CHAPTER 859: CHAPTER 579: FRIENDSHIP

Watching his nearly instantly asleep young wife, Commander Tongzi looked helpless, wondering if someone had the traits of a pig. On New Year’s Eve, this heartless fellow... However, that rosy little face and those bright red lips were indeed tempting... Helplessly, Commander Tongzi went to take another cold shower...

Although she said it didn’t matter to her if she slept too much and embarrassed Commander Tongzi, in her mind, a string of vigilance still held tight. As soon as the clock struck seven, she sprang up as if on springs, startling Zhao Yulan, who was just pushing the door open, "Xia, are you awake in a daze?"

"Mom?" Just woken up, Chuxia’s mind was a bit foggy. She stared at Zhao Yulan for a long time before coming back to her senses, "Mom, what time is it now?"

"Just a little past seven." Zhao Yulan gently patted her back, "Xia, don’t be afraid, Xia, don’t be afraid, come back to your senses, come back to your senses..."

Chuxia smiled helplessly, "Mom, I wasn’t scared, I just worried about waking up late, so I kept reminding myself in my head to get up at seven. Unexpectedly, I really did wake up, hehe..."

"You were always like this since you were a kid. As long as you reminded yourself what time to wake up before going to sleep, you’d always wake up on time the next day, even more accurately than an alarm clock..."

Zhao Yulan laughed as she spoke, "Do you remember when you were nine, you went to your grandma’s house, and while going to bed, your grandparents discussed going to the market the next day. You made a fuss about going along so Grandpa could buy you some treats.

Your grandma told you that if you wanted to go, you needed to get up at five in the morning. If you could get up, they’d take you along; if not, you’d stay home with Qihui to cut grass.

As it turned out, as soon as five o’clock hit, you got up from the kang, quietly got dressed, and sat on the edge of the kang waiting, scaring your waking grandpa half to death..."

Of course, Chuxia wouldn’t remember this; it wasn’t even her then. So she laughed, "Was I that sneaky and naughty back then?"

"Yes, your grandpa never thought you’d get up so early. Moreover, given your temper, if you did get up early, you’d definitely pester the adults to wake up as well. Who knew you just sat there quietly like a gourd.

So, when your grandpa came around, he thought you might be sleepwalking and was too scared to call out to you. Meanwhile, you just watched him get dressed, wash his face, and brush his teeth in silence. By the time he came back hesitating on what to do, you said, ’What are you looking at hesitantly? Are you planning to break your promise and leave me at home?’

When your grandpa told me about it, he laughed until his stomach hurt, and for a long time, whenever the old couple thought of this, they were overjoyed. You, ah..." She tapped her daughter’s head, and Zhao Yulan sighed, "Xia, you mustn’t forget about your grandparents. They treat you better than any of their other grandchildren."

"Mom, I know. I’ve already discussed with Zhou Mikang, we’ll visit the Zhou family before the third day of the new year, then go with Dad and Mom to the Lin Family of the Capital on the fourth day, and on the fifth day, accompany you to visit Grandma and Grandpa for the new year."

If Dad and Mom want to stay longer, we’ll head back first. When the fifteenth comes, let Zhou Mikang arrange for a car to bring Dad and Mom back."

"Won’t arranging it like this interfere with your work?" Zhao Yulan asked with a conflicted expression. She certainly hoped her daughter and son-in-law would accompany them, but she was afraid it might interfere with their work.

"No, Zhou Mikang can be a little freer during the first month of the lunar year, and since this is my first year of marriage, they’ll be a bit lenient with my holiday."

But after I come back, I’ll really be busy. For the next few years, I probably will only be able to accompany you back during the winter and summer vacations."

"If we want to return, we can take a ride ourselves. You study hard, don’t worry about us. Having such a successful daughter makes your dad and I very happy." Zhao Yulan said, reaching out to stroke her daughter’s cheek, "Xia, you’re a fortunate child, both in your work and in your marriage.

Xiaomi really treats you wonderfully. When he came downstairs this morning, I was in the kitchen and overheard him discussing with your mother-in-law about postponing the New Year’s visit to tomorrow and taking the blame upon himself.

Considering your feelings, we should reciprocate the good treatment. Originally, I was thinking of secretly waking you up myself, to avoid embarrassing the Zhou family and let those relatives say you’re impolite..."

"Mom, how can you not trust me like this..." Chuxia interrupted Zhao Yulan, looking displeased, "Knowing I’ve been punctual waking up since childhood, yet still doubting me, it’s really disheartening."

"I was just worried in case you weren’t punctual. Why feel hurt? I’m doing this for your good, aren’t I?..."

"Just joking with you, did you take it seriously?" Chuxia jumped off the bed with a grin, "Mom, I’ll go wash up first."

