Chapter 46

Chapter 46

The next morning, the two children found their father missing and were surprised. He Yan searched the house and, looking at Jin Xiuzhu who had risen early, couldn't help but ask, "Mom, where's Dad?"

"Your father went out for flood control and disaster relief, right?"

Jin Xiuzhu didn't quite understand; it was the first time she had heard this term.

He Yan also didn't understand, responding with an "oh," and obediently went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

Jin Xiuzhu told him not to bother, "Let's each have a bowl of malted milk, and we'll eat some biscuits and sweets. You still have school, don't be late."

He Yan in the kitchen acknowledged, then prepared three bowls of malted milk and brought them out.

Although Fu Yanyan didn't particularly like drinking malted milk, since breakfast was this, she started drinking from her bowl. Halfway through, she suddenly remembered something: flood control and disaster relief...

If she hadn't made a mistake, in her previous life, there was a year when Father Jiang seemed to have been injured during flood control and disaster relief. At that time, she was young and didn't remember the specifics, only knowing that later, every time "Jin Xiuzhu" argued with him, she would bring up this matter, scolding him for being useless, saying that everyone else received commendations except him, and that everyone else got bonuses except him.

Every time Father Jiang heard those words, he would lower his head and remain silent.

What impressed Fu Yanyan the most, however, was that every time it rained or in winter, Father Jiang's knees would hurt. He was reluctant to spend money and had heard of a folk remedy somewhere, so he picked herbs from the mountain, boiled water with them, soaked his feet, and used a towel wrung dry to apply to his knees. Once, "Jin Xiuzhu" kicked over a bucket of the herbal water because she disliked the smell, after overhearing Father Jiang talking to another military wife.

After that, Father Jiang never used the herbal water at home again.

Thinking about all this, Fu Yanyan regretted not caring more about Father Jiang in her previous life.

She couldn't help but say, "Flood control and disaster relief? Does Dad have to be in the water all day?"

Hearing this, Jin Xiuzhu frowned belatedly. Her reactions had been slow recently, and last night, she hadn't thought much about it. Jiang Mingchuan often went away for a while without coming back, and she had long gotten used to it.

Now, prompted by her daughter, she realized it wasn't good. Last year, when Jiang Mingchuan led his troops to rescue people from snow disasters, he caught a chill, and Jin Xiuzhu spent considerable effort nursing him back to health. Now, if he was soaked in water again, he might return to his previous state.

However, not wanting to worry the children, she said, "Don't worry about him. When he comes back, we'll take good care of him."

Fu Yanyan responded with an "mm-hm."

Seeing that both his mother and sister weren't too worried, He Yan breathed a sigh of relief. However, thinking about how his father wouldn't be home for a few days, he decided to do more work and not let his mother get too tired.

Jiang Mingchuan left without any further news. A week later, Wang Ling suddenly came to visit.

She had been busy at the factory recently and specifically returned on the weekend. Upon returning, she learned that her husband had been gone for several days, leaving only their son at home. Neither father nor son had informed her, making her both angry and heartbroken. Even though she was busy, she never intended to neglect her family.

Thinking that Jiang Mingchuan was probably not at home either, she hurried over, bringing new fabrics produced by the factory.

It was still raining outside, but seeing that it was light, she didn't take an umbrella when she left. When she entered, her body was drenched with rainwater.

Jin Xiuzhu quickly asked He Yan to fetch a towel. Wang Ling returned to the doorway to shake off the rainwater from her body and hurriedly said, "No need, no need. I won't come in, just talk to you at the door."

Jin Xiuzhu gave her a disapproving look, "What kind of talk is that? Come in and sit down."

He Yan had already run to the balcony to fetch a towel, which happened to be Jiang Mingchuan's face towel. Jin Xiuzhu glanced at him, and He Yan stuck out his tongue.

Jin Xiuzhu took the towel and wiped the rainwater from Wang Ling's head and shoulders.

Wang Ling, finding her wiping too slowly, took the towel herself and wiped. After re-entering, she took out the fabric from her clothes. It had been well protected and hadn't gotten wet. She said, "It has been raining constantly lately, which scared me. I was always worried that the goods would get wet from the rain. Thankfully, Zhong Xue called yesterday to say that everything was fine and going smoothly, which put my mind at ease."

