Chapter 69 He's actually a virgin.
"The orphan of a fallen comrade?" Xia Qianqian then realized that she had made a huge misunderstanding.
Two blushes instantly spread across her cheeks, starting from her ears and extending down her neck, burning hot.
So that's how it is...
She actually misunderstood Lu Zheng and even imagined so many unpleasant scenes.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know... that's how it is." At that moment, she wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground.
To cover her embarrassment, Xia Qianqian quickly changed the subject: "Then... can you tell me about these two children?"
Lu Zheng was silent for a moment, then got up and poured her a glass of warm water before slowly saying, "Since you want to know, then I'll tell you."
He lowered his eyes slightly, seemingly lost in memories. His usually sharp gaze softened considerably, carrying a hint of melancholy.
“Da Ya and Er Ya are the children of my fallen comrades.” Lu Zheng’s voice was very soft, as if he was afraid of disturbing that memory.
“Da Ya’s father sacrificed himself to cover us during a mission. After he left, her mother… remarried and took her younger brother with her, leaving Da Ya alone in the village, all alone and almost left to fend for herself.”
He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing as if he were suppressing something: "When my comrades and I found out about this later and rushed back to see her, the child was already starving and barely clinging to life. At that time, everyone's conditions were not good, but considering that things were a little more stable for me, I took Daya in and raised her."
"This child has been so sensible since she was little, it's heartbreaking." When Lu Zheng mentioned Daya, his tone became warmer.
"After arriving in the provincial capital, she studied desperately and worked hard to catch up. Her friends all thought she was a native city girl."
Hearing this, Xia Qianqian's fingers tightened slightly as she held the water glass. She seemed to see that small, thin figure, how he gritted his teeth and worked hard little by little in a corner where no one cared, until he became the "reborn" person he is today.
How much hardship and suffering must such a young child endure to live a life that is "excellent" in the eyes of others in an unfamiliar environment?
Xia Qianqian felt a lump in her throat, and her eyes instantly reddened. She lowered her head, gently stroking the warm cup, her voice trembling with a barely perceptible sob: "This child... has really had it so tough."
It turns out that behind her calm and mature demeanor beyond her years was such a heartbreaking past.
Xia Qianqian's heart felt like it was being squeezed by something, a dense, throbbing pain.
She looked up at Lu Zheng, her eyes filled not only with heartache, but also with admiration for the man before her and... a deeper affection.
He not only gave Daya a home, but also a profound fatherly love and support.
Seeing that Lu Zheng only mentioned Daya, Xia Qianqian became even more puzzled and couldn't help but ask, "What about Erya? Didn't she come with her sister?"
Lu Zheng said, "Da Ya and Er Ya are not biological sisters."
"Not biological sisters?"
Xia Qianqian recalled how Da Ya took meticulous care of Er Ya, even some "unreasonable" tolerance, and silently protected her behind the scenes. She never imagined that they were not related by blood at all!
Lu Zheng looked out the window and said in a deep voice, "Just a few months ago, not long after we moved to Xiangyang Village, news came from the army that another comrade had sacrificed his life. His wife, who was pregnant at the time, couldn't bear the shock and followed him in death, two lives lost..."
Xia Qianqian's heart clenched, and she instinctively held her breath.
"Er Ya...is a little luckier than Daya,"
Lu Zheng's voice was slightly hoarse: "She was adopted by a distant relative. But we later found out that the family adopted her only because she was a girl, thinking that they could raise her up and sell her for a dowry to marry off their son. They treated her extremely harshly, often beating and scolding her, and never letting her eat her fill."
He paused, as if recalling the scene when he found Er Ya, his eyes filled with pity: "When we finally found Er Ya, the child was dressed in tattered clothes, her hair was dry and tangled, and she was so dirty that you couldn't tell her color. You couldn't recognize her as a little girl at all."
Xia Qianqian never imagined that these two children had such a heartbreaking past.
She covered her mouth tightly, trying her best not to cry out, but tears had already blurred her vision.
It turns out that Daya's maturity and Erya's sensitivity stemmed from this. They were both silently enduring the injustice of fate with their small bodies.
Looking at Xia Qianqian's reddened eyes, Lu Zheng felt a pang of sadness in his heart. He reached out and gently patted her shoulder, but didn't know how to comfort her.
Xia Qianqian sniffed and looked up at Lu Zheng with teary eyes. She was surprised that he, a single man, had silently taken on the heavy responsibility of taking care of the orphans of two comrades-in-arms. His loyalty and sense of responsibility moved her deeply.
Looking at Xia Qianqian's reddened eyes, Lu Zheng smiled helplessly yet gently, reaching out to wipe away the tears on her cheeks, his voice even softer: "Don't cry."
The warmth of his fingertips, with their rough texture, was surprisingly reassuring.
"When I saw Er Ya's pitiful appearance, I thought to myself, raising one is one thing, raising two is just a matter of adding more chopsticks, it's not a big deal."
He spoke casually, as if he had only done a trivial thing, "So, I simply took Er Ya over as well."
Hearing about the two children's tragic experiences and listening to Lu Zheng's nonchalant narration, Xia Qianqian felt as if her heart was being crushed, filled with unbearable bitterness.
Her voice was thick with nasal tone: "It's fate that they came to our home."
She looked at Lu Zheng with a firm gaze: "Don't worry, from now on, I will take good care of them and raise them to adulthood safely and healthily."
Hearing her words, Lu Zheng tightly grasped Xia Qianqian's hand, his eyes filled with tenderness and gratitude.
With a wife like this, what more could a husband ask for?
Xia Qianqian was immersed in feeling sorry for the two children when she suddenly blinked and looked at Lu Zheng with a sly and inquisitive look, like a little fox who had discovered some secret.
But then again—
Xia Qianqian quickly calculated in her mind: Da Ya and Er Ya were both adopted by him, and he had never been married before...
So, does that mean Lu Zheng is still a novice?
The moment the thought crossed her mind, she secretly glanced at Lu Zheng's strong arms and tall figure, and her heart skipped a beat for no reason.
Wouldn't that mean I... made a profit?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com