◎Two in One◎
After the storm, life goes on. The Xu family members face the rising and setting of the sun and are busy preparing three meals a day.
A page was torn off the calendar hanging on the wall every day, and in the blink of an eye it was three months later.
Shanshan was picked up by her aunt and was tearing up the calendar. Today was May 7th, and it would be Shanshan's fifth birthday in two days.
"Auntie, I'm going to sleep right away~" Because she was too happy, Shanshan's tongue was tied, and she stretched out her little hand, but only folded her thumb back.
"Aunt knows. I remember it clearly." Of course Xu Shengya remembered it, because Shanshan told everyone every day at the beginning of the month that March 27 was her birthday, once a day, no, three or four times a day.
"I remember that too! Hehehe!"
At the age of five, Shanshan felt that she was a big child, and a big child should act like a big child. She solemnly made a request to her parents - to sleep alone.
In fact, when the family moved into the courtyard, Liang Baozhen wanted to slowly train Shanshan to sleep in her own room, but Shanshan refused and still slept with her parents or her grandmother.
Now hearing the young lady take the initiative to make this request, Liang Baozhen and Xu Shengjie looked at each other, as if to say, Hey, have you grown up?
"Then let's start tonight?" Liang Baozhen teased her.
"No~" Shanshan is a principled child. She is not a big kid until she is five years old. One day short of that is not enough to make her five years old.
So, she will still sleep with her mother in her arms tonight.
"Mom, you have to hold me when I sleep." Shanshan requested not to sleep in the crib tonight. If she went to sleep alone in the room, she would not be able to sleep with her mother. She had to cherish these last two days.
"Okay." Liang Baozhen also liked to sleep with her girlfriend in his arms. Shanshan's whole body was soft, and even her breath after falling asleep seemed sweet and fragrant.
Seeing the mother and daughter have discussed everything, Xu Shengjie went over and asked, "Shanshan doesn't want to bring her dad?"
"Dad sleeps next to me." Shanshan used to like to be with her dad, but she often woke up to find that her mom was holding her while she slept. How come her dad was holding her mom the next day?
Dad, you are a bit bad! You want to snatch mom's sleep from me.
"Okay, I'll sleep next to you!"
Xu Shengjie endured it. Anyway, it was the last two days and the young lady would have to sleep alone on May 9th. After all, children have to grow up and exercise!
May 9, 1983, the 27th day of the third lunar month.
Little Xu Yunshan celebrated her fifth birthday.
Early in the morning, Shanshan was dressed in a newly bought little skirt by her mother, a beautiful pink ruffled puffy skirt, and she also tied her hair into two pigtails.
In the morning, Zhou Yun cooked red eggs for her great-granddaughter, and Xu Shengjie cooked some millet porridge. Everyone wished Shanshan a happy birthday early in the morning.
Little Shanshan felt that she was very different today. She pursed her lips and said thank you, acting like a big kid all the time.
Liang Baozhen asked for a day off from Taili. Xu Shengjie had his own shop so it was no problem for him. Xu Shengwei also asked for leave for his training. Zhou Yun was originally at home. Only Xu Shengya had to study as a college student and could not participate in the daytime activities.
She felt a little sad when she stepped onto the 28-bar bicycle.
"Why do I feel so tired going to school today?" Yesterday was Sunday. After a day off, Xu Shengya should have returned to school last night, but she did not leave because today, Monday, was Shanshan's birthday.
Waiting to wish my little niece a happy birthday early in the morning.
"Go quickly, study is important." Liang Baozhen waved Shanshan's little hand, "I'll wait for you to come back for dinner in the evening."
"Goodbye, auntie. Come back early in the evening."
Xu Shengya rode away on her bicycle with a little sadness, and looked at the whole family going to the zoo today, feeling melancholy!
Liang Baozhen arranged a full schedule for her daughter's fifth birthday today. They took their camera to the zoo, had lunch at a state-owned hotel, and invited family and friends to have dinner at home in the evening.
Coming out of Chunri Hutong, the family walked on the tree-lined path, feeling the spring breeze. There were a few ducks swimming in the lake opposite, and many uncles and aunts were fishing on the shore.
The lake surface is sparkling, and the green willows are swaying in the breeze, creating a graceful dance.
Shanshan was held in Xu Shengjie's arms, directing his father to go to the lake to see ducks. They hadn't reached the zoo yet, so they first looked at the wild ducks in the lake.
