Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 633 The feeling is hard to describe

By the time Chen Xiao and her son were settled in a private nursing room, it was already dark outside.

The nurse took the child to bathe, and Old Chen said, "Alright, everything went smoothly. Don't all stay here with him, go home, it's getting late."

Chen Xiao's mother said, "You can all go back now. I'll stay here. My in-laws have to go to work tomorrow, and there's nothing else to do, so you can go back."

Aunt Wang also said, "You all go back. I'll stay here with Xiaoxiao's mom. You can come back tomorrow. Xiaowei, tell the restaurant to make chicken soup, but don't make it too salty. Make sure it's made with an old hen."

Xiao Wei was taken aback for a moment and said, "Isn't it forbidden to eat this during postpartum confinement?"

Aunt Wang said, "The milk hasn't come in yet. Drink some chicken soup to help with lactation, just don't make it too salty. Ask An Laowu, he knows what to do."

Chen Hui said, "You all go, I'll stay here."

Chen Xiao's mother laughed and said, "You've got some nerve! We've all left, and you're still here? Who's going to take care of whom then?" Everyone laughed, and Old Chen stood up and said, "Then we'll head back first and come back tomorrow. My dear in-law, you've worked hard. Xiao Xiao, I'll come see you again tomorrow. Is there anything you need?"

Their jobs are unusual, so it's impossible for them to stay at the hospital with their spouse, which everyone understands.

Chen Xiao had calmed down a bit by now and said, "No need, I have everything I need. I'll be back in a few days, so I don't need to take anything."

Aunt Wang said to Xiao Wei, "You two should go back too. Xiao Hong and Xiao Hui are still waiting for news. Xiao Hui was quite frightened today. Xia, you should go back and comfort her. Pregnancy is all about these things—fear, anxiety, sadness, etc. It's not good for the baby. That's why I didn't ask her to come today. Talk to her more and don't tell her about any pain. Just wish her everything goes smoothly and a healthy baby boy."

Xia Maosheng agreed, and the group went downstairs in a grand procession. Chen Hui's mother was still a little reluctant to leave, craning her neck to look at the nurses. She didn't want to go, but Old Chen pulled her into the elevator. Everyone said goodbye downstairs and drove home.

Back at the guesthouse, Xiao Hong was watching TV and chatting with Geng Hui. Uncle Wang was also there. When he saw Xiao Wei and Xia Maosheng return, he looked over with curiosity and worry in his eyes.

Xiao Wei said with a smile, "Our whole team has been upgraded! We're all uncles and grandpas now. The big chubby boy weighs eight and a half pounds, and he's fair-skinned and chubby."

Uncle Wang said, "Wow, she's really grown up now. It must be tough for Xiao Xiao's small frame. Is Chen Hui happy?"

Xia Maosheng walked over to Geng Hui, sat down, and took her hand, saying, "How could I not be happy? I was a little dazed, my mouth was stretched to the back of my head. Let me tell you, when Xiao Xiao went into the operating room, Chen Hui was pacing around like a millstone, his palms were dripping with sweat."

Uncle Wang nodded and said, "That's right. It's not easy to be a father for the first time. You're nervous and looking forward to it, happy and apprehensive at the same time. Everyone is the same back then. Don't think that Xia Xia is fine now. If Xiao Hui had given birth, you would have been like that too. You might not have been as good as Xiao Hui."

Xia Maosheng asked Uncle Wang with a smile, "Uncle, were you like that back then?"

Uncle Wang stroked his chin and recalled for a moment, then said, "It might not have been as good as Xiao Hui's. I remember I was squatting at the door of the operating room, almost crying. I don't know what I was afraid of. Usually, family members comfort the mothers in labor, but it was Xiao Hong's mother who comforted me. It took me several days to recover."

Everyone laughed. Xiao Hong leaned against Uncle Wang, who patted her head and said, "Back then, it felt like everything was different in an instant. Someone started calling you Dad and Mom. That feeling... it's indescribable. You just can't explain it."

