CHAPTER 457: CHAPTER 455: GOOD THINGS

Lin Wan carefully brought the baby out and placed it in Mr. Mei’s arms.

It was indeed Mei Chang’s first time holding a baby. He held it stiffly, not daring to move, but his face was beaming with joy.

"Haha, it’s been over a year, and this guy Han Yi is already a dad. Good job, the little one is really cute. What’s the name?"

"Han Xingyue, just two months old," Lin Wan smiled.

"Hmm, nice, good name."

The leader who was just angry turned around and saw that the old guy Mei Shuqing hadn’t followed, and was actually learning to hold a baby there.

"Old Mei, whose child is this that you’re so happily holding?"

"Han Yi’s," Mei Shuqing said, glancing at him disdainfully. "Your own subordinate, and you didn’t even know."

"Tch, that kid can’t even fart all day. Got married secretly, had the baby secretly too. Is this lady Han Yi’s wife?" The leader scrutinized Lin Wan and nodded with satisfaction.

"Comrade Xiao Wan, this is Adviser Wang from your district. If there’s anything you need here in the future, just look for him," Mei Shuqing said, then turned to Wang Zhiwei, "This girl cooks very well, I just love her cooking. Alas, I got transferred, and she came. Guess I can’t eat it anymore."

"Hello, Director Wang. My name is Lin Wan, you can just call me Xiao Wan."

Director Wang looked at Mei Shuqing and then at Lin Wan, seeing that it seemed they knew each other in private.

"Comrade Xiao Wan, thank you for your hard work. In the future, with Han Yi serving the country in the team, you’ll need to take on more at home. If there are any difficulties at home, feel free to reach out to the team. We’ll do what we can to help."

"Serving the people and protecting the country is his duty. Our little family is all on me; I won’t let him worry about anything. Rest assured, director."

"Good... Han Yi has always had a good eye. This time he really found a gem." Director Wang laughed twice after speaking, then joined Mei Shuqing in trying to hold the baby.

"Do you even know how to hold a baby? With your fists, don’t accidentally hurt the child."

"My grandson is already three years old. Do you think I know how to hold a baby or not?"

The two big leaders at the door, bickering like children over holding the baby, was quite a sight.

"Hello, Qin Brigade Commander," Lin Wan and Shi Lan tried not to laugh but quickly greeted the Qin Brigade Commander standing behind them.

The Qin Brigade Commander was startled and smiled, "Comrade Xiao Wan, you know me?"

Lin Wan shook her head with a smile, "Han Yi mentioned you once, and I saw you from a distance once."

The Qin Brigade Commander laughed heartily, "That kid still has a conscience; I kept saying he kept you and the child too sheltered, unwilling to bring you over to meet me."

"That kid Han Yi, isn’t he just a taciturn guy, ruthless with his subordinates but wary of us old folks," the instructor next to him chimed in with a laugh.

Several big leaders were eagerly taking turns holding Han Yi’s little baby, while Sister-in-law Zhou watched enviously.

They couldn’t believe Lin Wan actually knew Mr. Mei.

They had lived in the same courtyard with Mr. Mei for several years now, and he was quite a tough nut, with quite a temper.

Wang Guihua was extremely nervous beside them; the commanding officer’s anger earlier was genuine, no doubt about it.

She was now quite anxious, worried about having angered the leader, and definitely expected a beating tonight when she got home.

"Comrade Xiao Wan, your Aunt Liang is now in S City. We have a place over there too. If you go back later, do visit my house more often and teach your Aunt Liang a few more dishes. Sigh, ever since she learned that sour soup noodle dish, she’s been making it for me every day. I’m starting to get tired of it."

Lin Wan chuckled softly and nodded obediently, then asked for the address.

The group of leaders didn’t linger and headed back to the district.

The person they recommended in their district had been sabotaged by someone with ill intentions, and they had nowhere to vent their anger.

Now it’s better; since that person got into trouble on their own, they can’t blame him for being impolite...

"Xiao Wan, when did you get to know Mr. Mei?" Shi Lan curiously asked on the way back, "We used to run a restaurant at the military district hospital before," Lin Wan explained the situation to Shi Lan.

...

Wang Guihua couldn’t keep her mouth shut and caused a problem; she could only blame herself.

Lin Wan was unaware of the situation above. Anyway, when Han Yi returned, he happily hugged her and spun her around a few times.

"The military school thing?" Lin Wan asked uncertainly.

"Yes, leaving at the beginning of September. I’ll have a two-week leave before I go," Han Yi smiled and gave Lin Wan a kiss.

