Desperate people, accept the seed of my soul!

The Barbie doll I gave Niu Niu had a slightly crumpled box, but Niu Niu didn't mind at all. She snatched it and hugged it tightly, happily spinning around in circles, shouting, "Thank you, Daddy! Thank you, Daddy!"

The wool scarf for Yuan Qiao was maroon and incredibly soft to the touch. He spent a long time picking it out in the mall before finally choosing it.

There were also two pounds of fresh strawberries, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and not a single one was crushed.

Niu Niu hugged her Barbie doll and jumped for joy. She immediately ran to the sofa to unpack it and chattered about wanting to braid the doll's hair.

Yuan Qiao took the scarf, her fingers gently stroking the soft wool, her eyes slightly red.

"He's wasting money again."

"It's not expensive, and it looks good on you." Song Chao smiled憨憨地. "You've been wearing your old one for three years, and the fur is all worn down. It's time to get a new one. The weather is getting colder, so wear it when you go out to buy groceries; it'll keep you warm. When I earn more money in the future, I'll buy you a gold ring."

Yuan Qiao didn't say anything, and turned around to go to the kitchen to get the dishes.

His back view looked a bit stiff.

Song Chao didn't think much of it, assuming she was moved.

Dinner was a lively affair.

The pork ribs were stewed until very tender, the kind that was most popular in the Song Dynasty, so tender that even the bones could be chewed up.

There were also stir-fried greens and tomato and egg soup, all common dishes, but Song Chao thought they were a million times tastier than those in the construction site canteen.

Niu Niu sat in the chair, chattering away to tell Song Chao about kindergarten.

"Dad, the teacher taught us a new nursery rhyme today! I'll sing it for you!"

"Okay, okay, Dad is listening."

Niu Niu cleared her throat and began to sing in her childish voice. She was off-key and couldn't remember all the words, but Song Chao listened attentively and even clapped along to the rhythm.

"Dad, Xiaoming next door got a new scooter! He rides it to school so fast!"

"Then Dad will buy you one next time he comes back, a pink one, okay?"

"Really?" Niu Niu's eyes lit up like two little stars. "Daddy's the best!"

"Dad, the teacher put my drawing of you in the most prominent place in the classroom! All the kids in the class can see it! The teacher said I'm a little artist!"

"Niu Niu is the best!" Song Chao smiled, his eyes crinkling with wrinkles. "Daddy will buy you even more paintbrushes in the future, the kind with forty-eight colors, so you can paint to your heart's content."

While listening to his daughter chatter, he served her food, putting all the meat from the ribs into her bowl, and then gnawing on the bones himself.

Yuan Qiao sat beside him, not saying much, but constantly piling food onto his plate, making his bowl look like a small mountain.

There was a complex emotion in her eyes that Song Dynasty people couldn't understand.

It's as if they have something to say, but don't know how to start.

The Song Dynasty did not notice these details.

He hadn't had a home-cooked meal in so long, so he buried his head in his food and ate with relish, occasionally glancing up at Yuan Qiao with a chuckle and praising her increasingly better cooking skills.

After dinner, Niu Niu insisted on going to the park to play on the slide.

Song Chao was exhausted after a long day, his whole body ached, and his lower back was throbbing.

But seeing his daughter's expectant eyes, bright and sparkling, filled with longing for "Daddy to come back so often," he immediately agreed.

"Come on! Daddy will take you to the park! We'll play until Niu Niu doesn't want to play anymore!"

"Yay!" Niu Niu jumped up excitedly and pulled Song Chao's hand to drag her outside.

The family of three went to a nearby park.

The park wasn't crowded at night. The streetlights cast a warm, dim glow on the path, and the sweet fragrance of osmanthus wafted over in waves.

Niu Niu ran ahead, her little braids swinging back and forth, occasionally turning back to urge, "Daddy, Mommy, hurry up!"

Yuan Qiao followed behind, arm in arm with Song Chao.

Her fingers were cool, and Song Chao could feel the coolness even through her sleeve.

The evening breeze carries the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms.

Song Chao took a deep breath and felt that his life had been worthwhile.

"Yuanqiao, let me save up for another two years, and then we'll move to a bigger house," he said, his voice full of anticipation. "We'll get Niu Niu a real art studio, instead of squeezing into the storage room. We'll also enclose the balcony, so you won't be cold when you hang clothes out to dry in the winter."

"It's fine as it is now." Yuan Qiao's voice was soft as she looked down at the road beneath her feet. "You don't need to worry about us. Just take good care of yourself out there."

"How can that be?" Song Chao shook his head. "I have to make sure you live a good life. You've been married to me for three years and haven't even worn a gold ring yet. I've always felt bad about it. Next year, when I have more work, I'll take on a few more construction sites and save up enough money to buy you one."

Yuan Qiao didn't reply, but simply tightened her grip on Song Chao's arm.

My fingers are terribly cold.

Niu Niu played until after nine o'clock before reluctantly going home.

The little girl was sweating profusely from playing, her hair plastered to her forehead, but she didn't want to leave at all. Song Chao had to carry her back by force.

After washing up, Niu Niu was so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open, but she insisted on sleeping with her Barbie doll. Yuan Qiao coaxed her a couple of times, and she obediently went back to her little room.

Only Song Chao and Yuan Qiao remained in the bedroom.

The warm yellow light shone on Yuan Qiao's face. She looked a little thinner than when we last met. Her chin was sharper, and there were more fine lines around her eyes.

A wave of guilt washed over Song Chao.

He works away from home year-round, leaving Yuan Qiao to shoulder all the responsibilities at home.

She did everything herself: taking care of the children, doing housework, going to the hospital, and repairing the house.

She's working so hard.

He reached out to hug Yuan Qiao.

Yuan Qiao instinctively flinched.

The dodge was very subtle, just a slight pull of the shoulder back, but in the quiet bedroom, under the warm yellow light, the movement was crystal clear.

Song Chao's hand froze in mid-air.

It felt like a needle pricked my heart.

Of course he knew what was going on.

After that accident three years ago, he and Yuan Qiao never consummated their marriage again.

It's not that he doesn't want to, it's that he can't.

He slowly withdrew his hand, sat on the edge of the bed, and looked down at his rough palms.

My palms are covered in calluses and have several cracks; the rust under my fingernails is impossible to wash off.

He suddenly felt very sorry for Yuan Qiao.

She was such a good girl, but after marrying him, she never had a single good day, not even the most basic married life.

What woman could stand this?

"I'm sorry." Song Chao's voice was a little hoarse, as if something was blocking his throat. "I know I've wronged you."

Yuan Qiao suddenly looked up, her eyes instantly turning red.

Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to fall at any moment.

"Don't say that." Her voice was trembling with tears, her lips shaking. "I'm the one who's wronged you."

Song Chao was taken aback.

"What are you saying? It's my fault for being useless, it's my health that's failing me, I've wronged you."

He said this with a bitter feeling in his heart.

If it weren't for that beating back then, he wouldn't be the way he is now.

That was three years ago.

At that time, he and Yuan Qiao had just gotten married, and Yuan Qiao was pregnant with Niu Niu. He was full of energy and wished he could work 24 hours a day to earn all the money in the world for his wife and child.