Before Xia Liang could speak, Gu Yanxiao looked at her apologetically and said, "Since giving birth to our second child, A-Liang's health hasn't been as good as before. We dare not have a third child, and with the family planning policy, the country doesn't allow more than one child." He paused and continued, "Besides, I'm already very content with our first and second children. I can't take care of A-Liang in daily life, and I couldn't be by her side during her difficult pregnancy. So even if the policy allowed it, and it didn't harm A-Liang's health, I wouldn't agree to her having another child. Mom and Dad, don't worry, I will only have Yunxi and Yuanzhi as my children in this life. I love them very much, more than my own life. My parents don't have any preference for sons over daughters, so you don't need to worry that my parents will treat A-Liang and the two children badly." In fact, how could he not understand his mother-in-law's thoughts! Before marriage, his mother-in-law was the typical mother-in-law who was increasingly satisfied with her son-in-law, and it was the same after marriage. But since the birth of their second child and the implementation of the national policy, his mother-in-law's attitude changed. She was now somewhat cautious around him, and he knew all of this.
Hearing her son-in-law say this, Zhao Danxiang felt a huge weight lifted from her heart. She had always worried that her daughter would be looked down upon. Before, when they went back to the village, those gossipy women had said things like, "So what if she's capable? She can only give birth to daughters." Hearing these words made her feel even worse. Fortunately, her in-laws and son-in-law were not people who favored sons over daughters.
Gu Yunxi can now understand what her father and grandparents are saying, and she knows that her parents don't plan to have another child. Although she is a little disappointed, she is also very happy to hear her father say that he loves her and her sister very much.
Xia Liang helped her daughter cut the cake. The little one handed the first piece to her maternal grandmother, the second to her maternal grandfather, and then to her maternal uncle and aunt. Xia Liang gave her an appreciative look; she was a well-behaved child who knew the proper order of seniority.
After eating the cake, Xia Dahe brought out the bag he had put behind the door when he came in. Everyone watched as he pulled out more than a dozen boxwood carvings, each with a vivid and lifelike expression. Xia Dahe played with the carvings and gave one to his granddaughter: "Grandpa doesn't know anything else, just a little bit of simple carpentry. Don't mind." Gu Yunxi was delighted with the carvings her grandfather had given her: "Grandpa, you're so amazing! They're so lifelike, how could I possibly dislike them?" Xia Dahe was overjoyed to receive such praise for his work and laughed heartily: "If you like them, Grandpa will make you more in the future." Gu Yunxi nodded happily, and the three others rushed forward, surrounding Xia Dahe, saying, "Grandpa, we want some too!" "Grandpa, me too!" Xia Dahe agreed to each one, "I'll make them all, I'll make them all."
Zhao Danxiang made a set of clothes and shoes for Gu Yunxi herself, including a pair with a thousand-layer sole. The shoes were embroidered very beautifully. The little girl tried on the shoes, and they fit her perfectly. She also tried on the clothes and twirled around in front of her mother, asking, "Mommy, is it pretty?" Xia Liang laughed, "You vain little girl." Gu Yunxi stuck out her tongue.
Zhou Xiaohui made a gold bracelet for the child. The craftsman was skilled and the workmanship was exquisite. Gu Yunxi accepted the gold bracelet from her aunt with both hands and affectionately hugged Zhou Xiaohui's arm to thank her. Xia Rong gave his niece a doll that he had bought when he went to Guangzhou with Ji Xiao. It was said to be from Hong Kong. None of the children had ever seen such a beautiful doll. Xia Yuxuan, being a boy, was not interested in it, but Xia Xinran and Gu Yuanzhi were extremely envious. They went up to touch the Barbie doll's smiling face and then touched its hair.
The two sisters, having had their fill of admiring the doll in Gu Yunxi's arms, went up to Xia Rong and pestered him, "Uncle, you must remember to buy me one next time! I want a pretty doll too." Xia Xinran added, "Daddy, me too!" The two girls each clung to one of Xia Rong's arms, acting coquettishly. Xia Rong glanced at Gu Yanxiao smugly, a glance that nearly made Gu Yanxiao furious: It's just a doll! What's so great about it? But Xia Liang, standing beside him, felt like she was about to be drowned in his sullen resentment. Xia Liang covered her mouth and chuckled.
Gu Yanxiao coughed twice and said, "Dabao, do you want to see the gift Daddy prepared for you?" Gu Yunxi immediately let go of her uncle's arm and walked towards her father. Xia Rong "..." Whoever feeds you is your mother?
Gu Yanxiao pulled out a gift, accompanied by a "clatter, clatter, clatter," and pulled out a tank made from a bullet casing. His expression, as if to say, "Isn't it amazing?" successfully made Xia Liang burst out laughing. Seeing his daughter standing there dumbfounded, Gu Yanxiao asked somewhat doubtfully, "Dabao, don't you like it?" Gu Yunxi really wanted to say yes, but remembering her mother's words about not letting others down, especially her father, she exaggeratedly exclaimed, "Wow! This is so beautiful! I love it so much! Thank you, Dad!" Gu Yanxiao was speechless. Could it get any more fake, baby? Xia Liang was almost laughing herself to death, unable to hold it in, but when her husband gave her that resentful look, a chill ran down her spine.
Xia Liang took out the camera she had bought for her daughter and beckoned to her, "Dabao, come here, look at the gift Mom prepared for you." The little one was extremely excited to see the camera, holding it in her hands and asking her mother to teach her how to use it. Xia Liang helped her daughter load the film and taught her to take two photos of her grandparents. The little one learned how to use it and then took photos of the whole family herself. Zhao Danxiang smiled and said, "This camera must be very expensive, right?" Xia Liang nodded. This camera cost almost ten thousand yuan. In an era when workers only earned a few dozen yuan a month, spending so much money on a camera for a child was indeed spoiling the child.
But Xia Liang wanted her daughter to capture every happy moment, to photograph things she liked and found beautiful, to record their wonderful life. She felt the money was well spent. Besides, wasn't the purpose of earning money to provide them with a better life? Otherwise, what was the point of earning so much money?
Xia Liang suggested taking a family photo and asked Chen Yanling to help take the picture. Xia Liang called Chen Yanling and then returned to the group. Xia Dahe and Zhao Danxiang sat in chairs at the front. Behind Xia Dahe stood Xia Rong's family of four, and behind Zhao Danxiang stood Xia Liang and his wife. Gu Yunxi stood in front of her mother, with Xia Liang holding her, and Gu Yuanzhi sat in her father's arms.
With a "click," the smiles of the whole family were frozen on that thin roll of film.
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