Chapter 38 - First Update

"Any other methods?"

The shrill cries of the boys and girls in the courtyard startled the birds, causing them to flee, not daring to provoke these little devils. Leading the group was a round-faced boy with a gray whistle in his mouth—none other than Wang Chunhua's son, Qianghu. His irregular, short bursts on the whistle grated on Chen Baozhen's fragile nerves.

At that moment, she felt like smashing a cello over the child's head.

What kind of nonsense is he blowing?

"Teacher Chen, smile! Teacher Chen, smile!"

The children laughed, revealing their front teeth, several missing, creating a comical air, yet with an infuriating innocence.

Ignorant and fearless, without malice, they found Qianghu's ditty amusing, clapping and joining in the chant.

If they inadvertently angered an adult, they felt no fear but rather a sense of superiority in challenging authority.

Among them were children raised in various large courtyards, who had once run wild on the heads of generals and even urinated under large conference tables. Being young, they were exempt from consequences, naturally possessing a privilege that shielded them from adult reckoning.

Qin Yao told Chen Baozhen to stay calm and went into the house to fetch a handful of candies. With a kind and amiable smile, she beckoned the children into the courtyard.

One, two, three, four, five, six... Qin Yao counted carefully and was surprised to find there were about ten of them. People sure could have a lot of children back then.

Qin Yao handed out a candy to each, her voice affectionate. "Thank you for working hard to bring laughter and joy to Teacher Chen. These candies are a gift from Teacher Chen to you."

Not only were the children confused, but Chen Baozhen was also slightly puzzled.

Several children, including Qianghu, looked at each other with candies in hand. Some had already eagerly popped them into their mouths, not bothering to analyze the logic behind the adults' words.

If they were told they had worked hard to bring laughter and joy... then so be it.

Qin Yao continued, "There are more candies. If you continue to work hard to bring joy and laughter to Teacher Chen, you'll get another candy. Sing, dance, show off whatever talents you have in front of Teacher Chen."

Chen Baozhen chimed in, "Yes, yes, you've worked hard to entertain and make the teacher happy."

Chen Baozhen had no other intentions. Having these children perform was certainly better than their noisy shouting. Now standing in line, they were much quieter than before.

With candies in hand and adults cheering them on, a boy with a strong desire to perform jumped out to do somersaults. Qin Yao led the applause and showered him with praise.

"What a talented little guy, are you perhaps the Monkey King, Sun Wukong?"

The girls were not to be outdone, jumping out to sing in their childish voices. Chen Baozhen ran back into the house to fetch an instrument, playing it while the little girl sang.

"Sunset glows with red clouds flying..."

In the end, everyone played a game of Eagle Catches Chicks. Chen Baozhen, still childlike at heart, joined her best friend and a dozen children, having the time of her life.

The children's cries and noises no longer seemed so sharp, and the setting sun turned into sweet, cloying syrup.

"Teacher Chen, you sing so beautifully."

"Sister Qin, your voice is so beautiful, your clothes are so pretty, and your skin is so white, like toothpaste."

"Sister, you are so white."

...

Surrounded by a barrage of children's praise, Qin Yao felt a surge of happiness. The children's innocence, with no malice or hatred in their eyes, expressed their likes and dislikes purely and sincerely. Their sincere compliments were touching.

There were so few entertainment activities in those days that playing with the children until she broke a sweat felt refreshing and joyful.

Gu Cheng walked out of the kitchen, having removed his apron. Standing at the doorway, he gazed tenderly at the warm and lively scene nearby.

Qin Yao laughed and chatted with the children beside her, her face veiled in a layer of golden light, like a hazy oil painting. Standing in the center of the round sun, the scene was breathtakingly beautiful.

Under the golden glow of the setting sun, the moon arrived early, hanging on the treetop. Yet, before the golden crow had completely set, no one noticed it.

Qianghu played half-heartedly among the group. His friends eagerly tried to please Qin Yao and Chen Baozhen, and the joyful smile on Chen Baozhen's face led to self-doubt in Qianghu.

Was he here to bring joy to Teacher Chen?

No!

In his hesitation, Qianghu spotted Gu Cheng standing at the doorway. His tail tightened, and he dared not speak further.

Gu Cheng turned back to the kitchen, inhaling the smoky atmosphere, feeling peaceful and content as he thought of the scene he had just witnessed.

Gao Jianguo was sharpening scissors, the pair in his hand rusted.

Gu Cheng asked him, "Lao Gao, how many children do you plan to have?"

Gao Jianguo was stunned, finding Gu Cheng's question hard to believe, feeling a bit embarrassed. "One, two, I suppose. It's not entirely up to me to have children."

He had been married to Chen Baozhen for some time, and the couple hadn't planned for children yet. They intended to wait another year or two, allowing Baozhen to get used to life here before considering having children.

"I want three," Gu Cheng said lightly.

Gao Jianguo nearly choked on his own saliva. He wanted to say, "Captain Gu, you're not even married yet, and you want three?"

"She likes children," Gu Cheng said with a gentle expression, completely certain.

Gao Jianguo replied, "Then have five, make it a basketball team."

Gu Cheng responded, "...Too many."

"More is lively."

"No," Gu Cheng said firmly. "Three is enough. One like me, one like her, and one half like me and half like her."

Jiangguo Gao: “...” Dream on, there’s no such great thing waiting for you.

Outside, parents were calling their children home for dinner, and gradually, some children left. They had sweat on their faces and candy in their mouths, thinking: it’s fun, but it’s also too tiring.

