Chapter 616

Chapter 616

The Blow Was Too Heavy

No one knew when this departure would bring them back. If the Lu family hadn't been supportive, they could have simply left the child behind in their hometown. But they didn't; instead, they supported Lin Nannan in taking the child with her, which clearly showed how much the Lu family cared for Lin Nannan.

Those who understood the situation knew that it was better for the child to be with her parents. However, since Commander Lu's situation made it difficult, the best choice was for her to go with Lin Nannan.

"No one knows when they'll be back!" Zhang Jing felt that they certainly didn’t want to be apart, but there was no telling when they could reunite.

Lin Nannan watched the scenery outside the window swiftly changing, knowing she was getting further and further from home.

After remaining silent for a while, she finally said softly, "It’ll be soon!"

She would complete everything she needed to do as quickly as possible, then take Lu Dudu to the military base to find Lu Hang.

Lu Dudu fell asleep after tiring herself out. When she woke up, she found herself in an unfamiliar place, with no familiar faces like her grandparents around. She couldn’t hold back her tears, crying out for "Grandma," which broke everyone’s heart. They all tried to comfort her.

Unfortunately, Lu Dudu wasn’t as cheerful as before. Instead, she cried so hard that tears and snot ran down her face, making Lin Nannan’s heart ache. She held her and comforted her for a long time.

……

Without Lu Dudu, the Lu family home felt much emptier and quieter. Whether it was Zhang Xiaofeng or Grandma Lu, they would often call out instinctively, only to remember that the child had left with her mother. They had no idea when she would return, and it left them feeling deeply unsettled.

"When Du Du was home, her laughter filled the house every time she came in or out. Now it’s just too quiet!" Zhang Xiaofeng sat on a stool, looking at the empty courtyard, and said wistfully.

Grandma Lu sighed and said, "Isn’t that the truth? Ever since Du Du came back, she’s been all I could think about. Whether she was crying or laughing, her voice echoed through the courtyard. I haven’t even heard her call me Great-Grandma yet. Now that she’s gone, who knows when I’ll see her again? Maybe I’ll…"

"Mom, don’t say such things!" Zhang Xiaofeng’s tone was a bit stern. "That special medicine Nan Nan gave you is still here. You’ll definitely live a long life and wait for Du Du to come back and call you Great-Grandma."

Such talk made her uneasy; she didn’t want to hear it at all.

If something like that really happened, Nan Nan would carry guilt for the rest of her life. Her feelings for her grandmother ran so deep—how could she ever accept such a thing?

Grandma Lu knew she had said something she shouldn’t have, but she still felt melancholy. "Who knows when they’ll be back…"

There was no answer to that. No one knew when they would return…

"Back then, I just thought it would be good for A Hang to have a wife, so at least he wouldn’t be alone in his old age. Who would have thought that his wife would end up traveling even farther than he does? We hardly ever see her. At least when A Hang is on leave, we get to see him a few times a year." Grandma Lu shook her head, filled with emotion.

Zhang Xiaofeng also felt sad, but she had to pull herself together to comfort her mother-in-law. "Nan Nan said she would send letters and photos. Once Du Du’s photos arrive, we’ll see how she’s doing. If she looks thinner or isn’t doing well, we’ll tell Nan Nan to bring Du Du back, and we’ll take care of her."

Grandma Lu thought she made sense and felt a glimmer of hope.

But Zhang Xiaofeng felt this wasn’t enough. Her mother-in-law had always hoped for her children and grandchildren to marry and have families. Du Du was the only younger generation in the Lu family, so of course Grandma Lu cherished her like the apple of her eye. This separation had hit her too hard. She needed to have a good talk with her sister-in-law and encourage Lu Ming to settle down soon, to give Grandma Lu something to look forward to.

As for Lu Yuan, who doesn't even come home, she had given up hoping.

Each of them seemed married to the nation—it filled her with pride but also left her helpless.