The Daily Life of a Stepmother in the 1980s
"Doesn't matter" Zhao Weiguo replied nonchalantly to Xu Tao, "We'll clean it up tomorrow"
Right now, he felt that cleaning up the dishes was far less interesting than 'cleaning up' Xu Tao. Clearly, Xu Tao was much easier to deal with and much more intriguing to him.
Xu Tao blinked in refusal. "No way. It's too hot. If we don't clean up now, it'll stink by morning."
In this weather, there was no way she could let the food sit overnight.
Not allowing Zhao Weiguo to slack off, Xu Tao pulled him along to clean up the dishes. Zhao Weiguo had no choice but to help.
The man had drunk quite a bit, he not fully drunk but certainly not sober either.
By the time Xu Tao and Zhao Weiguo had finished cleaning and washing all the dishes in the kitchen, half an hour had passed.
Exhausted, Xu Tao grimaced, feeling sore all over. Despite the lingering smell of oil from the day, she insisted on heating water to take a bath.
Zhao Weiguo, though not entirely drunk, was still somewhat dazed as he accompanied Xu Tao through her busy routine.
"I'll carry the hot water for you" Zhao Weiguo offered attentively when he saw Xu Tao finish heating the water on the coal stove.
Xu Tao didn't refuse. After all, a big bucket of hot water was indeed heavy. Since Zhao Weiguo was willing to help, she gladly accepted. Carrying her towel and pajamas, she followed behind him.
"Alright, you can leave now" Xu Tao said coldly when Zhao Weiguo placed the hot water in the bathroom. She waved him off dismissively.
The feeling was like using someone and then discarding them.
Zhao Weiguo raised an eyebrow at Xu Tao, watching her place her pajamas and towel on the nearby rack. When Xu Tao turned back around, the man leaned in, capturing her luscious lips with his own.
"Mm—"
Xu Tao hadn't expected Zhao Weiguo to suddenly attack. His kiss was hot and passionate, leaving her no time to think as he pressed her firmly against the wall, demanding more with dominating intensity.
A dazed Xu Tao thought to herself, This man suddenly got so aggressive. It's intense, but why does it have to be in the bathroom?
Such a cliché 'bathroom wall-pinning' scene might be romantic in a CEO-themed novel. But right now, it was the 1980s, and the bathroom wasn’t exactly luxurious just a squat toilet with a lingering smell. Although Xu Tao kept things clean, it was still a bathroom. Not romantic at all!
"Stop!" Xu Tao snapped out of her daze, pushing against Zhao Weiguo’s shoulders to stop him from pulling at her clothes.
"Let’s bathe together" Zhao Weiguo suggested with a bright glint in his eyes, his tone full of anticipation.
Absolutely unnecessary!
Xu Tao widened her eyes. "No way! Look at this place, how could you even think about a 'bathroom party' here? No big bathtub, no full-length mirror, it’s completely unacceptable! Now get out!" She said, shooing him out.
Zhao Weiguo didn’t fully understand what she meant, but he did know he really wanted to do something exciting with Xu Tao.
"Just try it?" Bathing together sounded like a great idea to him.
"Zhao Weiguo, get out" Xu Tao said firmly, her tone spoiled but resolute. There was no way she’d let this "wolf" get his way.
A helpless Zhao Weiguo was shoved out of the bathroom. He could only watch as the small door slammed shut in his face. Scratching his nose, the man didn’t leave right away. With his keen hearing, he calmly stood at the door, listening to the sounds of running water and washing inside.
This is thrilling.
Zhao Weiguo found it exciting to imagine what he couldn’t see. The mental image was somehow even more enticing, filling him with a dangerous sense of thrill. For a moment, he felt the urge to kick the door down.
When Xu Tao opened the door after her bath, she found Zhao Weiguo still standing outside. His gaze was intense, like a starving tiger that hadn’t eaten in ten years.
Xu Tao inwardly thought, Uh-oh, as she noticed his urgency. Still holding her clothes, which she planned to leave by the sink for washing tomorrow, she saw Zhao Weiguo transform into a "wolf."
Before she could react, he bent down, lifted her over his shoulder, and carried her off. Her stomach pressed against his shoulder as he strode quickly toward the bedroom.
Xu Tao looked down at the floor, noting his hurried steps. She could tell just how anxious he was from his speed.
"Zhao Weiguo, you haven’t even bathed yet!" Xu Tao protested, patting his back.
She had cleaned herself thoroughly and smelled fresh, all ready to rest—not to be tossed around by him!
Zhao Weiguo smirked at her protest. After laying her on the bed, he leaned down to kiss her once and said, "I’ll go bathe now."
He knew she wouldn’t let him touch her unless he was clean.
