Yang Yufen returned home and saw that there weren’t any clothes hanging on the bamboo pole. She was quite satisfied—at least someone knew to take them down after drying.
However, when she entered the house, she didn’t see anyone. She called out once, but there was no response. Deciding to make dinner first, she discovered that not only had the rice been steamed, but one of the chickens hanging on the beam had been taken down and was now in the pot. There was also a bowl of steamed dried vegetables with bean paste.
The doctor had clearly said not to eat such things, yet someone couldn’t resist.
Yang Yufen was both amused and annoyed. She had only mentioned she wouldn’t be home for lunch, but now someone had gone ahead and cooked without asking. She didn’t believe for a second that they hadn’t sneaked a taste.
At the entrance of the orphanage, Shen Xianjun, feeling a bit guilty after cooking, decided to come and pick up the kids. It was also a good opportunity to check out their school environment.
Coincidentally, one of the teachers was in the yard telling the children stories about underground resistance during wartime. The kids listened intently, and Shen Xianjun found himself equally engrossed.
Qin Nian arrived after work, riding her bicycle, and saw Shen Xianjun standing tall by the wall.
“What are you doing here? I can pick up the kids after work.”
Qin Nian spoke up.
“I had nothing to do at home. You’re off work already?”
Shen Xianjun replied, then noticed Qin Nian raising her hand to show her watch.
Seeing the clock hands pointing to six, Shen Xianjun rubbed his nose. Had he been standing there listening for that long?
“Mommy!”
The cheerful voices of two children rang out. Shen Xianjun turned to see all the kids from the orphanage pouring out.
“Daddy!”
Dabao, who was trying to climb onto the bicycle by himself, suddenly felt himself being lifted up. Once he was seated, he turned and saw Shen Xianjun, shouting excitedly.
Erbao was also picked up and seated on the bike.
“Alright, sit tight.”
Shen Xianjun responded to the children and then took the bicycle from Qin Nian’s hands.
“Your injury…”
Qin Nian looked concerned.
“It’s fine.”
“This is my daddy!”
Dabao eagerly introduced Shen Xianjun to every person they passed.
“Uncle! This is my daddy!”
“Oh, picking up the kids from school, huh?”
The people Dabao greeted weren’t annoyed, and they responded casually.
“You’re quite bold, kid, greeting everyone you see.”
After they had walked a bit further, Shen Xianjun playfully ruffled Dabao’s hair with his large hand. Catching Erbao’s gaze, he reached over and tousled Erbao’s hair as well.
Qin Nian didn’t miss Erbao’s expression. Though the child didn’t say anything, he didn’t push Shen Xianjun’s hand away either. That was a clear sign of affection—Erbao would outright refuse if he didn’t like it.
Children need a father.
This thought flashed through Qin Nian’s mind in that moment.
“Daddy, come play with us!”
Dabao tugged at Shen Xianjun’s shirt, pulling his undershirt out from his waistband.
Unable to hold back, Qin Nian tilted her head to look at the sky and let out a laugh.
“Mommy, what are you laughing at?”
Erbao looked at Qin Nian with curiosity.
“Nothing, nothing.”
Shen Xianjun also turned to look at her, and Qin Nian quickly waved it off.
Shen Xianjun had turned around when he heard Erbao’s voice, but seeing Qin Nian laugh left him momentarily confused. When he noticed her avoiding his gaze, his mind somehow told him clearly—his wife was laughing at him!
Feeling slightly embarrassed, Shen Xianjun tugged at his shirt, but Dabao still hadn’t received an answer and reached out to pull at it again.
"Daddy, play with us!"
Shen Xianjun steadied the bike with one hand and adjusted his clothes again.
"Let's go home for dinner first, and then we'll play."
Yang Yufen saw the young couple coming and going with their children and, for once, showed Shen Xianjun a friendly face.
After dinner, the two kids pulled Shen Xianjun outside to play.
"Nian, I won't be sleeping at home tonight. If you can't make it in the morning, just eat at the cafeteria. Leave the kids to Xianjun. Mom will be back during the day, and we'll have dinner at home."
"Okay, Mom, let me take you there."
Qin Nian paused while washing dishes, then sped up.
She intended to accompany her mother-in-law to her destination, but at the entrance of the family compound, she was stopped.
"Hurry back, the kids need you. It'll be completely dark soon."
Yang Yufen pushed Qin Nian into the family compound and then strode away without looking back.
Qin Nian returned home, took a deep breath, and entered the house, surprised to find Shen Xianjun watching the two kids bathe.
It seemed things weren't as bad as she had imagined.
Qin Nian went inside to read for a while. Hearing noises outside, she figured the kids had finished bathing.
She grabbed her clothes and went to wash up. When she returned, she found the father and sons asleep in the small room.
Usually, the kids would insist she tell them a bedtime story, but tonight they fell asleep early.
Qin Nian set an alarm, planning to get up early the next day to make breakfast for the kids, as going to the cafeteria would take too much time.
Around three in the morning, Yang Yufen and Gui Xiang got up.
"You need to use enough oil for the flavor to be good. Just add a little spice to the cabbage for taste."
"No wonder Dashun and his brother always love your buns."
Gui Xiang kneaded the dough, shaped it into long strips, pinched and twisted, and the dough pieces were ready, all about the same size.
"I'm not as good as you with needlework, and making these patterns."
Two hundred buns, the two women worked together, and by four, they were all wrapped and placed in the steamer baskets, ready to be steamed.
Just after five, the buns were steamed and loaded onto the tricycle.
"Let's go, the timing is just right."
When Yang Yufen and Gui Xiang arrived, other vendors were already there.
"Yang, it's been a while since we last saw you. What are you selling today?"
An acquaintance greeted Yang Yufen.
"It's Brother Zhao. Oh~"
Yang Yufen suddenly sighed deeply, and everyone's ears perked up to listen.
"What happened?"
Uncle Zhao asked on everyone's behalf.
"I'm here with my old friend, Gui Xiang. This is Brother Zhao, he's a good man. If I'm not around and you run into trouble, you can ask him for help. His daughter-in-law is the director of the street office's women's committee, very helpful."
"Brother Zhao."
Gui Xiang spoke hesitantly.
"Her husband and second son fell into a ravine while coming down the mountain. It took a lot of effort to get them to the military hospital and save their lives, but..."
Yang Yufen's eyes turned red, and Gui Xiang started crying.
"Both the breadwinners of the family are down. We don't know how much the medical bills will be. I'm bringing her here to sell buns. Pride is nothing compared to life. Whether we can sell them or not, it's worth a try. We still have to rush to the hospital to take care of them later."
"Oh dear, young lady, don't cry. Saving a life is more important than anything else. Just set up your stall next to mine. I sell pancakes—mostly breakfast items."
Gui Xiang felt the kindness in the words and stopped crying.
Gradually, more people riding bicycles to work began to pass by, and some folks from the hospital came out to grab breakfast.
There were even people who remembered Yang Yufen and came over right away.
"Mrs. Yang, what are you selling today? When will you start selling your pear soup again?"
"I'm selling buns. It's not the season for pears right now," Yang Yufen replied with a smile.
"I've got egg and chive buns, red date sweet buns, and vegetarian ones with pure chives and cabbage. The cabbage ones have a bit of spice. None of them require ration tickets. The egg and chive buns and sweet buns are ten cents each, while the vegetarian ones are five cents each. For just two more cents, you can get a serving of thick red date millet porridge."
