Chapter 44: Infatuation (fourth update) Sister, you were young once too, I will accompany you...

Political Commissar Ning mentioned Qi Guozhong again.

Yao Jingzong heard it clearly now. It was not hallucination. It was really Old Qi.

I couldn't help but sigh: "The widow you are talking about is my relative."

"What? What a coincidence!" Political Commissar Ning was stunned. He quickly came back and sat down. "Tell me quickly, what kind of person is she?"

"She's a good person. She didn't remarry after becoming a widow and raised her child alone." Yao Jingzong didn't see any issues with Tang Fengyuan's character and gave her a guarantee. "She's been a police officer for many years, has decent skills, and is a capable person. If your brother really likes her, he can try. But... she's been waiting for almost twenty years, so I'm afraid she won't agree easily."

"You don't object?" Political Commissar Ning was a little surprised. From Old Yao's tone, he seemed to support the woman's remarriage.

Yao Jingzong thought the question was a bit boring. "Why should I object? I don't even interfere in my own children's marriages. If my in-laws really want to remarry, I can't control her. If she doesn't want to marry, I have no right to persuade her. You should just work hard on yourselves. After all, she is the one your brother likes."

That's true.

Political Commissar Ning inquired about the specific relationship between the two families and was stunned: "It seems that her son has fallen in love with your daughter, and he accidentally found your daughter?"

"That's right." Yao Jingzong smiled. "So you see, what right do I have to interfere in her affairs? No, I should actually thank her."

"That's really fate, Old Yao! In that case, I must help my brother." Political Commissar Ning was a little excited. In this way, if you round it off, doesn't it mean that he and Old Yao are related?

Hehehe, very good!

Hurry to the guesthouse to see if Ning Zhengrong has left.

When we got there, Ning Zhengrong had already come out dragging his suitcase.

Political Commissar Ning quickly carried it to him and went back into the house to talk.

Ning Zhengrong was a little surprised: "Brother, you don't object anymore?"

"I don't object! If you and that little Tang become a couple, wouldn't you be the father-in-law of Old Yao's daughter? How wonderful." Political Commissar Ning smiled happily and asked, "Do you want me to help you propose marriage?"

Ning Zhengrong shook his head expressionlessly: "No need, I can handle my own affairs, don't add unnecessary trouble."

"Hey, how can you talk like that?" Political Commissar Ning became anxious.

Ning Zhengrong insisted, "If I need my family's help to pursue a woman, what kind of man would I be? Don't bother, I'll find a way myself. I'm angry that you tricked me into coming here for a blind date. This won't happen again."

After Ning Zhengrong finished speaking, he left with his suitcase.

Political Commissar Ning was so angry that he sighed deeply, but he couldn't do anything about it, so he had to let it go.

After returning to Yicheng, Ning Zhengrong went to the museum to help restore cultural relics. He was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and also understood antiques and collectibles. He was a master.

Now that he has been cleared of all charges, several museums are vying for his help.

He rejected the olive branches from those big cities and returned to Yicheng to stay with that person.

Go out early and come back late every day, quietly doing my own thing, without disturbing or alienating others.

If you meet someone, just say hello. If you don’t meet someone, don’t blame anyone.

He has enjoyed it for so many years and it has not bothered anyone else.

That night, he worked overtime and it was already dark when he came back.

As soon as I reached the entrance of the alley, I saw a man acting suspiciously, and I had no idea what he was trying to do.

He didn't say anything and just followed quietly.

As he was walking, a man suddenly appeared behind him. It was Li Hu from the entrance of the alley. He recognized him and learned from Qi Changxiao why this man lived here. He quickly made a hushing gesture.

The two of them just followed quietly.

When the man took out the tools and pried open the copper lock of Ning Zhengrong's house, Li Hu couldn't help it and wanted to shout. He asked Ning Zhengrong to grab him and hide behind the electric pole.

Li Hu understood that they were trying to catch the turtle in the jar, so he quickly turned around and went out, asking He Xiangyang, who lived next door, to call the police.

When he came back, Ning Zhengrong was gone.

There was a clanging sound of fighting coming from Ning Zhengrong's house, which was scary. Either bowls were broken or basins were dropped. The thief might have been forced into a corner and was throwing whatever he could get his hands on.

Li Hu rushed over to help, but when he pushed the door, he found it was locked from the inside. He could only shout, "Who are you, little thief? Surrender now! Your grandfather has called the police! They're coming to catch you right away!"

Seeing that there was no way to escape, the thief took desperate measures and grabbed the fruit knife on the table and stabbed Ning Zhengrong.

Although Ning Zhengrong avoided the vital parts, he was hit on the arm, and blood instantly dyed his woolen coat red. He was not afraid. He grabbed a kettle and smashed it on the thief's head.

