Chapter 182: Joy
The siblings exchanged a glance, but in just one second Fu Ting lost the staring contest and dejectedly went to open the door.
As soon as the door was opened and he saw the expression on the visitor’s face, it immediately turned to ecstatic joy, “Sister Ning?!”
“Ah, Sister Ning, you’re back!”
This excited shout that cracked from exhilaration caused everyone in the courtyard to freeze.
By the time they reacted, Su Ning was already walking into the yard with Zhang Ze, along with Fu Ting hanging on her arm and acting coquettishly.
“Ning Ning! It’s really Ning Ning back!”
“Ahhhh, Sister Ning!”
“Ning Yatou, come let this old man take a good look at you. You’ve gotten thin, gotten thin!”
Seeing all those faces happy to the point of moistened eyes and flushed cheeks because of her return, her own vision blurred too, “Grandpa Fu, Uncle Fu, Auntie Hehua, Ying Ying, Tingzi, I’m back~”
“Good, good, good. As long as you’re back, hahahaha!”
“Woo, Sister Ning, I missed you so much. Why did you only come back now!”
“Ning Ning, it’s so late. Have you eaten? Auntie will go make you something delicious right now.”
Li Hehua wiped the corner of her eye, smiled as she finished speaking, and prepared to turn toward the kitchen. Arriving home at this hour probably meant she hadn’t even had dinner yet, so she needed to quickly make a few dishes and not let her go hungry.
Because she turned sideways, her slightly bulging belly was not hard to notice even under the loose clothes.
Thinking of the jade mandarin duck pendants she had given the couple before the Mid-Autumn Festival, she had anticipated it early but was still overjoyed for her.
“Auntie, you… congratulations, congratulations. Looks like I’ll soon be a big sister again!”
“Hehe~”
Seeing her look at her belly with surprise and joy, Li Hehua felt a bit embarrassed.
After all, at her age, with Ying Ying and Tingzi the siblings already so grown up, having another child after such a long gap brought joy at fulfilling their wish, but also inevitable flushed heat on her face.
Li Hehua smiled and dragged her reluctant son to the kitchen together to make food for the two.
The vines in her hand had been discarded at some point. Fu Chenggong gave the very filial eldest son a meaningful look before pulling her back to the main hall.
It was getting cooler at night now. The stone benches in the courtyard were fine for big men like them to sit on, but for a little girl, better to stay warm inside the room.
“Coming back at this hour, did you go to the hospital first to see him?”
“Mm.”
Thinking of the purpose behind that ungrateful wolf calling her back, Fu Chenggong couldn’t help feeling the urge to turn around and beat his eldest son again.
That precious treasure born to Qian Huiru, how could it compare to even one finger of Ning Yatou?
The little one had gotten seriously ill right after birth, which was indeed pitiful, but that was no reason to exchange it for one of her kidneys.
Why should she?!
If they called him this old thing heartless, that was fine, but if they wanted him to agree, unless Su Ting that old ghost crawled up and nodded while holding him down.
Otherwise, even if Ning Yatou herself lost her mind and agreed, he absolutely wouldn’t allow it even a little!
“You mustn’t let your head get hot or your compassion overflow and agree!”
“Rest assured, Grandpa Fu, I’m not that silly.”
“Zhang Ze, when in the capital, you must stick to Ning Yatou every moment, in case certain inhuman things get desperate and do something insane!”
“Yes! Old Commander, guarantee to complete the mission.”
Saluting crisply, Zhang Ze answered resolutely.
Daring only to perch half his butt on the stool, Fu Xingguo stealthily glanced at the old man. Seeing the old and young chatting happily, he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, knowing he had passed this hurdle for now.
“Dad, well done!”
Fu Ying didn’t dare say it in front of Grandpa, so she quietly whispered in his ear and secretly gave him a thumbs up.
No matter the reason, as long as it got Sister Ning Ning back, she wanted to kowtow to her dad early and pay New Year’s respects ahead of time!
Heaven knew, not seeing her for nearly half a year, she had missed Sister Ning Ning to death.
Though they kept in touch by letters, it took many days for them to go back and forth, nowhere near as good as before.
Receiving praise from his daughter, Fu Xingguo couldn’t help puffing out his chest. After all, hadn’t he handled this matter quite well?
Setting aside Xu Zixin that ungrateful wolf for now, everyone started asking about her matters with concern.