"How did Director Wang manage to do that? Weren’t they suppressing it from above?"

"How did you know?"

Lin Wan covered her mouth and chuckled, then recounted the story from today at the district gate to him.

Han Yi raised an eyebrow, "I see, so when the commander called me to his office today, Instructor Feng came out looking quite displeased. It was because of this."

Han Yi felt a bit embarrassed. Truly, when it comes to choosing a wife, choose wisely. It’s tough to have a troublemaking woman, and a man won’t have an easy life with one.

"Xiao Wan, marrying you is really great."

Lin Wan playfully tapped her finger on his forehead, "Being married to you is great, at least you don’t hit your wife." Lin Wan could guess with her toes that tonight Wang Guihua would be in for a beating.

"His hard-earned opportunity was ruined by her careless words."

"Foolish... even if the wife gets mad and hits me, I wouldn’t retaliate. Let alone hit you; I like you too much to even think of hitting you."

Lin Wan appreciatively ’hmm’ed, being coquettish, and clung to Han Yi’s neck for a while. Her Han Yi was well-mannered and would never be like Instructor Feng. Speaking of which, Instructor Feng should have been quite eloquent in his advisory role.

Wang Guihua must be exceptionally difficult to teach, forcing him to act, huh!

"Sigh... do you think Instructor Feng might get discharged?" Wang Guihua’s words were quite serious issues.

"No, at most he’ll receive a punishment. After all, he didn’t say those words himself... but he probably lost this time’s spot."

According to the leaders, they asked Feng Xiaoxian to voluntarily give up.

This way, the higher-ups have no way around it. The person they recommended didn’t want to go; what else could they do?

Han Yi now understood; Feng Xiaoxian had privately intertwined himself with Mei Langchi.

If it weren’t for Mei Langchi, Feng Xiaoxian wouldn’t have even been on the list.

...

The courtyard was particularly lively these past days, partly due to the upheaval over the military school spots, and partly due to Sun Yu giving birth.

The due date was initially a few days later, but because of an argument with her mother-in-law, it happened a few days earlier.

It resulted in a severe fall and blood loss, leading to an emergency C-section. The doctor even directly performed sterilization during the cesarean to spare her further issues later on.

Luckily, both mother and child were fine, and her chubby baby boy weighed over eight pounds.

At last, there was something to be happy about.

Han Yi would be gone for two years. There were many areas to handover in the team he led.

Gao Ran, the deputy team leader, had long been transferred. Currently, the two deputy team leaders on board were recommended by Han Yi and were both quite capable.

Whether either of them will take over or whether someone above would be appointed wasn’t something Han Yi could decide.

Among the five headed for military school, apart from him and Ning Jiang being from the same brigade, the other three belonged to other regiments.

During his two-week leave, Shi Lan mentioned he and Ning Jiang would go back home once.

Then meet up with a few other people here and head out together.

He would be gone for two years. Han Yi specially invited Huang Guozhong, Sister-in-law Zhang, Qin Brigade Commander, Qin Hongbing, Ning Jiang, and Shi Lan for a meal at home.

It was like a farewell.

During the meal, Shi Lan brought up adopting Little Star as a goddaughter again.

This time, Han Yi and Lin Wan didn’t delay and agreed.

Ning Jiang and Shi Lan were good people, and having them as godparents was a blessing for Little Star.

Sister-in-law Zhang felt regretful when she heard Little Star had been ’snatched’ away; she also wanted to adopt Little Star. She had discussed it privately with Old Huang before. But fearing Han Yi might not agree, she never brought it up.

No one expected Ning Jiang and Shi Lan to beat them to it.

There’s a tradition in recognizing godparents. Godparents are expected to present a gift for the occasion, often in the form of a large red envelope and some clothes for the child from head to toe.

The child should spend a few days at the godparents’ home.

Ning Jiang and Han Yi were about to leave. The child was too young, so a few days would’ve sufficed.

That evening, Han Yi and Lin Wan took Little Star over to Shi Lan’s house to socialize briefly, acknowledging her godparentage.

Shi Lan gifted Little Star a generous one-hundred-yuan gift, which was equivalent to several months of Ning Jiang’s salary.

A substantial gift showed the godparents valued the child.

"Xiao Wan, let’s go together tomorrow. We’ll go to the city and buy Little Star a few clothes. And familiarize ourselves with your home."

"Alright," it was indeed time to get to know her home.

"Xiao Wan, let’s make a deal, okay?"

"What is it?"

"Let me sleep with my goddaughter tonight."

"No way, you haven’t even looked after a child before."