Li Hu outside became more and more frightened as he listened, so he simply kicked the door open and prepared to rush in to help.

With a bang, the door panel fell to the ground. In the dust that was raised, the gentleman had subdued the thief and was standing under the light, smiling calmly.

The bright red blood flowed down from his forehead, with an indescribable magnificence.

When Tang Fengyuan and Lao Hu rushed over, they saw such a tragic scene.

Ning Zhengrong had wounds on his forehead and arms, and his face was covered in blood.

The thief was not much better off. His face was disfigured and he was hit by the kettle, which still had hot water in it. You can imagine how miserable he was.

For a moment, Tang Fengyuan's eyes became hot and he almost shed tears.

Because there were so many people, I could only hold back my tears.

She rushed in to help: "Old Hu, take Professor Ning to the hospital. I'll take the thief back."

Old Hu was also a clever guy. He switched tasks with her directly: "I won't. The disinfectant in the hospital smells too bad. You go to the hospital, and I'll bet on the thief!"

Tang Fengyuan had no choice but to send the person to the hospital himself.

The wound was sutured in the surgery department, and he was given a tetanus shot and an IV drip of anti-inflammatory medicine.

Tang Fengyuan saw that there was still a lot of potion left, so he stood up and said, "I'll get you something to eat."

"Sister, don't go, it hurts." Ning Zhengrong's glasses were broken during the fight. He squinted subconsciously and looked so pitiful.

Tang Fengyuan hesitated for a moment, but met his almost pleading gaze and stayed.

I was just thinking about how to find an excuse to leave, at least I couldn't let this guy go hungry all night, but then her son and daughter-in-law came.

He was carrying a basket filled with hot food and covered with a thick cotton coat.

It is still quite cold in Yicheng in early spring, with temperatures often dropping below zero, so it does take a lot of effort to deliver the food.

Tang Fengyuan quickly opened it and found it was really hot, with porridge, rice, vegetables and soup.

No need to ask, it must have been done by that kid Wei Hua.

He also brought a small folding table, which was placed just right next to the hospital bed.

She put the food on the table and turned around, and her son and daughter-in-law left.

Okay, the whole world is creating opportunities for her, right?

She was a little speechless, stood up and handed the chopsticks to Ning Zhengrong.

Ning Zhengrong raised his right arm that had just been stitched, silent, but pitiful!

Tang Fengyuan wanted to call him a thief, but what was he thinking? Stabbing someone in the arm!

If it gets damaged, it will be a loss for the people! This is an artist, an artist!

Hey! Tang Fengyuan took back the chopsticks and fed him without saying a word.

Ning Zhengrong felt happy and chewed the food slowly, savoring it thoroughly.

Isn’t this good? If he does it a few more times, he will be able to catch the person himself.

Thanks, thief. Next time you can poke my left arm. We can take turns.

He was so delighted during the meal, but his face remained calm so as not to let others see through his pride.

After feeding the child, Tang Fengyuan collected the dishes and was about to go back with the basket when he heard a muffled groan behind him.

Ning Zhengrong wanted to go to the toilet and touched the wound.

Tang Fengyuan had no choice but to put down the basket, pick up the IV bottle, support him, and walk to the toilet.

It was difficult for her to get in, so she stopped a male family member from the next ward and asked him for help.

When Ning Zhengrong came out, Tang Fengyuan did not leave. He took the patient from the patient's family and sent him to the ward.

It's already this late and the IV drip is almost finished, so she should just wait a little longer.

Ning Zhengrong sat on the hospital bed, head down, staring at her hands, without saying a word.

Tang Fengyuan followed his gaze and remembered what he had said before: her fingers were slender and very suitable for playing the piano, and her heart tightened.

What are you looking at? You are already middle-aged.

Ning Zhengrong ignored all this and praised sincerely, "This hand will definitely look good when playing the piano."

"I don't have the leisure time for that." Tang Fengyuan didn't want to mention this. As long as her son learned it, it would be fine. She would continue to be a police officer.

It’s annoying enough to deal with some trivial neighborhood disputes every day, I don’t have the mood to learn this.

Ning Zhengrong smiled and said, "Is the piano still there?"

That was the tenth birthday gift he gave to Qi Changxiao.

Tang Fengyuan turned his gaze away and nodded slightly: "It's covered up. I won't play it for the time being."

"It will be fine in the future." Ning Zhengrong glanced at her secretly. Although she was a middle-aged woman, she was still beautiful and charming.

The more she didn't look at him, the more certain he was that she had him in her heart.

It’s just because of the secular gaze and the sick child.

Now, he should be able to relax a little, he smiled and asked: "Have you seen Dr. Zhong?"

"Yes." A hint of surprise flashed across Tang Fengyuan's eyes, and then he was relieved. Yes, why do the experts from the provincial capital always come here?

Most likely it was through his connections.

