Chapter 34 Zhongming, these two kids are your offspring.
"You...you say that again?"
Xie Zhongming's voice sounded like it had been sanded, incredibly hoarse.
He clenched his fist tightly, and his usually sharp, eagle-like eyes suddenly seemed to rust and lose their luster after hearing that Fatty had given birth to two children.
Accountant Jiang's words still lingered in the air, each word like a red-hot branding iron, making his temples throb.
The cool morning breeze caressed my face, but it couldn't dispel the sudden blankness in my mind, nor could it dispel the sudden unease in my chest.
Even Xiao Songhua, who was standing next to her, was somewhat incredulous. "Accountant Jiang, you're saying that Fatty really gave birth to children, and even two in one lifetime?"
"right!"
Accountant Jiang clutched her dark apron tightly, her fingers clenched, afraid of uttering even the slightest mistake, and quickly and honestly answered:
"Fatty did have two children, twins. But... that day she had just received an advance on her salary and was taking the children to the military hospital on the other side of the river for treatment. She and the two children all fell into the river..."
"Fatty was also unlucky. She had no man by her side, her family kicked her out, and in the end, she drowned with her two children."
That last sentence was like a dud; it didn't go off, but it still made Xie Zhongming's ears ring.
"Such a kind and hardworking woman, she just drowned like that, what a pity!"
Xie Zhongming stared at Accountant Jiang's moving lips. Although every word he heard was clearly coming into his ears, it all seemed like a jumbled mess.
Xiao Songhua couldn't believe it. "How could he have drowned? There's a ferry to cross the river, isn't there? Even if he fell into the river, shouldn't the people on the boat have tried to rescue him?"
"Sigh, Fatty always carried the two kids on her back and walked around the river on two legs just to save those five cents for the boat ticket."
Xiao Songhua quickly asked again, "Did you personally witness Fatty and the two children fall into the river and drown?"
The accountant dared not utter a single lie. "No, I heard it from Lao Li. It had just rained heavily that day, and the mud along the riverbank was loose and soft. Lao Li said he saw Fatty carrying two children fall into the river. He and several comrades on the bank tried to rescue her, but in the blink of an eye, the current swept Fatty downstream, and there was no time to save her."
Accountant Jiang then asked, "Commander, are you related to Fatty? Fatty has been working at the restaurant for several months, and I haven't seen a single relative come to help her. She's raising two kids on her own, and her life is incredibly difficult."
Xie Zhongming felt a heavy weight in his chest.
Even now, he still can't fully picture what Fatty looked like in his mind; he only remembers that she was very fat and all flesh on her body.
Until Fatty died, he never knew what Fatty looked like, let alone that Fatty had given birth to twins.
After a long pause, he finally managed to squeeze out a few hoarse words, "Comrade, thank you!"
After saying that, Jiang's words echoed in his mind, and he had no idea how he got back into the jeep.
"Zhongming, this is fate, don't blame yourself too much." It wasn't until Xiao Songhua, who was sitting in the driver's seat with him, patted him on the shoulder that Xie Zhongming realized what was happening.
Xie Zhongming felt uneasy, "...How could Fatty have given birth to two children? And then drown with them?"
Xiao Songhua didn't drive, but just sat in the car, analyzing with Xie Zhongming, "Zhongming, Fatty went to work as a waitress at Furong Restaurant four years ago, and she already had a child then. If you calculate the time, these two children should be yours."
"yes."
If you calculate the timeline, those two kids must be his.
He and Fatty both drank the sweet potato porridge that Zeng Xiuzhu had added veterinary drugs to, even though they only slept together for one night.
But we did it several times in one night.
Fatty must have gotten pregnant that night.
The composure that Xie Zhongming once possessed was long gone, replaced by an emptiness.
He has children of his own, but he doesn't know what they look like. He tries hard to recall what Fatty looks like, but all he can remember is a chubby outline.
Just to save five cents on a boat ticket, both Fatty and the child drowned.
For the past five years, he has been sending money to Pangya in Chadian Village, but he never expected that Pangya would not receive a single penny, making life so difficult for Pangya and the two children.
"If I had gone back to Chadian Village sooner, Fatty and the two kids wouldn't be in this situation..."
Xie Zhongming choked up and couldn't speak. The guilt felt like a red-hot wire, piercing through his chest and into every bone and limb.
Why didn't he think to go and take a look at Chadian Village sooner?
Xiao Songhua patted his shoulder again, "Zhongming, it's not your fault. You were also tricked back then. Under those circumstances, you were able to marry Pangya and send money to Chadian Village every month. You've already fulfilled your responsibilities. If it were me, I probably wouldn't have wanted to marry Pangya."
With that, Xiao Songhua started the engine and drove the jeep to the military general hospital.
He gripped the steering wheel and glanced at Xie Zhongming, whose expression was grave. "Zhongming, what are your plans next?"
Xie Zhongming remained silent, “…”
While driving, Xiao Songhua said, "Zhongming, let me ask you one more question. What exactly are your feelings for that Comrade Qiao?"
