Just as Lu Jiang pulled into his driveway, a gust of wind rustled past.
Upon closer inspection, it was snowing, the flakes as tiny as grains of salt. In no time, a thin layer had gathered on the ground.
"Glad it only started after we arrived. Heaven favors the kind and didn’t let us travel in the snow." Lu Jiang jumped out of the car, one hand grasping the carrying basket, the other helping Feng Qingxue out. "You hurry inside so you don’t get too cold. I’m going to take the mule cart to the cattle shed. I’ll be right back."
As soon as he finished speaking, there came the sound of Xibao’s crying from within the house—it was deafening.
Feng Qingxue, momentarily forgetting about her husband and the basket that Lu Jiang had removed, hurried into the main room. The children gathered around the brazier all looked up at her, their faces lighting up with surprise and joy. "Aunt is back! She’s back!"
"Xibao, Xibao, Xibao. Open your eyes and see who’s here," said Lu Tianjun, sitting on a chair next to the brazier, shaking his dozing cousin. Little Fatty ignored him, throwing a tantrum by kicking his sheepskin boot-clad feet and letting out continuous wails.
Feng Qingxue, seeing that there were no tears on his chubby face, couldn’t help but laugh.
She shrugged off her thick military coat and hung it on a nearby clothes rack, and then lightly clapped her hands calling out, "Xibao, Xibao, Mommy’s back. Look, is it Mommy?".
The crying immediately ceased as Lu Xibao opened his eyes and saw his mother. Ecstatic, he wriggled and eagerly extended his chubby little hands toward her, mustering all his strength to say, "Mom... Mommy..."
At first, Feng Qingxue was shocked, then she burst into joyous laughter, her face blooming like a flower.
"Xibao, can you say mommy? Can you say mommy? You finally called me mommy! Say it again. Say it once more for mommy!" She held her son, showering him with kisses until he giggled. His little hands were placed very familiarly on her chest.
Lu Tianjun and the others were also overjoyed, pouring out wonderful praises: "Xibao is so smart, he can talk now."
"Xibao, say brother," said Lu Tianzhi, not to be outdone.
"Call me little aunt, Xibao! I’m your little aunt!" Feng Qingyun hopped up and ran towards her sister, trying to touch Xibao and only reaching his upturned little bottom.
Xibao clamped his mouth shut, his eyes rolling around.
After a moment of laughter, Lu Tianjun spoke up, "Aunt, Xibao should feed now. We couldn’t locate you at noon and he seems upset. He refused to eat more than half a bowl of egg soup no matter how much we cajoled. After forcing him to drink some milk, he took a nap. And when he woke up, he tried to reach into the brazier. I didn’t allow that, and he started crying—a fake cry with no tears."
Looking at his little cousin, Lu Tianjun felt helpless. The child was a naturally crafty one.
"I see. I’ll feed Xibao. You all play inside; when your uncle gets back, ask him for some candy," Feng Qingxue said.
With fewer trips to town recently, and the risk of being noticed by Zhang Yuejin when buying candy without the ration coupon in the city, it had been a while since she gave the children any sweets. Therefore, at the mention of candy, they began to salivate and cheer.
So when Lu Jiang walked in, he was warmly greeted by his nephews and nieces, even before he had time to shake off the snowflakes on his clothes.