My heart feels tight, just like the early spring weather with the sudden change from warm to cold, making me feel at a loss as to what to do.

I had to look up at the IV bottle and saw that it was gone, so I quickly went out to call the nurse.

The nurse's voice came from the bathroom: "Wait a moment, I have diarrhea."

Tang Fengyuan had no choice but to come back and pull it out for him himself.

The technique was a bit clumsy and some blood came out.

He said nothing, raised the back of his hand under her eyelids, silent, but pitiful!

Tang Fengyuan turned his eyes away, pretending not to see it.

His hand then turned to the right, as if accusing her of not pulling it out gently enough and causing bleeding, so she should take care of it.

You are the most responsible Officer Tang.

Tang Fengyuan sighed silently, took out toilet paper from his trouser pocket and wiped him.

After wiping it, another drop of blood oozed out. He continued to show her the back of his hand without saying a word.

What else could she do? She tore off a piece of paper, folded it, and placed it on the back of his hand to help him hold it down.

He was just pressing it, but he was so happy that the corners of his mouth couldn't stop rising, like willows sprouting in early spring, brushing the melting water surface in the spring breeze, creating ripples.

Tang Fengyuan didn't dare to look, for fear that he would drown and be doomed.

After an unknown amount of time, the bleeding stopped.

It's time to go back.

Tang Fengyuan stood up and slung the basket over his shoulder. He turned his head and saw him limping with a frown on his face.

I always suspected that his leg was also injured, so I quickly asked him to lie down and rolled up his trouser legs to take a look.

Sure enough, there were injuries and bruises all over, but the skin was not broken and bleeding, so it did not enjoy the attention that the forehead and arm received.

Tang Fengyuan checked the other leg again, and fortunately, only the right leg was injured.

"Where did you kick?"

"Table legs."

"What are you kicking the table leg for?"

"He dodged the kick."

"How stupid! Can't you wait until I get there before you do anything?"

"Then no one will feed me."

“…” Tang Fengyuan helped him up, held his arm, and went home.

Ning Zhengrong walked and stopped on the road, and every time he came under a street light, he would look at her face carefully.

I am indeed middle-aged, and there are some fine lines on my skin. It is not as smooth as before, but it’s okay. I just need to do more maintenance.

If she doesn't know how, he can teach her.

Along the way, all he could think about was the future, the future after she accepted his love.

When they reached the entrance of the alley, Ning Zhengrong stopped again. He had walked this road countless times, but this was the first time he was supported by her when he came back. It was worth remembering forever.

Even her impatient expression when she urged him fascinated him.

I couldn't help but lean over, hooked my arms around her neck, pressed it against my heart, and said sullenly, "Sister, you are so kind."

This unexpected hug gave Tang Fengyuan a headache. He wanted to push him away, but he was injured.

She didn't push him away, but was afraid someone would pass by and see her, so she had to put her arm around his waist and lead him into the alley.

When I returned to his door, the door panel that was kicked open had been put back in place, most likely done by Changxiao.

This kid has always been sweet.

Tang Fengyuan reached out to ask him for the key, opened the door, and helped him up the stairs.

The area behind the alley is low-lying. When it rains, the water will flow towards Yu Lake, so the houses here have padded foundations to avoid being flooded.

There were five steps in total. Ning Zhengrong jumped up with his uninjured leg. Tang Fengyuan felt like he was holding a rabbit. When he arrived in the room, he still felt a little uncomfortable.

Jump, why don’t you jump anymore?

He is an old man, but he is as childish as a three-year-old child.

Forget it, she wanted to send him back herself, he didn't ask for it.

Just pretending to be pitiful!

Scheming man!

Tang Fengyuan helped him walk to the bedroom, but she didn't expect that this boy had bad intentions. When he sat down, he hooked his hands around her waist and pulled her down with him.

She threw herself on an unmarried middle-aged artist in such a gorgeous way.

Their eyes met.

For a moment, she wanted to go along with it and fulfill his wish.

But no, it’s not possible.

She struggled to get up and accidentally touched his injured right arm, making him hiss in pain.

I had to quickly pull him up, take off one of his sleeves, and check his wound.

There was a little bleeding, so I quickly found a pack of unopened toilet paper to hold it down.

Just sat next to him.

The scorching gaze enveloped her, and although she knew it, she could only pretend it didn't exist.

After pressing for a while, the bleeding stopped, but Tang Fengyuan still wanted to leave.

This time she didn't touch him, but he directly held her hand, holding it tightly in her palm and refusing to let go.

"Stop making trouble. It's getting late. Go to bed early." The single woman didn't want to cause unnecessary trouble.

The unmarried man insisted: "Stay with me."

She still wanted to leave, so she sighed and tried to reason, "I've been with you all night."

He began to haggle: "Only three hours."

The single woman was extremely helpless and compromised again: "What do you want?"

