Chapter 26 How about we adopt Zhiqi?
Jiang Ning briefly recounted what had happened that morning. When he heard that Wang Xiaotian had pushed Zhiqi's head underwater, his face darkened.
She had never seen Shen Mo angry before.
Looking at the man's increasingly frightening expression, Jiang Ning knew that he was truly enraged.
The friendship we have now is not the fake friendship that exists in the workplace years later; it is the friendship forged in the battles of life and death, a bond forged through shared experiences.
From the moment she learned that Zhiqi's father was Shen Mo's comrade-in-arms, she knew that Shen Mo could never abandon this child.
Actually, she had an idea that Shen Mo would probably agree to.
Shen Mo looked at Zhiqi, "Zhiqi, do they do this often?"
“Not often.” Zhiqi shook his head. “Even if I give them the things, they won’t do anything about it.”
Wang Xiaotian and Wang Xiaodi are afraid of water and dare not go into the water at all. Every time, they would ask him to go into the water to catch fish, and then the two brothers would snatch the fish away and say that they caught them.
Jiang Ning witnessed those kids committing the acts firsthand and knew it all too well; her knuckles cracked as she squeezed them. "These brats these days just need a beating; a good beating will make them behave."
Seeing her righteous indignation, Shen Mo's anger subsided considerably.
After lunch, Zhiqi volunteered to wash the dishes again, and Jiang Ning handed the task over to him without any hesitation.
Seeing that someone had taken his dishwashing job, Shen Mo went to the door, picked up a bucket and a carrying pole, and looked like he was about to go out.
As Jiang Ning strolled around digesting her food, she asked him, "Where are you going?"
Shen Mo hoisted the carrying pole onto his shoulder. "I'm going to fetch water from the river. The water at home can't support wild fish."
“I’ll go with you.” Jiang Ning wanted to talk to Shen Mo alone.
Then he turned his head and glanced at the kitchen, saying, "Zhiqi, you'd better keep an eye on the house."
After saying that, Jiang Ning followed Shen Mo away, leaving Zhiqi alone in the huge courtyard, shivering in the wind.
The bedroom on the other side of the main room was also wide open.
When he was at the Wang family home, Grandma Wang was afraid that he would steal things, so whenever he was home, all the doors in the house were locked.
Even when the Wang family went out to visit relatives, Grandma Wang wouldn't take him with her. She would kick him out of the house and make him stay outside until they returned before letting him go home.
Huo Zhiqi turned his head to look again and saw that the gate to the courtyard was also open.
His eyes darted around, and he moved a stool from the main room to the center of the courtyard. Zhiqi plopped down on the stool and stared at the gate. He would never let any stranger in; anyone who wanted to enter had to get past him first.
Shen Mo and Jiang Ning, who were out fetching water, were unaware that their home had acquired a little guardian spirit.
Jiang Ning plucked some roadside grass and played with it in her hand, thinking about how to start the conversation. After thinking for a long time, she decided to be direct.
"How about we adopt Zhiqi?"
'Clang—'
The sound of something falling to the ground.
Jiang Ning watched as the bucket on the ground rolled twice, then she stretched out her foot to stop it.
Such a strong reaction?
Jiang Ning asked in confusion, "Have you never thought about adopting Zhiqi?"
She thought that Shen Mo cared about Zhiqi and had something on his mind, and must have had the idea of adopting him.
Just as she was about to bend down to pick up the bucket, Shen Mo took it first and hoisted it back onto his shoulder. "Are you really willing to adopt Zhiqi?"
“I’m willing,” Jiang Ning nodded. “Why would I bring this up if I weren’t?”
Shen Mo was stunned for a moment, not expecting that she was actually willing to adopt Zhiqi.
I'm worried that it's just a passing fancy.
After thinking about it, I decided to tell her my true thoughts.
"Daughter-in-law... Jiang Ning..."
The words "wife" almost slipped out, but he stopped himself in time, afraid that Jiang Ning would feel uncomfortable.
He took a step closer to Jiang Ning. Jiang Ning looked up slightly and could only see his jawline. His angular face showed a mixture of seriousness and solemnity.
He said, "If we adopt this child, we need to be responsible for him until he becomes an adult. We need to teach him to distinguish between good and bad, and teach him what good character is. Raising a child is not child's play; it is a responsibility that has fallen on our shoulders. Jiang Ning, have you really thought this through?"
As Shen Mo spoke, he stared intently at Jiang Ning, waiting for her to give him an answer.
He also respects any choice Jiang Ning makes.
Jiang Ning tilted her head back again, this time meeting Shen Mo's eyes.
The proposal to adopt Zhiqi was both a genuine offer and a test.
She was testing whether Shen Mo was willing to adopt Zhiqi. You can know a person's face but not their heart. Some people are all talk and no action, two-faced and treacherous. Shen Mo's answer surprised her, but also satisfied her.
She has studied psychological analysis and is confident in her judgment.
In this special era, facing the unfamiliar and unsettling world, Shen Mo seemed to always provide her with a sense of security.
This sense of security comes from his words and actions. Many people can pretend to act, and if Shen Mo wanted to pretend, he could simply ignore her words and wouldn't have gone to such lengths to find her the courtyard she wanted.
You don't have to go along with her in everything.
As a daughter abandoned by the Jiang family, she had neither a maternal family to support her nor any valuables to rely on. Shen Mo had plenty of ways to manipulate her.
She wasn't blind to Shen Mo's kindness, and she had to admit that she was starting to think about living a good life with this man.
"Shen Mo," Jiang Ning looked directly into his eyes, "I've really made up my mind!"
