Today is Xiaohan, and the weather is getting colder.
Xiǎohán (小寒) is one of the 24 solar terms in the traditional Chinese calendar, marking the beginning of the coldest part of winter. It falls around mid-January in the Gregorian calendar. This term signifies the time when the weather turns even colder as winter progresses.
In the early morning, when Chu Xia woke up, she found that it was snowing outside again, and the snow was getting heavier.
She walked out of the house and cleared the snow in front of her own door in the corridor. Fortunately, the coal stove was placed against the wall, so the snow didn't drift that far. The coal balls inside were still burning, and the water in the aluminum kettle on top was hot.
The briquettes burned in the stove were bought together with Sister Li's family when winter came, enough for the whole winter.
In order to prevent the briquettes from being stolen, the briquettes in Chu Xia's house were piled under the window in the house. There were only two people living in her house, her and An'an. There was still space in the outer room, so the briquettes could be placed inside.
Some families have more people and more things in the house, so if the briquettes can't fit, they are placed in the corridor and covered with straw mats. A mark is made for each briquette used, also to prevent theft.
After all, briquettes are expensive, and some people are not willing to buy enough for the whole winter, so they will secretly take them from other people's houses.
Last time the roasted sweet potatoes were stolen, it proved that although it was a residential building for workers' families, theft still existed.
Chu Xia knew that it was not easy to find the person who stole the roasted sweet potatoes, so she stopped thinking about it.
But Cen Huai'an always kept it in mind and especially wanted to find out who stole their family's roasted sweet potatoes.
He didn't tell Chu Xia about this idea and planned to find out on his own.
This was a thought that belonged only to children, wanting to do something big on their own and make their mother praise them.
Cen Huai'an's method of finding the thief was very simple, which was to tempt them again with roasted sweet potatoes. Roasted sweet potatoes were so delicious and fragrant that anyone who had eaten them once would want to eat them again.
He did this while Chu Xia was still working in the factory.
Cen Huai'an's primary school finished earlier than Chu Xia's in the afternoon. It was just because he often sold things with Brother Bang and the others that he would come back later than Chu Xia.
On the day of Xiaohan, the weather was bad, and it was snowing all day. The snow was sometimes heavy and sometimes light, making a "crunching" sound when walking on the road.
Brother Bang and the others were not selling anything because it was too cold. After school, everyone hurried home, but mischievous children might play in the snow while walking.
As soon as Chen Huai'an finished school, he put on the raincoat that Chu Xia bought for him and was the first one to run out of the classroom.
When he returned home, the adults in the residential building were still not back from work, but the schoolchildren were gradually coming back.
Chen Huai'an opened the lid under the coal stove and carefully placed the sweet potatoes on it before the fire rose.
Then he went into the house, pressed his body against the wall, avoiding the briquettes, and quietly looked out from the window.
Time passed slowly, and the sweet aroma of roasted sweet potatoes gradually filled the entire corridor. Chen Huai'an even saw the juice from the sweet potatoes flowing out, making him unable to help but swallow his saliva.
However, the sweet potatoes were cooked for a while, and no one came to take them. Chen Huai'an frowned, thinking that he couldn't catch anyone today, and was about to go out and take the sweet potatoes to eat by himself.
The neighbor Qi Ming and Grandma Chen's grandson, Chen Xiaowei, came up from the stairs. When they saw the sweet potatoes roasted by Chen Huai'an, their eyes lit up.
Chen Xiaowei pointed at the sweet potatoes several times, covered his mouth, and pulled Qi Ming excitedly.
Chen Huai'an saw Qi Ming licking his lips and looked around, not seeing anyone. He pulled Chen Xiaowei and ran over on tiptoes, reaching out to take the roasted sweet potatoes even with gloves on.
Just at this moment, Chen Huai'an quickly opened the door and ran out, grabbing Qi Ming with one hand and Chen Xiaowei with the other, exerting a lot of force and staring at the two of them fiercely.
"Two thieves! I caught you! Did you steal the roasted sweet potatoes last time?"
Chen Xiaowei: "Wow! I was wrong; let go of me!"
