CH 55

The radio fell.

Xu Fan froze.

Xu Zhao’s temples throbbed twice. What had he just said? Besides telling Xu Fan that Daddy loved him, it seemed that he had told Xu Fan twice to not drop the radio, and yet Xu Fan actually dropped it. T-This… Xu Zhao looked at Xu Fan, speechless.

Xu Fan was frightened. His small mouth normally chattered nonstop, but at this moment, he didn’t say a word. His watery eyes timidly looked at Xu Zhao.

Xu Zhao’s voice was still gentle as he asked, “What did I tell you just now?”

“That I can’t d-d-drop the radio,” Xu Fan’s milky voice replied.

“And now?” Xu Zhao asked.

Xu Fan drooped his small head and curled his little fingers as he said with a helpless expression, “I-it fell.”

Xu Zhao deliberately asked with a straight face, “And what do you think we should do now?”

“Get a spanking,” Xu Fan’s voice was several times quieter than usual.

He knew that he would get punished for doing something wrong. Not bad.

“Pick up the radio and come here,” Xu Zhao said.

Xu Fan immediately squatted down his small body, his small meaty hands picking up the radio, battery, and battery cover from the ground, then hugged them to his chest. His little face was drawn tight as he walked toward Xu Zhao. Before even reaching Xu Zhao, he saw Xu Zhao stretch out his hand, and thinking that Xu Zhao was going to hit him, a “wah” sound came out without delay. while crying, his nose and small lips reddened, looking as if he had been greatly wronged.

Xu Zhao: “…”

What a counterattack!z

Even Mother and Father Xu came over to ask about the situation. “Don’t cry, Xu Fan. Xu Fan,” Xu Zhao said in a soothing voice.

After calling out several times, Xu Fan finally stopped crying. His water eyes contained two large tears that had yet to fall. He looked at Xu Zhao, his voice very milky as he called, “Daddy.”

“Come here,” Xu Zhao said again.

“Daddy, don’t spank me.”

“I won’t.”

“No spanking,” Xu Fan repeated.

“Okay, Daddy won’t spank you again in the future, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Come here and let me see the radio.”

Xu Zhao really didn’t hit Xu Fan but comforted Xu Fan instead, telling him that he had to be more careful next time. Xu Zhao never knew that he had this kind of “maternal instinct” and didn’t know that he was this patient. It must be love. Because he loved Xu Fan, he was willing to pour love, patience, and energy to educate Xu Fan.

Not long later, Xu Fan wasn’t crying anymore and admitted his mistake. He obediently crouched beside Xu Zhao and watched as Xu Zhao put the battery back inside the radio. After putting the battery cover back on, he heard a sound coming from the radio again. The little guy’s eyes brightened as he said, “Daddy, it works!”

Xu Zhao nodded.

“I can listen to the Great Sage the Equal of Heaven!”

Xu Zhao raised his gaze to Xu Fan as if saying “You’re fine and forgotten your scars of pain already.”

Xu Fan, as if understanding his daddy’s meaning, immediately used his small meaty hands to point at the large stool in the courtyard and said, “Daddy, put it there to listen. Put it there to listen. I won’t hold it. I won’t.”

“Why don’t you put it there?”

“Daddy do it.” Xu Fan had a psychological shadow from holding the radio.

“Sanwa, go put it there,” Xu Zhao encouraged Xu Fan.

“Daddy do it. I-I’ll drop it.”

“You won’t. Daddy believes in you.” Xu Zhao handed the radio to Xu Fan.

Xu Fan didn’t dare accept it.

Xu Zhao encouraged him again.

Xu Fan finally accepted the radio and carefully walked toward the courtyard and successfully placed the radio on the large stool. As if he had accomplished something great, his small face was full of joy and was full of confidence as he came back. He happily laid in Xu Fan’s embrace for a bit, then ran next door to find Da Zhuang. He and Da Zhuang each carried a small stool and sat in front of the radio to listen to it. From time to time, they would say some shocking childish words.

Xu Zhao was helpless to the situation. After notifying Father Xu, he went to the west wing to organize their items, but there wasn’t much to organize. Inside the 40 square meters room, there was only one bed, one table, and one bench. There really wasn’t anything worth organizing. Xu Zhao was a bit tired, and laid directly on the bed to rest, and at the same time, he sorted out his thoughts for planting vegetables.

He couldn’t help but think how great it would be if there was internet. He would be able to look things up online, things relating to farming and the experiences of farmers. It definitely would be a lot better. But it was a shame that there wasn’t any internet. There weren’t even any specialty books.

If it was specialty books… This era should have some specialty books. He probably had to buy or get them from the city. However, he didn’t have time to go to the city right now. Then, he could only wait a few more days and go again when he had time. While thinking, Uncle Zhang, who had previously left, came to find Xu Zhao again. He said that there was a phone call for Xu Zhao. Hearing this, Xu Zhao immediately thought of Cui Dingchen.

Sure enough, the call was from Cui Dingchen.

Xu Zhao held the phone and doubtfully greeted, “Youngest uncle, what’s wrong?”

Cui Dingchen’s voice came from the other side as he said, “I’m looking for Qingfeng.”

“Qingfeng went back a long time ago,” Xu Zhao answered.

“Really?” Cui Dingchen doubtfully questioned.

“Mn. He went back after eating. Fan’s Little Shop can’t be left unmanned,” Xu Zhao further explained.

Cui Dingchen was silent for a moment before saying, “Then I’ll call home again later.”

“Mn. Then—”

Without waiting for Xu Zhao to say “Then goodbye, Youngest uncle,” Cui Dingchen’s voice sounded again. “Oh, right. I heard that you moved to your new house?”

“Yes,” Xu Zhao quickly replied.

