Chapter 93
What Nie Bai said casually back then actually came true.
This was not an accidental act, but someone did it on purpose.
Before leaving the base, the commander asked Chu Liqiang if he had any other requests. He didn't ask for more allowances or a higher position, but only Nie Bai. He wanted Nie Bai to return to the Capital Military Region with him. The commander checked the information and found that the two were old comrades with a good relationship. After a little consideration, he not only agreed, but also promoted Nie Bai to a higher rank.
Last year, Nie Bai was promoted to deputy head of the group, and this year he became the head of the group. Even Chu Liqiang couldn't catch up with this speed of promotion.
Nie Bai's wife, her name is Liu Yuzhen. She has never been to the capital. Now her husband has been transferred to the military region over there. Seeing that he is determined to follow Political Commissar Chu, it is estimated that their family will have to stay in the capital for the rest of their lives.
This wasn't a bad thing. Liu Yuzhen was just a little worried. They had no relatives or friends there, and she wasn't sure if the mothers-in-law and aunts in the family compound would be easy to get along with. Plus, there were the children. The eldest and second oldest were in junior high school, while the third and fourth were still in elementary school. They spoke with accents. Although she had been asking Nie Bai to teach them Mandarin over the past few days, the last-minute cramming had produced little success...
Liu Yuzhen was worried that she wouldn't be able to make friends, and she was also worried that her children wouldn't be able to make friends either. She felt both excited and terrified. Gazing at the pitch-black darkness outside the window, Liu Yuzhen turned her head and looked around.
The transfer order came down very urgently, so they were given three days, which was quite humane. They were allowed to celebrate the Chinese New Year and then set off in the afternoon of the first day of the new year, so that they had time to say goodbye to their relatives and friends.
As soon as the transfer order came, Nie Bai went to buy tickets, but they arrived at a very bad time. All the tickets were sold out, and there was no way they could get a sleeper berth. Nie Bai had to use his connections to buy these few seats. Their family of six squeezed onto two benches facing each other. She and Nie Bai each sat by the window. The eldest son and daughter were asleep, but the youngest son and daughter were still excited, grinning and punching the air. No matter if they won or not, they would laugh with joy.
Looking at her innocent child and her sleepy husband, Liu Yuzhen felt relieved. Who cares? No friends, no friends. As long as the family is together, there's nothing to worry about.
Besides, they weren't completely alone. Political Commissar Chu was back, and with him around, their family wouldn't have to face any hardship. And Chu Shao and Jiujiu were there too. The eldest had been clamoring to play with Chu Shao for a long time, and now he could finally do so.
Her mood gradually calmed down and Liu Yuzhen felt sleepy. She didn't dare to sleep for fear that her child would be taken away by strangers on the way. She just half-closed her eyes and looked at the reflection of the child in the window. The regular sound of the train moving came to her ears. She thought, there are still five hours left. In five hours, they will arrive at their new home.
…
The third day of the Lunar New Year should be a rare day off for everyone. People celebrated New Year's greetings on the first day and returned to their parents' homes on the second. On the third day, things were less busy, so many people would sleep in. But Chu Jiujiu didn't. She got up at six, quickly combed her hair and changed her clothes, and was already downstairs by six-thirty.
Chu Shao came out earlier than her and was reading a book. When he saw Chu Jiujiu come out, he didn't say anything, but pointed to the kitchen and signaled her to go there to get breakfast.
Others were still sleeping, especially Grandpa Han and Grandma Han. They were light sleepers and would never be able to fall asleep again if they were woken up. Chu Jiujiu understood and didn't say anything. She quietly pushed open the kitchen door and saw big meat buns and boiled eggs in the pot. Chu Jiujiu took a meat bun and an egg, put the buns in her mouth, paused, held the bun in her mouth, pulled out a piece of brown paper from the side, and put the remaining buns in the pot in it.
