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Early the next morning, Lu Qingyan’s old comrade arrived to drive them.
Because the journey was long, Lu Qingyan and his comrade would take turns driving back to Beijing.
“This is Zhou Liang, an old comrade I served with on the frontier. He’s now retired and has gone into business,” Lu Qingyan introduced.
Wen Shiyang smiled and nodded at him, then gently held the two children’s hands and said softly, “Dabao, Xiaobao, go call Uncle Zhou.”
The two little bundles of joy looked up at Zhou Liang and said in unison, in their high, sweet voices, “Uncle Zhou.”
“This is…” Zhou Liang’s expression faltered for a moment upon seeing the kids, but he quickly recovered. He stepped forward, lightly ruffling their hair, smiling from ear to ear. “Good kids.”
“Let’s go inside and have some water first,” Wen Shiyang suggested.
Lu Qingyan nodded in agreement. “Yes, the house is all cleaned up. We haven’t got much to offer you here, but once we get to Beijing, we’ll take you out to eat properly.”
“If Commander Lu is treating, I must show proper respect,” Zhou Liang laughed heartily.
“You talk too much!” Lu Qingyan punched his shoulder loudly.
Wen Shiyang watched, smiling softly, holding the children’s hands as they walked inside.
Time was tight, so they ate a simple meal, drank some water, and set off.
Zhou Liang was generous and straightforward. He had borrowed a truck, which was more than enough to carry their belongings.
Wen Shiyang sat in the back with a blanket and the two kids, staying with Li.
Lu Qingyan and Zhou Liang would alternate driving, so they sat in the driver and passenger seats for easy coordination.
The weather was mild, and the breeze on the ride was just right.
Wen Shiyang, like the kids, found it fascinating. She had ridden sedan chairs before and even galloped across grasslands on horses, but she had never experienced such a novel vehicle.
“Mom, when I grow up, I want to drive just like Daddy and Uncle Zhou!” Dabao said, head held high with pride.
Wen Shiyang was pleased, patting his head. “Alright, when you grow up, you’ll drive.”
Xiaobao raised her hand. “I want to drive too!”
Before Wen Shiyang could reply, Dabao interjected, “You’re a girl. You can’t drive! Look, only men drive.”
Dabao said it with absolute conviction. In his experience, only men drove. Even in the village, only uncles or older men drove tractors—he had never seen any women drive.
Seeing Xiaobao pout in disappointment, Wen Shiyang spoke again: “There’s no rule saying only men can drive. If you like it when you grow up, you can drive too.”
Xiaobao’s eyes lit up. “Really? I can drive too?”
Wen Shiyang nodded. “Of course.”
Dabao considered it reasonable and took Xiaobao’s hand. “Then in the future, one of us drives one car. You drive Daddy, I’ll drive Mommy. We each take one.”
Xiaobao hugged Wen Shiyang’s waist, nestling in her arms. “I don’t want to drive Daddy. Brother, you drive Daddy. I want to drive Mommy!”
Dabao also hugged Wen Shiyang from the other side, pouting. “I don’t want to drive Daddy either. I want to drive Mommy too!”
Wen Shiyang listened to the two little ones arguing back and forth and couldn’t help feeling delighted.
At least, in their hearts, she would always be the one they competed for.
That thought comforted her greatly.
“Bang bang!”
Suddenly, the car was knocked on.
The lively atmosphere froze, and a man’s slightly aggrieved voice came: “I heard everything you two just said.”
Those two little rascals never said anything bad about him behind his back! Always either to his face or treating his ears like air!
Xiaobao reacted quickly, raising her voice to reassure him: “Daddy, we’re just playing! We all love you!”
Her little voice was like honey—sweet to the point of melting hearts.
Lu Qingyan’s lips twitched into a smile, thinking, that’s better.
Zhou Liang listened to their playful banter along the way and didn’t find it boring. He glanced at the man beside him and asked, “Old Lu, don’t you plan to have your own child?”
Lu Qingyan’s brows knitted slightly, and he answered frankly, “They’re my kids. Why do I need anyone else’s?”
No matter what others thought, that’s how he felt.
Zhou Liang knew he was a serious-minded man but couldn’t help asking, “Your wife agrees? Would she agree that you’re raising other kids instead of your own?”
Lu Qingyan hadn’t considered it.
After all, he wasn’t even sure if the young lady would be his wife.
She was beautiful and lively, and what if she rejected him for being older?
He didn’t say anything, uncertain of her feelings.
“She’s still young, no rush,” Lu Qingyan replied evasively.
Hearing this, Zhou Liang panicked. “She’s young, yes, but think about yourself—you’re almost thirty-one if you don’t have kids!”
“Thirty-one’s thirty-one. I already have Dabao and Xiaobao. Even if I die, someone will take care of me!” Lu Qingyan replied casually.
He wasn’t worried about that at all.
Seeing him unconcerned, Zhou Liang fell silent. After all, if the person himself wasn’t worried, why should he?
During the long journey, Lu Qingyan and Zhou Liang switched drivers four or five times before reaching Beijing.
By the time they arrived, it was already very dark—likely past ten at night.
The trip had taken nearly thirteen to fourteen hours.
Beijing was lively, with tall buildings and siheyuan courtyards in the streets.
The streets were full of vendors, and even at night, the bustle never stopped.
“One more week till the Mid-Autumn Festival!” Lu Qingyan exclaimed, noticing lanterns for sale.
The festival was a time for family reunions.
This was the first time he would celebrate it with Wen Shiyang and the little ones. Previously, he had always spent Mid-Autumn in the military dorm.
Zhou Liang agreed: “Yes, a time for family reunion.”
He hadn’t spent many Mid-Autumn Festivals with his wife and kids either.
“Mommy, look! That’s so pretty!” Xiaobao’s eyes sparkled with curiosity at all the new sights.
Everything was novel and fascinating, and she loved it.
Dabao was equally delighted, seeing the environment so different from his hometown.
Wen Shiyang had grown up in Chang’an, so she had seen many prosperous scenes and looked at everything with calm curiosity.
Upon reaching the military district’s residential building, most lights were already off.
Their belongings weren’t many but still required over ten trips to move everything completely.
Wen Shiyang and the kids only carried small, light items, while Lu Qingyan and Zhou Liang worked hard, exhausted and panting.
After the final trip, they collapsed on the stone steps below.
“Commander Lu?”
At that moment, a capable woman in military uniform approached.