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Chapter 277 A Warm Life, Zhou Xiumei's Dream
Sunlight streamed through the glass into the room.

The old wooden floor and pale yellow wall paint seem to be coated with a warm-toned filter.

In the living room, the television was playing a news program.

The host's clear and resonant voice echoed in the room:
"Breaking news from our station: After 49 days of continuous efforts, the police in our city have successfully solved the 'Vampire Serial Murder Case'."

"According to a statement from the police department, the suspect, Wang, disguised himself as a vampire and deliberately created panic. He is suspected of committing crimes in multiple locations over three months, resulting in the deaths of seven people."

"During the investigation, the Municipal Criminal Investigation Detachment established a special task force. Through analysis of the crime's trajectory and cross-regional police cooperation, they located the suspect hiding in an old apartment building in the suburbs."

"At 4:00 AM yesterday, the police launched a 'lightning arrest' operation and successfully apprehended him. Tools used in the crime and some of the victim's belongings were recovered at the scene. The case is currently under further investigation..."

Zhou Yongnian sat at the dining table, the vegetables and lean meat in the porcelain bowl steaming hot.

He ate his porridge while looking up at the news broadcast every now and then.

In the kitchen, the gas stove flickered with blue flames, the pressure cooker hissed and bubbled, and a rich aroma wafted through the air.

Suddenly, a series of clanging and clattering sounds rang out.

Zhou Yongnian frowned, opened his mouth as if to say something, but then closed it again.

I picked up a slice of pickled radish with my chopsticks, put it in my mouth, and chewed it slowly.

"Dad, the police officers on TV are so cool with their guns!"

Pengpeng, who was sitting to the side, was leaning on the edge of the table, staring intently at the scene of special police breaking down the door on the TV screen. His saliva was almost dripping down his bib into his porridge.

"I want to be a policeman when I grow up, to catch bad guys and vampires..."

Although he was already fifteen years old, his round cheeks still looked as innocent as a child's. His chubby little hands were stirring the bowl with a plastic spoon, as if he were dealing with some bad guy.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yongnian's lips relaxed slightly. He reached out to wipe the drool from his son's chin and straightened the crooked bib.

"To be a police officer, you have to be able to endure hardship and not be picky about food."

As he spoke, he pointed to the few green vegetable leaves that had been picked out of Pengpeng's bowl.

"I want to endure hardship! I want to be a policeman and catch bad guys!"

Upon hearing this, Pengpeng excitedly raised his spoon and shouted.

However, a lot of porridge was accidentally spilled, and the condiment bottle was knocked over, with white pepper powder scattered on the tablecloth like a thin layer of snow.

Zhou Yongnian didn't scold him; instead, his eyes showed affection as he got up to help his seemingly immature son tidy up the table.

"Hey, is our Pengpeng going to be a big policeman when he grows up?"

At this moment, He Huiqin came out of the kitchen carrying a clay pot, her apron still stained with some oil.

The casserole was placed on the table, and when the lid was lifted, steam billowed out with a "whoosh," releasing a rich aroma of herbs mixed with the fragrance of meat.

"Then you'd better learn from your dad."

As she ladled soup into Zhou Yongnian's bowl, the spoon clinking against the rim, she said with a rather smug air:

"Did you see that case on the TV news? It was your dad who led the investigation."

Pengpeng immediately turned his head, his eyes curving into crescents:

"Dad is so awesome!"

Zhou Yongnian felt a little uncomfortable under his son's adoring gaze. He sat back down in his chair, picked up a piece of pickled radish, put it in his mouth, and said with a slightly reserved air:

"It has little to do with me. I was just responsible for gathering clues. The people who caught the criminals at the scene were sent by the General Administration."

He Huiqin seemed somewhat displeased upon hearing this:
"How can it not be related to you? You led the team and stayed up for three consecutive nights, your eyes were as red as a rabbit's, before you finally found the criminal's whereabouts. If it weren't for you, how could they have solved the case so easily?"

