I entrust my aspirations to the long wind, and soar to the heavens...
Although there were no maternity nurses in the family compound, Jiang Mingxue didn't feel tired taking care of two children by herself, because a group of young air force soldiers fought over who would hold them every day, so there was no shortage of people to take care of them.
Her annual leave was short. Rong Qiyou and Jiang Qiyue's rich life in the family compound passed in the blink of an eye. They had been running wild at the air force base for half a month. On the last day, they each carried their small backpacks used to carry snacks and went home with their mother, returning to the peaceful life in the city.
The two children were very playful and initially had some difficulty adjusting. They would always carry their little stools to try and unlock the door, eager to run outside, which caused Aunt Lian and Madam Rong a lot of trouble.
They only gradually calmed down after going downstairs and finding that there were few people in the neighborhood to play with.
Rong Chengzhou often only comes back for two days every two weeks. Jiang Mingxue usually works at a clinic and can only rest one day a week most of the time. The couple are both too busy to take care of their two children.
Rong Qiyou and Jiang Qiyue started their childcare life when they were one year old. They would carry their own little bottles, toys and changes of clothes and ride in the car driven by the housekeeper to their grandfather's house, maternal grandfather's house or uncle's house.
In the sweltering heat of July, Rong Qiyou was almost two years old, his handsome features still bearing a touch of baby fat.
That weekend, wearing denim overalls, she stepped briskly out of the extended van, carrying a basket of flowers and running to Jiang Huaijing and Shi Yunshu's French-style villa, while also holding a huge baby bottle in her arms.
The nanny van was specially arranged by the Rong family for the two children. The maids behind him hurriedly caught up with him, carrying small toys and snacks: "Young Master, please slow down."
Xiao Youyou ignored him and ran to the living room door, but couldn't open it.
He pounded on the door and called out in a childish voice:
"Uncle and Aunt, please open the door for me!"
"Uncle, Aunt—"
No one answered for a long time.
The maid reminded him, "Young Master, are Mr. Jiang and Miss Shi not home? Should we go home first and come back later?"
Xiao Rongqiyou tilted his head, pressed his ear tightly against the door, and clearly heard the sound of his uncle's servants cleaning inside.
It must have been his uncle who sabotaged things again, deliberately locking him out.
He's done this childish thing more than once.
He was fooled last time, but he can't let his uncle succeed this time.
Xiao Rongqiyou snorted softly, holding her milk bottle, and said, "We're not going back. We'll just wait in the yard for Uncle and Aunt to get up."
The servant had no choice but to obey, spreading out a picnic mat in the yard, placing his toys and snacks on it, and waiting with him in the yard.
Inside the villa, Jiang Huaijing didn't get up until almost ten o'clock, carrying his sweet and soft wife. As he passed the living room door, he guessed that troublemaker Rong Qiyou should have left. He opened the door to water the flowers, but before he could see clearly, he heard a curse-like voice: "Uncle—!"
Jiang Huaijing: "......"
Suddenly, dark clouds gathered in the clear sky, and a gust of wind swept in.
Before he could close the door again, the little guy toddled into the room on his short legs, tilting his head and calling out with a clear purpose, "Auntie, I've come to play with you!"
"Youyou's here!" Shi Yunshu heard her nephew's voice and came out to greet him warmly.
Rong Qiyou grabbed her gentle aunt's leg and complained pitifully as if she had found her pillar of support: "Aunt, do you hate Youyou? Don't you want to play with Youyou anymore?"
Shi Yunshu was taken aback: "How could that be? Auntie loves playing with Youyou the most, why would Youyou think that way?"
Rong Qiyou rubbed her eyes with her small hands, choking back tears as she complained, "Actually, I arrived around 7 o'clock, but no one opened the door for Youyou..."
Shi Yunshu immediately understood what had happened and glared at Jiang Huaijing at the door: "If you bully our Youyou again, don't ever come into the house again."
Jiang Huaijing: "No, I..."
Before he could explain, Shi Yunshu took the little one's hand and led him inside: "Come on, Youyou, your aunt will play with building blocks with you."
Rong Qiyou: "Thank you, Auntie! You're so kind!"
Jiang Huaijing: "......"
He and that scheming nephew are definitely incompatible!
For three whole years, the scheming nephew and the stingy uncle engaged in a battle of wits and a love-hate relationship. This head-to-head dynamic only eased when Rong Qiyou turned three.
