Chapter 36 Xie Zhongming Has Someone in His Heart

Xie Zhongming watched An'an's adorable face as she fiddled with the newspaper, her head almost touching her chest. He carefully placed the newspaper back in his hand, patted it a few times, and wiped the ink off his hands on his pants before gently rubbing An'an's head.

What are you thinking about?

An'an slowly raised her little head, her round eyes looking at Xie Zhongming, who stood tall and straight like a pine tree.

She gripped the newspaper tightly in her hand.

She just said that Uncle Zhongming's wife is fat and ugly, and almost said that she is as fat as a pig.

Uncle Zhongming won't be angry, will he?

An'an quickly changed her tune.

"Uncle Zhongming, actually Auntie is chubby and cute, with a blessed look on her face."

The little girl was quite shrewd. Afraid of upsetting Uncle Zhongming, she pretended to take another careful look at the couple's wedding photo in the newspaper, especially staring at the chubby aunt for a long time.

My mother always said that there are skills to speaking. As long as your own interests are not violated, you should not offend people and you should speak nicely.

“Really, Uncle Zhongming, your wife has a full forehead; she looks like she’ll bring good fortune to her husband.”

However, An'an felt that the chubby aunt's eyes looked a bit like her mother's eyes, both being big almond-shaped eyes, but it was obvious that the chubby aunt was definitely not as pretty as her mother.

Mom is way ahead of that fat auntie!

"Little one, aren't you afraid your nose will grow longer if you say something you don't mean?" Xie Zhongming pinched An'an's nose.

This little girl was clearly not telling the truth.

Mischievous imp!

"The idea that lying will make your nose grow longer is just an adult lie to children; it won't actually grow longer."

"An'an is such a clever little devil!"

Xie Zhongming looked at the chubby girl in the newspaper and said, "An'an, your uncle's wife is indeed a bit chubby, but it's your uncle who has wronged her."

Back in Chadian Village, if his willpower had been strong enough, he wouldn't have ruined Pangya's reputation, nor would he have let Zeng Xiuzhu, obsessed with money, drive Pangya away. Pangya wouldn't have given birth to his child, and she wouldn't have fallen into the river with the baby.

He gripped the rice paste brush in his hand, his fingers clenching tightly, and his eyes filled with guilt. "Anyway, it's Uncle Zhongming's fault..."

“Uncle Zhongming,” An’an lowered her head and said with some guilt, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said your wife was ugly.”

"It's alright, Uncle's wife has indeed gained a little weight. What An'an said is true."

"..."

"Keep pasting the newspapers!"

As he spoke, Xie Zhongming rubbed An'an's head again, and An'an raised her head and smiled sweetly.

This scene, like a typical interaction between a father and daughter, appeared beautiful and heartwarming to Chen Jiahui, who was standing a dozen meters away.

Chen Jiahui thought that if Commander Xie could be so gentle and patient with the nanny's daughter, he must cherish his own daughter even more.

Chen Jiahui didn't know when she started to like Commander Xie.

She probably didn't even realize when she fell in love with him. She only remembered that when he borrowed a pencil from her in school, he accidentally touched her fingertips while taking it. Her heart raced, and she even stammered when she said "You're welcome."

The paulownia leaves in the military compound have fallen and turned green again, and the purple flowers have bloomed and faded.

Her hair went from ear-length to waist-length.

Year after year, Xie Zhongming remained in her heart for her entire youth.

Finally, one day, a matchmaker wanted to arrange a marriage between her and Xie Zhongming.

She had been waiting for news for several days, hoping to start a relationship with Xie Zhongming. If she could become Xie Zhongming's girlfriend, she wanted to give him a pen, a notebook, or even just a boiled egg, a cornbread, or a sweet fried dough stick, without having to go through Jiang Beiyang and Xiao Songhua and lie to him that it was a gift from them. She could also openly knit towels and sew shoe soles for him... Even now, she still had several pairs of shoe soles and scarves in her drawer, all handmade for Xie Zhongming.

She never had the chance to give it to him.

Chen Jiahui also hoped that if she could successfully become Xie Zhongming's wife in the future, she would give him a daughter, because the Xie family liked daughters the most, and she also liked daughters.

Just like now, when he looks at the nanny's daughter, he looks just like a gentle father!

Chen Jiahui believes that if Xie Zhongming has a child, he will definitely be a good father, just like Xie Jiang, who is responsible!

But at that time, the matchmaker told her that Xie Zhongming was not planning to consider personal relationships until he was promoted to regimental commander.

She said she would wait.

When he was promoted to regimental commander.

Xie Zhongming told her not to wait for him, and to marry a better man if she found one.

Little did he know that no matter how good other men were, none of them could catch Chen Jiahui's eye.