"Besides, you're already the criminal investigation captain of the district police station, a leader. Those special police officers are just errand boys in front of you, and they have to call you Captain Zhou when they see you. How can they compare to you!"

"cough--"

Zhou Yongnian seemed to choke on the porridge; his dark face turned bright red, and he waved his hands repeatedly.

Seeing this, He Huiqin quickly put down the soup spoon, reached out to pat his back, and complained:

"What's the rush? Nobody's going to take it from you."

Once he had caught his breath, He Huiqin pushed the bowl full of soup forward again and said in a high-pitched voice:

"Honey, try this black chicken and white phoenix soup. I simmered it for a full three hours and even went to the Chinese medicine pharmacy to ask the old pharmacist to add extra gastrodia elata and codonopsis pilosula."

“You’ve been working so hard these past few days that your face is all pale. If you don’t eat something nourishing, you might faint at the police station one day, and people will think I’m mistreating you.”

Her tone was extremely soft and gentle, a stark contrast to her usual sharp and sarcastic manner, where she would stand with her hands on her hips, curse, and frequently give others the cold shoulder.

Zhou Yongnian's eyes widened in surprise.

He felt that his wife standing in front of him seemed to have become more gentle and beautiful, and the two of them seemed to have returned to the time when they first started dating.

However, a shout broke the atmosphere.

"Mom, I want some too!"

Pengpeng stretched his neck, gazing at the steaming black chicken soup, and kept licking his lips.

"Little darling, what are you doing getting involved? Be careful not to overdo it and get a nosebleed."

He Huiqin quickly waved her son's hand away.

Pengpeng's lips were so pursed they could hold an oil bottle, and tears quickly welled up in his eyes.

Hearing the crying, Zhou Li came out from the inner room and comforted her:
"Oh dear, don't cry, Grandma will buy you candy later."

Seeing this, Zhou Yongnian spoke up:
"Give him half a bowl."

He Huiqin rolled her eyes helplessly:
"You're always spoiling him. How will the child grow up if you keep indulging him?"

Even so, He Huiqin still scooped up half a bowl of soup with affection, pursed her lips and blew on it gently until the soup stopped steaming, before carefully handing it to her son.

"Drink slowly, or you'll regret it if you burn your tongue."

"Mom, Xiumei, come and have a drink too."

Zhou Yongnian then turned to look at Zhou Lishi and Zhou Xiumei.

Zhou Li shook her head and smiled:
“I can’t stand the smell of these herbs. You should drink more of them yourself. Make sure to replenish your energy after staying up all night, so you don’t develop health problems when you get older.”

Zhou Xiumei's clear voice came from the bedroom:
"No, Dad, I'm already full. I have to catch the bus to class later."

Zhou Yongnian sighed inwardly, pausing with the soup spoon in his hand at the edge of the bowl.

Since getting a promotion and a raise, I feel like I've become the focus of my whole family's attention.

Even his wife, who used to criticize him for being "never home," became gentle, virtuous, and understanding.

He was still a little unaccustomed to being pampered like this.

After quickly finishing the last bit of soup in his bowl, Zhou Yongnian stood up abruptly and said to his wife:
"I have a meeting at the police station this morning, so I need to get there early."

With that, he walked to the sofa, picked up his briefcase, and prepared to leave.

"Hey, wait!"

He Huiqin immediately put down her bowl and chopsticks, took the neatly ironed police uniform from the back of the chair, and quickly walked behind him to help him put it on.

"You've just been promoted. If you're not going out on cases, wear more formal attire to make a better impression on your superiors. Last night you said the cuff buttons were a bit loose, so I sewed them tighter for you. Try them on to see if they fit."

She gave careful instructions, her fingertips gently tracing the two newly replaced floral epaulets.

Suddenly remembering something, she quickly turned around and grabbed a thermal container from the kitchen:
"I've packed up the leftover black chicken soup for you. You can reheat it in the microwave at noon."

