"It's called Big King. You two are friends from now on. See, it's even saying hello to you."
Haste makes waste. Chen Lishu smiled and patted Ruirui's little head, then stopped bothering him with the cat and went to tidy up what she and Gu Xingdong were holding.
For dinner, Chen Lishu made shredded potato rolled flatbread and a thick, glutinous millet porridge with a few red dates added.
To Chen Lishu's surprise, Ruirui not only ate by himself but also behaved with remarkable decorum.
After dinner, Chen Lishu boiled a large pot of hot water. After Gu Xingdong bathed Ruirui, he borrowed a hair clipper from Wang Jianshe next door and personally gave Ruirui a short, neat buzz cut.
"I didn't realize you had such a skill. If you set up a stall on the street, you could probably earn quite a bit," Chen Lishu teased with a smile.
Gu Xingdong, busy tidying up, heard her words and snorted through his nose, "Look at your ambition. With my skills, I need to set up a stall? Not everyone gets this level of treatment, right, son?"
Gu Xingdong said this while stroking Ruirui's little head.
Although he didn't quite understand Gu Xingdong's meaning, Ruirui nodded enthusiastically, "Yes."
The first words they heard him say after entering the room made them exchange a glance, unable to suppress smiles.
"This room will be Ruirui's room from now on. Dare to sleep by yourself?"
In the evening, Chen Lishu took Ruirui to the study. Since Chen Liyuan had stayed there before, Chen Lishu had simply changed the sheets and pillowcases.
Ruirui blinked at Chen Lishu without speaking.
Chen Lishu half-squatted, looking into his eyes, and asked, "Are you scared?"
Ruirui instinctively shook his head, then pursed his lips and said softly and a little nervously to Chen Lishu, "I want to sleep with the other children."
Mama Zhang didn't let them sleep with her and forbade talking during bedtime, but all the children slept together.
"How about I let Big King sleep with you?"
'Big King,' who had just finished eating and was strolling around, heard his name called by Chen Lishu, stopped, perked up his ears, and looked over in confusion.
Hearing that 'Big King' would sleep with him, Ruirui's eyes lit up.
Chen Lishu smiled, stroked his head, and got up to get 'Big King's' mat from the living room.
'Big King' was very possessive of its favorite bed. It was one of the only two things it cared about besides its food bowl. Seeing Chen Lishu about to move it, it immediately bristled, hurried forward a couple of steps, and meowed at her.
"Don't worry, I'm just moving your spot," Chen Lishu quickly reassured it.
The last time she moved its mat, the creature had gotten angry and ran away for two days, not returning.
She quickly placed its mat by the bed, and Ruirui obediently took off his shoes and snuggled into the covers.
On this cold day, 'Big King' was unwilling to leave the warm heating. It stretched out its paws and struggled to hold onto the mat, trying to return to the living room.
Gu Xingdong stood at the doorway, seeing its reluctance, and said to Chen Lishu, "Since it doesn't want to stay home, and Old Wu likes it so much, why don't you take it to him tomorrow?"
Sometimes when they were both out, they had to send it to the Wu family. Because Wu Zheng liked it, he would always hold it in his arms and dote on it until he had had his fill before letting it go. Therefore, the Wu family was 'Big King's' nightmare.
Hearing Gu Xingdong's words, Big King's pointed ears twitched, and it soon extended its paws, pretending to casually push the mat closer to the bed.
Gu Xingdong let out a snort at its cowardly behavior and said nothing.
Seeing Ruirui settled, Chen Lishu tucked in the corners of his quilt, then turned off the light and returned to their room with Gu Xingdong.
The next day, Gu Xingdong went to the barracks. After the mother and son finished breakfast, Ruirui played by himself while Chen Lishu was making clothes for him when the door was suddenly knocked.
Chen Lishu went to open the door and found Zhao Guiying, holding a child, with her two sons, Wang Yanchao and Wang Yanhui, beside her.
"Sister-in-law, you're here, please come in and sit down."
Zhao Guiying walked into the room with her child, smiling, "When Captain Gu went to borrow the clipper yesterday, he mentioned it. I thought the child must need many things prepared when he first arrived at your home, so I found some old clothes from my two sons. They'll be a bit big, but you can collect them and make do in a pinch. Please don't mind them."
Zhao Guiying gestured for her elder son to show Chen Lishu the few clothes in her arms.
Chen Lishu quickly took them and opened them. They were indeed a bit large, but Zhao Guiying had carefully mended them. Except for patches on the knees and elbows, the clothes looked very clean.
"How could I mind? If it weren't for you, Sister-in-law, bringing clothes, my child and I might have had to wait a few more days before we could go out."
Ruirui's clothes were dirty and torn, which Chen Lishu had already washed. Fortunately, it wasn't too cold indoors, and Ruirui was only wearing a thermal undershirt and pants, with Chen Lishu's sweater over them, looking rather comical.
"I only cut out the linings for the padded jacket and pants last night. I haven't got the cotton stuffing yet. With these clothes, I can modify them later, and the child will be able to wear them."
"Anyway, I have nothing to do at home, and it's the same wherever I watch the children. Let them play together, and I'll help you. Two people working will be faster."
Chen Lishu did not refuse, "Thank you so much, Sister-in-law."
Children are always the quickest to get along. Before long, Ruirui was playing with the Wang brothers.
At noon, Chen Lishu kneaded dough and fried dough balls for the three children.
With Zhao Guiying's help, Ruirui's padded jacket was finished in the afternoon. The children who had been cooped up all morning were eager to go out and play. Since Ruirui had a new padded jacket, Chen Lishu also wrapped her hat and scarf around him before letting him go out.
"If you start sweating, don't take off your hat, or you'll catch a cold," she reminded him just before he left.
With new playmates, Ruirui quickly integrated into the new environment. That evening, when the family sat down for dinner, he vividly recounted the new game he had learned that day.
"I want to take Ruirui back to the village in a couple of days," Chen Lishu said suddenly one evening after washing up and lying in bed.
The Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee had concluded the previous month, and the spring breeze of reform would soon reach them. Chen Lishu wanted to go back to prepare.
"Besides business matters, it's a good opportunity for my family to meet the child. It will only take ten days to half a month at most, and we'll be back before the New Year."
Hearing that she was leaving, Gu Xingdong paused for a moment, then casually rolled over and pulled her into his arms. He whispered a few words into her ear, making Chen Lishu's face flush. "You certainly don't lose out at all."
Gu Xingdong raised an eyebrow. "I'm the only one left at home. Can't I collect some interest in advance?"
Meeting his fiery gaze, Chen Lishu's throat tightened. "We're husband and wife; there's no need to be so calculative, is there?"
"Even close brothers need to settle accounts clearly."
...
Da Feng Novel