Chapter 78 Chenchen is two years old

On the way home, the kids' little legs were completely worn out, so both moms had to carry the groceries and the children.

They carried them for a bit, then let them walk for a while, and it still took nearly half an hour to reach the staircase.

The two tired moms were already drenched in sweat and could only help the kids up the stairs.

Xia Zhiqiu is from the north, and she had never experienced such a hot summer.

Su Taotao was a bit worried that she might suffer from heatstroke.

Xia Zhiqiu wiped her sweat and said, "Fortunately, I listened to you and didn't buy young coconuts; otherwise, I really couldn't carry them. It's only early summer and it's already this hot. I can't imagine what it will be like in a month or two."

Su Taotao said, "You'll get used to it. When you get back, make some mung bean soup, and you can add some seaweed. If you don't have any, you can take some from me, or take a young coconut to help with the heat."

Xia Zhiqiu smiled and said, "It won't be that bad. I drank coconut water at your place this morning before heading out, and I feel fine."

When they got home, Su Taotao still insisted on giving her some mung beans and seaweed for the soup, along with two young coconuts.

Xia Zhiqiu didn’t stand on ceremony. In times of scarcity, it was normal for neighbors to borrow things from each other, and they would return it later.

Once home, Su Taotao immediately cleaned the sweat off Chenchen and changed his clothes.

The white shirt she had bought yesterday had been washed and air-dried by Fu Zhengtu last night and was already dry.

The rosy-cheeked, pink-lipped little guy, dressed in a white shirt and shorts with his bangs neatly combed to one side, instantly turned into an exquisite little gentleman. Su Taotao kissed his sun-kissed little face and said, "Chenchen looks so handsome."

Chenchen smiled and said, "Daddy said ～～Mommy is prettier than ～～Chenchen ～～"

Su Taotao was stunned for a moment, recalling what Fu Zhengtu had said to the little guy while giving him a bath yesterday evening, and then she smiled. "Yes, Mommy is beautiful, and Chenchen is handsome. Together, we look good."

The little guy immediately smiled with his eyes curved.

Su Taotao made a cup of salt and sugar water for him, with just a little salt and a bit more sugar, and let him sit on a small stool to drink it while she started preparing lunch.

The cake base had already risen, and Su Taotao preferred baking over steaming. She wondered if it was possible to get Fu Zhengtu to build her a simple brick oven.

Just a brick oven in the corner, with heating from below. Once it was hot, you could put things inside to bake. It would be perfect for baking cakes, baking seafood, roasting chicken, and even cooking sweet potatoes...

The more she thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.

Anyway, Fu Zhengtu always went along with her ideas; he let her have the final say on everything, big or small.

For now, she had to steam it.

Since everything was going to be steamed anyway, Su Taotao opened two more young coconuts and steamed the cakes together with them.

When the cake was out of the steamer, she beat two eggs into the coconut water and stirred them well, continuing to steam for four or five minutes. A simple coconut dessert was ready.

Chenchen hovered around the cake, his big eyes never leaving it. "Mommy ～～the cake is so beautiful ～～"

Su Taotao was cutting mangoes. There was a very large mango orchard on the island, and the most common fruit in the family area was mangoes. Su Taotao was even considering planting two trees at the entrance.

"Yes, this is called a birthday cake, a birthday gift from Mommy to celebrate Chenchen's second birthday."

Chenchen was thrilled that the ugly dough could turn into a golden cake.

These days, there was no cream, so Su Taopaو placed the cut mangoes on top of the cake, arranged in a flower pattern. It still looked pretty.

"Wow～～～" Chenchen clapped his hands, "Mommy～～it's so beautiful～～"

Su Taotao put the remaining mango and some misshapen scraps into the coconut water steamed egg, not wasting anything.

"I'm glad Chenchen likes it. We'll eat it together when Dad and Uncle Shu get back, and we'll send some over to Dongdong and Big Brother Mu Mu to try, okay?"

Chenchen nodded with his big eyes: "Okay～～"

Su Taotao checked the time and started preparing the seafood noodles.

Today's shrimp were particularly large, and a jin doesn't have that many. Su Taotao shelled and deveined the shrimp, frying the heads in oil to make shrimp oil. She added ginger slices and scallions, then tossed in the shrimp shells to stir-fry. Once all the shells turned red, she added boiling water to make the seafood broth base.

When it was ready, she strained out the residue and added sea lettuce, scallop meat, and tofu, creating a nutritious and delicious seafood soup, which she set aside.

Before long, Fu Zhengtu and Fu Yuanhang arrived home on time.

Su Taotao then boiled the noodles and greens.

Fu Zhengtu washed his hands and came in to help.

Su Taotao asked him to distribute the noodles into everyone's bowls: "Just give me a small bowl like Chenchen's. I want to have more coconut steamed egg later.

Today's shrimp are quite large, so just give two to Chenchen, and two halves of scallops. I'll have one of each, but give me more greens."

There were only five scallops per jin, split in half to make ten pieces in the pot.

Fu Zhengtu frowned at her: "Why are you eating less than Chenchen? Are you feeling unwell?"

Su Taotao shook her head: "No, I need to leave room for the coconut steamed egg and cake."

Fu Zhengtu: "Did you get too much sun while grocery shopping? Don't go tomorrow, I'll handle it at noon."

Su Taotao looked at him speechlessly. She did get hot easily and loved air conditioning, but she wasn't that delicate.

"Do you think I'm that fragile? A little morning sun is good for detoxifying the body. It's just too hot in the afternoon. I'm worried Xiao Hang might get heatstroke walking all that way to school. By the way, I need to boil the mung bean broth for you all to take back and drink in the afternoon."

Fu Zhengtu stopped her: "You're not that delicate, don't fuss, let's eat first."

The golden seafood broth, paired with bright red large shrimp and snow-white scallop meat, along with green greens and sea lettuce, tempted even someone like Fu Zhengtu, who wasn't a big foodie.

The two children were even more captivated.

When Fu Yuanhang came in to help carry the noodles, he couldn't help but drool.

In the center of the table were the mango cake and coconut steamed egg, accompanying the seafood noodles, forming a birthday feast for little Fu Haochen.

"This is the birthday meal Mom prepared for Chenchen. Mom hopes that little Fu Haochen will be happy every day and grow up tall and strong," Su Taotao said, giving Chenchen a big kiss on his little rosy cheek.

Chenchen, with his eyes curved in happiness, shook his little legs: "Thank you, Mom～～"

Fu Yuanhang gave Chenchen a drawing as a gift, depicting an early morning scene where Chenchen sat on his "ride" laughing heartily as he pushed him along. He even included Chenchen raising his small, chubby hand, saying, "Charge! Charge! Charge!..."

Chenchen loved it: "Wow～～Uncle Shu is amazing～～"

Su Taotao also praised: "Xiao Hang, you drew this very well. We should get it framed and laminated in town someday."

Then Su Taotao looked at Fu Zhengtu, her meaning clear—

Where's your gift?

Fu Zhengtu pulled out a tiny tank, barely larger than his palm, and placed it in front of Chenchen. "Grandpa gave it to me, and now I'm giving it to you."

To be exact, it was a tank model, a tank model made from individual bullet casings. Its surface was polished smooth, probably because its owner often held and rubbed it.

Chenchen blinked, his little pink mouth slightly open. The tank was a bit heavy, so he couldn’t lift it, and just gently touched it. "Daddy~~ this isn't origami~~"

Fu Zhengtu shook his head. "No, Grandpa made it using bullet casings."

Chenchen looked at the tank in his hand, tilted his little head, and asked, "Daddy~~ where’s Grandpa?~~"