Chapter 13

Tianyou was just a child, and his feelings were easy to read.

While Yang Qiujin tried to figure out how to ease the tense relationship between father and son, Chen Shengqing, holding Tianyou, threw him up and down. With a surprised cry, Tianyou was tossed onto his father’s shoulders.

“Wow!” Tianyou exclaimed, “Mom, look, I’m sitting on the horse’s shoulders!”

“Ma Ma Jian” is the local term for the Pioneer Brigade, which refers to children sitting on the shoulders of adults and being carried like horses. The term is not meant to belittle or insult, but is instead a gesture of affection and care.

Typically, children sit on the backs of their fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and other men because they are strong enough to carry them for extended periods.

When Chen Tianyou was younger, he often envied the children in his village who could sit on their fathers’ shoulders. It looked so fun.

Now, he finally sat on his father’s shoulders. The view from up there was so beautiful and different from before.

Is this what it feels like to have a dad?

This was amazing! If any of those bad kids ever called him a bastard, saying he was born by a mother but not raised by a father, he would make his dad beat them until they apologized!

Chen Tianyou laughed happily, stretched his legs, pressed his father’s head with one hand, patted his back with the other, and shouted: “Go, go, go, go!”

“Wheesh–” Chen Shengqing neighed like a horse, grabbed Tianyou’s little hand with his strong arms, and ran quickly.

The flowers, plants, and trees whizzed by as the evening breeze rustled his clothes. Chen Tianyou felt like he was riding a real horse across the field and couldn’t help but laugh. He turned back to shout to his mom: “Mom, come catch up! You won’t catch us, lelele…”

As the sun set, the long shadows of father and son, one tall and one short, gradually stretched farther into the distance. Yang Qiujin, watching them from behind, smiled and quickened her pace.

She had been worried about their bond. After all, to Tianyou, Chen Shengqing was a stranger who suddenly appeared and claimed to be his father. Even as an adult, it would be hard for anyone to accept such a change.

Fortunately, she and her mother-in-law often talked about Chen Shengqing in front of Tianyou. Though Tianyou didn’t feel much for his father, they shared a blood bond, and Chen Shengqing only needed a small gesture to win his heart.

After running a long distance with his son, Chen Shengqing stopped by a cornfield and waited for Yang Qiujin.

Tianyou was still laughing, occasionally shaking his legs, urging his father to go faster.

Chen Shengqing felt a strange joy rising within him. As a father, seeing his son so carefree, cute, and lively, calling him “Dad” felt unreal but made him incredibly happy.

This feeling was something he had never experienced in his seven years of military service, during which he endured countless hardships and battles. But it was all worth it. It filled him with strength, even if he had to face more struggles in the future.

What made him feel this way was the woman walking toward him.

Under the warm red sunset, Yang Qiujin wore a simple azure blue cotton and linen coat and pants, with a long ponytail swaying gently. She walked neither fast nor slow, like a morning glory in the breeze. Though she wasn’t strikingly beautiful, she had her own charm.

Chen Shengqing watched as she approached. This woman had cared for him and their son for seven years without complaint. As long as she was by his side, he would make up for it and never leave her. He would stay with her until they grew old together.

When they arrived home, Li Xiu’e (Tianyou’s grandmother) had prepared dinner and placed it on the table in the middle of the yard. “Tianyou’s back, let’s eat.”

“Wow, so much delicious food!” Chen Tianyou spotted his favorite white flour buns, fried bacon, cold cucumber, and fried potatoes. He tossed his cloth bag aside and reached for the buns.

“Go wash your hands,” Yang Qiujin scolded, slapping his hand away. “Look at how dirty they are. You can’t eat like this.”

“It’s fine, you won’t get sick eating dirty food,” Li Xiu’e defended her grandson, “People here aren’t so picky.”

“Mom, what did I tell you?” Yang Qiujin scolded again. “When I’m teaching the child, you shouldn’t interfere. Spoiling him like this is what causes problems.”

Li Xiu’e glanced at Chen Shengqing, who calmly picked up his bowl and didn’t intervene. She awkwardly smiled. “I’m sorry, Qiu Jin. I forgot again.”

Yang Qiujin didn’t argue but simply nodded toward Tianyou, signaling him to wash his hands.

Her mother-in-law was a good person overall but had many bad habits, especially spoiling Tianyou. If Yang Qiujin didn’t keep reminding her, Tianyou would be spoiled.

Chen Tianyou didn’t want to wash his hands. He thought his mother was too much. She always insisted on hygiene, while everyone else worked in the fields and got dirty. If he washed his hands every day, he would be like one of the city folks.