When she came out, Chu Shao glanced at her casually. Then, his gaze fixed on her. He lowered his voice and asked, "What are you doing with so much?"
Chu Jiujiu replied in a low voice, "Take them to the train station. They won't be able to eat or sleep well on the train. Dabao and the others must be hungry."
Nie Bai's four children are named Dabao, Erbao, Sanbao and Xiaobao. These are nicknames. Their real names are more complicated. After they get to know each other, basically no one calls them by their real names.
As for why Xiaobao is not called Sibao, it is because Liu Yuzhen said that if she had another child, she would let Nie Bai ride a pig around the camp three times. For the sake of his own face, Nie Bai had to accept the fate of having only four children in his life.
Nie Bai likes children. In his opinion, it is no problem for their family to raise seven or eight. However, he likes his wife more. Since his wife doesn't want to have more, then forget it.
It's really a case of drought killing one and flood killing one. Chu Liqiang also likes children very much, but he and Zhang Fengjuan tried so hard for so many years, but they only had one child, Chu Shao.
Not having a daughter is Chu Liqiang’s lifelong regret. Wait, it seems he has a daughter now.
The guard jumped out of the car. He didn't honk the horn, but just knocked gently on the door of the Han family. Hearing the noise, the two people who were talking inside immediately ran out. Chu Jiujiu was afraid that the buns would get cold, so she held them in her arms.
After arriving at the train station, they waited for another hour before the train finally arrived. Chu Jiujiu was standing at the station entrance. When she saw Nie Bai and his group, she waved vigorously.
"Uncle Nie! Aunt Nie! Dabao and Erbao!"
Dabao is the same age as Chu Jiujiu this year. He inherited Nie Bai's appearance. He is only fourteen, but looks almost eighteen. He is tall and strong. Little girls don't dare to get close to him when they see him.
Erbao is two years younger than Chu Jiujiu and is very pretty. When she saw Chu Jiujiu, she was very happy and raised her hand and waved to her.
The children were still energetic, but Nie Bai and Liu Yuzhen felt like their bodies were about to fall apart. They had been sitting on the train for a whole day and two nights. It was such a tiring feeling.
Seeing Chu Liqiang, Nie Bai's eyes filled with tears, partly because of his feelings for him, and the other part because he felt sad for himself.
…
The adults went to talk about adult matters. Chu Jiujiu took out the buns and divided them among the four treasures. While eating the buns, everyone got into the military jeep driven by the guards.
Nie Bai: "Shall we go back to the military area first?"
Chu Liqiang: "When is your reporting time?"
Nie Bai: "The day after tomorrow."
Chu Liqiang: "Then there's no need to worry. The military district is three hours away. You're so tired, why don't you go to Han's house and rest for a while and have a good sleep? I'll have Xiao Li take you there in the afternoon."
Liu Yuzhen: "Forget it, it's not nice to disturb them. Why don't we just go to the military area and I'll clean up the house."
Chu Jiujiu poked her head out from the back and said, "It's okay. Grandpa Han is busy out every day, so it's just Grandma Han who's at home. She's been nagging about it since the day before yesterday and even cleaned up the guest room."
Liu Yuzhen turned her head. She had just come out of the train station without even bothering to see what Chu Jiujiu looked like now. Seeing that she had become even more beautiful, she couldn't help but pinch her cheeks and said, "Xiaojiu is getting prettier and prettier. Auntie brought you some new clothes. Try them on when we get home."
Everyone called her Jiujiu, except Liu Yuzhen, who called her Xiaojiu. Chu Jiujiu accepted it very well and smiled twice before sitting back down. Chu Liqiang saw that they had finished chatting before he said to Liu Yuzhen, "Sister-in-law, I went to see your house yesterday. It's very clean, similar to mine, and there's nothing much to clean."
