He had braved countless battles and dealt with numerous thorny issues throughout his life, yet he was utterly helpless when it came to this tangled web of family feuds.
After struggling for a while, all I could say was:
"On the bright side, at least Jianbang, or rather, Brother Shuisheng, we found her and figured out what happened. As for Qiqi... sigh, these things can't be forced. We've done everything we could. The rest we can only wait for her to figure it out herself."
"wait?"
Lei Yuhua immediately objected, her round eyes glaring at her father, her little mouth chattering as she began to retort.
“Dad, your thinking is too negative! You think waiting will bring forgiveness? I don’t think Qiqi is a hard-hearted person at all! She’s just stubborn! Like a clam, the shell is cold and hard, but the meat inside is soft! Think about what she’s done for Mom and Dad, how thoughtful and attentive she is! The way she is now is just like... just like a young couple having a tiff, she hasn’t pulled out the thorn in her heart, she can’t get over her own hurdle!”
The more she talked, the more convinced she became. She knelt down beside Zhou Shuhua, took her mother's cold hand, and softened her voice, her tone almost coaxing:
“Mom, the mistake was ours; we hurt her feelings. Since it was our fault, we have to take the initiative to mend it! If you just stand by and wait when she ignores you, will the thorn fall out on its own? I don’t think so! You have to show sincerity and genuinely treat her well! Regardless of whether she appreciates it or forgives you in the end, at least you’ve done your best and won’t have any regrets, right?”
As she spoke, her eyes darted around, glancing mischievously at her father, and she deliberately raised her voice:
“Dad, you’re right, aren’t you? You’re the most experienced in this matter! When you were pursuing Mom, didn’t you win her over with your persistence and sincerity?”
She emphasized the words "persistently pursue" very clearly, and added at the end.
"If you're pursuing someone, you have to act like you're pursuing them. You can't just sit around waiting without doing anything, can you?"
"Cough! Cough cough!"
Political Commissar Lei was taking a sip of water from his teacup when he nearly choked. His dark face flushed red instantly, and even the tips of his ears betrayed his embarrassment. He put down the teacup and feigned anger, saying:
"You little brat! What nonsense are you spouting! When...when did I ever pester you? I was just being persistent!"
His voice trailed off as he spoke, his eyes darting away, avoiding his wife's gaze.
Seeing her husband's rare moment of embarrassment, and then looking at her daughter's playful yet earnest eyes, Zhou Shuhua felt a surge of relief from the pent-up frustration in her heart.
A gentle smile finally appeared on her pale lips.
"Yu Hua is right."
Zhou Shuhua took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind, and her eyes refocused, revealing a tenacious spirit.
She let go of her daughter's hand, stood up, and picked up the cemetery construction materials that Shen Huaichuan had given her.
"I can't wait, and I can't afford to wait. I must be good to Qiqi, so let's start with this matter right now."
She opened the documents, picked up the pencil on the table, and her eyes became focused and sharp.
Political Commissar Lei and Lei Yuhua exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of relief and ease in each other's eyes.
Lei Yuhua quietly gave her father a thumbs up.
Once Zhou Shuhua gets involved, her efficiency is astonishing.
That afternoon, she took her newly revised plan and rushed to the village chief.
The blueprints were laid out clearly and logically, the budget was well-defined, and the matters requiring coordination from the village were also clearly listed.
The village chief clicked his tongue in amazement and nodded repeatedly: "Professor Zhou, you're so professional! Don't worry, I'll take care of this!"
With the village chief's full cooperation and Zhou Shuhua as the "commander-in-chief," things progressed rapidly.
The next morning, when Zhou Qiqi and Shen Huaichuan left first, the group finished packing and passed by the hillside near the old house.
From afar, one could hear the bustling activity coming from that direction.
The shouts of workers ramming the earth, the clanging of chisels, and the loud commands of the workers blended into a vibrant and bustling atmosphere.
A dozen strong men were working hard, leveling the land and carrying blue bricks, while several old stonemasons were gesturing and comparing several large blue stones.
Zhou Shuhua put on an old cotton-padded coat belonging to Aunt Jinhua and was also busy working on the side.
She and Political Commissar Lei have nothing to do right now; they'll go back after the cemetery is cleaned up.
As the car drove by, she smiled and waved to Zhou Qiqi, her smile genuine.
Zhou Qiqi raised her eyebrows slightly in surprise, exchanged a glance with Shen Huaichuan who was driving, and had a hint of a smile in her eyes.
Lei Yuhua, sitting in the back seat, saw all of this, shook her head smugly, and opened the car window to greet Zhou Shuhua.
This trip took a total of seven or eight days.
When we got back to the military dependents' area, it was already past six in the evening.
Shen Huaichuan went directly to the municipal military region. He had been away for a long time. The year-end competition was about to begin, and there were many things to deal with. He couldn't stop for a moment.
After putting her things down, Zhou Qiqi went to Zhu Yingying's house next door to pick up Zhouzhou as soon as possible.
Zhu Yingying is a homebody. Her job is translation, and she rarely goes out except for taking a walk on the playground after lunch. She spends most of her time at home.
Today is Sunday, so she must be at home with Zhouzhou.
But unexpectedly, Zhu Yingying's house was closed today.
Zhou Qiqi thought that Deng Cuixiang might have gone to her house, but after looking around, no one was home.
Mrs. Wang next door said that Jiang Xianghai went to another city to participate in a math competition, and Deng Cuixiang accompanied him. He hasn't returned yet.
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