Because We're Comrades

"Are you Shen Nuo Fei?" Han Meng looked over the little girl in front of him. Her features resembled Shen Qi's, but she was even more playful and adorable.

"Mm-hmm! Come on in, big brother. It's cold outside." Shen Nuo Fei played the perfect hostess, as if she were the little mistress of the house.

The room was warm and cozy. Cuiping rolled out dumpling wrappers, Ou Ye filled them, and Shen Qi handled the most technical task of all—boiling the dumplings.

"Director Shen, Sister Yezi, happy New Year!" Han Meng greeted the Shen family for the holiday. He also got to see another side of Shen Qi's life. He hadn't expected Shen Qi to know how to boil dumplings.

"Don't call me Sister-in-law. I'm not that old—just call me Sister Yezi." Ou Ye was now a mother of two, and she had changed quite a bit, growing much more mature.

"Sister Yezi made pork and cabbage dumplings! Those were my favorite when I was little." Han Meng set his gifts beside Ou Ye's chair, then pulled out a red envelope and handed it to Shen Nuo Fei. "Here, Nuo Fei, take this. I hope you grow up healthy and happy."

"Thank you, big brother." Shen Nuo Fei accepted the red envelope with delight. Han Meng's favorability with her went up by one.

Shen Qi came over carrying a plate of freshly boiled dumplings. "Big brother Han Meng is still a student, Nuo Fei. Why are you taking his red envelope?"

"Um..." Shen Nuo Fei clutched the envelope tightly, showing no sign of letting go.

Han Meng didn't feel at all awkward at Shen Qi's home. Shen Qi, his wife, and their precious daughter gave him a warm, homey feeling.

Get married, have a child—how warm and happy that would