Qi Ming: "No!"
The two struggled hard, but Cen Huai'an was very strong. He had been fighting with people since he was young. Qi Ming was about the same age as him, while Chen Xiaowei was younger. Both of them couldn't match him.
The three of them were deadlocked like this, waiting for the adults to come back.
Chu Xia carried her bag and walked up to the second floor, only to see her son pulling Qi Ming and Chen Xiaowei fiercely. Confusion appeared in her eyes. What's going on?
"An'an, what are you guys doing?"
Cen Huai'an angrily said, "Mom, they stole our roasted sweet potatoes!"
At this moment, Grandma Chen happened to come up from downstairs, preparing to go home and cook, still in a good mood, humming opera.
Seeing her most beloved grandson being pulled by Cen Huai'an and Chen Xiaowei sobbing, she immediately ran over with her small feet, reached out, pulled her grandson out of Cen Huai'an's hands, and even pushed him.
"What are you doing? Why are you pulling my grandson! Xiaowei, are you okay? Don't be afraid; Grandma will hug you."
Chen Xiaowei hugged Grandma Chen's neck, burying his face in her and crying, "Grandma..."
Chu Xia supported Cen Huai'an, who was almost pushed down by Grandma Chen and also felt angry. Her face turned serious, and she said, "Grandma Chen! It was your grandson who stole An'an's roasted sweet potatoes. An'an just held him back and didn't let him run. As an adult, you didn't even bother to ask about the situation and pushed the child. Are you reasonable or not?"
"What reason? What reason? It's just eating a roasted sweet potato. What's the big deal? You guys are so petty!"
Knowing that Grandma Chen was unreasonable, Chu Xia was also speechless because of her shamelessness. "Yes, we are petty. If you have the ability, don't let your grandson steal our sweet potatoes! He's so young and already not studying well. It's all because you adults spoil him."
Grandma Chen couldn't stand it when others said her grandson was not good. She stood with her hands on her hips and was about to argue with Chu Xia, "How dare you speak like this? Kids..."
At this moment, it was time to get off work. Other family members also came over and roughly understood the situation. They quickly held Grandma Chen back and said, "Auntie, it was originally your grandson's fault. Don't argue anymore. Even if you argue, you won't be in the right."
"Chu Xia, you should also say less. We are all neighbors. It's normal for children to have conflicts. Don't ruin the harmony because of this."
Chu Xia said, "I didn't intend to get into a fight. It was really just a small matter, and I didn't plan on investigating it further. Who knew she would come over and scold An'an, almost pushing him down. Everyone, can you blame me for getting angry?"
Many people on the side started talking about Grandma Chen, "Children quarrel; what business does an adult like you have interfering? Do you still want to have face?"
"That's right, and it's already wrong to steal someone else's roasted sweet potato. If you don't admit your mistake, that's one thing, but you even pushed someone. Your son and daughter-in-law will definitely scold you later."
"Aunt, who in this residential building is as unreasonable as you? Be careful; no one will play with your grandson in the future."
Just as they were speaking, Qi Ming's mother, Guan Yan, came over with a tall man by her side, carrying a bulging suitcase.
"Qi Ming, what are you doing here?" Guan Yan frowned and asked, looking around at the neighbors, a bad feeling rising in her heart.
"Mom, Dad." If Qi Ming saw his father at a different time, he would be happy, jumping and running over to hug him immediately.
But at this moment, his face turned pale, fear in his eyes, and he tried to hide behind.
"I... I..."
His voice was too soft; no one heard it, but other enthusiastic neighbors explained the situation to Guan Yan and Qi Ming's father.
As they spoke, they also curiously looked at Qi Ming's father. Previously, only Guan Yan and the children lived here, and today was the first time they saw Qi Ming's father, so naturally, the neighbors were curious about him.
Father Qi was very friendly, first smiling and greeting each neighbor, thanking them for taking care of his wife and children.
Then he opened the suitcase and distributed the snacks inside to everyone.
"These are specialties brought back from Guangzhou. Everyone, please try them."