Then she unfolded the fabric for Jin Xiuzhu to see, "This is newly produced. From what I understand from Zhong Xue, their leadership is very satisfied. So I've come to urge you, how are the designs coming along? Do you have any new ones? Don't wait until Zhong Xue calls me again, and I can't even provide a batch of fabric."

Jin Xiuzhu sensed her excitement and smiled, "Rest assured, your matters will always be my top priority. I'll go get them now, just wait a moment."

Just as she was about to stand up and go to her room, He Yan stood up voluntarily, "I know where they are, I'll get them for Mom."

Saying this, he ran towards the room.

Jin Xiuzhu could only smile and sit back down. Wang Ling watched and laughed, "This child, he's afraid that a few steps will tire you out. Unlike my little Xing, who won't move unless he absolutely has to. These past few days, neither Old Yan nor I were at home, yet he didn't do a single thing, eating in the canteen for all three meals, and the dust at home could be drawn on."

"How lazy! I wonder how he'll manage after getting married?"

Nearby, Fu Yanyan heard this and couldn't help but secretly think that in her previous life, Yan Xing had never married. Most of the boys in the military unit, including Yan Xing, liked Zhao Yun's daughter. She felt that Auntie Wang was worrying too early.

Jin Xiuzhu flattered her, "People say that when parents are diligent, their children tend to be spoiled. It's because you're both such capable parents. Like me, usually lazy, my two children are diligent. Recently, with Mingchuan not at home, Xiao Yan has been taking on all kinds of chores, which is very heartwarming."

Sure enough, Wang Ling felt pleased hearing this. She preferred praise for herself over praise for her son. She followed up, "That's maturity. If my son were half as good as Xiao Yan, I'd be content."

He Yan came out with a red face, holding Jin Xiuzhu's sketches and obediently handing them to Wang Ling, "Auntie, here you go."

Wang Ling praised him, "So capable."

He Yan shyly ran to sit beside his sister.

Fu Yanyan turned her head to glance at He Yan beside her, pulling at the corner of her mouth. In her previous life, he wasn't like this at all, not doing a single chore at home.

However, in her previous life, no one praised him either. "Jin Xiuzhu" favored He Yan, but when outside, she never mentioned him.

Thinking about it, Fu Yanyan suddenly felt that in her previous life, "Jin Xiuzhu" didn't seem to love anyone.

Jin Xiuzhu smiled and said, "These past few days, he's been cooking, and it's even better than mine."

"That's impressive."

Wang Ling took the sketches one by one to look at them. As she looked, she started laughing, "Your drawings are really beautiful. There are a few older employees in our factory who aren't convinced. I told them, 'You draw too. If your drawings are nice, I'll give you double the salary.' They actually drew, and I kept my word. I printed what they drew on the fabric and placed them together with yours, letting uninformed employees choose. The one with the most votes would receive a reward. It turns out that the public's eyes are discerning; everyone chose your patterns, and now they're no longer making a fuss."

Jin Xiuzhu humbly replied, "I can only draw a bit, nothing else."

"You're already quite talented. One shouldn't be too greedy."

The two chatted animatedly for a while before Wang Ling said she had something to do and left. Only after stepping out did she remember the purpose of her visit. She quickly turned around and said, "Don't worry about Captain Jiang going out for flood control and disaster relief. Every year, when there's more rain, something like this happens. He'll be back in a while..."

She originally wanted to tell Jin Xiuzhu to eat and drink well, but upon seeing Jin Xiuzhu's round, youthful face, she felt she was worrying unnecessarily. Jin Xiuzhu looked healthier than her. On the contrary, she herself hadn't been sleeping well recently, busy with factory affairs. Today, when she returned, her son commented that she looked as old as his father, wondering if she had been bullied outside.

Though he knew his son was worried about him, these words still didn't sit well with him even now. How could his father, who was five years older than him, possibly look as old as he did?

Jin Xiuzhu nodded obediently. "I know. I've caused my sister-in-law some worry. My sister-in-law should also take care to rest."

