CFJWF : Chapter 100

After being busy for so long, He Zifeng could finally rest during New Year’s. The room was heated very warmly. He was lazy about getting out of bed and wouldn’t let Qiu Yu get up either.

Qiu Yu was a diligent person, used to working, and felt somewhat uncomfortable just lying in bed idly.

He Zifeng nibbled on his ear and said: “I already made porridge last night. Just heat it up a little and we can eat.” This way, he blocked Qiu Yu’s excuse of needing to make breakfast.

He Zifeng pulled Qiu Yu into his arms and said: “Keep me company for a while.” Although his words sounded like a request, his actions were domineering – his hands firmly clasped around his waist.

Qiu Yu turned his face away, not looking at He Zifeng’s eyes. But his exposed neck looked fair and white – clearly very tempting to bite.

He Zifeng was someone who dared to think and act. He gently nibbled with his teeth, making Qiu Yu’s eyes shimmer with moisture. He said: “Stop playing around. Ran Ran might come over in a bit.”

Since He Zifeng had been on vacation at home these days, Qiu Yu truly felt both love and hate. The two hadn’t seen each other for a long time, so naturally there was passionate fire. But He Zifeng’s fire burned too intensely, leaving him completely unable to fight back. Now he was somewhat afraid.

Qiu Yu had a good temperament and normally indulged He Zifeng’s endless fooling around. He Zifeng was at the stage of savoring the sweetness and said: “I won’t do anything, just hold you.”

Qiu Yu didn’t believe his nonsense and wanted to leave his embrace. Unfortunately, Qiu Yu was ticklish all over. Being touched like this made him laugh.

He Zifeng intensified his efforts, and Qiu Yu could only beg for mercy.

He Zifeng, playing with his beloved like this, directly kissed him. His lips were clean and warm – just kissing him once was very addictive.

After a good while, this sweet kiss finally ended and He Zifeng released him. Qiu Yu had already gone limp in his arms, lacking the strength even to sit up.

Soon they heard the patter of running footsteps from outside. Without saying, they knew their little devil was coming.

Qiu Yu pulled his clothes tight and hid under the covers.

They heard a creak as the door opened, and a little head peeked halfway in.

He Zifeng gently beckoned, and only then did Little He Ran run over.

Looking at him, He Zifeng saw the little fellow’s cotton jacket buttons weren’t even fastened – he was wearing just a sleeping garment inside and had run over like that.

“Daddy.” Little He Ran climbed up, agile like a little monkey.

The little child was now forbidden by He Zifeng from sleeping in their room alone, but every morning he would run over to snuggle in his two daddies’ bed for some warmth.

Indeed, as soon as Ran Ran came in, he took off the cotton jacket he was wearing outside and slipped into the covers to find Qiu Yu to cuddle with.

He Zifeng had no choice with this precious little troublemaker and directly pulled the little child out. The little fellow’s hands and feet were all pressed against Qiu Yu’s body.

He Zifeng said: “You’re already five years old and still want hugs every day. When school starts, if the teacher finds out, he’ll definitely laugh at you.”

Ran Ran blinked and said: “Daddy won’t tell.”

The child’s thinking was quite simple – as long as he didn’t tell, the other person wouldn’t know.

He Zifeng said: “Little rascal.” He had originally wanted to have an intimate exchange with his little daddy, but with this little child disrupting things, any such thoughts were impossible.

He watched the little fellow burrow into Qiu Yu’s arms, holding onto Qiu Yu. Qiu Yu also had no way to deal with his own son. He gently patted the little fellow.

Little He Ran was acting spoiled. He clearly wasn’t tired but wanted to be coaxed, occasionally stealing little kisses from Qiu Yu. He didn’t consider himself a five-year-old big child at all – he still thought of himself as a little baby.

He Zifeng got up and changed clothes, saying: “I’ll go knead the dough. Let’s steam some buns later.” During this vacation, he had also gotten a bundle of water celery from the county yamen. It wasn’t easy to eat this in winter. It was all cultivated on heated brick beds. Outside it cost one hundred wen per jin. Winter vegetables were precious commodities.