The neighbors liked his attitude and accepted the snacks with bright smiles, saying "You're too kind" and "Thank you so much."
When it came to Chu Xia, instead of giving her one, he directly gave her a whole bag of snacks. "My son is not sensible; he loves to eat. Don't mind him; take these snacks home and enjoy them with your child."
Chu Xia didn't take that bag of snacks. Like everyone else, she only took one and said, "It's okay, it's normal for kids to be greedy. An'an, give Qi Ming one of the roasted sweet potatoes."
Cen Huai'an handed a roasted sweet potato to Qi Ming. Both of them were wearing gloves, so they didn't have to worry about getting burned.
Father Qi paused for a moment in his actions, laughed twice, and said, "It's good that little sister understands the big picture."
He didn't give Chu Xia any more snacks, but instead handed a bag to Grandma Chen and said, "We are all neighbors, Auntie. There's no need to argue over children. After eating this snack, let's consider this matter resolved."
Grandma Chen took more snacks than others and immediately smiled, "Oh, you're right. This is much more generous than some people."
Chu Xia pretended not to hear her yin and yang. It was impossible to reason with such people, but as long as you were strong, they couldn't take advantage of you.
She took Cen Huai'an into the house, and the dispute that almost arose because of the children was silently resolved due to Father Qi's sudden intervention.
"Mom, why didn't Grandma Chen apologize?"
Cen Huai'an didn't understand. Even after entering the house, he was still thinking about it. It was clearly Chen Xiaowei's fault, so how could Grandma Chen be like that?
Chu Xia patted his head and said, "Because the world is full of wonders. Among so many people, not everyone has the quality to reason. There are always some people who like to take advantage, prioritize their own family over fairness, and throw tantrums even when they're in the wrong. Don't pay too much attention to her. By spoiling her grandson like this, she's actually harming him."
Cen Huai'an still didn't understand. "But when I asked Grandma Chen before, she would help."
Chu Xia hung up the bag, changed into the cotton shoes she wore at home, and said naturally, "People are complicated. When there is no harm to their interests, they are good to you and everyone else. But when it comes to interests, it's normal to argue and fight. For Grandma Chen, her grandson is her reserve scale. She will scold anyone who touches him."
Cen Huai'an nodded, not fully understanding. He felt that the adult world was so complicated, and he still preferred playing Go.
***
Next door.
When Guan Yan and Father Qi entered the house with Qi Ming, the smile on Father Qi's face instantly disappeared. There was no trace of the previous kindness and friendliness. He looked at Qi Ming with a serious expression.
"Kneel down for me." The voice was not loud, but the tone was devoid of any warmth.
Qi Ming didn't even dare to cry. His body trembled, and his legs went weak as he kneeled on the ground.
"Xiangdong, Mingming is still young..."
Guan Yan looked at Qi Ming, then at Qi Xiangdong, furrowing her brows as she softly advised.
Qi Xiangdong's appearance was too frightening. It would be better to just get angry and beat the child.
Qi Xiangdong lit a cigarette, took a puff, and looked at Guan Yan. "Is this how you take care of the child when I'm not home?"
Children can fight and have bad temperaments. Qi Xiangdong wouldn't say anything and would even praise him, saying he's truly his son.
Stealing a roasted sweet potato was nothing. But getting caught and then kneeling down without getting angry, Qi Xiangdong only felt annoyed and angrier.
When Guan Yan heard his words, she became angry. "How did I teach our son? Qi Xiangdong, do you have a conscience? Who took care of our son before? It was your mother. If it wasn't for me bringing him out, Mingming's temperament would be even worse!"
As she spoke, Guan Yan started crying. "You're good, leaving behind a whole family and only coming back after half a year. You don't care about anything at home. Who do you think you are to say that to me?"
Qi Xiangdong furrowed his brows even more. "That's not what I meant. Stop crying!"
He looked at Guan Yan crying, not feeling any heartache, but only feeling more annoyed. He came home to relax, not to listen to his wife and child complain.
"I'm hungry, go cook first. I'll teach Qi Ming."