The unmarried man was very cautious: "I will marry you."

The single woman said firmly: "No way."

"You are so cruel." The unmarried man could only show weakness, "You shouldn't have taken me to the hospital."

"It was my fault."

"Compensate me."

"How do you want to make amends?"

"Marry me."

"……here we go again."

"That's different. If I say marrying you means I'm marrying into your family. If you don't want to, then marry me and have a normal marriage."

"Xiao Ning, you deserve better."

"You are the best."

"Don't be like that."

"You said you would compensate me."

"I also said, no marriage."

"No, you said no marriage to you, not to me."

"Ning Zhengrong!"

"I love you!"

What? Tang Fengyuan turned around suddenly, too shocked to even reply.

In sight, the man stood up, his eyes entangled with the hands of the two, until their fingers were intertwined, then he curled his lips and smiled softly: "Sister, life is short, cherish the one in front of you."

Tang Fengyuan stood still, letting him approach little by little. He pressed her in his arms, lowered his head to cover her face, and kissed her deeply.

However, the tug of war between reason and emotion was completed in just a few breaths.

Just like the warmth of early spring, it will eventually be dispelled by the late spring cold.

Tang Fengyuan pushed Ning Zhengrong away and rushed out without looking back.

Ning Zhengrong smiled. It was okay. After so many years, he finally got a kiss.

It's not easy.

*

Tang Fengyuan didn't sleep well the whole night. The sleeping place for the night shift was already uncomfortable, and his mind was repeatedly entangled with that kiss.

So unsurprisingly, I caught a cold on the way home the next day.

I kept sneezing one after another. When I got to the door of my house, I didn't dare to go in.

Afraid of infecting Xiao Xingxing.

I could only shout, "Zhizhi, take out my change of clothes. I'm going to stay at the guesthouse for two days."

Yao Zhizhi was startled and hurried out to ask what was going on, but saw her mother-in-law immediately retreat ten meters away.

"I have a cold, stay away. The child is small and it would be terrible if he got infected. Throw out the clothes and I'll go take a bath in the bathhouse later."

Yao Zhizhi couldn't afford to neglect one thing while focusing on another, so she had to do it.

Qi Changxiao heard the noise and wanted to come out to accompany her, but she refused. "It's been a cold snap lately, and many people have caught colds. You take good care of Zhizhi and the baby, especially Zhizhi. She's breastfeeding, and she can't take medicine if she has a cold. It will be very painful. Be obedient. Mom is fine. Just take a bath, drink some ginger water, and have a good sleep."

Qi Changxiao quickly found her two pieces of ginger, some brown sugar, and put them into a canvas bag along with her clothes and threw them out of the yard.

As soon as Tang Fengyuan left, Qi Changxiao went to Ning Zhengrong's house.

This is really...

One is injured and the other has a cold.

He was a little embarrassed to speak, but...

I had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "Uncle Ning, my mother has a cold. I'm afraid of infecting Xiao Xingxing, so I went to the guesthouse—"

"I'll go take care of her, you go back quickly." Ning Zhengrong took a leave because he was injured, and he had to rest at home anyway.

Qi Changxiao felt very sorry and gave him money: "If my mother has a fever, call me quickly and I will take her to the hospital."

"Silly boy, then you can't touch Little Star anymore. Go back. I'm here." Ning Zhengrong accepted the money. He was not short of money, he just wanted to make the younger generation feel more at ease.

After Qi Changxiao went back, Ning Zhengrong waited for a while, and guessed that Tang Fengyuan had finished taking a bath, so he bought some antipyretics and went to the guesthouse.

I soon found out about Tang Fengyuan's room.

Tang Fengyuan had a low fever and had just drunk some ginger and brown sugar water and lay down. When he heard a knock on the door, he opened it in a daze. When he saw that it was Ning Zhengrong, he subconsciously wanted to close it.

Unexpectedly, Ning Zhengrong was quick and blocked it.

Now that's better.

Tang Fengyuan quickly held his hand, feeling distressed: "You are stupid!"

"Didn't you know this a long time ago?" Ning Zhengrong smiled, came in with the medicine and closed the door.

Tang Fengyuan quickly let go of his hand: "I have a fever, you go back."

"I'm happy with it, it's none of your business."

"Xiao Ning!"

"Sister, I'm forty. If you want me to die alone, go ahead. You're right, you have a son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren, and people will take care of you until the end of your life. As for me, I'm just a passer-by in your life, and you can just throw me away at will."

"I never thought of it that way!"

"Then marry me!"

"Xiao Ning, don't be like this. I'm old and can't have children anymore. You should find a younger one—"

"Here we go again." Ning Zhengrong smiled as he approached, deliberately wrapping his injured arm around her. "What does youth have to do with me? Sister, you were young once too. I'll grow old with you, isn't that good?"