That day, Rong Qiyou came to his uncle's villa as usual, but first saw a beautiful little girl who looked like a porcelain doll in the living room.
The little girl was even smaller than him, sitting alone on a small stool in the corner, clutching a doll, looking both unfamiliar and afraid of her surroundings.
Curious, he walked up to you, bent down, and asked, "What's your name? I've never seen you at my uncle's house before."
The little girl hugged the doll tightly in her arms, her beautiful eyes wide open, watching him warily.
He remained silent and made no response.
Rong Qiyou wasn't angry and took the initiative to introduce himself: "Don't be afraid, I'm not a bad person. The owners of this house are my uncle and aunt."
Upon hearing this, the girl loosened her grip slightly, but she still didn't let her guard down.
Rong Qiyou scratched his head and took the initiative to change the subject: "What's your name?"
The little girl remained silent.
"So where did you come from?"
Still remained silent.
No matter what question he asked, the little girl kept her mouth tightly shut and didn't say a word.
It was even tighter than the mouths of tortured prisoners he had seen in TV dramas.
Rong Qiyou, with the air of a little adult, commented in a serious tone: "You're suited to be a Fruit Ninja agent."
Thinking he was mocking her, the little girl finally moved her thick eyelashes.
But he still didn't say anything.
Rong Qiyou changed his mind: "No, it should be Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."
The little girl listened attentively but ignored him.
No matter who the Fruit Warriors are, or who the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are, or even this chattering, bird-like person in front of her, none of them are as cute as Princess Elsa in her arms.
"What Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?" Shi Yunshu brought out a bowl of oatmeal and fruit cups she had made herself from the restaurant. Seeing Rong Qiyou there, she said, "Youyou, your aunt will make you another cup later."
Rong Qiyou shook his head: "Aunt, you don't need to cook for me. I ate my fill before I came."
Shi Yunshu smiled and said, "Okay, I'll make it for you this afternoon."
He handed the rabbit-shaped bowl he had just bought to the little girl: "Here, Tong Jia, have some fruit first."
The little girl, named Tong Jia, stared at the rabbit-shaped bowl for a long time, hesitating to reach out and take it.
Shi Yunshu didn't urge her, but squatted down and quietly waited for her with the small bowl in her hand.
Two full minutes passed, and the little girl seemed to have gone through a great internal struggle before hesitantly reaching out to take it.
Then he opened his eyes wide and looked up at Shi Yunshu.
She still didn't speak, but Shi Yunshu knew it meant "thank you".
He reached out and touched the little girl's hair: "Sweetie, eat up."
Rong Qiyou observed intently for a long time before finally understanding.
It turns out this little girl can't speak.
Shi Yunshu didn't take him aside, but instead said directly in front of the little girl, "Youyou, this girl is Tong Jia, your uncle's and my daughter. She'll be your little sister from now on. Your sister is a bit introverted, so would you like to take her out to play more often for your aunt, okay?"
Rong Qiyou turned his head to the left and then to the right, staring back and forth at his aunt and so-called daughter. His little head was full of confusion. He couldn't understand why his uncle and aunt suddenly had such a big child.
My mother said that when he and his sister were born, they were not even as big as my father's two palms.
But he didn't ask the question aloud; he just nodded and said "Mm!" before getting up and running to the sofa next to him.
Shi Yunshu asked curiously, "Youyou, where are you going?"
Rong Qiyou lay on the sofa, holding up his smartwatch and searching for Mrs. Rong's phone number: "I'll ask Grandma to bring Yueyue over too. Tong Jia probably prefers playing with girls."
Shi Yunshu was taken aback upon hearing this, but then felt touched: "Thank you, Youyou."
Tong Jia's surname is "Qi," which is the surname of Yun Shu's maternal grandfather. She was adopted by the couple from the welfare home when they were just over thirty years old. She doesn't cry or make a fuss and is very well-behaved, but she has autistic tendencies and is unwilling to talk to others.
Today is the first day we brought Tong Jia home, and even the name was chosen on the spot. Jiang Huaijing is still out handling the formalities and hasn't returned yet. She was worried that she wouldn't be able to take good care of Tong Jia, but Rong Qiyou happened to come over and share her worries.
Hearing what Rong Qiyou said, Xiao Qitongjia, with Princess Elsa on her lap and holding a rabbit bowl in both hands, slowly turned her head to look at her brother who was lying on the sofa making a phone call.
I thought to myself, this chattering older brother doesn't seem so noisy after all.