Geng Hui asked, "Xiao Xiao gave birth right after that?"

Xiao Wei nodded and said, "Yeah, she was only inside for a short while. We were joking around with Chen Hui outside when she gave birth. That little guy's crying was so loud, you could hear it clearly from outside. Xiao Hui was dumbfounded. Guess what the first thing he said when Xiao Xiao was wheeled out was?"

Geng Hui looked at Xiao Wei curiously: "Huh?"

Xia Maosheng, listening nearby, asked, "Wife, are you hungry?"

Everyone laughed. Uncle Wang said to Xiao Wei, "Alright, that's all done. Go get some food; everyone's starving."

Xiao Wei: "Huh? You guys haven't eaten yet?"

Uncle Wang rubbed his stomach and said, "I'm just worried about it. You guys left Xiaohong and Xiaohui here, and I was afraid she'd be scared, so I stayed here to talk to her. Besides, among the three of us, who do you think is best to cook?"

Xiao Hong giggled again, and Geng Hui laughed too. Neither of them nor Uncle Wang knew how to cook. Back then, snack bars closed early, mainly selling breakfast and lunch. Few people would come out to eat in the evening, so they would usually close around seven or eight o'clock, or even earlier. There weren't any big restaurants in the area either.

Xiao Wei said, "Come on, Lao Xia, let's get this done. We also need to send some over to Xiao Hui's place; he hasn't eaten yet. We've all forgotten about food."

The room next to the water room at the very back on the second floor has been converted into a small canteen, which is quite convenient as it is fully equipped with a refrigerator, stove, and other appliances.

Xiao Wei and Xia Maosheng came over to prepare the meal. Xiao Wei started cooking the rice and went to the refrigerator to look for meat and vegetables. Xia Maosheng said, "I'll cook some porridge. Xiao Xiao probably won't be able to eat much right now, so I'll cook some peanut porridge."

Xiao Wei said, "There are some dates here, put them in. There aren't many vegetables left, it's all meat."

Xia Maosheng took the dates and peanuts, soaked them together, rinsed the rice, and cooked porridge, saying, "Let's just use whatever we have. We'll make do for today, and ask the restaurant to prepare something for us tomorrow. I doubt Xiaoxiao will stay in the hospital for more than a few days."

Xiao Wei said, "You're next. I'm a little envious. I really wanted to hug Chen Xiaohui when he came out today, but I didn't dare."

Xia Maosheng adjusted the stove fire, saying, "I didn't dare either, I was afraid of breaking it."

Stir-fry potato slices, peel eggplant strips, stir-fry green peppers with pork, stir-fry pork slices with shredded pork, braised pork slices, stir-fried chicken with scallions, stir-fried pork slices, stir-fried shredded pork with soy sauce, crispy pork. Xiao Wei quickly prepared the side dishes. Xia Maosheng was cooking porridge. Porridge cooked over a stove is delicious, but you have to watch it and it's a bit troublesome to make.

"Get me some chicken, minced," Xia Maosheng said to Xiao Wei, who was cutting chicken breast, as he stirred the porridge.

Xiao Wei said, "Peanuts, red dates, and minced chicken? Do you want it sweet or savory?"

Xia Maosheng said, "It's plain, no sugar, just a little salt in the minced chicken. Stir it in when the porridge is done. Salt replenishes energy and enhances the flavor."

Xiao Wei is chopping chicken and meat into minced meat. This isn't chopped, but rather chopped with the back of a knife. This process breaks down the meat while preserving as much of the fiber as possible. When making meatballs, this method results in meatballs that are more sticky, elastic, and have a better texture.

Xia Maosheng glanced at it and said, "Too much."

Xiao Wei said, "It's hard to make with less, so I'll just blanch it in soup."

When the rice was almost ready and the porridge was done, Xia Maosheng mixed in the minced chicken and put it into a thermos. Then he and Xiao Wei started preparing the vegetables. He fried the oil while Xiao Wei stir-fried it. The three guys who didn't know how to cook waited expectantly.

(End of this chapter)