Chapter 32 We need to use contraception!

Xie Zhongming, standing in front of the fighter jet, held his helmet and remained silent for a while.

Under the blood-red sunset, his tense expression did not relax in the slightest; instead, his brows furrowed even more tightly.

Thinking of Fatty and the child Fatty had, he clenched his fist tightly around the fighter jet helmet, a feeling of tightness rising in his chest.

"Bei Yang, did Song Hua say whether Fatty actually gave birth to that child?"

The wind made Jiang Beiyang's flight suit flutter wildly; this problem had stumped him.

“Songhua didn’t mention the child. He only said that Fatty had worked as a waitress and dishwasher at the Furong Hotel in Kunming.”

Jiang Beiyang thought for a moment and then said, "If Fatty really gave birth to that child, Songhua would probably say something, but he didn't."

Thinking of a possibility, Jiang Beiyang added, "Zhongming, what if Fatty didn't keep the baby and it wasn't even born? If that's the case, if you find Fatty and bring up divorce, wouldn't you have no ties?"

Seeing that Xie Zhongming remained silent, Jiang Beiyang continued, "If you're not going to Kuncheng, I'll have Songhua investigate more thoroughly?"

Xie Zhongming shoved the fighter jet helmet in his hand into Jiang Beiyang's arms.

"I will personally go to the Furong Hotel in Kunming."

The roar of the fighter jet engines finally subsided, and the rising heat, carrying the smell of aviation oil, slowly dissipated on the black asphalt runway.

The smell intensified the tightness in Xie Zhongming's chest.

A pair of black boots walked further and further away on the asphalt ground bathed in the setting sun.

...

The weather in Jincheng is gradually getting warmer, and the military compound is full of seasonal flowers, including roses, magnolias, azaleas, gardenias, and more... The air is filled with a fragrant aroma.

As the fragrance spreads, so does the pollen, which causes Ningning's asthma to flare up from time to time during this season.

In the evening, Mingyuan and Zhiyuan, who had just returned from school, took An'an and Ningning and played a game of catching corn kernels in the courtyard where vegetables were grown.

Ningning squatted on the ground, her fingers just picking up a golden corn kernel to toss it into the air, when she suddenly clutched her chest and gasped for breath, as if something had blocked her bronchus, making each breath a struggle.

Soon, her little face turned red and then pale, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her small forehead.

Xie Zhiyuan, the eldest grandson of the Xie family, quickly picked up Ningning and ran into the main room. "Aunt Xingyue, Ningning is suddenly having trouble breathing. Please take a look at her and see what's wrong."

Qiao Xingyue dropped the shovel in the kitchen and rushed out with Huang Guilan.

"Zhiyuan, quickly put your sister down and let her squat on the ground."

An'an had already run upstairs to get the canvas bag containing the special medicine and handed it to Qiao Xingyue, saying, "Mom, here, this is for my little sister."

Although Ningning often falls ill, and Qiao Xingyue is a doctor herself, her hands still trembled a little when she uncorked the medicine bottle. At this moment, Huang Guilan handed her some warm water.

After Ningning took the medicine, her pale complexion regained some color and her breathing became much more stable more after more than ten minutes.

On the square table were the medicine Ningning had taken, in a brown glass bottle.

Xie Zhiyuan, the eldest grandson of the Xie family, looked around and saw that the special asthma medication he and his grandfather Xie Jiang were taking was exactly the same.

This medicine isn't cheap. Xie Zhiyuan had gone to the pharmacy with his grandfather to get this kind of medicine before. "Aunt Xingyue, does Ningning have asthma like Grandpa?"

“Yes, Ningning’s asthma symptoms are exactly the same as your grandfather’s,” Huang Guilan echoed from the side.

During the time Zhiyuan and Mingyuan stayed at their grandmother's house, they adored their two younger sisters, An'an and Ningning.

Seeing that Ningning's expression had softened, Xie Zhiyuan breathed a sigh of relief. "Grandma, what a coincidence that Ningning even has the same asthma as Grandpa?"

Huang Guilan responded, "And there's an even bigger coincidence: An'an, like Grandma and your fourth uncle, is also allergic to peanuts."

Xie Zhiyuan wasn't the only one surprised; Xie Mingyuan, the second grandson of the Xie family, was also astonished. "What? What a coincidence! Anyone who didn't know better would think that An'an and Ningning were really their grandparents' biological granddaughters."

Sitting in the armchair, the elderly Chen Suying couldn't stop smiling. "If you really are our biological child, your grandparents and I would be laughing in our dreams."