After kissing her, Zhao Weiguo rushed out like a whirlwind. Xu Tao blinked in surprise before breaking into laughter.
Not bad, she thought, appreciating how the usually calm and restrained man had let his true colors show after drinking. It was amusing to see him so eager and playful.
Lying back on the bed, Xu Tao yawned delicately, feeling tired but relaxed.
Meanwhile, Zhao Weiguo filled a bucket at the sink, the hot weather making him too lazy to heat the water. The tap water was just the right temperature for him.
Xu Tao, lying in bed, had planned to fall asleep, but her ears perked up. Curiosity got the better of her, and she couldn’t help but wonder how fast Zhao Weiguo would be.
Zhao Weiguo didn’t keep her waiting long. He took the quickest "combat shower" imaginable, returning with droplets of water still clinging to his neck and chest.
Xu Tao blinked, quietly marveling at his physique.
Zhao Weiguo’s body was incredible his muscles perfectly toned, not overly bulky like a bodybuilder’s, and with a sharp V-line tapering at his waist.
If the timing weren’t so off, Xu Tao might have been tempted to whistle at him.
Zhao Weiguo casually turned off the light. In the darkness, illuminated only by a sliver of moonlight, the man moved like a leopard onto the bed, grabbing Xu Tao’s ankle and sliding his hand upward.
Xu Tao felt a tickling sensation on her leg and kicked instinctively, successfully causing Zhao Weiguo to lunge toward her.
Having had some alcohol that evening, Zhao Weiguo was more energized than usual. At first, Xu Tao could keep up, thinking they were quite compatible. But by the second round of “studying hard” Xu Tao couldn’t take it anymore.
When the third round of “daily progress” began, Xu Tao wanted to die on the spot.
She was utterly, thoroughly, and overwhelmingly shocked at Zhao Weiguo’s stamina. How could this man have so much energy? Once, twice, three times he just wouldn’t stop wanting her to study! She had never realized a man could love learning so passionately!
“This life is unlivable!” At dawn, when Xu Tao saw the faint outline of the rising sun, she reached out in despair and scratched Zhao Weiguo’s neck fiercely. Only then did she feel satisfied enough to collapse into a deep sleep.
When Xu Tao woke up again, it was already broad daylight. Her whole body ached as she grabbed the watch beside her and saw that it was already eleven o’clock.
Wonderful. Compared to the first time she let loose, this time had clearly left her completely drained.
“Ouch!” Xu Tao tried to get out of bed but her legs gave out, almost causing her to kneel. At that moment, Xu Tao regretted scratching Zhao Weiguo just once the night before she should have clawed his entire body.
“Mommy, Xiao Nan is hungry” Zhao Linan called out, running over to whine after hearing sounds from the room.
“Mommy will cook for you now” Xu Tao replied, feeling a pang of sympathy for herself.
She had to make sure the big one was fed at night and the little one was fed during the day. It was exhausting and frustrating.
Despite her soreness, Xu Tao got up to wash her face and brush her teeth before heading to the kitchen to make a meal for Zhao Linan. She was still extremely tired, so she made noodles for lunch and added two fried eggs for Zhao Linan.
After lunch, Xu Tao felt slightly more energized. Seeing that the weather was nice, she decided to organize her novel manuscript. In less than three months, she had finished writing an entire novel. That afternoon, she planned to send it off.
The serialized version of the novel had received great feedback, and the publisher had already confirmed the first print run of 20,000 copies based on the response and numerous fan letters. If sales went well after publication, more copies would be printed.
“Come on, Xiao Nan, let’s go out” Xu Tao said, calling Zhao Linan to join her.
Recently, there weren’t as many children playing in the alleys as before, leaving Xiao Nan bored at home with Xu Tao. Fortunately, he wasn’t a fussy child, so Xu Tao let him be. However, she planned to enroll him in preschool after they returned from their hometown in Wensheng Province after the Lunar New Year.
Once he was in preschool, he wouldn’t be as bored.
Thinking about the time, Xu Tao glanced at the calendar Zhao Weiguo had bought and realized there were less than two months until the New Year.
Unlike the warm temperatures in December in Yangcheng, the weather in Wensheng Province was already quite cold, requiring heavy winter coats to go outside.
Although Yangcheng’s weather was generally warm, it could cool down suddenly, so after mailing her manuscript, Xu Tao went to buy some cotton. She wanted to be prepared in case of a sudden drop in temperature.
Xu Tao had experienced Yangcheng’s unpredictable weather and temperatures could be over 30 degrees Celsius during the day and drop to just a few degrees at night. She couldn’t afford not to be prepared.
After mailing her manuscript, Xu Tao took Zhao Linan to the supply store to buy ten catties of cotton and then carried it to a custom quilt shop.
