Chapter 307 The Formal Dinner

As Qiao Wanyin watched, the corners of her mouth involuntarily curved upwards.

She could almost see her daughter standing on tiptoe, struggling to put her schoolbag on her shoulder, her little face flushed red, and then suddenly turning around and smiling at her—a smile that could melt away the whole winter.

My older brother's two sons are in school now. The food at home is hot and delicious, and everything is peaceful. Tell them not to worry.

As she read the words aloud, images of white steam rising from the stove appeared before her eyes, her eldest brother sitting on the threshold smoking, her second sister-in-law carrying dishes out of the kitchen, and her two nephews chattering and scrambling for chopsticks.

That was the most ordinary and warmest scene in her memory.

Now they have returned, living peacefully in a village thousands of miles away.

She ran her fingertips over the letter, as if she could see her little niece skipping and jumping, her braids swinging as she rushed into the school gate.

She closed her eyes, savoring the lingering scent of ink on the paper and the warmth of the sunlight.

In that instant, it felt as if she were truly standing at the school gate, watching Miao Miao's figure run further and further away, the bow on her schoolbag swaying in the wind...

Read on, and throughout the entire article, Li Hongmei is not mentioned at all.

She read it from beginning to end, and then read it again.

No names were mentioned, nothing was said, not even vague statements like "everyone in the family is well."

That silence, like an invisible net, tightly bound her.

"She... is still angry with me."

She whispered, feeling an emptiness in her heart.

The sound was as soft as a falling leaf.

She looked up at the gradually brightening sky in the east, her eyes feeling a little hot.

She knew her second sister-in-law was stubborn, but she never expected that this resentment would last so long.

Is it because they resent her for not taking care of the family back then?

Or was he annoyed that she insisted on staying in the city?

Or perhaps, it was simply because she ran away that all the burdens fell on her sister-in-law's shoulders?

"Qingqing, what are you looking at?"

Fu Li'an walked over and sat down next to her.

He wore a faded military green cotton shirt with the cuffs rolled up to his elbows, and walked slowly, afraid of disturbing her thoughts.

He sat down beside her and smelled the faint scent of soap on her body, as well as the stale ink from the letter paper.

She handed over the letter: "My second brother wrote, saying that everything is fine at home."

Her tone was flat, but her eyes darted around, clearly hiding something on her mind.

Fu Li'an took the letter and read it carefully, his brows furrowing slightly.

Fu Lian glanced around and noticed the silence.

He didn't say anything, but simply folded the letter carefully and returned it to her.

He knew what that blank space meant—not forgetting, but deliberately avoiding.

That's a sign that the scars haven't healed yet, the deepest rift between loved ones.

"Aren't you going to write a letter to your second sister-in-law?"

He asked tentatively, his voice very soft, as if afraid of tearing a thin sheet of paper.

Qiao Wanyin shook her head: "She won't accept it even if I write it now."

She stared at a withered leaf blown by the wind on the ground and said softly, "Even if she receives it, she'll probably return it as is, without even opening the packaging."

She knew her second sister-in-law too well; that person would rather grit her teeth and swallow her anger than back down.

She looked up at the rising sun on the horizon: "Let's wait a little longer. Let the fire in her heart go out on its own."

The morning light shone on her face, soft and serene.

Her eyes were no longer panicked, but filled with a slow, almost tender waiting.

She believed that one day, the fire would burn away the resentment, leaving only ashes and lingering warmth.

By then, their letters might truly reach each other's hands.

Qiao Wanyin is almost five months pregnant. Her belly is bulging, like she's carrying a small watermelon. She gets very breathless if she walks even a little fast, her chest heaves, and fine beads of sweat appear on her forehead.

She leaned against the wall and slowly walked a few steps, stopped to catch her breath, and then continued to move forward.

Looking like this, how could I dare to go to the black market?

I gave up on that idea a long time ago.

Moreover, Fang Wanyu's eyes seemed to be glued to her back, secretly watching her every move every day, making her walk very quietly, afraid of revealing any flaws.

Qiao Wanyin knew very well that her most important task now was to stay calm, avoid trouble, and live her life quietly.

But she wasn't idle either.

The space was filled with more and more food, bags of wheat, corn and sweet potatoes, piled up to the brim; there were also some fabrics she had found in the old house, old in color but sturdy in texture, which would be worth a lot of money to exchange; there were also some broken copper and iron, old porcelain, which were also treasures that could be exchanged for money.

She took advantage of the quiet of the night, when no one was paying attention, to quietly take out the items and sell them off one by one.

The money was saved up penny by penny in this way.

Finally, she gritted her teeth, spent a large sum of her savings, and quietly bought a secluded but well-maintained courtyard house.

With its blue bricks and gray tiles, the small courtyard has three rooms, a small woodshed, and a well. It's warm in winter and cool in summer, making it a perfect place to live.

Now, she owns two courtyards.

She lives in one apartment herself; it's clean and safe, and no one can kick her out. The other apartment is rented to a young couple who came to the city from the countryside to work; they collect rent on time every month, and it's a stable and secure place.

Thinking about the future, more than ten years from now, she would be sitting in the yard in a wicker chair, basking in the sun, holding a few red bills in her hand, counting the rent, with birds chirping and insects humming in her ears, living a leisurely and carefree life—she couldn't help but burst out laughing, her shoulders shaking slightly.

Life is getting better and better.

On the other hand, Fu Li'an's work was also going smoothly. He executed the previous missions decisively and efficiently, with accurate intelligence and resolute action, making great contributions. His superiors reported the results layer by layer, and he was eventually promoted directly.

He got promoted!

He became a brigade commander directly!

When this news spread, many people were shocked and wide-eyed.

It's unbelievable that a young man in his early thirties could rise to the position of brigade commander so quickly.

However, Fu Li'an himself remained calm and composed, going to work on time every day, approving documents, attending meetings, and leading troop training, all with meticulous attention to detail.

That day, he was inside the house, head down, polishing his military boots. Black shoe polish was applied to the velvet cloth, and he wiped it back and forth until the boot surface gradually shone.

Qiao Wanyin walked in slowly, supporting her round belly with one hand. Her eyes curved into crescents as she smiled, and her cheeks were flushed with the rosy glow typical of pregnancy.

"Li An, how about we go to a state-run restaurant for a meal?"

Her voice was light and cheerful, "Call all your brothers over, let's have a good time!"

Fu Lian was focused on wiping his boots when he heard this. He paused abruptly, looked up at her, and asked, "So formal?"

"Of course!"

Qiao Wanyin snorted, and while speaking, she held her waist and carefully sat down next to him, her movements as slow as a lazy cat.

"This is a momentous occasion; wouldn't it be inappropriate not to celebrate?"

Her tone was completely matter-of-fact, then she winked playfully, "Besides—I haven't eaten out for three months!"

Since my in-laws returned from the countryside, they have been taking care of all three meals at home.

Her mother-in-law was a good cook and prepared lavish meals every day, but Qiao Wanyin knew in her heart that this was not taking care of her, but rather an attempt to interfere in her household affairs.

She never even stepped into the kitchen, and wouldn't let anyone touch the pots and pans, saying she was afraid of tiring her out.