Knowing that her son-in-law was safe and sound, had been promoted, and would be back for the Chinese New Year, Guan Jinghua began preparing New Year supplies early.
On the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, Qin Dongling returned home in the cool early morning air.
Xu Mei was still sleeping with her daughter. Guan Jinghua heard the noise and came out. When she saw it was him, she quickly said, "I'll make you something."
"Mom, don't bother." Although Qin Dongling was talking to Guan Jinghua, his eyes were always on the room where Xu Mei was.
Guan Jinghua laughed secretly and turned around to busy herself in the kitchen.
Qin Dongling opened the door. The room was dark. A big man and a small child were sleeping soundly on the bed. They didn't hear any movement from him at all.
Qin Dongling didn't want to disturb the rest of the two people he loved most, so he tiptoed to the bedside and tried his best to see Xiaoman clearly.
The little girl was held tightly in her mother's arms, and from where he was, he could only see half of her face, which was not very clear.
Compared to when he left, he has grown a lot and has become a white and tender pink ball.
After looking at the small one, he looked at the big one. The more Qin Dongling looked, the softer his expression became.
This time they came back, they were escorted by a troop transport train the entire way. The troop transport train had too little right of way, and had to stop and give way when it encountered a train carrying people. It took them more than ten days to get here.
His hands were dirty, so he stood far away and watched the mother and daughter. Even if he just listened to their extremely light breathing, happiness could fill his entire chest.
After a while, Guan Jinghua quietly opened the door and let him go out to eat.
Qin Dongling walked out of the house. There was a bowl of steaming noodles on the table with a fried egg on top.
"I didn't know you came back so early today. Eat quickly, take a shower after eating, and have a good rest." Guan Jinghua put a cup of hot water on the table for him.
"Thank you, Mom."
Ever since my mother passed away, I have never experienced the warmth of having someone serve me a hot meal when I get home.
The steaming vapor from the bowl seemed to make his eyes red. While eating, Qin Dongling suppressed it again.
"Why are you being so polite with mom? Are you not hurt anywhere this time?" Guan Jinghua said, her eyes scanning his body.
There was definitely an injury, but Qin Dongling didn't like to say too much and make his family worry, so he fooled Guo Dian with just a few words.
After finishing the noodles and boiling the water in the pot, he washed up and returned to the house. Xu Mei was already awake.
She had already heard what Guan Jinghua said, so she wasn't surprised that Qin Dongling came in. She glanced at the stool opposite the bed and asked, "Why don't you just move a stool over there and sit on it? Why didn't you wake me up?"
"You guys are sleeping soundly, I don't want to disturb you."
After Qin Dongling was clean, she couldn't wait to sit down by the bed and looked at her daughter with wide eyes. "Xiaoman, did you wake up mom so early?"
Qin Yuman opened a pair of eyes similar to her mother's and looked at Qin Dongling with watery eyes.
"Our Xiaoman is the best," Xu Mei couldn't bear to hear these words, "She never cries or makes a fuss, right?"
She picked up her daughter from the bed so that her husband could see her more clearly. Qin Dongling looked at the little face, and the love in his eyes almost overflowed.
He tried to take his daughter in a clumsy manner.
She spread out her palms, and saw many small scabby wounds on them. Xu Mei took one look and couldn't bear to look at them again. She told herself that she had gotten through it.
“Ahhh—”
Xiaoman's voice brought her back to her senses.
Xu Mei placed her daughter in her husband's arms. "Hold her with your hands and let her stay close to you. Don't be so nervous."
Xiaoman had just been taken out of the bed, and all her clothes were warm. Qin Dongling hugged her again after such a long time. He saw his reflection in her clear and beautiful eyes, and couldn't help but gently touch his forehead with hers.
"Do you know your father?" he asked, "otherwise why are you so well behaved?"
The child didn't make a sound or cry, he just kept looking at him.
"He's always been so well behaved. He rarely cries when February is fussy, and he always lies down by himself when he wakes up early."
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