1979: The child's mother is a celestial being.

Chapter 118 Shopping Spree with My Daughter (Revised) (Please Subscribe!)

As soon as Chen Fusheng reached the entrance of the courtyard house, he heard his daughter crying inside, and he unconsciously quickened his pace.

"Cousin-in-law!"

In the living room, Zhou Wenqiong, who was sweating profusely from trying to soothe her wailing niece for a long time without success, saw Chen Fusheng return and immediately felt like she had seen a savior.

Chen Fusheng first gave his sister-in-law a look that everything was alright, then reached out and took his daughter from her arms.

"Okay, baby, don't cry, don't cry. Daddy's home, Daddy's hugging you..."

When Zhou Wenqiong saw that her niece, whom she had been trying to soothe more she cried, calmed down in no time after being in her father's arms, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Then I explained to Chen Fusheng why the little guy was crying. It turned out that he had just woken up and probably felt wronged because he didn't see his most familiar parents and grandmother after waking up.

After comforting his daughter, Chen Fusheng also comforted his cousin who had been assigned to stay home and take care of the child.

"It's okay. Xixi just woke up, so her emotions might be a little unstable. It's normal for her to cry for a while. Wenqiong, you don't need to worry about it."

"...Mainly, I was a little anxious because I saw that Qianqian was crying harder and harder, and it was just the two of us at home." Zhou Wenqiong explained her thoughts.

Chen Fusheng nodded, no longer dwelling on the question, and instead asked, "Where are they? Have they all gone out?"

"Mmm." Zhou Wenqiong replied, "Uncle, Aunt, Auntie and Xiaowei all went out to buy gifts for the baby's first birthday celebration, so I was responsible for taking care of Qianqian at home... I didn't expect... and thankfully, my cousin-in-law came back in time."

After understanding the situation, Chen Fusheng realized that although he had missed the main group, it didn't matter. Now that he was back, he would definitely go out, and he even planned to take his daughter out for a stroll.

Of course, we can't forget Zhou Wenqiong, her daughter's little cousin!
"Brother-in-law, where are you planning to go shopping?"

As soon as she stepped outside, Zhou Wenqiong asked curiously.

Did your aunt and uncle say where they were going?

"I think they said they were going to the department store."

"Okay, let's go over there and see if we can 'bump into' them."

Taxis were scarce in those days, but they were still available in Beijing.

Since Chen Fusheng was traveling with his daughter, he didn't want to take the bus. So he waited by the roadside for a while and flagged down a passing taxi, asking the driver to take them directly to the vicinity of the department store on Wangfujing Street.

"It's quite lively here." Although Chen Fusheng had been in Beijing for several months, to be honest, he had never really gone out to explore properly. Like Zhou Wenqiong, he was both curious and unfamiliar with the local customs and culture of Beijing in this era.

However, instead of immediately entering the department store, they unintentionally wandered into a bustling commercial street nearby.

So as we walked, we could hear the vendors on both sides constantly calling out their wares:
"Hey girl, we have some new Dacron shirts! They're crisp and breathable, only five yuan apiece. Buy two and you can get a matching handkerchief too. Want to come in and take a look?"

"Look at these, gentlemen and ladies! These cloth shoes with pure cowhide soles are comfortable to walk in. Buy a pair for your elderly relatives; it shows your filial piety and makes you feel good about your family..."

"Freshly made sugar cakes and fried dough sticks! Freshly made and sold on the spot, both sweet and savory, three for a dime, best enjoyed while hot."

"Enameled basin, enamel steel, won't crack from bumps. You can use it anywhere, whether as a washbasin for your child or a kneading basin in the kitchen..."

After walking around for a while, Chen Fusheng overheard from a conversation among passersby that there was a market day here, and then he suddenly realized why it was so lively.

He's shameless. He bought some food from a snack vendor and chatted with him casually. He learned that the local market had only started this year.

Going back three years, what they were doing was all called speculation and profiteering. It wasn't until after 79 that the state allowed individual businesses to operate. But at first, everyone was watching and waiting. Only those who were really unemployed and under a lot of pressure would endure the cold stares of others and go out to do business.

