Chapter 27: Things of the Past

Old Master Lu glanced at Lu Yiming, his expression serious, like a little adult. “Yiming, why aren’t you playing with your younger siblings?”

Lu Yiming looked enviously out the window, then quickly shook his head, suppressing his desire to go out and play. “Grandpa, I’m the eldest brother, I should set a good example for my younger siblings and share the burden for Mom and Dad.”

Old Master Lu affectionately patted Lu Yiming’s head. “Your parents don’t need you to share their burdens yet. Go play with your siblings.”

“Yiming, you can share the burden with your parents when you grow up,” Lu Yawen said with a gentle smile. “Your most important task now is to grow up healthy and happy.”

Lu Yiming’s eyes lit up, and he happily ran into the yard.

“Yiming is a sensitive child. You should avoid mentioning their parents’ affairs in front of the children,” Old Master Lu said softly.

“Yes.”

Lin Qingyue was helping Lu Siyi in the kitchen.

Lu Siyi decided to show off his culinary skills with a signature dish: a big mixed stew.

He sliced the meat, stir-fried it, and then added vegetables and vermicelli.

One stir-fried, the other handed things, their cooperation seamless.

“Your sister and brother-in-law, don’t they come back often?” Lin Qingyue asked. She searched her memories; the original owner had few memories of Lu Yawen, possibly because she had altered the original owner’s personality, and some of the plot had changed accordingly.

“My sister is an elementary school teacher, and my brother-in-law, like me, is a soldier, stationed far away. They often have to be apart. Later, with the help of their unit, my sister took the children to where my brother-in-law was stationed,” Lu Siyi explained.

“Oh,” Lin Qingyue breathed a sigh of relief.

“My sister doesn’t come back often, so Grandpa is so happy. I haven’t seen Grandpa this happy in a long time.”

“When my sister and I were young, Grandpa loved us very much…” Lu Siyi fell into reminiscence, a hint of sadness on his face.

She reached out and gently patted his shoulder, comforting him. “We’ll come back to see Grandpa often, won’t we?”

Lu Siyi’s eyes flickered, and Lin Qingyue understood him.

“Okay, Grandpa always wanted to hold a great-grandchild. We need to work hard to make him happy,” Lu Siyi thought seriously. “So, that once-a-week appointment needs to be changed, at least twice a week.”

Lin Qingyue’s face instantly darkened. She looked at the man speechlessly. How could he say such shameless words with such a serious expression?

“That’s not up to you! Don’t even think about it,” she said with a forced smile.

If she let Lu Siyi have his way completely, she estimated her waist would be ruined.

The couple served a large pot of stew to the table, and Lu Yawen took the children to wash up.

After dinner, Lu Yawen called Lu Siyi aside. “Siyi, come here for a moment, I have something to tell you.”

Lu Siyi’s eyes flickered, and he nodded slightly. He seemed to have thought of something and instructed Lin Qingyue and Old Master Lu, “Grandpa, keep an eye on the children.”

Old Master Lu immediately guessed what the two were going to talk about and waved his hand at them.

Inside the study, the door was closed.

“Siyi, your brother-in-law’s men are searching for your sister’s mother on the border, and they’ve got news recently,” Lu Yawen said reluctantly. “When your brother-in-law’s men found her, she was in a sack, and her body was already skeletal.”

Lu Siyi remained silent, lit a cigarette, and stubbed it out in the ashtray, his eyes filled with unconcealable grief.

“Not long after Tang Zheng sacrificed himself, Lan Yue also disappeared. If the three children hadn’t been in the army at the time, they…” Lu Yawen secretly wiped away a tear. “The three children are so unfortunate, so young…”

“Don’t worry, Qingyue and I know what we’re doing. Those three will be my children from now on,” Lu Siyi said solemnly.

Lu Yawen nodded, reassured. “Your brother-in-law said that what happened two years ago wasn’t that simple. Now that Lan Yue’s body has been found, it means those people won’t let go of anyone related to Tang Zheng. And your brother-in-law also suspects that Tang Zheng might have obtained some clues back then. The reason why those people haven’t shown themselves yet is probably because they’re gambling.”

Lu Yawen knew Lu Siyi was loyal and had fought alongside the children’s father…

Sure enough, Lu Siyi said, “I want to go to the border.”

“What’s wrong with you? Didn’t we agree? You agreed to be transferred back for a few years for those three children. It’s only been two years, and you can’t sit still?!” Lu Yawen pretended to be angry.

Lu Siyi’s brow furrowed, his thoughts drifting back to two years ago.

At that time, he was injured in the abdomen and witnessed his comrade’s death, but he was powerless. He had always regretted it.

He would never forget his comrade’s bright smile as he died: “It’s an immense honor to die for the country… My three children, you’ll be their father from now on.”

A deafening bang, a life was gone before his eyes, and there was no trace of him left in the world.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Lu Siyi’s forehead. This was a memory he was most reluctant to recall but couldn’t forget.

“Siyi, you just got married. What if something happens to you at the border? How would Qingyue live? And Grandpa, how would you explain it to Grandpa?” Lu Yawen persuaded. “Besides, the army also attaches great importance to this matter. Just wait for your brother-in-law’s news.”

Lu Siyi’s stern face was gloomy. “Can I at least go see my sister-in-law and offer incense?”

Lu Yawen knew about the brotherhood between him and Tang Zheng, a bond stronger than blood.

And she had also heard her husband mention what happened two years ago. If Captain Tang Zheng, hadn’t rushed in front of Lu Siyi, it would have been her own brother who died.

Therefore, the Lu family had no objections to Lu Siyi taking the three children into his household.

Moreover, she also knew that her brother had no intention of getting married, and it was only for the sake of the three children that he finally married the girl his grandfather had arranged for him.

…

The study door opened. Lin Qingyue saw the brother and sister looking serious and grim-faced, and wisely chose not to ask.

Old Master Lu glanced at them and scolded, “Get lost, don’t show me that dead-man’s face!”

“Grandpa, I’ll take the children back,” Lu Siyi replied respectfully. Old Master Lu’s anger was like a punch on cotton.

Lin Qingyue took the children and said goodbye to her sister-in-law politely, promising to visit often with the children in the future.

She made Old Master Lu beam with joy.

Old Master Lu glanced at Lu Siyi’s face and said meaningfully, “Before you do anything, think about the fact that you have a family and children now. You can’t be as reckless as you were when you were a young man.”