Rebirth in 1972: Redemption in Changbai Mountain

After exchanging a few pleasantries with the elders, Zhou Rui parted ways with them. It was too cold that day, and standing on the road chatting for too long wasn't good, especially with a child in tow.

After leaving, Zhou Rui went straight to Zhao Dazhu's house. He hadn't seen Yan'er for a long time, and he guessed that Xiao Niangao missed her.

"You're here now, why do you always bring things?" Wang Xinghua complained as she took her goddaughter's hand, her tone tinged with affection.

"Isn't this the newly bought canned southern food? It's rare to see these days, so I'll bring some sweet treats for Yan'er. And we can't let our little sister miss out on the rice cakes."

Zhou Rui casually placed a can of lychees and a can of bayberries on the table, then picked up Xiao Niangao. Almost every time Zhou Rui came to Dazhu's house, he would take turns holding the baby with the couple.

An'an was even more unceremonious, taking off her shoes and climbing onto the kang (heated brick bed), though it was still a bit difficult.

"Take off your coat before you come up. You're so chubby, isn't it hard for you?"

Unexpectedly, as soon as An'an climbed up, without even taking off her coat, she punched Zhou Rui twice: "Where are you fat? Where are you fat?"

"What's wrong?" Wang Xinghua asked curiously, wondering if Zhou Rui had offended her.

"I didn't say you were fat, I just said you were wearing too many clothes, which made you look rounder," Zhou Rui said to An An first, before turning to explain to Wang Xinghua.

"Didn't I recently ask Lin Zhiqing and the others to take care of An'an and Xiao Niangao for me? An'an thinks that only slender people are pretty when she sees Lin Zhiqing and the others, so she doesn't like people saying she's fat."

"Haha..." Wang Xinghua laughed heartily, finding it hilarious. "An'an, children should be as cute as you. When you grow up, you'll be as beautiful as the educated youth sent to the countryside."

"Really?" An An was more inclined to believe what the girl said.

"Hmm."

"By the way, Sister-in-law Xinghua, where's Brother Dazhu? Why isn't he home?" Zhou Rui noticed that they had been there for a while but hadn't seen Zhao Dazhu, so he knew that he must have gone out.

"You've come at the perfect time. Didn't you bring back some greyhound pelts last time, saying you wanted to make clothes for Xiaoniangao and Yan'er? They said they're finished, and your brother Dazhu went to pick them up."

Little Niangao couldn't sit still in Wang Xinghua's arms for long and started twisting her body to climb onto the kang (a heated brick bed).

"What's wrong? Don't you like being held by your godmother anymore?" Wang Xinghua held on tightly, refusing to let go, to see what she could do.

"Giggle*￥@*……" Little Rice Cake was very impatient and had a terrible temper.

"Sister-in-law Xinghua, if you don't let go of her, she might attack you." Zhou Rui is now speaking more and more casually to Zhao Dazhu's family, and he no longer uses Wang Xinghua's name when addressing her as Sister-in-law.

"Really? My little rice cake is that amazing?" Wang Xinghua smiled, her eyes crinkling, wanting to tease her even more.

"Really. Sister-in-law Xinghua, I've been slapped several times already. My second brother said I'm the Demon King, and Little Rice Cake is the Great Demon King." An'an's actions were very exaggerated; when she said "Great Demon King," she stretched out her two little hands wide.

"Haha... then tell your sister-in-law, was this big devil taught by your little aunt?" Wang Xinghua had laughed countless times today.

It's so much better with kids; it's lively and fun. Maybe we'll have a few more next year.

Wang Xinghua finally let go of Xiao Niangao; otherwise, it would be too embarrassing for her, as the godmother, to be slapped. Besides, Zhou Rui and his sister had been there for so long without being served tea, and she had almost forgotten about it while chatting happily.

Little Niangao wanted to play with Yan'er, so Zhou Rui had to let her go and put her on the kang (heated brick bed). Although Yan'er couldn't crawl yet, she could still roll over and turn over.

"Hey, what are my two daughters doing?" Zhao Dazhu pushed the door open and saw Xiao Niangao and Yan'er rolling around together, pulling at each other's socks, but they couldn't get them off.

Zhou Rui didn't interfere and let them play, while An An cheered them on from the sidelines.

"Brother Dazhu, you're back?"

"Ruiwa, are you just going to watch like this?" Zhao Dazhu looked at the smiling Zhou Rui and felt that he was still too young and too rough in taking care of the child.

"What's wrong?" Zhou Rui scratched his head, not understanding Zhao Dazhu's meaning: "Isn't this good? Look how happy they are having."

"You can't play with socks, though. What if you take them off and then start biting your toes?"

Unexpectedly, Zhou Rui nodded directly: "That's fine too. Babies aren't dirty. As long as they're happy."

"Can't you play something else, like a rattle drum, which is more fun than socks?" Zhao Dazhu felt that Zhou Rui's brain circuits were different from ordinary people.

Zhou Rui thought for a moment, then shook his head: "You don't even know what Xiaoniangao and Yan'er like to play. They're having fun now, but what if they cry if you don't let them pull off their socks?"

Zhao Dazhu was both amused and exasperated by Zhou Rui's words: "You're just going to spoil them like that. Let's see how you manage them when Xiaoniangao gets older. If I can't control my Yan'er by then, I'll just send her to your house."

"Sure, if you don't want to deal with it now, that's fine too. I'll just take it back. Anyway, with Aunt An'an taking care of it, it should be alright."

"Hehe..." Zhao Dazhu laughed in anger. She must have been eyeing her daughter for a long time.

"Honey, you're back?" Wang Xinghua came in carrying hot water. "What were you two talking about?"

"What can we talk about? It's not enough that Ruiwa already has Xiaoniangao, he's also thinking about your daughter and wants to take her home."

"Brother Dazhu, don't wrong me. You were the one who said you couldn't handle Yan'er and wanted to leave her to me." Zhou Rui wasn't going to take the blame. When it came to arguing, he wasn't afraid of anything.

"Alright, Rui's got a sharp tongue, do you think you can win an argument with him?" Wang Xinghua lightly patted Zhao Dazhu on the back. "By the way, where are our daughter's clothes? Did you bring them back?"

"Here it is." Zhao Dazhu held up his hand; it was a burlap sack, and you couldn't see what was inside from the outside.

Wang Xinghua snatched the clothes away, ready to let the two babies try them on. Mothers love dressing up their children, a tradition that has continued through the ages.

"How about a couple of drinks?" Zhao Dazhu suggested to Zhou Rui, seeing that his daughter's situation didn't involve him.

"It's not even time to eat yet, are you just going to drink?" Zhou Rui rolled his eyes. I haven't even had my tea yet, and you want me to drink with you?

"Your sister-in-law has some roasted peanuts at home, that'll do. Besides, don't you want to know what's been happening in the village these past few days?"

Zhao Dazhu knew that Zhou Rui had left right after Zhou Chen and the others were arrested, so he probably didn't know the situation yet. So he made an excuse to chat with him.

"Sure, I'll have a drink with you then."

Zhao Dazhu turned around and went to get the wine. Some of the wine was originally brought by Zhou Rui, so it wouldn't be a loss to give it to him.

Zhou Rui looked at Yan'er, who was now wearing a squirrel fur coat. She had grown a lot bigger and could no longer even roll around.

Wang Xinghua tried on clothes for Xiao Niangao, but perhaps because it was hot inside, Xiao Niangao resisted with all her might and refused to wear them.

An'an was also there to help. Hmm...maybe, but it seems she was more of a hindrance than a help. What Wang Xinghua could have handled alone seemed even more difficult after An'an joined in.