Chapter 13: We Need Daddy

Lu Siyuan spoke confidently; Lu Mingzhu agreed, thinking her brother was amazing and knew everything.

Su Yuanyuan leaned back, finding their naiveté endearing.

Beijing was vast, especially in this era; finding Lu Zhengan wouldn’t be easy.

The children excitedly planned, and Su Yuanyuan didn’t discourage them.

It was unnecessary to dampen their confidence; this age required exploration.

After their discussion, Su Yuanyuan remained silent, simply observing.

The children shook their heads. “Mom is too slow; she doesn’t understand how important this is.”

Lu Siyuan’s face was serious. “We need to figure out how to take Mom to join the army.”

Lu Mingzhu nodded in agreement.  Mom had stayed home for years and didn’t understand the outside world.

They had seen television at the village chief’s house a large box with black and white images showing things they’d never seen before.

They knew they could travel by train.

Mom’s health was worse this year, and the grandparents were crueler.  If they didn’t find Dad soon, their money would be taken, and what would happen to Mom?

Su Yuanyuan found their conversation both amusing and touching. “Why do you want to join the army so much?”

They could manage on their own.

Lu Zhengan was the novel’s male lead, but she wasn’t the female lead; she was a minor character.

In the original story, she and her children starved.  Going to Beijing might change the plot.

Su Yuanyuan didn’t care about Lu Zhengan, but she didn’t want to lose her children.

If she and Lu Zhengan were destined not to be together, and he knew about the children, would he let her take them?

Su Yuanyuan didn’t want to risk it.

The children looked at her strangely.

“If we don’t join the army, how will we find Dad? When will Mom see Dad? When Mom was bullied, she cried secretly… During the New Year, she said she missed Dad and that his dumplings were delicious.”

Su Yuanyuan was speechless.

The original owner had never seen her husband again.

Since she was in her body, she would fulfill her wish.

Su Yuanyuan raised the children.

Lu Siyuan and Lu Mingzhu were well-behaved and never pestered her about their father.

Their concept of a father was weak, but being bullied made them want answers.

Why hadn’t their father returned in three years?

Even if Lu Zhengan didn’t want her to take the children, he couldn’t stop them if they insisted.

In the novel, Lu Zhengan was a righteous man; he wouldn’t ignore the children’s wishes and forcibly take them.

Su Yuanyuan said nothing; the children continued discussing how to get to Beijing.

Su Yuanyuan remembered a map from the Lus’ house. She retrieved it from the storage room.

The children treated the map like a treasure. Su Yuanyuan gave them paper and pens.

They had never used felt-tip pens before and found them amazing, excitedly drawing routes and chattering away.

Su Yuanyuan was impressed by their planning skills.  She had underestimated them.

However…

Su Yuanyuan interrupted. “Your plan is good, but Mom wants to ask, do you have money for train tickets?”

She had the money; she was just teasing them.

Lu Siyuan and Lu Mingzhu realized this. Walking was free, but trains cost money!

They looked at each other. “We don’t have money.”

Train tickets and food would cost money. Their savings could buy some food, but not tickets.

Their grandparents took most of their father’s monthly allowance, sometimes giving their mother twenty yuan, sometimes only ten.

They often needed money for shoes, clothes, or extra food, making saving impossible.

Lu Siyuan’s eyes lit up. “No, we’re only three; we don’t need tickets!”

Lu Siyuan and Lu Mingzhu looked at Su Yuanyuan.

“Mom, can you sneak us onto the train? Then we can go to Beijing!”

Su Yuanyuan chuckled and refused.

“No, you forgot what Mom said. We can’t break the law. We must buy tickets; fare evasion is illegal!”

Su Yuanyuan spoke seriously. The children’s faces paled; they shook their heads.

“No, Mom can’t go to jail. We can’t be without Mom!”

They spoke earnestly.

The lack of money dampened their spirits.

If they didn’t leave, they would continue to be bullied.

Winter was approaching, and the thought of another harsh winter chilled them.

Su Yuanyuan’s heart warmed. She patted the sofa, inviting them to sit beside her.

“You forgot! I took back our things. Mom is now rich! We have money for tickets. But are you sure you want to go?”

Su Yuanyuan was asking if they truly wanted to join the army.

The thought of her husband possibly taking the children troubled her.

She felt this sense of urgency.

She cherished her children and didn’t want Lu Zhengan to take them.

Lu Siyuan and Lu Mingzhu, unaware of her worries, nodded seriously.

They wanted to go!

Su Yuanyuan was hesitant, asking again, “Do you really want to see Dad?”

This time, they hesitated before nodding.

Su Yuanyuan smiled, ruffling their hair. “What does that mean?”

“Mom needs Dad. When you helped Aunt Zhang, she said it was hard for you to raise us alone. If Dad were here, it wouldn’t be like this. So, we need Dad!”