Chapter 144 Reunion
Su Tong said: "Comrade Qin, wait a moment!"
Then he came to the main room and called out, "Qiuyu——"
"Hey! Sister! Everything is ready!"
Su Tong immediately shouted, "Lin Li! Zhou Jin! Hurry up and help serve the dishes. Let Comrade Qin have a hot meal before leaving! Don't waste their time!"
"Why--"
Zhou Jin answered loudly, turned around and ran to the kitchen.
Lin Li felt a little embarrassed. He glanced at Qin Yi, then turned and ran into the kitchen.
With the help of these two people, the large square table was filled up in no time.
New Year's Eve dinner is actually easy to make. The ingredients are all ready, and the main dishes are also prepared by Su Tong in advance. Some are put in the steamer, some are heated in the pot, and two vegetarian dishes are stir-fried. The fire is lit on a stone, Qiu Yu is in charge of the cooking, and it's all done in a short while.
It's hard to refuse such a kind invitation.
Qin Yi laughed and said to Cheng Gang:
"Okay! Let's take advantage of Su Tong today and have a New Year's Eve dinner here!"
So, a crowd of people gathered around the table, and even the two old men were carried over by stones. However, Xing Dongyang fell asleep leaning on the kang, looking very tired, so Su Tong did not wake him up.
The men drank white wine and the women drank rice wine. Su Tong filled everyone's glasses and then raised his own glass.
"This year is my first year away from the Wu family. It can be considered a new life. Those who are sitting here are the ones who have helped and warmed me. I tried my best to keep you all here, and I also wanted to have a reunion dinner with you all. I also want to take this opportunity to say thank you to everyone!"
After saying that, Su Tong raised his head and drank the wine in the glass.
Everyone raised their glasses, and then the two old men secretly wiped their tears with their sleeves, and then it was Wu Qiuyu...
Lin Li is an extrovert. Seeing this, he winked at Zhou Jin. The two of them calmly changed the topic and the atmosphere became lively again.
Even though they are serving in the army away from home, they still cherish this kind of year and this rare reunion dinner. Everyone has tears in their eyes but smiles on their lips.
Because of this simple and warm year.
——————
Xing Dongyang lay quietly in the east room.
He hadn't slept for two days and two nights, and was extremely exhausted physically, mentally, and spiritually. He closed his eyes and listened to the noise outside the door, but he didn't want to fall asleep.
Xing Dongyang learned about Zhang Yaping from his father. At that time, Zhang Yaping had already been escorted to the county bureau and was involved in Meng Huzi. This hostage-taking case and Wu Jiafu's case would be tried together.
Zhang Yaping panicked and called home for help. Her parents found her own parents, and her father called the county government. He knew that he was on secondment here for a few days.
Her father was very surprised and asked how a nice little girl like Zhang Yaping could be linked to a bandit case. He asked him to find out the truth as soon as possible so as not to affect the little girl's reputation.
Zhang Yaping's mother Yang Juan was also nearby. She grabbed the phone and started crying, saying that he had not taken good care of Zhang Yaping. She asked him to get her out first. It was not a big deal that a little girl was locked up in the police station during the New Year.
Xing Dongyang felt cold all over after answering the phone, not because of the Zhang family's blame, but because he was afraid that Zhang Yaping would really do something bold. After all, last time... she was able to give Tian Gui advice.
When he ran to the county public security bureau to inquire, he heard that the people held hostage by Meng Huzi were Su Tong and two old men. Then he knew that there was no need to ask Zhang Yaping anymore, because this had to be true!
She did not give up and continued to harm Su Tong. She had already gone down the path of making mistakes and would not turn back.
What followed was overwhelming guilt and sadness...
Xing Dongyang knew clearly that Zhang Yaping hated Su Tong because of him. Although he repeatedly stated that he only treated her as a sister, she felt that he didn't like her because of Su Tong. All these things were caused by him, and his confession to Su Tong intensified her evil thoughts, making her conspire with the bandits just to destroy Su Tong.
He didn't want to meet Zhang Yaping, and he was a little afraid.
He didn't dare to hear her admit in person how she had planned this, as that would make him even more ashamed.
He simply told his father exactly what he had heard from the police, telling him that Zhang Yaping had violated the law, there was no misunderstanding and no injustice, and that the person might not be able to be released so easily. As for how his father conveyed the message to Zhang Yaping's parents, he had no idea.
Xing Dongyang didn't dare to see Zhang Yaping, nor did he dare to go back to Yunshan Village. He was even more afraid of seeing Su Tong.
His work in the county has actually been completed. After all, it's almost the New Year, and no matter how busy he is, there will be an end.
He hesitated for a long time in the cold wind, and finally returned to the government compound.
Unexpectedly, as soon as I got back, I received a call from Zhang Yaping's parents. Zhang's mother cried and scolded on the phone:
"Dongyang! Could this be a mistake? Yaping is so timid, how could she get involved in the bandit case? It must be a mistake! Dongyang, you can't just ignore it! Auntie has watched you grow up since you were a child, and loves you like her own child. Besides, Yaping followed you to Hubei Province, you can't abandon her at this time! You have to be true to your conscience! Our two families treat each other as one family..."
Xing Dongyang listened blankly to Zhang's mother's phone call for nearly forty minutes, then he slowly squatted down with his head in his hands.
Yes! Are you really going to ignore her? Is it possible?
Zhang Yaping is two years younger than him. Although he never liked to play with her since she was a child, thinking that she was too young, cried easily, and was too troublesome...but this did not affect her from following him from a young age.
Regardless of whether I have feelings for her or not, I have watched her grow up.
Xing Dongyang responded to the country's call and volunteered to go to the countryside. Zhang Yaping lived with him in the same compound. Although her father's position was not as high as her own, she only had a son and a daughter in the family. She did not have to go to the countryside, and even if she did, she did not have to go to such a remote mountain valley.
But she came here bravely, just for him.
The parents of both families always mentioned their relationship in every phone call, wishing that they could become a family sooner.
This made Xing Dongyang feel helpless and disgusted. He would take care of Zhang Yaping in all aspects, but he was also very careful to maintain a sense of propriety.
He didn't hate Zhang Yaping, but he couldn't treat her as anything more than a sister.
But now, this innocent and kind-hearted little girl in the eyes of both parents has caused a huge trouble.
What should he do?
Even if he knows what is right and wrong, true and false, will he just watch it?
Just ignore her?
He had no romantic feelings for her, but she was his sister who had grown up under his watch, and he was the root of all this. He could even lend a helping hand to strangers, so how could he stand aside when she was most helpless...
Xing Dongyang rubbed his face, propped himself up tiredly, and went to the county public security bureau again.
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