The young ones started getting up one by one.
Washing faces and brushing teeth.
Many people crowded around one table for breakfast, eating buns, steamed bread, millet porridge, pickled cabbage and pickled radish, and stir-fried potato with shredded meat.
"I’m off to work," Fang Chaoyang said as he rode off on his bicycle, carrying a thermos.
"Xiao Fang, are you taking lunch to eat at the factory?" Little Aunt Zhao thought Fang Chaoyang was taking his lunch to the factory.
"No, Xiao Yang is just dropping off some food for a friend on the way, Little Aunt. We’re heading out too. You all stay at home. When I finish my morning class, I’ll come back and take you out for a stroll."
Little Aunt Zhao quickly responded, "You go ahead with your work, don’t worry about us. Aunt Fang is here, and so is your mom."
"Dad, Mom, we’re off to work too."
"Aunt, Uncle, I’m going to work."
"Aunts, I’m off to the shop too."
In no time, the table was left with just the older folks.
The children went to their respective jobs and classes.
They tidied up and planned to go out for a walk.
Little Aunt Zhao and Mrs. Zhao wore Yun Xiaoxiao’s old snow boots, but neither of the elders minded.
They wore the cotton shoes they made themselves, but once they arrived here, they just didn’t seem to be frost-resistant anymore.
Captain Zhao and Little Uncle Zhao wore the Doc Martens of their respective sons.
When going out, one must be fully prepared, otherwise, they couldn’t withstand the cold of the Capital City winter.
This winter was too cold, Grandma Fang seldom went out.
"I’ll take you to the market for a stroll, and this weekend, let Shitou and Xiao He take you to that square..."
Little Uncle Zhao noticed some snow still on the rooftops and along the sides of the alley. It snowed in their village too, but the snow there melted after a few days; however, here, it seemed as if the snow never melted.
"It’s good we changed our shoes. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have managed a few steps outside; our shoes would definitely have gotten wet."
The alley was still covered with snow, and wearing cotton shoes might have led to getting them soaked.
"There are so many delicious things in Capital City. Last summer, when I was here, Laosan’s Wife took me to see a movie, eat Peking duck, and go shopping..." Mrs. Zhao talked about her experiences in Capital City, walking along.
Little Aunt Zhao had heard these stories before, but now being in Capital City, it felt very different.
By the electronics store.
Once Zhao Tianhe arrived at the store, he discussed this with Cao Dali and Zhang Lanhua.
Little Candy was a bit chubby and now even cuter, wearing a hat and a floral cotton outfit, bundled up, not wanting to be held and fussing with her carrier.
"Your aunts came to the Capital City?" Cao Dali was familiar with Mrs. Zhao and her family.
Zhang Lanhua, who had married into the Zhao Family Team just a month ago and came to the Capital City, was not very familiar with Little Uncle Zhao and Little Aunt Zhao.
"Then you should take them around well, and maybe fix up that small courtyard of yours properly. You can’t still be living at Third Brother’s after you got married, right?"
"Go on then, it’s cold today, business is slow, and besides, I’m here to watch over things."
Zhao Tianhe thought there was some sense in that.
After leaving, he headed back home, but the front gate was locked, so he started looking for someone.
"Mom, Dad, Aunt, Uncle, Grandma Fang..."
"Didn’t you go to work? Why are you back now?"
Little Aunt Zhao had seen her youngest son head off to work; why was he back already?
How could one not be surprised?