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After packing her bag, Wang Xuan sat down and pulled Wang Qian to her side. “Little sis, I’m going to school. You stay at home and behave yourself. Don’t go to the west side, and be careful not to let that old lady see you and cause trouble. Stay at home with Grandma Zuo. I’ll come back to keep you company as soon as school is over.”
Wang Xuan was genuinely worried about the situation at home. Wang Zhenhe had gone to the construction site, and after the incident with Wang Mei, she was concerned that her family might face retaliation. Although there had been no recent developments, it was because her father was at home. If her younger sister and mother were alone at home, she was genuinely afraid that the old lady might come and cause trouble.
Wang Qian, on the other hand, didn’t seem to care much about her sister’s concerns. The old lady was currently at odds with the old father, and she didn’t have the time to bother with them.
“Sis, don’t worry. I usually don’t go out, and even if I do, I won’t be taken advantage of. If they provoke me, I’ll take a knife and see if they dare to be so arrogant,” Wang Qian said confidently.
“It seems like you have taken quite a liking to using knives.”
As they talked about using a knife, the sisters remembered past events and couldn’t help but smile at each other. “Sis, do you think I really like to use that thing to scare people? I was just forced to do it. If reasoning with them doesn’t work, and they act unreasonably, if we don’t take serious action, they’ll become even more lawless,” Wang Qian explained.
Zhang Lan called Mingyuan and Zuo He over. They needed to pay their school fees the next day. Each of them received one yuan and two cents and were instructed to keep it safe and not lose it.
Mingyuan looked up with a smile and said, “Mom, the money is safer with me than at the cooperative. You can rest assured. Zuo He and I won’t lose it.”
The next day, as the children were heading to school, Zhang Lan felt concerned about Mingcheng and Wang Xuan, as they were entering a new learning environment. She personally accompanied the siblings to school and had a discussion with their teachers, emphasizing the need for extra care due to their young age.
At home, only Hao Lianchun and Wang Qian remained. After finishing their chores, they were planning to go out and gather some grass when they were surprised to see two people in military uniforms on the street. To their surprise, there was a woman and a child among them. While Wang Qian didn’t recognize them, Hao Lianchun was stunned. She dropped the basket she was carrying and rushed towards the leading man.
She tightly embraced him and said, “My son, I’ve missed you so much,” tears streaming down her face.
“Mom, I’ve missed you too,” Zuo Xiangcheng said as he hugged his mother, tears also welling up in his eyes. After being separated for so long, the mother and son poured out their longing for each other.
“Mom/Grandma,” the woman and the child who followed also rushed forward and embraced Hao Lianchun, bursting into tears at the same time.
After the family had cried together for a while, Hao Lianchun held the hands of her son, daughter-in-law, and grandson and introduced the little girl behind her.
“Qianqian, come here. Let Grandma introduce you. This is your brother’s father, this is your brother’s mother, this is your eldest brother, and that’s your second brother,” Hao Lianchun introduced each member of Zuo Xiangcheng’s family to Wang Qian. Wang Qian, being young, couldn’t stop talking and greeted each of them, even the two boys who were older than her.
Seeing Zuo Xiangcheng and Peng Ziyun, Wang Qian finally understood why Zuo He was so good-looking. The couple was indeed a handsome and beautiful pair. She couldn’t help but think that with such parents, their children couldn’t possibly be anything but good-looking.
Looking at Zuo He’s two older brothers, each of them was a standard little handsome boy. It made her feel itchy inside. These two children were really good-looking, with rosy lips and white teeth, indicating good upbringing. Observing Zuo He’s behavior, it was clear that his parents had disciplined him well.
Zuo Xiangcheng and Peng Ziyun couldn’t help but feel delighted when they learned that the beautiful little girl in front of them was the one who had taken care of Grandpa Zuo, Grandma Zuo, and their son, Zuo He.
“Qianqian, Uncle and Auntie also need to thank you. Thank you for taking care of Grandpa Zuo, Grandma Zuo, and our Zuo He,” Zuo Xiangcheng said, wearing a warm and friendly smile that made Wang Qian feel that this uncle was quite nice and approachable.
Peng Ziyun, seeing her husband carrying the little girl, couldn’t help but feel a bit envious and followed along. “Qianqian, let Auntie hold you. Auntie loves little girls the most. We only have boys in our family. If you were part of our family, it would be great.”
Peng Ziyun took an instant liking to the little girl. Despite her rustic appearance, the girl’s delicate face and lively eyes were not typical of a child raised in the countryside. She was probably even more refined than the children in the city. Peng Ziyun had always hoped for a daughter, but after giving birth to three sons, she felt an even stronger maternal instinct when she met Wang Qian. She couldn’t resist the urge to hold the little girl, even though her husband was still holding her.
Before Zuo Xiangcheng could finish holding her, he was snatched away by his wife, leaving his arms empty and feeling a bit regretful.
