Chapter 25: The Baby Collaboration Stationery Becomes a Runaway Hit

The autumn sun made the sunflowers in the courtyard droop, while Lu Xingchen lay on the stone table, scribbling away as his pencil tip made a soft scratching sound against the paper. Su Yao had just returned from the pharmaceutical factory when she spotted the crooked rocket he was drawing, its exhaust flames colored a vibrant red.

"What are you drawing?" she asked, crouching down until her nose nearly brushed the paper.

"The teacher told us to draw our dreams," Lu Xingchen replied, his pencil moving steadily as he added a trail of tiny stars next to the rocket. "I want to be an astronaut and take a rocket to the moon."

Before Su Yao could smile, the chime of a bicycle bell sounded outside the gate. Director Wang from the county stationery factory pushed his bike into the courtyard, a bulging cloth bag tied to the back and two boxes of new pencils hanging from the handlebars.

"Director Su, I’ve finally found you." Director Wang wiped sweat from his forehead and set the cloth bag onto the stone table. "Have you thought about what we discussed last time?"

Last month, when Director Wang visited the commune and saw Lu Xingchen’s drawings and Lu Yuxuan’s math tables, he had an idea. He wanted to collaborate with Su Yao to print the children's work on stationery and launch a "Cub Brand" co-branded series.

"Children’s drawings—will people really buy them?" Su Yao was doubtful. She had seen the factory’s notebooks; they were always printed with images of Tiananmen Square or workers, peasants, and soldiers. Nothing like children’s scribbles.

"Why wouldn't they?" Director Wang unzipped the bag, revealing several bound samples. The cover of the first featured Lu Xingchen’s rocket, with the words "Study hard and make progress every day" written in red lacquer beside it. The second contained Lu Yuxuan’s multiplication tables, the handwriting so neat it hardly looked like a child’s work.

"Look at how spirited this rocket is!" Director Wang gestured to the sample, his eyes shining. "Kids today love fresh things. This will definitely sell."

Just then, Lu Yuxuan ran in with his schoolbag, blades of grass clinging to his pant cuffs. Coming home from school, he spotted the samples on the table and rushed over to flip through them.

"That's my handwriting!" he pointed to the multiplication table page, his face full of surprise. "Mom, they printed my math table!"

Lu Xingchen leaned in too, and seeing his rocket on the cover, he clapped his hands with joy: "It’s my rocket! It’s flying so high!"

Seeing the excitement on the children’s faces, Su Yao’s hesitation largely vanished. She reached out to stroke Lu Xingchen’s hair. "Director Wang, I agree to this collaboration. But I must discuss it with the children first; after all, it’s their work."

"That goes without saying," Director Wang beamed, his eyes crinkling. "Our factory will provide the materials and labor, and we’ll split the profits fifty-fifty. The children’s royalties will be calculated separately based on sales. How does that sound?"

Before Su Yao could answer, Lu Yuxuan looked up suddenly. "Grandpa Wang, can you print a notebook for my dad too? He’s fighting at the front lines, and I want him to see my writing."

Director Wang was momentarily stunned, then patted his chest. "No problem! Not just for your dad, but for all the uncles at the front! Let them know that back home, there are kids waiting for them to return so they can teach them math!"

This remark made Su Yao laugh, but Lu Yuxuan puffed out his little chest, acting like a miniature adult. "I’m going to write the hardest math tables so the uncles know how good I am at my studies."

Over the next few days, Su Yao took the two children to the stationery factory to oversee the proofs. Lu Xingchen drew several new pictures—young pioneers wearing red scarves and villages with rising chimney smoke. Lu Yuxuan wrote out all the addition and subtraction problems from one to one hundred, his penmanship even neater than before.

Director Wang gave the children a thumbs-up. "Director Su, these two are truly talented! They’ll surely grow up to be successful."

Su Yao remained humble in her reply, but her heart felt sweet. She remembered when she had first taken the children in; Lu Xingchen was shy and hid from everyone, while Lu Yuxuan was silent, clutching his old math book all day. Now that they could confidently display their work and speak with such ambition, she felt prouder than anyone.

Half a month later, the "Cub Brand" stationery officially hit the market. Director Wang sent several crates to the commune for Su Yao to inspect. Opening a box, she saw the pencils printed with Lu Xingchen’s rockets, the notebooks featuring Lu Yuxuan’s math tables, and even boxes of erasers embossed with a pattern of three children holding hands—a drawing by Lu Shihan, its lines crooked but radiating innocence.

"It’s so beautiful!" Lu Shihan picked up an eraser and rubbed it against her cheek. "I drew this!"

