Chapter 213: Escort Supplies

The Backyard is a row of houses divided into six rooms; compared with the Daozuo House in the front yard, the Backyard sits on the north side and faces south, so it can bask in the sun all day.

When we arrived at Lao Tang Shu's house, the outer room was quite lively, with everyone standing there watching a mahjong game.

Lu Cheng squeezed in and saw his father beaming red, clearly having won some money.

Winning money was easy, so Lu Cheng seized the chance and quickly made Xiao Qing'er kowtow.

"Grandpa, Happy New Year."

"Hey, Happy New Year, Happy New Year, thanks, Xiao Qing'er." Lu Beitang was completely immersed in the card game, one hand handling the tiles, the other pulling Xiao Qing'er into his arms.

"You're Grandpa's little lucky star; in the past few years he never won at cards, but this year you arrived and Grandpa started winning money."

"Hehe, that's because Grandpa is great."

How are the two grandfathers still chatting! Lu Cheng reminded, "Dad, it's time to give the New Year's money."

"Oh, oh, look at my brain," Lu Beitang casually pulled out a coin and handed it to Xiao Qing'er, "Tomorrow your uncle will take it to buy candy…"

"Dad, dad, it's a bit short."

"Short? It's not short, right?" Lu Beitang's attention was entirely on the mahjong.

"My mom gave three pieces, you say it's still short."

Lu Beitang finally looked up: "Is that so? Then I really gave too little; since this is Xiao Qing'er's first visit, I should give more. Grandpa will give you two more pieces."

"Dad, um, it's still not enough…"

"How is it not enough? Didn't your mom give three pieces?" Lu Beitang drew a tile, didn't look at it, and rubbed it in his hand a few times.

"It's true, but think about it, who is the head of our family?"

Lu Beitang straightened up; in front of so many people, he had to assert his presence: "It's definitely me, no doubt about it."

Everyone just smiled silently, and Lu Cheng took over, saying, "I also think you're the head of the family, but you're only giving three pieces, which shows you're on equal footing with my mom."

Lu Beitang gritted his teeth: "Huh, that makes sense! Then, I must outdo her; I'll add another piece."

"Four sounds odd, so let's round it up and give five pieces."

Lu Beitang clenched his teeth even more; he had won less than three pieces that whole night.

It's just New Year's money for a child; you can't give that much—just a few cents to buy some candies will do.

Seeing his dad hesitate, Lu Cheng simply scooped up Xiao Qing'er: "Let's go, let's go. This family relies entirely on my mom; if we talk about the head of the family, it has to be my mom…"

"You, stop right there!"

Lu Beitang stood up, pulled more money from his pocket, and slapped it into Lu Cheng's hand.

"Take this Great Unity note, and now tell us who truly is the head of the family?"

Lu Cheng looked at the ten pieces in his hand, his eyes brightening.

"Hehe, hehehe! No need to say, with such a generous hand, you must be the head of the family."

Lu Beitang finally sat down satisfied, waved his large hand and said, "Take it away."

Lu Cheng walked a few steps, then turned back: "Hey dad, how about… I'll also kowtow to you; I don't want much, just give me one piece."

"Go, go, go, who cares about your kowtow? Not a single cent." Lu Beitang waved his hand dismissively.

Giving those ten pieces felt like bleeding hearts; if Lu Cheng lingered any longer, Lu Beitang would already be thinking of taking it back.

Leaving the Backyard, Lu Cheng slipped the money into his pocket: "Xiao Qing'er, Uncle will keep it for now; when you grow up, I'll give it to you."

Xiao Qing'er clasped her fingers: "Mm, thank you, Uncle."

"You're welcome."

In this short time they managed to get a dozen-plus pieces; next year they'll have to bring Xiao Qing'er over for the New Year.

But as the morning of the first day of the New Year brightened, this year felt like it couldn't be grasped, slipping away faster and faster.

On the eighth day of the New Year, they had to send Xiao Qing'er back; originally they planned to wait until after the fifteenth, but Lu Cheng had already promised to take her to set off fireworks.

Unfortunately, he received a mission here: to escort a batch of supplies by train to the Border Frontline.

It's an honorable mission; Lei Zhan Ge, considering his abilities, specially assigned him to ride along.

Before that, he must quickly send Xiao Qing'er back first.

At the train Platform, Chen Xianglan was wiping away tears like a sobbing person, while Lu Cheng lugged big and small bags onto the train—everything bought for Xiao Qing'er: food, drink, supplies, and clothing.