"Well, then continue working on your designs. I won't disturb you anymore. In a few days, I'll bring over your salary from last month. I meant to give it to you today, but I got so busy that I forgot."

"There's no rush for that."

After Jin Xiuzhu saw her guest off and was just about to close the door, she heard footsteps coming up the stairs in the hallway. She didn't think much of it and glanced out of habit, only to see Zhu Ying ascending the stairs while carrying a large basin of clothes, completely drenched.

She quickly said, "Big Sister, did you go out to do laundry?"

Jin Xiuzhu now called Zhu Ying "big sister" when speaking to Fang Min.

Seeing it was her, Zhu Ying smiled and replied, "I noticed the rain had lessened a bit, so I thought I'd hurry and finish washing the clothes. It's convenient here; all you need to do is turn on the tap. Unlike back home, where we have to go down to the riverbank, which turns into mud during rainy weather."

"It's still raining. If you had known, you could have called out to Xiao Yan and asked him to hold an umbrella for you."

"No need, no need. Once I hang the clothes to dry, I'll go take a shower."

"…" Wouldn't that mean another load of laundry?

Jin Xiuzhu didn't feel right asking more questions. "Even though it's hot now, you still need to take care of your health. Later, drink some hot water to prevent getting sick."

Zhu Ying laughed heartily. "Am I really that delicate? When my husband was young and unwell, I did all the farm work. Later, when we started earning work points, I begged and pleaded to do men's labor to raise my children. But now things are better. My kids are grown and filial, and both my son and son-in-law send their wages back to me."

"That's because Big Sister is reasonable and cares for your children, raising them well. Naturally, they want to repay you once they grow up."

"Haha, that's true. Now that I'm older, I don't need their money. I'm saving it for them."

Zhu Ying loved hearing these words. In the past, when she chatted with others, people would eventually stop talking to her after hearing this a few times, thinking she was bragging. Jin Xiuzhu, however, was different. Every word she said struck a chord in Zhu Ying's heart.

Jin Xiuzhu urged her to go home and take a shower. After Zhu Ying went inside, Jin Xiuzhu closed the door.

The two children were already on the table, feeling the fabric. He Yan seemed to understand something as he said, "Mom, this fabric isn't as smooth as the previous one."

Jin Xiuzhu smiled. "It's just a different weaving method. This one is good too."

"Oh."

He Yan nodded, then hesitated for a moment before quietly saying, "Mom, tomorrow is Yang Yingxiong's birthday. Could you make him a longevity noodle dish like the one you made for me last time, with just one long noodle?"

He quickly added, "Later, I'll knead the dough and cook the noodles myself. The only thing I can't do is make the noodle long like that…"

Before he could finish, Jin Xiuzhu nodded in agreement.

He Yan looked up in surprise. "Really?"

Then he cautiously glanced at Jin Xiuzhu's belly. "Will it be too tiring for you?"

Jin Xiuzhu patted his head. "How could it be that fragile? Making one noodle is manageable."

"Great! I'll go knead the dough now."

With that, he dragged his sister into the kitchen. Jin Xiuzhu soon heard the two children talking—

"Why are we making it today when his birthday is tomorrow?"

That was his sister asking.

He Yan explained, "We have school tomorrow. If we wait until we get back, it might be too late. We can celebrate early today."

"Oh, then why did you drag me over here?"

"Of course, to help. Mom is pregnant now, so you're the little adult of the family and need to help out. Back at Uncle's house, I started cooking when I was four."

Of course, at first, he always undercooked the rice and was scolded by his aunt. However, there was no need to mention that to his sister; he didn't want her to feel bad.

Previously, Yang Yingxiong had secretly asked him how he could naturally call Jin Xiuzhu "mom." Did he not find it awkward? Yang Yingxiong had tried calling Zhao Yun "mom," as she was always kind to him, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Even when his father told him to, he couldn't say it. Afterwards, he felt inadequate, knowing that if he could call her "mom," it would make everyone happy, and perhaps Aunt Zhao would treat him even better.

But what was difficult for Yang Yingxiong came naturally to He Yan. He didn't find it awkward to call Jin Xiuzhu "mom." In fact, many times, he wished Jin Xiuzhu were his real mother. Before meeting her, he never imagined a mother could be so wonderful.