--
Another autumn has come. Rong Qiyou and Jiang Qiyue are four years old, and Qi Tongjia is three years old.
It was the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the clinic remained open. Jiang Mingxue and several doctors were on duty at Yuanhe Clinic to serve students or working people who could only see a doctor during the holiday.
After taking the pulse of an older woman and having her apprentice prepare medicine, she got up to remove acupuncture needles from another high school student who only had one day off.
After finishing her work and returning to the consultation table, the auntie from earlier took two mooncakes out of her bag and placed them on the table: "Thank you for your hard work, Dr. Jiang. Happy Mid-Autumn Festival."
Jiang Mingxue raised her hand to refuse, saying, "No need, Auntie..."
"Please accept this, it's just a small token of my appreciation." But the aunt insisted on giving it to her. "I know you young people don't like traditional mooncakes. This one is a snow skin taro filling recommended by my daughter. It's much tastier than the five-nut one. You should try it when you have time."
Unable to refuse such hospitality, Jiang Mingxue had no choice but to accept it and set it aside for the time being.
The aunt was easygoing and kept sighing, "Sigh, my daughter also works in the hospital and doesn't even have a holiday for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Seeing you all having to work during the big holiday makes my heart ache."
Jiang Mingxue smiled and said, "Working holidays are available, but illness doesn't discriminate based on time. If we all take holidays, what will happen to everyone's health?"
The aunt sighed and nodded, "That makes sense. Medical staff are truly great."
Jiang Mingxue smiled and didn't continue the conversation on the matter: "Auntie, it's the change of seasons recently, so please pay attention to keeping warm, take your medicine on time, and you can contact our staff if you have any questions."
"Okay, thank you, Dr. Jiang."
After the aunt left, Jiang Mingxue got up and placed the mooncakes on the table in the rest room. The table was already piled high with all kinds of mooncakes, some in gift boxes and some loose, with different flavors. There were also some snacks, all given by patients who had come to see her in the past two days.
Exchanging their rest time for the health of patients and allowing thousands of families to reunite, isn't that a remarkable achievement?
Jiang Mingxue's heart was also filled with the mooncakes. She neatly stacked the two snow skin mooncakes on top, took out her phone, and sent a message to Rong Chengzhou:
Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, have you eaten mooncakes yet?
Not only did she not have a holiday, but the air force base did as well. At this very moment, Rong Chengzhou was piloting a Flying Eagle-45 over Beicheng to participate in a performance rehearsal and couldn't get his phone to reply to messages.
Jiang Mingxue was used to it, put away her phone, returned to her consultation room, and continued with her own work.
At 5 p.m., as I was packing up to leave work, a girl wearing sunglasses and a burgundy dress gracefully walked into the clinic. She leaned out of the door frame and deliberately lowered her voice, saying, "Hello, beautiful lady, did you miss me?"
Jiang Mingxue knew who it was without even looking up, and said in a cooperative tone, "I miss you so much that I can't eat or drink, I toss and turn all night, and I even dream about you."
Ning Jialing didn't believe her. She let go of the door frame and stepped in, scoffing, "A woman's mouth is a liar's mouth. Humph, you've all become bad after getting married, just like your husband."
Jiang Mingxue couldn't help but smile: "Why didn't you tell me you were coming back to China beforehand? I didn't even have time to prepare a gift for you."
Ning Jialing: "Don't rush, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to prepare later."
Jiang Mingxue: "Hmm? Any good news lately?"
Ning Jialing whispered mysteriously in her ear, "I'm getting married—"
Jiang Mingxue looked up in surprise and teased her, "Have you had enough fun? Ready to settle down?"
Ning Jialing was playful and loved freedom. She dated a few handsome white men abroad but never thought about getting married. She never expected the change to be so sudden.
Ning Jialing: "The way you're talking makes it sound like I'm a scumbag."
Jiang Mingxue smiled and said, "This is good news. Tell me in advance if the wedding date is set."
Ning Jialing raised her eyebrows: "Then I'll definitely send you the first invitation."
Then he took out a gift box from behind his back: "Here, this is your Mid-Autumn Festival gift."
Ning Jialing always brings her gifts when she returns to China. Jiang Mingxue wasn't surprised and accepted them with a smile: "What is it this time?"
She raised an eyebrow, keeping everyone in suspense: "Open it and take a look."
Jiang Mingxue placed the gift box on the table, opened the lid, and found a bottle of Henry Jacques perfume.