"Dad, look, those two little ducks are fighting."
After that, he called the mother next to him, "Mom, look, those two little ducks are fighting..."
After calling mom, call grandma, and after calling grandma, call uncle.
Liang Baozhen thought that her daughter was really a repeater.
However, Xu Shengwei felt that his family status needed to be improved, and he wondered who would be the last one if Xiaoya were here.
"Would you like to ride on a horse?" Xu Shengjie asked, holding up his daughter.
"No more." Shanshan used to like riding on her father's horse the most because she was so tall, taller than everyone else.
She sat astride her father's neck, with his arms outstretched to support her body. She could look down at her mother and grandmother, which was really fun.
However, she was now a big five-year-old and had different needs, so she refused and insisted on walking on her own.
The older children all walk by themselves.
After walking for a while, the group met a father and son. The little boy was also riding his father's horse. The key point was that the little boy should be a few years older than Shanshan and taller. He looked at Shanshan proudly, straightened his back and showed off his "proud" height of 110 cm.
"Dad, I want to sit!" Shanshan was not willing to be outdone and immediately changed her mind.
The little boy looked at Shanshan, who was a head shorter than him, sitting astride her father's neck. As Xu Shengjie stood up, Shanshan seemed to rise from the ground. His line of sight suddenly changed from looking down at the ground to looking up. The little girl opposite him was suddenly a head and a half taller than him!
Shanshan smiled secretly with her lips pursed, her eyes sparkling, and she shook her head slightly, supported by her father's outstretched hand as she walked forward.
The little boy was left with a depressed look on his face and asked his father, "Dad, why don't you grow taller!"
The little boy's father: This kid wants to be beaten!
When the family arrived at the zoo, Shanshan felt like she had opened the door to a new world. She couldn't take her eyes off the various small and big animals there and talked to them one by one.
Liang Baozhen took a lot of photos of her daughter, using up half of a roll of film.
"Okay, let's go back and shoot the rest of the afternoon, okay?"
"good!"
Shanshan said goodbye to the animals reluctantly. After just one morning, she had become good friends with the animals, although it was her unilateral decision.
"I'll come see you next time."
Xu Shengjie wanted to laugh when he heard her say, "When will you come next time?"
Shanshan tilted her head and thought, "When I was six years old!"
When they got home in the afternoon, the family was busy preparing dinner. Liang Baoying brought Mengmeng to help in advance. Song Jianguo could not come until he got off work at the soda factory. Liang Baojun took leave in advance to come. Xu Shuping's due date was at the end of the month, and her belly was already very big. Liang Baozhen asked her to stay at home and not move around.
It was the busy farming season for Song Chunhua and Liang Zhigao, and it was difficult to write a letter of introduction, so they celebrated Shanshan's birthday half a month ago when Baozhen took Shanshan back to Damian Village, and also gave their granddaughter a red envelope.
Shanshan put three dollars into her piggy bank! She was so happy!
Since the family moved, they were closer to Peking University. It only took about 20 minutes by bike. Xu Shengya hurried back after school.
"Hurry up and wash your hands and get ready for dinner." Seeing his sister coming back, Xu Shengwei hurriedly called her and carried her bicycle to the corner of the wall for her.
The mahogany round table was full of people, and on the table was a sumptuous dinner. Today, Shanshan was allowed by her mother to have a bowl of orange soda.
bowl?
Shanshan really wanted to use the enamel basin she used to wash her face to hold a "bowl" of soda, but she knew her mother would not agree.
Finally, she used a huge enamel cup that her uncle won as a table tennis prize. That enamel cup was twice as big as the one they used to drink water at home.
When Xu Shengjie poured orange soda for the child, he was startled, "What is this for?"
"Dad, Mom said Shanshan can have a bowl of soda."
Xu Shengjie looked at this "bowl" and was afraid it might be a bucket.
Liang Baozhen turned a blind eye to the five-year-old lady today and didn't pay much attention to her. Everyone had a lively meal and gave Shanshan red envelopes and gifts.
Some people also came to the big courtyard. Cheng Caili came with Chuchu, and Liu Nianhua came with Xiaolong and Xiaohu. Shanshan and Xu Shengwei were very happy.