Seeing that Guan Yan hadn't stopped crying, Qi Xiangdong added, "If you keep crying, the neighbors will hear." Then he grabbed Qi Ming's collar and went into the house.
Guan Yan wiped away her tears, feeling unhappy in her heart. But she relied on Qi Xiangdong. Despite him not coming home for half a year, he would send a large sum of money to the family every month, and the amount on the remittance slip would make her heart skip a beat.
It's not that she wasn't worried about what business Qi Xiangdong was involved in or whether he would turn bad. It's just that Qi Xiangdong didn't like to talk about these things with her, so she could only take care of the money and look after the child at home.
While cooking, Guan Yan glanced at the person sitting inside the door, holding a book in one hand, and occasionally looking at the pot. Suddenly, she felt a sense of envy.
Chu Xia's husband was also not at home, but she wasn't worried at all. Guan Yan had seen what Cen Zhengnian was like when he was at home—how he doted on his wife and son. She had never seen such behavior from any other man in her life.
Qi Xiangdong also hadn't been home for a long time. His recent attitude made Guan Yan feel uncomfortable. He didn't care about her at all, and he didn't even feel guilty for not coming home for so long.
Guan Yan thought again, Qi Xiangdong hadn't been away for several years like Cen Zhengnian. Compared to him, Chu Xia was the one who deserved pity. Suddenly, her mood improved.
Chu Xia didn't know that Guan Yan's thoughts were so complicated. She was just thinking about when the food would be ready because she was hungry.
The next day, the snow fell even heavier. Chu Xia was worried about Cen Huai'an going to school alone, so she accompanied him to the school.
On the way, they ran into Brother Bang and the others. Chu Xia noticed that they didn't even have an umbrella and were running in the heavy snow. She asked them to squeeze under her umbrella.
"It's cold when it snows. Brother Bang, you guys should bring an umbrella next time to block some wind. A raincoat would work too."
Brother Bang and the others cheekily squeezed under Chu Xia's umbrella and said in unison, "Got it, Auntie!"
Chu Xia arrived at the factory and was already shivering from the cold. She stomped her feet in the corridor, shaking off the snow on her body, and quickly entered the office.
As soon as she entered the room, she felt a warm atmosphere enveloping her.
Not the heating, but the room is relatively warm. Although Liangzhou City is cold in winter, it is not as cold as the northeast. At most, it is minus five degrees. There is no heating at the moment. It is still not developed enough. The heating system is far from being as complete as in the future.
However, everyone will always have their own ways to keep warm. The big brother in the office who loves reading and the one who operates the boiler have a good relationship, so they can get some pieces of coal.
She doesn't know who brought a coal stove and placed it in the office for heating.
However, this method of heating is dangerous. It needs to be ventilated from time to time; otherwise, it can cause poisoning. Moreover, the briquettes are easily extinguished, so whoever arrives early will find some waste paper to burn them again.
Having something to keep warm is good, and no one minds the trouble.
Chu Xia came and warmed her hands on the coal stove and covered her face, saying, "It's getting colder these days."
"Yes," the older sister in the office responded. "It will get even colder later. I don't even want to go out now."
Chu Xia deeply agreed. She is especially afraid of the cold now. Her body is already weak, and getting up every day is a very challenging task for her.
Moreover, the factory only gives three days off for the Lunar New Year, not like the seven days off in the future. Just thinking about it makes Chu Xia feel even more uncomfortable.
She also thought about Cen Zhengnian in the northwest. It is colder there than here. She wonders how he is enduring it?
Cen Zhengnian is sick at the moment.
Ganzhou is indeed cold, and the snow is very deep. Everyone in the base dares not go out. The howling wind outside makes people feel scared.
Cen Zhengnian was too tired from work, and he stayed up late all the time. He accidentally caught a cold and fell ill.
Even with a fever, he didn't want to rest. He dragged his sick body to the laboratory to calculate data and ended up fainting.
If it weren't for his many colleagues working together in the laboratory, no one would have known that he fainted.
The base only has basic medical facilities, and there is a doctor, but there is a shortage of medicine. Moreover, Cen Zhengnian's illness is severe, and the high fever won't go away.
