Chapter 164: Shopping for New Year’s Goods

Chapter 164: Chapter 164: Shopping for New Year’s Goods

Shen Zhenwu froze for a moment.

"Huh? Mom, of all things, why are you suddenly asking about this today?"

"You don’t think it’s too much trouble, do you?"

Seeing his silence, Yang Wanqing immediately chimed in.

Shen Zhenwu: "..."

"I didn’t say I couldn’t do it. I was just wondering why you’re bringing it up all of a sudden."

He lowered his gaze to his mother’s hands, then looked up, his eyes landing on a new strand of silver hair at her temple.

"Still wondering? The twelfth lunar month is almost here. Have you thought about where Song Yao will spend New Year’s Eve?"

"Where else would she spend it..."

Shen Zhenwu had just started speaking when the smile on his face vanished.

His Adam’s apple bobbed, and he didn’t continue.

Yang Wanqing nodded, feeling reassured.

"When Song Yao is about to give birth, is Li Hanchen still going to be stuck out of town? Are you planning on having them be hundreds of miles apart, one recovering from childbirth and the other completely helpless?"

"Or will you let her go back to Ning City to have the baby by herself?"

"Could you rest easy with that?"

Shen Zhenwu certainly couldn’t rest easy.

He answered directly, "I’ll get on it after the New Year. I just made things clear with Rong Dan a couple of days ago. After the New Year, I’ll transfer him and Li Hanchen back together. The paperwork has already been started, and HR will process it quickly. It won’t be delayed past the Lantern Festival."

Yang Wanqing looked at her son, whose hair was now streaked with gray, and sighed softly.

"As long as you’ve made a decision, I can be at ease."

She reached up to straighten his collar, her fingertips brushing against the somewhat stiff fabric.

"You’ve had too much on your shoulders all these years. Don’t keep it all bottled up inside."

The day Shen Rongdan confirmed that his own mother had been the one to give his sister away all those years ago...

...he packed his bags and returned to Ning City that very same day.

The winters in Beijing were harsh and unforgiving.

The closer it got to the New Year, the more bone-chilling the wind became. Hands left exposed for even three seconds would go numb.

Shen Songyao had been feeling very lazy lately, often staying cooped up at home for ten days to half a month at a time.

She spent her days with Yang Wanqing, eating hot pot, simmering soups, and cracking melon seeds.

When Yang Wanqing chopped vegetables, her knife skills were steady, the cutting board ringing with a THUD THUD THUD.

Song Yao would be beside her, flipping through a cookbook, the pages rustling as she turned them.

She had filled out, even her chin looking chubbier.

Snow fell, one storm after another, and the New Year was truly just around the corner.

The Shen Family was busy curing meats, steaming cakes, and frying meatballs.

While flipping through a cookbook, Yang Wanqing asked, "Song Yao, cured pork or salted fish, which do you like more?"

"How about we try cured pig’s trotters?"

"Braised until they’re perfectly tender. One bite is bursting with flavor, and they’re so satisfying to gnaw on!"

Song Yao immediately nodded again and again, her head bobbing rapidly.

But she looked down, rubbing her belly, and felt a little embarrassed.

"Grandma... have I gotten too fat?"

"A little extra weight is good! It shows your good fortune is written all over your face! If you’re as skinny as a bundle of firewood, always aching here and feeling dizzy there, the family would have to worry about you every day. How exhausting!"

Halfway through her sentence, the old lady seemed to remember something and abruptly changed the subject.

She closed the cookbook and turned to pull open the bottom drawer of the cabinet.

"Do you eat lamb? We’ll definitely have some freshly butchered lamb delivered in a couple of days. Since you’re going back to Ning City, Grandma will pack a few big bags for you to take."

Song Yao scratched her head.

"Grandma, I’ve already eaten so many of your meals. Do I have to take food with me too?"

Yang Wanqing waved her hand dismissively.

"It’s our own stuff, not like we’re robbing anyone! Take as much as you can carry!"

She casually grabbed the corner of her apron to wipe her hands and pointed to the insulated box on the balcony.

"The box has been ready for a while. Everything’s frozen solid, so it won’t thaw on the way."

Song Yao grinned and latched onto her arm.

"Grandma, if you keep spoiling me like this, I’m afraid I’ll start thinking I can fly~"

The old lady shook her head, smiling.

"How is this spoiling you? You haven’t asked for the stars and the moon..."