Stir-frying it would waste such expensive ingredients. Fortunately, last time when the escort agency transported beef and mutton, he had kept a good piece. He could chop it up and make buns.

As soon as He Zifeng went out, he saw Fang Shi in the small kitchen.

He Zifeng said: “Mother, why aren’t you in the house?”

Fang Shi liked to be with Qiu Yu and them during the day, and could also play with her little grandson. But with He Zifeng back, knowing the couple wanted to be together, she didn’t crowd around them. These days she had been busy making rice cakes. And indeed, the steamed rice cakes came out soft, glutinous, sweet and fragrant – very delicious.

Fang Shi said: “I like it here.” There was always a fire burning here, keeping it warm.

He Zifeng said: “Mother, I want to make beef and water celery buns.” These meat buns were very fragrant, and being large, they were very satisfying to eat. Dipped in a little fragrant vinegar was even better. Now that the weather was cool, they could steam several bamboo steamers. They could heat them anytime they wanted to eat, and they wouldn’t spoil at all.

He Zifeng had been excellent at kneading dough when he used to run a stall. This required some strength – only dough kneaded this way would be chewy.

Fang Shi helped by cleaning vegetables on the side. But she didn’t need to do strength-intensive work like chopping filling. He Zifeng was capable and could handle most things without help.

Fang Shi looked at He Zifeng and said: “Zifeng, do you hate me for separating from your father?”

She had wanted to say this since she came home, but couldn’t bring herself to speak. She knew that after she left, her son had lived pitifully. Children with mothers were different from those without. Although He Zifeng had achieved what he had now, just thinking about it, she knew how difficult it must have been.

He Zifeng said: “I don’t hate you.” This was his honest feeling. A person like his father didn’t deserve to have a wife at all. He said: “I was just too young then and had no way to protect you.”

He Zifeng had never seen Fang Shi cry. But as soon as he finished speaking, Fang Shi’s tears gushed out. All the pain and sadness accumulated over these years seemed to be forgiven in this moment.

He Zifeng looked at his mother and said: “Now that you’re back, just wait to enjoy happiness from now on. Qiu Yu doesn’t have his own parents either. We’ll be filial to you together. And Ran Ran likes you too. But that malt candy should still be given to the child sparingly. Too much will ruin his teeth.”

Normally He Zifeng and Qiu Yu didn’t buy it, but Fang Shi secretly bought it for him. The little fellow was extremely close to his grandmother.

Fang Shi wiped her eyes and said: “My life is pretty good – enjoying happiness with my son!”

He Zifeng comforted her: “Mother, having you here is our good fortune.” Both he and Qiu Yu were people with shallow parental connections. Without a responsible elder at home, now with Fang Shi here, their hearts felt like they had a backbone.

Fang Shi was comforted by her son, feeling both sour and warm in her heart.

He Zifeng prepared the filling and soon finished wrapping the buns. Then he put them in the pot to steam.

After getting things mostly ready, Qiu Yu came over. From the small kitchen, they could faintly hear their son reading.

Qiu Yu used his high collar to cover the bite marks He Zifeng had left yesterday, but red marks were still slightly visible at the edges: “Mother, good morning.”

Seeing Fang Shi there, Qiu Yu’s face reddened, thinking she might think he was being lazy in bed.

Seeing Qiu Yu’s embarrassment, Fang Shi quickly said: “I’ll go work on shoe soles. Listening to Ran Ran read gives me more energy to work on shoe soles.” Then she left.

Only Qiu Yu and He Zifeng remained in the small kitchen.

He Zifeng hugged Qiu Yu and said: “Yu’er.” Then he went to nibble on his ear.

Qiu Yu said: “Stop fooling around.” After holding back for a long time, he managed: “If you keep this up, I’m going to bite you.”

This made He Zifeng chuckle, feeling like he couldn’t love the person in front of him enough.