“Qianghu, are you coming again tomorrow to bring joy to Teacher Chen?”

“Teacher Chen was really happy today and even gave us two pieces of candy.”

Qianghu: “...”

Qianghu himself wasn’t sure.

Qin Yao and Chen Baozhen tidied up the yard a bit. Chen Baozhen rubbed her face, feeling the evening breeze on her face. She thought her face was going to stiffen from all the smiling, and she had broken a sweat, but she didn’t feel any burden, only a joyful and comfortable mood.

The children were noisy, but how adorable they were!

Chen Baozhen asked Qin Yao: “Yaoyao, should I go buy more candy? Next time, I’ll let them bring me more joy.”

Candy was precious, but these small fruit candies didn’t amount to much for Chen Baozhen, especially compared to the money Wang Chunhua had returned.

As the saying goes, even a thousand gold cannot buy a man’s happiness.

The money had come back, and buying candy would cost only a few bucks, and they were cheap fruit candies at that.

Qin Yao said: “No need to buy so much. Next time, just give one candy to each child. By the third time, don’t give them any candy.”

“Ah!” Chen Baozhen widened her eyes: “If we don’t give them candy, what if they don’t come again?”

Qin Yao chuckled: “Isn’t that a good thing?”

Chen Baozhen burst out laughing: “Yaoyao, you have so many clever tricks in your head, you’ve become really smart.”

Qin Yao smiled: “Be a bit shameless. If they’re willing to continue making you happy even without candy, isn’t that a good thing?”

“Haha.” Chen Baozhen put her hands on her hips and said confidently: “Yes, they are here to make me happy!”

Even if it’s not the case, it has to be!

The men had prepared the meals inside the house and set them on the table. Jiangguo Gao served a bowl of chicken soup for Chen Baozhen, and Gu Cheng did the same for Qin Yao. The four of them ate under the light.

Gu Cheng’s cooking was neither particularly good nor bad, since Jiangguo Gao’s cooking was usually just like that. Chen Baozhen was surprised to see that Gu Cheng even peeled crabs and shrimp for Qin Yao.

His fingers were long and slender, with distinct knuckles, and his hands were exceptionally dexterous. Whether peeling crabs or shrimp, his movements were elegant and beautiful, like the hands of an artist.

Chen Baozhen, who had learned musical instruments since childhood, thought her own hands were quite outstanding, but compared to Gu Cheng’s hands, they paled in comparison.

Chen Baozhen’s thoughts immediately shifted, and she praised: “Yaoyao, Captain Gu’s cooking skills are really good, and his hands are beautiful too. If you two have children in the future, have them learn musical instruments from me.”

Qin Yao, feeling embarrassed, said: “You’re thinking too far ahead.”

“Not far,” Gu Cheng said with a slight upward curve of his lips. Chen Baozhen’s words hit a chord with him, and he found her increasingly pleasant.

Jiangguo Gao, catching sight of this, felt it was ominous. He thought Gu Cheng’s current state was very wrong, like when he himself had fallen into the trap of a woman’s infatuation.

When he first got together with Chen Baozhen, he had also been so enchanted, envisioning an elegant, artistic post-marriage life.

However, what marriage gave him was the shattering of fantasies, the reality of a messy yard and a disorderly home, and Chen Baozhen’s monotonous repetition during her piano practice.

Raising a few little ones at his home to practice instruments?

That picture was too dangerous.

Jiangguo Gao broke out in a cold sweat: “Let’s eat, and don’t talk so much about future things.”

Thinking about future married life and children, Gu Cheng’s expression relaxed significantly, and when he spoke, his handsome face unconsciously carried a smile: “Yaoyao, eat more.”

Qin Yao looked up and met his smile, momentarily stunned. Gu Cheng rarely showed such smiles in front of others—his eyes curved, his crescent moons gentle, as if there was a pot of intoxicating wine brewing in his eyes.

Chen Baozhen noticed Gu Cheng’s smile and was momentarily lost in thought. She then asked Jiangguo Gao in a small voice: “Captain Gu, how old is he? Is he only twenty-five? He’s only five or six years older than Yaoyao, which seems quite suitable.”

“Old Gao, how many years older are you than him?”

Hearing this, Jiangguo Gao almost dropped his chopsticks, too angry to continue eating.

He was about to spit blood.

Older by a few years… older by a few years… older by a few years…

*

After being forced to return the money, Wang Chunhua was so angry she ground her teeth and lay in bed for days, but having no other recourse, she could only send her children to make trouble for Chen Baozhen.

Her money, her money!!!

“Qianghu, you’re going out again today, take people to ‘play’ at Teacher Chen’s house,” Wang Chunhua said with schadenfreude, having come up with the idea to annoy Chen Baozhen by having the children sing rhymes and throw mud into her yard.

Children’s words were unbridled, and no matter what the children did, it couldn’t be blamed on the adults.

“Ma,” Qianghu said, feeling exhausted and weary, scratching his head: “Why do you always make me go to Teacher Chen’s house to bring her joy and happiness?”

He felt like a performing monkey, tired and worn out.

Wang Chunhua was stunned: “Who told you to go make her happy?”

“But she was really happy! All the children were entertaining her.” Qianghu felt wronged.

“Ma, how about I bring everyone to our house to make you happy?” Qianghu said, having a sudden inspiration.

“I’ll have them compose a song for you too. ‘Chunhua, Chunhua, no worries when it rains, others have umbrellas, I’ll bloom flowers.’”

Wang Chunhua was almost driven to fury by his words.