Before she could finish, she added another sentence.

"If you want to come back after the New Year, just call ahead. I’ll have your dad send a car to bring you back personally!"

"Okay, okay! I definitely will!"

In truth, Song Yao had been thinking about returning to Ning City for a while.

It was always snowing in Beijing, and her family nagged her about being careful three times a day.

She was also on maternity leave from work, and with the New Year approaching, she figured she might as well go back and be with Li Hanchen.

So when Li Hanchen asked over the phone, "Can you make it back before New Year’s Eve?"

Song Yao blurted out her reply.

"Yes! As soon as I let Director He know, I’ll book a ticket immediately!"

"Anything you’re craving? I can buy it and bring it with me."

Li Hanchen completely ignored her, just pressing, "What day will you get here?"

"Oh, no need! Someone will be driving me to the station here. Don’t go to all that trouble."

Song Yao waved her hand dismissively.

"Alright then! Just let me know as soon as you’ve bought your ticket, and I’ll go pick you up right away!"

Li Hanchen immediately replied.

"Okay, you can count on me!"

The moment Song Yao mentioned she was leaving, Yang Wanqing didn’t even bat an eye before turning around and pulling out several large woven bags.

They were all stuffed with food.

And on top of that, she grabbed her arm.

"Just wait two more days! The newly butchered lamb is perfectly fresh. I’ll give you half; it’ll be easy to travel with."

"Besides, the day after tomorrow is the Laba Festival. Grandma wants to have a bowl of hot porridge with you and celebrate the festival properly."

Yang Wanqing held Song Yao’s hand, her eyes growing a little red.

She didn’t wipe them or look away, just gazed directly at Song Yao.

Without a second thought, Song Yao threw herself into the old lady’s arms.

"Grandma, why don’t... I just not go this year? We can spend New Year’s Eve together?"

But Yang Wanqing gently patted her back.

"Silly child, you can’t always be like this. How can a young couple live their lives separated by mountains and rivers?"

She then glanced down at her belly and lowered her voice.

"You’re carrying a child in your belly. If your mother-in-law can’t see you, she’s bound to get anxious."

After speaking, she paused, her gaze shifting away from Song Yao’s abdomen.

Song Yao’s heart skipped a beat.

Remembering the solemn promise she had made to Wei Guilan, her face flushed, and she quickly linked arms with her grandmother to head out.

"Let’s go, let’s go! We’re going out right now! Let’s go pick out New Year’s gifts for the whole family!"

A new padded jacket for Yang Wanqing, a wool sweater for Shen Lixin, and even a floral scarf for Guo Shushu—she didn’t miss a single one.

A silk headscarf for Wei Guilan and leather gloves for Li Hanchen had also been chosen long ago.

Yang Wanqing waved her hands dismissively.

"No, no! I have no use for this!"

Song Yao thrust the bag into her arms.

"I have money! I really do! Just take it!"

She was surprisingly strong, and the bag was heavy, pushing Yang Wanqing back so that she had no choice but to wrap her arms around it.

She wasn’t lying. A couple of days ago, when she went to ask Director He for New Year’s leave, he didn’t say a word and just slapped a 2,300 yuan money order into her hand.

"Is that enough? I can add more if it’s not."

Song Yao: "..."

At the time, her mouth opened, but no sound came out. She just nodded.

Director Han had only said Director He wouldn’t treat her poorly, but he never said he’d just drop such a huge red envelope on her!

Feeling the thick stack of bills in her pocket, she suddenly felt a little hesitant.

’Actually, working a few more days wouldn’t be so bad...’

The Laba Festival had just passed. After lunch on the ninth day of the twelfth lunar month...

Shen Zhenwu personally drove her, along with three large bags, two sacks, and a live goose, to the train station in the family’s old-ish Jeep.

The wind on the platform was strong, whipping up dried leaves and scraps of paper from the ground, stinging any exposed skin.

Shen Zhenwu pulled two red paper packets from the pocket of his military uniform jacket and handed them over.

"Here. One’s from Grandma, one’s from Dad. Don’t refuse."

He actually let out a sigh of relief inwardly.

’Thank goodness I listened to my son’s advice and sorted out that old account.’

’Otherwise, I’d probably be standing here today empty-handed and helpless.’

Song Yao shrank back. "I don’t want them!"

Shen Zhenwu simply lifted the flap of her padded jacket’s pocket and stuffed them inside.