The two were quite loud, and a crowd gathered around to watch.
Not wanting to embarrass himself, Guan Hongqi pulled Lin Wei back.
The two walked into the courtyard in silence, one after the other.
Although both of them tried their best to maintain a calm expression, the subtle distance and awkwardness were still noticed by Guan Yuanxiu and Qin Yue, who were enjoying the cool air in the courtyard.
"You're back?" Qin Yue put down her palm-leaf fan and asked with a smile, "Are you hungry? Would you like something else to eat?"
She knew the two of them had dinner at a restaurant that evening, so she didn't wait for them to come back for dinner.
"Mom, we've already eaten!" Guan Hongqi replied, her voice a little muffled.
Lin Wei forced a smile. "Uncle and Aunt, I'm not hungry. Um... you two rest, I'll go back to my room to rest too."
After saying that, she lowered her head and quickly returned to the guest room prepared for her.
Qin Yue glanced worriedly in the direction of the guest room, then looked at her son.
Guan Yuanxiu gently patted the back of her hand, signaling her not to ask any more questions.
Guan Hongqi stood there for two seconds, scratched his head, and said, "Mom, sister, I... I'm going to go up to the roof to cool off."
Without waiting for a response, he skillfully brought over a ladder and nimbly climbed onto the roof.
...
Guan Hongqi sat on the roof ridge, gazing at the sparse lights in the distance, and sighed.
He sat there for a very long time.
They didn't go down until late at night.
Then, the ladder rattled again.
He Yanzhi climbed up steadily. He had changed out of his military uniform and was now only wearing a white polyester shirt and military trousers, with two bottles of Arctic Ocean soda in his hand.
"Here you go." He sat down next to Guan Hongqi and handed her a bottle of soda. "Feeling down?"
"Thank you, brother-in-law!" Guan Hongqi took the soda, bit off the cap with his teeth, and took a sip. The icy soda made him feel a little better.
He Yanzhi didn't urge him, but drank his soda and looked at the starry sky.
“Brother-in-law…” Guan Hongqi spoke again, his voice low, “You asked me about career planning this morning… I’ve thought about it.”
I... I don't want to hide it from you. I joined the army because I had no other choice. My parents thought it was a good way out.
Protecting our country is an honor, I understand that, and I haven't let you and my sister down in the army, but... to be honest, I really don't like it.
He paused, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. "Through all the crawling and training, it's not that I'm afraid of hardship, it's just that... it doesn't feel right. I feel like there's always something else on my mind. I want to go back to the capital." I want to go to university!
But at this age, I feel like I shouldn't take the exam anymore!
He Yanzhi listened quietly and nodded. "Can you tell me what you want to do back here?"
Guan Hongqi looked somewhat lost. "I haven't quite figured it out yet... but it's definitely not going to work in an office and read newspapers. Sigh, I don't know what I can do now."
He Yanzhi patted him on the shoulder, "Since you want to come back, then come back. Although the policies are strict, they are not monolithic. Moreover, I think what your sister wants to see more is not how much success you achieve in the army, but that you can do what you like and want to do the most."
He looked at Guan Hongqi, his eyes appearing particularly deep in the night. "Hongqi, have you ever thought about going to university?"
Guan Hongqi was suddenly stunned. "Take the college entrance exam? But... but I'm already this old..."
He Yanzhi chuckled, "What's wrong with your age? In your sister's words, this is the perfect age. You have a good foundation and a sharp mind. If you really want to review, it won't be difficult."
Guan Hongqi's eyes gradually brightened in the darkness, as if those words had ignited some kind of hope.
Just then, the ladder made a soft creaking sound again.
The two turned around and saw Guan Wenru cautiously peeking out.
He Yanzhi immediately leaned over anxiously and reached out his large hand to firmly support her arm. "Slow down! Why did you come up here too? What if you fall!"
Guan Wenru used his strength to nimbly step onto the roof, and chuckled upon hearing this, her voice sounding exceptionally gentle in the night breeze:
"What are you afraid of? Master He, don't underestimate me. When we were kids, Hongqi and I would climb up here almost every day in the summer. It's the coolest place here, and we could even see the stars. Unlike you, I bet you were a quiet kid who never climbed onto a roof, right?"
She smiled and sat down on the other side of Guan Hongqi, looked at her younger brother, and then at her husband, "What are you two plotting here so late at night instead of sleeping?"
He Yanzhi let go of her hand only after she was settled, but his body still leaned towards her instinctively, forming a protective posture. "I'm giving Hongqi some advice, to see what he's really up to."
Guan Wenru looked at Guan Hongqi with a smile, "Have you made a decision yet? Actually, I'd prefer you to go to university. You were an engineer when you were young, and now that conditions allow, if you still want to go to university, our whole family will absolutely support you!"
Looking at her sister's encouraging gaze, Guan Hongqi's pent-up frustration gradually dissipated. "Sister, I'll think about it some more."
Guan Wenru reached out and put her arm around his shoulder, gently shaking him like she did when they were kids. "Okay, think about it carefully. After all, this concerns your future. But tell me now, did you and Lin Wei have a disagreement just now? Why?"
Guan Hongqi stiffened slightly, lowered his head, and unconsciously rubbed the cold soda bottle with his fingers. His face burned, and he found it difficult to speak.
After a long pause, she finally managed to squeeze out a muffled "Sister... I'm sorry."
He felt guilty towards his sister because of his girlfriend's shady thoughts.
Looking at his appearance, Guan Wenru had already guessed seven or eight parts of what was going on.
She sighed softly, her voice devoid of reproach, "Silly boy, why apologize to your sister? I can probably guess... Actually, I can understand some of Lin Wei's thoughts."
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