Su Yao picked up a notebook, stroking the smooth paper with a sense of profound emotion. When she was a child in the city, there were no such beautiful school supplies. Pencils were simple wood, notebooks were coarse paper; having a single pencil with an eraser head was enough to boast about to classmates for days.

"Director Su, it’s bad!" Erzhuzi ran into the courtyard, panting, clutching an empty cardboard box. "The people from the factory just came by—the 'Cub Brand' stationery is selling like crazy! The county supply and marketing cooperative is sold out, and they’re asking us to send two more truckloads immediately!"

Su Yao was stunned, then burst into a smile. She handed a notebook to Lu Yuxuan. "Look, everyone loves your writing."

Lu Yuxuan took the notebook, his face glowing with pride. Suddenly, he pulled a crumpled paper packet from his pocket and opened it carefully to reveal several brand-new banknotes.

"These are the royalties from Grandpa Wang," he said, handing the money to Su Yao like a little grown-up. "Mom, I want to save this money. When I have enough, I’ll buy you a big house—the kind with a courtyard where you can plant lots and lots of flowers."

Seeing her son’s earnest expression, Su Yao felt a lump in her throat. She crouched down and pulled Lu Yuxuan into her arms, resting her chin on his head. "Mom doesn’t need a big house. As long as I have you, anywhere is home."

Lu Yuxuan nuzzled into her embrace. "But I want Mom to live in a nice house. Like the ladies in the city, so you don't have to be in the sun all day or carry a hoe."

Su Yao’s tears nearly fell. The children saw everything and took it all to heart. She spent her days running between the pharmaceutical factory and the vegetable fields, her skin tanned and her hands calloused—the children had witnessed it all.

"Alright, then we’ll work hard together and save up for that big house," Su Yao patted Lu Yuxuan’s back, her voice trembling slightly.

Lu Xingchen ran over, holding his pencil high. "Mom, I can earn money too! I can draw my rockets even better!"

Su Yao laughed and pulled him into her arms as well. With the two small bodies pressed against her chest, she felt a warmth that made all the hardship feel worthwhile.

"Whose children are these, being so sensible?" a familiar voice came from the gate.

Su Yao looked up. Lu Zhanye was standing there, carrying a military-green satchel. Dressed in a faded uniform, his eyes beneath the brim of his cap were filled with tenderness as he watched the mother and her children.

"Dad!" Lu Xingchen was the first to react, breaking free from Su Yao’s arms to rush toward Lu Zhanye.

Lu Zhanye scooped him up and kissed his cheek. "Did you miss Dad?"

"Yes!" Lu Xingchen wrapped his arms around his neck, nuzzling against him. "Dad, look at my rocket! It looks so good printed on the notebooks!"

Lu Zhanye nodded with a smile, his gaze shifting to Su Yao. She was still crouching on the ground, eyes red, yet a smile played on her lips. He walked over and pulled her up. "I’m home."

Su Yao looked at him, momentarily speechless. He had lost weight, his chin was covered in stubble, and there was a new scar at the corner of his eye—likely from the front lines. But his eyes were as bright as ever, like the stars in the night sky.

"It’s good that you’re back," was all she could manage to say after a long pause.

Lu Zhanye smiled and pulled something wrapped in red cloth from his satchel. "This is for you."

Su Yao unwrapped it to find a fountain pen. A tiny plum blossom was carved into the barrel, and a gleaming nib was attached to the cap.

"I bought it in the county town," Lu Zhanye said, scratching his head with a touch of shyness. "I heard you have to write reports often now, and a fountain pen would be more convenient."

Su Yao gripped the pen, the cool metal touching her fingertips, while her heart warmed. She remembered the ballpoint pen she had been using—it was borrowed from the commune office and had long since run out of ink.

"Thank you." She tucked the pen away carefully, afraid of damaging it.

Lu Yuxuan suddenly tugged at Lu Zhanye’s sleeve. "Dad, I printed a notebook for you with my math tables in it. If you have any free time at the front, look at my writing and see if I’m doing well."

Lu Zhanye pulled him into his arms and kissed his forehead. "Our Yuxuan is so capable, much better than I was at your age."

Lu Shihan also leaned in, looking up with her small face. "Dad, I drew a picture of our family holding hands, and it’s printed on the erasers. When you miss us, just look at the eraser."

Lu Zhanye laughed and picked her up as well, holding a child in each arm, his eyes overflowing with tenderness. He looked at Su Yao and said softly, "You’ve worked hard."