But seeing that his grandmother didn’t challenge his mother, and his father stayed silent, Tianyou realized that even though his dad was back, his mother was still the one in charge.

He sighed like an adult and reluctantly went to the clay jar to wash his hands.

The family sat down to eat, and Li Xiu’e, with tears in her eyes, said, “It’s been seven years. This is the first reunion meal we’ve had in all that time. I wish the old man were here…”

Chen Shengqing paused and then said, “Mom, let’s visit Dad’s grave tomorrow. I’ll add more soil so he knows I’m back safe.”

“Okay.” Li Xiu’e wiped away her tears, forcing a smile. “Look at me, our family is reunited, and I’m getting emotional. Eat your food.”

Halfway through the meal, Li Xiu’e asked, “San’er (Chen Shengqing), how long will you stay this time?”

Chen Shengqing swallowed his food and answered, “Three days.”

“Just three days?” Li Xiu’e sighed. “You finally came back, but now you’re leaving so soon? I heard from Aunt Sun that when you reach battalion commander, your family can join you. Since you’re promoted now, you should take Qiu Jin and Tianyou with you to the army.”

Yang Qiujin’s hand paused as she was picking up food. “Follow the army?” This was something she had never considered.

“Mom, what does ‘following the army’ mean?” Chen Tianyou asked curiously while stuffing his mouth with his favorite meat dish. He was listening intently to the adults talking and, upon hearing “following the army,” asked the question.

“It means living with the soldiers in the military camp,” Li Xiuer answered before Yang Qiujin could speak. She noticed her son’s expression darken and her face turned serious. “What’s wrong? Old Third, don’t you want to take Qiujin with you? You don’t still have thoughts about that black-hearted woman, Shi Fangfang, do you, like people are saying?”

As Li Xiuer spoke, she was so angry that she threw down her chopsticks, stood up, and glared at Chen Shengqing. “Old Third, I don’t care what you’re thinking in your heart, but I absolutely won’t allow you to divorce Qiujin, and I won’t allow you to keep thinking about that troublemaker, Shi Fangfang! We can’t be heartless people who forget all that Qiujin has done for you and our family! You must promise me today that you’ll take Qiujin and the child with you to follow the army. If you don’t agree, I… I will…”

As she spoke, she looked around, suddenly rushing to the livestock room and grabbing a thick rope, threatening Chen Shengqing. “If you don’t agree, I’ll hang myself right in front of you.”

“Mom, what are you doing?” Chen Shengqing quickly walked over, snatched the rope from her hands, and sighed. “When did I say I wouldn’t take Qiujin and them to follow the army? What’s all this drama about?”

“What? You want to take them with you?” Li Xiuer felt awkward, seeing him put the rope down. She muttered, “I thought you didn’t want to.”

Chen Shengqing helplessly pulled her back to the table. “Mom, it’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just that the conditions in the border areas were very harsh a few years ago. I didn’t want Qiujin to go through that kind of hardship. The conditions have improved a lot in recent years, and if Qiujin is willing to go with me, of course, I’ll be happy.”

His gaze landed on Yang Qiujin. “Qiujin, do you want to go with me to the border?”

Yang Qiujin froze for a moment, feeling conflicted. She didn’t have strong feelings for Chen Shengqing. She actually preferred living in the Vanguard Team, enjoying a carefree life.

But she also knew that if a couple lived apart for too long, their relationship would definitely suffer. Not to mention, for Tianyou’s sake, for him to have a father’s love, to be able to experience his father’s care, she had to agree to follow the army, even though she didn’t want to be around this man too much. So, she nodded.

“Oh, this is great!” Li Xiuer exclaimed, slapping the table in delight. “Once we visit your father’s grave tomorrow, Qiujin, pack up your things and take Tianyou to the county to buy some supplies. Then, you can enjoy life with Old Third!”

“Mom, you’re not coming?” Yang Qiujin noticed the implication in her mother-in-law’s words.

“I’m not going.” Li Xiuer’s gaze softened as she looked at a lush, thick-leaved plum tree on the left side of the yard, one that Old Chen had planted when he was young. “Your father is buried on the hill behind, and he’s lonely there. I want to stay with him, so I’m not going anywhere.”

“But…” Yang Qiujin thought her mother-in-law didn’t want to be a burden to their marriage, so she didn’t want to go. She was about to try to persuade her, but Chen Shengqing interrupted. “Just let Mom have her way.”

His mother had a very deep affection for his father, which was not something that could be easily explained in a few words. If she didn’t want to go, then let it be.