“Have you gotten used to living there yet?” There was a bit of exhaustion in Cui Dingchen’s voice as if he had worked for a long time.

“Today is the first day so it’s okay,” Xu Zhao answered.

“That’s good. How’s the greenhouse for the vegetables going?” Cui Dingchen continued to ask.

“It’s built. We’ll start planting the vegetables tomorrow morning.”

“Do you need my help with anything?”

“Thank—” Xu Zhao didn’t finish his sentence when he suddenly recalled the matter of the books. Why not just get Cui Dingchen’s help so that he could save time and money on a trip to the city, especially since he was poor now? And so, he opened his mouth to ask, “Youngest uncle, when are you coming back to the county town?”

“Right now I—” Cui Dingchen paused for a second before continuing, “Right now I could return at any time.”

Cui Dingchen really was too polite, so Xu Zhao wasn’t courteous anymore and directly said, “Then, Youngest uncle, when you come back, can you help me bring back two books?”

“What books?” Cui Dingchen asked back.

“Books related to planting crops. Basically books related to greenhouse vegetables.”

“Okay.”

“Thank you, Youngest uncle. I’ll give you the money when you return,” Xu Zhao happily said.

“Okay.”

Hanging up the phone, Xu Zhao thanked Uncle Zhang and returned home. As soon as he arrived home, he saw Xu Fan going room to room calling out to Daddy and looking for Daddy. This child was too clingy. He had to train him to be able to live more independently in the future.

However, for the time being, Xu Zhao gladly pulled Xu Fan and led him inside the greenhouse. The soil inside the greenhouse had already been separated by Da Zhuang’s father and Mother Xu and it was just waiting for the seeds to be planted. However, the temperature inside and outside the greenhouse was still low, and it wasn’t suitable for sowing seeds. Therefore, Xu Zhao planned to starting planting the seeds tomorrow. Today, he would pull the weeds from inside the greenhouse with Xu Fan, and they continued weeding until the evening.

The father and son sat beside the greenhouse and watched the sun set across the field, planting the nearby clouds red. Xu Zhao fell into thought. They would start planting vegetables tomorrow. Although he was sure that he could sell the vegetables, there were many aspects to growing vegetables. Moreover, because of the disapproving voices of the villagers, he was affected a bit, and he was still worried in his heart.

He lifted his gaze toward the sky, and a cool breeze blew by, making him feel a lot more comfortable and returning his confidence as well. He couldn’t be negative. As long as he took the first step, then success wouldn’t be far away.

At this time, Xu Fan pointed toward the sky and said, “Daddy, look. Grandpa Sun has gone home.”

Xu Zhao smiled and said, “That’s right. Grandpa Sun has gone home.”

“Daddy, we should go home too.” Next, Xu Fan said his reasoning for wanting to go home,” Let’s go home and eat dinner.”

“…You’re hungry again?” Xu Zhao couldn’t help but ask.

“Mn. Daddy, I smell meat. It smells so good,” Xu Fan looked very gluttonous right now.

“…Alright, let’s go home.”

Xu Zhao stood and pulled Xu Fan’s small meaty hand. He walked as he said to Xu Fan, “Xu Fan, we won’t be able to eat meat for now.”

“Why not?” Xu Fan asked.

“Because Daddy doesn’t have any money.”

“Daddy, where’s your money?”

“I spent it. Look, we built a house and a greenhouse. We bought a bicycle, a flashlight, and a radio. All those things needed money, so our money was completely spent.”

Xu Fan lifted his small face and asked Xu Zhao, “Then what should we do?”

“Since we spent it all, then we’ll earn more,” Xu Zhao said.

“We spent it all, we’ll earn more!” Xu Fan happily repeated.

“So you won’t be able to eat meat for now. You can’t cry.”

“I won’t cry.”

As the father and son were walking toward the new house, Mother Xu had also come to call the two to dinner. They had warmed up leftovers from lunch for dinner and accompanied that with six mixed buns. This was the first time the whole family ate together on the small wooden table inside the spacious main hall. The area was very large and the entire place was filled with the sound of village life. They didn’t have to listen to Xu Zuocheng and their two respective families fighting and hitting their children anymore.

The family happily ate their dinner.

At this moment, Xu Fan suddenly said, “Big car!”

Xu Zhao looked at Xu Fan.

Xu Fan looked back at Xu Zhao and said, “Daddy, it’s the sound of the big car!”

“Is there?” Xu Zhao asked Mother Xu.

“I don’t hear it,” Mother Xu said.

“There seemed to be a sound just now,” Father Xu said.

As the family was wondering, a beam of light passed through the cracks of the courtyard door, and the horn of a compact car sounded.

Xu Fan was instantly excited, his small finger pointed at the courtyard entrance as he looked to Xu Zhao to say, “Daddy! It’s a big car! The big car is here! Second Grandpa Cui is here!”

Xu Zhao, Mother and Father Xu quickly stood up and headed toward the courtyard entrance. They pushed open the wooden door and really saw the black compact car outside the entrance with its headlights on as well as Cui Dingchen, who had just come out of the driver’s seat, holding a stack of books.

Xu Zhao was very surprised.

Mother and Father Xu were also bewildered.

Xu Fan excitedly welcomed him and called, “Second Grandpa Cui!”

Cui Dingchen lowered his head to look at Xu Fan.

Xu Fan enthusiastically said, “Second Grandpa Cui, you drove your big car here.”

He knew it!

He knew that this little guy only had cars in his eyes! If he (CDC) didn’t have a car, he (XF) probably wouldn’t even remember who Second Grandpa Cui was.

Cui Dingchen responded to Xu Fan with a sound. He reached out his hand to close the car door, then looked at Xu Zhao.

“Youngest uncle, what are you doing here?” Xu Zhao asked.

“Dropping off the books,” Cui Dingchen replied.