That evening, the entire Xie family gathered around a square table to eat noodles. There were two kinds of noodles: tomato and egg noodles, and spicy dan dan noodles.

However, Xie Jiang recently had an asthma attack. He didn't eat anything spicy. He stopped slurping his tomato and egg noodles and said, "Gui Lan, I'm going to Kunming for a meeting the day after tomorrow. I'll also get a chest CT scan while I'm there."

The doctors in Jincheng had long advised Xie Jiang to get a chest CT scan, but because Jincheng Hospital had not yet introduced foreign CT machines, and he was too busy with official duties to go to Kuncheng to have it done.

“Perfect timing.” Huang Gui stopped picking up the noodles. “Ningning’s asthma has flared up recently. Just before you came back, Ningning couldn’t catch her breath, and her little face turned red and purple. It scared me to death. Why don’t you take Xingyue and Ningning to Kunming and let Ningning get a full checkup?”

Xie Zhongming, who was slurping noodles, slowly stopped.

He placed the enamel bowl on the table, and although his movements as he slurped the noodles were a bit fast, they exuded a decisive and robust energy.

His Adam's apple bobbed cleanly as he swallowed the noodles in his mouth and said, "Mom, perfect timing. I have business to attend to in Kunming. I'll go with them."

It is indeed official business, but Xie Zhongming does not need to go in person.

He simply wanted to take advantage of this trip to Kunming to visit the Furong Hotel where Fatty used to work and see if he could find her.

It would also be good to confirm whether Fatty actually gave birth to that baby.

"That's perfect. Zhongming, go buy three train tickets, and buy Xingyue's ticket too."

The train ticket from Jincheng to Kuncheng costs five yuan and fifty cents.

The next day, Xie Zhongming bought the tickets. Qiao Xingyue took out a stack of money from her handkerchief, counted out four one-yuan bills and three fifty-cent bills, and handed them to Xie Zhongming.

Xie Zhongming not only refused to accept the train ticket money, but also took out four ten-yuan bills from his pocket and handed them to Qiao Xingyue. "Comrade Qiao, my mother said that Ningning will need to spend a lot of money to see a doctor in Kunming. This is an advance on your salary for next month. It's all for the child. Please don't be shy with her and be sure to keep this money."

When Xie Zhongming shoved the four ten-yuan bills into Qiao Xingyue's hand, his calloused fingertips gently touched her fingers.

Both of them recoiled as if they had been burned by something.

Aunt Lan's care and concern brought tears to Qiao Xingyue's eyes. She silently made up her mind to treat Aunt Lan and Uncle Xie as her own parents and be filial to them from now on.

"Comrade Xie, thank you so much. I will work hard for the Xie family."

"If we hadn't met you, I don't know what would have happened to Ningning's illness..."

Her voice was crisp and clear, without any dragging, and the choked-up ending was wrapped in a soft, moist tone, resilient yet with a slight tremor.

Hearing this, Xie Zhongming felt a pang of tenderness in his heart.

Yes, she is a woman raising two children, one of whom needs long-term medication, which is expensive. Over the years, she has had a very difficult time without anyone's help.

"Comrade Xie, after I get my diploma from the college entrance examination, I will work harder to earn money and will definitely repay Aunt Lan and Uncle Xie in the future."

Qiao Xingyue's face regained its resilient and determined smile, which made Xie Zhongming feel very sorry for her.

His gaze toward Qiao Xingyue lacked its usual sharpness, replaced by a softness hidden deep within his eyes. He didn't speak immediately, but his rough hand rose lightly at his side, as if to pat Qiao Xingyue's shoulder and offer some comfort and encouragement.

Afraid of being too forward, he finally let his arm hang back to his side and clenched his fingers tightly.

She softened her voice considerably, saying, "Keep going, things will get better, and Ningning's illness will improve too."

...

The next morning, Xie Zhongming and Xie Jiang took Qiao Xingyue and An Anning to Jincheng Railway Station. They brought two snakeskin bags filled with food, clothing and other necessities.

Ningning didn't sleep well last night, and her asthma flared up, so she wasn't feeling well. She was having trouble breathing, her face was very pale, her little brows were furrowed, and she looked very haggard.

When entering the station, Xie Zhongming carried the weak Ningning in one arm and two large snakeskin bags in the other. Despite the heavy load, he seemed relaxed and effortless.

The train station was packed with people, and the air was filled with all sorts of stench and sweat.

Some people carried loads on shoulder poles, with grain tied to one end and chickens and ducks stuffed into snakeskin bags with their heads sticking out at the other.

