Chapter 395: Chapter 394: Stay-at-Home Dad
After the rain stopped, Lin Wan didn’t dare to go out and visit others. Because many places outside where water had accumulated had turned into ice. If she, being pregnant, slipped accidentally, it would be disastrous.
On her way to the kitchen, Lin Wan suddenly remembered the old yogurt Han Yi asked her to bring.
She hurriedly brought it out for him. "You asked me to bring this back, but I didn’t know who needed it, so I haven’t delivered it yet."
"Captain Shen and Captain Ning wanted it, for their wives to drink."
"Oh, if I had known earlier, I would’ve sent it to them a few days ago."
"It’s not too late to send it now. How much is a bottle here?"
"Fifty cents, and keep the bottle after drinking."
"I’ll deliver it to them now." Han Yi said, taking six or seven bottles for each of them, leaving the rest for Lin Wan to drink.
The cotton shoes Shi Lan helped her make were already finished, and in sunny weather, she quickly delivered them.
Looking at the workmanship, Lin Wan thought it was really good. If she had to make them herself, who knows what it would turn out to be like?
"Yesterday it was raining and you didn’t come out. I went to Sister-in-law Jiang’s house to chat; she mentioned that Sun Yu is pregnant, just found out a few days ago."
"Oh, they’ve been married for several years. Sun Yu was studying before, and they weren’t planning to have a child. Now they’re working, it’s a good time to want a child."
"But I heard from Sister-in-law Jiang that Sun Yu doesn’t want to have it."
"Huh, why?"
"Sun Yu seems to feel she’s just started working and hasn’t become permanent yet. Having a child would be another responsibility, inevitably making it difficult to manage everything. She intends to wait until she’s permanent before thinking about having a child."
Lin Wan, having lived another lifetime, could understand Sun Yu’s feelings. Career is important, but so is having a child. Maybe she doesn’t see it now, but one day she’ll understand that children are also very important.
"This is something we can’t interfere with; whether to keep it or not depends on her decision."
"Exactly, it’s a life after all," Shi Lan said, smiling enviously, "I also want a child. I don’t know when heaven will bless us with one."
"It will happen. Just exercise more at night."
"Naughty Xiao Wan, you really could say that."
The two laughed and chatted about other things.
Lin Wan had been living there for two weeks, and her illness had already healed. She had asked for half a month’s leave and should be heading back.
It’s just that Han Yi’s disciplinary action hadn’t come through yet, which worried her. So she discussed it with Han Yi and planned to stay an extra week.
Concerned about home, Lin Wan specifically called her mom.
To inquire about the condition of those goods.
"Don’t worry, stay there. I’m running things for you here. In these two weeks, I’ve been to the store several times, and a lot of goods have been sold. Now the hats are almost sold out, only scarves and gloves are left."
"Hmm, thank you, mom. I’ll be back in a few days. Please call Aunt Liu and ask her to tell Su Ling that I need a few more days of leave." Mentioning Aunt Liu, Lin Wan couldn’t help but think of her mom’s affair. "Mom, did you meet?"
"Meet? Meet with whom?" Liang Hongmei didn’t react for a moment. "Mom, how come you’re pretending to be confused now?"
Finally, Liang Hongmei remembered what her daughter was talking about. "Yes, I met them a few days ago. They seem fine."
"Ah, what’s your opinion then?" Lin Wan was delighted.
"I have no special opinion. I said this won’t work. You asked for me to give Aunt Tang face, so I went to meet them. They seem nice, but not suitable for me. I still feel the same way: I don’t want to look for a partner. I’ve made it clear to that person and also to your Aunt Tang (Su Ling’s mother-in-law). Don’t involve me in these messy things anymore."
"Alright, alright, whatever you say. It’s clear with Aunt Liu, that’s good." Lin Wan noticed her mom’s tone wasn’t too good and quickly agreed.
"Okay, if there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up to save phone costs." Liang Hongmei said, and before Lin Wan could speak, had already hung up.
Lin Wan looked up at Han Yi standing beside her and gave him a helpless smile.
Han Yi didn’t say much in the communication room but pulled her aside afterwards, asking curiously, "Who did mom meet?"
"A match that Su Ling’s mother-in-law introduced, but mom didn’t agree."
Han Yi didn’t ask more, as it was a private matter concerning his mother-in-law.