"Stop making a fuss, the police station has a canteen."

Zhou Yongnian frowned and declined, but his gaze inadvertently fell on the red burn mark on his wife's wrist, and his voice softened.

He Huiqin acted as if she hadn't heard him. After filling the soup container, she put it in his hand and straightened his collar. "Team Leader Zhang said your blood pressure was low during your physical exam. This soup is good for replenishing your blood and qi. Listen to me, you must finish it."

As Zhou Yongnian watched his wife bustling around, he suddenly recalled how she had mended his police uniform in their rented apartment when they had just gotten married.

Back then, her hands were still very tender, and her stitches were crooked. She would often prick her fingertips with the needle while mending, but she loved to polish his police badge and epaulets until they shone.

As he reached for the insulated food container, Zhou Yongnian brushed his hand against his wife's, his ears burning slightly, and he whispered a reply:
"understood."

He Huiqin looked up at him and noticed a faint blush rising on his dark face, and a slight smile playing on his lips.

Outside the tenement building, the faint sounds of rush hour traffic could be heard as she opened the door for him.

In the morning light, he stood upright, the epaulets on his dark blue police uniform gleaming, just like his handsome appearance when he first wore the uniform.

"Be careful on the road."

She spoke softly, just like the first time she sent her husband to work, with a faint glimmer of starlight in her eyes.

The moment Zhou Yongnian stepped out the door, he couldn't help but turn back to look at his wife.

Just as the two were gazing deeply into each other's eyes, their eyes locked in a tender moment, enacting a romantic scene.

An untimely voice suddenly rang out in the hallway.

"Uncle Zhou, Aunt He, what's going on here...?"

The two were suddenly awakened, their bodies instantly pulling apart as they looked towards the sound.

A young man wearing a sports hoodie and a baseball cap stood not far away, looking at them with a slightly surprised expression.

Immediately, a mocking smile appeared on his lips:

"Uncle Zhou, you look so handsome in this new police uniform. Aunt He had such good taste back then. No wonder she always wondered why Uncle Zhou hadn't come home yet."

He Huiqin's cheeks flushed, and she hurriedly straightened the hem of Zhou Yongnian's police uniform, trying to appear calm as she said:
"Of course, when has your Aunt He ever had bad taste? You young people should learn from her to avoid marrying the wrong person."

Zhou Yongqing coughed lightly, then raised his watch with feigned authority and glanced at it;
"Acheng, it's almost nine o'clock, let's go, don't be late for work."

Before the words were finished, Zhou Xiumei, wearing a pink sweater and carrying a schoolbag, rushed out of the house, calling out anxiously:
"Brother Cheng! Wait for me, I'll ride with you to Jiangdong!"

Seeing that her daughter's makeup wasn't finished, He Huiqin quickly stuffed the makeup bag into Xiumei's hands:
"A young lady like you, with hair as messy as a bird's nest, should dress up nicely before going into the classroom."

The three of them walked downstairs together and arrived at the main entrance.

Zhou Yongnian, seeing that Fang Cheng and Xiu Mei were both carrying heavy bags, suddenly spoke:
"Let me see you off."

"No, Uncle Zhou, it'll be more convenient for Xiu Mei and me to take a taxi together later."

While politely declining, Fang Cheng subtly stepped aside.

He knew that Zhou Yongnian usually paid the most attention to police discipline and personal image.

Although I often need to drive home for work, I have never used the company car to pick up or drop off my family.

Even when Xiumei had a fever of 39 degrees Celsius when she was a child, Zhou Yongnian insisted that his wife take her to the hospital by taxi.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yongnian's gaze shifted between the two men, then he looked at Fang Cheng meaningfully:

"It's certainly a good thing that young people act with discretion, but sometimes, you can wait for a missed bus, you can reschedule a meal, but missing out on a person is for a lifetime..."

Two red clouds suddenly rose to Zhou Xiumei's cheeks, and she couldn't help but stomp her foot:

"Dad, no, it's not what you think..."

