When Shen Qiaoyue returned, she went to get off work and came home every day as usual. It was better to be at work; she didn't have to take care of the child all the time.
Lu Chen would write a letter back every week, saying that everything was fine over there.
As the days went by, everything began to change.
Just three days after Shen Qiaoyue returned, Song Ting passed away, and Jiang Jinyao stayed by her mother's side until her final moments.
After handling her mother's funeral arrangements, Jiang Jinyao took the train back by herself.
Li Qingming's vacation was approved, and he packed his bags and embarked on his journey to Qingyuejing City.
Liu Yashi originally didn't want to grant Li Qingming leave, but he couldn't resist Li's repeated applications, so he had no choice but to agree to the leave.
This is the first time in many years that Li Qingming has taken a long vacation.
After a day and a night train ride to Beijing, I found a bus and followed Xia Xiaoli's address.
However, this is the compound where the leaders live, and he felt embarrassed to go in. Xia Xiaoli said last night that there is usually a two-hour break at noon, and asked him to wait for her in the park outside the compound.
He sat down in the park pavilion to wait for Xia Xiaoli to come find him, and fell asleep leaning against a pillar.
Jiang Mingjing returned from outside and learned that Xia Xiaoli's husband was coming back today. He had seen him once before during the Spring Festival when they had dinner at the family compound.
When I came back from outside, I glanced at the pavilion in the park and saw a familiar figure.
Jiang Mingjing got out of the car and walked over, slowly approaching.
He woke up from his dream when he sensed someone approaching and staring at him.
He met Jiang Mingjing's gaze at first glance.
"Commander." Li Qingming recognized Jiang Mingjing and immediately stood up upon seeing him, tugging at the corner of his clothes.
"Li Qingming, right?" Jiang Mingjing asked the name symbolically.
Li Qingming nodded without hesitation and replied nervously, "Yes, sir."
"Why don't you go in?" Jiang Mingjing had instructed that if a man named Li Qingming came, he should be led into his house.
It seems this kid didn't even ask where he lived; he was just waiting for Xia Xiaoli here.
"Reporting to the commander, I'll wait here." Li Qingming was embarrassed to trouble others.
After all, this is the leader's home, and it's already a lot of trouble for them that Xiaoli is staying there.
"Go inside, she'll need to go in to get her luggage when she comes back later!" Jiang Mingjing reminded her.
"Yes, sir."
Li Qingming thought it made sense, so he followed Jiang Mingjing inside.
The place was inhabited by highly respected leaders, and he didn't dare to look around the whole way, keeping his eyes fixed on whatever he could see.
After greeting his old partner, Jiang Mingjing turned to Li Qingming and asked, "What have you seen since you came in?"
"Reporting to the commander, we walked for about six minutes. You greeted six people, and ten of them looked this way. We passed more than ten houses in total, and we estimate that there are nearly fifty households living in this compound."
This family compound is obviously not ordinary.
"We encountered two patrol platoons as we walked in, so we guessed that there was a company stationed here."
Li Qingming was already guessing the smallest possible answer.
Jiang Mingjing smiled and glanced back at Li Qingming meaningfully.
After he came in, Jiang Mingjing poured him a cup of hot tea.
"Sit down," Jiang Mingjing waved his hand, gesturing for him to sit.
"Yes, sir." Li Qingming felt nervous after sitting down, as if something bad was about to happen.
Jiang Mingjing knew that Li Qingming was nervous, so he made an excuse and said, "Your leader's room is in the front, across from the gate when we came in from the courtyard, but it seems that new people will be moving in soon."
Li Qingming didn't know what to say.
“After Lu He finishes this training, he will stay in Beijing to work. Xiao Li is very hardworking and has a strong learning ability!” Jiang Mingjing was actually testing the waters, after all, this guy calls Xiao Li almost every day, like he's checking up on her.
Li Qingming understood Jiang Mingjing's implication.
"I respect Xiaoli's decision." Even though Li Qingming was reluctant to let her go, he supported Xiaoli's decision to stay.
Jiang Mingjing was quite surprised that Li Qingming would agree, or perhaps he was hiding his true feelings.
Jiang Mingjing didn't say anything, and got up to cook.
Li Qingming also stood up and went to the kitchen to help.
It was very quiet, and no one said anything more. Apart from the things that needed to be discussed about cooking, they also learned about their son Lu Chen and Shen Qiaoyue from Li Qingming.
When Xia Xiaoli and Lu He returned from get off work, they found the park deserted.
"That's impossible! We should have arrived by now!" Xia Xiaoli said anxiously. "Could it be that we can't find our way?"
“Doesn’t Brother Qingming live in the family compound? He’s met with Father Jiang before. Maybe he’s gone in. Shall we go in and take a look?” Lu He comforted the anxious Xia Xiaoli. Father Jiang had stayed in Fucheng for a while before, so they must know each other.
Xia Xiaoli thought for a moment, nodded, and took Lu He's hand to go inside together.
The aroma filled the air as soon as you entered the courtyard.
"Dad Jiang, did you make something delicious again?" Lu He asked Jiang Mingjing naturally.
Jiang Mingjing, who was cooking in the kitchen, burst into laughter upon hearing Lu He's voice and replied, "Looks like Xiao He is hungry?"
"Of course I'm hungry! I've been working all morning, doing all kinds of manual labor. You have no idea how thin I've gotten from all that hunger." Lu He spoke to Jiang Mingjing like a daughter.
This made their interactions more natural.
Upon hearing Lu He's voice, Li Qingming hurriedly came out of the kitchen and immediately saw Xia Xiaoli.
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
