I Bacame the Mother of His Child-Chapter 25 - 24: The Han Family Dispute

Cai Qiufen had to cajole Song Chengguang for quite some time before she could bring him back to the military unit. Having been persuaded by Xu Xiuxiu, the thoughts that had long been simmering in her heart began to stir. After much contemplation through the night, Cai Qiufen made her plans. The next day, Chief Han, who had been busy all day, returned home to dine with several of his subordinates.

Song Yuanhuan, upon receiving the news, also followed suit. As soon as he entered, he went straight to his son and hugged him without a care, his heart aching at the sight of his son's thinning face. He knew his boy had recently started a hunger strike in protest, but he didn't understand the situation with Xu Xiuxiu. In the past, Song Chengguang had only been a nuisance to her, and Yuanhuan couldn't bear the thought of burdening Xu Xiuxiu, even though he also dearly missed his son.

"Sister-in-law, I won't trouble you with Chengguang tonight. I'll take him back to the dormitory to stay for one night," Song Yuanhuan said, looking at his sullen son buried in his chest, addressing Cai Qiufen, who was busy clearing the dinner table.

Cai Qiufen turned to glance at the boy's face and then nodded with concern. "Can you manage him?" Although she herself sometimes found it hard to cope with Song Chengguang, she thought she should still be more attentive than Song Yuanhuan.

"Don't worry, I can manage." Back in their hometown, Xu Xiuxiu didn't interfere much; almost all of Chengguang's affairs were handled by him. Although it hadn't been long, he knew his son's temperament well. Back then, Song Chengguang had been well-behaved due to hardship, but now the boy had been spoiled by Xu Xiuxiu.

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"If you can't manage, send him over right away!" Cai Qiufen thought about the matters she intended to discuss with Old Commander Han that evening. She didn't prevent Yuanhuan from taking the child, but she still kindly reminded him. If Song Yuanhuan really couldn't manage, he wouldn't be too embarrassed to send the child over.

Song Yuanhuan nodded and managed to take his son back to the dormitory successfully.

Meanwhile, Cai Qiufen cleaned up the pots and pans before entering the study, where Old Commander Han was sitting at his desk, deeply engrossed in a military book. Cai Qiufen dutifully brewed a cup of tea and brought it to him.

"Old Han, I have something I want to talk to you about," Cai Qiufen said earnestly and seriously.

Old Commander Han's hand froze as he reached for the teacup, and he looked up at his wife in puzzlement. His eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses scrutinized her for a long time. "What is it?" The couple had been together for over a decade, fully understanding each other's temperaments. This was the first time she had been so serious, her expression even resembling that of the impressive teacher she had been when they first met during their arranged introduction.

"Yuanhuan's wife's Sichuan Pavilion is doing quite well," Cai Qiufen said without diving straight into the main topic.

Old Commander Han responded with a chuckle, "You went to see it today?" Asking and then nodding in agreement, he added, "Considering the culinary skills she demonstrated that day, it's no surprise her restaurant is doing well." She looks sharp, speaks appropriately—a woman like her would naturally attract booming business at her restaurant, and Old Commander Han was not surprised.

"Sichuan Pavilion has a unique design, and Xiuxiu's skills are excellent. She mentioned that business is so good now she's thinking of hiring more people to help out at the restaurant," Cai Qiufen added with approval.

"Um," Old Commander Han hummed in response, but he continued to watch his daughter-in-law, seemingly failing to understand why she was bringing this up. The fact that a subordinate's wife had a thriving restaurant business had little to do with him.

"Old Han, Xiuxiu has asked me to help out with the cash register at the store," Cai Qiufen dropped the bombshell.

Old Commander Han was taken aback.

"Just stay home and behave yourself, and don't meddle in unnecessary things," Old Commander Han said, furrowing his brows, clearly frustrated. The woman truly was unpredictable. Couldn't she see her age? How could she compare herself to a young wife? Xiuxiu probably just offered out of politeness, but did she take it seriously?

"Old Han, I want to help out. It's also an opportunity to look after Chengguang, and I can even visit our son from time to time," Cai Qiufen said, her voice tinged with disappointment. She rarely got to see her son—even once a week was a challenge. The boy had become mischievous lately and didn't get along with his father; returning home often led to conflict, and he was quick to tear into an argument. The situation had gotten to the point where he sometimes didn't want to come home on weekends, driving his mother's longing to see her son ever more desperately.

Chief Han's face turned dark, remembering that temperamental kid, his tone became even more forceful, "No." If she went, how could he manage alone at home? That kid would be even less likely to come back.

"Chief Han." Cai Qiufen raised her voice and shouted Chief Han's nickname.

"What... what do you want, why are you yelling?" Old Commander Han got quite a scare from Cai Qiufen and stood up awkwardly while speaking.

Cai Qiufen's lips curled in triumph, "Chief Han, I quit my job to stay home for you. Now that our Han Xu is grown up, can't I have some private life of my own? What's wrong with going to help Xiuxiu? You have no idea how suffocating it is for me to stay at home alone when you and Han Xu are not around." No matter how old a woman is, she will lose her temper.

"Then if you go to the city, what would an old man like me do on my own? Eating cafeteria food every day, wouldn't people laugh at me to death?" Old Han Commander said with a bit of breathlessness.

"Like you don't eat from the big pot often?" Cai Qiufen glared at him.

"Is that the same thing?" To occasionally dine with his subordinates was to be approachable, yet having a wife and still going to the cafeteria every day just thinking about it felt miserable! Old Han Commander, thinking of that scene, raised his voice awkwardly.

"I don't care, I'll pack some stuff tomorrow and take Song Chengguang to the city to help Xiuxiu." Seeing she couldn't get through to him, Cai Qiufen simply dropped the ultimatum.

"You... you must not go." Old Han Commander threw the military book he was holding and chased Cai Qiufen into the bedroom.

"I won't go, provided that you can convince your son to take a leave and come home to keep me company." A mother shows her strength through her children, and Cai Qiufen was clearly asserting herself through hers.

"You're being unreasonable." Old Han Commander was so angry he was at a loss for words.

Bang—

Her response was the sound of a door slamming. "You sleep in the study tonight!" Cai Qiufen's slightly annoyed voice came from the bedroom.

Old Commander Han stood at the door, feeling choked with anger, and raised his hand to angrily poke at the door, "Cai Qiufen open the door, did you hear me?" He called out, but his voice dared not rise.

Inside the bedroom, all was quiet with no response.

Old Commander Han glared at the door for a long time, huffing, "Hmph, truly only women and small-minded men are difficult to raise." With that said, he helplessly turned and went back to the study.

While the Han household within the Military District was embroiled in a family dispute because of Xu Xiuxiu, Xu Xiuxiu in the city was completely unaware of this. At the moment she was elated by her own decision, glad that starting tomorrow Uncle Huang would come to work, and her workload would be reduced by half. Xu Xiuxiu immediately felt a sense of relief.

Furthermore, as long as Uncle Huang got the hang of things and could shoulder the responsibility of the kitchen, she could hire a kitchen hand to help with minor tasks like preparing and chopping vegetables. In just a few days, she would be able to take care of Song Chen on her own. Thinking about this made Xu Xiuxiu exceptionally happy. Her career was developing quite smoothly, and life should only get better from here on. Go for it, Xu Xiuxiu!