Ning Jialing reminded her, "Even after you have a child, you still need to dress yourself up nicely, you hear me?"
Jiang Mingxue smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'm the same now as I was before."
After having children, many family and friends gave gifts for both children, but Ning Jialing was different. In recent years, the gifts she received have all been luxury handbags, jewelry, haute couture dresses, and so on.
Others expect her to be a good mother, but Ning Jialing constantly reminds her to be herself.
Ning Jialing nodded with satisfaction: "That's more like it. I won't disturb you going home for the holiday. I'll be going now, bye-bye."
"Okay, drive carefully."
After Ning Jialing left, Jiang Mingxue carried a full load of mooncakes and gifts directly back to the Jiang family home, where the three children had been playing since morning.
Before I even entered the house, I could hear my younger brother's angry voice coming from the front yard:
"Rong Qiyou! Who told you to pull up the roses I planted! Do you know that I planted them especially for your aunt!"
Rong Qiyou, clutching a bunch of freshly picked, vibrant red roses, ran wildly around the yard, his short legs moving like wheels of fire: "Ahhhhh, Auntie, save me—! Uncle's going to hit me!"
Shi Yunshu spread her arms to block him while smiling helplessly: "Youyou, you've really messed up this time. Your aunt is powerless to help you."
"Waaaaah, what should I do?" Rong Qiyou sobbed, but actually didn't shed a single tear. She ran behind Grandpa Jiang and begged, "Great-Grandpa, you're the best to Youyou. Please do something about your uncle."
Grandpa Jiang was easily swayed and couldn't bear to see the child suffer. He raised his cane to stop Jiang Huaijing from spanking Rong Qiyou: "Alright, alright, the child doesn't know any better. Don't hold it against him. I'll give you another plot of land so you can plant dozens more roses, okay?"
It wouldn't be good to play around in front of the elderly, lest they bump into and get injured. Jiang Huaijing's expression softened a bit, and he stopped walking for the time being.
Rong Qiyou hid his head behind Grandpa Jiang, peeking out half of his head defiantly: "That's right, that's right, what kind of behavior is it for an adult to bully a child!"
"Rong Qiyou, don't push your luck, or I'll slap your ass until it's rotten!" Jiang Huaijing warned him, making a move to go around to the back and continue hitting him.
A wise man doesn't fight a losing battle, so Rong Qiyou quickly and tucked his head back in.
Xiao Qi Tongjia also stepped forward, finally not holding a doll in her arms, but several thornless red roses. Her obedient voice was soft and delicate: "Daddy, my brother picked roses to give to me and Sister Yueyue. Can you please not hit him?"
Upon hearing his daughter's voice, Jiang Huaijing's anger vanished: "Forget it, I'll let him off this time."
"But Rong Qiyou, who taught you to give roses to girls?" He looked at him suspiciously.
Rong Qiyou answered quickly: "Every time Dad comes home, he gives Mom roses, red, white, blue and purple ones."
Jiang Huaijing sneered: "You've learned this stuff pretty quickly."
Rong Qiyou stuck out his tongue and muttered under his breath, "There's no need to study properly at all."
Having narrowly escaped disaster, Rong Qiyou winked at Qi Tongjia and Jiang Qiyue, then obsequiously hugged Grandpa Jiang's leg, grinning and thanking him, "Thank you, Great-Grandpa, you're the best."
Jiang Xingquan smiled kindly, then stroked his white beard and said, "Now that your uncle's roses are sorted out, let's settle the score for the jujube kernels you picked from half a tree last week to use for your slingshot."
Rong Qiyou's smile instantly vanished: "Ah..."
Jiang Mingxue happened to walk in, and Jiang Qiyue, seeing her enter, immediately opened her arms and ran over, excitedly shouting, "Mom—!"
Jiang Mingxue half-squatted down to catch Yueyue and hugged her tightly: "Baby Yueyue, Mommy's back. Did you have fun at Great-Grandpa's house today?"
"Happy!" Xiao Yueyue nodded, holding Xiao Qitongjia's hand, "My sister Tongjia and I also received roses from our brother."
Jiang Mingxue looked at the two sisters wearing the same style of pink dresses and holding the same number of bouquets in their arms, and her heart softened. She patted the two little girls' heads and said, "Yueyue and Jiajia are so good."
