Commander Yang returned to the guesthouse in a daze, sitting alone on the bed in his room, Cao Wenze's words repeating in his mind.
His family had been poor farmers for eight generations, living a life of hardship. In his generation, there were many brothers and sisters who didn't eat or dress well. Each of them wore clothes patched upon patched, so worn that they would break if they exerted too much force.
As a child, he was quite bright. He followed the son of a wealthy landlord and learned a lot of characters and skills. He also trained in martial arts with the landlord's bodyguards, making him very quick and agile.
At eighteen, he believed that apart from his family's poverty, he was no worse than others, and he was also quite good-looking. However, in order to save on the dowry, his family found him an older woman, four or five years his senior, because she was capable.
In a fit of anger, he didn't even spend his wedding night and followed a passing army unit.
Having been educated and possessing some martial arts skills, he improved rapidly.
In the spring of his 22nd year, he went home to visit his family. Unexpectedly, the woman hadn't left and had been helping to take care of the household. He gave in, and the two had a physical relationship. When the holiday ended, he left again.
When he returned home a few years later, his son was already several years old. He went back to bed in a daze and resumed his married life.
At 28, he met an 18-year-old battlefield nurse. By then, he was a regimental commander with a promising future. Having faced life and death several times, he felt he should live for himself. He consummated their marriage and had a child.
He had no choice but to return to his hometown, wanting to end his previous marriage. Seeing his son, who looked very much like him, glaring at him angrily, and his blind daughter, he was determined to separate, and Wenze's mother agreed.
Two years later, upon receiving news of Wenze's mother's death, he brought his two children to live with him in the military family compound. By then, life had ended, but the war was far from over.
After everything settled down, when it came time to reward those who had contributed, he was given a high position. He came from a poor peasant family, and everything seemed so wonderful.
The good days didn't last long. To take care of his disabled sister, Wenze refused to attend military school and instead applied to a local university. But an accident happened: his two younger sons accidentally bumped into his blind daughter, hitting their heads on the corner of a table. The two little ones were terrified and ran away.
When the daughter was found, she was already dead. Wenze returned and, after learning what had happened, demanded that his two younger sons pay with their lives. But how could that be? The two children were still young; they had made mistakes, but not enough to warrant death. He protected the younger one, while the older one, after handling his sister's funeral arrangements, took her ashes and household registration, and dropped out of school.
Unexpectedly, we met again twenty years later, and under such circumstances.
If he could do it all over again, he wouldn't be able to say for sure whether he would make a different choice.
"Old Yang, how's it going? Have you made things clear with Wenze?"
"Old Zhang, it's hard to explain. He hates me, he hates me from the bottom of his heart, he hates everyone. He hates Xiao Wu for destroying our family and causing his mother to die of depression. He hates his two younger brothers because of them, his sister died in an accident."
There was nothing he couldn't say to his old friend, and tears streamed down his face uncontrollably.
"Forget it, Lao Yang. I know you feel guilty and want to make it up to him, and you also want him to take over some of your things. But have you thought about whether Xiao Wu would agree, or whether the other children in the family would agree?"
If we force things to get involved, something might happen. It's better to leave it as it is. Knowing he's doing well, and if there's an opportunity, to help him out, that's fine. The child has already changed their surname and won't change it back, so there's no need to make a fuss.
Political Commissar Zhang understood perfectly well that Old Yang's current wife was no pushover. Despite her amiable appearance, she was difficult to get along with; at the very least, his wife, who was barely literate, didn't get along with Xiao Wu.
“Old buddy, do you think I was wrong? Wenze’s mother was an arranged marriage by her family. She’s four or five years older than me, illiterate, and all she knows is how to work. I ran away back then, but when I went back, she was still there.”
I compromised, had a child, and thought, "That's it, all the same once the lights are off." But then I met Xiao Wu, young and beautiful, literate, and I was truly smitten, both physically and emotionally.
But I never expected to have another daughter, and she was blind too. I went back to get a divorce, and she agreed. Unexpectedly, she passed away less than two years later. Wenze said I was a murderer, and my two younger brothers were also murderers, waiting for us to suffer retribution.
At that moment, I understood that there was no going back, our relationship was beyond repair. I gave up. Just like you said, let's each go our own way, and not cause any more trouble or annoyance.
Commander Yang kept rambling on and on, it was unclear whether he was blaming himself or others.
"Your commander is asleep, so stay alert. Be careful tonight, and don't get a fever." Political Commissar Zhang was worried that his health might be affected after experiencing such extreme joy and sorrow.
"Understood, sir. I guarantee I will complete the mission." The guard saluted and watched as Chief Zhang entered his room before he followed.
As expected, Commander Yang developed a high fever that night. His bodyguard quickly contacted the military hospital, where a doctor came to examine him, gave him an injection, and the fever subsided.
In the following days, the leaders did not go out. They rested at the guesthouse and at most went to the playground of the family compound to exercise.
After dinner, there were quite a few people on the playground of the residential compound.
Most of those who come out to exercise after dinner are children, young and old alike.
"Old Yang, do you see them? Those twins are Wenze's sons. Of the two short-haired girls, the taller one is Wenze's daughter." Political Commissar Zhang also knew Cao Wenze; back then, his son and Wenze got along quite well.
"I went to Wenze's house yesterday. The children are doing well. Don't worry about anything else. Just know they are where they are and that they are doing well, that's enough."
"Yes, I understand." Commander Yang had no choice but to understand; there was no possibility that he would be forgiven.
"Liu Jiu, Cao Shengnan, are you two going to spar again?" The child's exclamation also attracted the attention of several leaders present.
"Let's go check it out." Someone took the lead, and the others followed, with Commander Yang and Political Commissar Zhang also going behind.
The two girls were both quite agile, their moves precise and skillful. They were evenly matched, both displaying remarkable composure, undisturbed by external influences, their eyes fixed solely on each other.
"These two girls are quite good; they'll be extraordinary in the future!"
"Yeah, whose kid is this? They'd be secretly laughing in their sleep."
"Judging from their movements, they're not just fighting randomly. With skills like that, even ordinary soldiers might not be able to beat them. Their lower body is very stable; they've trained for that since they were young."
...
Several leaders watched and commented, but Liu Jiu and her companion remained unaffected until Liu Jiu narrowly won with a single move.
"Sixty-nine, your strength has increased again." Cao Shengnan noticed.
"I eat three bowls of rice in one meal, and I'm not doing it for nothing." Liu Jiu's strength has increased, and so has his appetite.
The leaders did not disturb the children and returned to where they had been standing, secretly envying the children's families.
Commander Yang, in particular, felt like he was being fried in oil. This was the outstanding descendant of the Yang family, but unfortunately, the other party wouldn't acknowledge it!
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