Translator: Henyee Editor: Henyee
Tang Xi carefully chose her clothes. And then she tied her hair up high and put on a white shirt and jeans along with a pair of sneakers, which made her look youthful and lively. She looked exactly like an energetic girl that old people would like.
Seeing Tang Xi dressed like this, Xiao Yao smiled and asked, “Why did you tie up your hair?”
Though regardless of whether her hair was tied up or put down, she was always so pretty.
Tang Xi smiled and went to the kitchen, saying, “I think Grandpa and Uncle prefer the clean and neat style.” She poured a glass of water for herself and drank it.
Xiao Yao nodded. “Your cousin used to dress like this, but now she has short hair.”
Tang Xi smiled. Many military women had shoulder-length short hair or had their hair cut short, which made them look neat.
Yang Jingxian pushed open the door of Tang Xi’s room and came in. Upon seeing the latter’s clothes, her eyes lit up and she quickly came over to look at Tang Xi up and down, repeatedly nodding her head as she commented, “Good, very good. Your grandpa will surely like you.”
Tang Xi chuckled and winked at Yang Jingxian, who looked at the time and said, “Let’s go over to the Yang Family. Your dad and brothers will go there after work.”
Tang Xi and Xiao Yao nodded. Yang Jingxian went to drive the car. Tang Xi couldn’t drive without a driver’s license, and Xiao Yao couldn’t either because of his injuries. Sitting in the passenger seat, Tang Xi was constantly gazing outside the car window along the way, so Yang Jingxian couldn’t help asking her what she was looking at.
Tang Xi withdrew her gaze and replied, “I feel like something changed here.”
Xiao Yao glanced at Tang Xi in the rearview mirror, and a dim gleam flickered across his eyes. He lowered his eyes and told himself not to look at her anymore. Yang Jingxian said with a smile, “Really? But I can’t see any difference.”
Tang Xi smiled. “Maybe I made a mistake.”
The Yang Family lived in a military compound, which was a bit far away from their house. Yang Jingxian usually drove slowly and there was a traffic jam on the beltway, so it was almost 7 o’clock when they arrived at the Yang Family, and Xiao Hongli, Xiao Sa and Xiao Jing were already there.
Seeing Tang Xi, Xiao Jing quickly squeezed his way over to her and whispered, “Aren’t you with him?”
“We split up when you called him,” Tang Xi whispered back.
Xiao Jing tried to say something when there was a burst of laughter. A man in his seventies walked out, surrounded by a crowd. He was General Yang, Yang Weiguo. Although he was old, he was still vigorous. When he saw Xiao Yao, he cried out loudly, “You brat, come on over here.”
The people standing behind him were his son, Yang Jingchao; his daughter-in-law, Yuan Lihua; Yang Jingchao’s eldest son, Yang Muhua; second son, Yang Mufeng; fourth son, Yang Mukun; and youngest daughter, Yang Muqing. Xiao Yao strode forward to greet Yang Weiguo first and then the others in turn.
Their third son, Yang Muxing, was on a mission so he was not here.
Yang Weiguo nodded with satisfaction as he looked at Xiao Yao, reached out to pat him on the shoulder and then said, “Good, very good! You’re more capable than I was when I was young. You’re already a lieutenant colonel at such a young age. Can you exceed me in military rank in five years?”
Yang Jingchao was just a major general.
A flash of embarrassment crossed Yang Jingchao’s face and he couldn’t help but call out to Yang Weiguo.
“If you don’t want to be surpassed by your nephew, you have to work hard and not get knocked down by these kids,” Yang Weiguo said.
Yang Muhua looked at Xiao Yao with a smile and said, “I didn’t expect you to have already become a lieutenant colonel without telling anyone. I’m ashamed that I couldn’t help showing off to everyone when I became a senior captain at the age of 30.”
Xiao Yao replied with a smile, “I serve in a special forces corps, so it’s easier for me to be promoted. You’re being modest.”
Yang Mufeng went over to put his arm around Xiao Yao’s shoulder and then said in a loud voice, “Not bad, cousin. You really shock us! Did you know my father locked my brother up in the confinement room when he found out you were already a lieutenant colonel?”
Looking at Yang Mukun who scowled miserably, Xiao Yao nodded. “I knew. I had a drink with Mukun the night before.”
Yang Muqing didn’t continue this topic. Looking at Tang Xi, who had been standing beside Yang Jingxian quietly and listening to their conversation with a smile, she asked, “Is this our little cousin Rourou?”
Tang Xi stepped forward, smiled at the crowd and bowed to Yang Weiguo, saying, “Hello, Grandpa. Hello, Uncle. Hello, Aunt. Hello, cousins. I’m Xiao Rou.”
Yuan Lihua walked up to Tang Xi, held her hand and said with a smile, “What a pretty and sensible girl!”
Yang Weiguo also looked at Tang Xi with a nod. “She looks exactly like her mom when she was young. No wonder she is your child.”
Tang Xi didn’t know what to say. General Yang, are you having an illusion? My mom is still young, and I don’t think I look like her.
Yuan Lihua nodded and smiled. “Yes, she really is a bit like her mom when she was young. Maybe Rourou is truly our Yang Family’s child.”
Tang Xi chuckled and didn’t know how to respond. Yang Muqing said, “Don’t stand by the door. Come on in.”
“Wait a minute,” Yuan Lihua said. “There’s still a guest who hasn’t arrived yet. She hasn’t seen us for a long time, so it is really rare that she offered to meet us this time. She is coming. Let’s wait a minute.”
The Yang Family lived in the innermost villa of the military compound. They went to the gate to receive the guests, so they wanted to wait for the last guest here. Yang Jingxian and her family were quite intimate with them, so they accompanied them waiting.
Yang Jingxian asked, “Who is it?”
Yuan Lihua laughed and replied, “You’ll see.”
At this time, an SUV came into their lines of sight. Yuan Lihua came forward with a smile and said, “Look, she has arrived.”
Tang Xi looked at the SUV and felt it looked familiar. Soon, the car stopped and a man got off the car. She stared with her eyes widened. The man went back into the car to take out a wheelchair and place it on the ground, after which he carried the woman in the car out and seated her in the wheelchair. Yuan Lihua walked up to them with a smile and said, “You finally agreed to come out? How many years has it been since you haven’t contacted us?”
Qiao Yuxin smiled at Yuan Lihua, and then at Tang Xi. She said, “Rourou, it’s great you’re alright. I was worrying about you.”
Except for Qiao Liang and the Xiao brothers, everyone else was surprised.