They didn’t rush home but went with a basket to a nearby small market. At this time in winter, there were cabbages, radishes, tofu, and bean sprouts. Some potatoes and onions too. Han Yi didn’t let Lin Wan buy onions because in the army they ate onions every day, and during training, everyone had gas, which could suffocate people. Lin Wan laughed heartily after hearing this, imagining the scene for a long time.
"There’s a fish vendor, let’s buy some fish," Lin Wan said, noticing a stall selling small fish.
Not big, about the size of a palm. These small fish are best coated in starch and fried in oil.
Han Yi pulled her along and bought three or four pounds of fish, a chicken,
and a dozen goose eggs. These goose eggs were really big; Lin Wan couldn’t hold them with one hand.
"Goose eggs are nutritious; eating them is good for Bao Bao. I’ll make goose egg custard when we get back."
"Alright." With Han Yi around, Lin Wan didn’t have to worry about anything.
There weren’t many fruits in winter, besides dark frozen pears and frozen persimmons. Lin Wan didn’t like them, but Han Yi insisted on buying them, saying she now needed nutrition and should eat more fruits.
When they returned home, Han Yi tied the live chicken in the little shed used for coal and firewood. He would keep it until they decided to eat it.
Lin Wan couldn’t stand the smell of fish, so Han Yi boiled a pot of hot water and took it to the large outdoor sink to handle.
Feeling bored at home, Lin Wan moved a small stool, sat far away, and chatted with him.
"Oh, did you buy fish today too?" Just then, Ning Jiang appeared with Shi Lan carrying half a basin of fish.
"Yes, when did you go to the small market? We didn’t see you."
"We went early in the morning. I got sick and haven’t had the chance to handle it." Lin Wan heard Shi Lan’s nasal voice. "Xiao Lan, you didn’t catch it from me, did you?"
Shi Lan gave her a playful glare. "Hmph, probably."
"Oh dear, sorry to make you catch a cold with me. Sit down and rest quickly." Lin Wan feigned an apologetic expression, quickly pulling Shi Lan to sit down.
This made Shi Lan laugh out loud. "I dare not take the stool from you, a pregnant woman. Besides, I have to help Ning Jiang with the fish."
"We have men to do it. Let’s sit and wait." Lin Wan said, looking up with a smile at Ning Jiang by the sink. "Right, Battalion Commander Ning?"
Speaking of which, this was Lin Wan’s first time meeting Shi Lan’s husband, and he indeed looked quite nice, about as tall as Han Yi, but appeared quite gentle-faced, whereas Han Yi seemed slightly colder.
That’s what the later generation described as a warm man versus an abstinent type. But inside, her Han Yi was not abstinent at all but was indeed a warm man.
"Right, Lin spoke correctly." Even though Ning Jiang met Lin Wan for the first time, he had heard much about her from his wife in the past few days.
After Ning Jiang said this, he turned to Han Yi and added, "See, when I meet you, nothing good comes out of it. You fear your wife, but now your wife is teaching mine."
Han Yi gave him a sidelong glance, disagreeing. "How does pampering my wife equate to fearing her?" He stared again. "In such cold weather, you still want your wife to stand by cold water with you? Aren’t you embarrassed, being a tough guy?"
"..." Han Yi’s words made Ning Jiang speechless. "Alright, alright, learning from Captain Han is surely right."
Ning Jiang chuckled, then added, "How did your wife and mine become such good friends?"
Han Yi also smiled helplessly. "I don’t know..." He paused, "Our two rows are close by, with only Sister-in-law Jiang’s age being similar to you and your wife’s. It’s just... my wife doesn’t get along with Sister-in-law Jiang."
Ning Jiang burst out laughing. "It’s not your wife who doesn’t get along, but that there’s hardly anyone in the whole courtyard who gets along with her."
Han Yi pursed his lips, holding back a laugh, knowing that speaking ill of someone behind their back isn’t right.
"I was worried my wife would be bored when she arrived. Now it’s great; she gets along well with yours, so they have a companion."
"Mm."
"Has the disciplinary action come through yet?"
Han Yi shook his head. "Not yet."
"Is that Mei fellow holding a grudge against you?" He knew a bit about what had happened.
Han Yi nodded, not saying much.
"The punishment likely won’t be severe; there’s the Brigade Commander Qin behind the scene.
"I understand."
"By the way, how are you going to cook the fish?"
"Deep-fry it." "That’s what I thought too."
The conversation between the two men gradually steered towards how to cook the fish deliciously.