After cuddling her two well-behaved daughters, it was time to settle accounts with her mischievous son. Jiang Mingxue looked at Rong Qiyou, who was standing next to Grandpa Jiang with a guilty look on his face, and deliberately asked with a stern face, "Youyou, what naughty thing did you do again and made your uncle and great-grandfather angry?"
Rong Qiyou was still nervous when his mother caught him: "It's just...it's just..."
He didn't hear the rest of the sentence for a long time. He didn't know why he had angered his uncle and great-grandfather so easily. He felt that he had been very well-behaved and had never fought with anyone at school.
Yueyue answered for him: "Mom, my brother picked Uncle's roses and Great-Grandpa's jujube seeds, but he didn't do it on purpose."
Xiao Qi Tongjia also chimed in, "Yes, Auntie, please don't blame Brother Youyou."
The three children usually commit crimes as a group led by Rong Qiyou, but they are all quite loyal and know how to protect each other in critical moments.
Grandpa Jiang was the first to relent, waving his hand to invite Jiang Mingxue into the house: "Alright, alright, the little boy is naughty. We've disciplined him this time, he'll be more careful next time. Mingxue must be exhausted after a long day at work, come in and have some dinner."
Jiang Mingxue nodded and smiled, leading her two friends into the room: "Okay."
This year's Mid-Autumn Festival was spent at the Jiang family home. Jiang Mingxue managed to catch the tail end of the festival. Except for Rong Chengzhou, the whole family was together and had a hot pot meal in the living room.
The clear broth was bubbling in the copper pot, its aroma filling the room with a misty fragrance. Several children were laughing and playing, creating a lively and warm atmosphere at the dinner table.
After dinner, the family sat in the waterside pavilion, enjoying the moon with their children.
The moon, like a smooth white jade plate, hangs in the dark blue sky, with a few wisps of thin clouds drifting by, adding to its hazy beauty.
The family sat around in the small pavilion by the lake in the front yard, with sliced mooncakes and pomegranates on the stone table.
Rong Qiyou picked up a whole pomegranate and handed it to Jiang Huaijing: "Uncle."
Jiang Huaijing was somewhat flattered that his nephew would remember him when he had something good. He accepted the gift, saying, "What's wrong? Why are you being so attentive?"
Rong Qiyou shook his head: "No, it's because I can't open it."
Jiang Huaijing: "......"
He knew he wouldn't get any good opportunities.
Amidst the laughter of the crowd, she coldly helped him break open the pomegranate: "Here you go."
When his mother is around, Rong Qiyou is a polite and well-behaved child, smiling sweetly: "Thank you, Uncle."
Carrying the opened pomegranate back to the table, he found a few small plates, stood by the stone table, and clumsily peeled a whole plate of pomegranate flesh. He then handed the plate to Jiang Mingxue, saying, "Mom, here you go."
Jiang Mingxue felt a warmth in her heart and accepted the gift: "Thank you, Youyou."
Although Xiao Youyou is usually mischievous, she is very well-behaved in front of her and never causes her any trouble. Moreover, influenced by Rong Chengzhou, she often peels fruit for her or serves her tea and water.
Jiang Huaijing had long seen through his two-faced nephew: "You learned it from your father, didn't you? I'm so good to you, why don't you peel a plate for your uncle?"
Qi Tongjia, standing to the side, held up a small plate in front of her: "Dad, I peeled some for you too, and for Mom as well."
The little girl was young and peeled the pomegranate slowly, so there were not many pomegranate seeds on the plate, but Jiang Huaijing was still very touched.
He pinched his daughter's cheek and said, "Our little darling is the most sensible one."
Another little girl, Jiang Qiyue, also peeled a plateful and handed it to Grandpa Jiang, who usually taught her how to take a pulse: "Great-Grandpa, you can have some pomegranates too."
Grandpa Jiang took it, beaming from ear to ear: "That's wonderful, these children are becoming more and more sensible."
Su Yun sat to the side and said with satisfaction, "Yes, our family's holidays are getting more and more lively."
"Yes." Old Master Jiang sighed regretfully, "It's just a pity that Cheng Zhou is never there."
"Mingxue, have you chatted with Chengzhou these past few days? Is he able to eat mooncakes in the army? Should we send him some?" He turned and asked.
Jiang Mingxue picked up a bright red pomegranate, put it in her mouth and chewed it, nodding as she said, "I made a phone call yesterday for a few minutes. The army is issuing mooncakes and Mid-Autumn Festival benefits. He said we don't need to worry about him."