His birth mother used to complain about his father, grandmother, and uncle in front of him, telling him how badly they treated her. Yet, she never fought back, instead taking out her frustrations on him. After his father died, his mother disappeared with the money without any warning. As a child, he didn't even have time to grieve before watching his uncle and aunt move into his home, his two older cousins taking over his room and toys.

His aunt was a mother, but she wasn't very kind to her two children. She favored her youngest son, so his older cousin often bullied the younger one, who in turn bullied him.

But Jin Xiuzhu was different. Even though Yan Yan was her biological daughter, she wouldn't favor her at all. She said she considered him her own child, and she truly lived up to those words.

So he wanted to call her "mom," hoping she could become his real mother.

But Yang Yingxiong had never experienced such feelings. He wanted to be kinder to Yang Yingxiong so that he wouldn't feel so miserable.

That evening, He Yan invited Yang Yingxiong and Wei Ningqing over for dinner.

Halfway through the meal, he suddenly ran into the kitchen and busied himself.

Yang Yingxiong and Wei Ningqing waited for a while, wondering if something had happened. Just as they were about to check, He Yan emerged with a bowl of noodles.

He Yan placed the noodles in front of Yang Yingxiong and grinned. "Tomorrow is your birthday. This longevity noodle dish is something my mom and I specially made for you. Try it and see if it's tasty."

Yang Yingxiong was taken aback, looking at He Yan in surprise. Seeing his happy face, he glanced at the noodles, then at Jin Xiuzhu and his sister sitting across from him.

His lips tightened, and his eyes gradually reddened. "I…."

Wei Ningqing was also surprised. He hadn't known that tomorrow was Yang Yingxiong's birthday.

Still, she happily said to Yang Yingxiong, "Happy birthday. Eat your noodles quickly."

Jin Xiuzhu smiled and said, "Congratulations on growing another year older, Hero. I hope everything gets better for you in the future."

Fu Yanyan, sitting next to Jin Xiuzhu, also said, "I wish Big Brother Hero grows up quickly and becomes even more amazing."

Growing up is a good thing for him.

Yang Yingxiong softly replied with an affirmative sound. With a slightly choked voice, he said, "Thank you."

He Yan hurriedly said, "Eat your noodles. This longevity noodle isn't ordinary. It's just one long strand that you can't bite through; you have to eat it all in one go."

Upon hearing this, Wei Ningqing curiously leaned over to take a look.

Yang Yingxiong also picked up his chopsticks out of curiosity. Hearing that it was only one strand, he didn't know how to eat it for a moment.

He Yan continued to urge him from the side.

Yang Yingxiong could only pick it up and start eating. He didn't dare to bite it, so he slowly swallowed it.

Fu Yanyan couldn't bear to watch anymore and interjected, "Don't listen to him. When he ate it, he bit through it several times. As long as you don't put down the noodle, it's fine."

Yang Yingxiong turned his head to look at He Yan, annoyed that he had tricked him again.

He Yan rubbed his head and chuckled. Then, he stuck out his tongue at his sister and made a face, saying, "You naughty girl."

Fu Yanyan rolled her eyes at him.

Jin Xiuzhu told everyone to continue eating since they hadn't finished their meal yet.

He Yan quickly sat down and started eating his rice bowl. Then, he began telling Jin Xiuzhu about what happened at school, despite being in the same class and taking the same lessons.

But He Yan always knew many interesting things, and Wei Ningqing found them unbelievable every time.

Beside them, Yang Yingxiong silently ate his longevity noodle. His nose felt sour, feeling that this was the best bowl of noodles he had ever eaten.

Years later, Yang Yingxiong would always ask He Yan to make him a bowl of longevity noodles whenever his birthday came around. Every time, he would say that it wasn't as delicious as the first time and that He Yan's cooking skills hadn't improved. This would infuriate He Yan, who worked hard to make the noodles for him, only for him to be so picky and ungrateful.

---

About half a month later, Jin Xiuzhu suddenly received news about Jiang Mingchuan.

It was a military wife from the family building who came to Jin Xiuzhu and told her that she seemed to have seen Captain Jiang at the hospital.