Only Xu Shengya was a little sad because her good friends Song Xinhe and Song Xinmiao moved away with Chen Yulian. Although she made many good friends in college, the friends she grew up with in her childhood always had a different weight in her heart.
"Xiao Wei, next time you play, we'll go watch!"
Zhou Long and Zhou Hu especially support Xu Shengwei and always think that their brothers are the best.
"There will be a city-wide competition next month. It will be open to the public after the knockout stage. You can come then."
"Can you make it in? Don't fall in the first round."
"That's not enough!"
Zhou Long has been learning carpentry from a carpenter for two years and is now quite skilled at it. The first piece of furniture he made independently was a dressing box for his mother, Liu Nianhua.
The yellow wooden dressing box does not have any exquisite carvings, but since it was made by her son, Liu Nianhua cherishes it very much.
"Sister Hua is so lucky. Now she has finally made it. Xiaolong can earn money to support the family." Cheng Caili looked at Chuchu in her arms. The little girl is five years old this year. When can she make a toy for her old mother?
Chuchu and Shanshan were drinking orange soda together and paid no attention to their old mother Cheng Caili.
"Xiaolong has learned very well. He should work hard under his master in the future."
Liu Nianhua was very happy in his heart, seeing that his son had a bright future and was better than anyone else.
"In the future, Xiaolong will build a chest of drawers and a wardrobe and replace all the furniture in your house. I wonder if you are willing to use them?" Liang Baozhen heard what Cheng Caili said. Liu Nianhua was reluctant to use her dressing box and wanted to put it in the wardrobe as a treasure.
"I used it. Xiaolong advised me that we should use everything."
"Baozhen, Sister Hua has something else to say. Let her talk to you herself." Cheng Caili winked at Liang Baozhen.
"What's the matter?" Liang Baozhen turned her head and looked at Liu Nianhua.
"Let's talk after dinner." A blush crept up Liu Nianhua's face, and she looked flushed with a hint of shyness.
Liang Baozhen seemed to suddenly understand!
After a lively and lively meal, as night fell, everyone washed the dishes, cleared the table, and swept the floor, restoring the yard to its original clean and tidy state before getting ready to leave.
Liang Baojun was worried about his wife at home, so he left first. Liang Baoying and Song Jianguo walked home in a dream, and the family walked back slowly.
Liang Baozhen, Cheng Caili and Liu Nianhua put their things away and heard Liu Nianhua talking about his own important affairs.
"Auntie Zhang really agreed?" Liang Baozhen was a little surprised. She didn't expect Zhang Rong to really agree.
Cheng Caili was really angry. After Liang Baozhen moved away, no one gossiped about her. "You don't know how stubborn Zhou Qingdang is. He is either helping Sister Hua or playing with Xiaohu all day long. But he doesn't do it very obviously. He has to help other families before he can help Sister Hua with the cabbage cart, for fear of being gossiped about."
Liu Nianhua listened to Cheng Caili's words and thought of Zhou Qingdang's persistence over the years, and his heart was filled with joy.
"Sister Hua, have you talked it out with Zhou Qingdang? Now?"
"Not yet." Liu Nianhua was a little uncomfortable for a rare time. "But after so many years, I was always worried about meeting another Zhou Guoping. I never had a good face towards Zhou Qingdang, thinking that he would give up sooner or later. Who knew that this guy... Hey, he can warm up even the hardest stone."
"Then let me congratulate you in advance!" Liang Baozhen felt that the two of them were a good match.
"How did Aunt Zhang give in?"
"Aunt Zhang saw it all. She was hoping that Zhou Qingdang would get married, but she didn't expect her son to be so persistent." Cheng Caili knew a lot, and Zhang Rong had nowhere to talk, so she even pulled her aside to talk a few words. "Aunt Zhang said forget it, a second marriage is a second marriage, it's rare that Zhou Qingdang likes it, and she couldn't get over her son all these years."
The three of them walked out together while talking. Liang Baozhen sent Cheng Caili's family and Liu Nianhua's family to the entrance of the alley. As the group was talking, they suddenly saw Zhou Qingdang waiting at the entrance of the alley.
"Isn't that Zhou Qing's party?"
Cheng Caili has sharp eyes, and when she looked at Liu Nianhua again, her face looked a little shy.
"Comrade Zhou Qingdang, why are you standing here? Why don't you come in and sit down?" Liang Baozhen joked with a smile.