Shen Mo was still somewhat hesitant. His expression was somber. "Taking care of a child is exhausting. Now that we have one, we must raise it properly."
“Zhiqi is eight years old now, he’s not a baby anymore, and he can help me with housework. It doesn’t take much effort. I’m actually quite afraid of having children, so raising Zhiqi is like practicing beforehand,” Jiang Ning said, rubbing her hands together.
Being a mom without pain is so great.
Shen Mo: "......."
This girl's ideas are completely different from everyone else's.
"!"
He suddenly realized what she meant by her words: practice beforehand?
Does she plan to have children in the future?
It would be great if it were with him.
After carrying water twice, the small pond in the yard was filled. Shen Mo was going to the camp in the afternoon, and before going to the camp, he went to Commander Li's office first.
*
That evening, when Chief Wang returned home, he called Zhiqi to his study.
Chief Wang holds a high position and is the undisputed leader in the Wang family. He never manages household affairs, leaving them to his wife and mother.
But today, Commander Li sent a message saying that Shen Mo wants to adopt Huo Zhiqi.
Zhiqi has been raised in his home for three years. He had thought about raising Zhiqi in the Wang family. Given the Wang family's current situation, raising another child would not be difficult, and raising a soldier's orphan would also benefit his reputation.
But his mother kept nagging him, asking when he was going to send Zhiqi away.
His mother is the type who won't give up until she gets what she wants, and he was exhausted from dealing with her, so he figured that giving her more money would be enough.
But for the past three years, the old lady has remained the same.
Li Bin suddenly came to tell him that Shen Mo wanted to adopt Zhiqi. He didn't agree for the time being, but thought he should come and ask the child what he thought.
After all, the child had been raised in their home for three years, so there must have been some affection for them.
"Zhiqi, your Uncle Shen Mochen has offered to adopt you. Do you want to go?"
Upon hearing this, Zhiqi, who had been looking down, suddenly raised his head.
Only then did Wang Jianwei get a clear look at Huo Zhiqi. In his memory, Huo Zhiqi always kept his head down at home, even while eating. If there was nothing else, the boy would stay in his room and not come out.
When the child first started school, he cared about his studies. Later, his wife told him that the child couldn't concentrate on his studies and his grades weren't good, so he stopped paying attention to it.
The small figure standing in front of the desk was someone he used to compare the height of his two sons to his own when he went out. Huo Zhiqi was quite small, more than half a head shorter than his sons. He remembered that this child was about the same age as his two sons.
Why is there such a big difference in size?
Huo Zhiqi asked somewhat cautiously, "Did Uncle Shen really say he wanted to adopt me?"
Wang Jianwei nodded. "Yes, I have all the adoption reports he submitted. If you don't want to go to Shen Mo's house, I can help you refuse."
Huo Zhiqi felt him staring at him, and after a while he lowered his head again.
Seeing that the boy had his head down, Wang Jianwei realized he didn't really want to go to Shen Mo's house. He was about to speak, "If you don't go, I'll..."
"I want to go."
Huo Zhiqi spoke up.
Wang Jianwei saw him raise his head again, his eyes sparkling, "I want to go to Uncle Shen's house!"
Seeing that the child was willing to go to Shen Mo's house, Wang Jianwei didn't say anything and gestured for him to leave.
Wang Jianwei sat at his desk, his mind preoccupied with the matter. Although his mother had suggested that Huo Zhiqi's adoption was only temporary, he had already tacitly accepted that Zhiqi was a member of the Wang family.
Moreover, he was commended when he adopted Zhiqi, and those in power always praised him highly.
He hadn't expected Zhiqi to agree to let Shen Mo adopt him, but Zhiqi did, which was indeed beyond his expectations.
He doesn't usually take care of the children; it's mostly his wife and mother who do.
His wife went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy things. It seems he needs to go and have a chat with his mother. Usually, his mother and her family take care of the children, so the children are definitely closer to them.
Wang Jianwei is a man of action; once he makes a decision, he leaves the study and goes to the kitchen in the backyard to find his mother.
He is usually very busy and never sets foot in the kitchen.
As soon as he reached the kitchen door, he heard his mother's sharp and piercing voice.
"What's wrong with you today, child? Can't you even burn firewood properly?" Old Mrs. Wang said, angrily reaching out to pinch Zhiqi's arm.
Then she picked up two freshly baked pancakes and handed them to her grandsons who were laughing and playing beside her, saying, "Xiao Tian, Xiao Di, the pancakes are cold now, you can eat them."
Zhiqi looked up and was spotted by Old Mrs. Wang, who had a sharp eye. She looked at him with a mean and sarcastic expression and said, "Look, look, what are you looking at? Keep your fire burning, or you won't get any dinner tonight."
What a mess today was all caused by this woman who lost money; it's a pity her grandson suffered so much.
Her precious grandson, whom she cherished like a treasure, was beaten by someone else.
So when Zhiqi came back in the afternoon, she didn't give him a kind look.
Wang Jianwei was also surprised to see such a scene in the kitchen, and his face immediately turned ugly.
A cold, deep voice suddenly rang out from the kitchen, "Mom, is this how you treat the children when I'm not around?"
His sudden voice startled the old lady.
Seeing that it was her son, she breathed a sigh of relief, but then frowned deeply, remembering his words. "How have I treated the children? Haven't I been treating them well?"
Wang Jianwei: "Then why didn't you give Zhiqi a pancake? And why did you pinch him?"
"This child is disobedient, what's wrong with pinching him a couple of times?" Grandma Wang didn't think there was anything wrong with her behavior at all.
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