Grandpa Jiang nodded: "That's good."
Jiang Mingxue ate a few pomegranates and then gave the plate to Su Yun and her husband. She stood on the stone steps of the pavilion, took out her phone, and adjusted the settings for a long time before finally taking a clear and bright photo of the full moon.
I opened the chat window with Rong Chengzhou, selected the original image and sent it. The image took a few seconds to load before it was successfully sent.
At the same time as the message is sent, a photo sent by the other party pops up in the chat box.
Almost at the same second, they shared photos of the moon they had taken of each other under the same bright moon.
The moon appears perfectly round in photos taken from different locations and angles.
They share the same moon, even though they are thousands of miles apart; this is an unspoken understanding between them.
Jiang Mingxue paused for a second, then a distinct smile curved her lips as she sent him a message:
What a coincidence.
Rong Chengzhou called directly, his deep voice slightly hoarse after several hours of rehearsals, to continue the discussion from before:
"Yeah, I just got off the plane and saw that the moon was very round, so I sent it to you."
Jiang Mingxue leaned against the red pavilion pillar, holding her phone, and said softly, "Me too."
Rong Chengzhou answered her question from the afternoon: "I haven't had time to eat the mooncakes yet. There will be a gathering at the military base later, and I'll eat with everyone then."
Jiang Mingxue: "Okay."
"By the way, have the two kids been giving you trouble lately?"
"No, they bothered Grandpa and Huaijing, but not me. Just now, Youyou and Yueyue even peeled pomegranates for us to eat."
Rong Chengzhou was relieved: "That's good."
"By the way, Huaijing asked me a few days ago to ask you how you educate Youyou. Why is he so obedient in front of us, but like a mischievous monkey just released from the Five Finger Mountain in front of him?"
After a pause, she added, "These are Huai Jing's exact words, not mine."
Her son is such a sweet little man in front of her; she, as his own mother, simply cannot connect Youyou with Sun Wukong under the Five Finger Mountain.
Upon hearing this, Rong Chengzhou chuckled softly, and asked before answering, "Is Huaijing next to you? It's best not to let him hear this."
Jiang Mingxue turned her head and glanced at Jiang Huaijing, who was currently helping the three children open new pomegranates: "He's not here, you can speak now."
Rong Chengzhou was still wearing his flight suit, holding his helmet in one hand and his phone to his ear in the other. He walked slowly toward the assembly point, slightly raising his lips: "Actually, there's no special technique. It's just that every time I go home, I tell Youyou that Mom is very busy, and if you need anything, go to your uncle."
A deep voice, tinged with a faint smile, came from the other end of the phone. Jiang Mingxue couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Then this technique really can't be known to Huaijing."
At the same time, Rong Chengzhou's low laughter rang out.
Jiang Huaijing, on the other side, was still completely unaware of this. He took the pomegranate in his hands, gently handing two pieces to his daughter and niece with one hand, while holding the other hand high, deliberately teasing Rong Qiyou: "Say something nice, and I'll consider whether to give it to you or not."
Rong Qiyou reached out and jumped high, trying to snatch the food from the tiger's mouth, but he couldn't twist the thigh with his arm. After jumping a few times and realizing it was impossible, he wisely stopped.
She clung to Jiang Huaijing's arm, pleading and begging, "Uncle, Uncle, you're the most handsome and the best—"
Jiang Huaijing snorted coldly: "Just that one sentence? Not enough."
Rong Qiyou racked his brains: "Uncle is super incredibly handsome!"
"Compared to your father?"
"Hmm... I also want to tell you that you're even more handsome, but if you lie, your nose will grow longer."
"..." Jiang Huaijing squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth, "Go play somewhere else."
The conversation between the two was heard clearly by everyone, and laughter filled the air on the phone and in the pavilions and waterside terraces.
Under the clear moonlight, the moonlight swayed gently in the evening breeze, sprinkling on everyone's beaming smiles, shimmering with tiny sparkles.
--
After spending one night at the Jiang family's house, Jiang Mingxue had a day off the next day. She got up early and took her two children to the Rong family's house to greet the elders. Then she bent down and straightened the children's crooked collars: "Come on, babies, Mommy will take you to find Daddy."
Rong Qiyou and Jiang Qiyue's eyes lit up, and they excitedly asked, "Really, Mom? We can go to the family compound again?"
