Jiang Wanqing slapped Cheng Ran's hand away and snorted, uttering flattering words that made people blush with a serious expression.
"As expected, people become glib and smooth-talking after being away from the military for a long time. He used to be a straight man."
She almost mumbled the second half of the sentence, but he had good hearing and caught the gist of it.
"Huh? What straight man?"
She took his hand, continued walking forward, and shook her head.
"It's nothing. What I mean is that you're the only one in my heart. Of all the waters in the world, I only want to drink from one. You understand?"
He squeezed her hand back, chuckled softly, and nodded.
"I understand. To receive your unique love is the greatest blessing of my life."
"You have such a sweet tongue, so I'll reward you with a farewell kiss tomorrow~"
With the recent bad weather, fearing train delays or even cancellations, Cheng Ran went to report to the military base the day after his wedding in Hung Hing.
The family went to the station to see him off. Cheng Ran's parents were especially reluctant to part with him. Cheng's mother even cried and hugged her son tightly.
“I know you’re unhappy with Mom, but everything I do is for your own good. Your return to the army was so sudden; there must be someone pulling the strings behind the scenes. Once you’re in the Southwest, don’t just focus on risking your life. Try to get transferred back if possible…”
"Alright, Mom, you can just keep those thoughts to yourself. I'm not someone who's afraid of death. Since the organization needs me, there's no reason for me to desert. You and Dad, don't worry. I've been through so much, one more won't make a difference."
The parents' love for their child was genuine, and Jiang Wanqing tactfully stood aside, holding her daughter, not interrupting or saying much, quietly waiting for Cheng Ran.
He offered his parents a few words of comfort, then turned around and finally held his daughter in his arms, lifting her up to his chest.
"My dear, Daddy might not see you for a long time after this trip. Be sure to listen to Mommy and Grandpa and Grandma when you're home, okay?"
"Okay, Dad. Be careful too."
Cheng Ran felt a warmth in his heart, hummed in agreement, looked at Jiang Wanqing, and turned his face slightly to the side.
"Don't forget what you promised me, hmm?"
The train station was bustling with people, and countless eyes were watching. Even though they were really close, Jiang Wanqing was still a little hesitant to kiss them; she was too shy.
But then she thought, since she had already agreed to his request, and they were an old married couple, there was nothing she couldn't do, so she quickly stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek.
"Have a safe journey, we'll be waiting for you to come back."
"I will. Thank you for taking care of Nannan."
Warm moments are always fleeting and swift. The train whistles, preparing to depart, and the conductor urges passengers to board. No matter how reluctant Cheng Ran is, he can only put his daughter down, pick up his luggage, board the train, and set off.
Cheng's mother snorted: "When her husband goes on a long trip, the wife doesn't seem worried at all. I really don't know what she's thinking."
These words were undoubtedly a sarcastic remark to Jiang Wanqing. Before she could even speak, Jiang Jianguo, feeling uncomfortable, immediately stood up for his daughter and retorted.
“Mother-in-law, you are worried about Cheng Ran, even to the point of making him disobey the organization’s orders. Our Wanqing would never dare to do that. Knowing that today is a special day, you still deliberately say such things that are not conducive to harmony. What are you thinking?”
Without using any profanity, occupying the high ground, and under the watchful eyes of everyone, these words immediately left Cheng's mother speechless, and her face changed drastically.
She immediately changed the subject, squatted down, and waved to the little girl.
"Daughter, do you want to stay at Grandma's house for a while?"
"Thank you, Grandma, but I still want to be with Mom. You and Grandpa, take care of yourselves."
Jiang Wanqing patted her daughter's head with satisfaction. As expected of her daughter, she was so young, yet she had such a good grasp of emotional intelligence. She had made her stance clear without leaving any room for the Cheng family elders to find fault.
The granddaughter is filial, but she loves her biological mother more, while her grandparents have to take a backseat.
Mr. Cheng cleared his throat and helped his wife up.
"If Nannan doesn't want to come with us, then let's go back. We can have her come another day. She's still a member of the Cheng family; how can we confuse her with our blood?"
After saying that, he gave Jiang Wanqing a meaningful look, as if reminding her to be mindful of her status and not to think about letting the child leave them.
Jiang Wanqing pretended not to understand, picked up her daughter, and deliberately raised the little girl's hand and waved it.
"Come on, say goodbye to Grandpa and Grandma!"
A soft knife doesn't kill, but it can still hurt. The two elders of the Cheng family left in a huff.
"Goodbye, Grandpa and Grandma." The little girl waved her hand, looking very well-behaved.
No matter how unhappy they are, they dare not show it too obviously in front of their children, especially when there are grandparents to compare them to.
So they could only swallow their pride and leave quickly after saying goodbye.
Watching the departing figures of the Cheng family elders, Jiang Wanqing raised an eyebrow. So what if they were old foxes? She could still silence them.
"Wanqing, is it okay for your relationship with Cheng Ran's parents to continue like this?"
Although Xue He has become much more clear-headed in recent years, she still retains some traditional traits deep down.
The daughter-in-law is considered inferior, while the parents-in-law are considered superior. After all, Jiang Wanqing is now registered in the Cheng family's household registration...
"Mom, whether it's good or not depends on how capable I am. If I were an ordinary woman, I don't know how badly they would have bullied me. Unfortunately, I'm not. Don't worry."
“Yes, our daughter can handle her own affairs, so let’s not get involved. Let’s go home.” Jiang Jianguo patted his wife’s arm.
Jiang Wanqing had already planned to rest today, so she went home with her parents. Before she even entered the courtyard, she saw Xue Gang and his wife, along with their two children, waiting at the gate.
Zhao Di's face was bruised and swollen, and she was even more timid and afraid to make a sound than before. She would dodge at the slightest movement of Gui Hua's hand. It was heartbreaking to see her like this.
"Why are they here again? They're shameless!" Jiang Jianguo cursed under his breath.
"Dad, can you hold my baby girl for me?"
Jiang Wanqing handed her daughter to her father, went over, and helped Zhaodi up.
Upon seeing them return, a calculating glint appeared in the eyes of Xue Gang and his wife.
Before she could even speak, Guihua plopped down on the ground, crying out in pain, which drew everyone's attention.
"Auntie, sister, we are really desperate. We've run out of money, the guesthouse kicked us out, and you're abandoning us. Our family of four is going to die out here!"
"Waaaaah... Waaaaah..."
Their son was quite the actor; even at a young age, he would wail and cry in sync with his cunning, greedy, lazy, and slippery mother.
"Oh dear, this is so pitiful! What deep-seated grudge could they have? If you're relatives, you should lend a hand. Everyone has their difficult times!"
"Yes, the child is innocent. Look at what he's wearing, barely clothed and starving. I remember this family is very wealthy. It shouldn't be difficult for them to lend a hand."
"Alas, as the saying goes, 'When you're rich, even if you're deep in the mountains, you'll have distant relatives; when you're poor, even if you're in the city, no one will care.' Do you think poor relatives will even look at you?"
"This is not a good trend!"
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