The leaders were scared and quickly arranged for someone to drive him to the military hospital.
Jiang Shengnan received the news that her son was sick and was scared pale. She immediately put down her work and rushed to the hospital.
Father Cen was busier, so he couldn't come temporarily. He called Jiang Shengnan and asked her to take care of their son. He would go to the hospital after finishing his work.
"Doctor, how is Cen Zhengnian's condition?"
"Pneumonia. As family members, you should take good care of him. Health is not a joke. Working while having a fever is playing with your life!"
At first, Cen Zhengnian's symptoms were not that severe. But because he didn't pay attention and often forgot to take his medicine, coupled with continued work exhaustion, it developed into pneumonia.
After understanding the situation, the doctor was very angry at the patient's disregard for his health. This is not treating life as a joke.
Jiang Shengnan became even more worried. Looking at Cen Zhengnian lying in the hospital room, she nodded repeatedly and said, "Okay, doctor. I will definitely take care of him and prevent his condition from worsening."
When Cen Zhengnian woke up, he looked up and saw his mother sitting by his bedside with a worried expression on her face.
"Mom."
As soon as he spoke, he realized that his voice was hoarse and weak, and he didn't have the strength to say more.
Jiang Shengnan instantly stood up and sighed, "Son, you finally woke up. Do you know that you almost scared your father and me to death? Why didn't you just rest and take your medicine when you were sick? You had to go to work. Now it has become so serious, and you have to be hospitalized. Isn't this delaying your work even more?"
After the worry passed, anger arose in Jiang Shengnan's heart. She was angry at her son for not valuing his health and causing himself to end up in this state.
The doctor said that if his condition worsened, he could potentially have a fever-induced convulsion or even sudden death from myocarditis.
Jiang Shengnan was so scared that she wanted to beat her disobedient son like she did when he was a child.
"Mom, I didn't expect this either." Cen Zhengnian forced a smile and sighed. He thought it was just a common cold, so he didn't take it seriously. Who would have known that the illness would become so severe?
Cen Zhengnian's original physical condition was not bad. He grew up in the military, and his father often took him and his brother for morning runs when they were young.
Even when he grew up, his father would occasionally have them train with soldiers. But after he graduated from university and entered the base, he no longer had time for those running training sessions. He was so busy that he didn't even have enough time to sleep, let alone do those things.
In addition to staying up late and having irregular meals, his body is now very weak, and he has also developed stomach problems. As soon as he catches a cold, the illness immediately worsens, even becoming more severe.
Previously, all the illnesses that had accumulated in his body have now surfaced.
Cen Zhengnian does feel a bit regretful in his heart, as he is afraid of delaying his work. However, at this moment, even if he doesn't mention it to his superiors, his mother would not agree to his return to the base.
Jiang Shengnan angrily nodded towards his head and said, "Tell me, what should I praise you for!"
As she spoke, she sighed and said, "If Chu Xia and An'an found out about this, they'd be extremely worried. If something really happened to you, they would be left as orphans with a widowed mother. Have you thought about how to handle that?"
At this moment, Cen Zhengnian truly feels a sense of fear in his heart, and a look of despair appears on his face: "I didn't think it through."
"When you were at the base, you only thought about your work and didn't think about anything else!" Jiang Shengnan tucks him in and stands up, saying in a displeased tone, "Are you hungry? What do you want to eat?"
Cen Zhengnian currently has no appetite at all, and he even feels a bit nauseous, unable to eat anything.
But he needs to nourish his body and get proper nutrition, so he can't eat anything. Jiang Shengnan goes to the hospital cafeteria to see if there is anything he can eat.
In the end, she brings over a bowl of clear noodle soup with a fried egg on top.
"When you were a child, you loved to eat this when you were sick. Luckily, they have it here, and I even specially asked for an extra egg. Have some."
Cen Zhengnian is helped to sit up, feeling completely weak with a headache. However, he also knows that he can't go without eating.
But as soon as he takes the first bite, he wants to vomit. He has no desire to eat at all. He endures the churning in his stomach and forces himself to swallow bit by bit.
