TPW – Chapter 64

“I know him too well,” Xu Haizhou said. “My dad is, deep down, a very traditional man. He’s got a bit of a macho streak. You and An’an may not be what they imagined as bad influences, but I bet he’s still bothered by it inside. That’s why he’s cold toward you two and deliberately gives you a hard time.”

“Huh? Then if I leave now, wouldn’t that make me seem even more immature…? What if your dad ends up having an even worse impression of me?”

“He won’t. Let’s go out for a bit. My mom will talk to him.”

If anyone understood his family, it was Xu Haizhou. The moment the three of them stepped downstairs, arguing started upstairs.

“You! You’re the one who insisted on writing that letter to get Haizhou back, and now that he’s back, you’re giving him attitude! What’s with the long face? The kid brings you tea and serves you, and what do you do? You give him a cold shoulder and don’t even look him in the eye. He’s only four years old—how is he supposed to handle that sour face of yours?”

Honestly, it was a miracle the kid didn’t burst into tears!

Yu Zhilan, being a veteran teacher of the people, didn’t pull any punches when scolding someone. She went straight for the jugular.

“Oh, enough already! You’re so annoying. Of course I know,” Xu Yonghe grumbled as he waved his hand irritably. Ten minutes had passed and he still hadn’t managed to roll a cigarette.

“You know?” Yu Zhilan snorted. “Then let’s see how you ‘know’ when the kid comes back later.”

Xu Yonghe: “…”

Xu Haiping sighed. “I guess my sister-in-law must’ve seen that letter too. Otherwise, they would’ve come back last year.”

“Most likely,” Song Wenmin said helplessly.

She hadn’t agreed with sending that letter in the first place. If her sister-in-law saw what was written in it, who knew how she’d feel? But Xu Haiping had been so sure of himself, thinking Qiao Lu was just some village woman who couldn’t understand written words.

Well, guess what? That “village woman” had finished junior high!

“I think Qiao Lu isn’t one bit worse than our city women. You used to worry that Haizhou was being manipulated by a village woman, but now? You’re the one who looks like a fool,” Song Wenmin said, exasperated. “The backwater place you were sent to can’t even compare to those southern rural areas. That place was a godforsaken dump—of course the people there seemed like savages.”

Even if demeanor and elegance can be faked or learned, Qiao Lu could actually help her husband run a business. And those coats—such beautiful clothes!—were handmade by her!

With skills like that, even women in the city would have trouble keeping up. That kind of competence isn’t just about having a silver tongue.

Yu Zhilan couldn’t help but sigh, “Your younger brother hasn’t given the family a moment’s worry since he was ten. I always said, a kid that sensible couldn’t possibly end up with just any random woman from the countryside. Look, even compared to city girls, she’s not lacking at all.”

“Exactly. I think even a lot of first-marriage city women can’t compare to my sister-in-law.” As she spoke, Song Wenmin suddenly remembered something. “Haiping used to worry that your sister-in-law might be an unreasonable shrew. Just thinking about it gave him a headache. And now? He must feel like gouging out his own eyes!”

“Exactly.” Prejudice and arrogance really shouldn’t exist. “And Qiao An… Ai, what a lovely child. If only he were Haizhou’s biological son.”

Lying on the bed and staring at the ceiling, Xu Haiping murmured, “That’s why one should never act rashly. Even if she’s a divorced woman with a kid, as long as Haizhou feels happy, what’s the problem? Right?”

Song Wenmin rolled her eyes at him. “Thanks for the hindsight.”

Around seven or eight in the evening, it wasn’t quite bedtime yet for the residents of the tube-shaped apartment complex.

Most people were staying inside, cozy and warm, when a burst of bright, bell-like laughter rang out from downstairs—cheerful and lively.

They peeked outside and saw Xu Haizhou playing in the snow with his wife and son!

Word had it that Xu Haizhou’s wife was from the south, where it was hot and there was no snow. No wonder she was so eager to run outside and play in the snow on a freezing winter night—she was probably thrilled to be in the north for the first time.

The kids indoors couldn’t sit still anymore and rushed out to join in.

Northern kids were much better at snowball fights than Qiao Lu and Qiao An. The three of them had been gently tossing snowballs at each other, like a light tickling match.

Once the local kids joined in, it was game over for the mother and son. They were no match, shrieking and running away, hiding behind Xu Haizhou.

It wasn’t just Qiao An—Qiao Lu couldn’t fight off the kids either, so she ran and hid behind her husband with her son, thoroughly defeated.

Bullying southerners was just too much fun! The kids’ raucous laughter could be heard from two buildings away.

Fortunately, Xu Haizhou was holding the front line.

He was quick—very quick. After all, he was born and raised in the north. How could he lose a snowball fight?

He had to protect his wife and son behind him while fending off a whole troop of kids in front, yet he didn’t look the least bit flustered!

Xu Haizhou was having a blast in the front line, while the timid mother and son clung to the hem of his coat, running with him. Every now and then, they’d pick up a couple of snowballs to sneak-attack the kids. It was too much fun!

“Hahahahaha—” In the dead of winter, the whole yard echoed with laughter—a truly heartwarming scene.

By the end of it, Xu Haizhou was covered—face, hair, and clothes—with snow dregs, looking utterly disheveled.

Meanwhile, the mother and child behind him had only slightly tousled their hair.

“Hahaha—” Seeing how messy he looked, Qiao Lu laughed out loud without a shred of politeness.

