Actually, she knows it doesn’t mean much. In the village, once engaged, spending the New Year’s at the man’s house is only natural. But she’s just jealous and wants to pick a fight with her.
"She’s just a wretched orphan! Why does everything go smoothly for her while I’m so unlucky!" She stomped her foot and went back into the house.
Gu Junming and Sun Chan went back together too. Both drank ginger tea, prepared by Wang Shufen. Father and Mrs. Wang, unable to stay awake, went to sleep with their grandson. Sun Chan was a bit groggy and leaned against Gu Junming, her eyes hardly open.
Wang Shufen said, "It’s about to be light; are you two going to sleep?"
Gu Junming said, "I’ll nap for a bit. I need to head out at dawn. Can you stoke the fire and let Sun Chan sleep here for a while?"
"Sigh, but what’s going on?" Wang Shufen asked, puzzled.
Gu Junming explained the situation, and Wang Shufen’s face turned pale instantly, shaking with anger, her voice changing.
"Ding Quan, that brute! Gambling and drinking is one thing, but now he’s done something , even stealing a child!"
"Yeah." Gu Junming said, "I’ll try to get the child back before the new year, hoping they haven’t sold them to the South, just local, or else it’s trouble. Regardless, Ding Quan must go to jail this time. Don’t sympathize with him; he’s reaping what he sowed."
"I won’t sympathize with him; it’s just hurting you, isn’t it? In this freezing weather, having to find someone..."
"It’s fine as long as the child is safe. So young, in this cold, any accident could be fatal."
Wang Shufen gritted her teeth: "I’m worried about Kangkang. If people know what his father did, what will become of him!"
"It won’t happen. Be careful. When we take Kangkang to the city, who will know his past? As long as he studies well, he can have a good future."
"I’m always causing trouble for you." Wang Shufen sighed. Though saying that, if the father becomes a prisoner, the child may not have a good future, at least not in the army.
Gu Junming offered a few comforting words, and by then Sun Chan’s head was already drooping onto his arm, sound asleep.
Seeing her , Gu Junming’s face showed a tender expression, gently laying her down on the bed.
Wang Shufen hurriedly got up to find a quilt: "You rest for a bit; I’ll take care of her."
Gu Junming nodded, looked at Sun Chan, and went outside.
He slept for an hour or two in his room when Su Minjian and Zhao Yingjun arrived. The three said little and went straight out. Before leaving, Wang Shufen handed them several baked cakes and sweet potatoes, warm and comforting, to eat on their journey.
By the time the elders of the Wang Family woke up, Gu Junming had been gone for a while, and Sun Chan was still sleeping.
Wang Shufen prepared breakfast and called the elders to eat, sharing the news behind her son’s back: "Mingzi went to find someone. Sun Chan helped last night and was exhausted, sleeping."
Father Wang, furious, coughed again: "Brute! I never thought he was good in the first place, and now he’s even worse, huh?"
Mrs. Wang said, "Mingzi is doing the right thing. No matter what, we can’t let the child suffer. Warm up food for Sun Chan later."
"Got it, Mom. But the New Year is approaching..." It’s almost the 29th, tomorrow is New Year’s Eve. People are leaving. And it’s all because of her ex-husband, Wang Shufen couldn’t feel more embarrassed.
Father Wang said, "It’s okay. Soldiers should have some awareness! Can’t just think about their own comfort and ignore the people’s issues; we should prepare well ourselves and not hold Mingzi back."
"Got it, Dad." Wang Shufen agreed.
The village was tense before the new year, and the Gu Family in the city didn’t have a good holiday atmosphere either.
Gu Juntao returned, but only after Gu Junming asked several people before he left to find him. The boy had gotten much thinner; the once plump face was now sharp. He walked in with a scruffy beard, face full of coldness,
The family was stunned seeing Gu Juntao; he had lost at least 20 pounds. f .r e\ewebnov(e)(l).c om
Seeing her son , Wang Guihua immediately cried out in anguish, went over and pulled him to look him up and down: "Son, what’s happened to you? Are you not eating well? Tell me, don’t scare Mom! I won’t argue with you again."
Gu Juntao gently pushed her hand aside: "I’ve applied for discharge."
"What did you say?" All three shouted together.
Gu Juntao said plain and simple: "And one more thing, Yang Hongying and I have already registered for marriage."
Wang Guihua staggered, almost passing out, supported by Gu Zishan, who rebuked angrily: "What are you talking about? Didn’t you see your mom’s condition?" He was also furious.
Gu Juntao said, "Yes, I see. But I’m telling the truth. Yang Hongying almost died, I can’t fail her. I took the household register when I left, none of you noticed, right?"
Indeed, no one noticed because Gu Juntao used his independent register for the military.
No one thought he would act first and inform later. If still in the army, there would’ve been news at Gu Zishan’s end when he married, but he had already applied for discharge. Along with the batch of December soldiers, the family had no idea. It meant he had discharged before going to the quake area, volunteering rather than seeking achievements.
Gu Dongfang was surprised looking at his grandson and thought, never before realizing his grandson had such strong determination!
It was all stimulated by his own mother; her words stabbed into Gu Juntao’s heart like knives.
Doesn’t this mean, I’m just a waste, you want me to follow your instructions, marry the woman you chose, should I be a waste all my life? If I can’t be with the one I love, what’s the point of anything?
Gu Juntao searched everywhere for Yang Hongying, practically going crazy, even falling seriously ill.
In the end, Yan Kai couldn’t take it anymore. He told him Yang Hongying had returned home.
She didn’t obey the assignment but returned there to become a teacher, a temporary worker without certification.
The salary was low, excluded by many teachers, the place was poor, the classroom was a row of bungalows, the canteen hardly filling the staff.
She had almost resigned to fate, thinking she would spend her life there. She fell ill, weakened so she could be blown down by the wind.
At midday, she went to the canteen to get food and saw Gu Juntao—so shabby, so bleak, yet smiling as he walked step by step with a tattered bag in his hand, looking so pitiful.