In recent years, Jiang Mingxue has taken her two children to stay in the family compound for a few days each year, so that the family of four can have more time together. Therefore, they naturally assumed that they would go again this time.
Jiang Mingxue smiled but did not answer, only saying, "You'll know when we get there."
"Yay! Yay!"
The two children happily sat in the back seat of the car with Jiang Mingxue, chattering non-stop the whole way. They were overjoyed at the thought of seeing their father soon.
Half an hour later, Jiang Mingxue drove to the largest airport in Beicheng and got out of the car with her two children: "We're here."
The entrance was already packed with people. Under the huge sunshade, long queues formed at the ticket gates. Inside the security checkpoint, a grand aerial feast was about to begin.
The two children looked up at the unfamiliar surroundings, not the familiar air force base gate, and asked in confusion, "Mom, where are we?"
Jiang Mingxue led them inside, pointing to the airplane-shaped plaque at the top and patiently explaining, "We are at the entrance of the first aviation and aerospace exhibition held in Beicheng, also known as the 'Airshow.' It mainly showcases various advanced aircraft, spacecraft, and other equipment to the public, and you can also see spectacular air shows."
The two children seemed to understand only part of what was being said, but Rong Qiyou, being a boy, understood more.
Yueyue's thoughts were simpler; she asked directly, "Will Daddy be in there too?"
Jiang Mingxue smiled and nodded: "Yes, Dad is inside today."
Little Yueyue immediately pulled her forward: "Then let's go in quickly!"
Jiang Mingxue couldn't help but chuckle: "Okay."
Security checks at the airshow required long queues, but Rong Chengzhou had arranged for her and her child to use the priority lane for family members in advance, allowing them to enter smoothly without queuing.
When they entered the venue, the morning performance was already halfway through. Three silver-gray fighter jets in formation cut through the clouds, while two other fighter jets flipped to the sides, leaving trails of red, blue, and white smoke in their wakes, weaving a dazzling ribbon in the blue sky.
The host enthusiastically reported on the aircraft in the sky: "The Flying Eagle-35A is a multi-role air-sea twin fighter jet, with a significantly improved engine performance, and its maximum takeoff weight may be approaching 30 tons..."
The two children looked up at the colorful trails left by the fighter jets and exclaimed in amazement. Yueyue exclaimed, "Mommy, what a beautiful rainbow!"
Rong Qiyou corrected her like a little adult: "Silly Yueyue, that's an airplane fuse."
Little Yueyue asked in confusion, "What is an airplane fuse?"
Rong Qiyou couldn't answer the question and looked to her mother for help.
Jiang Mingxue explained to them softly, "Airplane contrails are actually the smoke formed by burning e-liquid. You can think of it as the airplane's belly containing special colored pigments, which are heated into smoke when the airplane is flying, thus creating beautiful ribbons in the sky."
"Oh~" Jiang Mingxue explained it simply and easily, and the two children understood and suddenly realized, "So that's how it is."
In the chat room, another round of airplane performances had already taken place.
The host excitedly introduced: "Next up is a solo flight demonstration of our star aircraft of this airshow, the 'Flying Eagle-45,' piloted by a five-time Golden Helmet ace pilot. Due to military secrets, we cannot disclose too much about the aircraft or the pilot. Please pay attention to the front of the viewing platform and try not to blink!"
The millions of visitors to this airshow came specifically to see this most advanced fighter jet on display. Upon hearing the host's introduction, they all stopped talking and stared intently at the sky.
The airshow was broadcast live on military television, and all the viewers in front of their TVs held their breath, including the Rong and Jiang families. Everyone sat around in the living room as the live broadcast of the airshow played on the TV.
In Mengshan County, Haining, Lao Lin and Instructor Lu sat in front of the television. Instructor Lu excitedly grabbed Lao Lin's hand: "Do you believe it or not, the person on this plane must be my student!"
"Believe it, believe it, believe it!" Old Lin glanced at him. "Why aren't you called a traitor anymore?"
Instructor Lu blushed: "This is a moment to win glory for the country, it sounds terrible to call me a traitor!"
Old Lin snorted coldly, turned his head and saw a corner of the airplane appear on the side of the screen. He excitedly shouted, "Look, look! It's out! It's out!"
Jiang Mingxue, holding her two children's hands, stood in front of the viewing platform reserved for family members, which offered the best vantage point.