“Auntie, I’m quite heavy. If you’re tired, you can put me down. Let’s go inside and talk. You’ve come from far away, and Uncle and Brothers must be tired. You should go inside and rest,” Wang Qian suggested.
Zuo Hao and Zuo Yu finally got to see what their sister, as described in their brother’s letters, looked like. They curiously observed the little girl in their mother’s arms.
Zuo Yu quietly said to his older brother, “Brother, do you think this sister is prettier than Wei Hong from the big courtyard? I think Wei Hong is so ugly. She’s not as pretty as this sister, and she thinks she’s a beauty. She’s always showing off. I think this sister is prettier and nicer. Everyone even calls her sister. We finally have a sister now.”
Zuo Yu wanted to confirm with his older brother that the girl was indeed their sister. Zuo Hao nodded solemnly and said, “Of course, our little brother wouldn’t be mistaken. She’s our sister from now on. If anyone dares to make fun of our family for not having a girl, I’ll show them our sister.”
Their conversation caught the attention of Hao Lianchun, who then ushered the two grandsons into the house and quickly helped them remove their shoes. She hadn’t seen her grandsons for so long, and she was eager to do everything for them.
“Grandma, we can do it ourselves. You should rest,” Zuo Hao said responsibly as he removed his shoes and climbed onto the kang.
Upon seeing the furnishings in the Wang family’s house, Zuo Hao’s first impression was that the family seemed to be poor. There wasn’t a single decent piece of furniture. However, the place was tidy and clean, unlike the dirty homes they had seen in other rural areas. Both the courtyard and the house were well-kept.
Indeed, the room they entered was the one where the old lady and her husband stayed. There was hardly anything in the room except for a wooden stool. The old couple’s clothes were stored inside the stool, and any excess items were wrapped in cloth and placed neatly on top of the stool.
“Auntie, Uncle, please come and sit on the kang. Warm up a bit. You didn’t get cold on the way here, did you?” Wang Qian warmly invited the two to sit on the kang. Peng Ziyun was dressed in military attire, with a standard oval face, picturesque features, and fair skin. Her short hair made her even more radiant and attractive.
Wang Qian couldn’t help but admire her inwardly. She couldn’t help but exclaim that Zuo He really took after his parents. It was clear that he had inherited their good genes.
After taking her place on the kang, Peng Ziyun nestled beside Wang Qian. She was quite fond of the little girl. “Auntie, wait a moment. I’ll bring you some frozen apples to eat,” she said.
Wang Qian remembered that there were still some frozen apples and pears in the storeroom. She hurried to fetch and wash them before bringing a basin of fruit to the family.
“Wow, how do you have these here? This is a rare treat. It’s not something you see every day,” Peng Ziyun remarked. She used to enjoy fresh fruits when she lived in the capital, but after being relocated to the north, it was rare to find such delicacies. They couldn’t even buy them, and there were no fruits like these in the army.
“Auntie, please have some more. We have more at home. We picked these while we were in the mountains,” Wang Qian said.
The old lady, knowing that her daughter-in-law enjoyed these fruits, quickly picked a large one and handed it to her. “Here, Ziyun, try it. It’s delicious. Have some, my two grandsons. Grandma picked the big ones for you.”
Peng Ziyun didn’t hesitate to indulge in the fruits she liked. Seeing her enjoying the fruit, Zuo Xiangcheng’s handsome face softened into a gentle smile.
“By the way, Mom, where’s Hehe? Why haven’t I seen him?” Peng Ziyun asked after taking a bite of the fruit.
“Zuo He started school today. Let me tell you some good news. Zuo He is doing well in his studies. Today, he and his classmates skipped two grades together. Isn’t that impressive?” Hao Lianchun’s face lit up with an even brighter smile as she spoke about her grandson.
“Wow, really? My son is so amazing. Does that mean he’ll be in the same grade as Zuo Yu and Zuo Hao?” Zuo Xiangcheng was surprised by his youngest son’s progress. Initially, the couple regretted leaving their son behind, fearing it would hinder his studies. However, not only did it not hinder him, but he also excelled beyond their expectations.
“That’s right. Our Zuo He is very bright. Besides, we have several elderly gentlemen who came with your father to guide him. Zuo He is determined to excel.”
Hearing this, Peng Ziyun eyes’ started welling up with tears. He was her pride and joy. Initially, she was reluctant to leave him behind, but she feared that he wouldn’t be able to adapt to the cold climate in the northeast.
“Mom, will Hehe come back for lunch?”
Hao Lianchun knew her daughter-in-law was missing her son and nodded. “Yes, they’ll come back for lunch. The school isn’t too far from home, making it convenient for the children to study. The rural area is also less chaotic than the city, allowing the children to focus on their studies. Initially, I arranged for your brother and sister to bring him here to study because Zuo He couldn’t study in the city peacefully.”