Qin Jian stayed in the hospital for five days before returning to the village.
Jian Ying’s condition was slightly more serious than his because his trachea had been burned by the smoke, and he needed to stay in the hospital for a few more days. Moreover, since Jian Ying’s wife had also rushed over from the research institute, the organization decided to treat it as comforting a hero, so they let him take a couple more days of rest.
As soon as Qin Jian’s car arrived at the entrance of the village, he saw a crowd of villagers lining up, beating drums and gongs. The moment he stepped out of the car, the village Party secretary came up to shake his hand, expressing a collective welcome home for the hero from the whole village.
Li Junping and Qin Ru Hai were beaming with joy to see their son safe and sound, their faces almost blossoming into flowers with smiles.
"Qin Fengfeng’s mom! Your son has made great achievements this time! The whole nation knows about it! Now you don’t have to worry about finding a daughter-in-law for your son, right? I bet once the newspapers report it, girls from all over the country will be lining up to marry our Qin Jian," shouted Old Lady Li, waving a small red flag in her hand.
Li Junping, even more smug after hearing this, said, "Isn’t that the truth? But Old Lady Li, do you think just anyone can marry our Qin Jian? They also have to see if they match our conditions!"
"What? Even the daughter of a leader isn’t good enough?" the widow Zhang joined in wherever there was excitement.
"Of course, she’s more than good enough," she replied.
"What about An Hao, then?" There always seemed to be someone who brought up the most inconvenient subject.
Li Junping gave a meaningful smile, "What do you think?"
Hearing his mother’s words, Qin Jian’s brow furrowed. Seeing his displeasure, the village Party secretary quickly clapped his hands and said, "Alright, alright! The hero has returned; let’s let him rest properly at home now."
After the crowd dispersed, Qin Jian walked ahead with an expressionless face, taking large strides.
Li Junping, scurrying behind him, was urgently pulled aside by Qin Ru Hai who chastised her in a low voice, "What’s the matter with you? What have I always told you? Keep a low profile. You know well that An Hao is the one in our son’s heart, and yet you say such things in front of everyone, clearly making it heard by An Hao?"
"What do you know?" Lin Junping glared at Qin Ru Hai. "I’m doing this for my son’s future."
"Let the son decide his future! With that effort, you better take care of your good-for-nothing younger son. He’s been out working for over half a year without ever coming home. He doesn’t even send money home, if one didn’t know better, they might think he’s dead out there," retorted Qin Ru Hai sternly, then walked away without looking back.
Halfway home, Qin Jian encountered An Hao waiting for him at the corner of the road.
Seeing Qin Jian striding back, apparently unharmed, An Hao breathed a sigh of relief. The worry and anticipation that lay in her eyes vanished, replaced by a beaming smile.
"Qin Jian, you’re back."
At that moment, all of Qin Jian’s attention focused on An Hao. He had always known she was pretty, but it was only now that he truly felt what beauty was.
She was wearing the red dress that Zhang Lanxiang had given her. The cut of the dress was very flattering, highlighting all her best features.
Her graceful neck, slender waist like a willow branch, her fair legs, and especially the full contour of her bust were particularly distinct and prominent, hinting at the primal urges he felt as a man.