"This child..." Zhao Yulan smiled helplessly, "Already nineteen and still so unruly."

"Don’t count the nominal age. I’m barely eighteen." Chuxia poked her head out of the bathroom, "Mom, women at eighteen are like a flower, I’ve barely reached this year, and you’re already trying to gloss over it. How unjust!"

"But you can’t be eighteen every year, right?"

"Last year was seventeen, this year she’s eighteen."

"Alright, you’re eighteen." Zhao Yulan looked helpless, indicating that she really couldn’t understand her daughter’s thoughts. It seemed she was indeed getting old. She remembered that her own mother used to always be puzzled by her thoughts.

Helping her daughter fold the quilt and tidy up her clothes, she was just about to leave when Zhou Mikang pushed the door open and came in. Zhao Yulan awkwardly explained, "When I came over, Xia was already up."

Zhou Mikang was also feeling awkward, so he laughed sheepishly, "I was thinking of letting her sleep a bit longer. I’ve already talked to Grandpa and Grandma, we’ve agreed to pay New Year’s visits tomorrow. Today we’ll stay home and receive visitors with my elder brother, Xia and sister-in-law don’t need to stay downstairs."

"Xiaomi, I know you care about Chuxia, but she just got married and is acting like this might invite gossip from others..."

Zhou Mikang interrupted her, "Mom, who cares about what others say? If I can’t even protect my own wife, what’s the point of bringing her home?"

This statement was a bit too heavy for Zhao Yulan, leaving her at a loss for words.

Chuxia came out of the bathroom and pulled Zhao Yulan outside, "Mom, trying to reason with him is pointless, he’s got his way of thinking and we’ve got ours. Anyway, I listen to you."

"You don’t have to always listen to me..." Zhao Yulan was conflicted, "Actually, Xiaomi is right, you should take care of yourself more, stay up late less..."

Sensing Zhao Yulan was about to shift the focus back to the baby, Chuxia quickly changed the topic, "Mom, where’s Dad?"

"You know how diligent your dad is, he went out early to sweep firecracker debris..." Zhao Yulan sighed as she spoke, "Born with a workaholic spirit, can’t persuade him otherwise, who knows how far he’s swept by now."

"I’ll go take a look." Zhou Mikang turned and ran out again. In truth, he was puzzled because he had been making rounds in the area several times and hadn’t seen a trace of his father-in-law.

At that moment, Lin Baohe was squatting beside Old Master Ye chatting warmly in a sheltered spot by the Ye family’s house. Even Old Master Ye found it surprising that he, a seasoned military veteran, could have so much in common with this man, who had grown up in the countryside and was twenty years younger.

Many thoughts he couldn’t share with his family or friends, yet when he spoke with Lin Baohe, the responses were so comforting, making him want to pour out everything in his heart.

Old Master Ye took a puff of his cigarette and sighed, "Baohe, how come you don’t seem like someone who grew up in the village at all? Your insight, your perspective, even my son can’t match you."

"Uncle, you’re praising me, right?" Lin Baohe’s eyes narrowed with joy. "But to receive such praise from you really makes me happy."

"I’m not praising you, I’m speaking the truth. Take how I handled my granddaughter for example, even her dad didn’t understand and thought I was too harsh back then, which led her astray. But you, you understand my intentions so clearly, it’s really..." Old Master Ye sighed, "If I hadn’t talked with you, I wouldn’t believe you could live such an enlightened life."

"As parents, whose child starts walking a smooth path from the beginning? Our Chuxia was quite mischievous when she was young. Yulan and I were so worried, thinking we’d never see a promising future.

But unexpectedly, she changed so quickly, became so sensible, so smart, even Yulan and I sometimes wondered if she was still our disobedient daughter.

In truth, she is indeed our daughter, but she’s grown up and her personality has changed. What Yulan and I can do is stay by her side, so she doesn’t have to worry about us and let it affect her studies.

Actually, your feelings for your granddaughter are the same as my feelings for my daughter. The difference is no one meddled when we raised our daughter, whereas you had a lot of interference, which derailed good intentions."

"Exactly!" Old Master Ye slapped his thigh, "And another difference is that you married a sensible wife, whereas I married one who only knows how to be protective.

Baohe, I’m sincerely grateful to you. Despite what Meiru did to Chuxia, you still treat me the same as before. When I think about it, I feel so guilty!"

"Uncle, don’t be so formal with me," Lin Baohe quickly replied. "The children’s issues are theirs to deal with, we adults should interact as we always have.

No matter how your granddaughter clashes with my daughter, as long as you don’t hold a grudge, I certainly won’t blindly blame you. Besides, given your temper, you’re probably angrier than I am about what your granddaughter did, so why would I blame you?"

---------------

Today’s update ends here. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it on Qidian (qidian.com) with recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)