A deafening roar erupted from behind the clouds as the silver-gray fighter jet pierced the sky like a sword, drawing gasps from the crowd the moment it appeared. Then, the jet abruptly reduced its thrust, and its fuselage, like a leaf lifted by an autumn wind, began to slowly rotate and descend with a very small radius, its wingtips even leaving trails of fine white vortices.
Each rotation was as precise as if drawn with a compass, tracing a perfect spiral trajectory in the blue sky. As it approached low altitude, the fighter jet suddenly pulled up, its wake instantly bursting into a cloud of silver mist. The moment it hovered steadily, the cheers from the crowd almost drowned out the sound of the engine.
This is an extremely difficult "falling leaf" maneuver, which tests not only the performance of the fighter jet but also the pilot's control skills.
Jiang Mingxue, holding the two children's hands, looked up and gently told them, "Look, that's Daddy."
Little Yueyue exclaimed with her mouth agape, "Daddy is so amazing! He can actually fly in the sky!"
A faint smile appeared on Jiang Mingxue's lips, and her clear eyes sparkled with tiny lights.
She murmured softly, "Yes, Daddy is amazing. He can fly in the sky."
Her gaze remained fixed on the much-anticipated fighter jet and her husband, whom she was most proud of, in the cockpit.
The sky was clear and the breeze was gentle, lightly lifting the hem of her dress.
With a roar, the plane soared through the blue sky, tracing the most beautiful silhouettes.
With the wind as my witness, I wish you a smooth road ahead and unwavering success.
May you have peace and safety every year.
The End.
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Author's Note: The story is now complete! 200 red envelopes for this chapter!
Thank you all for your company and for following the updates these past three months. It's been an unforgettable experience for me (especially the pressure of meeting deadlines every day, hahaha). I absolutely love reading everyone's comments, and I often reread the excerpts [hugs]. A special thank you to "Sheng Wanzhou" for the airshow suggestion; I thought about it and decided it's perfect as an ending [sprinkling flowers].
The story has truly come to an end here. Actually, there are still a few plot points that I haven't found a suitable place to write, so there will be some bonus chapters later. Just like before, they will be unlocked at 60% subscription, an exclusive perk for legitimate readers!
However, due to Jinjiang's policy, the bonus chapters can only be released one week after the story is completed. Please try not to unfavorite the story after reading it, so your bookshelf will notify you when the bonus chapters are released. Feel free to leave comments about any other stories you'd like to see, and I will carefully consider all your suggestions!
Also, I hope those who subscribed to the whole thing can give it a five-star rating! [pity]
You can bookmark the author's page so you'll get notifications when a new story starts. Also, follow Big Eyes; there will be a giveaway for completed works in the next few days, along with a long, rambling epilogue, hahaha.
Waaaaah, I really hate to leave you all! Please don't forget me, and remember to check out the bonus episodes! [pleading emoji]
Thank you again for your support over the past three months. See you in the bonus episode!
Finally, I'd like to mention the pre-orders for "Seeing the Letter is Not Me" and the Changfeng collaboration chapter "Cloud Top." The protagonist from Changfeng will also appear in "Cloud Top."
The text for "Cloud" is as follows:
[Age gap of 5 years | The superior bows down | Female prosecutor × Beijing elite]
Xiang Qing first met Pei Yichuan under the eaves of a building at Peking University during a rainstorm. She crawled under his umbrella and asked, "Sir, may I borrow your umbrella to take shelter from the rain?"
Pei Yichuan glanced at her formal attire and tacitly approved of her rude intrusion.
She used that umbrella for four years afterward.
Xiang Qing is not a bad person, but he is not a good person either.
She had spent over twenty years struggling in the mud, seen wild animals on several mountains, and lived in dark, mud-brick houses. She was single-mindedly climbing up the social ladder, and no one could make her stay except for her usefulness.
On the day she left Pei Yichuan, she turned away resolutely and told him frankly:
"I want to stand in the highest position."
Later, her career indeed took off, but she was dragged into trouble again by her closest relatives. A torrential downpour trapped her on the steps by the roadside.
The rain suddenly stopped in one corner overhead. She looked up and saw Pei Yichuan, whom she hadn't seen in a long time, approaching with a black umbrella.
He wore a well-tailored suit, his shoulders damp with sweat. The tips of his fingers on the umbrella handle were white, and it was the first time he had seen her eyes redden.
The man's expression was indifferent, and he tilted the umbrella towards her.
"I'll lend you this umbrella one more time."
/
"Since I personally lifted her to the top, how could I let her fall?"
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