Chapter 158: Hoping This Moment of Happiness Could Last Forever

It just happened to be the end of the workday at the military district, and many people passing by Lin You's front door could not help stopping in their tracks to take a few sniffs.

"Whose house is this? Cooking smells so good."

"Indeed, the aroma is just wonderful!"

......

The three children washed their hands early and lined up in the kitchen with their bowls to dish out the rice.

At the dining table, Chen Qiumei suddenly recalled something. "Yanyan, I remember when your engagement was finalized, your parents mentioned that Xia Cuicui's birthday is on the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. You were born around the same time as Xia Cuicui, so your birthday must be coming up soon, right?"

"Mom, you still remember that? My birthday is on the very same day as Xia Cuicui's."

Xia Yan was somewhat surprised; she had not expected her mother-in-law to remember such details, which was quite thoughtful of her.

"That's wonderful, then. We will host a proper birthday banquet for you and invite Political Commissar Zhou and the others over for a meal. You and Lin You never held a proper celebration after getting your marriage certificate, so we can treat this as a double celebration."

Chen Qiumei clapped her hands and shared her proposal.

Hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement, and Xia Yan was more than willing. In the past, she had been so busy with work that she would always forget about occasions like birthdays.

This meal was enjoyed with unprecedented satisfaction by everyone, and the cheerful laughter never once stopped.

Even Lin You ate until his mouth was gleaming with oil, and the smile on his face never faded. This was the happiest day the family had experienced since his younger brother's passing.

Looking at the smiles on her family members' faces, Xia Yan thought that this kind of life was probably what ordinary happiness looked like.

She silently made a birthday wish in her heart ahead of time: May this happiness continue forever!

After the meal, the two brothers Lin Hongzhe vied with each other to wash the dishes.

With nothing much to do, the family started a game of mahjong.

Xia Yan was not very good at it. After fumbling around for a long time, even Lin Hongzhe, who was standing behind her, understood the game better than she did, while she still remained clueless. Eventually, the little fellow was "thrust into the breach" to take over Xia Yan's seat.

The next day, as dawn was just breaking.

Perhaps due to the change in environment, Xia Yan woke up early. She looked at the "sleeping beauty" beside her, leaned over, and kissed the man on the cheek. "Darling, wake up."

"What is it?"

Lin You was awakened by Xia Yan's gentle shaking.

"Today, I want to make a trip to the city to buy some things."

While playing mahjong last night, Lin Ling had mentioned the department store in the city, and Xia Yan had spent the evening thinking about going into the city to buy some supplies before the New Year.

"Go to the city?"

Lin You sat up. "What are you going to the city for?"

"I just want to buy some items. Go wake the kids up and take them along for a stroll."

During breakfast, upon hearing that they were going to the city, the little ones were overjoyed.

Xia Yan originally wanted to invite Father Lin and Mother Lin to come along, but the elderly couple said they would stay home to cook and wait for them to return, so they didn't go. As for Lin Ling, she wanted to go, but the literary and art troupe was rehearsing items for the New Year gala today, so she couldn't make it.

After finishing breakfast, the family hurried to catch the bus to the city. There were only three bus trips a day—morning, noon, and evening.

Buses at this time were crowded and smelled terribly foul. Fortunately, she had eaten very little for breakfast; otherwise, Xia Yan really would have thrown up.

Enduring until they finally reached the stop, Xia Yan squeezed out of the bus and squatted down, retching for a long time.

"Wife, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Next time we take the bus, I need to bring some oranges along."

Xia Yan took out a handkerchief to wipe the corner of her mouth. "Let's not waste time, we have plenty of time today. Our first stop is the photo studio—we're going to take a family portrait!"

"Take photos? Isn't there a photo studio in the town? Why travel all the way here just for pictures?"

Lin You asked, puzzled.

"The photos from the studio in town don't look good. How can they compare to the ones in the city? Let's hurry."

"That's right, Dad. The photo studio in town is run by an old man, and the pictures he takes definitely aren't nice."

Lin Hongzhu chimed in, supporting Xia Yan's words.

"Exactly. Xiaozhu, Xiaozhe, let's go."

Xia Yan grabbed both her sons' hands and walked forward, looking as familiar with the urban area as if she lived there.

In the end, it was Lin You—carrying Nuanuan—who found the photo studio. As the family stepped inside, the palpable sense of a bygone era washed over Xia Yan, reminding her of the retro-styled malls she used to visit, which felt just like this.

The owner was a middle-aged man wearing glasses and a beret, looking very much like an artist.

"Taking a family portrait?"

"Yes, a family portrait!"

Xia Yan nodded.

The owner pulled Lin You aside and whispered, "It hasn't been easy for you as a father, raising so many children all by yourself."

"Huh?"

Lin You was stunned. Was he really looking that old?

"Boss, she's my wife!"

Unlike his encounter at the pig farm, this time he cleared up the misunderstanding immediately.

The owner smiled awkwardly, though his gaze seemed to spell out two words: I don't believe it!

The family took a few group portraits and also posed for some individual shots.

"Wife, let's take one of just the two of us as well, and display it at home so others won't doubt that we're a married couple."

Xia Yan let out a chuckle. Although the boss's voice had been soft earlier, she had heard it clearly; this man was still holding a grudge over that comment.

"Didn't you know that men only get more charming as they age?"

......

Upon leaving the photo studio, Xia Yan left an address because the prints would take two or three days to be ready and could be mailed directly to their home afterwards.

Xia Yan then pulled Lin You along and headed straight for the department store.

When she first came to the Northwest, An Jie had given her many ration tickets, including one for a wristwatch. Last time, Lin You had bought her a watch.

Noticing that Lin You's watch looked rather worn and was not any notable brand, she intended to replace it with a Shanghai-brand watch.

In this era, as the most developed metropolis in the country, the goods produced in Shanghai were not only durable but also exquisitely styled.

Shanghai-made goods were synonymous with fashion in those days.

"What are we doing here?"

Looking at the department store before him, Lin You recalled the scene shortly before when he had gone on a "shopping spree" there, after which Xia Yan had called him a spendthrift.

"You'll know once we go up."

Entering the department store, Xia Yan marched purposefully toward the watch counter.

"Do you have any wristwatches? Shanghai-brand ones."

Seeing a potential customer specifically asking for the Shanghai brand, the sales clerk immediately grew enthusiastic. "Oh, my dear, let me tell you, you've come at just the right time. Shanghai-brand watches aren't always in stock; we just received two yesterday, both men's and women's models."

"Let me see the men's model."

"Coming right up."

Hearing Xia Yan ask for a men's watch, Lin You realized it was for him and quickly grabbed her arm. "Why are you buying a watch? The one I have still works fine."

"Look at that cracked crystal on your face—er, watch face. Listen to me, you're a battalion commander now. Who knows, you might become a regimental commander in the future."

Hearing that the handsome man in front of her was actually a battalion commander, the sales clerk became even more enthusiastic. "The young lady is right. A man out and about needs to have face."

With that, she retrieved a box from behind the counter. "My dear, this is a 17-jewel all-steel model. Wear this, and I guarantee the battalion commander will be promoted to regimental commander by next year."

"I'll take the sister's auspicious words... Hehe, hand out!"