The home is viewed differently by men and women. Chu Liqiang sees no place that needs cleaning, but Liu Yuzhen thinks it is too dirty to live in. Liu Yuzhen will not refuse Chu Liqiang's kindness. She agrees to go to Han's house to rest, but she is wondering in her heart where to buy a new broom and dustpan.
Nie Bai and Chu Liqiang reported at different times. After resting for a day and having dinner, they returned to the military area. Chu Liqiang helped them clean for a while, and then stayed at Nie Bai's house at night.
The next day, Nie Bai was still able to come out, so the Han family, the Chu family, and the Nie family went to a big restaurant in the capital and had a welcoming banquet together.
Grandpa Han reserved a private room under his own name. This was Chu Jiujiu's first experience of dining in a real restaurant. While she was eating, the adults were still chatting, especially Grandpa Han, Chu Liqiang, and Nie Bai. They barely ate their food, just kept drinking. Grandpa Han couldn't hold his liquor as well as the other two, so he took small sips. Judging by their expressions, it felt like they could have eaten for another two hours.
Chu Jiujiu supported her chin, feeling bored. She walked around the big round table, found Erbao, took her hand, and went to play in the hall downstairs.
When the two little girls are together, they always have a lot to talk about. Even if they just sit on the sofa in the first-floor hall and watch the goldfish swim around, it is more fun than sitting at the table and listening to adults talking about things they can't understand.
Chu Jiujiu sat on the soft sofa, and Erbao sat on the armrest of the sofa. She asked, "Sister Jiujiu, my dad said that you and Chu Shaoge are going to school too. Are we going to the same school?"
Chu Jiujiu raised her head and said, "No, Chu Shao and I will go to school in the city. You guys should go to school inside the military zone."
Erbao uttered an "ah" and was a little disappointed. "I thought we could go together."
Two years ago, Dabao and Erbao went to Qingzhu Village with their parents. The friendship among the children was accumulated at that time. Sanbao and Xiaobao were too young, so Nie Bai did not bring them out, so Chu Jiujiu was not very familiar with them.
Two years ago, Erbao was only ten years old. She was a very cute little girl. Chu Jiujiu liked her very much. Even though she has grown up now, she still feels that Erbao is her little sister.
Chu Jiujiu smiled at Erbao, "It's okay. I'll live in the military area as soon as I have a holiday, so we can still play together. You see, our families are different. Chu Shao and I go to school in the city, so nothing will change at home. But your family will be different. If you and Dabao leave, Aunt Nie will definitely be very worried. She will have to take care of you and follow you. When Aunt Nie leaves, your brother and sister will have to follow too. By then, Uncle Nie will be the only one left in the military area. Can you bear to leave?"
Erbao blinked his eyes and said unscrupulously, "I'm willing to give it up. My mom always said to me when we were home, 'Nie Bai, get out of here! The five of us don't want you anymore.'"
Chu Jiujiu: "...She was joking, you silly kid, you actually believed it."
Chu Jiujiu touched Erbao's head lovingly. Erbao didn't inherit Nie Bai's looks, but she did inherit his IQ. She always acted silly towards people who meant no harm to her. After being touched on the head, she laughed and didn't care at all that Chu Jiujiu had just called her a silly child.
The two of them were playing here and no one noticed that Chu Yue was just a few meters behind Chu Jiujiu. When she saw Chu Jiujiu, she stopped, and then when she heard the name Nie Bai from her mouth, she was stunned.
While she was lost in thought, the two sisters stood up. Chu Jiujiu took Erbao's hand again and said, "Let's go back and see if they've finished drinking. If Uncle Nie drinks too much today, you can stay with us. Weiwei braids beautiful pigtails, let her braid one for you too."
As they spoke, the two of them walked up the stairs. Chu Yue had an idea, so she left the crowd and followed them up the stairs.
Chu Yue came here with Chu Lidi today. Her good friend's parents held a banquet here to thank Chu Yue for saving their daughter and thank Chu Yue for always having such a good relationship with their daughter.