She glanced quickly at Fang Cheng, wanting to hide her feelings, but didn't know what to say.

I suddenly remembered the last time the building was locked down, my father caught the two of us having breakfast together at the dining table.

At this moment, her face was flushed and burning hot, all the way to her ears, so hot that it could almost fry an egg.

Perhaps this tendency to be shy is something that father and daughter inherited.

Looking at his daughter's flustered appearance, Zhou Yongnian recalled how he himself couldn't hide his feelings when he was pursuing He Huiqin in his youth.

He shook his head and smiled, not saying anything to spoil the mood, then turned around, took out his keys, and walked towards the old-model car parked downstairs.

As the engine started, the car shuddered slightly as it drove into the morning rush hour bathed in the morning light.

As she watched her father drive away, Xiumei suddenly breathed a sigh of relief.

Then, turning to glance at Fang Cheng, she twisted her fingers around the strap of her backpack and explained somewhat awkwardly:
"That's just how my dad is. He's used to being a policeman, so he likes to say strange things. Don't take it to heart."

Fang Cheng smiled slightly, his tone carefree:

"Uncle Zhou looked at me like I was being interrogated. He probably thought I was bullying you and wanted to take me back to the police station for questioning."

Zhou Xiumei burst out laughing, her face still flushed.

"Let's go, or you'll be late for class."

Fang Cheng pointed to the intersection ahead, where vehicles were flowing endlessly.

Zhou Xiumei hummed in agreement and quickened her pace to catch up.

The two walked side by side, stepping through the potholes and sewage.

The old factory street was bustling in the morning, with the sounds of electric scooters and breakfast vendors calling out their wares.

Amidst the commotion, Fang Cheng suddenly asked:
How have your music lessons been these past few days?

Zhou Xiumei's eyes lit up, and a pleased smile appeared on her lips:

“In yesterday’s vocal coaching class, Teacher Li specifically praised me, saying that my tone was clear and clean when I sang ‘Fisherman’s Song’ and that I handled the emotional layers very delicately.”

Her speech quickened slightly, and a rare gleam of joy appeared in her eyes.

"He even said he'd put me in charge of the lead vocals for next week's community charity performance. Cheng-ge, do you know that this is the first time I've ever been the lead vocalist in a formal performance?"

"so smart!"

Fang Cheng raised an eyebrow and praised him with delight:
“I always knew you were very talented in this area. When I was little, I loved listening to you sing. Every time I listened to you, I felt really good.”

"If you become a great singer in the future, don't forget me, your longtime listener."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xiumei pursed her lips, but the dimples on her cheeks couldn't help but spread.

She was immediately overjoyed and talked about her various novel experiences in the music training camp, how she made several good friends, and so on.

The two walked and talked, and the atmosphere quickly became relaxed.

Fang Cheng turned his head and looked at the girl beside him with her long, flowing hair and bright eyes, and his heart couldn't help but flutter.

I once asked Zhou Xiumei what her dream was.

Zhou Xiumei's eyes were filled with confusion. She had thought about opening a cake shop or a breakfast stall, and she had also thought about finding a stable office job, but she still couldn't find the answer that would make her eyes light up.

Fang Cheng recalled that when she was little, she always liked to sit on the windowsill and hum songs, and her notebooks were filled with crooked musical notes.

So I decided to help her find her dream.

During the Spring Festival, Zhou Xiumei gifted herself a sports watch as a New Year's present.

Fang Cheng reciprocated by gifting her a music training camp course and secretly enrolling her in this year's singing talent show held by Dongdu TV.

"Go ahead and try it."

When I said those words, I could clearly see the surprise and excitement flashing in her eyes.

At this moment, gazing at Zhou Xiumei's bright eyes and smiling lips, Fang Cheng silently thought:

Even if the road ahead is full of difficulties, I will stand behind you and be your strongest support.

(End of this chapter)