In the end, he only eats a little. He really can't eat anymore; otherwise, he will definitely vomit.
Jiang Shengnan furrows her brows again: "Wait here, I'll have the doctor take a look at you. How can you not eat?"
The doctor also has no solution. After examining Cen Zhengnian's body, he says, "These are normal symptoms. Appetite loss and nausea and vomiting can occur with pneumonia. You can't force him to eat if he can't. You can let him eat smaller meals more frequently. He needs to nourish his body, so he should eat more fish, meat, eggs, vegetables, and easily digestible foods."
Jiang Shengnan listened attentively, nodding occasionally. "Okay, thank you, doctor."
Jiang Shengnan was also busy with work, but her son was lying in the hospital, so she postponed her work and took leave to take care of Cen Zhengnian.
Father Cen didn't have time to come to the hospital until the next day.
When he arrived, Cen Zhengnian was drinking the chicken soup that Jiang Shengnan had stewed. The oil in the soup was all skimmed off, and there were a few pieces of meat in it. It was very light, and Cen Zhengnian could drink it.
"How is your health?" Unlike Jiang Shengnan, Father Cen didn't say much between him and his son. They were usually silent when they were together.
"Dad."
Just as he called out, Cen Zhengnian started coughing. He quickly handed the bowl to Jiang Shengnan and leaned on the bed, coughing. His throat was itchy.
Jiang Shengnan had seen Cen Zhengnian's symptoms like this many times before, so she immediately handed him the warm water on the table. Cen Zhengnian drank it in small sips to relieve the itchiness in his throat.
After finishing a glass of water, the cough slowly subsided.
Father Cen looked worried. "Your illness has become more serious. Have you been coughing like this all the time?"
Cen Zhengnian hadn't spoken yet, but Jiang Shengnan immediately handed him the chicken soup, letting him continue drinking.
Jiang Shengnan looked at Father Cen and said, "The doctor said that coughing is normal, and pneumonia takes a few days to get better."
Father Cen patted Cen Zhengnian's shoulder and said, "Take good care of your health and put work aside for now. Have you told Chu Xia?"
Cen Zhengnian replied, "No. There's no need to tell her."
Jiang Shengnan said, "If you tell Chu Xia, she will worry. She can't come here either. I am taking care of our son here, so I didn't tell her. It's not easy for her to take care of An'an alone."
Father Cen thought about it and agreed.
Cen Zhengnian's illness took a whole week to recover in the hospital, with a slight cough remaining, but it was not serious. Taking medicine slowly will help.
When he was discharged from the hospital, the doctor repeatedly reminded him, "You must not overexert yourself. Overexertion can easily lead to a relapse or even continue the illness. Continue to rest when you go back, as your body is still weak."
Jiang Shengnan didn't want Cen Zhengnian to return to the base so soon. She said to him as they walked out of the hospital, "Zhengnian, why don't you stay at home for a few more days before going back to work? The doctor said you can't overexert yourself now, and even when you go to the base, you shouldn't work for too long. It's better to rest more."
She couldn't force Cen Zhengnian to go back home with her, so she could only ask him in a pleading tone.
"Mom, cough cough." A gust of cold wind blew, and Cen Zhengnian coughed twice and said, "I've already delayed a lot of work. I have to go back. I'll come home when I have time."
Jiang Shengnan sighed and was still worried. "You can go back to the base, but you must not work late at night or tire yourself out. You have to listen to the doctor's advice. Think about me, your dad, Chu Xia, and An'an. Take care of your health."
Cen Zhengnian nodded. "Okay, I remember."
Just as Cen Zhengnian was about to leave, Jiang Shengnan suddenly remembered something and hurriedly called him, "Zhengnian, it's almost Chinese New Year. Have you asked Chu Xia if she's still celebrating it in Liangzhou this year?"
Cen Zhengnian was taken aback for a moment, understanding Jiang Shengnan's meaning, and shook his head. "I didn't ask. I... don't know what she's thinking."
Jiang Shengnan said, "Then call and ask?"
