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CHAPTER 1
PART 1
If I were in Jingzhou right now, what would I be doing?
Su Xiaotong laid in bed, pondering.
Attending meetings, discussing plans, training people or getting scolded by others, negotiating with clients, showing off, and then listening to others show off.
But now, at three in the afternoon she was wearing a silk nightgown, lying on the soft and comfortable bed in her new home. The window was open, and the warm sea breeze gently blew through the white curtains. The sunlight came in and then slipped away. She watched this playful scene with a serene smile on her face.
Her seven-year-old son slept beside her, resembling a gentle little cat. Su Xiaotong was more than willing to accompany her son, but she also enjoyed her afternoon tea time. So she got up slowly, put on her slippers, left the bedroom, and closed the door behind her.
In a small town, don't expect Swiss Miss hot chocolate and Pierre Hermé macarons. Besides, considering the current situation, it's better to save... Su Xiaotong opened the tea canister and placed a bag of peach oolong tea into the newly bought Japanese glass cup, poured hot water, and held the cup as she went to the balcony. There was a small glass tea table and two comfortable armchairs here. Next to it was a minimalist Nordic-style bookshelf. Since she had just moved in, there were only a few books on the shelf: "Island," "Silent Confessions," "The Sum of All Disappointments," "The End of the World and the Cold Fairytale," and "The Picture of Dorian Gray." These were her favorite books that she couldn't bear to part with, brought all the way from Jingzhou.
Su Xiaotong casually picked up a book, opened it, and put on her headphones, playing a blues song. The atmosphere felt like a café, but a hundred times better than the cafés in big cities. From the balcony, she could see the sea view and distant mountains. The blue sky, white clouds, and breathtaking scenery here were incomparable to the concrete jungles of big cities.
Of course, what's even more important is the slow-paced life in the small town. Music, books, afternoon tea, sunlight, and beautiful views. If life could always be like this, how wonderful would it be.
While Su Xiaotong was immersed in this moment, her husband, Gu Lei, opened the door and returned. He was carrying a large plastic bag filled with meat and vegetables. Seeing Su Xiaotong sitting on the balcony drinking tea, Gu Lei walked over excitedly and said, "Xiaotong, guess how much all these groceries cost?!"
Su Xiaotong took off one side of her headphones and said, "I don't know."
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"Come on, take a guess."
Su Xiaotong casually glanced at the ingredients in the plastic bag and said, "Over a hundred?"
"Haha, I knew you would guess over a hundred. Actually, it was less than fifty yuan! Although I know prices are cheaper in small towns, I didn't expect them to be this cheap. Especially if you go shopping in the afternoon, you can get discounts. Look, I bought pork, ribs, celery, fish, potatoes, tomatoes... And these spring onions and garlic were given for free. How about that? A good deal, right?"
"That's a great deal."
"What do you feel like eating tonight?"
"Whatever."
"Come on, tell me. Stir-fried pork with celery, braised fish, or braised ribs with potatoes."
"I said whatever."
"Alright, then I'll decide on my own. Let's fry the fish, put the pork in the fridge for tomorrow, and make some tomato and egg soup..."
"Gu Lei." Su Xiaotong had to interrupt him.
"What's wrong?"
"I want to read for a while, is that okay?"
Gu Lei paused briefly, then smiled and said, "Of course, you can." He carried the bag and headed towards the kitchen.
Su Xiaotong put her headphones back in her ears. Before she could finish listening to a song, she heard Gu Lei exclaim, "Oops!" Su Xiaotong rolled her eyes and yanked off her headphones, asking, "What's wrong now?"
"Xiaoliang pooped on the bed!"
Su Xiaotong closed her eyes, let out a frustrated sigh, and walked towards the bedroom. Xiaoliang, their son, had woken up, but instead of calling for his mom, he sat on the bed, lost in thought. The smell of faeces permeated the room, and this had happened many times before, so the couple had grown accustomed to it. However, this was the first time it had happened in their new home.
"You take him for a bath, and I'll change the sheets," Su Xiaotong said.
"No need, no need. You go have your tea and read a book. I can handle it by myself," Gu Lei said as he picked up their son and walked towards the bathroom. Su Xiaotong looked at the puddle of yellow faeces on the bed and involuntarily wrinkled her brow. She covered her nose and closed the door.
There was no way she could continue with her afternoon tea.
After Gu Lei finished bathing their son, dressing him in clean clothes, and washing the soiled sheets and clothes, he started cooking. Su Xiaotong felt a bit guilty and asked, "Is there anything I can help with?"
"No need, you can accompany Xiaoliang to watch cartoons. Besides, you don't know how to cook, so what help could you offer?" Gu Lei said with a smile.
Su Xiaotong thought about it and realized he was right. She turned on the TV, sat Xiaoliang in front of it, and played "Teletubbies," a show that preschoolers enjoy. Xiaoliang turned seven last month, and on his birthday, they measured his height and weight. He was 112 centimeters tall and weighed 30 kilograms, which was above average for his age. He felt heavy sitting on her lap. While his physical development wasn't a concern, his mental development...
As Xiaoliang watched the TV, he remained silent and expressionless. After finishing an episode, Su Xiaotong picked up two number cards from the coffee table and tentatively asked, "Xiaoliang, what is 2 plus 2? Do you know?"
Xiaoliang remained dull and didn't utter a word.
"Mom taught you this last night, do you remember?"
Silence.
"It's 4, Xiaoliang," Su Xiaotong answered and looked at her wooden-like son, letting out a soft sigh.
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