Sweet slice-of-life love story: Wife, Let's love again
Chapter 340 - 333: Life Isn’t Full of Ups and Downs

Chapter 340: Chapter 333: Life Isn’t Full of Ups and Downs

Days passed like a swift stream; it felt as though something had happened, yet as if nothing had happened at all.

Both of them knew what the future held, but it had little impact on their daily lives. Life went on as usual; the only change was that Qin Guanglin was eagerly building up the family’s assets, and He Fang seemed to have undone a knot in her heart, becoming even more spirited than before, wholeheartedly immersing herself in family life.

They didn’t travel during the seven-day National Day holiday but spent a few days in He City instead. From this year on, He Fang decided to spend New Year’s Day with her own family—after all, her parents’ household was now her family of origin, and her true home was with Qin Guanglin.

The winter of the Wuxu Year was extraordinarily cold.

Even before New Year’s Day, Qin Guanglin had already layered up with autumn clothes and sweaters, topped with a thick down jacket.

"Should I keep some facial hair to look more mature?"

After finishing brushing his teeth and washing his face, Qin Guanglin wiped his face with a towel, rested his hands on the washbasin, and looked at himself from different angles before asking He Fang.

His beard was not particularly thick, shaving once a week wouldn’t be apparent, and it was just about a week since his last shave the previous weekend, leaving only a fine layer of stubble on his chin.

He Fang had already finished her morning routine and was nibbling on a carrot. After a couple of bites, seeing that Qin Guanglin was ready, she handed him the partially eaten carrot—she just liked to taste it and get some vitamins in the process.

"It’s prickly, why keep it?"

"It’ll stop being prickly once you get used to it... Do I keep a beard in the future?" Qin Guanglin asked while crunching the carrot.

Having a prophet by your side was quite nice actually, as it could greatly satisfy one’s curiosity.

"You did for a while, but later our daughter complained it was too prickly, so you shaved it off."

He Fang scrunched her nose and complained, "Once there’s a daughter, the wife is forgotten. When I complain it’s prickly you say I’ll get used to it, but when our daughter complains, you just... mmm..."

"I won’t keep it, I’ll shave it off now."

Qin Guanglin gave her a firm kiss and hurried to the mirror to begin shaving.

After busying himself and tidying up his chin, He Fang had already picked up her small bag and hooked her arm through his as they headed out together.

Today was the weekend, and they planned to have dinner with Qin’s Mother at the old house. They had lazed around at home until noon before getting out of bed, then after a simple meal, they prepared to head over.

"Your mom might be rushing us to have kids soon."

Sitting in the passenger seat and fastening her seat belt, He Fang suddenly reminded him.

"Oh? So soon?" Qin Guanglin was startled. They had only been married for half a year.

"In two more months, you’ll be twenty-eight. It’s not too rushed, actually."

"Uh... don’t worry, I’ll handle it."

Qin Guanglin thought it made sense indeed. He would be twenty-eight next year, and twenty-nine when their daughter was born, which was quite late.

By the time his parents were his age, he was almost ready for elementary school.

"Will anything happen today?"

As he reversed out of the complex and drove along Luo City Avenue toward the Qin family’s home, he casually asked, treating He Fang as if she knew everything.

"What happened on this day last year?" He Fang countered.

"How would I remember?"

"Exactly."

"..."

Qin Guanglin smacked his lips, "Wait, that’s not right. You remember the thing about having kids."

"I didn’t say it would definitely happen, just that it might happen soon, probably."

"Oh."

After parking the car on North Fly Road, the two of them, donning couples’ hats with little pompoms and thick scarves, didn’t head straight home. Instead, they walked arm in arm to the market for a stroll.

Living in the area for years, everything was incredibly familiar. Although they’d only visited some weekends in the past two years, the stall owners remembered them quite well. The young couple, recognizing almost everyone in the area, greeted them warmly.

Passing by the various stalls, He Fang looked around and, spotting the tripe shop ahead, pointed and suggested to Qin Guanglin, "Let’s make some tripe soup to warm us up on such a cold day—or should we just go for hotpot?"

"Tripe hotpot?"

"Yes... I can also make chicken with pig’s stomach. Which one would you like to eat?"

"Hmm, both."

Qin Guanglin hadn’t eaten much at lunch and was now in the mood for anything.

"Then let’s do the chicken with pig’s stomach and buy half a pound of tripe to stew after we’re done with the chicken."

As He Fang spoke, she had already walked up to the stall to buy the main ingredients, instructing Qin Guanglin to go buy some vegetables.

In Luo City, where the weather was cold, hotpot was very popular, though not quite the Bashu style. Usually, a soup was prepared and ingredients were added at will; it mainly depended on the sauce for flavor.

As for what He Fang mentioned like chicken with pig’s stomach or tripe hotpot, those were relatively infrequent treats as they were more complicated to prepare, but she enjoyed experimenting with food.

Before long, the two walked out of the market, their breaths visible in the frosty air, each carrying a large bag full of groceries, laughing and joking as they arrived at Pan’s convenience store. He Fang handed her bag of groceries to Qin Guanglin and went inside to purchase some hotpot supplies.