Hearing this, Jin Xiuzhu was stunned for a while. "He's in the hospital?"

They weren't particularly close, but the military wife also attended the literacy classes and often saw each other. She had asked Jin Xiuzhu questions a few times before, which was why she specifically came to tell her.

"This flood was too severe. Many soldiers were injured, and the local hospitals couldn't accommodate them all. Some of the seriously injured were directly brought back to our city's hospital, including my husband. He called me in the middle of the night, and I quickly gathered some things and went there. After taking care of him for two days and seeing his condition stabilize, I thought of coming back to get some clean clothes. On my way out, I saw the door to the neighboring ward open and casually glanced inside. That's when I saw Captain Jiang lying there."

"I'm not sure if you already knew, so I thought I should come and tell you. If Captain Jiang didn't mention it, it must be because he didn't want you to worry."

Jin Xiuzhu hurriedly said, "If you hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known. This guy... Even though he's in the city, he didn't tell me. Thank you so much. Really, I'll definitely come by your place to thank you properly. Let me prepare a bit, and I'll go to the hospital later to check on him."

The military wife waved her hand. "No need, no need. I didn't do much. It was just an extra trip."

Then, she added, "Are you also going to the city? In that case, let's go together. We can keep each other company."

"Alright, alright. Wait for me a moment. I'll be ready soon."

With that, she turned back into the house, took a deep breath twice, calmed down, and then returned to her room to pack. Besides packing clothes for herself and Jiang Mingchuan to change into, she also brought malted milk powder and canned fruit. When she came out, she saw her daughter had packed a small bundle and was looking at her with big eyes.

Jin Xiuzhu's heart softened, wanting to say that she would go alone. However, looking at her daughter's clear, large eyes, she held back her words and instead asked, "Are you all packed?"

Fu Yanyan nodded.

Jin Xiuzhu said, "Then let's go."

When they reached the door, they saw the military wife chatting with Zhu Ying. Upon seeing Jin Xiuzhu with a bundle, Zhu Ying quickly took it and said, "You don't need to go. I'll go and check on him for you. You're only a few months along. The hospital is full of sick people. What if you catch something? Your husband didn't tell you, probably because he didn't want you to come."

Upon hearing this, the military wife realized that Jin Xiuzhu was pregnant. She had previously wondered why Captain Jiang hadn't informed his family, even speculating whether they had fought. Now, it made sense, and she quickly said, "Then you shouldn't go. There are many patients in the hospital right now. It's not good for you to be there. Don't worry. I'll bring extra food and make sure your husband doesn't go hungry."

Fang Min, who had heard the commotion and came out to see what was happening, also chimed in after understanding the situation. "Let Elder Sister go and check on him for you. If you go, Captain Jiang will just worry about you."

Jin Xiuzhu knew it wasn't ideal for her to go. The hospital was full of sick people, and she was still early in her pregnancy, making her prone to accidents. However, there was no one else at home. If she didn't go, she couldn't just leave Jiang Mingchuan unattended in the hospital.

Fu Yanyan, standing beside Jin Xiuzhu, tugged at her clothes. Jin Xiuzhu looked down and heard her daughter say, "I'll go with Auntie and check on him. I'll let you know what happens."

Jin Xiuzhu's heart softened further. Looking gratefully at the two women, she said, "Alright, then I'll trouble you, Sister, and Elder Sister."

She opened the bundle, took out her own clothes, and then pulled out money and coupons from her pocket to give to the military wife. "If it's not enough, I'll make up for it later."

"Okay."

Fu Yanyan tugged at Jin Xiuzhu's clothes again.

Jin Xiuzhu patted her head and said, "You're still young. We'll talk about it when your brother comes back."

Zhu Ying, seeing this, said reassuringly, "The hospital is full of adults. It's not good for a little child to go there."

After they left, Jin Xiuzhu told Fang Min and then closed the door. To her daughter, she said, "There are many people in the hospital, and it's chaotic. If your father is busy with his illness, who will take care of you? What if someone tries to kidnap you?"

