Chapter 1304: Chapter 753: Estranged Father and Son, the Prestige of the Si Family’s Son-in-law (3rd Update)

The birthday banquet of Mrs. Si was held on the fourth day after the Huo Family returned home unexpectedly. The weather was clear that day. Tang Wan and Jiang Jinsang took Jiang Xiaowai for a stroll around the Huo Family’s place.

A spring rain fell yesterday, and the wind carried warmth. Even under the bright sunny sky, this temperature made one feel comfortable.

Huo Qinqi had limited holidays, and Shen Shuci was in her postpartum confinement, so the childcare responsibilities were mainly shouldered by him.

To be honest, Shen Shuci was quite worried about him taking care of the child. The difference between armchair strategy and practical operation was significant; moreover, a newborn couldn’t express its needs clearly. Feeding and diaper changing often left new parents flustered and caught off guard.

Sometimes Huo Qinqi was in such a hurry, holding the child like he was picking up a little chick.

The child’s tiny size didn’t fit with him at all. A burly, iron-willed man coaxing a child—just thinking about that scene one could tell how strange it was.

In fact, Huo Qinqi sometimes was really anxious. He kept telling himself he needed to be patient with the child, but a child wasn’t an adult, nor were they his soldiers, so they didn’t listen as he expected.

Being someone who always followed orders strictly himself, dealing with a little one who didn’t listen at all often left him at a loss.

When Jiang Jinsang and Tang Wan arrived, he was changing the child’s diaper. After a few days, he was somewhat skilled at it, but encountering Jiang Jinsang still made him seem awkward, like a rookie.

Tang Wan and Shen Shuci clearly had private topics to discuss, so Huo Qinqi took Jiang Jinsang to the backyard.

Walked the dog, fed the horse.

Tang Wan and Shen Shuci talked about postpartum recovery and other related things. It’s not like men couldn’t hear it, but having a group of people sit in the room listening would definitely feel weird.

"You seem low on energy, haven’t been resting well lately?" Jiang Jinsang fed some ryegrass to the horse, "You must understand now, how hard it is to take care of a child, huh?"

"How do you usually manage with kids?"

"Just carefully and diligently."

"I mean, how do you soothe them when they cry. Sometimes it’s really..." If it had been one of his soldiers, he would’ve kicked them out and made them stand against the wall by now, "How do you cope when it’s especially difficult?"

"There is a method."

"What?"

"Keep reminding yourself they’re your own child."

"..."

"If there were shortcuts to child-rearing, there wouldn’t be such a demand for nannies, parenting books, and training classes." Jiang Jinsang laughed.

"I’m doing alright, just worried that after I return to work, she’ll find it really difficult alone." Even with parents around, it’s still not the same as having the husband there.

"Didn’t you say you’re applying to be transferred back to Beijing, when can you return?"

"It’s not up to me, it might take some time."

"Not being around the kid regularly means by the time you get back, he might not recognize you."

Jiang Jinsang was just teasing; who could have guessed such a thing would actually happen?

The little guy knew he was his dad, just didn’t have much affection for him, plus Huo Qinqi’s cold and forceful temperament—raising a child in the Huo Family, as Huo Qinqi’s son, naturally had quite a personality.

So when Huo Qinqi had just returned to Beijing, father and son had constant friction, and the little guy even threatened to run away from home at one point.

He and Jiang Xiaowai loved stirring up trouble, repeatedly challenging Huo Qinqi’s limits, leading to Jiang Xiaowai stepping on a few ’no-go zones’. Other people’s kids couldn’t be disciplined, and his own was a handful.

Anyway, when Huo Qinqi got transferred back, he expected to enjoy peaceful family life, but nearly got infuriated.

But that’s a story for another time.

At the moment, he also picked up some hay, feeding it to the horse, brushing its mane with his hand.

"Tonight is Mrs. Si’s birthday banquet, who from your family is going?" Jiang Jinsang finished feeding the horse and dusted off his hands.

"My parents don’t really want to go, I don’t either. Just sending a gift will do." Huo Qinqi wasn’t good at socializing and wasn’t enthusiastic about such banquets, he just wanted to stay home with his wife and child.

"Everyone is dying to go and see the scene, and the Si Family specially sent an invitation, but not a single person from your family is attending?"

"I don’t know the Si Family, and there won’t be any interaction in the future either, so it doesn’t matter if I go or not."

Jiang Jinsang just chuckled, "Who says there won’t be any interaction in the future?"

Huo Qinqi turned to look at him, "What do you know?"

"You might as well join in the fun if you have time." Jiang Jinsang didn’t insist.

However, Shen Shuci hoped he would attend this birthday banquet.