Faced with his mother's hopeful eyes, Cen Zhengnian opened his mouth but didn't say the words of refusal. He just made a sound of agreement, "Hmm."
The weather in Ganzhou was really cold. As Cen Zhengnian sat in the car on his way back to the base, the snow on the road had frozen into ice, and the car drove cautiously.
He looked at the endless brown outside the window and thought of Jiang Shengnan's words, falling into contemplation.
Would Chu Xia want to come to Ganzhou for Chinese New Year?
Ganzhou was so far away from Liangzhou, and she was still taking care of An'an. The factory might not give her a vacation, so she probably wouldn't want to come.
But Cen Zhengnian remembered the scene of him spending time with Chu Xia and An'an when he returned home. A smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he touched the family photo in his jacket pocket.
He missed Chu Xia and An'an, and he couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope in his heart.
Cen Zhengnian arrived at the base, and the leader was a little surprised to see him: "Zhengnian, you must take care of your health. Your position in the project is very important. I called the doctor, and when you come back, you need to rest for a while. Don't rush to work; focus on recovering your health."
Cen Zhengnian replied, "Okay."
He returned to his office and checked the time. It was already noon. Chu Xia should be at home, so he dialed the phone number of the family complex's corner store.
While waiting for the call, Cen Zhengnian couldn't help but feel anxious, constantly thinking about how to bring up the topic of the Chinese New Year with Chu Xia.
The phone on the desk rang, and Cen Zhengnian's heart skipped a beat. He licked his lips and picked up the phone, saying, "Chu Xia?"
"It's me." Chu Xia's voice came from the other end of the phone with a smile. "Why are you calling home at this time?"
Cen Zhengnian's mouth felt dry. "I... just wanted to ask if you and An'an are doing well at home. It's been a long time since I received a letter from home."
Chu Xia's voice sounded puzzled. "That's not right. Didn't I just send the letters from home to you a few days ago? How could it have been a long time? Did the post office lose the letters on the way?"
Cen Zhengnian hadn't been at the base for a week, so he hadn't seen the latest letter sent by Chu Xia. When he was sick at the base, he was in a daze, thinking that he hadn't received any letters for a long time.
"Maybe the letters haven't been delivered yet. I've been busy these days." Cen Zhengnian didn't want to tell Chu Xia about his illness.
Fortunately, Chu Xia didn't pay attention to his lame excuse. She asked if it was cold in Ganzhou and if the clothes she sent fit well.
Cen Zhengnian answered her questions seriously.
"By the way, do you know the sizes of our parents' clothes? I was thinking of sending them two pieces of clothing, as well as one for Grandpa."
Cen Zhengnian blinked, stunned for a moment. He couldn't recall this memory, he didn't know.
Chu Xia: "I originally thought that if you knew, I wouldn't ask my parents, and I would surprise you by sending it over. If you don't know, then I'll ask them."
Cen Zhengnian immediately said, "Let me ask. I'll tell you after asking."
He felt a surge of guilt towards his parents, things that Chu Xia could think of, but he, as their son, hadn't considered.
After talking for a while, Chu Xia wanted to give the phone to Cen Huai'an, "An'an actually misses you a lot, he just doesn't like to say it, talk to him for a while."
"Wait." Cen Zhengnian quickly stopped Chu Xia. He didn't know how to start, and Chu Xia waited for a while without hearing him speak, so she asked in confusion, "Why is it silent?"
"Cough, Chu Xia, are you still in Liangzhou for Chinese New Year this year?" Cen Zhengnian finally asked.
Chu Xia immediately heard the hidden meaning in his tone, she raised her eyebrows and chuckled, "If I'm not in Liangzhou, where else would I be?"
Cen Zhengnian suddenly panicked. "I... I asked the wrong question. Give the phone to An'an."
Chu Xia laughed on the other end of the phone, her sweet laughter tickling Cen Zhengnian's ears.
"Do you want us to spend Chinese New Year in the northwest? I'll consider it."
Then she handed the phone to Cen Huai'an. In Cen Zhengnian's heart, because of her words, he became nervous and excited in an instant.
"Dad?"
