Back To The 80s: President's Doted Wife Chapter 1638 - 1639: Playing Mysterious

After spending ten days in Guangcheng amidst festivities, wedding celebrations, and running various errands, Cheng Su found it was time to return to Qing City for her studies.

She led Xiao Qi and her family to the Cheng family residence to bid their farewells, carrying along local delicacies. Following a two-day train journey, they finally arrived back in Qing City.

The moment they stepped out of the Qing City train station, snowflakes began to fall, accompanied by a biting north wind. Cheng Su repositioned Qi Xiaoqi to her front, pulled his hood up, and then snugly wrapped him in a small wool blanket.

Given the cold weather and the considerable amount of luggage, Cheng Su decided against being frugal. She hailed two taxis and directed them straight to the entrance of their residential compound.

Fortunately, Qing City had witnessed significant development in recent years, with a noticeable increase in available taxis, making transit more convenient for residents. Although the fares were somewhat elevated, for someone like Cheng Su, who never compromised on comfort for cost, the price was a secondary concern.

This was especially true considering their group, which included infants not yet a year old and individuals over fifty, traveling in such harsh weather. Any potential mishap would be an irreparable loss, far outweighing monetary concerns.

"Qing City's cold is truly incomparable to Guangcheng's. I feel it's much colder here," Mother Cheng remarked, rubbing her hands together.

Cheng Su offered a smile. It felt like providence had watched over them, leaving them with pleasant weather throughout their stay in Guangcheng. Had it rained, they might have been eager to return to Qing City sooner.

Qi Xiaoqi had already drifted off to sleep. Cheng Su settled him in the room to continue his nap and then placed a call to Qi Taiguo, informing him of their safe arrival.

By then, it was already three or four in the afternoon. Cheng Su prepared a kettle of hot water, bundled herself up once more, and set out to visit the farmers' market for dinner ingredients.

Mother Cheng expressed her concern, "It's already so late, and it's snowing heavily outside. Perhaps you shouldn't go? We could ask Taiguo to pick up some food from the cafeteria, or we could just make some noodles."

The thought of venturing out in the extreme cold was indeed daunting.

Cheng Su peeked outside; the snowfall showed no signs of abating, and was, in fact, intensifying. A quick survey of the refrigerator revealed leftover ribs in the freezer and two radishes. "Alright then," she conceded, "I'll prepare a pot of radish and pork rib soup, cook some rice, and he can bring back any dishes he fancies from the cafeteria."

No one voiced any objections. After a brief rest, Cheng Su rolled up her sleeves, gathered the ingredients, and headed to the kitchen to begin her preparations. With the early onset of darkness, she knew that radish required extended cooking to achieve its tender and flavorful best. The longer it simmered, the richer the taste, making it prudent to start the stew early.

The process for stewing radish with ribs was straightforward: cut the radish into chunks or thick slices, blanch the ribs briefly, and then simmer them together. Within an hour, the soup would be ready to drink and the meat tender enough to eat; for a more concentrated and robust broth, a longer simmering time was advised.

Once Cheng Su had everything in the pot and brought to a boil over high heat, she reduced the flame to low. From that point on, the stew required minimal attention.

By the time dinner arrived, neighbors from the compound had returned. Those who needed to cook did so, while others attended to their children. Cheng Su distributed the local specialties she had brought back from Guangcheng, and the compound buzzed with cheerful conversation and laughter. Soon after, Qi Taiguo arrived home.

The family exchanged greetings, and Cheng Su warmed up the dishes Qi Taiguo had brought back. Only then did they gather around the small dining table, sharing a meal and reminiscing about the amusing anecdotes from Cheng Yaozu's wedding.

After the meal, the elders settled down to watch television. Cheng Su took Xiao Qi to their room to feed him, just as Qi Taiguo entered, closing the door with an air of mystery.

Noticing his secretive demeanor, Cheng Su couldn't help but inquire, "What is it? Why all the secrecy?"

Qi Taiguo flashed a grin. "Close your eyes first."

Cheng Su raised an eyebrow, recognizing his playful pretense, and obligingly shut her eyes.

"You can open them now!" Qi Taiguo announced, presenting something in his palm.

Cheng Su opened her eyes, and upon seeing what lay in his hand, she froze.