To be honest, Feng Qingxue was quite worried about Madam Zhao and her son, Zhao Guohong.
It wasn’t that their status was undesirable, but that Master Zhao had been a victim of political factions. He was sent out to the northwest, causing his family to struggle daily, constantly monitored and under scrutiny. Feng Qingxue was, on one hand, happy for them to have the chance to see their family again. But she couldn’t help but worry about possible mishaps on their journey, or them not encountering the pleasant life they’d hoped for once they arrived there.
Upon hearing Feng Qingxue’s words, Zhao Anbang quickly said, "My mother and they have returned with me."
"Ah?" Feng Qingxue looked surprised.
"When Lu Jiang came to visit, he sent a telegram. He reported it to the army too. The army investigated where my father was sent off to work, managed to get in touch with my mother, and so she and my older sister Tianqi came directly from the farm to visit me. They stayed until I recovered and then returned with me." Zhao Anbang finished and could not help but show a hint of confusion, "How come, sister, you didn’t know about this?"
Feng Qingxue thought for a moment and could not recall it, "Ajiang did not mention the telegram or the report to me. He might have forgotten it because he was busy."
She didn’t get mad. Everyone’s life is full of trifles and it’s quite common to overlook certain things. Even if Lu Jiang had sent a telegram, he would not have been able to foresee the subsequent events.
Most likely, he wanted to reunite Zhao Anbang with his family as soon as possible. Whether or not the army would willingly help with that, he definitely couldn’t guarantee.
"Next time you see Old Lu, you can scold him. How could he not report the details of his life to the chief of the house?" Zhao Anbang maliciously instigated Feng Qingxue, "Sister, in the army, Lu Jiang is the superior officer of the soldiers. But at home, you are Lu Jiang’s superior. You need to manage him properly!"
Just as Feng Qingxue was about to ask when she would have her own superior officer, she suddenly remembered his physical condition. It wasn’t clear what aspect of his reproductive ability he’d lost, so she swallowed the question that had almost slipped out. She smiled and said, "Don’t worry, Brother Anbang. I’ll definitely tell Ajiang exactly what happened today! I received a letter from him today. I’ll write back to him tonight and send it off tomorrow. Tomorrow when you brothers meet, you can compete and discuss the issues of the superior officer and ’first father’."
"Sister, don’t suggest that. I’m no match for Old Lu now!" Zhao Anbang was completely open and didn’t hide his disability at all. In his view, walking off the battlefield with his life was already the greatest fortune.
In every battle, many of his comrades had closed their eyes forever.
Feeling melancholic, Zhao Anbang suddenly understood, "What are you suggesting, sister? Are you deliberately trying to make Old Lu teach me a lesson? Anyway, it won’t work. Xibao was the first to call me ’dad’. Come on, Xibao, call me ’dad’ again! Dad will make malt essence for you."
Xibao tightly closed his lips and reached out for Feng Qingxue with his chubby arms.
"Mom! Mom!" He struggled hard.
Worried that he might drop the chubby boy with one arm, Zhao Anbang quickly said, "Sister, quickly take him. Don’t let him fall!"
"It’s okay; he won’t be hurt if he falls, he has thick skin!" Although she said this, Feng Qingxue still took him into her arms and used the towel wrapped around him to wipe the almost dried water off him. "Gangzi, bring Xibao’s clothes over here."
"Which one, auntie?" Song Gang asked.
"The one with red and white flowers on it, the one Chen auntie made for Xibao."