Su Yao shook her head, but before she could speak, Erzhuzi ran in again, holding a thick envelope. "Director Su, someone from the factory sent the royalties! He said it’s the sales dividend for the last half-month. Goodness, it’s such a thick stack!"

Su Yao opened the envelope, which was filled with a thick stack of brand-new bills, along with a note: "‘Cub Brand’ stationery sales have exceeded five thousand sets, dividend enclosed."

"So much money!" She couldn’t believe her eyes. She had never seen this much money in her life.

Lu Zhanye looked over and smiled. "It seems our family is going to have a little millionaire."

Lu Yuxuan handed over his share of the royalties. "Mom, put my money in too. We’re one step closer to the big house."

Looking at the children’s excitement and then at Lu Zhanye, Su Yao felt a sense of peace she had never known. From the isolation she felt when she first arrived in the countryside to this warm home—with sensible children, a thoughtful husband, and a thriving career—it all felt like a dream.

"We’re having dumplings for dinner!" she said, carefully putting the money away. "To celebrate your father’s return, and to celebrate the success of our 'Cub Brand' stationery!"

"Yay! Dumplings!" the children cheered.

Lu Zhanye watched Su Yao’s busy figure, his heart full of emotion. At the front, he had lived for the letters from home. Every time he received a letter and read that the children had grown taller or that the pharmaceutical factory was doing well, he felt a surge of strength.

Now that he was back, seeing how sensible the children were and how Su Yao had managed the home so well while creating something so new, he felt he hadn't been a very capable husband.

"Let me help." He rolled up his sleeves to knead the dough.

"You rest," Su Yao pushed him aside. "You just got back; you must be exhausted. Go spend some time with the kids."

Lu Zhanye didn't budge, standing by as he watched her. He watched her expertly knead the dough, roll the wrappers, and fill them with meat, her movements swift and efficient. Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her head.

"What are you doing? The children are watching," Su Yao’s face flushed red, and she tried to break free, but he held her tighter.

"I missed you," Lu Zhanye’s voice was muffled and slightly hoarse. "At the front, I thought of you every day."

Su Yao’s heart skipped a beat. She could feel the warmth of his chest and smell the faint scent of gunpowder mixed with the aroma of sunlight.

"Mom, Dad, are the dumplings ready?" Lu Xingchen ran over, saw them hugging, and covered his eyes, shouting, "Shame on you!"

Su Yao quickly pushed Lu Zhanye away, her face burning like fire. Lu Zhanye just laughed and picked up Lu Xingchen. "Go on, go play with your brother and sister, and don't disturb your mother."

Lu Xingchen giggled as he ran off. Su Yao glared at Lu Zhanye, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but lift.

By evening, the dumplings were ready. The steaming plates were set on the table, and the children ate until their faces were shiny with oil. Lu Zhanye placed the largest dumpling into Su Yao’s bowl, his eyes full of laughter. "Try it, see how my wrapping turned out."

Su Yao took a bite—chives and egg, her favorite flavor. Looking at Lu Zhanye, she suddenly realized that happiness was actually very simple. It was the family gathered together for a warm meal, the sound of children’s laughter, and the warmth of the embrace of the person beside her.

After dinner, Lu Zhanye tucked the children into bed and returned to the kitchen to help Su Yao with the dishes. Moonlight spilled through the window, coating them in a layer of silver.

"By the way, Director Wang said he wants to promote the 'Cub Brand' stationery throughout the province," Su Yao said while washing the dishes. "He also said he wants to open a dedicated art studio for the children, so they can draw whatever they like."

"That’s good," Lu Zhanye leaned against the doorframe, watching her back. "As long as the children like it."

Su Yao finished the dishes and turned to lean against the stove. "Are you... not leaving again?"

"I’m not leaving," Lu Zhanye walked over and took her hands. "I applied for a transfer to civilian duty. From now on, I’ll be home with all of you."

Su Yao’s eyes brightened. "Really?"

"Really." Lu Zhanye pulled a red booklet from his pocket that read "Transfer Certificate." "From now on, I’ll be your support. Whatever you want to do, I’ll back you."

Su Yao buried her face in his chest, and her tears fell in silence. All the hardship, grievance, and longing of these years vanished in an instant. She knew she no longer had to struggle alone; she finally had the most solid pillar of support by her side.

The moonlight outside the window grew brighter, illuminating the sunflowers in the yard and the two figures embracing inside. Su Yao knew that tomorrow would be a new day with new challenges and new hopes. But she wasn't afraid, because she was no longer alone.

She had the person she loved, her sensible children, and a warm home. These were the fuel for her progress and her eternal harbor.