As soon as they heard about the family photo, the children were happier and more curious than anyone else.
They had seen photos before, but none of them had ever been photographed.
So, early in the morning, everyone put on their cleanest and best-looking clothes. They washed their hands and faces till they were squeaky clean, borrowed snow cream from Feng Qingxue to rub on their faces, making them white and fragrant.
Feng Qingyun herself plaited two braids and tied them up with red ribbons.
Father Lu temporarily entrusted the cowshed to Uncle Xu and Aunt Xu, and borrowed the mule cart from the production team.
Lu Jiang drove the cart, but not everyone was on it.
Lu Tianjun and Guan Cheng walked alongside Lu Jiang, Father Lu didn’t get on the cart either, only Feng Qingxue and the younger children were on the cart.
Feng Qingxue, dressed in a military coat, a Lei Feng hat and a large scarf, sat on the cart with an old mattress underneath. A quilt covered her, and the legs of Lu Tianzhi, Guan Yu, Feng Qingyun and Song Gang were all under the quilt, forming a circle.
The children’s faces were red from the wind, but that did not diminish their excitement.
There was a lump on Feng Qingxue’s lap. After a moment of wriggling, a little head stuck out, wearing a tiger hat.
"Ah ah!" Xibao lay in his mother’s arms, excitedly watching the scenery on both sides of the road. The snow was still thick, everything was covered in silvery white, and there were few footprints or wheel tracks on the road, indicating few people were going out.
Country folks often work, and they are steady on their feet. The mule didn’t walk fast, so they could easily keep pace.
Amid their chattering and laughter, they arrived at the county town.
The first destination was the photo studio. The photographer wasn’t surprised to see a big family coming to take a family photo. He remembered Lu Jiang and Feng Qingxue - weren’t they the ones who took wedding pictures a few years ago?
Seeing the child in Feng Qingxue’s arms, the photographer smiled and said, "Congratulations, your child has grown so big."
"Thank you." Feng Qingxue was very polite, "Comrade, you still remember us?"
"Of course." Answered the photographer as he adjusted his camera, "I pretty much remember everyone who comes here for pictures. A handsome man and a beautiful woman like you two stand out, of course. Two years ago you came for wedding pictures, today for a family photo. Very good, very good, life is prosperous, lots of children and grandchildren, all thanks to the good governance of our leaders, ensuring our current good fortune!"
Feng Qingxue chuckled, "Comrade, you’re right. Without our leaders, there’d be no New China. Without New China, there’d be no good life as we have it now. We’re all very grateful to our leaders."
"Indeed, indeed!" The photographer finished adjusting his camera and asked, "Shall we start with the family photo?"
Noticing the children were a little nervous, and Lu Tianzhi even synchronized his hands and feet when walking, Feng Qingxue laughed and said, "Let’s take the family photo later. First, I want a photo of my partner and our child."
The photographer directed Lu Jiang to sit on a chair, with Xibao on his lap, facing the camera.
The little guy was still wearing his tiger hat, but his cloak and scarf were taken off. He wasn’t scared at all, his big eyes spinning round and round. When he saw Feng Qingxue, he got excited all of a sudden.
"Ah ah!" He reached out to Feng Qingxue.
Feng Qingxue waved her hand, "Xibao, sit quietly in daddy’s lap and take a picture with daddy. Be a good boy!"
"Ah?" Xibao seemed not to quite understand what she meant.
"Xibao, be good, or daddy will spank your butt!" Sitting upright, Lu Jiang adjusted Xibao’s sitting position and held him tightly, both of them facing the camera. He looked straight at the camera and didn’t lower his head to look at his son, so he didn’t know that at the moment the camera flashed, Xibao’s nose made a pop sound and a big bubble came out.