Each parcel was packed to the brim, like the swollen bladders left over from the New Year's pig slaughter.

"San'er, can't Xiao Qing'er stay until the Lantern Festival?"

Lu Cheng sighed; he was also reluctant to send Xiao Qing'er away, having grown accustomed over this period to having a little one running around the house.

Suddenly leaving, indeed, it was quite a disappearance.

"Mom, it's not that there's no time; you have to work too, and you can't keep taking leave. Next time when there's time, I'll bring Xiao Qing'er back."

Chen Xianglan, though reluctant, had to accept: "It's all your fault, you three; now only your eldest brother has a child, how could I not be eager? If you hurry to have one too, I wouldn't be so reluctant."

Bringing it up again, Lu Cheng could only go along with a laugh: "Ah, okay, okay, I'll try my best this year."

Chen Xianglan rolled her eyes: "Don't try to fool me; every time I bring this up with you, you dodge it."

"Mom, the train's about to leave; you hurry back."

Chen Xianglan finally gave Xiao Qing'er a hug, then handed her to Lu Cheng: "Make sure you look after her on the road—if she's thirsty or hungry, check on her frequently…"

Seeing his mom start nagging again, Lu Cheng quickly interrupted: "Got it, Mom, I'll definitely look after her. You go back. Xiao Qing'er, say goodbye to Grandma…"

To Lu Cheng's surprise, the usually sensible Xiao Qing'er gave no reaction; she just lay in his arms, neither crying nor fussing, with a blank expression.

But Lu Cheng could clearly feel the little one was suppressing emotions; her eyes were red, yet she refused to let herself cry.

The train slowly started, waving goodbye to his mom, and until the train's tail vanished, Chen Xianglan still stood at the Platform, looking on.

When she saw her sister-in-law, Yan Baoyue didn't recognize her daughter for a moment.

Since Xiao Qing'er returned to the Capital City, Chen Xianglan bought her granddaughter several new outfits.

Her originally thin body, under Lu Cheng's high‑oil, high‑protein feeding, gained flesh, and Lu Ying applied Snowflake Ointment to Xiao Qing'er daily, turning her sallow face into a moist, healthy glow.

Compared with before we went to Capital City, it's as if he were a different person.

Even Yan Baoyue, when she took the daughter, couldn't help joking: "Lu Cheng, did you lose Qing'er and, fearing your older brother would scold you, swapped us another one, so I don't recognize her at all…"

Lu Cheng also joked: "Sister‑in‑law, the child is now in your care; you mustn't let my little niece become skinny again."

Yan Baoyue sighed; there's no need to think, she also knows how that family over there treats their daughter.

The child she raised, now white and plump, has come back, surely a lot of effort was invested.

"Lu Cheng, I'm troubling you again; look, you even brought so many things."

"Sister‑in‑law, you keep saying that; we are family. Honestly, if I weren't afraid you'd be reluctant, I would have wanted Qing'er to stay in Capital City. Mom said, let you and older brother quickly have another one; they just love kids, and when they come, they can't bear to let go."

As long as older brother is still alive here, Mom won't urge him.

Yan Baoyue suddenly felt embarrassed: "Then tell Mom not to worry; after a while, you'll become an uncle again."

"Ah, already?" Lu Cheng's gaze involuntarily fell on Yan Baoyue's belly: "How could I not tell?"

Yan Baoyue smiled: "We checked before the year, it's only been two months, it's not yet showing."

Lu Cheng was overjoyed: "Well then that's really good; when we get back I'll tell Mom, she'll definitely be overjoyed. Alright, Sister‑in‑law, my train won't stay long here, I won't chat with you any more."

Yan Baoyue nodded: "Qing'er, quickly say goodbye to Uncle."

Qing'er, lying in her lap, still stared blankly without a word, making Yan Baoyue a bit angry.

"Hey, what's wrong with you, child? Your uncle loves you so much, you can't be rude…"

Lu Cheng intervened: "Alright, Sister‑in‑law, Qing'er… she hasn't spoken much during the whole journey, nor has she eaten much."

Yan Baoyue instantly understood, watched Lu Cheng board the Carriage, and after the train slowly started, Qing'er suddenly burst into loud crying.

On the train, Lu Cheng heard the crying, his heart ached.

I truly wish older brother could one day return to Capital City; then the family wouldn't have to be so often apart.

When returning to Capital City, after waiting two more days, Beijing Station arranged a train dedicated to hauling supplies.

Lu Cheng was at that time directing the loading of the train, and unexpectedly ran into Haodazi Wu Zhekun.