Cen Huai'an's young voice came through the phone, and Cen Zhengnian immediately snapped back to reality, "An'an, it's me." There was a smile in his voice.
Chu Xia waited on the side, casually looking at the things sold in the corner store, not bothering to listen to what Cen Huai'an and Cen Zhengnian were talking about.
Coincidentally, they were running out of soy sauce and vinegar at home, and she saw them in the corner store, so she turned around to go home and get a bottle.
After Chu Xia bought the soy sauce and vinegar, Cen Huai'an still hadn't finished talking to Cen Zhengnian. He was talking about the current situation of learning Go.
After Cen Huai'an finished speaking, the owner of the corner store was especially happy because Chu Xia and the two of them used a lot of telephone charges.
Leaving the corner store, Chu Xia gave a bottle of soy sauce to Cen Huai'an and asked him to hold it as they walked home together.
"An'an, do you want to go to Dad for Chinese New Year?"
Cen Huai'an was carefully looking at the road beneath his feet because it had been snowing for the past few days and the road was a bit slippery.
Upon hearing this, he immediately looked up at Chu Xia, his face filled with excitement. "Can we go?"
Chu Xia smiled and patted his head with gloved hands. "If you want to go, we can go."
Cen Huai'an thought for a while, unable to resist the longing in his heart. He nodded and said firmly, "Mom, I want to go!"
"Then let's go."
After Chu Xia finished speaking, she started thinking about how to go to Liangzhou.
Cen Huai'an didn't have to worry because the school would be on winter break. The day after tomorrow was his final exam, and once it was over, he would be on break.
Chu Xia's school, No. 9 High School, would also have their final exams next week, and they would be on winter break after that.
The only worry was what to do about her job at the factory. She didn't know if the factory would agree to give her a half-month vacation.
But she had to try, and if they didn't agree, she would think of another solution.
The next day, before Chu Xia had a chance to ask for leave, she heard good news from Huang Tingyue in the office. She and her boyfriend had become engaged. Nowadays, dating and getting engaged are similar. If the relationship was suitable, they would first have a small engagement, then a big engagement, and finally get married.
A big engagement needed to be announced to friends and relatives, and they would have to invite relatives to their home for a meal as witnesses. Once the big engagement was over, it meant they were really getting married, and if they called it off, it would be embarrassing for both families.
Huang Tingyue had a shy smile on her face as she handed out candy to the people in the office.
When she reached Chu Xia's desk, she snorted and also put a piece of candy down. "I'm not a stingy person; have some candy."
Chu Xia didn't touch the candy or give it back. After all, it was someone else's happy occasion, and she didn't want to ruin it.
One of the older sisters asked Huang Tingyue, "Have you set a wedding date? When are you getting married?"
Huang Tingyue blushed and said, "Not yet."
The eldest sister immediately smiled and said, "It will be soon after the engagement. I estimate that the man will soon ask the matchmaker to inquire about the wedding date. We are looking forward to eating your wedding candy!"
The blush on Huang Tingyue's face deepened.
Chu Xia waited for a while, looked at the time, and went to the department head's office to ask for leave.
After hearing the time she wanted to take leave, the department head looked hesitant and said, "There are many people taking leave for the Chinese New Year. You are a bit late in making the request, so it's not easy for me to approve your leave."
He knew that Chu Xia had some background, but he was not sure about the specifics. However, he didn't want to offend Chu Xia.
Moreover, Chu Xia usually worked diligently and didn't cause any trouble. She was even more reliable than many workers who didn't have connections. He didn't have any negative feelings towards her.
If Chu Xia had made the request a week earlier, he wouldn't have hesitated. It was just that several people from the publicity department had already asked him for leave, and he had already approved it.
The department couldn't be left without anyone during the Chinese New Year. If he approved Chu Xia's leave, there wouldn't be many people left in the propaganda department, and it wouldn't look good for the factory.
Chu Xia looked sad and said, "But department head, I haven't seen my husband for several months, and my son misses his father. Moreover, my parents-in-law are in the northwest, and I really need to go there for the Chinese New Year."