Hu Pingtao explained with an embarrassed smile: "I don't want to be like this! But there are many things in the office, and if there are cases, they must be handled. Last year, Tan Tao and I discussed it. I was responsible for the National Day shift. This year, he will be on duty during the Spring Festival.

I rotate so everyone can rest."

Su Xiaolin shrank in his arms like a cat: "That's your business. I just want you to stay at home more. Everyone I know knows that you are busy, and there are only three of us at home, mother and son. Outsiders who are not familiar with me think I am young."

It’s easy to be a widow, living alone with two children!”

Hu Pingtao suddenly felt a sense of debt in his heart, and quickly said with a smile: "You have the final say these days, and you can go wherever you say."

…

On the second day of junior high school, Hu Chong came to the provincial capital first. The two families got together, walked in a nearby park, and watched a movie.

Early in the morning on the third day of the Lunar New Year, my son Hu Zhijun peed the bed, and my daughter Hu Mushuang lay on the small bed next to her and watched curiously.

The son and daughter slept separately, with two small beds side by side, with a separation rail in the middle. Hu Zhijun hugged his toes early in the morning and licked them. Later, Su Xiaolin discovered that he was so angry that he directly picked up his son and put him on his daughter's bed. Here we tidy up

The bedding was wet, but the two children over there were being held in Hu Pingtao's arms and played with.

The child is three years old and can go to kindergarten this summer.

Su Xiaolin hung the wet mattress on the balcony, then took apart the quilt and stuffed it into the washing machine. After doing all this, she walked into the kitchen to help Li Jinglan and Chen Jun make breakfast.

The rice porridge was cooked last night. Chen Jun peeled the preserved eggs, mixed the minced meat, mixed it and boiled it until it boiled, and it was a delicious pot of preserved egg and lean meat porridge.

The steamer was steaming and filled with homemade steamed buns. The fat and lean meat of Panax notoginseng, as well as fungus, tofu skin, shiitake mushrooms, cabbage, egg skin... plus the sweet and sour pickled radish, this breakfast was very rich.

I spent New Year's Eve at home without going out. After dinner, I watched the Spring Festival Gala and slept until about ten o'clock the next morning.

We stayed at relatives' houses on the first and second days of junior high school. In short, everyone took turns to treat guests to dinner, which was only a few times throughout the year.

Su Xiaolin really didn't want to go on like this anymore. She finished the buns in her hand, drank half a bowl of porridge, took her mother's arm, and acted like a child: "Mom... I want to go shopping with Ping Tao today."

Chen Jun deliberately teased her: "Just go, you are such a big person, you don't need to report to me."

Su Xiaolin quickly explained: "You can't go shopping with your children! Mom, just help me and take Xiaojun and Shuangshuang with me, okay?"

The tone of pleading and coquettishness goes hand in hand.

Su Mu sat at the head of the dining table. Before Chen Jun could answer, he had already smiled and shook his head and said, "Not today. I have an appointment with some old friends at the Federation of Literary and Art Circles. Your mother and I have to go there at noon."

Su Xiaolin frowned and looked at her father: "Dad, you are like this again..."

There are often gatherings of literary friends in Sumu. At such times, everyone has agreed not to bring the children.

"What do you mean I'm like this again?" Su Mu said with a smile: "It's Chinese New Year, let us rest for a few days."

Hu Pingtao quickly took over the conversation: "It's okay, I will take care of the children today. You can play as you should and relax."

Amelia Su stared at him: "Then how can I go shopping?"

Hu Pingtao laughed loudly and said: "You go shopping in your place, I will take mine, we won't interfere with each other. Don't worry! I guarantee your satisfaction."

…

A three-year-old child can already walk on his own.

Hu Pingtao held one on each hand and accompanied Su Xiaolin into the mall.

Although it is the twelfth lunar month, the weather in the provincial capital is not too cold. The couple and their children are wearing the same suit: light blue sweatshirt, white ski boots, Hu Zhijun and Hu Mushuang's shoes are also equipped with extra ones.

With red buckles and pink makeup, the two children walked on the street and immediately became the focus of countless people's attention.

Su Xiaolin hasn't gone shopping for a long time. She lingers in every store and refuses to leave until she has seen enough of every piece of clothing.

Cosmetics, shoes, spring clothes...women really have too many reasons to spend money on shopping.

Hu Pingtao took his children directly to the bookstore on the third floor. There was a children's corner there. After ordering a cup of coffee and two cups of hot milk, the father and his two daughters read quietly. The scene itself was full of warmth.

She had a late breakfast and didn't go out until after 11 o'clock at noon. No need to worry about the children, Su Xiaolin shopped for more than two hours at a stretch, and didn't arrive at the bookstore until about three o'clock carrying large and small bags.

Just as he sat down, Hu Pingtao's cell phone rang.

Suddenly, Su Xiaolin and the two children all looked at him nervously.

Hu Zhijun said in a sweet voice: "Dad has to go to work again."

Hu Mushuang pouted unhappily: "Dad lied. He promised to compensate us for playing today."

Hu Pingtao looked at the caller ID on the phone screen, shook it at Su Xiaolin who had a cold face, and explained: "The call from Fatty Ding is probably not official."