Seeing that Xie Zhongming did not answer, Xiao Songhua said again:
"In my opinion, it's really not your fault that Fatty got into this mess. Blame it on her greedy mother. If she hadn't used veterinary drugs to harm you, you and Fatty would be completely unrelated."
"Fatty is pregnant. Fatty was kicked out of Chadian Village. Fatty's mother didn't tell you. Her purpose was to seize the living expenses you sent back. She is the culprit who killed her daughter."
"Besides, if it weren't for Fatty's mom, you'd still be single. You could like whichever woman you wanted, and you wouldn't be struggling with this internal conflict like you are now."
Xiao Songhua's voice irritated Xie Zhongming, and he interrupted decisively, "After returning to Jincheng, I will publish a notice in the newspaper."
"What newspaper?" Xiao Songhua, who was driving, turned his head and glanced at Xie Zhongming.
Seeing the determination in his eyes, Xiao Songhua looked at the road conditions ahead and continued:
"What, you want to put up another missing person notice and keep looking for Fatty? Accountant Jiang already said Fatty has drowned, what's the point of putting up a notice? You should report this to the organization, and they will approve your divorce application."
“Zhongming, if you’re a grown man, be decisive and straightforward in your actions, and dare to love and hate. If you really like Comrade Qiao, then stop being so indecisive.”
"You're widowed, and she's widowed, so why can't you be together?"
Xie Zhongming, in the passenger seat, remained silent.
There are two voices in my heart, like two forces vying for power.
One was the guilt he felt towards Fatty and the two children, like a seed sprouting from the soil that couldn't be suppressed.
One was an inappropriate longing for Comrade Qiao, which, like a flame burning in the wind, grew wildly into a prairie fire.
He clenched his fist tightly.
Finally, she said firmly, "I will place an ad in the newspaper and continue looking for Fatty."
Xiao Songhua gripped the steering wheel and said, "You don't actually think that Fatty and the two kids were rescued and that they're still alive, do you?"
Xie Zhongming, feeling a heavy weight in his chest, looked out the car window.
The river that flows through Kuncheng is right in front of us.
The river is flowing rapidly.
If someone were to fall like that, their chances of survival would be very low.
What's more, Fatty was carrying two babies on her back.
But what if, by sheer luck, the chubby girl and the two children are rescued downstream?
Only by thinking this way could Xie Zhongming feel some relief from the heaviness in his chest. "I can't rule out that possibility."
Xiao Songhua, who was driving, thought for a moment and said decisively, "Okay, then you should place an ad in the newspaper. If you still don't hear from Fatty after you place the ad, then you should be decisive, get the divorce papers done, and then pursue whichever woman you like. Be bold in love and hate, and show some of the decisiveness of a real man."
A dozen minutes later.
A military green jeep was parked at the entrance of the Kuncheng Military Region General Hospital.
Xie Zhongming said goodbye to Xiao Songhua and went to the radiology department of the hospital.
In those days, there was only one CT machine in the entire city of Kunming and even the surrounding cities.
There is a shortage of medical resources.
Many people, like them, traveled from other places, resulting in the area outside the department being overcrowded.
The long wooden benches in the corridor, painted white, have mostly lost most of their paint, revealing the worn, old wood. They are full of people sitting on them.
Some people sit directly on the badly worn cement floor.
The entire corridor was filled with the unpleasant smell of disinfectant and sweat.
After searching for a long time, Xie Zhongming finally spotted his father, Xie Jiang, dressed impeccably, in the most secluded corner of the crowd.
Xie Jiang wore a shirt made from an old military uniform today, tucked into his belt. Even though he was sick, he still looked energetic.
It's like an old pine tree with its roots firmly planted.
The queue was long, so he turned slightly to the side to avoid bumping into the elderly man next to him who looked like he was on his deathbed.
Xie Zhongming called out to him, "Dad, where are Comrade Qiao, An'an, and Ningning?"
"There are too many people here, and the air isn't fresh. I'll have Comrade Qiao take the two kids and wait outside. I'll go out and call them when their number is called."
Seeing his son's serious expression, Xie Jiang asked, "What's wrong? Haven't you found out anything about Fatty?"
"Dad." Xie Zhongming's brows furrowed into a small hill. "Fatty really gave birth to the children, and they're twins."
"Huh?" Xie Jiang didn't react for a moment.
My mind went blank. "You mean Fatty gave me two grandsons? Twins?"
Xie Zhongming nodded with a gloomy expression. "Hmm."
Xie Jiang froze on the spot, his eyes wide open, his wrinkles, which usually held a hint of a smile, now completely taut. "Boy or girl?"
"..." Xie Zhongming then realized that he hadn't even asked Accountant Jiang whether the twins Fatty gave birth to were boys or girls.
Upon learning that they were twins, Xie Jiang's eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had seen a glimmer of hope.
“Zhongming, do you think it’s possible that Xingyue is Pangya? And that An’an and Ningning are your children? Otherwise, how could An’an be allergic to peanuts like you, and Ningning have congenital asthma like me?”
"Dad, don't think like that." Xie Zhongming's throat tightened as he thought about how Fatty and the two children had fallen into the river and were likely drowned. "Four years ago, Fatty and the two children fell into the river and were swept away. They are very likely to have drowned."
