mtl008 Chapter 272
Chapter 272
The sons of Uncle Zhong were all very polite, thanks to their parents' good upbringing. After lunch, Nan Sheng gave the eldest son of the Zhong family a watch.Hearing that he was going to get married, they had specially gone to the town to buy this watch before returning.
"Your sister and brother-in-law are busy with work, so we probably won't be able to make it back for your wedding. Please don't take it to heart. This watch is a wedding gift from your brother-in-law and me, so you must accept it."
Uncle Zhong and the others all disagreed. A watch was such a precious item, how could they just accept it casually? However, their repeated refusals were unsuccessful.
When Nan Sheng bought it, she had told Lin Han that in the future, when relatives on both sides got married, they would follow this standard, as it was practical and decent.
When seeing their family out, Zhong Yanyan blamed Nan Sheng for giving such an expensive gift. "You bought such an expensive one, what is Mingli supposed to do?"
"Grandpa and Grandma are not in good health, so I just thought about making this wedding a bit more decent for them. Besides, Mingli has been running around helping out, isn't that more valuable than my giving a watch? Uncle and Aunt know what's going on."
TrendingReaders are talkingZhou Kids Power RankingJoin the discussion readers keep coming back toSee why›
Zhong Yanyan also knew this. She just felt that if they gave a watch for the eldest's wedding, they would have to do the same for the second and third sons, which would add up to a lot of money.
"Even if you have money, you shouldn't spend it like this."
"Yes, yes, yes, I know, Mom."
Zhong Yanyan helplessly poked her with a finger. "I know you think I'm nagging."
After the New Year and visiting from house to house, Nan Sheng and the others returned to Jingdu. There was still a little brat over there who needed comforting for spending his first New Year at the military academy.
Nan Sheng brought back a lot of cooked food for him. Boys naturally love to eat meat more. There were pig trotters, spine bones, ribs, and pork shoulders. They were all braised and then frozen, absolutely tasting like their hometown.
This time they didn't let Sizhe come out to meet them. Lin Han asked someone to take the food in, have it heated up, and then give it to his son. The atmosphere at the military academy had been somewhat low recently, especially for this group of new recruits. It was their first time not spending the New Year at home, so who could be happy?
The most frustrating part was that the teachers and instructors didn't offer a single word of comfort. Instead, they added extra training, making life a living hell.
"Sizhe, the instructor wants you to go over immediately!"
Sizhe's vision went dark. "I didn't curse at him today. Is he going to make me run laps again?"
He was just unlucky. Tell me, which student hasn't cursed the instructor behind their back? But he was the unlucky one who got overheard. Since then, he had been targeted, and the instructor always made him go out for one-on-one training.
"Hurry up and go. Be careful, if you're late, he'll punish you again!"
Sizhe went to the instructor's dormitory. He didn't know why he was called here. When he knocked and went in, he was almost dizzy from the delicious smell. So much braised meat!
The instructor told him to sit, handed him a pig trotter to gnaw on, and then picked a small pork shoulder for himself and started devouring it. While eating, he said a few inconsequential things to Sizhe. Sizhe, holding the pig trotter, thought it had been drugged.
When the instructor finished the pork shoulder and was wiping his hands, Sizhe finally couldn't help but ask, "Instructor, what did you call me here for? I really didn't say anything bad about you behind your back this time."
The instructor glanced at the pig trotter in Sizhe's hand. Good heavens, he hadn't taken a single bite. A wicked smirk appeared on the instructor's lips.
"It's nothing. Brigade Commander Lin sent some things in for you and asked me to give them to you. Oh right, he also told you to be more polite in the future."
Sizhe hadn't expected the instructor to be in contact with his father. He asked in a daze, "What did he send?"
The instructor rarely saw his confused side and kindly pointed to the braised meat. Sizhe snapped back to reality and almost exploded. He wondered why the instructor had suddenly become so kind and treated him to a pig trotter. It turned out that all of this was sent to him from home!
The most outrageous part was that he had eaten the only small pork shoulder. How could he be so greedy!
Sizhe stood up angrily. Right before leaving, he thought for a moment and stuffed two pig trotters into the instructor's arms. That's right, right into his arms, leaving grease stains all over him.
The instructor didn't know whether to be angry or laugh, and silently decided to "take care" of this brat even more in the future.
The elderly Zhong couple survived the cold winter but couldn't escape the scorching heat of summer. Grandma Zhong hadn't been able to drink water for several days. Zhong Yanyan and the others stayed by her side until she took her last breath.
Upon receiving the news, Mingli immediately called Nan Sheng. "Sister, Mom says you don't need to come back. Just visit the grave during the New Year."
Nan Sheng and her husband were indeed busy. Lin Han had been dispatched for reinforcements, as there had been constant border skirmishes recently. She also had new tasks on her end, plus issues with the kids.
"I know, Mingli. Go back and comfort Mom well. Or, after the funeral, let Mom and Dad come stay in Jingdu for a few days."
To everyone's surprise, on the day Grandma Zhong was buried, Grandpa Zhong passed away while taking a nap at home. Zhong Yanyan and Uncle Zhong almost cried their eyes out, completely unable to accept such a blow.