Yes, in the past two years, people who do business have been looked down upon by others.

In the past, business people and the bourgeoisie were considered synonymous.

But as individual business owners made money and nothing bad happened, more and more people started doing business, driven by profit.

As more and more people gathered, it naturally developed into a market.

"Brother-in-law, there's a toy store up ahead."

"Where?" Chen Fusheng looked in the direction Zhou Wenqiong was pointing, and sure enough, a toy store appeared in front of them.

He then picked up his daughter, who was curious about everything, and walked over.

"Oh my, comrade, your little girl is so pretty! Look at those big eyes, look at that face, she's just like the lucky baby in those New Year's paintings."

The owner of the children's toy store was a very talkative woman. As soon as Chen Fusheng brought his daughter in, she showered him with compliments. Although she was praising a baby who couldn't understand her yet, her father was very happy.

So, Chen Fusheng then started shopping for his daughter at the children's toy store at home.

"This doll is so pretty, all pink! Sisi, do you like it?"

"Oh, this plastic pony is nice, and this little pig too..."

"Comrade, this music box is small and beautiful, and it can play music. Your daughter likes it very much. Do you want to buy one for her?"

"purchase."

"And those little yellow ducks, this wind chime... and this roly-poly toy, can you calculate the total cost?"

"Okay, please wait a moment."

Seeing that Chen Fusheng had picked out more than a dozen gifts for his daughter in one go, the shopkeeper's smile became even warmer.

Of course, Chen Fusheng's daughter was also very happy, especially because she loved the pink doll and wouldn't let go of it.

"Wenqiong, just tell me what you like, and I'll pay for it. Don't be shy with your brother-in-law, after all, you know I'm usually very busy with work, so it's quite rare for me to have the opportunity to go shopping with you guys like today."

"Okay, brother-in-law."

Zhou Wenqiong agreed verbally, but she was actually embarrassed to let Chen Fusheng pay for her, so she didn't take the initiative to choose any gifts.

It was Chen Fusheng who took the initiative to buy her a bottle of face cream.

Of course, it wasn't just this sister-in-law who had it; another one did too.

His wife, mother-in-law, and parents who had just arrived in Beijing also received gifts.

He forgot his own.

Just as Zhou Wenqiong was about to run out of food in her hands, they encountered the 'main force'.

"Fusheng, weren't you filming? Why did you bring Qianqian and Wenqiong out again?"

"That's not my play, it's Lingzi's play. I just went to take a look... Mom and Dad, have you bought the things for the baby's first birthday celebration?"

"bought it."

What is it?

"The Four Treasures of the Study, the zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, a small abacus, a seal... and a small wooden sword, do you see if anything is missing?"

"That's about it. It's just a symbolic gesture. I'll put my trophy up there too."

“Yes, yes, I just thought of that too,” Liu Xiaowei, the sister-in-law, chimed in.

"Hmm." Chen Fusheng nodded to his sister-in-law, then pointed to the rag doll his daughter was still holding in her arms, which she loved dearly, and said, "Or this would also work."

"What's the meaning behind the rag doll?" Yang Hongmei glared at her son, feeling that he was taking the first birthday celebration a bit lightly.

"Then do you think the object itself has any inherent meaning? Isn't it all given to it by us? For example, if we give this doll happiness and joy, then doesn't it have meaning?" Chen Fusheng argued with his mother.

"Fine, you're really determined now, I can't argue with you. If you think it's okay, then it's okay."

When Old Chen saw his wife and son arguing over a trivial matter, he quickly stepped in to smooth things over.

"Alright, alright, what's there to argue about? As long as it's good, that's all that matters..."

"Yes, yes, my father-in-law is right. The first birthday celebration is just for fun..."

The mother-in-law also helped to smooth things over, and the matter was quickly put behind them.

　P.S.: Thanks for all the monthly votes these past few days, brothers. I didn't have high hopes for reaching 2,000 monthly votes. But since everyone has voted up to 1914, and we're only 86 votes away from breaking 2,000, I'll still ask here. What if we break it today?

　　thanksgiving!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)