"What? Fatty and the two kids drowned?"
With a loud clang.
Xie Jiang's military green water bottle slammed onto the uneven cement ground.
Water splashed out, sprinkling onto Xie Jiang's cloth shoes and trouser legs.
Xie Zhongming bent down to pick up the kettle. "After you and Ningning finish your doctor's appointment, I'll contact the local newspaper and place a missing person notice."
Xie Jiang took the kettle, his hands trembling slightly. Those were three lives lost. "Fourth brother, you should have gone back to Chadian Village sooner. If you had gone back earlier, this wouldn't have happened..."
Neither the father nor the son spoke.
The noisy, chaotic sounds in the corridor drowned out the deep sighs between the father and son.
"The next number 29 is Qiao Yining."
"Is Qiao Yining, number 29, there?"
A nurse dressed in white coats and a white cap walked through the crowd and called out the name repeatedly.
Xie Zhongming immediately raised his arm, "Number 29 is coming right away."
Xie Jiang said from the side, "Comrade Qiao is outside with An'an and Ningning. Go out through that small door and shout, and they will hear you."
Outside the small door at the end of the corridor, Qiao Xingyue and An Anning were squatting on the cement floor, playing a game of catching corn kernels.
These corn kernels were strung together by Qiao Xingyue herself, and she always carried them with her.
An An and Ning Ning have small hands; she strung seven corn kernels on each string, making a total of seven strings.
An'an tossed the corn kernels into the air.
After the corn kernels fell to the ground, An'an looked worried. "Oh no, they've all scattered. How am I supposed to grab them all at once?"
Under the midday sun, Xie Zhongming watched the heartwarming scene of the mother and her two daughters squatting on the ground playing games.
I was so engrossed in watching it that I didn't even realize it.
If Fatty and his two children hadn't drowned, his two children would be about the same age as An'an and Ningning now.
He forgot to ask Accountant Jiang whether Fatty had given birth to a boy or a girl.
If they were twin girls, would they be as pretty and delicate as An An and Ning Ning, like dolls, and would they also pester him to play the corn-catching game with them?
After finishing her "grab a handful," An'an continued to tossing corn kernels.
The corn kernels, tossed into the air, landed gently on the cement ground, yet felt as if they had struck Xie Zhongming's chest heavily, carrying an indescribable bitterness and complex emotions.
Realizing it was Ningning's turn for the checkup, he quickly strained his throat and shouted, "Comrade Qiao, it's Ningning's turn for the X-ray."
Qiao Xingyue quickly tidied herself up and pulled An An and Ning Ning inside.
After Ningning finished her chest X-ray, she went to Xie Jiang for his.
After the X-ray was taken, the nurse wearing a white cap returned the handwritten payment slip and examination form to them. "Comrades, take these two receipts to window number 3 in the radiology department tomorrow morning to pick up the report."
"Okay, thank you, comrade."
The group returned to the military guesthouse together.
Xie Zhongming hadn't had lunch yet when he went with Xiao Songhua to the largest local newspaper office in Kunming.
They said they wanted to place a missing person notice, and the newspaper's manager explained to them:
"A missing person advertisement in the middle of a provincial publication costs 100 yuan per issue. A advertisement at the end or corner of the newspaper costs 60 yuan per issue."
"A middle margin advertisement in a municipal publication costs 30 yuan per issue. A last or corner advertisement costs 10 yuan per issue."
"Comrades, which publication and which placement do you want to choose?"
Xiao Songhua blurted out, "Why is it so expensive to publish an ad in the newspaper?"
The price for publishing in a provincial-level journal was almost equal to his monthly salary.
Xiao Songhua continued, "Zhongming, let's just stick with the 10 yuan per issue, there's no need..."
Before he could even speak, Xie Zhongming declared decisively, "Place it in the middle of a provincial publication as an advertisement."
The newspaper staff member wearing glasses asked again, "Then, comrade, could you please choose one? 'Youth Daily,' 'Farmers' Daily,' 'Economic Daily'..."
Xie Zhongming said without hesitation, "Get on board."
"No way." Xiao Songhua's eyes widened. "Zhongming, if we put it on all three pages, the fee for one issue of the missing person notice will be three hundred yuan, which is equivalent to two months' salary of yours."
Xie Zhongming stretched out his hand, “…”
"What for?" Xiao Songhua frowned, and Xie Zhongming said directly, "I didn't bring that much money with me. I'll pay you back later."
Xiao Songhua frowned even more deeply. "Can you even afford it? You send all your salary to Fatty's mom, what money do you have left?"
"Enough with the nonsense?" Xie Zhongming reached out and pulled a wad of ten-yuan notes from Xiao Songhua's military uniform pocket. He then counted the money he had with him, gathered three hundred yuan, and handed it to the newspaper staff.
The following day, the Youth Daily, the Farmers' Daily, and the Economic Daily all published missing person notices from Xie Zhongming searching for Pang Ya.
Qiao Xingyue woke up the two children and was about to call Commander Xie to go to the hospital to get the test results when she saw Xie Zhongming coming up from downstairs with a stack of newspapers in his hand.
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