"Brother Lin."

Little Fatty wasn’t the same snot-nosed little kid who trailed behind him a few years ago. He shot up in height over the years, and had become much more sensible. It had been about half a year since they saw each other at the wedding, and Little Fatty seemed to have grown even taller.

Not having seen each other for half a year, Little Fatty was somewhat shy, not aiming the human cannon at Qin Guanglin like before, but simply greeting him politely.

"Hey, come stand closer. With the way you’re growing... you’ll catch up to me in another couple of years," Qin Guanglin said with a measure of surprise, comparing their heights.

Who would have thought that this chubby kid would stop growing outwards and shoot up instead? The baby fat on his face had reduced significantly, revealing the hint of a handsome profile.

Scratching his head, Little Fatty chuckled, "I’ve been eating a lot."

"Yeah, other people stop eating when they’re upset, you eat an extra two bowls when you’re angry."

Qin Guanglin clicked his tongue. Behind him, He Fang was already coming out of the convenience store, "You’re talking about yourself, aren’t you?"

"..."

It wasn’t just Little Fatty who enjoyed food; Qin Guanglin was equally known for his appetite.

Upon seeing He Fang, Little Fatty didn’t react with the same awe as before at how pretty Brother Lin’s wife was, and hesitated, not sure how to address her.

"Call her Sister-in-law He," Qin Guanglin didn’t need to guess to know what Little Fatty was struggling with.

He was just the same at that age, not good with words.

"Sister-in-law He!"

"Uh-huh."

"You guys go play," Qin Guanglin said as he saw a row of four or five pals squatting at the corner, calling over to them before preparing to head back with He Fang.

"Brother Lin, I..." Little Fatty stuttered, standing there hesitantly.

"Hmm? Something else?"

Qin Guanglin stopped in his tracks. Seeing Little Fatty looking down, he couldn’t help but laugh, "Quit beating around the bush, just speak."

"I want to learn how to paint... It’s not like I’m asking you to teach me by hand, it’s just..." Little Fatty scratched his head, "I don’t know how to start, and I was hoping Brother Lin could guide me."

"That’s it? Sure, I’m not often around here, so just add me on WeChat... You’ve got WeChat, right?" Qin Guanglin saw the row of kids around Little Fatty’s age, each with a phone in hand, shouting things like "Li Bai" and "push the tower." They were all together, so they must have had it.

Despite the cold winter, they didn’t seem to mind the chill as they crouched in the corner, puffs of frosty breath as they focused intensely on their phone screens... Probably leeching wifi.

The kids today were nothing like himself at that age. Back then he had to sneak about just to watch TV. The most enjoyable activity was playing marbles on the ground with his pals, they didn’t have these many games to play.

"I do, I do!" Little Fatty excitedly held up his phone, "Brother Lin, let me scan your QR!"

"Alright..."

Qin Guanglin handed the vegetables to He Fang and freed up a hand to pull out his phone. As he added Little Fatty on WeChat, he said, "If there’s anything about painting you don’t understand, just ask me. Don’t send voice messages, just text. If it’s too hard, I can’t explain... but you probably won’t have anything too complicated. Just be diligent if you want to learn."

"Thanks, Brother Lin!"

Little Fatty nodded, exchanged WeChats with him, and without further ado, backed away to thank Qin Guanglin before retreating.

"Jie! Come over quick, the next round’s starting!"

His pals in the corner called out, and Qin Guanglin smiled, "Go on, have fun."

He turned and went back home with He Fang. Behind them, Little Fatty swung his fists excitedly, hesitated while looking toward the front door, and joined his pals crouching together again.

"I’ll just play one round, then I need to go practice painting."

Qin’s Mom took the vegetables and began to sort through them, only to be guided into the living room to rest by Qin Guanglin. He then joined He Fang in the kitchen, washing and chopping vegetables, casually asking, "That Little Fatty just now... did he make something of himself?"

"Your half-apprentice."

Seeing Qin Guanglin’s surprised look, He Fang chuckled, lifting her head to recall carefully, and mused, "I remember you mentioned that he repeated a year at school and got into Luo City University, also studying fine arts."

"Not bad at all."

Qin Guanglin was genuinely surprised; Luo City University wasn’t a place you could just get into if you felt like it. Getting in after repeating a year was certainly something to boast about.

"Art depends on luck. It’s just because you became famous later on that this half-apprentice of yours got to bask in your glory. Otherwise, both of you would have been poor artists."

"Yeah, me a poor artist."

Qin Guanglin chuckled, "Give me a kiss."

"Your mom’s watching."

"She’s busy watching TV, not looking at us."

"She really is watching. Take a look."

He Fang earnestly motioned with her lips towards the living room and quickly pecked Qin Guanglin’s cheek while he turned to look.

"...Something just bit me," Qin Guanglin said.

"Nope, just your imagination."

The two of them stood calmly at the kitchen counter, one washing and cutting vegetables and the other preparing hot pot ingredients. A simple yet lively family dinner was ready in no time amidst their banter.

"Time to eat. Mom, come wash up for dinner."