Everyone was ordering food on the first floor. Chu Lidi was chatting with others when he turned around and found that his daughter was missing.
Strange, where did he go?
…
Chu Yue followed Chu Jiujiu carefully. She didn't do anything but just passed by the door of their private room. There were not many people inside, so Chu Yue's eyes were immediately fixed on Nie Bai. While she was observing, an old lady inside suddenly stood up and called a young man in the distance.
"Shengyi, go get your grandfather a bowl of hangover soup. If he drinks it again, we'll have to carry him home today."
Nie Bai said with a smile: "Look at what you said, Minister Han can drink quite well."
Chu Liqiang hummed, "Yes, I really drank so much that I couldn't stand up. Don't we still have you? Carry Minister Han back."
Nie Bai: "I'm so honored!"
Han Shengyi waited until the adults finished their banter, then, with a smile on his face, he walked out of the private room and headed downstairs. As he was about to descend the stairs, Han Shengyi suddenly felt as if someone was looking at him from behind. He turned abruptly, but saw no one. Only two women, chatting happily, walked out of the private room next door.
Han Shengyi frowned, thinking that he might have overthought it. He turned around and continued walking forward.
Chu Yue walked out from behind a vase that was as tall as a person, her face full of shock. After a long time, she walked downstairs in a daze.
The old man is Minister Han, so this Shengyi is naturally Han Shengyi.
She didn't know much about Han Shengyi's life, but there was one thing she was particularly sure of, that is, he must be a lonely man.
He has no friends or relatives. All those who care about him are dead, and those who don't care about him are killed by him. His life has nothing to do with warmth and simplicity.
But now... his grandparents are still alive, and he has a great time chatting with Chu Liqiang's family, and as for that Nie Bai, they actually knew each other for a long time!
Nie Bai, Nie Bai, Nie Bai!
He was definitely reborn, and he was so bold that he actually caught Han Shengyi in advance!
Before today, Chu Yue's mind was a mess, but after today, Chu Yue felt that she had figured it out.
Nie Bai, like her, was reborn, so he appeared in Qingzhu Village early, so he could become friends with the Han family. As for her uncle Chu Liqiang, Chu Yue still couldn't figure it out, but she was sure that Nie Bai also wanted to get something from Chu Liqiang!
That night, Chu Yue was too busy flattering her good friend's parents. She was absent-minded during the meal. Her good friend sat next to her. Seeing Chu Yue like this, she felt relieved and felt lighter.
However, in the eyes of her parents, this was proof that their daughter really liked Chu Yue.
Chu Lidi rode his bicycle home from the big restaurant, savoring the dishes on the table with satisfaction all the way. This big restaurant was too high-end and he would never come here normally. It was thanks to Yueyue that he was able to taste such delicious food.
When they got home, Chu Lidi's good mood was instantly wiped out. Gao Meiyin complained that Chu Yue had only taken him and not herself, feeling that her daughter was ashamed of her. Gao Meiyin first had a quarrel with Chu Yue, and then with Chu Lidi. The house was still filled with smoke and chaos until bedtime.
Chu Yue didn't care about family matters, but Gao Meiyin's noise made her feel annoyed. So, for the first time in her life, Chu Yue yelled at Gao Meiyin. Gao Meiyin was scared by her and looked at her blankly, as if she didn't understand why her daughter suddenly had such a bad temper. Chu Yue ignored her, lay down on her bed, and ignored others.
Over the next few days, Chu Yue wandered around outside every day. The capital was so small, and their circle of friends wasn't large. Once they knew one person, they were likely to know everyone else. The problem was, Chu Yue was no longer part of that circle. Because of Old Madam Gao, their current status was extremely awkward, and Chu Yue wasn't considered a proper second-generation. Some people, unaware of the whole story, were willing to talk to her, while others, knowing the truth, wouldn't even glance at her.