Cheng Caili even touched Liu Nianhua's arm and said, "That's right, Zhou Qingdang, our food is delicious, you are at a loss."
Zhou Qingdang saw Liu Nianhua in the crowd, and laughed when he heard Liang Baozhen and Cheng Caili joking, "I haven't been promoted yet, I'll come back after I'm promoted."
When Liu Nianhua heard this, she blushed and glared at Zhou Qingdang. What nonsense is this guy talking about!
"Then hurry up and get a permanent job." Liang Baozhen squeezed Liu Nianhua's arm and whispered to her, "Hurry up and give me a chance to get a permanent job. The four of us can come over for dinner next time!"
Liu Nianhua smiled and nodded.
After seeing everyone off, Xu Shengjie saw his daughter-in-law smiling, and he was unconsciously infected by her, with a smile on his face.
"So happy?"
Liang Baozhen nodded vigorously, "Shanshan is five years old now. Our daughter is healthy, cute, pretty and smart. I am so happy. We will accompany Shanshan on every birthday in the future."
"Okay, let's celebrate Shanshan's birthday."
Xu Shengjie took his wife back to the courtyard. The young couple were very satisfied. Being able to accompany their children as they grow up is the greatest wish of parents.
However, when she returned to the yard, Liang Baozhen saw Shanshan holding the only rose she had grown.
Shanshan picked a beautiful rose. When she saw her parents coming back, she held up the flower to show them.
Liang Baozhen: "..."
Although the lady is nice, she may still need to be disciplined!
"Mom, I'll give you flowers~" Shanshan blinked her big eyes, smiled slightly, and handed over the bright red roses.
She just heard the aunts chatting with the mother, saying that the day the baby was born was the most painful day for the mother, so Shanshan decided to give a flower to the suffering mother.
The most beautiful red rose in the yard was destroyed by her.
Liang Baozhen looked at the cute lady and no longer felt sorry for her. She just gave her a flower and said, "Thank you, Shanshan."
Liang Baozhen dried the rose in the sun and put it in her notebook.
At night, Shanshan took a sweet bath and watched her father, mother, grandmother, aunt and uncle helping her decorate the house.
Shanshan's single room is next to her parents' room, in the east wing.
In the east wing, there is a beautiful little bed covered with pink floral sheets. Liang Baozhen is currently setting up a mosquito net for her daughter. Summer is approaching and a mosquito net is a necessity.
There is a bedside table next to the small bed, and next to it is a wardrobe. Opposite the bed is a long table with two chairs and two benches.
Shanshan was very happy when she looked at her own room. She happily held her own small floral quilt cover that she had taken out from her parents' room and prepared to "move".
"Why are you so anxious, Shanshan?" Xu Shengjie saw the lady holding her quilt with her two little hands. The quilt almost covered her whole body. She looked at the small bed with longing on her face, and was anxious to put it on.
It's rare to see someone who's in a hurry to move seriously.
"Yeah, Dad, Shanshan will have her own house in the future." Shanshan felt that this was something only big children could have, and it was very amazing.
"Do you like it?"
"I like it~"
The warm house was decorated beautifully, and Xu Shengya even considerately applied vanishing cream to her little niece.
Shanshan sat on the edge of the bed, swinging her legs, letting her aunt rub her face. Shanshan's face was soft, tender and smooth, and Xu Shengya felt soft to the heart as she rubbed her face.
Xu Shengjie and Liang Baozhen couldn't help laughing as they watched the young lady enjoying herself.
"Those who know her know that Shanshan is going to sleep alone in a room today. Those who don't know her might wonder what she's going to do."
"This battle is even bigger than the one before I went to the battlefield."
Shanshan, who was slightly disliked by her parents, didn't care. She lay obediently on the bed, with her mother covering her with a quilt, leaving only her little head exposed. She looked at the ceiling and then at the people in the room.
"Let me coax Shanshan to sleep before I leave." Liang Baozhen prepared to sit down beside the bed.
"No, Mommy, Shanshan wants to sleep by herself." A five-year-old child does not need to be coaxed to sleep.
"Really? You don't need mom to coax you to sleep?"
"Um!"
Zhou Yun looked at his great-granddaughter's lovely appearance and felt relieved. "Then Shanshan, if there is anything, just call someone."
"I know, grandma, go back to sleep."
