"Did you forget you said you’d be good to for a lifeti? Did you forget when you said you’d listen to forever when our eldest was born? Husband, I worry myself sick for you."
The heavy snow in the Northwest was cold and sharp as a blade. Standing under the eaves, Jiang Jiangyu was wearing just a thin layer of clothing, her complexion turned pale, and her lips were purple from the cold as she tightly grasped Lin Aidang’s arm.
"I can’t bear to see you suffer, can’t stand you being ostracized, or having you be downcast every day, without fulfilling your ambitions in life. Please don’t bla for keeping things from you, okay?"
"You are my love. If I wasn’t afraid of worrying you, how could I keep things from you? Your father ignores on such a big matter, so I had to approach my own father."
Hearing these repeated words, Lin Aidang exhaled a white misty breath, looking at his trembling wife, unwilling to let her fall ill. He dragged her inside the room.
Jiang Jiangyu, who was stuffed into the bed by him, tightly grabbed the corner of his clothing, "Don’t be mad, okay? I won’t dare to hide anything from you anymore, I’ll listen to you from now on, alright?"
"Let go!"
"No, I won’t let go! You ran away and didn’t co ho the last ti I let go. Are you planning to abandon ?"
His spouse’s crow-footed eyes brought Lin Aidang a resigned smile, "Xiao Yu, our kids are already grown up. Don’t be so childish anymore."
"You despise ."
"Sigh... I must have owed you in a past life. I’ll go make so ginger tea, will you let go of now?"
Watching him turn to leave, Jiang Jiangyu felt a sense of pride in her eyes. Though this man might lack ability, he certainly dotes on her completely.
When Lin Aidang returned with a steaming bowl of ginger tea, he habitually took out a sugar cube. Seeing his habitual actions, he chuckled and shook his head.
"Brother Aidang, our two sons-in-law sent New Year’s gifts. What should we return? I really want to see our granddaughter. I wonder if the in-laws will mind?"
Thinking of their two daughters far away in Beijing, Jiang Jiangyu felt disheartened. Though she dotes on her sons, her daughters are also her flesh and blood. If only her family could be their support now, she wondered if they had visited the kids yet?
"A few days ago, my father called to say he and your father went to see the children. They are doing well. With Dad’s involvent, rest assured the in-laws wouldn’t mistreat Xiao Li."
"But what about the eldest? When will you take his wife to the hospital for a check-up? Dad said if nothing happens in two more years..."
Jiang Jiangyu looked up, surprised, "How could that be acceptable?"
"Then what do you suggest? Leave the eldest without offspring? Besides, the eldest is planning to transfer..."
"Wait a minute," Jiang Jiangyu quickly interrupted, "How co I didn’t know? Transfer where? What about you? What will we do?"
So many questions left Lin Aidang at a loss for words, after a while, "He’s not confird yet. Xiao Yu, what if I were to return to civilian life? My father is getting old, and I’d like to go back to accompany him."
"Really?" Jiang Jiangyu sat up excitedly. If not for this man’s stubborn desire to be a soldier, she would have long disliked staying in the Northwest; if it weren’t for their two sons being there, she would have left already.
"Returning to civilian life and working as an ordinary worker is okay?"
Jiang Jiangyu shook her hands vigorously, "No problem! Thanks to my dad’s advice, the working group comnded for having progressive thoughts. They asked why I didn’t capture people on the spot, why I didn’t report to the military in ti? I quickly thought and replied that I had made mistakes in the past and feared being falsely accused with no one believing ."
Saying this, she proudly lifted her chin, "Do you think I’m smart? They said at the ti that acknowledging one’s mistakes and changing is being a good comrade. Let’s go back; only by going back can we find a way to transfer our two sons. But will Dad agree?"
Seeing that his wife didn’t mind him becoming an ordinary worker, Lin Aidang was quite pleased. In a good mood, he let slip about the old man’s plan, "According to Dad, my years in the military would give an advantage upon returning to civilian life. He plans for to apply for discharge, and by then, your father can’t just leave unattended."
As long as her man decided to leave, Jiang Jiangyu couldn’t care less about her father and mother. She pounded the quilt in excitent, teasingly, "Stupid man, such good news, and you didn’t tell first."
"I was afraid you wouldn’t want to go back," Lin Aidang hesitated to reveal his wife’s pride. Going back was good, but facing forr friends and family... that feeling...
What he imagined, Jiang Jiangyu also envisioned, and she sighed, "How much is face worth? I’ve co to terms with it. Let them laugh if they will. Only if we go back can we better arrange for our two sons, and our two daughters will have our support and won’t be bullied."
At this point, Lin Aidang wore a bitter expression. He thought of the favor his older brother had asked of him, but he really wasn’t keen on handling it.
"What’s wrong?"
"It’s just my brother again."
Jiang Jiangyu’s face imdiately darkened, then she seed to think of sothing, and a smile quickly appeared, "Is he asking you to look after that girl a bit more again? Your brother, really! Doesn’t he understand you’re also pressed? He washes his hands clean and still puts you in a bind."
"Indeed!"
"Your brother is just selfish, especially your sister-in-law, who sounds better than she acts. Their family is thriving, but they don’t consider how their daughter made it unbearable for us here."
Lin Aidang: "..."
"Your brother, sigh, I don’t even want to say more. We can’t afford to offend them, and we’ll need to rely on him more. What’s his request this ti? You stay out of it, let handle it."
Lin Aidang sighed, "He just wants to check on her discreetly? But what good would it do? Can’t just pretend she’s dead."
"Then just say you’ve already been there. After all, he asked for it to be on the down-low."
Lin Aidang shook his head, "From what my brother implied, that girl contacted him. He ans if nothing else can be done, ensure she’s well taken care of while staying there."
"Hah." Jiang Jiangyu sneered, "He’s got the nerve to ask. No wonder you’re considering discharge. Blood is thicker than water, but his own daughter cos first."
"Well taken care of? Hell no! Why doesn’t he apply for a transfer here? He secretly ran off, not caring if the old man lived or died, and now he’s plotting against us. Does he think the world owes him? That you, his brother, owe him?"
"Keep these words at ho." Lin Aidang frowned, "My father still values the eldest, so be careful not to let these words slip."
"Hmph. I know. I just feel it’s unfair to you. Blaming for mother’s death still irks . I’ve said it was an accident, but they’re guilty and throw the bla on . Like my dad said, I’m too naive, took all the bla. Only mother treated us well, how could I bear to let her go?"
Hearing this, Lin Aidang slumped, hands cradling his head. He missed his mother, the only one who understood him and helped counsel him through grievances.
Seeing his posture, Jiang Jiangyu gritted her teeth, "Alright, alright. I’ll be the bigger person, and tomorrow I’ll head to the farm. You apply soon. We can’t afford trouble, but we can avoid it. Better to leave this ss sooner rather than later."
After a long ti, Lin Aidang raised his head, "Now everyone’s watching your every move. How do you plan to go? What will you say if outsiders ask?"
"I’ll find an excuse to pay a visit openly."
Lin Aidang was silent for a while, "That works. I’ll submit the application tomorrow, and you can go the day after. If anyone asks, just tell them we’re leaving, and you want to see the child one last ti, since they were raised by our Lin Family."
Having said that and seeing his wife’s nod of agreent, he added, "Bring plenty of things with you, since it’s the last ti."
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