CHAPTER 506: CHAPTER 508 YEAR

That year, Xia Xiao graduated and also purchased the courtyard house she had been renting. The elderly couple was taken by their children to Province X for retirement. They owned several houses in Beijing, so they sold this set to Xia Xiao.

Those who wanted to continue studying did so, and those who didn’t went to work.

"Mom, when is Dad coming back?"

The children would always ask Xia Xiao when Gao Jiaxing would return. Xia Xiao missed him deeply in her heart.

If it were just a military stationing, Xia Xiao wouldn’t mind going. But during wartime, Xia Xiao couldn’t go there. She wasn’t a military doctor, plus she couldn’t leave her children behind.

At that point, Xia Xiao even thought that if she had studied to be a military doctor, maybe she could follow Gao Jiaxing onto the battlefield. Then, Xia Xiao shook her head. She could only take good care of Guoqiang, Zheng Xianghong, and the children to relieve Gao Jiaxing of any worries.

"Dad is a hero, he will return after the war," Xia Xiao patted the children’s heads. "You all need to be good and obedient; otherwise, Dad will be upset when he comes back."

"Mom, we are all very obedient," Feiyang and Feiyue said together.

"I’m obedient too," chimed in Feiyi.

"I’m obedient too," Feiteng and Feiling joined in.

"Auntie," Weilin walked in.

Xia Xiao said to Weilin, "Weilin, take your siblings to do homework, Auntie needs to rest for a while."

"Okay," Weilin responded to Xia Xiao’s request and ushered Feiyang, Feiyue, and Feiyi out.

Xia Xiao closed the door and entered her space, picking up the energy stone, she called, "Shitou, Shitou?"

Shitou didn’t respond, causing Xia Xiao to worry slightly as she called out, "Brother."

This time Shitou finally replied, but his voice was subdued, not as lively as before.

"I need to sleep."

"What’s been the matter recently? You seem listless and aren’t talking." Xia Xiao couldn’t see Shitou’s state and wondered if Shitou didn’t want to talk, was mad at her, or there was something physically wrong.

"I need to sleep for a while," Shitou said.

"Is something wrong?" Xia Xiao worriedly asked, "Or are you mad at me?"

Shitou remained silent, and Xia Xiao tentatively said, "Can we talk?"

"I’m not mad at you," Shitou replied.

"What’s wrong then, and how long will you sleep?" Although Shitou had slept before, he never specifically mentioned needing to sleep for a while like now. Xia Xiao wanted to know how long it would be.

"I don’t know," Shitou said, then added, "You can’t take me to find the energy stone now, I better sleep. Otherwise, if I use too much energy, I will be exhausted later."

"I studied archaeology as an excuse to take you to find energy stones," Xia Xiao felt a sudden pang of distress, as she really couldn’t leave. The children were still young, Gao Jiaxing was out fighting, and she couldn’t leave in peace.

"I know, don’t blame yourself. I’ll just sleep a bit. It won’t be a problem; I’m still waiting for you to take me to find the energy stones."

As soon as Shitou finished speaking, Xia Xiao felt relieved, "Okay."

At the production team, Xia Xiao had searched with Shitou privately but hadn’t encountered any. However, leaving to search other areas needed time, which Xia Xiao didn’t have.

If there were none domestically, she might even need to go abroad. Now, Xia Xiao thought about trying to find time to look around the country after her postgraduate studies.

After rationalizing, Xia Xiao felt a sigh of relief and drifted off to sleep unintentionally.

When Xia Xiao woke up, it was already afternoon. Outside, Zheng Xianghong called out, "Xia Xiao, look who’s here."

Xia Xiao stepped outside, seeing Li Qinghong and his daughter Li Qiaoting, and immediately smiled, "Godfather, Sister Xiaoting."

Over the years, Li Qinghong and Li Qiaoting often came here to visit. Li Qinghong was older and in poor health, so he retired this year, transferred to City S as an officer.

Li Qiaoting was a lecturer in the university, and now Li Qinghong and Li Qiaoting were heading to City S as Li Qinghong was transferred and Li Qiaoting had also applied to go.

Guoqiang and Zheng Xianghong bade farewell to the Li father and daughter, letting them know how to contact Gao Jiazhi in City S. Once Li Qinghong and his daughter had left, Zheng Xianghong asked Xia Xiao, "Xia Xiao, do you think there’s a chance between Jiazhi and Qiaoting?"

Oh, it was the first time Xia Xiao knew Zheng Xianghong had considered matching Gao Jiazhi and Li Qiaoting, "Mom, did you notice Sister Xiaoting early on?"

"Not really, but since they are moving to City S, I thought of Jiazhi being there. Qiaoting is also alone now, so I was wondering if there might be a possibility." Speaking of which, Zheng Xianghong sighed, "I hope Jiazhi finds someone again. I’ve heard there are people pursuing him at school, even coming to his home, but he’s not been interested. I’m concerned."

Xia Xiao nodded, "Sister Xiaoting is really a good person. It would be great if she could pair up with my brother, but it’s all down to fate."

"That’s true," Zheng Xianghong nodded. "But Qiaoting going to City S, that’s fate too, isn’t it?"

"Yeah," Xia Xiao replied, feeling that although Li Qiaoting and Gao Jiazhi were both divorced, one unmarried and one widowed, they were indeed suitable to pair up, but whether Gao Jiazhi and Li Qiaoting would end up together was up to fate.

"Grandma, Auntie, is Auntie Xiaoting going to be my new mom?" Weilin had overheard Zheng Xianghong and Xia Xiao’s conversation and asked out loud.

Xia Xiao and Zheng Xianghong looked at each other, not expecting to be heard by Weilin. Xia Xiao responded first, "Weilin, don’t you want your dad to remarry?"

Weilin was silent for a moment, nodding and then shaking her head, "Dad is very lonely alone; if there’s a new mom, she could keep Dad company. But I’m afraid if Dad remarries, he might not like me anymore. I have a classmate whose mom died, and after her dad remarried and had a younger brother, he stopped liking her."

"That won’t happen; your dad isn’t like that. He loves Weilin the most. And you also have grandpa, grandma, uncles, aunties, and younger siblings." Xia Xiao, holding Weilin’s hand, reassured her.