Sure enough, when the phone was connected, Ding Jian's very heroic voice came from the phone: "Where are you?"

Hu Pingtao replied with a smile: "Outside, shopping with my wife."

"I am also shopping with my wife." Ding Jian spoke in a loud voice: "Yin Li asked me to ask you to have dinner together in the evening."

Hu Pingtao turned on the speakerphone and glanced at his wife sitting next to him: "Are you going?"

Su Xiaolin was in a good mood when she heard that her husband was not asked to go back to work. She took the phone and asked with a smile: "Okay! Where is it?"

"How about hot pot? There is a newly opened buffet on the fifth floor of Panfeng Mall. I'll treat you."

…

The business of the hot pot restaurant was very good. Hu Pingtao drove there with his wife and children, and walked into the restaurant at 5:10. Most of the seats were full.

Fortunately, Ding Jian and Yin Li arrived early and asked for a very spacious booth for eight people.

As soon as they met, Yin Li took out two thick red envelopes and stuffed them into the hands of Hu Zhijun and Hu Mushuang respectively: "This is the New Year's money given to you by my aunt."

Su Xiaolin quickly declined: "You can just pass it now!"

Yin Li rolled her eyes at her: "As far as our relationship is concerned, these two children call me aunt. It's normal for me to give you lucky money, okay?"

Su Xiaolin said seriously: "You gave me too much."

As she said that, she took the red envelope from the hands of the two children, pinched the thickness, opened the seal, and poured out the banknotes in the bag: "Look, one bag is five thousand yuan, two ten thousand yuan... you give it to the children

I don’t have any problem with the New Year’s money, but this is too much.”

"I do!" Yin Li smiled and hugged her shoulders, leaned close to Su Xiaolin's ear, and lowered her voice: "I went to the hospital for a check-up last month and I already have it. I will leave the money with you temporarily, and you will have it next year.

Give it back to me...hahahaha."

Su Xiaolin was not that ink-stained. She winked at Yin Li and said, "I gave birth to two children at one time. If you don't live up to expectations, you will have one at most. After all, I am better than you. From now on, I will collect double the New Year's money from you."

Just one portion."

"You are so beautiful!" Yin Li happily picked up Hu Zhijun and kissed her hard, then picked up Hu Mushuang and kissed her again.

Here, Hu Pingtao and Ding Jian were sitting together, and the topic ranged from children to the Chinese New Year, and then to what brand of wine to drink today.

"I noticed it when I came in just now. There is a rose stew here. Let's take this one!" Hu Pingtao suggested.

Ding Jian's drinking capacity is average: "I'm driving a car! You don't drink while driving, you know."

"Today is Chinese New Year." Hu Pingtao emphasized: "I'm driving it too. Yin Li and my wife are here. I'll give them the car keys later."

Ding Jian shook his head like a rattle: "They will definitely want to drink it later. Yin Li likes this dark beer very much. It has only been two months since it opened here, and we have been here five times. She drinks this every time."

Hu Pingtao was a little confused: "I just heard Yin Li say that she was pregnant. Why is she still drinking after she has a baby?"

Ding Jian quickly explained: "That was all before. After I went to the hospital for a checkup and found out I had it, I stopped drinking. I don't even smoke at home now."

Hu Pingtao smiled and said: "Anyway, we must celebrate today. Yin Li can drink it or not, but we must drink it."

Ding Jian frowned and asked, "What about the car?"

"Call a driver." Hu Pingtao said, "If you don't want to drink something white, we'll drink beer."

During the festival, the restaurant was very lively and full of people.

The surrounding environment is noisy, so Hu Pingtao must speak loudly, otherwise he cannot be heard clearly.

Next to the booth is a regular seat. A middle-aged woman and a little boy are also eating hot pot.

After working as a police officer for a long time, Hu Pingtao has to observe his surroundings wherever he goes and observe the behavior of people nearby.

The woman sitting next to me has not looked good since she sat down.

"What are you talking about!"

"Humph! What's so big about it."

"Those who celebrate the Chinese New Year come outside to show off."

This woman seems to be talking to her son, but also seems to be talking to herself. She always looks here intentionally or unintentionally, especially when Yin Li takes out the lucky money red envelope and stuffs it into Hu Zhijun and Hu Mushuang's

At that time, her eyes were full of disdain and jealousy.

After chatting for a while, Hu Pingtao asked Su Xiaolin and Yin Li to look at the children while he and Ding Jian got up and went to the counter to get the food.

Ding Jian held the plate in his hand, touched Hu Pingtao with his elbow, pouted at the mother and son next to the booth, and asked in a low voice: "Do you recognize that woman?"

Hu Pingtao knew he was referring to something and shook his head: "I haven't seen it before."

Ding Jian said thoughtfully: "She seems to have a big opinion against you... I guessed what she was saying by looking at the shape of her lips, and she kept scolding you!"

Hu Pingtao shrugged his shoulders: "I don't understand either. My car is in the underground parking lot. We took the elevator up and never even met. How do I know why she is staring at me?"

Ding Jian laughed mischievously and said in a low voice: "Is it because he is so handsome that he was attracted by the resentful middle-aged woman?"

Hu Pingtao glanced at him contemptuously, said nothing, turned and walked towards the fruit counter.
To be continued...