The letters were just fragments, not comprehensive. Now that she was here in person, they naturally had to ask in detail.
Upon learning she had quit her job at the textile factory and gone to the commune brigade to become a Barefoot Doctor, no one blamed her for the huge difference between the two jobs; instead, they encouraged and supported her.
After talking about work, she shared a few interesting things that happened in the brigade, making everyone in the room laugh so hard they couldn’t close their mouths, filling the whole house with joy.
After eating the meal made by Li Hehua, under the resentful glares of Fu Ying and her brother who couldn’t compete for it, Su Ning followed the Old Master to the study room.
“Your Uncle Fu already told me. Ning Yatou, of what your dad says, if it’s ten points, you can only believe two. Don’t lose your judgment just because it concerns your mother.”
“I know, Grandpa Fu, but the opportunity is rare. Taking advantage of this time to uncover one or two doubts wouldn’t be bad.”
“What did he say?”
She repeated Xu Zixin’s words from back then word for word, not even sparing his expression at the time.
Fu Chenggong lightly tapped the table with his fingertip, pondered for a moment, then continued, “These words are half true half false and need verification. Ning Yatou, do you have any plans?”
“Nothing can hide from you, Grandpa Fu. I plan to take this opportunity to go to Jilin Province.”
Besides seeing if she could find any clues or learn about that kind-hearted person back then—he should have been the first to contact Mother, maybe even witnessed what happened. If she could really find him…
Even if not, the trip wouldn’t be wasted. She could conveniently visit Yan Ziyu’s family along the way.
“According to Xu Zixin, since that person was on a secret mission, you should be mentally prepared that he might not be from the nearby troops.”
She nodded; she had thought of that.
But people don’t turn back unless they hit a southern wall. She had to try to know, what if.
Fu Chenggong sighed and didn’t advise further. Besides, leaving tomorrow might just catch Xu Zixin off guard and prevent him from doing anything harmful to the girl.
Fortunately, Ning Yatou handled matters prudently and hadn’t come back alone. Otherwise, if she went to Jilin Province by herself, he wouldn’t have let her go.
……
No one knew what the two talked about, but they chatted for so long that by the time they came out, it was very late.
The weary people waiting outside could only exchange a few hasty words before going to wash up and rest.
That night, Su Ning slept exceptionally soundly.
The next day.
“What? Sister Ning Ning, you just got back and now you’re leaving again?”
“I don’t want you to!”
“I don’t agree!”
Hearing this bad news, the whole table of food suddenly didn’t taste good. Fu Ying pouted, very unhappy.
The others looked about the same, especially Li Hehua. Perhaps because of the pregnancy, she had been particularly emotional lately, and her eyes immediately moistened with tears.
“Can’t Sister Ning stay a few more days?”
“Yeah, Ning Ning…”
“Alright, enough. Ning Yatou has serious matters over there. Everyone stop clamoring!”
Fu Chenggong didn’t feel good either, but he couldn’t bear to see her in a difficult spot, so he put on a stern face, knocked on the table, and interrupted.
They finished the meal tastelessly like that. Though the family’s emotions were low, they still chose to accept it.
Bidding farewell to the reluctant Fu family, Su Ning and Zhang Ze boarded the train to Jilin Province.
After several days of travel, they arrived at the destination. With the help of Zhang Ze’s comrade, the two checked all the large and small troops around Yanshi.
There were few people surnamed Qu, but not none—yet none were the one they hoped for.
After being dejected for half the day, Su Ning put away her disappointment and went with Zhang Ze to that bay to pay respects.
Deep blue sea, silver-white beach, jagged oddly shaped rocks.
Looking at the beautiful scenery before her, listening to the waves crashing one after another in her ears, her heart gradually calmed.
“Ning Ning, I had him continue inquiring for news. If there’s any clue, he’ll tell us immediately.”
After all, so much time had passed, and without accurate information, finding that person was like fishing a needle from the sea.
“Thanks, Brother Zhang.”
“Rest assured, justice will prevail. We’ll find him someday.”
“Mm.”
Carefully bypassing this cliff, the two left one after the other.
On the way back to the city, passing that small fishing village again, they were suddenly surrounded by a swarm of little kids who surged out.
These little ones were all carrying water buckets or small back baskets, filled with seafood picked up from the seaside.
Sea fish, crabs, sea cucumbers, kelp…
All sorts of things, really everything imaginable.
The two exchanged looks. What did this group of little ones mean?