Last time, Qian Yufeng mentioned that a child of an employee at the canteen in the city had been kidnapped. The parents were at work, and the children were usually fine at home. One day, they disappeared, and despite searching the entire city, they couldn't find them. Someone claimed to have seen the children being taken away by someone who claimed to be a relative, so they didn't intervene.

Fu Yanyan wanted to say that she wasn't a child, but she knew it was childish. In Jin Xiuzhu's eyes, she was still a child.

Feeling somewhat troubled, somewhat helpless, and a bit inexplicably delighted, she sighed inwardly.

In Jin Xiuzhu's current perspective, Father Jiang was important, but she herself was also very important.

She raised her head and comforted him, "Dad is in good health; there's definitely nothing to worry about."

Jin Xiuzhu touched her head, feeling restless as she hummed in agreement.

After a while, Fang Min from next door probably feared that she would overthink things and came over specifically to keep her company.

They waited until He Yan returned from school, before Zhu Ying came back.

He Yan had already cooked two dishes, so Jin Xiuzhu asked them to stay for dinner. After Zhu Ying drank several sips of water, she said, "Camp Commander Jiang’s condition isn’t too severe; his leg is broken, though."

Jin Xiuzhu felt her breath catch in her throat. Wasn't a broken leg considered serious?

But Zhu Ying looked relaxed. "The doctor said he has a good constitution and will recover after some rest. Don’t worry; he’ll be able to return home in a couple of days."

Jin Xiuzhu frowned. "How did it happen?"

Zhu Ying sighed. "I asked, and Camp Commander Jiang initially didn’t want to talk about it. It was the young soldier sharing his ward who told me that he carried an elderly man across a river. Midway through, the old man suddenly remembered that he had left money at home and insisted on going back. Camp Commander Jiang offered to retrieve it for him, but the old man refused and wanted to go down himself. The river’s current was too strong, and the old man nearly got swept away. Camp Commander Jiang saved him and was hit by a tree in the process."

It wasn’t just any river. According to the young soldier, the water level reached one’s neck, and they had to hold onto a rope to cross. Not only was Camp Commander Jiang’s leg broken, but his body was also covered in injuries. When the doctors changed his bandages, Jin Xiuzhu saw that his flesh was rotting—it was terrifying.

But she didn’t dare tell Jin Xiuzhu about this, fearing that it would worry her.

Seeing that Zhu Ying seemed unfazed, Jin Xiuzhu assumed that the situation wasn’t too severe and nodded. "That’s good if it’s not serious."

She was angry at the old man. If he wanted to die, that was his choice, but he almost cost her husband his life. People here were kind-hearted, but if this had happened in the Great Jing Dynasty, she would have flayed their entire family.

Thus, in the following days, Jin Xiuzhu waited at home for Jiang Mingchuan to return. However, after waiting for several days without seeing him, she became increasingly anxious. She eventually asked He Yan to take a day off and accompany her to the city to visit him.

Perhaps due to the profound influence of her past life, Jin Xiuzhu never treated He Yan like a child. Whenever Jiang Mingchuan wasn’t around and something needed to be discussed, she would consult with He Yan.

In Jin Xiuzhu’s eyes, boys would become the heads of their households in the future.

Under such beliefs and attitudes, although He Yan was usually lively, he would become very composed and decisive when faced with issues, acting like a little adult. He packed everything they needed, took some money and coupons, and then brought his mother and sister to the city.

Jin Xiuzhu barely had to worry about anything along the way. He was responsible for buying the boat and bus tickets and even inquired about the location of the hospital in the city.

Upon arriving at the hospital, he carefully stayed by Jin Xiuzhu’s side and led her directly to the ward.

In the ward, Jiang Mingchuan lay on the hospital bed with one leg suspended, his hands and neck wrapped in white bandages. Despite this, he was still munching on a peach.

When Jin Xiuzhu entered, he hadn’t noticed her yet. He had sensed someone coming in but didn’t think much of it since he knew Jin Xiuzhu wouldn’t come. Therefore, when the soldier in the neighboring bed suddenly called out his name, he subconsciously turned to look and saw the figures entering from the doorway.

One adult and two children.

His gaze met Jin Xiuzhu’s reddened eyes, and he froze in place.