“Transfer it?”
Ding Sha carefully held Little Ping An and turned around, “So sudden?”
“Yeah, I think so too,” Xiao Jun was idly studying wood carving, thinking of carving a little cat for Little Ping An, “What do you think? If we can, let’s pool some money together to buy this place. If not, it’s a good time to find another place.”
Ding Sha thought for a moment. They hadn’t lived here for long, barely a year. Many items in the house were newly bought, so moving now would be somewhat wasteful.
“Can we talk to the landlord?” Ding Sha said. She quite liked this place.
“I’ll call the agent back,” Xiao Jun brushed the wood shavings off himself.
“What do you want to eat tonight? I’ll cook it.”
“Let me do it. You take Little Ping An and play in the yard for a bit.” Ding Sha hadn’t cooked for a long time and was itching to do it again.
Xiao Jun smiled and agreed. He also missed Ding Sha's cooking a lot.
Ding Sha wrapped Little Ping An in a small blanket and saw him blinking his bright innocent eyes as he looked around curiously. She couldn't resist going over to kiss his little cheeks.
"Oh, I just can't resist kissing him. Even though it's not good, how can my son be so cute?"
Ding Sha held Little Ping An and slowly spun around to amuse him.
Xiao Jun stood by the table with a smile, watching the mother and child.
After enough affection, Ding Sha reluctantly put the child in Xiao Jun's arms.
Then she went into the kitchen and took out a yellow-feathered chicken to thaw.
Although it's best to use a hen that has never laid eggs, they would have to make do with what they had.
Ding Sha flicked her thumb over the knife, satisfied to find the blade was sharply honed. She flipped the chicken over and decisively sliced down the spine.
She was going to completely debone the chicken.
Ding Sha waved the shining knife, skillfully severing the chicken legs and wings in a few snips.
Then she sliced off the chicken breast, removing all meat from the carcass. She also cut out the bones from the legs and wings.
Chopping the meat into bite-sized chunks, she added yellow wine, salt, pepper, cornstarch, and a bit of egg white to coat the meat.
She soaked dried lily flowers, pinching them into small blossoms. After soaking and allowing them to expand for 3-5 minutes, she fished them out to set aside.
Ding Sha carefully lowered the seasoned chicken chunks into the lily water, without disturbing them, allowing the meat to slowly cook into little spheres.
Once cooked, she removed any scum with cool water.
Ding Sha carefully carried a large purple clay steamer from a deep cabinet.
This was custom made for her last year by an artisan.
She first placed the chicken and lily flowers into the steamer, sprinkled with goji berries, scallion and ginger slices.
She mixed yellow wine, salt, pepper into hot water as broth stock.
Pouring the stock into the steamer placed over a water bath wrapped in a towel, she started the fire to braise.
After about an hour and a half, the formerly imperial cuisine of steamed chicken and lily flowers soup was ready.
Xiao Jun held Little Ping An in the yard, squatting to look at his amateurish wood carvings.
Pointing to a short-legged carving barely recognizable as an animal, he said, "Son, this is a little horse."
Pointing to a fat duck-like carving, he said, "This is a white swan."
"When you're older, Mom will tell you the story of the Ugly Duckling turning into a beautiful swan."
Ding Sha came out from the kitchen to mock him, "Don't give Ping An the wrong ideas. What if he grows up unable to recognize real horses and swans?"
Xiao Jun frowned, examining them closely, "Are they that bad? I think they're alright."
"The more I look, the more appealing they become."
Ding Sha went over, cupping his face and peering at him seriously, "Still so young, yet your eyesight is already failing?"
Xiao Jun unconsciously made an extremely cute pout, a rare childishness.
Ding Sha's heart stirred, lightly leaning in to peck his cheek.
Xiao Jun was startled, his gaze instantly turning gentle and lingering.
Unable to resist, he chased after where Ding Sha's lips had left, finding her red lips.
Ding Sha noticed his intention.
Blushing slightly, she tilted away just a little, though her actions seemed acquiescent.
Indeed, she didn't actually want to evade him.
Little Ping An in his arms curiously watched as his young father earnestly and ardently kissed his pretty, gentle mother.
The youthful mother's ears were as red as the setting sun.
The steamer in the kitchen loudly announced it was done. Ding Sha hurriedly got up, somewhat flustered as she tightly grasped her clothes. "The...the food is ready. Wash your hands and get ready to eat."
She tidied her hair and returned to the kitchen.
Xiao Jun licked his lips, his gaze full of predatory laughter.
Little Ping An fussily stretched out an arm, seemingly wanting his father's attention. Xiao Jun gently placed the soft little limb back into the swaddle. "Let's go son, time for dinner."
That night, Ding Sha tidied up the bed. Xiao Jun came in toweling his hair dry.
He saw his original bed by the window was stripped, just a bare frame left.
"Sha Sha?" Xiao Jun went to Ding Sha's side, first teasing Little Ping An until he giggled before asking, "Where's my bed?"
"Sleep here from now on," Ding Sha pointed to her original bed.
"Last night Ping An nearly tumbled off the bed. Scared me half to death."
"You sleep on the outer side to block him," Ding Sha struggled to rewrap the fussy baby. "Why do you love moving around so much, sweetheart? You nearly gave Mom a heart attack..."
Xiao Jun nodded. With her hair clipped up, disobedient strands would pop out whenever Ding Sha leaned over, the whole updo looking precarious.
Xiao Jun reached over to take it out and redo it for her properly. "The agent said the landlord is coming over tomorrow to meet and discuss with us face-to-face."
"How much do you think we'll need to buy this place?" Ding Sha couldn't help but ask.
Xiao Jun said, "Conservatively estimated, at least 2 million will be needed to purchase it."
"Do we have enough?" Ding Sha worried a lot. She'd thought they could slowly improve their lives, yet it seemed they still had to start from nothing.
"Don't worry, let's try asking the landlord for installments. If not we can apply for a loan as a last resort," Xiao Jun had already been thinking up contingency plans the whole afternoon.
Ding Sha sighed, "Let's see how the landlord responds tomorrow before deciding..."
The next day the earliest riser was Little Ping An. He looked left and right, finding his parents still fast asleep. The little guy frowned and went "pfft, pfft."
Xiao Jun was barely awake when he caught a whiff of something foul. He awoke from his dream with a resigned sigh.
Seeing Ding Sha about to get up next to him and Little Ping An blinking at him all innocent, he sighed again and carried the boy to the bathroom to change his diaper.
The landlord came very early, right after breakfast. Xiao Jun was tirelessly trying to teach Little Ping An to speak.
"Come on, say Mama, Ma—ma—" Xiao Jun held Little Ping An, pacing around the living room. Ding Sha was watching her phone, catching up on a TV drama that updated last night.
"Knock knock knock—"
A plump, expensively dressed old lady knocked on the door.
Xiao Jun opened it, "Yes?"
The old lady showed him the chat with the agent on her phone, "I'm the landlord here. I heard you wanted to discuss the house so I came over."
Xiao Jun welcomed her in to sit down. Ding Sha brought over hot water.
The old lady looked at the baby in his arms, "What a well-behaved darling, and so handsome!"
Xiao Jun held his little hand, "Come on Ping An, say thank you to Grandma..."
Little Ping An obediently smiled.
The old lady played with him a bit before getting down to business.
"My asking price for this place is 2.3 million, payable in full immediately and I'll transfer the deed over."