The mother and son duo worked together to pat the snow off his body. “How was it? Your face didn’t get hurt, right?”

His face was lit with a carefree smile as he shook his head. “No, I dodged most of it.”

Pfft—this man had started grinning goofily again, like a flashback to the youthful innocence of when they first met two years ago.

“You’re pretty nimble. You must’ve played a lot when you were a kid.”

Qiao An had played until his hands went numb, yet gripping snowballs didn’t feel cold at all—instead, they felt hot.

He bounced excitedly in the snow. “So fun! Snowball fights are so fun! Daddy protected me and Mommy!”

Snowball fights were just the best, and there were so many kids here! Nobody minded that he was from the South—they were all so warm and welcoming!

Just then, footsteps echoed in the hallway behind them.

“Haizhou, stop playing. Come on, let’s hit the bathhouse,” Xu Haiping came down the stairs carrying a bucket, his wife and daughter following behind.

“Alright.”

“Can I play with you all again tomorrow?” Qiao An asked wistfully, staring longingly at the other kids.

“We’re on holiday, we can play!” The kids responded with cheerful enthusiasm.

Hearing that, Qiao An finally took his father’s hand and skipped his way to the main road.

The two brothers slung arms around each other’s shoulders and brought Qiao An to the men’s bathhouse, while Song Wenmin took her daughter and Qiao Lu to the women’s side.

It was kind of awkward, honestly. They’d just met not long ago, and now they were about to bathe together. What’s more, northeastern bathhouses included a good scrub-down.

The worst part? The sister-in-law had enthusiastically insisted on scrubbing Qiao Lu’s back!

Qiao Lu couldn’t turn her down and was inwardly screaming.

She would forever remember those “short” twenty minutes as the most delete-worthy memory of her past life!

When she walked out of the women’s bathhouse, her face was so red she looked like a cooked lobster!

Xu Haizhou and the others were already waiting at the door. Song Wenmin walked over to Xu Haizhou, holding her belly as she laughed:

“Haizhou, your little wife gets embarrassed even over a scrub! She’s hilarious!”

Qiao Lu was so mortified she wanted to vanish on the spot.

Xu Haizhou looked up at his little wife.

After two years of marriage, it was rare to see her this shy. Sometimes when things got out of hand at night, she’d get a little embarrassed, but in the dark he couldn’t see, and even if he wanted to, she wouldn’t let him.

Well, now everyone had seen it.

It was… kind of charming in a different way.

As he was lost in these random thoughts, Xu Haizhou smiled and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Probably because she’d just finished bathing, her hand was incredibly soft and warm—almost unbelievably so.

And to think, even he had never shared a “lovers’ bath” with his wife—his sister-in-law had beaten him to it!

After their bath, they returned to the tube-shaped apartment building. Qiao An was lively like a little sparrow.

“Grandpa~ Grandpa~ Grandpa!”

Her crisp, childish voice drew several neighbors to open their doors and greet the little one.

“Grandpa~”

That call sent a jolt straight to Xu Yonghe’s heart. He nearly couldn’t take it!

“Grandpa~ Look! I brought you a little snowman~” He held up the snowman like a priceless treasure and offered it to Xu Yonghe.

“What do I need this thing for?” Xu Yonghe was baffled. Looking at Qiao An’s smiling face, he was totally lost.

The little boy giggled, bright and innocent. “Daddy said Grandpa’s a bit overheated, so I brought you a snowman to cool down~”

Pfft-hahaha—Song Wenmin nearly burst out laughing and had to exert all her strength to hold it in.

Yu Zhilan couldn’t help it and laughed out loud.

The only ones not laughing were the two innocent babies, Mianmian and An’an, who stared in confusion at the suddenly laughing adults.

Was the snowman funny? Grown-ups are weird.

“You little brat!” Xu Yonghe glared daggers at Xu Haizhou, his eyes round as saucers like they were about to shoot fire.

That boy was clearly throwing shade! Saying he had a temper, a temper so bad Qiao An had to bring him a snowman to cool off! Who teased their elders like this? No respect at all!

Looking back at Qiao An’s innocent little face, he had no idea his dad had “used” him!

Xu Yonghe was so close to having a fit he nearly choked. Out of habit, he reached into his pocket. Nothing.

So he turned and went to the cabinet, opened the door, and pulled out some loose tobacco to roll a cigarette.

This time, it only took him a minute. He struck a match, lit it, took a deep drag, and exhaled thick smoke rings…

“Dad, there are two kids in the house. Don’t smoke in front of them.”

“You little brat!” Xu Yonghe glared, the ash from his cigarette dropping onto his hand and making him flinch. “You’re trying to control even your old man smoking now?”

Xu Haizhou looked innocent: “It’s not about controlling you. It’s just that the kids are small, and secondhand smoke is bad for their health.”

Xu Yonghe: “……”

He continued smoking without saying anything. Not even thirty seconds later, with a sudden “snap,” he put out the cigarette and tossed it onto the table.

He got up and paced around the room, glancing at Qiao An, then at her mom, and for some reason, with his hands behind his back, walked out the door.

“Dad, where are you going?”

Without turning his head, Xu Yonghe snorted, “Taking a walk!”

A walk? In the middle of the night? Cold and dark? What walk?

Xu Haizhou turned to look at the small table. That half-smoked cigarette had mysteriously vanished. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.