Chapter 1440 - 843: Brotherhood in Arms
Chapter 1440: Chapter 843: Brotherhood in Arms
To make it easier to contact Qi Xing, the family installed a telephone. Usually, it was Yue Qin’s task to call Qi Xing, but today they had to keep it a secret from Yue Qin. So now, Mr. Qi, Mrs. Qi, and Granny Qi are gathered around the phone, feeling a bit anxious.
The numbers on the phone’s keypad are quite big, but they still find them blurry. They wanted to try several times but were afraid of wasting the phone bill...
"Great Grandmother, Grandpa, Grandma, who do you want to call? I can dial." Little Han, who was doing homework in the other room, came over with an eager face.
The three of them exchanged glances and felt a bit worried. Little Han was already seven years old, and they had kept the issues between Qi Xing and Yue Qin from her. If they called in front of her...
"Are you calling Second Uncle?" Little Han said as she climbed onto the bed. "Should I dial?"
Mr. Qi thought for a moment and handed Little Han the piece of paper with Qi Xing’s number on it. "Okay, dial it; afterward, your grandma will take you to buy some crispy noodles."
"Okay, I want the spicy flavor." Little Han happily dialed Qi Xing’s number, chatted with him for a couple of sentences, and then was taken away by Mrs. Qi, who was half-dragging her.
"I don’t know what kind of secrets need to be discussed that they have to send me away, hmph, Grandma, if you’re planning to abandon me, that’s not okay." Once outside, Little Han pouted her lips so much that she could hang a soy sauce bottle from them.
Mrs. Qi laughed and picked up her little granddaughter: "You’re just talking nonsense. How could we bear to part with such an obedient Little Han?"
Qi Yan’er gave her grandmother a kiss on the cheek: "Grandma, my mom said, your legs hurt if you get too tired, so put me down quickly."
"Our Little Han knows how to care for her grandma now." Mrs. Qi kissed her little granddaughter on the cheek, put her down, and held her little hand as they walked toward the small shop.
"Grandma, when I can make money, I’ll let Great Grandmother, Grandpa, Grandma, and Mom, and Second Uncle sit on the bed and eat delicious food all day."
"Little Han’s sweet mouth can melt a person." Mrs. Qi leaned down to kiss her little granddaughter again. "With those words from you, Great Grandmother, Grandpa, Grandma, your mom, and Second Uncle absolutely haven’t doted on you in vain."
The little girl pointed at a car approaching in the distance: "Grandma, when I have money, I’ll buy a big car like that and drive you to the market."
"Okay, Grandma will wait. Then I’ll let Little Han drive me to the market."
"Grandma, Mom said that Little Han should study hard, make money when she grows up to be filial to Great Grandmother, Grandpa, and Grandma. Mom said that Great Grandmother, Grandpa, and Grandma love Little Han the most, and if Little Han is filial, Great Grandmother, Grandpa, and Grandma will never leave. Mom and Second Uncle will never leave either.
Mom said that right now, she and Second Uncle are supporting the whole family, and when Little Han grows up, she’ll make money together with Mom and Second Uncle to support the whole family.
Mom said that by that time, Grandpa and Grandma won’t have to sew toys anymore or freeze their hands. Our family will keep the bed warm, letting Grandpa and Grandma sit on it every day, chatting with Great Grandmother..."
Listening to her little granddaughter’s incoherent chatter, Mrs. Qi quietly wiped the corners of her eyes. Originally, the slight gloom in her heart dissipated completely.
Having such an understanding daughter-in-law is a blessing for the Qi Family, as her mother-in-law said, they can’t let that child be wronged any longer.
Well, even if it means threatening with her life, she’ll let the daughter-in-law leave with the youngest son. Staying here, when will it ever end? Little Han grows bigger each day. In a few years, how will she accept that Second Uncle has become Dad?
Or perhaps, after a few years when the son’s situation improves, the old couple might be able to go along with them too. Although it would be a new place where everything is unfamiliar, they’d rather leave their hometown for a reunion with their son and daughter-in-law...
"Creak..."
The sound of brakes pulled Mrs. Qi back from her chaotic thoughts. She saw the car that Little Han had pointed at earlier stop beside her. A girl prettier than a painting leaned her head out and smiled at her: "Auntie, can you tell me how to get to Qi Ershuan’s house?"
The beauty was, of course, Luo Ye. She and Zhu Hongyu had asked their way here all along and finally found Pozi Village in Pozi Town. The journey wasn’t far, but it was tricky with all the twists and turns.
"Who are you?"
"My grandfather is Qi Ershuan."
Mrs. Qi and Little Han spoke almost simultaneously.
Over there, Zhu Hongyu had already jumped out of the car. Hearing this, she smiled and picked up Little Han, took out a chocolate from her pocket, and handed it to Little Han: "Oh my, are you that little niece of Qi Xing’s? You’re so pretty but too skinny. Here, eat some candy to supplement."
"Do you know my Second Uncle?" Little Han’s eyes sparkled as she stared at Zhu Hongyu, but she didn’t take the chocolate from her.
