Chapter 894: From Now On, We Won't Take on Such Assignments; It Causes Too Much Suffering

The moment he saw her, he truly wanted to pull her tightly into his arms.

Heaven knows how much self-control it took for him to restrain that impulse.

Previously, he had thought his sister-in-law was merely childish, but at this moment he changed his mind; Xue'er wasn't much older than her: "Xue'er, let's go inside first."

To be honest, Chunxiao's words just now had left Chuxue in a rather poor mood as well.

Chunxiao naturally sensed that her second sister and her future second brother-in-law held grievances against her, so she prepared to carry the slop bucket into the courtyard ahead of them: "Dad, it's too cold; I'm going in first."

Before Xiao Fu could make a sound, she had already run into the courtyard.

Chuxue asked Fu Yan Cheng to open the trunk; although the portion intended for the family was substantial, Chuxue changed her mind, taking only enough lamb chops for one meal and a package of cheese: "Put the rest here with you for now."

Fu Yan Cheng found nothing improper in this, assuming the remainder had been arranged: "Alright."

The three entered the gate together; Xiao Mu, having just learned from Chunxiao that her second daughter had returned, came out from the kitchen to greet them: "Xue, you're finally back; was everything smooth on this trip?"

Chuxue did not hide anything, after all, they needed to know her hardships: "The task assigned by the factory is completed, though we encountered many incidents along the way; it was quite perilous."

Xiao Fu, his face filled with worry, asked: "Are you alright? Were you injured?"

There was a fellow worker whose hometown happened to be in Inner Mongolia, and he had often heard him talk about his home region.

Chuxue smiled faintly: "I'm fine; it snowed there during our return journey, which already made the vehicles difficult to drive, and coincidentally, another vehicle broke down on the road; fortunately, it wasn't a major issue, and Captain Ma, being experienced, ultimately resolved the problem."

Hearing this, Xiao Mu's heart ached intensely: "Thank goodness you're unharmed; from now on, we won't take on such assignments again; it causes too much suffering."

Remembering the dishes still simmering on her stove, she urged: "Quick, quick, quick, come inside to warm up; dinner will be ready shortly."

Finishing her sentence, she turned to Fu Yan Cheng: "Fu Yan Cheng, don't leave either; stay and eat here; I'll add another dish, and in a while, you can share a drink with your uncle; these past few days, he has been so worried about Chuxue that he couldn't sleep soundly at night."

Hearing this, Xiao Fu cleared his throat lightly: "Don't listen to your mother talking nonsense."

Chuxue had originally intended to cook the lamb chops as well, but thinking it would take too much time, she turned to look at Fu Yan Cheng: "Do you have time tomorrow?"

Fu Yan Cheng nodded: "Yes, I have business to attend to in the city tomorrow and the day after; just tell me if you need anything."

Chuxue, however, waved her hand: "Come over for lunch tomorrow; I brought back some lamb chops; we'll stew them tomorrow to eat."

Hearing his daughter's words, Xiao Fu also warmly extended an invitation: "Do come; there happens to be a large fish in the jar; we'll prepare it together tomorrow to help Chuxue recover from her fright."

He knew his daughter must still be concealing something, but since she wouldn't speak of it, he could only ask privately later.

Hearing this, Xiao Mu turned to glance at the three who were about to enter the main hall, her brows knitting together; with only a few days left until the New Year, why couldn't they wait until then to eat it?

But seeing her husband speak so decisively, even if she was unwilling, she could not object.

Chuxue placed the lamb chops in the storage room, and fearing they might be ruined by rats, she specifically covered them with an earthenware pot.

As for the cheese, she carried it into the room.

Dinner consisted of steamed two-grain rice, a dish of hot and sour shredded potatoes, and a dish of stir-fried spicy dried radish; Xiao Mu, though it pained her to spend the resources, also added a dish of scrambled eggs, using a full five eggs.

Xiao Fu had originally intended to pour a small cup of wine for himself and Fu Yan Cheng, but Chuxue stopped him: "Dad, he still has to drive later; it's better not to drink wine."

Fu Yan Cheng was most obedient: "Xue'er is right; on a day when I'm not driving, I will definitely come to share a proper drink with Uncle."