Cao Yuan was clearly very satisfied with the meal; after finishing, he confidently gave her a thumbs up, "This is a very authentic Shanxi flavor."
Gong Mingxia was embarrassed as she cleaned the empty bowls, "You’re too kind. Actually, it’s not as exaggerated as you say. You see, Shanxi oil-poured noodles, each person has their own way of making them. After all, cooking is not set in stone; there’s a lot of room for creativity. How to make it delicious, how to make it innovative, isn’t it all about figuring it out on your own?"
Cao Yuan greatly admired Gong Mingxia’s personal charm, unassuming and hardworking, and most importantly, her aptitude for learning. Despite only spending a couple of hours together, he could tell she was someone who loved to learn. Otherwise, how could a woman from the rural area, with a child in tow, speak such fluent English?
Even his university-level spoken English didn’t come close to hers, which gave him reason to believe this woman was no ordinary person.
Since it was getting late, the mother and son bade farewell after dinner.
Gong Mingxia was not one for socializing; when interacting with others, she always trusted her intuition. If she got along with someone, great; if not, she wouldn’t bother.
But she didn’t mind the Cao family mother and son.
After quickly tidying up, she took her child back to their room to bathe and sleep, given that they had to rise early the next morning.
However, Aunt Wang, who had returned home, had no intention of letting her own son off the hook, "How about it? Xiao Xia is nice, isn’t she?"
Cao Yuan was making his bed when he heard his mother. Standings straight with a hint of helplessness, he said.
"Mom, why do you keep bringing this up? Haven’t I told you? I have no interest in remarrying. I’ll just stay with you and Cao Yang for the rest of my life."
"Pooh, pooh, pooh, what nonsense are you saying? Xu Li is already married with a daughter. And you? Look at yourself, with status and looks, why can’t you find me a proper daughter-in-law?"
Cao Yuan stiffened, his grip on the blanket corner tightening slightly, "Mom, honestly, just having a child makes me feel very content. I’m genuinely happy that Xu Li has found her own happiness. But my job simply can’t provide her with a stable life. Which woman doesn’t want a husband who works 9 to 5 and comes home on time? Your son, I just can’t do that."
Mrs. Cao was well aware of the dangers of her son’s job. Many of his comrades had died young without leaving any descendants. Lucky for the Cao family, they at least had a continuation, but even then, she hoped her son could live a good life. How lonely it must be to go through life alone?
In truth, her relationship with Xu Li wasn’t bad; they each had their own lives and got together on weekends. She had taken care of the child until he was three years old and ready for kindergarten. Since they kept a healthy distance, their relationship was fairly pleasant. The main reason their marriage had deteriorated to this point was due to living apart and seeing each other infrequently.
Xu Li was a high school teacher with her own job and living in the city; she was unwilling to move to a rural area to follow her husband in the military. She had her own aspirations, which, as a mother-in-law, she didn’t feel right forcing upon her. Thus, in the end, they parted on good terms.
The child was originally granted to Xu Li because of Cao Yuan’s special work circumstances, but Cao Yang himself wanted to stay with his dad, fearing Grandma would be lonely, so in the end, he went with Cao Yuan.
However, he really couldn’t take care of the child, so when he wasn’t home, Cao Yang stayed with Xu Li. In fact, Cao Yuan voluntarily gave up most of his salary for child support, leaving half for Aunt Wang to manage. As for himself, he didn’t spend much in the military; he lived quite frugally and simply.