In Zhangjia Village in northeastern China, two new courtyards are rising from the ground at the foot of Beishan Mountain. Workers are bustling about on the construction site, all working in an orderly and productive manner. Meanwhile, the adjacent Zhangjia old courtyard is hushed and quiet.

Except for the master bricklayer and his apprentices, the rest of the team helped to clean up the ground. Yesterday, the master bricklayer worked until dusk, finally finishing before the temperature dropped. Father Zhang was delighted to receive a large red envelope after settling the bill. With the door and windows installed over the past two days, there's no need to worry about the ground freezing. The kang is slowly heating, and he's finally done for the children.

This morning, Zhang Dad and his three sons were cleaning up the new courtyard. Meanwhile, Zhang Guoqiang, the second son's carpenter, was leading the team to install the gates, doors, and windows of the two courtyards.

Seeing the two courtyards completed, Zhang's mother prepared to stock up on steamed bread. Many people from the village would surely come to visit the new courtyards over the next few days, and perhaps some would stay for a meal. She had gone to the mill with her two daughters-in-law early in the morning and hadn't returned yet to prepare lunch.

Zhou Jiao was home alone, nursing and changing diapers. Suddenly, she felt her heart pounding, her heartbeat becoming irregular. She took deep breaths and tried to relax, but the more she tried, the more uncontrollable her heartbeat became. She had a feeling something was up, and she was told to go out and take a look.

Her heartbeat quickened as she hurried to place the child. Dragging her somewhat weak legs, Zhou Jiao immediately put on her coat and hat, clutching her chest, and followed her instincts as she left the room. She saw the courtyard she hadn't seen in days. Even the children had left, leaving no one in sight.

Zhou Jiao dragged her legs slowly to the courtyard gate. As she stepped out onto the steps, she subconsciously looked around. Looking up, she saw two figures in military uniforms approaching from a distance, carrying packages and large bags.

At that moment, she finally understood why her heart was beating so uncontrollably. An unwavering compulsion kept her moving forward. This was her father, her father, Zhou Xiaozheng, back. She couldn't hold back the tears anymore, and she didn't bother to wipe them away. Through her hazy eyes, she stumbled and sprinted a few steps.

Zhou Jiao suddenly felt at a loss as to how to face her father. She stopped there, wiped her tears, and stared at the man who was running towards her quickly. Her feet stumbled uncontrollably as she ran over.

Seeing her father running towards her with his arms outstretched from afar, she threw herself into his arms, feeling very wronged, her mind went blank, and she burst into tears as she felt her father holding her tightly and protecting her.

Unlike her feelings for her mother, she felt a blood connection to her father, a natural sense of familiarity, and she trusted him without reservation. Leaning in her father's arms, she felt like a little girl, wanting to act coquettishly in front of him, wanting to tell him about her grievances, and thinking about so many things. In her father's arms, she was safe, no longer having to be on guard against anyone, no longer having to fear being hurt.

Zhou Jiao burst into tears, crying incoherently over and over again: "Dad, why did you come back just now? Dad, why didn't you take me away?"

"Dad, you're finally back. I have a dad now. I'm not an unwanted wild child anymore."

"Dad, why did you come back just now? Dad, please don't abandon me in the future. Dad, I feel so wronged. Dad, why did you come back just now? I don't have a dad anymore. No one treats me well. No one wants me anymore..."

Her heart, which had been beating without a rhythm just now, finally returned to normal after leaning on her father's arms. She had cried for too long, and there was only one thought in her mind: she had a father, her father was finally back, a mixture of joy and sorrow.

Feeling the only fatherly love she had ever experienced in her two lives, she felt like a child who would always complain to her parents. She finally understood why those children always liked to complain to their parents.

Because parents will feel sorry for you and will vent your anger. Her mother couldn't give her a sense of protection. But her father was different. He was as solid as a mountain, standing firmly behind her. Just standing by his side, she felt at peace.

Unlike Zhang Guoqing's steadiness, love and family affection are two different feelings. She can feel her father's concern and guilt.

Zhou Xiaozheng held his beloved daughter in his arms, her tears uncontrollably raging. He listened to her incoherent, uncontrolled sobs over and over. He patted her gently, his heart aching, his words faltering as they reached his lips. He held his daughter tightly before him, nodding and shaking his head intermittently, gently wiping the tears from her face.

I recalled the scene when my father-in-law talked about the first time he met her. Who said that the child was mature and calm, cautious, steady, calculating and strategic? That was her resistance when facing the invasion of outsiders.

She disguises herself and forces herself to hold on, because no one gives her support, no one stands up for her, no one solves problems for her. She has to rely on herself step by step, cautiously afraid that if she makes a mistake, no one will protect her. She firmly holds her bottom line and faces everything with pretended strength.

His daughter, his Jiaojiao, was only 17 years old. Having endured enough hardship, she had learned at such a young age to read people's expressions, to compromise, and to endure, which allowed her to remain calm and composed. It was precisely because of the many things she had experienced that she felt cold, unable to trust others and kept things to herself.

