When they arrived at the fruit shop, Zhao's mother shouted at the door: "An'an, An'an, look who's back!"
There are no customers in the store now, and Father Zhao is staring at the chess game and thinking deeply.
An An is playing Lu Ban Lock with Teacher Yuan.
Hearing the sound, An An turned around and saw that it was Zhao Qingsong.
The little guy's eyes lit up, he locked Lu Ban, jumped off the sofa, and ran over: "Dad!"
Zhao Qingsong bent down and picked him up. The child hugged his father's neck and kept calling him daddy happily.
The little guy didn't bother Zhao Qingsong when he was getting along with his wife. Zhao Qingsong still loved his son very much. After not seeing him for nearly a whole year, Zhao Qingsong took his chin and rubbed the little guy's face: "Good son."
"Hahahaha~" The little guy was tickled by his stubble and laughed.
The father's arms were generous and safe. The little guy didn't want to come down at all. He was so sticky. He put his head on Zhao Qingsong's shoulder and saw Er Niu behind him: "Ah, second brother!"
Erniu kept wanting to call An An, but An An never noticed him. He was a little timid and did not dare to show off his temper because he was in a completely unfamiliar environment.
When An An noticed him, he finally realized it, smiled and waved: "An An!"
With a kick of her calf, An An patted Zhao Qingsong on the shoulder: "Dad, Dad, I want to go down."
An'an came down and took Er Niu's hand, chatting to Er Niu, asking him to take him to play with toys.
Zhao Qingsong glanced at the fruits in the store. There were many fresh fruits in season. It seemed that his brother was not bad. Even if he was not here, the things he did were not perfunctory at all.
"Dad, Teacher Yuan." Zhao Qingsong sat down on the chair and greeted them. Father Zhao looked up, hummed and continued to stare down at the chess game.
Teacher Yuan nodded: "Long time no see. I'm coming to the capital this year to celebrate the New Year."
"Yeah, I always let Xiao Rong run away. Anyway, it's more convenient for me to come here alone."
When he walked inside, Erniu called out to his grandpa. The voice of his grandson, whom he had not seen for a long time, finally made Father Zhao recover his thoughts and put the chess piece back in its place: "Hey, my second grandson is here. He has grown taller again."
"Isn't that right?" Mother Zhao went to help weigh the fruits for the newly arrived guests. She glanced here and agreed, "I almost didn't recognize him when I first saw him."
"This is my second grandson, the youngest son of my eldest son," Father Zhao introduced to Teacher Yuan and asked Erniu to call someone.
Erniu followed An An and called Grandpa Yuan.
Yuan Huiwen was so happy that another child called him grandpa. He touched his pocket and took out a five-dollar bill and handed it to Erniu: "This is the first time we've met. Let's buy some sweets with it."
Erniu didn't dare to ask for it and looked at Father Zhao.
Of course Father Zhao told him not to take it, and he and Yuan Huiwen pulled back a few times, but Zhao Qing let go and let Er Niu take it.
This little money is nothing to a university professor.
Father Zhao couldn't solve the chess game, so he immediately gave up and didn't play any further.
Teacher Yuan started chatting with Zhao Qingsong, asking what Zhao Qingsong did in the countryside, and expressing his opinions from time to time.
He then asked Zhao Qingsong: "Will you stay in the capital after the New Year?"
"Probably not. I still need to go back and take care of the trees at home. This year is a critical year. The tree that has been cultivated for so long will bear its first fruit this year. You can't be careless."
"It's a pity that you and your wife are separated."
Zhao Qingsong recalled what he had said to Li Rong before, with a look of helplessness: "There is no way, the plan can't keep up with the changes. When Xiao Rong brought An An to the capital for school, he also said that she would return to the village after finishing college, or I would come to the capital."
He smiled again: "Now we are both busy with our own affairs. The only shortcoming is that we are separated in two places, but this is definitely temporary."
Yuan Huiwen did not continue the topic and asked him whether he would come to the capital this year.
"My friend who used to be a partner in the fruit business is here. Come and get together and talk about the sales of my pear trees this year."
"If I remember correctly, your hometown is in Province H, right?" Seeing Zhao Qingsong nod, Yuan Huiwen continued, "The geology and climate there are suitable for growing pears, so it should be no problem. Work hard."
In the evening, Li Rong went to the kitchen and specially prepared a large table of dishes, and called Yuan Huiwen over to eat together.
Yuan Huiwen ate the rice cooked by Li Rong and sighed repeatedly: "It's been a long time since I've eaten rice cooked by Li Rong. Today I'm enjoying the glory of Xiao Zhao."
"I was busy before," Li Rong smiled. "When the Chinese New Year comes, you can come over and have New Year's Eve dinner together. I will make your favorite chestnut roast chicken."
"Hahaha, then this year's Chinese New Year will be really lively." Yuan Huiwen finished laughing and lowered his head to eat. Only he knew the sourness in his eyes.
There are a lot of ingredients here in the capital. Li Rong bought a lot of shrimps, and Zhao Qingsong peeled off half a bowl and brought them out.
An An reached out to grab it, but Zhao Qingsong opened it.
"Dad?" The little guy felt wronged. Wasn't it meant for him?
Zhao Qingsong glanced at him: "How did I teach you? A manly man makes enough food and clothing by himself. These are for mother. When father returns to his hometown, you have to learn to do this job."
Li Rong smiled as she watched the little guy change from aggrieved to confused and thinking. She picked up a peeled shrimp and fed it to him: "Eat it if you want."
Yuan Huiwen watched this scene from the side and felt sorry for the little guy: "We An'an is still young. Even if dad doesn't give us food, he still lets others work. Tsk, ignore your dad. Grandpa Yuan will peel the shrimp for you. No."
There was another plump shrimp in the bowl, and An An said: "Thank you, Grandpa Yuan."
Then pick up the shrimp and eat it.
Li Rong also gave Er Niu some shrimps: "You can eat whatever you want. You're welcome at Er Aunt's place."
At night, the two younger children sleep together with their grandparents.
It was originally said that they should sleep in two rooms and not worry about any troubles, but Mother Zhao felt that sleeping on the new one would require an extra kang, which was a waste, so she might as well sleep with them. Anyway, their kang bed is big, so sleep on two smaller ones.
More than enough.
Besides, if the two children kick the quilt in the middle of the night, they will catch cold easily.
Zhao Qingsong doesn't care so much, as long as he and Li Rong are not disturbed.
The little guy was quite happy sleeping with his second brother. He hugged the little pillow and hummed to his grandma's room, but he didn't know if he would still feel the same way in a few days.
When he first bought the courtyard house, Zhao Qingsong specially asked a carpenter to customize a large solid wood bed.
It's cold now, and without floor heating, it's impossible to sleep on a bed like this in the capital.
So when it got cold, Li Rong moved to another room to sleep, which was a kang bed.
Zhao Qingsong took a bath at noon but did not take a bath at night. He diligently brought Li Rong hot water to take a bath.
Li Rong held back a smile and looked at it. She knew what Zhao Qingsong was thinking best. He was a bitch. After enduring it for a year, she didn't know if she could handle it at night. She even wanted to say that she was on her period.
But she didn't say it. In fact, let alone men, she herself had a weird idea.
In front of the young and old, Zhao Qingsong didn't feel ashamed at all. He stayed outside the bathing room and asked Li Rong from time to time if he wanted to heat the water.
He was not shy, Li Rong was shy. He was soaking in the hot bath and didn't want to pay attention to the man calling outside.
But if you don't answer him, he will knock on the door.