After receiving the news, Nan Sheng kowtowed three times towards the north to bid farewell to her grandparents.
After the funeral, the Zhong family members all lost weight. Nan Jingyu tried every way to buy things for the house, but Zhong Yanyan had no appetite, which made him extremely anxious.
Mingli went home once a week during this time. He urged Zhong Yanyan to go to Jingdu for a few days, or even to the county town. But Zhong Yanyan couldn't let go of the home. She said there were too many weeds in the fields, and if they weren't properly tended to, they wouldn't harvest much grain in the autumn.
It wasn't until after the autumn harvest that Zhong Yanyan still couldn't cheer up. This time, Nan Jingyu directly had his son buy train tickets to Jingdu. He packed their clothes and dragged his wife out the door.
"Old woman, let's go stay in Jingdu for a longer period and come back after the New Year."
Zhong Yanyan disagreed. "With Mom and Dad gone, Xiaomin still hasn't gotten over it. If I don't go see him during the New Year, how upset will he be?"
"He has his wife and son to comfort him. I only care about you. Let's spend the New Year with our daughter in Jingdu this year, and go back when it gets warm."
Zhong Yanyan counted on her fingers. That meant staying there for almost half a year. Fortunately, it was their own daughter, so she wouldn't kick them out.
Nan Sheng was naturally happy to see her parents, but Zhong Yanyan's white hair was increasing, which made her feel uneasy.
"Mom, how have you lost so much weight? How can I feel at ease with you living in our hometown like this?"
Seeing her daughter and grandson, Zhong Yanyan finally showed a hint of a smile. "What's there to worry about? Do you want me to stay here for the rest of my life?"
"Of course I wish you and Dad could stay by my side forever. I'm just afraid you wouldn't be happy."
Zhong Yanyan and her husband had lived in the village for most of their lives. Having them come to Jingdu for a few days of novelty was fine, but staying for a long time wouldn't be easy. Unless they did business here, having work to do and money to earn every day, it might be possible to keep them around.
Sizhe finally got annual leave this year, a total of twenty days. He took the opportunity to return to his hometown and also went to kowtow at Grandpa and Grandma Zhong's graves.
"Great-grandpa, Great-grandma, Dawa has come to kowtow to you. In the future, whenever I come back, I will kowtow to you and send you money to spend. I hope you can bless Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, and Dad, and let them live a long life."
When leaving, Sizhe's eyes were red. Uncle Zhong wasn't doing much better either. Even after so much time had passed, whenever his wife finished cooking, his first reaction was still to bring some over to his parents...
The elderly Lin couple still dearly loved their grandson, Sizhe. They felt an extra layer of tenderness for him, especially since he had lost his biological mother at a young age and suffered abuse from his stepmother.
When he came back for the holidays this time, Lin Guozheng insisted that Sizhe stay at his house, outright forbidding him from returning to his own home.
Sizhe stayed with the Lin family for a week before heading to the county town to spend a few days at his uncle's place. Upon hearing that his parents would not be returning home for the New Year, Mingli simply urged his nephew to take the grandparents out for more walks.
"Your grandmother carries a lot on her mind but doesn't like to talk about it. She loves you and Qiqi, so take her out for walks when you have free time; it will help cheer her up."
"Don't worry, Uncle. We will definitely take good care of Grandma and Grandpa. Well, I'm getting on the bus now. I'll come back to see you all next time I have a break!"
"Alright, have a safe trip!"
Time slipped by, and in the blink of an eye, Sizhe graduated and was assigned to the Rongcheng Military Region. Since he came from a military academy and was an outstanding graduate, he was appointed as a battalion commander straight out of the gate and was assigned under Luo Hao's command.
When Luo Hao saw the name Lin Sizhe, he had a hunch. When Sizhe reported for duty, Luo Hao deliberately called him over. "Good lad! Your brother was just transferred to Kyoto last year, and now you're here this year. Come on, Brother Luo will take you to see Division Commander Yao. He'll definitely be thrilled to see you."
There had been major movements in the military recently. After fierce competition, the position of Corps Commander had finally been decided, and Division Commander Yao was soon to become Corps Commander Yao.
Arriving at Division Commander Yao's office, it was obvious that Luo Hao had become Yao's trusted confidant, as they shared a very close relationship.
"Commander, look who's here!"
Division Commander Yao's first reaction upon seeing Sizhe was that he looked familiar and friendly. "Whose energetic young man is this?" For a moment, he really couldn't quite recall the name.
"Whose else could he be? He's our Brigade Commander Lin Han's boy, of course! Commander, Lin Sizhe graduated from the military academy and got assigned to us!"
Sizhe smiled cheerfully and saluted Division Commander Yao. "Greetings, Division Commander Yao. Lin Sizhe reporting for duty!"
Before Lin Han was transferred, he had been very close with Division Commander Yao, and Sizhe often saw him. Even after their family moved to Kyoto, they never lost touch; Lin Han would call every year to send his regards.
Realizing who he was, Division Commander Yao's face lit up with pleasant surprise. He immediately stood up and pulled Sizhe over to his side.
