"By the way, you were the one who first found Tan Juan, and you were also the first to discover her death. I'd like to ask for your opinion on how to handle the funeral arrangements," Captain Gao asked Gao Mingcheng.
Gao Mingcheng's smile faded slightly: "It was just good luck that we ran into each other. I don't really have much of a relationship with her. Captain Gao, you can handle it as you see fit."
Captain Gao just happened to be passing by and was just asking: "Okay, then I'll do it according to the village's original rules."
Having received a definite answer from Gao Mingcheng, Captain Gao didn't linger. Tan Juan's family was gone, and the village needed to help with the funeral arrangements, so he was busy and soon left with Aunt Hao.
After closing the door, Xing Zhaozhao looked at Gao Mingcheng, her eyes glistening with tears, and asked, "If I really never come back, are you really planning to wait here forever?"
Gao Mingcheng nodded and gently wiped the corner of her eye: "Otherwise, what if you can't find us when you come back someday?"
Xing Zhaozhao sniffed, but couldn't help but smile. She definitely hadn't married the wrong person.
"Tell me what happened after Tan Juan came," Xing Zhaozhao said as she turned around and walked into the house.
Gao Mingcheng nodded and followed her, telling her in detail what had happened after Tan Juan arrived. He was particularly grim when he mentioned that with the help of the old principal, he had managed to find imported antibiotics to save Tan Juan. He said, "If I had known earlier that she had tried to kill you, I wouldn't have bothered with all this... Maybe Zhao Zhao would have been back by now."
Gao Mingcheng still feels a chill when he recalls Tan Juan's dying words. If it weren't for the chance encounter with the wild boar, he can't imagine how much longer he would have had to wait to bring Xing Zhaozhao back.
Xing Zhaozhao also helped with Tan Juan's funeral.
Although Tan Juan is dead, the damage she caused is real. Xing Zhaozhao doesn't think she can just erase the past because someone is dead. She will go to help, simply to make an appearance and let the villagers know that she is back. She doesn't want them to spread rumors, or they will be very rude.
Gao Qingshan was overjoyed to see Xing Zhaozhao: "Aunt Xing, you're back? When did you get back? I didn't even know!"
"I came back yesterday. Didn't Captain Gao tell you? I already met with him yesterday," Xing Zhaozhao said with a smile.
"There's nothing I can do. My grandpa's been so busy these past two days. I've only seen him twice from yesterday to today, and both times he was just rushing around." Gao Qingshan said, looking at Xing Zhaozhao with undisguised joy, "That's great! You're finally back. I mentioned you to Xiaolan before, and she was worried something might have happened to you out there. If you ask me, she's just overthinking it. You went to your brother's place, which is in the army. What could possibly happen to you? Don't you think so?"
Xing Zhaozhao's eyes flashed, knowing that Fu Lan should also know the truth. She smiled and nodded without changing her expression, saying, "That's right."
She decided that after Tan Juan's funeral was over, she would go to town with Gao Mingcheng and the children to see Fu Lan and her godparents, as they had worried about her while she was away.
Xing Zhaozhao went up the mountain with the other mourners and watched as Tan Juan was buried next to her father, Old Master Tan's, grave. While she was there, she had always hoped to come back and be with her father. Now her wish had been fulfilled, and they would never be separated again.
After burying Tan Juan, Xing Zhaozhao took the children back home first, without going back to the village for the feast.
Gao Mingcheng originally wanted to go with them, but several elders dragged him back to the village. After having a couple of drinks, he finally managed to get away and go back.
When they arrived home, they saw Hongfei and Xiaohongling in the yard, and their eldest son was helping their youngest daughter slowly learn to walk.
Gao Mingcheng stood to the side with a smile for a while, looked around, and when he didn't see Xing Zhaozhao and Hongyu, he asked, "Where are your mother and Xiaoyu?"
Hongfei, focused on keeping Xiao Hongling company, didn't even look up, and said, "Let's stay inside."
Gao Mingcheng frowned. If they were inside, they were inside; why add a "probably"? This uncertainty made him inexplicably uneasy.
"I'll go in and take a look," Gao Mingcheng said, and was about to go inside.
Unexpectedly, just as I reached the door, I saw Hongyu coming out of the house carrying a ball.
"Where's your mother?" Gao Mingcheng asked again.
"In the kitchen, I guess," Hongyu replied casually.
Another "bar"...
Gao Mingcheng's unease intensified, and he immediately rushed to the kitchen.
Hongfei, who was helping Xiao Hongling walk, sensed something was wrong and turned to look at Hongyu, who had just come out of the house, and asked, "Aren't you with Mom?"
Hongyu blinked: "No, I thought Mom was with you guys."
The two brothers stared at each other for a long time, then their expressions suddenly changed.
So, the two of them who were supposed to be watching over their mother are now both out of reach. Where is their mother now?
The two little ones immediately looked towards the kitchen, and soon saw Gao Mingcheng, his face ashen, coming out of the kitchen alone.
"Where's Mom?" the two little ones asked in unison.
“He’s not here,” Gao Mingcheng said in a deep voice.
The father and his two sons exchanged glances, sensed something was wrong, and immediately turned and ran towards the cellar in the backyard.
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