Indeed, quilts in those days were almost always custom-made. The shopkeepers used machines to fluff the cotton, turning it into batting for quilts. Customers would bring in a few pounds of cotton and pay a fee for the shopkeepers to turn it into quilts.
It was Xu Tao’s first time seeing someone fluff cotton and make quilts. Watching the machine work, she saw the shopkeeper neatly spread out the cotton, fluff it up, and then stitch it into the quilt. The final product was thick and solid, guaranteeing quality.
A single quilt could easily last over a decade.
“How much does it cost to fluff two quilts’ worth of cotton?” Xu Tao asked the shopkeeper while eyeing the soft, fluffy cotton.
“It’s three yuan per quilt” the shopkeeper replied, covered in cotton lint and wearing a mask-like covering over his mouth. “Don’t complain about the price; making a quilt takes a lot of time and effort. Plus, I include the thread for free!”
“Alright, please fluff two quilts for me. Here’s the cotton” Xu Tao agreed, not minding the price.
She didn’t know much about how quilts were made, but after glancing at the thick, well-made quilts stacked nearby and the fluffy cotton in the process, she understood that making a quilt required significant time and effort.
“Let me weigh the cotton” the shopkeeper said, jotting down Xu Tao’s name while weighing the cotton she had brought.
“This is twelve catties total. Do you want six catties of cotton per quilt?” the shopkeeper confirmed.
“Yes” Xu Tao nodded. Nowadays, quilts were made with real cotton. A six-catty quilt would be more than enough for Yangcheng’s winter.
Although winters in Yangcheng were short and not particularly cold, it was still necessary to have a good winter quilt ready.
“Is this diamond pattern okay?” the shopkeeper asked, pointing to the stitching design on a nearby quilt.
“Yes, that’s fine.”
“Alright, pay now and come pick them up the evening after tomorrow” the shopkeeper said after noting down her preferences.
Xu Tao paid without complaint, noticing Zhao Linan standing on tiptoe, carefully reaching out to touch the soft, fluffy cotton.
"Don't touch." Xu Tao reached out and grabbed the child's hand.
"Mom, so many cotton candies!" Zhao Linan's eyes sparkled brightly.
Xu Tao couldn't help but laugh. It did look like cotton candy.
Fluffy and white, very pretty to look at.
"This isn't cotton candy; you can't eat it." Xu Tao smiled, holding Zhao Linan's hand as they said goodbye to the shop owner.
It was around three o'clock when they left the shop. After mailing some items and wandering around to buy cotton, they had spent quite some time. Now, it was already evening.
Reluctantly, Zhao Linan left the cotton processing shop with Xu Tao. They strolled over to the market, bought some groceries, and headed home.
By the time Zhao Weiguo returned from work, it was already dark. The once hot weather had cooled significantly not long after Xu Tao got home.
"Mom, it's cold" Zhao Linan said. At first, he had been playing so much that he was sweating, but soon he was shivering and ran toward Xu Tao.
With no other choice, Xu Tao put a small jacket and long pants on Zhao Linan.
"This Yangcheng weather, how can it suddenly get so cold? It feels like being flash-frozen." Xu Tao bared her teeth as she, too, found it unbearable and went to change into warmer clothes.
"Yangcheng's weather is always like this. In a few days, it might heat up again" Zhao Weiguo, who had lived in Yangcheng for over ten years, said with a laugh, already accustomed to the city's erratic weather.
Seeing Xu Tao looking utterly done in, he teasingly leaned closer. "Tired today?"
Xu Tao had just changed her clothes and was about to head to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Hearing Zhao Weiguo's question, she immediately turned despairing, staring at him as though he had just said the most absurd thing.
"Get lost!" Xu Tao growled through gritted teeth.
If he hadn't brought it up, she might have been fine, but the moment he did, Xu Tao suddenly felt the aches in her waist, back, and legs intensify.
She gave Zhao Weiguo a fierce glare. "You're cooking dinner tonight! I'm too tired."
The man, who had clearly enjoyed a good meal and rest last night, simply chuckled and nodded.
"It's gotten cold all of a sudden. Tonight, how are we going to sleep? I just bought cotton to make quilts today, but it’s not ready yet" Xu Tao said, worrying aloud. She was especially concerned that Zhao Linan, still a young child, might catch a cold if he slept with just a blanket.
"Let Linan sleep with us tonight" Xu Tao suggested, her eyes lighting up at the idea. She thought it was a pretty good solution and, at the same time, an opportunity to give herself a break.
Her poor back couldn't take any more indulgence it needed at least three days of rest!
"Sure" Zhao Weiguo agreed. The man quickly sat down in front of the stove and began feeding firewood into it. The large wood-burning stove was, admittedly, a bit of a hassle to use every day.
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