"You've changed so much, kid! I didn't even recognize you. I figured you'd definitely be assigned to the Kyoto Military Region after graduation."
Lin Han had already been promoted to Brigade Commander, so interfering with Sizhe's assignment would have only taken a single word. Sizhe rubbed the back of his head and said, "Too many people want to stay in Kyoto, and I didn't want to bother competing with them. I wanted to come back to Rongcheng myself."
Division Commander Yao replied, "Your father is really something, not even giving me a heads-up. Come on, let's go to my house for a meal!"
Luo Hao was left standing to the side, feeling quite helpless. He thought to himself, This is my soldier! Commander, is it really appropriate for you to just kidnap him like this?
Besides, it was neither early nor late—what kind of meal were they even going to eat at this hour?
Over in Kyoto, Lin Han was completely at ease with his son going to the Rongcheng Military Region. The borders had been restless over the past two years, and spending even half a year in Kyoto was considered a long time for him. Nan Sheng was also busy. The couple was truly living a life where they relied on writing letters to convey their affections.
"Brigade Commander, you just got back and you're leaving again?"
"Going downtown to see my wife and kid."
After Sicheng was transferred to Kyoto, he worked under Han Yongxiang. This whole affair was actually quite amusing. Initially, there was a chance to transfer Luo Hao over as well. Han Yongxiang had written him a letter, but ended up getting rejected.
Sicheng, too, had grown accustomed to living in Rongcheng and was reluctant to move to Kyoto. Han Yongxiang, however, didn't care about their excuses; he simply pulled some strings to issue the transfer orders, determined to get at least one of them over.
Because of this, Luo Hao even wrote a letter cursing Han Yongxiang. The two of them secretly arranged a fight, agreeing that whoever lost their next brawl would have to call the other ancestor!
When Sicheng arrived in Kyoto, what welcomed him was not the warm embrace of his second uncle and aunt, but a sound beating from Han Yongxiang. Han Yongxiang was simply taking out his frustration with Luo Hao on Sicheng first.
Lin Han hadn't seen his wife in several months. When he got home, not only was Nan Sheng not there, but his daughter was missing as well. Qiqi was currently in high school, and with the entire country placing a heavy emphasis on education nowadays, school dismissal times were getting later and later.
Timing it perfectly, he went out to a restaurant and bought some food. He got braised pork for his daughter, seafood porridge for his wife, and ordered a spicy dish for himself.
After work, Nan Sheng went to the school to pick up their daughter first. Upon arriving at their front door and seeing the lights on inside, she guessed that Lin Han had returned. Qiqi skipped over and opened the door.
"Dad, your daughter is home from school!"
Nan Sheng chimed in, "Officer Lin, your wife is off work!"
Beaming with a wide smile, Lin Han went to take the bags from his wife and child. "Go wash your hands. I'll heat up the food."
For Lin Han and Nan Sheng, this meal was dinner, but for Qiqi, it was a late-night snack. Oh, the perks of youth—she could eat four meals a day and never gain an ounce.
"Have you decided which university you want to apply to?"
During the meal, Qiqi was eating heartily, alternating between mouthfuls of rice and meat. Lin Han handed her a tissue to wipe her mouth.
"Kyoto University, of course! I want to study law and then work for the Disciplinary Inspection Commission!"
Nan Sheng glanced at her daughter and asked tentatively, "If you were assigned to work in another city, would you accept it? The local government in Kyoto is notoriously difficult to get into."
"I wouldn't go. Then I just won't work for the government. Mom, how about I go do odd jobs for you at the research institute? You're the director, after all!"
Lin Han and Nan Sheng exchanged a somewhat helpless look. Ultimately, this child didn't have any grand ambitions; she just wanted to pursue the same career as her mother.
"Sweetheart, Mom can't be with you for your whole life. Don't you want to take this opportunity to venture out on your own?"
"What's there to venture out for? Students from everywhere else are fighting tooth and nail to get into Kyoto. I'm not going anywhere; I'm staying right here by your side."
Lying in bed, Lin Han told Nan Sheng about where he had been, explaining that the neighboring country had been constantly provoking them and creating conflicts. They couldn't back down. Although the general public was unaware, there was always bloodshed and sacrifice on the front lines.
Nan Sheng didn't say anything, but she tightly gripped Lin Han's arm with her hand. Every morning, she supposedly went to the research institute, but in reality, she was secretly transported to another location to develop more advanced weaponry and equipment.
While Lin Han faced danger on the front lines, she was also working hard in the rear.
"Is Xiaocheng very busy? Why didn't you bring him over?"
"Yongxiang is at the front waiting for the shift rotation. Xiaocheng is under his command, so he'll definitely come back with him. Oh right, honey, Aunt Xia said she wants to introduce a girl to Xiaocheng. The girl has good character and looks. When Xiaocheng comes back this time, let's arrange it for him. He's not getting any younger."
Ever since that kid entered the military region, he had been entirely focused on training. His parents had long urged him to return home for blind dates and marriage, but he had refused. It was hard to say whether his standards were just too high or if he simply didn't want to settle down yet.