Later, Xie Zhongming married Pang Ya.

It's truly ironic how fate works; you really can't force things like destiny.

“You haven’t seen Zhongming for four years. Go over and lend him a hand, and talk to him.”

The one who spoke was Xiao Songhua, who was standing to the side.

Just as Chen Jiahui looked at Xie Zhongming, Xiao Songhua kept looking at Chen Jiahui.

Only then did Chen Jiahui withdraw her sore gaze.

Back when Xie Zhongming was still single, she would blush whenever she spoke to him and wouldn't dare get close to him.

Now that he has a wife, she has even less reason to get close to him.

"Let's forget it. I just came here to help put up a newspaper; I have no other intentions."

"Really not going?"

"I'm not going." Chen Jiahui raised her arm and continued brushing rice paste onto the red brick wall.

The small bucket of rice porridge she was carrying was made by her personally, starting a fire early in the morning.

"It's alright. Zhongming is already preparing to submit his divorce application to the military. He'll be single soon, so you don't need to worry about what others say."

Xiao Songhua knew that Chen Jiahui had liked Xie Zhongming for many years, and if she didn't seize the opportunity now, she might not have another chance later.

"That's not appropriate either, he's still a married man."

Chen Jiahui was a sensible person. After washing the rice paste, she started pasting the newspaper, her movements quick and clean, without glancing at Xie Zhongming again.

“You’re so stubborn.” Xiao Songhua snatched the rice cereal bucket away. “If you don’t take the initiative, Zhongming…”

Should Jia Hui be told that Xie Zhongming might have feelings for Qiao Xingyue?

After thinking it over, Xiao Songhua decided to hold off on saying anything for now, fearing it would upset Jia Hui. Over the years, Chen Jia Hui had always harbored feelings for Xie Zhongming, rejecting everyone who proposed to her, something Xiao Songhua had witnessed. Chen Jia Hui was already twenty-six, an age considered late for marriage for a woman.

Whether in the Kuncheng Military Region or the Jincheng District, women usually get married in their early twenties. Xiao Songhua didn't want Chen Jiahui's precious youth to be wasted because of a man.

"Zhongming, come here for a second," Xiao Songhua called out.

"What's up?"

Xie Zhongming and An'an were chatting happily a few meters away when they heard the noise and looked over. Xiao Songhua urged them on, and then he took An'an's hand and walked over.

Xiao Songhua quickly took An'an's hand and said, "An'an, do you want an ice pop? Uncle will buy you one!"

Upon hearing the words "popsicle," An'an's big, grape-like eyes lit up, and she nodded her head like a chick pecking at rice, "Mmm!"

"Come on, Uncle Songhua will buy you an ice pop."

Xie Zhongming was well aware that Xiao Songhua was deliberately creating opportunities for him and Chen Jiahui to be alone together.

"Comrade Chen Jiahui, I'll do the brushing, you do the pasting."

Xie Zhongming withdrew his gaze from An'an's small figure and resumed brushing rice paste onto the red brick wall.

From the moment he approached, Chen Jiahui held her breath very softly, afraid that if she made too much noise, her gaze would uncontrollably drift toward his face. She gripped the newspaper tightly in her hand, her heart pounding.

"Comrade Chen Jiahui."

"arrive!"

"You don't need to be so nervous, I'm just chatting with you casually."

"Talk, what should we talk about?"

"Did Xiao Songhua mention to you that I was planning to submit a divorce report to the military?"

"Um!"

"Comrade Chen Jiahui, my wife and two children may have drowned four years ago. Even if I become single again, I will not consider personal matters."

"Commander Xie, you may have misunderstood. I... I came here today just to help put up the newspapers, I didn't mean to ask about you, I..."

Chen Jiahui gripped the newspaper in her hand tighter and tighter.

She looked up to explain, but as soon as her gaze met Xie Zhongming's, she felt so hot that she quickly lowered her head again.

"Let me finish what I have to say."

"..."

"Comrade Chen Jiahui, I roughly know why you haven't dated anyone all these years. But I don't want to hold you back."

"Thank you, Commander Xie..."

Before Chen Jiahui could finish speaking, Xie Zhongming said decisively, "I have someone in my heart! I really don't want to hold you back!"

Chen Jiahui, who had been looking down, suddenly looked up. The words rolled around in her throat twice, but she couldn't make a sound. Her clean, long eyelashes trembled twice like butterfly wings, so delicate that they seemed like they would break in a gust of wind.

Any man would feel pity and tenderness upon seeing Chen Jiahui's appearance. Chen Jiahui was already beautiful; back in Jincheng, she was the most beautiful woman in the Jincheng Military Region. But Xie Zhongming, seeing her like this, felt no pity whatsoever; instead, his heart was as hard as stone.

