year I asked him to buy one more for you." Xia Qinqin said with a smile.

Lu Yannan smiled and said, "Okay, I'll give you a New Year's gift too."

Xia Qinqin asked hurriedly: "What are you going to give me? Chocolate?"

Lu Yannan said: "Keep it secret for now, you will know when the time comes."

Xia Qinqin raised her chin and said in sudden realization: "Oh, I see. You want to give me a surprise."

Lu Yannan turned his head, lowered his eyes to look at the words written in front of him, and said, "I guess... I guess so."

Xia Qinqin patted Lu Yannan's shoulder happily and said, "Thank you, Brother Yannan. Mom said that surprises are for important people. Then I will prepare a surprise for you too. I won't give you the bunny lamp. Just wait for my surprise gift."

Lu Yannan raised the corner of his mouth and said, "Okay, I'll wait."

The two children were practicing calligraphy in the study. Meng Yufei took home the cotton coat that had been left outside to dry in the sun. It was sent by Haishi some time ago.

Meng's mother knew that the family of three was going back to Haishi to celebrate the New Year, and she was worried that they would be cold on the road. At the beginning of the year, the mother and daughter only wore coats, and it was a bit cold to go to Haishi wearing these. It was okay for the adults, but the children couldn't bear it.

Although the winter in Haishi is relatively warm compared to the north, it has always been very hot here on Nanya Island. It has only become cooler in the past one or two months. Wearing a coat in the morning and evening is enough. If you suddenly go to Haishi, you will definitely not be able to bear it.

You can take off your clothes when it's hot, but you can't be without clothes when it's cold.

What Meng's mother sent over were new clothes. Meng's mother knew Meng Yufei's clothing size, so she went to the department store and bought her a new coat, a dark gray cashmere coat, and a thick white cashmere sweater. This set of clothes looked both beautiful and warm.

Mother Meng thought Qinqin must have grown taller, but she was not sure how much taller she had grown, so she simply compared it with the size at the beginning of the year and bought two sizes larger. For children's clothes, it is better to buy larger rather than smaller.

A bright red cotton coat with thick cotton filling inside. There were no down jackets at that time, so children all wore thick cotton clothes in winter.

In addition, Meng's mother also sent Qinqin a black cashmere sweater, a pair of cotton shoes, and a pair of cotton trousers. With these, she would not be afraid of the cold when she returned home.

As for her son-in-law Xia Junshan, Meng's mother certainly did not forget him and also sent him a gray coat and a black cashmere sweater.

On the day they received the package, Meng Yufei and Xia Qinqin had already tried on the clothes. Meng Yufei's was naturally a good fit, while Xia Qinqin's was a little big, but it didn't affect their wearing.

The thick cotton coat made Qinqin's forehead sweat after just putting it on. It seems that even if it snows in Haishi this winter, she won't feel cold wearing this coat.

Now that Xia Junshan is back, Meng Yufei asked Xia Junshan to try on the coat. It fits him perfectly. Meng's mother is very careful and she still remembers the height and appearance of her son-in-law even after not seeing him for many years.

"Mom, this is too expensive. I still have a military coat that I was given a few years ago. It will be the same if I wear it." Xia Junshan said, touching the soft and comfortable coat on his body.

Meng Yufei smiled and said, "New Year, new atmosphere. I have worn a military coat for so many years, so I'll change into something else this year."

Xia Junshan took off his clothes and folded them up, then nodded and said, "Okay, we're going to a big city to celebrate the New Year this year, so we need to dress stylishly."

Meng Yufei smiled and said, "Are you still thinking about being fashionable now?"

Xia Junshan said: "Isn't this influenced by you? Besides, when I was young, I only relied on my looks, but now that I'm older, I have to rely on my temperament." As he said this, he touched his face.

Meng Yufei glared at him with amusement and said, "Who are you dressing up like this for?"

Xia Junshan took her hand and said with a smile: "Of course I am showing it to you. When you are young, you rely on your looks to marry a wife. Now that you are older, you have to rely on your temperament to keep your wife."

"What nonsense are you talking about." Meng Yufei slapped him in annoyance, "It makes me seem like someone who cares too much about appearance."

Xia Junshan raised his eyebrows: "Huh, isn't it?"

Meng Yufei glanced at him shyly, threw the pile of cotton clothes in her hands into his arms, and urged him with a smile: "Hurry up and fold all the clothes."

"Oh, got it. I'll complete the task immediately."

Xia Junshan put the clothes on the sofa and folded them one by one. The housekeeping skills he learned in the army came in handy, and he folded the clothes neatly with quick hands.

Meng Yufei finds it amazing every time she sees it. How can the clothes be stacked so neatly?

The clothes that have been dried in the sun carry the scent of the sun. They are folded and put in the closet, waiting to be taken with you when you leave at the end of the month.

"Let's go to the market this weekend to buy some local specialties and bring them back to Haishi." Xia Junshan suggested.

Meng Yufei nodded: "Okay, I'll go ask Mrs. Zhang tomorrow what to bring back."

After thinking for a while, Meng Yufei said, "Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you that Mom sent a telegram a few days ago saying that my eldest brother and his wife will also come back to celebrate the New Year this year."

"Really?"

Xia Junshan was surprised. The last time he saw Meng Yufei's brother was when he got married.