While other 17-year-old girls would beg their parents for money, throwing tantrums and asking for this and that, his daughter had learned to watch them quietly, secretly protecting herself and plotting her future. Who wouldn't want to grow up innocent and carefree? At the tender age of 17, his daughter lived cautiously, calculating every step, like an orphan, desperate to escape the chaos. It was only because he wasn't there to support her, because he wasn't there as a father that she had to struggle like an orphan for 17 years, living like a weed by the roadside.

She looked like she was crying, but wasn't she also venting? She had been wronged for 17 years, and she had too much pain in her heart that she couldn't tell anyone. Only her father could be trusted. But how could he be trusted by his daughter, whom he cherished like a jewel?

His daughter was sensible and well-behaved, kind and gentle. Even so, she had endured the abuse and humiliation of those so-called relatives of his, and had nearly lost sight of his daughter. Given her character, if Huang Zhaodi had succeeded in her scheme, she wouldn't have survived. Who would then have avenged his daughter? He had never been so grateful to God for allowing him to live to see his daughter, for allowing his daughter to wait patiently for his return.

Look at his daughter, she is pale and thin, as thin as a piece of paper. Her poor life makes her contented, well-behaved and sensible. She knows that he is not standing behind her, so she endures the contempt and grievances. As she endures, she learns to read people's expressions, stay calm and steady, and keep things in her heart.

It's not that he didn't blame his wife. He knew his father too well. If, as he had predicted, his wife had been in the army with their daughter, who would have dared to make a move on her? But he couldn't bring himself to do that. He was a man, and the only person he could blame, the only one he could resent. During the 17 years he was missing, his wife had searched all over the country, desperately waiting for his return. She had endured countless tears and longing; how could he bear that? What right did he have to blame his father-in-law and mother-in-law? Even his own father had ignored his child, and even made things worse, adding insult to injury.

This iron-clad man had endured numerous serious injuries over the past 17 years without shedding a single tear, not even since he was old enough to understand. Even when he thought of his beloved daughter far away, he never shed a tear. Even when his heart ached with longing, he longed for the mission to be completed quickly and for his return. But even now, looking at his daughter in his arms, murmuring, "Dad, why did you come back so late?" he could no longer hold back the tears.

He had imagined countless times what he would do when he saw his daughter. What would she do? But he had never expected to see her burst into tears. He listened to her talk about why she had just returned, without a single complaint or reproach. Seeing his daughter like this, the delicate girl in his arms, only made his heart ache even more.

Many times he thought, if he died, would his Jiaojiao forget her father? Would she not know that her father worked hard to live in this world just to see her - to tell her that he hoped she would be as Jiaojiao as her name - that he would spoil her, let her live a proud life, and be as delicate as a princess.

In the past few days since returning home, he's learned from his father-in-law and his wife that his daughter has grown up like a weed, learning to grow by watching her surroundings. Yet, deep down, she's inherited his strengths, truly his daughter! His Jiaojiao is strong and kind, calm and composed, thoughtful, well-educated, and quick-witted, but she's not spoiled. Life has brought her hardships, but she's learned to be generous and composed, to be humble and discreet, and to learn many ways to navigate life. He feels both proud and heartbroken.

Zhou Xiaozheng saw someone approaching not far away, secretly wiped away his tears, and quickly patted Zhou Jiao gently, "Daddy's Jiaojiao, my dear daughter, don't cry. Daddy is back, and I won't let you cry again. Someone is coming, take Daddy in first."

Zhou Jiao was a bit stunned by her tears, and she didn't react at all, just staring at her father crying. It was only when Lin Lishan couldn't bear it anymore and dragged her home that she finally reacted and hurriedly shouted, "Mom, don't pull me. My dad, my dad hasn't come in yet, Dad, come in quickly..."

Lin Lishan held her hand with one hand and rolled her eyes at her unhappily. Her red eyes were no longer charming even when they were white. "Are you stupid? Your dad is holding your hand, and you're kissing your dad, huh?"

Zhou Jiao didn't have time to talk to her. She just looked at her father, looking at him stupidly, holding his hand tightly. When she found Zhang Guoqing running over, she hurriedly cheered: "Brother, my dad is here! Brother, my dad is really back! My dad is still alive! Look, this is my dad, my dad." After saying that, she raised Zhou Xiaozheng's hand hard.

Zhou Xiaozheng just kept looking at her, watching her pulling his hand hard and holding it tightly, showing off like a child, looking proud like a child, her big eyes that had been crying were as clear as water, and she had a smug smile on her face.

As Zhou Jiao shouted and cheered, those who heard the noise from afar, seeing Zhou Xiaozheng in his military uniform, all ran over curiously. Zhou Jiao's father was Zhou Xiaozheng. Everyone was from the surrounding villages, so who didn't know Zhou Xiaozheng? That was Zhou Xiaozheng, the officer who had married the general's daughter. Zhou Xiaozheng, who had been dead for over a decade.

In the crowd were Zhou Xiaozheng’s childhood friends who grew up together. They all ran towards him in surprise, wiping their eyes in disbelief as they ran. Didn’t they say that he had become a martyr?