Chen Jiahui suddenly forced a smile, but the shallow dimples on her cheeks carried a hint of sadness. "That's good, Commander Xie. You and your wife were forced into marriage back then. It's a good thing if you really have someone you like. Um, I, I'm going to help Xiao Chen wash the rice paste."

Chen Jiahui, like a deserter, walked far away from Xie Zhongming. When she got to Xiao Chen's side, she kept washing rice paste and pasting newspapers like a machine, and she couldn't hear what Xiao Chen was saying to her.

All she could think about was Commander Xie's words—"He has someone in his heart!"

Why does fate play such cruel tricks on people?

When Commander Xie was single, a chubby girl suddenly appeared. Just when Commander Xie was finally about to get a divorce, he found someone else he liked.

"Comrade Chen, why are you crying?"

"It's nothing, just some wind in my eyes."

Where did the wind come from?

"Let's put up newspapers, we won't be able to finish in a short time."

When Xiao Songhua returned with An'an after buying popsicles, he noticed Chen Jiahui was quite a distance away from Xie Zhongming. This opportunity was deliberately created for her, why wasn't she seizing it? He walked over and handed the extra popsicles to Chen Jiahua, "Why don't you get one for Zhongming?"

"I'm not going!"

"What's wrong?"

"I was just putting up newspapers, nothing serious." Since this was fate, she would try to let go of Xie Zhongming and silently wish him well. Not wanting Xiao Songhua to see the tears in her eyes, she quickly moved to another spot to put up the newspapers.

...

Kunming First Military Region Hospital.

Qiao Xingyue received Ningning and Commander Xie's chest CT reports and glanced at them.

Commander Xie, who was standing next to her, asked, "Xingyue, what does this CT report say?"

Seeing Qiao Xingyue's tightly furrowed brows, Xie Jiang assumed that her and Ningning's conditions were quite serious. These past few days, both of them had been in poor spirits, often struggling to breathe.

He was somewhat worried, "Is it serious?"

Qiao Xingyue's brow relaxed, and she said, "Uncle Xie, don't worry, it's just bronchitis triggered by ordinary asthma. However, you and Ningning both have congenital stenosis of the left trachea. But it's okay, it won't have much of an impact."

"What a coincidence! Ningning and I both have the same tracheal stenosis?"

"Yes, the CT report shows the same result. Let's go ask the doctor again."

The two of them took Ningning and the report to the follow-up appointment. As they walked, Xie Jiang asked, "Xingyue, you said that Ningning and I both have the same left tracheal stenosis. Is it possible that we are related by blood?"

Qiao Xingyue found it strange. Why did Uncle Xie suddenly ask that?

Xie Jiang then realized that his question was too abrupt. Xingyue's husband was a martyr who had sacrificed his life, and she was skilled in traditional Chinese medicine and surgery, and very knowledgeable. Pangya, on the other hand, was illiterate.

He was overthinking it. He smiled and said, "Uncle Xie just loves An'an and Ningning too much. If An'an and Ningning were really our Xie family's granddaughters, Uncle Xie and your Aunt Lan would be laughing in their sleep!"

Despite these thoughts, Xie Jiang still asked the doctor during his follow-up visit, "Doctor, do you think I have stenosis in my left trachea, just like this little girl? Could we be related by blood?"

Today, their doctor for follow-up appointments was a senior expert who had returned from studying abroad. He was very authoritative and patient. "Sir," he said, "many patients with congenital asthma also have congenital stenosis of their trachea. This cannot be used as a basis for determining blood relations."

Upon hearing this, the hopeful light in Xie Jiang's eyes suddenly dimmed, and even his broad and upright shoulders, as sturdy as an old pine tree, seemed to slump.

It seems he really was overthinking things.

As Xie Jiang walked out of the clinic, he ran into Xie Zhongming, who had finished his business and brought An'an to the hospital.

Xie Zhongming glanced behind Xie Jiang several times, then looked around. Before he could speak, Xie Jiang, knowing he was looking for Xingyue, said, "Xingyue took Ningning to the restroom."

As they were talking, Qiao Xingyue led Ningning through the corridor and walked past a group of patients and their families waiting for treatment.

She was tall and slender with fair skin that made her stand out from the crowd. Ningning, whom she was holding hands with, looked like her younger sister, which made her appear especially youthful.

The moment she appeared in Xie Zhongming's sight, his back tensed, but his tall figure remained calm and composed in place.

When Qiao Xingyue approached, he handed her two bottles of soda. "Comrade Qiao, these are freshly bought. You and Ningning can have a bottle of soda."

"Thank you!" When Qiao Xingyue took it, her hand accidentally touched Xie Zhongming's fingers, which burned him so much that Xie Zhongming quickly pulled his hand back. Even saying "You're welcome" made his back tense.