Xu Shengjie made her a small bamboo lamp with a light bulb inside the bamboo. The light is dim and suitable for children who sleep alone so that they will not be afraid of the dark.
Several people walked out of Shanshan's room and looked back a few times worriedly. Shanshan was very excited instead. She was the only one in the room. She waited until everyone left, then sat up and looked around. This was her own little room!
There is joy in his eyes.
——
Back in the house, Xu Shengjie and Liang Baozhen had been busy all day preparing for their child's fifth birthday, and finally had some time to rest.
"Taking Shanshan out for a day is more tiring than working at the TV station." Liang Baozhen sat down on the edge of the bed, kicked off her shoes, and crossed her legs to get on the bed. She had taken a shower at night and now fell directly into the bed.
"Your physical strength is not as good as Shanshan's? She is only five years old."
Xu Shengjie was trained as a soldier. He had been able to carry heavy loads for several kilometers before, so today's experience was no problem for him.
Liang Baozhen became excited when she heard this. She lay on the bright red quilt and counted how energetic Shanshan was.
"She was so excited that she couldn't sleep last night. She woke up at around five this morning and twisted around in my arms. You held her in your arms when we went out today. But there was so much to see in the zoo. She wanted to see all kinds of animals. I was afraid that if I stayed any longer, she would squat down and talk to people about the ants inside."
Liang Baozhen's eyelids were drooping as she spoke, but she was still worried about her daughter, so she patted the man's arm and said, "Go check on your daughter."
Xu Shengjie was naturally worried about Shanshan. It was the first time for the child to sleep alone in the room. "I feel like I have to bring Shanshan back this time. I guess the little girl is still afraid."
"Don't underestimate her!" Liang Baozhen half-stood up, watching Xu Shengjie walk out of the house, cheering for the young lady.
Xu Shengjie met Shanshan's grandmother at the door of her room, who was also worried and came to check on her. The two looked inside through the window and saw Shanshan lying on the bed playing with her hands.
"Shanshan, go to bed quickly."
"Shanshan, why don't you just sleep with your grandma?"
Shanshan shook her head in the room, "No, Shanshan, sleep alone."
Xu Shengjie was unwilling to accept this, "How about sleeping with mom and dad?"
"don't want!"
Xu Shengjie "..."
It's over. The child no longer needs his old father and mother.
Shanshan was determined to defend her dignity as the eldest child and drove her grandmother and father back.
Liang Baozhen saw the man coming back and heard him smile and praise the lady, "Shanshan was really brave today. She was determined to sleep alone."
"No, I'll go check it out later." Xu Shengjie was lying on the bed, flipping through the newspaper. Liang Baozhen was reading a book next to him, but he couldn't quite concentrate on it.
The old father still cares about the little baby.
Before going to bed, the couple went to see it twice. During the first visit, Shanshan was humming a song in the room, "Little Swallow in a Flowery Dress..."
When I went there for the second time, there was no movement in the house. I guess she was tired from playing. Shanshan was lying quietly and must have fallen asleep.
Liang Baozhen turned around and whispered to Xu Shengjie, "Look, Shanshan really fell asleep alone!"
"Things seem to be different when I'm one year older!" Xu Shengjie sighed.
Back in the house, the two lay down again. They had not settled down on the bed today and went back and forth several times.
Liang Baozhen was getting ready to have a good sleep when she suddenly felt a hand reaching into her clothes with some thin thread, which made her itchy.
"What are you doing? Are you asleep?"
"Otherwise, just go to sleep." Xu Shengjie looked at his wife who was covered by a big red quilt. Her red dress made her skin look whiter than snow. He moved closer to her with full of heat.
"How can I sleep if you're like this?"
Liang Baozhen's eyes widened slightly and she glared at him, but Xu Shengjie saw it as a gentle glare.
She secretly scolded the father and daughter, one was a hassle during the day, and the other was a hassle at night!
The temperature in the room rose sharply. Liang Baozhen's clothes were half taken off, revealing her snow-white skin. Xu Shengjie leaned over and licked her gently, causing her to shiver tinglingly.
Liang Baozhen was very comfortable being served by the man. Just when Xu Shengjie was about to show off his prowess, a cat-like sound was heard outside the door.
Accompanied by babyish crying.
"Mommy, mommy, I want to sleep with mommy! Woo woo woo!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