The snakeskin bag was covered in stinky chicken and duck droppings, which rubbed against Qiao Xingyue's body without her noticing. She held An'an tightly in one hand and followed beside Xie Zhongming.

"Comrade Xie, it's inconvenient for you to hold Ningning, could you please give me the snakeskin bag?"

"It's alright."

When the crowds were dense, Xie Zhongming didn't forget to use his strong arms, which were carrying the snakeskin bag, to gently shield Ningning in his arms, preventing the passengers next to him from touching her even slightly.

"Mom, someone stepped on me!"

Suddenly, someone started pushing back against the flow of people.

Even though Qiao Xingyue held An An's wrist tightly, she still managed to separate from An An.

The crowd pushed An'an further and further away. An'an's eyes reddened with anxiety, and her voice was filled with a wronged and frightened sob, "Mommy, Mommy..."

"Excuse me, excuse me. My child was stepped on, please move aside."

Qiao Xingyue raised her voice.

Seeing An'an disappear into the crowd, she was extremely anxious.

But she was being pushed and shoved by the crowd, and the more she was pushed, the more she was swept along by the crowd, and the distance between her and An'an gradually increased.

"Mommy, Mommy, waaaah..."

"An'an, don't be afraid, Mommy is coming right away."

Even the strong-willed An'an couldn't help but cry loudly when she got separated from her mother, was pushed to the ground, and was almost trampled on.

Suddenly, a pair of strong arms pushed through the crowd, put down the snakeskin bag in their hands, and used one hand to pick up the tiny, huddled An'an who had been pushed over.

"Uncle Zhongming!"

The strong, warm chest suddenly gave An'an's anxious little heart a sense of security.

Xie Zhongming supported An'an's legs, letting her sit on his arm, while holding Ningning in his other arm.

Looking at the two children in her arms, her eyes were warm and bright, like a ray of light.

In an instant, the pushing arms, the tripping legs, and the pungent smell of sweat all disappeared.

Beside him was Xie Jiang, who was having some difficulty breathing.

However, Xie Jiang had been a soldier his whole life, so he could overcome this physical discomfort.

"Don't be afraid, An'an and Ningning. Uncle Zhongming is here. He will protect you."

Watching this scene, Qiao Xingyue felt, in a daze, that Commander Xie was like An Anning's grandfather, and Xie Zhongming was like An Anning's father, a warm and harmonious scene.

if……

She quickly suppressed these thoughts and stopped overthinking.

They then entered the station together and boarded the train.

The seats are all in one row.

Qiao Xingyue held Ningning, Xie Zhongming held An'an, and Xie Jiang sat in the outermost aisle. They looked as harmonious as a family of five, three generations.

"Comrade Qiao, you've scratched your arm." At this moment, Xie Zhongming took out a white handkerchief from the pocket of his military green polyester trousers.

The handkerchief, like his white shirt, was white and clean.

Fold them into a square shape.

Not only was the handkerchief clean and tidy, but his white shirt and army green trousers were also perfectly ironed, without a single wrinkle.

He exudes a tall and imposing spirit.

Unlike Qiao Xingyue, whose arm was scratched and whose clothes were torn in a corner.

If Xie Zhongming hadn't reminded her, she wouldn't have realized that An'an must have been scratched by someone else's basket when she was pushed aside by the crowd.

She felt a slight pain at the time, but she was too preoccupied with feeling peaceful to pay any attention to it.

Only now did I realize how painful it was.

Qiao Xingyue did not take the clean white handkerchief. "No need, Commander Xie, thank you."

I was pondering how to treat the injury on my arm.

The white handkerchief had already fallen onto her arm. Xie Zhongming gently wiped it, and the handkerchief was immediately stained with blood, making Qiao Xingyue feel quite embarrassed.

"It's alright, your injury is more important. I'll wash the handkerchief later."

Xie Zhongming pointed to her clothes, "Comrade Qiao, and your clothes too."

Looking down, Qiao Xingyue realized that her clothes had gotten dirty when she entered the station.

That was poultry droppings. I got it on the snakeskin bag of an old man who was picking out chickens and ducks when I brought it into the station.

No wonder there was a strange smell in the air.

Looking at herself in this state, compared to the clean and spirited demeanor of Commander Xie, Qiao Xingyue suddenly felt utterly disheveled.

She took out a snakeskin bag from under her seat, then took out a pink polyester shirt from it, and stood up decisively. "Comrade Xie, Uncle Xie, could you please look after An'an and Ningning for me? I'm going to the restroom to change my clothes."

