C8 Both of Them Have to be Bought!

After leaving the stall, Tang Jin, with money in hand, walked toward the supply and marketing cooperative with his wife, Xia Churan, and their daughter, Tang Tang. The New Year had brought festive decorations to the cooperative, complete with couplets and two large red lanterns adorning the entrance.

"Boss, I need a light bulb, five pounds of white flour, five pounds of rice, and three pounds of meat!" Tang Jin called out as he entered. The owner, spotting a lucrative sale, quickly came over to assist.

"Right away, right away!" he said, beaming with a smile. Xia Churan, however, slightly furrowed her brow in concern.

"Why are we buying so much? We've only just made a little money, and there will be plenty of other expenses in the future..."

Having lived frugally for the past five years, Xia Churan found Tang Jin's spending to be a bit excessive.

"We'll use all of it," Tang Jin reassured her, understanding her hesitation. He turned to her and said soothingly, "Churan, don't worry. We're not going to earn just this small amount. I'll make more money in the future so that you and Tang Tang can enjoy a better life."

Xia Churan had heard these promises many times in recent days. She had been skeptical before, but today, she felt genuinely touched by his words.

After purchasing some necessities, Tang Jin bought a tanghulu for Little Milk Bun, who had been sitting quietly in the cart. He also couldn't resist buying a pound of assorted candied fruits, eager to savor the flavors of the New Year.

Satisfied with his purchases, he filled a large burlap bag and placed it onto the cart. Xia Churan was ready to head back, but Tang Jin had other plans. He led them through twists and turns to a fabric store.

"Boss, I'll take these two pieces of fabric to make jackets for my wife and child," Tang Jin declared, choosing two floral prints that were stylish without being old-fashioned. Little Milk Bun, sitting in the cart, clapped her hands excitedly at the prospect of getting new clothes.

"Clothes! Tang Tang has new clothes! Thank you, Daddy!"

Since Tang Tang's birth, she had only worn clothes that Xia Churan had altered from her own, all patched up.

The little girl loved pretty things, and having new clothes made her incredibly happy.

"I'll just buy for the child. I don't need anything; I have clothes to wear!"

Xia Churan, hesitant to spend money, protested.

"That won't do. We need to buy for both of you!"

Tang Jin was resolute, his heart aching as he looked at Xia Churan's worn cotton-padded jacket that she had worn for who knows how many years.

Xia Churan was stunningly beautiful, and Tang Jin often thought that if she hadn't married him, she would have had many fine clothes and everyone would have praised him for finding such a celestial wife.

"Churan, don't pretend I don't know that the clothes you're wearing are the same ones you wore when we got married!"

"You've been with me all these years, never once wearing a decent outfit! Now that we can afford it, we're going to get you something nice no matter what!"

Tang Jin's face was a picture of firm resolve. Xia Churan wanted to refuse, but she knew once Tang Jin made up his mind, not even ten bulls could change it. She sighed in resignation.

Yet, inside, she felt as if a block of ice was melting on a warm stove.

After taking measurements and deciding on a style, the total came to six yuan.

Six yuan was a considerable amount back then, but Tang Jin didn't begrudge the expense.

Having paid, he pushed the cart as the family of three made their way home slowly.

It took over an hour to get there, and by the time they arrived, it was well past noon.

"Churan, you rest. I'll cook," Tang Jin said, unloading the cart and heading for the kitchen.

But Xia Churan caught his hands.

"Wait a moment!"

She pulled out a roll of white gauze and a bottle of iodine from her embrace.

"Sit down, I'm going to treat your wound."

These items were clearly new purchases, yet he hadn't noticed them before.

Touched by Xia Churan's constant concern for his injury, Tang Jin felt a warmth spread through him. He found a stool and sat down, ready for her care.

Xia Churan squatted down and carefully unwrapped the torn cloth she had used the night before, gently applying medicine to the wound. It had stopped bleeding, and after a thorough disinfection with iodine and a fresh gauze wrap, it was nearly healed.

"Alright, let's cook together," she suggested with a smile. "Let's get the dough ready. We're making dumplings tonight!"

Eating dumplings during the New Year was a cherished tradition in the south. Churan fondly remembered enjoying them often before she married Tang Jin. Since their marriage, however, she hadn't had the chance to savor them in quite some time.

"Sounds good!" Tang Jin agreed enthusiastically.

"Let's make extra and take some to my parents," he added, his expression turning somber at the thought of his parents.

He was an only child, and to his regret, he had caused them much disappointment with his past misdeeds. So much so that they had severed ties with him three years prior, moving to the other side of the village to live in peace. In his previous life, even after his business took off and they forgave him, they passed away before they could enjoy the fruits of his labor. This time around, he was determined to make amends while he still had the chance.

Churan's heart stirred at his words. Tang Jin was known for his stubbornness. Back when they lived with his parents, his father would often beat him for being lazy and unproductive. Tang Jin had defiantly claimed more than once that he didn't consider that man his father. Since they had split households, he hadn't visited his parents even once. But now, he was volunteering to bring them dumplings. Could it be that he had truly changed?

Lost in their thoughts, they both made their way to the kitchen. Churan started kneading the dough, while Tang Jin busied himself with chopping the high-quality pork he had purchased, perfect for the dumpling filling.

Suddenly, a little girl's cries pierced the air from the courtyard. Startled, Xia Churan and Tang Jin dropped what they were doing and rushed outside.

A young girl, about the same age as Tang Tang, was sitting on the ground, crying and kicking her feet in distress. Tang Tang stood nearby, clutching a skewer of candied fruit, her face the picture of innocence and hurt, as tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill over.

Tang Jin recognized the little girl immediately; she was her second aunt's granddaughter, Erya. With a slight frown, he stepped forward, intending to help the child up from the ground, when Wang Caifeng's voice rang out from a distance.

"How dare you, Tang Jin, bully my granddaughter! Don't you have any shame?!"

Wang Caifeng's neck was flushed with anger as she berated him loudly. She shoved Tang Jin aside and scooped up her granddaughter, her face etched with concern.

"Erya, you're not hurt, are you? Tell grandma, did they bully you?"

Little Milk Bun, standing to the side, looked on with an even greater sense of injustice at Wang Caifeng's intimidating demeanor.

"I didn't bully her. She wanted my candy. I already gave her one, but she wanted all of them..."

"This was bought for me by my dad. I didn't want to give her everything, so she started crying..."

With her lips pursed and eyes brimming with tears, Little Milk Bun looked so pitiful that Tang Jin couldn't help but feel a surge of sympathy.

He knelt down and wrapped Little Milk Bun in a comforting embrace, whispering soothingly,

"Tang Tang, you're a good girl. You did nothing wrong. Don't cry, okay?"

Erya, cradled in Wang Caifeng's arms, was pointing at the candied hawthorn in Tang Tang's hand, clamoring loudly,

"I want candy! Give me the candy!"

The remnants of her recent snack still clung to the corner of her mouth, clearly supporting Tang Tang's account of events.