"Yes, I’m in the same unit as your Second Uncle." Zhu Hongyu stuffed the chocolate into the little girl’s hand, then looked at Mrs. Qi, "Auntie, I’m Zhu Hongyu, she’s Luo Ye, we’re both Qi Xing’s comrades. Where are you headed?"
"Grandma is taking me to buy some crispy noodles. I just called Second Uncle; I did it. My name is Qi Yan’er," Little Han proudly interjected.
"You are... Xiao Xing’s comrades?" Mrs. Qi finally snapped out of her shock and managed to speak a coherent sentence.
"Yes, we’re all his comrades." Luo Ye said while glancing at Zhu Hongyu, "It’s so cold, don’t let the child freeze, get the auntie and Little Han into the car quickly."
"Xiao Xing... did something happen to him?" Mrs. Qi’s voice immediately broke, trembling uncontrollably. She suddenly remembered seeing on TV that when soldiers have accidents, people would be sent to the home with a car...
Zhu Hongyu hurriedly explained, "He’s doing well, nothing happened, Auntie, don’t be scared, we’re just passing by to take care of some business and thought we’d stop by to see you."
"Then hurry inside, it’s cold outside. Look at you, wearing so little, such tender looks can’t endure the cold," Mrs. Qi immediately changed to a smiling face.
Mr. Qi had just hung up the phone when he heard noises at the door, and then saw his wife leading two beautiful young women inside.
"Mom, someone’s here, I’ll go take a look."
"Oh my, these two girls are beautiful, the one on the right, really pretty..." Granny Qi muttered, quickly getting off the kang, but before she could put on shoes, everyone was already inside.
Luo Ye quickly supported her, "Granny, don’t get off the kang, we’re already in."
"Quick, get on the kang, it’s warm on there. Look at these two girls wearing so little in this cold weather, you can’t just care about looking good, come up and warm up. The kang is warm, come on up."
Granny Qi, without caring who had come, busied herself with making room on the kang.
...
Meanwhile, Qi Xing immediately went to Qian Jiale’s office after receiving a call, and saw the other sitting upright reading a book, lips curling into a smile, "Old Qian, are you really reading or pretending?"
"Don’t look down on people like that, even if I’m not as educated as you, I’m no illiterate, do I need to fake it?" Qian Jiale glared at him, "Spill it, what’s the reason for coming here at this time?"
Qi Xing grinned shamelessly, "Old Qian, your family is nearby, can you help me out?"
Qian Jiale put down the book, sitting up straight, "Oh, don’t smile like that, it gives me chills all over. Tell me, what’s your scheme?"
"There’s no scheme, I just want you to help me find a house nearby, not too old, preferably with a small yard, and safe neighbors. Yue Qin and Yan’er are coming over."
"No wonder you’re smiling so wide, alright, I’ll help you, but..." Qian Jiale furrowed his brows, "Have you thought about what they’ll do when they come?
If they live in the village, the only option is farming or working at the cotton mill. There are no other businesses nearby. Yan’er would only be able to attend the village school, which isn’t great. Have you thought this through?"
"It all happened too suddenly. Moving to the village would be a temporary measure. Frankly, I’ve been sending my leftover salary home.
Now renting a place in the city and having them live comfortably is just a dream, plus, we’re stationed in the outskirts, and with them unfamiliar in the city center, I wouldn’t be at ease.
It’s better to have them live in a nearby village for now. Yan’er is only in first grade, and I can teach her often when I return, nothing will be left behind.
Once things get better, we’ll move them to the city; Yue Qin can also take the time to learn some skills, making it easier to find a job later.
Originally, I planned to bring them over next year, but the situation back home doesn’t allow them to stay any longer, so they’re coming over now.
But this is good, at least they’re closer, I won’t worry about them facing difficulties at home. Once they’ve settled in, found jobs, and things are on track, I’ll consider bringing my parents and Great Grandmother over.
Old Qian, I don’t have big ambitions, just taking care of my family is enough for me."
"Alright, with such a long explanation, I gotta help. Old Qi, we’ve been comrades for so many years, I haven’t seen this side of you.
But you have to listen to me, leaving them in the village will only make it harder to adapt to city life later, better find somewhere directly in the city.
My brother-in-law has a hardware store in the city, I’ll ask him to keep an eye out, and about your wife’s job, let my brother-in-law lend a hand.
Don’t worry about money, I’ve got you covered. We’re comrades and brothers, if now isn’t the time to show camaraderie, when is it?"
Qi Xing waved off the offer, "No, no, no, you saving up money isn’t easy, and if there’s an emergency, I can’t provide, only getting anxious."
"Old Qi, when did you become so fussy?" Qian Jiale glared at him, "It’s settled, go request leave from the division and bring your wife over, we’ll handle things here."
"Alright!" Qi Xing hugged Qian Jiale tightly with joy and dashed out.
Qian Jiale shook his head amusedly, dialed his sister’s house, but ended up hearing unexpected news...
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Special thanks to Ju Ji for making the big peach blossom fan, and to all the guys who’ve supported Nu’an all along.
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Recommend Nu’an’s own completed novel "Rebirth of Zhao Xiaohan", a sweet story. For those who enjoy sweet stories, feel free to check it out. The Book ID is 1523348 (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to visit Qidian () to vote with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets; your support is my biggest motivation.)
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