She inquired for a long time before finally getting some information. It turned out that Nie Bai was Chu Liqiang's former subordinate. Chu Liqiang had helped him a lot in the early years. Since then, Nie Bai has been devoted to Chu Liqiang.
Chu Yue hehe, your devotion is fake, your real intention is to use him to get promoted. Chu Liqiang took on a secret mission and spent more than three years not knowing whether he was alive or dead before he was finally promoted to division political commissar, while Nie Bai did nothing but wait for three years. Then, as soon as Chu Liqiang came out, he took him to be the regimental commander, and the commander of the Capital Military Region.
Chu Yue demonstrated the power of judging others by one's own standards. She began to look at Nie Bai with tinted glasses, and then, in her eyes, everything Nie Bai did became ulterior motives. However, it was precisely because of this that Chu Yue felt relieved.
She wasn't that petty. She didn't mind the fact that there was another reborn person in the world, someone who had nothing to do with her. His efforts were in the military camp, and that didn't overlap with hers. He could do whatever he wanted, as long as it didn't interfere with her.
What made Chu Yue most satisfied was that the enemy was in the open while she was in the dark, so she could keep an eye on Nie Bai's movements at all times, so that Nie Bai could not compete with her.
Chu Yue finally calmed down, thinking she had seen through Nie Bai's thoughts, and Chu Liqiang finally found a suitable house.
There were not many people selling their houses. Chu Liqiang searched for a week before he found two suitable ones. One was one street away from Han's house, and the other was behind the park, nearly two kilometers away from Han's house. The two houses had similar prices, similar areas, and even the distance to the new school was similar.
Chu Liqiang was planning to buy a house from these two. Just as he was about to pay, Grandma Han suddenly asked Secretary Lin to call him back to the Han family. He walked in and saw Grandma Han with a very happy face. She said that she had found the most suitable house for him.
Chu Liqiang was confused and was taken by Grandma Han to the house next to his. It was also a Western-style building, but it was different from Han's. This Western-style building faced the street on three sides and was located right at the intersection. Looking from above, the shape of the house was semi-elliptical. In short, it looked very different from ordinary houses.
There's no yard, so you're on the street when you go out. Transportation is quite convenient, but pedestrians stop and go all the time, and there are too many people passing by every day...
The only good thing is that the house is very large, and the people who built it may have directly included the yard area, leaving no external space at all.
Chu Liqiang actually didn't want to buy this house because he felt that it was not suitable for living. Chu Jiujiu walked around the empty house and felt that Chu Liqiang was right.
It is indeed not suitable for living, especially after cars become popular. If you live here, you will probably not be able to sleep well every day.
but……
This location is so golden! If it were used as a storefront, it would definitely make a fortune!
Chu Liqiang himself does not live here. Chu Jiujiu and Chu Shao will grow up in a few years. When they grow up, they don’t know where they will end up. It will take at least ten years for cars to become popular. As a temporary residence, this place is still good.
Chu Jiujiu wanted Chu Liqiang to buy the house, and so did Grandma Han. Chu Shao didn't care and abstained, thinking he could live anywhere. Chu Liqiang was tricked by the two women and went to negotiate the price with the owner. After learning the price, he almost suspected that he had misheard.
"Only two thousand?"
Such a big house, and right in the city center, and it’s only two thousand?
The courtyard house next to the park he had seen before cost another four thousand five hundred!
The homeowner was a middle-aged man. Upon hearing Chu Liqiang's doubts, he said helplessly, "If my family wasn't short of money, I wouldn't sell it. My son got into trouble and broke a large machine in their factory. I took out all my savings, but it wasn't enough. I had no choice but to sell our three houses to pay off the debt. Alas, now we only have six houses left. Aside from the one I live in, the rest are in very remote places, almost out of the city center!"
Chu Liqiang: "..."
He had a complicated expression on his face when he heard this. He had originally wanted to sympathize with the homeowner, but now, he decided to sympathize with himself.
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