As expected, the little ones loved the cookies Xia Liang made today. Gu Yuanzhi, in particular, had lofty ambitions: "Mommy, can you open a cookie shop? That way, all the kids outside can taste Mommy's cooking!" Xia Liang smiled and shook her head: "No, sweetheart. Making these cookies requires something called butter, which is very expensive and difficult to make. Plus, it's very pricey. Many families can only afford to eat enough; they can't afford to buy cookies." The little one was disappointed by her mother's words and said with a hint of dejection, "Okay then, Mommy." Xia Liang patted her head and said nothing more.
Seeing his daughter was a little unhappy, Gu Yanxiao changed the subject, saying, "Do you want to go back to your hometown for Chinese New Year this year?" Both little ones grew up in the provincial capital and had a special connection to that place. When they first came to Beijing with their mother, they would often talk about going back. Now, hearing their father say this, the two children thought of their grandparents back home and said, "Grandpa and Grandma called to say they would come to our house for Chinese New Year, but we have to wait until they have their holidays, so we'll be spending it at home this year." Gu Yanxiao already knew this, but he deliberately brought it up to change the subject. Seeing that his younger daughter had returned to her usual self, he suggested, "Then do you want to go shopping for New Year's goods with Dad? We need to prepare for the New Year; all the shops will be closed during the holiday, and you won't be able to buy anything then." The two little ones nodded vigorously, "Dad, we want to go!" After all, adults and children alike are equally enthusiastic about shopping.
The next day, Gu Yanxiao rode a tricycle with four children in the back basket, and Xia Liang followed behind on a bicycle. They went around shopping, buying whatever they saw. The little ones held candied hawthorns in their hands, their eyes darting around. When they saw something they wanted, they would call out "Dad" and "Mom". Today they also bought a few chickens and a sheep. Since it was the end of the year and supplies were plentiful, they also bought some beef. Xia Liang thought the fish looked good, so she bought a few more. In short, it was a very fruitful day.
With all the New Year's goods prepared, we're just waiting for the holiday. Even though there are still more than ten days until the New Year, the festive atmosphere is already very strong.
Xia Liang was whipping cream. Today was her eldest daughter's birthday. She had baked a cake base and was now whipping the cream to spread on it later. Gu Yanxiao was cooking with Aunt Liu. He couldn't go home all year round, so he wanted to make something nice for his daughter on her birthday. He hoped that his daughter would miss him when he returned to the army.
The couple, one cooking and the other baking a cake, brought their dishes to the table at dinner time. Looking at their eldest daughter, whom his wife had dressed up so beautifully, he said, "Dabao, try Daddy's cooking!" Gu Yunxi nodded shyly. There were many family members present today—her grandparents, uncles, and aunts—and the whole family was watching her, making the little girl a little shy. Xia Liang placed a piece of braised pork her husband had made on her daughter's plate, saying, "Dabao, try this. Your daddy's braised pork is pretty good." Gu Yunxi nodded and put the pork in her mouth. It was fatty but not greasy, melting in her mouth. Seeing her father looking at her expectantly, longing for praise, the little girl playfully asked, "The taste...?" She paused, as if savoring the flavor, but it didn't seem so delicious. Xia Liang, who spent every day with her daughter, knew that although she seemed mature, she was still just a ten-year-old child. Knowing that she was teasing her father, she smiled and looked at her daughter without saying anything. Gu Yanxiao, however, was different. He nervously watched his daughter, thinking his cooking skills had deteriorated from not cooking in a while. Just as he was about to take a bite, his daughter exclaimed, "It's so delicious! Daddy, is it because you're such a good cook that Mommy married you?" Xia Liang, who had been watching the spectacle, choked on her own saliva. This brat! The couple exchanged a glance and awkwardly looked away. Uh! Could it be called lust at first sight?
After dinner, Aunt Liu cleaned the table, and Xia Liang went to the kitchen to bring out the birthday cake. The cake had candles that Gu Yanxiao had bought. The seller hadn't initially wanted to sell it to him, since he hadn't even bought the cake from them, so of course they weren't happy to sell him candles. But seeing him in his military uniform, they sold it to him out of respect for the uniform. The younger daughter, Gu Yuanzhi, exclaimed excitedly upon seeing the cake, "Wow! A birthday cake!" Xia Liang had bought cakes for the two sisters before for their birthdays, but this was the first time she had made one herself. She had been worried that it wouldn't look very good, but seeing her younger daughter's enthusiasm, she finally felt relieved. The four children sat around the cake and sang "Happy Birthday" to Gu Yunxi. Gu Yunxi's face flushed with excitement, and she couldn't hold back her smile.
After blowing out the candles, Xia Yuxuan teased, "Cousin, what did you wish for?" Little Gu Yunxi beckoned mysteriously to her cousin, and Xia Yuxuan, understanding, moved closer. Gu Yunxi covered her mouth and whispered in her cousin's ear. The adults watched with amusement; so young, yet already having secrets. But Xia Yuxuan, with her big mouth, blurted out, "What? Cousin, you want a little brother?" Gu Yunxi tried to cover her cousin's mouth, but it was too late. She angrily turned her back, ignoring him. Xia Liang and Gu Yanxiao, who were watching the drama unfold, were speechless.
Since giving birth to her youngest daughter, Xia Liang felt her health hadn't been as good as before. Her mother-in-law, Han Yulan, had taken her to see an old traditional Chinese medicine doctor, who prescribed some medicine and gave her some advice on things to pay attention to in daily life. After several years of recuperation, her condition had improved considerably. Not only did she not have time to have more children now, but even if she did, she wouldn't want to, let alone given the national family planning policy.
Zhao Danxiang had long wanted to persuade Xia Liang to have another child, a son. Although she loved her two granddaughters, she always felt her daughter was inferior to the Gu family because she hadn't given her son-in-law a son. She worried that over time, her in-laws would become dissatisfied with her daughter. Although the couple had been married for over ten years, both her in-laws treated Xia Liang like their own daughter. Her son-in-law, Gu Yanxiao, was in the military and couldn't interfere, but whenever he returned, he was completely obedient to his daughter. Both the children's father and grandparents doted on them, treating them like precious treasures. But Zhao Danxiang still worried that it was only a matter of time before they would eventually dislike having two daughters, though she didn't know when that "later" would be.
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