Commander Xie stood up and made way for him, waving his hand, "It's alright, go ahead, we'll take care of things peacefully, don't worry."

Xie Zhongming, who was holding An'an as he got up, did not say anything.

Even after Qiao Xingyue's tall, slender figure had left, he still gazed in that direction.

...

At noon, they went to the dining car.

The green trains of the 1970s had coal-fired cast iron stoves burning in the dining car, with bright red flames rising from the stoves.

The entire dining car was filled with a faint smell of coal smoke and a rich aroma of vegetables and meat.

As soon as they arrived at the dining car, An'an and Ningning couldn't help but swallow hard. The bolder An'an asked directly, "Grandpa Commander, will we have meat to eat today?"

"Yes." Xie Jiang rubbed An'an's head. "An'an, order whatever you want to eat."

Soon, An'an ordered braised pork, shredded pork with potatoes, shredded pork with green peppers, Mapo tofu...

"That's enough, An'an."

"That's not enough, let An'an have some more," Xie Jiang said. "The portions on the train are small, so order a few more dishes and don't let the child go hungry."

An'an was afraid she had ordered too much, so she didn't order any more. Xie Zhongming then ordered another dish of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, crispy pork soup, and shredded lettuce, as well as five bowls of rice.

"Comrade, that's four yuan and fifty cents in total."

This meal cost Qiao Xingyue three or four days' wages, and Xie Jiang paid for it.

During the meal, Xie Jiang kept putting food on An An and Ning Ning's plates, worried that the two children wouldn't get any meat.

At the next table, a short-haired aunt who looked like an intellectual kept glancing at An'an and Ningning, thinking that the two children were really good-looking, as delicate as porcelain dolls.

The short-haired woman looked at Xie Zhongming and said, "Comrade, the twin daughters your wife gave birth to are so beautiful and adorable! You are truly blessed!"

Then, she said to Xie Jiang, "Brother, your two granddaughters are really beautiful!"

Neither Qiao Xingyue nor Xie Zhongming offered an explanation.

It would be even harder to explain if they were not a couple.

Xie Jiang, who couldn't wait to have two well-behaved and adorable granddaughters like An An Ning Ning, had no further explanation. He happily served food to the two children.

The short-haired woman then said to Xie Zhongming, "Comrade, you and your wife had twins, and the babies are so beautiful. You must take precautions against pregnancy. Now is the time to enforce family planning. Abortion is very harmful to a woman's health. Don't let your wife suffer health problems later."

Upon hearing this, Xie Zhongming's ears turned slightly red, and he was at a loss for words.

Fearing that the aunt would go further and further astray, Qiao Xingyue quickly explained, "Auntie, we are not husband and wife. This is my... older brother."

The short-haired aunt quickly apologized, "Oh, I'm so sorry, these two kids look so much like this handsome man. Look at the kids' eyes and earlobes, they're so alike! I thought you two were a young couple. I'm so sorry!"

Qiao Xingyue smiled gently, "It's alright, Auntie."

Xie Jiang had previously thought that An'an and Ningning's eyes were very similar to Xie Zhongming's, and their earlobes were also similar in shape.

After the short-haired aunt mentioned it, Xie Jiang felt it was even more likely.

If Xie Jiang didn't know that Comrade Qiao's husband had died, he would have suspected that Qiao Xingyue was the same person as the missing Fatty who had been missing for so many years.

However, Fatty weighs over 200 pounds, which is quite unlike Comrade Qiao.

Xie Jiang dispelled this doubt.

...

As dusk fell, the train arrived at Kuncheng Railway Station.

Xiao Songhua, Xie Zhongming's comrade-in-arms in Kunming, specially drove a jeep to pick them up.

Xie Zhongming invited Qiao Xingyue and An Anning to get into the car together.

Xiao Songhua was Xie Zhongming's classmate at the military academy and later his comrade-in-arms. He was a special forces officer who, like Xie Zhongming, could operate artillery and fly airplanes.

As he drove, he said, "Zhongming, you haven't had dinner yet, have you? I'll take you to that state-run restaurant called Furong Hotel to welcome you back."

Furong Hotel?

Qiao Xingyue, sitting in the back seat, was startled. Could it be that she had just given birth to An An and Ning Ning and had washed dishes at the Furong Hotel?

Xie Zhongming responded, "Okay."

Xiao Songhua then said, "Zhongming, perfect timing. After we finish eating, I'll take you to inquire about your wife."