"You've gone to so much trouble. We came here specifically to thank the people who have helped us. You're one of the important people here, and we feel bad that you're the one making the arrangements for us," Jiang Wanqing said with a smile.
"Hahaha...no, no, it's all what I should do."
Watching the two exchange pleasantries, Cheng Ran simply smiled and said nothing. At this moment, Nannan pointed at Huanren and spoke up.
“This uncle…I’ve seen him before…”
“Yes, Uncle has seen you before. You look just like your mother.” Huanren teased Nannan when he saw her.
The train station wasn't a place for chatting, so Jiang Wanqing and the others soon followed Huanren to the guesthouse.
It wasn't too late, so they decided to invite Huanren to dinner at a restaurant in the county.
Before coming, Cheng Ran had prepared himself mentally, but seeing them chatting happily, he still felt a little uneasy.
He even wondered if Jiang Wanqing hadn't recognized him and had always thought he was dead, would she have remarried?
Of course, these issues were gradually forgotten as he got busy taking care of his children.
The two talked about everything from the past to the present, from studies to research to work, and finally returned to the topic of reality.
"Oh, by the way, I've always wanted to ask you why you didn't choose to pursue further studies back then? I remember you said when you entered university that you wanted to be a scientist. Professor Xue told me that you gave up a graduate school spot, which surprised me quite a bit."
"You mean this... it's all fate. The year I graduated, something happened in my family. My parents got sick, and we were short of money. If I continued studying, it would be a burden on my family, so I chose to work. I'm doing pretty well now."
"Indeed, you've matured a lot more than before," Jiang Wanqing commented.
"I'll take that as a compliment, hahaha..."
They ate and chatted until dark, and Huanren wisely stopped there, without offering to send them home.
On the way back to the guesthouse, the moon was bright and the stars were few. Cheng Ran carried his daughter and held Jiang Wanqing's hand with one hand. The three of them walked back slowly.
"Wanqing, do you know what I was thinking just now?"
"Hmm? What are you thinking about?"
“I’m thinking, I’m so lucky to have someone as wonderful as you as my wife.”
As he spoke, he took her hand and kissed it. She blushed slightly, sensing the slight unease deep in his heart, and then held his hand in return.
"I'm so lucky to have such an outstanding person like you as my husband."
"Then let this good fortune continue?"
"Of course, we have a long future ahead of us."
They smiled at each other, and although nothing was explicitly stated, they both understood each other's feelings.
This gave him a lot of confidence for the next day's itinerary. Cheng Ran didn't know how to face his sister and father, but when he actually returned to that small courtyard, he still couldn't control his complicated feelings.
"Knock knock knock..."
I knocked politely on the courtyard gate, and the person inside came out to open it when they heard the sound.
"Here it is! Who is it?"
That voice... it's A-mei's.
It was Jiang Wanqing who knocked on the door. After the door opened, the two looked at each other. Amei quickly looked away, her expression turning to guilt and remorse.
When she looked up again and saw Cheng Ran, her expression changed once more.
"Why...did you come back?"
She thought that after that incident, she would never see A-Ye again, and that Jiang Wanqing would definitely hold a grudge against her.
Even during this meeting, she had a vague worry that the other party had come to settle scores.
"Of course I came back to thank you. May we go in?" Jiang Wanqing smiled at her.
"Of course, come in."
With the deadlock broken, Cheng Ran finally had the courage to reminisce and talk.
He scanned the courtyard: "Where's Father?"
He went up the mountain to hunt.
Will you be back for dinner?
"Yes, you...would you like to stay for dinner?"
"Yes, the child can't withstand a long journey. We plan to eat and rest before continuing."
Cheng Ran held Nannan in her arms. In fact, Amei had seen the child as soon as she entered the door. She tried to ignore her, but she couldn't.
This child is cute and clever, with round, bright eyes, and looks like a combination of A Ye and Jiang Wanqing.
Thinking back to how she almost went mad and broke up someone else's family, she felt disgusted and couldn't even look the child in the eye.
Cheng Ran put Nannan down and said, "Baby, go say hello to Auntie."
Children don't understand adult matters, but they are obedient and polite.
He walked over to his sister with his short legs, hugged her feet, raised his round head, and looked at her with innocent eyes.
"Auntie, you're so pretty! I like you."
A-mei's eyes lit up, and she squatted down to pick up the child.
"Do you really like Auntie?"
"Of course, children don't lie."
Jiang Wanqing slightly curved her lips. Seeing the guard up in Amei's eyes, her own defenses and inner conflicts also crumbled. Her eyes stung, and she sniffed.
"Thank you for liking Auntie. Auntie likes you too. You have wonderful parents."
"Yes, Auntie will be a good mother in the future too."
Heaven help me, these words weren't taught by Jiang Wanqing. This child learned them on his own and quickly won Amei's heart.
I only let her run around in the yard when I got tired of carrying her.
The little girl ran outside, bumped into a hard leg, fell to the ground and cried loudly.
"Waaaaah..."
"What's wrong with Nannan!"
The three adults ran over together, and a dignified and familiar voice rang out.
"Whose child is this, running around in our house?"
The father bumped into a child unexpectedly, and his first reaction was to ask about his daughter. But when he looked up, he saw two familiar faces.
He stood there, holding two rabbits in his hand, speechless, his eyes darting nervously.
"You...you...are you here to settle accounts?"
"Father, you've misunderstood. Look who's here to settle accounts and bring so many gifts? Brother Aye and Sister Wanqing are here to see us. Nannan is their daughter. You bumped into them and hurt them."
Amei was much more lively than when they first came in, which even surprised her father.
I swallowed hard, then put the rabbit down, feeling embarrassed. All the others had died, but none had.
He gave the live rabbit to Nannan.
"Then Grandpa apologizes to you, and this is my way of making amends, okay?"
"It's a little bunny! I love it!"
Nannan couldn't move when she saw the rabbit, which gave them time to chat.
Father picked up the gourd of wine and took a few sips before finally mustering the courage to speak.
He looked at Cheng Ran and habitually called him A Ye.
“I thought you were never coming back. During this time, not a single day has passed without my sister blaming me for that terrible idea. I've reflected on it, and I'm truly sorry. You're not our property. Saving you and being your family for two years was a rare blessing for us, yet I wanted to force you to stay here for the rest of your life. That was so selfish. I never expected... You really don't blame me? Even if... even if you want to arrest me and put me in jail, I have nothing to say!”
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