“Commander, we also attended literacy classes and can read.” Jin Chengwei added, “I think it’s quite remarkable that someone can become a regimental commander in their twenties. Even if they can’t read, they must have extraordinary abilities.”

After listening to Jin Chengwei's words, Jiang Mingjing snorted coldly, "If you can figure it out, how could my good brother not understand? He just feels that his daughter is dating but has never told him. Plus, with my mother's personality, she likes to meddle in other people's business. I'm afraid she wants to find an excuse to take Yaoyao back to Beijing and make her suffer!"

The old man needs to be taken care of now, and it's very difficult for his mother to take care of him alone. She asked Jiang Minghe to find another companion, but he complained that those people were not good enough for her son.

Now they're thinking of having their son take Jiang Jinyao away from Song Ting and bring their granddaughter back, so that Jiang Jinyao can take care of the old man.

Jiang Mingjing had known since childhood that his wife was biased, but he never imagined that she would be so biased towards girls. She doted on her adopted granddaughter endlessly, while neglecting her biological granddaughter. Jiang Mingjing had almost starved to death while being raised by his wife as a child.

He instigated the situation, causing the eldest brother and sister-in-law to be forced to divorce.

"Commander, to be frank, your mother is indeed... not very likable. You and Commander Jiang are both sons, but she thinks you are inferior. Every time you come home, she speaks ill of you. If Comrade Jiang Jinyao were to return to Beijing with you, how would you live in the future!" Jin Chengwei had been by Jiang Mingjing's side for many years, and sometimes he felt sorry for his commander.

Jiang Mingjing sighed helplessly!

He did not refute Jin Chengwei's words.

A long silence followed.

As dawn broke, Song Ting began to get busy. An Lude was coming to visit at noon, and since her daughter had decided on him, she naturally wanted to pay him special attention.

I went out early with my basket of vegetables. There were already long lines at the market to buy meat. After buying the meat, I had to go to another line to buy vegetables.

I waited in line at the market for more than half an hour before I could buy the meat.

Supply and marketing cooperatives usually sell their goods outside in the morning because there are a lot of people. Meat and vegetables are unloaded truckload by truck, and they are too lazy to carry them inside, so they sell them outside.

After resting well, Jiang Jinyao, knowing that An Lude was coming to visit today, got up early and started getting ready in her room.

"Yaoyao, you're up. Why didn't you sleep a little longer?" Song Ting put the groceries she bought in the kitchen, came in, and poured herself a glass of water.

They busied themselves, placing the prepared candies and fruits on the table, and taking out the last bit of tea leaves they had at home.

"I'm going to pick up Anlude. I'll go to the department store later to buy some wine and tea," Jiang Jinyao replied while braiding her hair in front of the mirror.

Song Ting laughed and said, "That makes sense. Your father loves to drink, so don't buy him expensive tea. He doesn't deserve it!"

"I'll listen to Mom. I'll buy some better wine, and just some decent tea. I'll use the rest of the money to buy Mom some good food." Jiang Jinyao finished tidying up and happily came out of the room, hugging her mother from behind.

Song Ting found it amusing that Jiang Jinyao suddenly hugged her, and gently slapped the back of Jiang Jinyao's hand.

"Go pick up An Lude quickly, don't keep him waiting. He must be just as worried as you, unable to sleep." Jiang Jinyao came to chat with her mother last night because she couldn't sleep.

An Lude knew that Jiang Jinyao's father disapproved of their relationship, and he probably couldn't sleep either.

After hearing Song Ting's words, Jiang Jinyao said, "Mom, I'm leaving now. You'll have to work hard. I love you, Mom!"

Jiang Jinyao kissed her mother's cheek and ran out like a child.

As she watched her daughter's figure slowly disappear, the smile on Song Ting's face also slowly faded.

"Cough cough~" Song Ting coughed incessantly, quickly opened a small cabinet, took out the medicine inside, poured out a few pills, put them all in her mouth, took a sip of water, closed her eyes and swallowed.

After calming down, I went to the kitchen to start cooking.

Jiang Jinyao left her own courtyard.

"Yaoyao, where are you going?" A neighbor greeted Jiang Jinyao warmly as she returned from grocery shopping.

Jiang Jinyao smiled and replied, "I'm going out for a walk."

"I heard from your mother that your boyfriend is coming over today. Are you going to pick him up?" The neighbor asked with a smile and a gossipy expression.

Jiang Jinyao smiled shyly and said, "Aunt He, you already know, why are you still asking? I'm so embarrassed!"

"What are you being shy about, child? You've been dating for so long, it's time to talk about marriage. Aunt He has been through this before." He Yingzi, who watched Jiang Jinyao grow up, speaks frankly. "You haven't had breakfast yet, have you? Aunt He just passed by a breakfast shop and bought two extra. Here, have some."

"No need, Aunt He, I'll just buy it on my way there later," Jiang Jinyao waved her hand in refusal.

He Yingzi said, "The queue will take a long time. You're in a hurry to pick up your boyfriend, so take this first. Don't go hungry. Take it."

Without giving Jiang Jinyao a chance to refuse, he stuffed the bun into her hand and said, "I'm going back to cook. Aunt He is waiting to eat your wedding candy."

"Thank you, Aunt He!" Jiang Jinyao happily thanked He Yingzi.

He Yingzi waved her hand with her back to Jiang Jinyao.

The neighbors all work in government agencies; they are highly educated and of good character, and helping each other out is a common occurrence.

Everyone knows about Jiang Jinyao's past with her mother, and they genuinely want to protect and love Jiang Jinyao.

Jiang Jinyao developed a condition where she couldn't stand being hungry. Whenever they moved here when she was little, they would take some food out of their pockets for her whenever they saw her.

When Song Ting and her child first moved here, she was often busy with work, so He Yingzi would bring Jiang Jinyao home for a hot meal.

Jiang Jinyao looked at the steamed bun and, even though she had grown up, she was still moved by everyone's love and care for her. She sniffed.

She murmured, "When I get married, I'll definitely treat you all to lots of wedding candy."

Touched, I munched on my steamed bun and happily ran towards happiness.

An Lude, who had been waiting for Jiang Jinyao at the station for a long time, nervously twirled his fingers.

The two index fingers of both hands collide and rotate back and forth, while the other fingers close together.

Looking in the direction where Jiang Jinyao always appeared, An Lude was nervous this time; his heart felt like it was going to jump out of his flesh as he breathed.

Since last weekend, Jiang Jinyao has said that her father does not approve of their relationship.

For the past week, he has been unable to sleep or eat anything because of this, and has lost a lot of weight.

Anlude was afraid that Jiang Jinyao wouldn't show up.

He was so engrossed in imagining all sorts of outcomes that he didn't notice Jiang Jinyao standing right in front of him.

Jiang Jinyao stood in front of An Lude, but he remained unmoved.

He poked Anlude with his index finger, but Anlude still didn't react.

A slap landed on Anlude's face, the force neither too strong nor too weak, but the sound of the slap was still audible.

"Yao... Yao Yao!" An Lude reacted, staring at Jiang Jin Yao, blinking a few times before realizing, "You're here?"