Chen Yang and his family returned on the twelfth day of the lunar calendar. They arrived in the morning and by the afternoon, they had seen off his uncle and Chen Yue at the train station, bound for the capital.
He heard that after the fifteenth, his uncle would take Chen Yue to Yangcheng again. Chen Yang had a rough idea of what that was about.
It was highly likely that this was the very trip that led Chen Yue to establish herself in the Yangcheng Military Region in his previous life.
His uncle's old comrade-in-arms held considerable influence in the Yangcheng Military Region. Even after he retired a few years later, with the care of some of his former subordinates, Chen Yue's initial promotion would not have been slow.
However, as the economy developed and the nation's defense strategy began to focus on other areas, peace and development became the main theme.
It was unlike before, when they were truly ready to fight if provoked.
There's an old saying: the barefoot are not afraid of those wearing shoes; having nothing, at worst, one can rebuild after destruction.
After a hard-won period of improvement, who wouldn't want to protect the fruits of their labor?
Therefore, in later years, Chen Yu, a hawk, found himself sidelined precisely because his attitude was too strong, sharp, and pro-war on many issues.
One could only say it was a matter of time and fate.
Despite only having a brief interaction, Chen Yang could tell that while his cousin's temper was a bit proud, and she seemed to aim high while lacking practical experience,
She was, at heart, still a pure patriot, inheriting that trait from her father's side.
Chen Yang wasn't sure if he could remind Chen Yue at the right time in this life to help her future go smoother,
Given Chen Yue's stubborn personality, he could only offer suggestions; what she did with them was entirely up to her.
After seeing his uncle off back to the capital, Chen Yang and his father, Chen Liming, immediately began helping his mother and brother-in-law prepare some dishes. Tomorrow was the thirteenth day of the first lunar month, and his maternal uncles and aunt were coming to Chen Yang's house.
Early in the morning, the baby's cool little hands pressed against the small of his back. This was his own daughter, his "considerate" little padded jacket. Anyone else, and Chen Yang might have given them a good beating.
"Bàba, wake up."
"Grandma said the noodles are cool."
The little one's face was rosy. It was still the dead of winter, with temperatures below minus ten degrees Celsius outside. Only these little ones had such boundless energy.
The adults genuinely didn't want to get up. Of course, currently, Chen Yang was the only one in the entire household still in bed.
In later generations, many people lived with inverted schedules, staying up late at night and sleeping until the sun was high in the morning. They only needed to eat one meal a day to sustain themselves.
However, that time hadn't arrived yet, and Chen Yang couldn't indulge in a lazy lie-in. Guests were coming later, and it would be impolite to still be in bed.
"You truly are Daddy's considerate little padded jacket."
"Black-hearted cotton, it's leaking."
Chen Yang pinched the baby's little cheek and scrambled out of bed.
The biting cold wind felt like someone holding a gun to your head, forcing you back into your warm embrace.
"Bàba, what is black-hearted cotton?"
The baby tilted her little head, looking at her dear Baba. Baba hadn't been seen for days, and now he wanted to sleep in and not play with her.
She was angry, hmph.
"Ahem."
"Daddy meant that you shouldn't put Bingbing's little hands in Daddy's quilt anymore. What if Daddy catches a cold?"
Chen Yang quickly put on his clothes, unable to face his daughter's question directly.
He carried the little one out, then quickly brushed his teeth, splashed a basin of cold water on his face, and then hurriedly wiped himself dry with a towel. He instantly felt refreshed.
He quickly ate the noodles his mother had left in the pot. They had become mushy from sitting too long, but he couldn't be picky. It was good to have food.
"Bàba, I want to ride a horse."
The baby cupped Chen Yang's face. Ever since her great-uncle gave her a ride last time, the baby had genuinely started to enjoy this activity.
She had frequently ridden on her uncle-in-law's back during this period, but she still preferred Baba to give her a ride.
"Okay, I'll give you a ride."
"Giddy up!"
"Giddy up!"
"Whoa!"
Chen Yang placed the little one on his shoulders and walked in circles in the courtyard. The courtyard was immediately filled with the baby's giggling laughter.
After playing for a while and the daughter finally had her fill, his son looked at him expectantly.
Alas, that's how it was with two children; neither could be left out.
Chen Hao had a blast, even simulating forward and backward acceleration.
Finally, Shen Xue saw how tired Chen Yang was and quickly took the little one down, telling him to go help in the kitchen with the chopping.
Just as Chen Yang had been lending a hand for a short while, the voices of his aunt's husband and aunt were heard from outside.
"Lifeng, Liming, we have good news for everyone today."
"Zhugen, that boy, is getting engaged."
"This is all thanks to Yang Yang. Zhugen, you better offer Yang Yang plenty of toasts then. You stubborn blockhead, you've finally come around."
The aunt's husband brought some explosive news the moment he entered. His eldest cousin, Zhang Zhugen, was finally engaged.
The fiancée was none other than Li Ling, the mute sister-in-law from his previous life.
The day Chen Yang and Chen Yu returned from their aunt's house, Zhang Zhugen visited Li Ling's home. His aunt's husband and Li Ling's father had a few drinks.
Combined with Zhang Zhugen's own growing acceptance of Li Ling, the drinks flowed, and the engagement was quickly settled.
It happened so fast that no one had time to react!
By the next day, after sobering up, Zhang Zhugen finally realized he had gone with trepidation, but how did he return as a prospective son-in-law?
Although engagement wasn't marriage, there were still many things to prepare, and the aunt and her husband had been incredibly busy these past few days.
Fortunately, Zhang Zhugen had taken over Chen Liming's shift at the state-owned factory as a temporary worker. Although it was far from being a formal position, he earned over twenty yuan a month.
After accumulating savings for several months, he managed to gather some money. Combined with what his aunt and her husband had saved, they were able to acquire some items for the wedding.
The new quilt covers and new clothes were made by requesting favors and overtime during these days, after having the fabric measured and cut.
They were waiting until after the fifteenth to formally propose at Li Ling's home.
Chen Yang could tell that his eldest cousin was already deeply immersed in the whirlpool of love.
Not long after his aunt's family arrived, his maternal uncles and their families also came.
Several other cousins also followed, still thinking about the business venture Chen Yang had mentioned.
Relying solely on farming, the meager income wasn't enough to support their households.
The large family gathered in the courtyard of Chen Yang's house and began to chat.
Chen Yang's mother couldn't bear to see them all crowded in the courtyard and quickly invited them inside to sit down, offering peanuts, melon seeds, and various snacks, which everyone enjoyed immensely.
Chen Yang wanted to guide his cousins, but the time wasn't quite ripe yet. He planned to first have a chat with Li Jing's friend.
If he could get in touch with the leader from the Administration for Industry and Commerce, it would serve as a reassuring factor. Then, he could formally plan the business venture for his cousins.
This way, he would have guided them into the right path.