Sha Zhu's Rebirth in the Courtyard: Starting with Hitting Someone in the Head

Chapter 406 Qin Huai'an

That afternoon, He Yuzhu was returning to Beijing. Shen Zhixia saw him off to his car, bending down to say through the window, "Brother He, I've found someone to take over the newspaper's affairs. Two editors-in-chief are willing to take over, and it should be settled before the New Year. I'll go back to Beijing to live after the New Year."

"It should have been done a long time ago. Xiao Jingchuan will be overjoyed if you go back to Beijing. I'll be waiting for you in Beijing." He Yuzhu waved goodbye.

Shen Zhixia watched the car drive out of the iron gate and down the mountain road. She stood at the gate without going back immediately, and only turned around and walked back when the car was out of sight.

He Yuzhu landed in Beijing close to five o'clock. In December, it gets dark early in Beijing, with a faint purplish-gray tinge remaining on the western horizon, and all the streetlights were on.

Upon arriving at the courtyard gate, He Yuzhu pushed open the door and went inside. The lights were on, Lou Xiao'e was setting out bowls and chopsticks at the table, and Zhu Lin was tidying up Jing Song's drawing paper in the east wing.

He Jingsong ran over calling "Grandpa," still clutching the calligraphy brush in his hand. He Yuzhu looked down at him, "Finished painting?"

The little guy nodded, turned around and ran back to get a piece of drawing paper, which he held up to show him. There were several shrimp drawn on the paper, with clear outlines and the shrimp whiskers were much neater than before.

He Yuzhu watched for a moment, "Better than last time. Keep practicing."

Jing Yi and Jing Zhao both came over with their own large characters, asking for feedback, while the youngest, Jing Chuan, also came over to recite the Three Character Classic.

Dinner was served in the courtyard. Lou Xiao'e brought out hot soup noodles, and Zhu Lin stir-fried two other dishes. Jing Song sat to He Yuzhu's left, pulling the noodles up high while eating, blowing on them a few times, and slurping them into his mouth with a slurping sound.

He Jingyi sat next to him, finished his bowl of noodles and then went to get a second bowl. When he passed by He Yuzhu, he slowed down a step, as if waiting for his grandfather to praise him.

He Jingzhao sat at the very edge, eating slowly and chewing each bite carefully. Jingchuan was held on Zhu Lin's lap, who fed him in small bites.

Under the same night sky, the lights in the west wing of the central courtyard were still on.

The warm yellow light illuminated a small patch of space, while the cold wind howled outside the window, sweeping across the courtyard walls, yet the house exuded a warm, homey atmosphere.

Xiao Dang sat under the lamp, holding a thin needle in her hand, sewing a newly bought cotton-padded jacket. The sleeves of the ready-made jacket she bought from the mall were a bit too long, so she carefully rolled up the excess part inward and sewed it tightly with each stitch.

Qin Huai'an sat beside her, fiddling with the plastic building blocks in his hands. He stacked the blocks one by one, then knocked them over, but his mind wasn't on the toys. Every now and then, he would quietly turn his head and stare at Xiao Dang's hands as she threaded a needle.

The child had only been adopted from the orphanage for a short time, and still carried an inescapable timidity, speaking in a soft voice.

"Mom," he hesitated for a long time before speaking softly, "did you name me?"

Xiao Dang stopped sewing, unfolded the cotton-padded jacket she had just finished sewing, compared the lengths of the two cuffs, and smoothed out the wrinkles in the fabric with her fingertips.

"I named it, doesn't it sound good?"

Huai'an tilted her head, her long eyelashes drooping, a hint of confusion and a touch of caution in her eyes: "Then, what does it mean?"

Xiao Dang neatly folded the cotton-padded jacket and placed it on her lap, then turned around and looked directly into the child's eyes.

"Huai means to embrace, and An means peace and tranquility. It means that from now on you can live here peacefully and without fear."

Hearing this, Huai'an tensed up slightly, his little hands unconsciously gripping the building blocks tighter. He looked up, his voice low, as if afraid that if he raised his voice even slightly, he would shatter this hard-won warmth before him.

"Then...can I stay here forever? They won't...they won't send me back to the orphanage, will they?"

The question had been lingering in his mind for a long time, and finally he asked it, his eyes filled with a mixture of anticipation, joy, and a deep sense of unease. His time in the orphanage was etched in his memory; he had witnessed other children being briefly taken away, only to be sent back again. He couldn't quite believe the peace and stability he was experiencing now.

Xiao Dang felt a pang of sadness. She put the cotton-padded coat on the table, reached out and hugged the child tightly, letting him lean on her shoulder.

Huai'an froze for a moment, then gently grabbed Xiao Dang's collar, not daring to hug her tightly, only snuggling close.

"I won't send it back," Xiao Dang's voice was gentle yet firm, each word clear and reassuring, giving him a sense of security. "This will be your home from now on. I'm your mother, and you're my son."

The child in his arms didn't immediately start crying and making a fuss. This was the kind of sensible child raised in an orphanage. He suppressed the stinging in his nose, his eyes quickly reddened, and tears welled up in his eyes. He tried hard to hold back the tears from falling.

"Next spring, Mom will send you to kindergarten. There will be lots of children there to play with, sing, play games, and learn to dance. After that, you will go to primary school, middle school, and then university."

Huai'an buried his face in her shoulder, his small shoulders trembling slightly. After a long while, he finally responded in a muffled, soft voice, "Mmm."

A soft "hmm," almost inaudible, yet filled with the child's deepest gratitude and joy.

He dared not openly express his joy, but his small hand, clutching the hem of his clothes, tightened slightly, as if trying to hold onto this belated love. A trace of apprehension still lingered in his heart, but more than anything, he felt a sense of security he had never experienced before.

After a moment, he looked up at Xiaodang with wet eyes and whispered, "Mommy, I will be good, I will be obedient."

It's as if as long as I'm sensible enough, this family won't disappear.

At night, the mother and son turned off the lights and went to rest.

The room was plunged into darkness. Huai'an was huddled under the covers, with only a small section of her dark hair showing. A muffled voice came from under the covers: "Mom."

Xiao Dang opened her eyes in the darkness, turned to face the child, and whispered, "Mmm."

"Are you taking me to work tomorrow?"

His voice carried a hint of trepidation, as if he wanted to double-check before going to sleep, afraid that when he woke up, everything would be meaningless.

"Yes." Xiao Dang's answer was brief, but very firm.

The bed fell silent, and Huai'an didn't speak again. He shifted his body, quietly moving closer to Xiao Dang, as if he had finally found a safe corner where he could settle down without having to be on guard.

Huai'an's breathing gradually became even and calm.

She could feel the child nestled against her arm through a thin blanket. Even though the child was fast asleep, he wasn't completely relaxed; his body still held a slight tension.

It's likely that this child spent those days and nights in the orphanage like this, never daring to let his guard down completely even when sleeping.

A wave of tenderness washed over Xiao Dang. She didn't reach out to hug him, afraid of waking Huai An who had finally fallen asleep. Instead, she moved closer to him, bringing them closer together.

In the darkness, she thought to herself. From now on, she would take even better care of Huai'an, and one day, when the child rested, he would no longer have to carry a heart full of anxiety and could sleep soundly.