"My goodness, it feels like water could freeze instantly outside today!"
When Gu Xuanyi entered the room, his eyebrows and bangs were all white.
"It's getting colder today, so you all should go wash up quickly. I've made some ginger soup, so everyone should have a bowl."
Bonnie sent the children to wash up and hurried to the kitchen to get some ginger soup. It was too cold, and they would easily catch a cold if they didn't sweat it out.
Breakfast was served after everyone had drunk a bowl of ginger soup.
"I won't be home for dinner tonight, don't wait for me."
Gu Ye received a notification in the morning that he had to attend a meeting.
"Okay, take care of yourself. It's cold, so don't eat cold food or drink cold water."
Bonnie gave a concerned reminder: her son's stomach wasn't very good, but after some time of recuperation, it had improved a lot. She advised him to be careful and avoid raw, cold, and greasy foods.
"Okay, I'm leaving."
Gu Ye got dressed and went out. Liu Jiu finished her last bite of food and asked Xuan Yi and San Qi to help Aunt Xiang clear the dishes. She pulled her mother back into the room. Mu Nanfang should be here soon.
"Honey, what's wrong? Is there a secret you want to share with me?"
"Mom, I wanted to ask you this yesterday, but I was worried it would upset Dad. Today, just the two of us, I wanted to ask you, what does it mean to like someone, and how do you tell if you like someone?"
Bonnie looked intently at her daughter, her curiosity evident, not her shyness.
"Why would you ask that? What else did Ma Zijun say yesterday?"
"He asked me if I liked Mu Nanfang, which I found a bit strange. But last night I thought about it again. Would my interactions with Mu Nanfang make people think we were dating? Is it possible that I really like him without even realizing it? Mom, when you married Dad, was it because you liked him?"
Liu Jiu wasn't stupid. There were many things she didn't care about, not because she was stupid, but because she didn't quite understand.
“My daughter has really grown up. After the New Year, she will be eighteen years old, which is old enough to get married in the past.”
How do you feel about Mu Nanfang? In other words, how is he different from Xuan Yi?
Looking back now, Bonnie thinks that Liu Jiu might have been a bit clueless, but Mu Nanfang was definitely not. He had been involved in most of Liu Jiu's life over the past few years, but since Liu Jiu was still young, she hadn't thought about it in that way.
"Compared to Gu Xuanyi? Mu Nanfang is more reliable than Xuanyi. He can handle everything very well, and I would think of asking him for help when I have problems. I feel at ease with him. Moreover, he knows a lot of things that I don't, especially when it comes to getting along with people, he can handle things very well."
Liu Jiu had many of Mu Nanfang's good qualities in mind and thought he was very reliable.
"How does he compare to Zheng Jun?"
“Zheng Jun is my childhood friend. We’ve known each other since we were little, but I would never think of bothering him if I needed something.”
Liu Jiu had already vaguely realized that she felt differently about Mu Nanfang. When they were together, they could talk about anything and everything naturally. She took his instructions and worries for granted.
"Daughter, I think you understand now. Liu Jiu, would you want to marry a soldier like yourself?"
Bonnie knows that Liu Jiu likes the military and being a soldier. Does she also like her other half to be a soldier?
"No, I want to live like you and Dad. Dad protects the country, and you protect the home and be his pillar. We all know that Dad actually depends on you a lot."
Sanqi and I have always been very happy because we have loving parents, and most importantly, our mother has always been by our side. When we lived on the island, I wasn't afraid of even the biggest typhoons because I knew that even if Dad wasn't around, Mom would protect us.
I can't imagine what kind of life Sanqi and I would have led if both Mom and Dad were soldiers. They all envy you and Dad for having such outstanding children like us, but they never considered that children don't become so outstanding on their own; it's something that Mom and Dad nurtured.
From childhood to adulthood, whatever Sanqi and I wanted to learn, you did your best to fulfill our wishes and accompanied us. Everyone knows we are good at English, but they don't know that it was also due to your past kindness that gave us the opportunity. I don't know how many nights you accompanied us back and forth between the family compound and Teacher Zhai's house.
Many of the older women in the residential compound envy our good grades. But our success is not only due to our own efforts, but also to the hard work and dedication of you and Dad.
The vegetables and fishpond in the courtyard were all taken care of by you. The food, clothes, and other necessities we have are better than those of many of our classmates. That was also earned for us through your hard work.
Mom, I want to live a life like yours and Dad's. A life where you discuss things together, don't ignore each other's contributions, but appreciate and cherish them. A life where you always remember the good things the other has done for you.
It wasn't the kind of epic, dramatic love described in novels, but rather a gentle, warm, and genuine emotion, like a flowing stream.
Bonnie couldn't stop her tears from flowing. Her daughter was truly wonderful. She knew how to be grateful, how to appreciate her parents' sacrifices, and never took their love for granted. How could she not love such a child?
"Liu Jiu, Mom thinks I am very happy because I have children like you and San Qi. Not because you are outstanding, but because you know how to be grateful and have loving hearts."
Liu Jiu wiped away her mother's tears. Her mother was also wonderful. Although she couldn't cook or sew, she gave her a lot of love and respect.
"Mom, do you think I should ask Mu Nanfang if he likes me, if we're old enough, and if he's planning to marry me? Should I tell him my thoughts, that if I marry him, he'll have to spend a lot of time and energy at home?"
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