Chapter 340 The Grand Finale

Conditions in the military region were poor, and supplies were scarce; it was incomparable to the city.

Fu Li'an carefully selected each item, even comparing the texture of a small towel repeatedly.

He was worried that his wife might lack things during childbirth and that the child might suffer.

Unbeknownst to them, at the same time, Fang Wanyu, through acquaintances, finally obtained a shocking piece of information:

Fu Li'an is about to lead his troops to the front lines in southern Xinjiang!

This news came suddenly, but it wasn't entirely without warning.

Fang Wanyu had many eyes and ears in the military region's family circle and was very well-informed.

It took her a lot of effort to get the truth out of an old comrade-in-arms in charge of logistics and scheduling—Fu Li'an had been included in the front-line rotation list and could be dispatched at any time.

Qiao Wanyin and Fu Lian, along with her parents-in-law, boarded the train back to the military region.

Sunlight streamed into the carriage, illuminating the family's faces and creating a warm and cozy atmosphere.

Qiao Wanyin leaned against the window, watching the fields and mountains rushing past outside, feeling an indescribable peace in her heart.

She gently stroked her still-flat stomach, a slight smile playing on her lips.

This journey home was different from the past. It was no longer filled with anxiety and caution, but rather with a long-lost sense of peace and composure.

I feel much more at ease going back this time.

The matter of Song Heting has finally come to a complete end. He has been dealt with according to the law and can no longer threaten this family.

Along the way, everyone chatted and laughed. Even the usually serious Mr. Fu opened up and talked about his interesting experiences in the military when he was young.

Fu's mother, Song Yazhi, held Qiao Wanyin's hand and talked about her future plans, her tone full of warmth.

The family chatted and laughed, finally putting an end to Song Heting's affair, and no longer having to worry about him.

Upon returning to the family compound, the first thing Qiao Wanyin did was go to the kindergarten.

She couldn't wait to see if the children had lost weight, were crying, or had adapted to their new teacher.

The moment the door opened, a clear child's voice rang out: "Auntie Qiao is back!"

The little ones swarmed over and hugged her legs, their eyes sparkling.

Qiu Zishu is really reliable; she manages the kindergarten very well, and all the children are healthy.

Not only is the environment clean, but the course schedule is also well organized.

The walls were covered with children's handmade drawings, the plant corner was full of life, and even Lele, the chubby boy who was usually the most difficult to manage, had gained weight.

As Qiao Wanyin watched all this, an indescribable warmth welled up in her heart.

She felt a warm feeling in her heart.

This is not only because the kindergarten is running well, but also because she truly feels a sense of belonging and trust in this home, in this small family compound.

It's the third day since I got back.

As dawn broke, birdsong drifted through the gauze window.

The rustling sound of sweeping in the yard, the distant whistle—everything was so familiar and peaceful.

But the peace of the day did not last long.

In the morning, Fu Lian went to a meeting at the regimental headquarters, and by dinner time, he still hadn't returned.

Time passed by, and the sky outside the window gradually darkened.

The kitchen was filled with the aroma of pork rib soup, with oil swirling on the surface, steaming hot.

Song Yazhi reheated the soup three times, turning the heat off and on again, her brows furrowing more and more tightly.

Her eyes kept glancing towards the door, and her ears were perked up, listening to any sounds coming from the hallway.

"This kid, can a meeting really take this long?"

She muttered to herself as she picked up a soup spoon and ladled a bowl of piping hot soup for Qiao Wanyin. "Wanyin, you eat first. Don't wait. You're carrying the baby, you can't go hungry."

Ever since Song Heting's incident, Song Yazhi's opinion of her daughter-in-law has completely changed.

She used to think that Qiao Wanyin was just an ordinary rural girl with little education and limited experience, and that she was not good enough for her son.

But it was in the most dangerous moment that Qiao Wanyin stepped forward and used her wisdom and courage to protect the safety of her whole family.

She used her wit and courage, neither losing her composure nor holding anyone back, and instead became the backbone of the family.

It turns out she wasn't the kind of ignorant country girl who only knew how to farm.

She is truly intelligent, responsible, and loyal.

Song Yazhi kept every single one of those incidents in her heart.

From that moment on, she stopped looking at her daughter-in-law with a critical eye and started to treat her like her own daughter.

Now, she truly loves this daughter-in-law from the bottom of her heart.

Just as Qiao Wanyin picked up her bowl and before she could even pick up any food with her chopsticks, a series of heavy footsteps suddenly came from outside the door.

The footsteps were not as brisk and light as usual, but carried a suppressed weariness and sluggishness, as if each step was treading on people's hearts.

As soon as the door opened, Fu Lian stepped in.

His military uniform was still straight, his epaulets were gleaming, and his collar was buttoned up meticulously, but his face was as dark as if it were about to rain.

His brow was furrowed, his lips were pressed into a thin line, and his whole being exuded a chilling aura.

"Li An, what happened?"

Mr. Fu put down the newspaper in his hand and immediately noticed that something was wrong.

Although this veteran has retired, the intuition he developed during his decades of military service remains.

He glanced at his son and knew that something was amiss.

Fu Li'an took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling slightly.

He didn't answer immediately, but slowly looked around at everyone in the room—his father, mother, and wife.

Finally, his gaze settled on Qiao Wanyin's face.

She was looking at him with concern in her eyes, still holding the chopsticks she hadn't yet put in her mouth.

"I have been ordered by my superiors to lead a team to the front lines in southern Xinjiang."

His voice was deep, yet it struck the room like a thunderclap.

"What?!"

Song Yazhi's hand trembled, and the soup ladle crashed to the ground with a "bang," unaware that the scalding soup had splashed onto her shoes.

Her face turned pale instantly, and her finger trembled as she pointed at her son: "What did you say? Southern Xinjiang? That place where there's fighting every day and people die like ants? You...you want to go there?!"

Qiao Wanyin heard a buzzing sound in her ears, as if a thousand bees were flapping their wings at the same time.

The bowl almost slipped from her hand, but luckily she gripped the edge tightly to prevent it from shattering.

Southern Xinjiang Front?

That distant and unfamiliar name on the map now felt like a sharp blade, piercing her heart.

Gunfire and bloodshed—those are scenes from novels and news reports. How could they suddenly befall my husband?

"...When will you be back?"

She finally managed to squeeze out a sentence, her voice trembling so badly it was almost incoherent.

In the original novel, Fu Li'an never went there at all!

In the timeline of her memory, Fu Li'an always served in the rear troops, and was later promoted for his merits. His career progressed steadily, and he never set foot in the most war-torn southern Xinjiang war zone.

This change means that the trajectory of fate has been completely rewritten.

His Adam's apple bobbed, his eyes dimmed for a moment, and his voice was so soft it was as if he were afraid of waking him from a dream:

"The mission... didn't say when it would end."

These four words struck Qiao Wanyin's chest like a heavy hammer, making it hard for her to breathe.

Every word felt like a cold needle piercing her heart, chilling her to the bone and making her fingertips tremble.

Undetermined—these two words hang lightly in the air, yet weigh as heavily as a thousand pounds.

It could mean several months, a year, or even longer...

Nobody can say for sure...

All she can do is live a good life in this world with their child, waiting for her father to come home...