Xue Ying reluctantly went to complete the formalities. Watching Xue Ying leave the ward, Yan Aidang leaned close to Yan Daqiang's ear and whispered, "Dad, what exactly happened to my older brother?"
Yan Daqiang was startled, but looked at Yan Aidang with a questioning gaze: "Your older brother is on the border, what's going on?"
Yan Aidang nodded, his suspicions already deeply ingrained. Several times now, whenever Yan Aiguo was mentioned, his father would have a seizure. If his older brother was safe and sound, his father wouldn't act like this. Maybe he should ask his maternal grandfather tomorrow.
Having made up her mind, Yan Aidang tried to help Yan Daqiang put on his shoes. Yan Daqiang refused, saying that he wasn't seventy or eighty years old and shouldn't have his child put on his shoes for him. But Yan Aidang ignored her and insisted on helping Yan Daqiang put on his shoes.
Xue Ying rushed over after completing the formalities. Seeing Yan Daqiang standing tall in the corridor waiting for her, her tense heart relaxed a little. She quickly ran up to support Yan Daqiang: "Old Yan, how are you feeling? Are you dizzy or anything?"
Yan Daqiang gently pushed Xue Ying away. He was young and strong and didn't need any help. He patted his chest and laughed heartily, "Wife, don't worry, I can still go up the mountain to hunt bears."
Hearing her man's strong voice, Xue Ying felt relieved, and the group walked home together.
When he got home, he heard Liu Jin inside vividly recounting what had happened that morning. It turned out that Yan Xiaonan and the others had returned. Yan Xiaoqiang pushed the door but couldn't open it, and then realized that the door was locked from the inside. He was startled and quickly knocked on the door.
Yan Xiaonan closed her eyes slightly, her consciousness spreading to the interior of the courtyard. She saw Liu Jin holding the deer, nervously watching the gate, while the inside of the gate was blocked by a table.
The consciousness continued to spread, seeing through the north room, the side room, the west wing, the east wing, the rear room, and even the toilet, bathroom, and roof. There was no trace of anyone intruding. What was Liu Jin afraid of?
Yan Xiaoqiang's knocking on the door didn't bring Liu Jin to his senses until Yan Xiaonan spoke up: "Liu Jin, it's your aunt. Open the door and let us in."
Liu Jin finally came to his senses and said to the little deer in his arms, "Little deer, is it my aunt who's back?"
The fawn struggled to get down, so Liu Jin put it down. The fawn ran to the door, making cheerful noises. Liu Jin knew that it was really his aunt who had returned. He quickly went up and moved the table away to open the door.
A pair of eyes locked onto Yan Xiaonan, and she suddenly threw herself into Yan Xiaonan's arms: "Auntie, Auntie, Grandpa is sick, Grandma and the others took Grandpa to the hospital."
Everyone was shocked. Grandma Yan quickly grabbed Liu Jin and asked anxiously, "Liu Jin, what happened to your great-grandfather?"
Liu Jin imitated Yan Daqiang's trembling hands while holding a cigarette and his clutching his chest. If Yan Daqiang were there, he would be astonished, as he imitated it so perfectly.
"That's how my great-grandfather was. Uncle Ai Dang and my great-grandmother took him to the hospital. Aunt Chen'er told me to lock the door from the inside. No one should open the door except for my great-grandmother, my grandparents, and my aunt." Liu Jin said everything he wanted to say in one breath.
Yan Xiaonan stood up: "Grandma, don't worry. Mom and Dad, you stay home. I'll go to the hospital to get checked out."
"Don't look anymore, I'm back." Yan Daqiang was touched. He was fine, but his mother and Nannan were worried sick. If something had really happened to him, it would have been the death of his mother.
Grandma Yan rushed over, grabbed Yan Daqiang's hands, and asked in a trembling voice, "Daqiang, tell your mother, what happened to your heart? Are you alright?"
Yan Daqiang patted his chest vigorously and said, "Mom, don't worry, your son's heart is fine."
Yan Xiaonan closed her eyes slightly, her consciousness enveloping Yan Daqiang. After taking a look around, she found that there was indeed no problem, and her heart was at ease. However, her uncle would not be heartbroken for no reason; something must have happened, but he just wouldn't say it.
"How can a healthy heart hurt?" Grandma Yan was puzzled.
Yan Daqiang paused for a moment before recovering: "Mom, the doctor said I need to control my emotions. There's too much going on at work, and my emotions have been unstable. I need to control them better in the future."
Grandma Yan felt a little relieved, but based on her understanding of her son, things weren't that simple. But if the child didn't want to talk, there was no point in forcing him. So she decided to wait until he was willing to talk.
Cuihua went to the car with Yan Xiaoqiang to get the things without worry. Today, Nannan only managed to encourage the growth of some cotton seedlings. In the extra time, she hunted two roe deer, a few wild rabbits, and even got a nest of wild eggs.
Wild eggs were simply stir-fried with tomatoes, roe deer meat was marinated, and wild rabbit was made into spicy rabbit meat, a dish that everyone loves. Ye Chen'er and Xue Ying both went into the kitchen to help, and even Liu Jin joined in the fun.
"Nan Nan, come to my room, I have something to ask you." Yan Daqiang was thinking about the cotton.
Yan Xiaonan nodded knowingly and followed Yan Daqiang to the back room. Yan Daqiang sat in the chair without making a sound, while Yan Xiaonan also extended his consciousness to closely observe every move outside.
Sure enough, Xue Ying tiptoed over from the kitchen and stopped at the door of the back room, clearly intending to eavesdrop. Grandma and the others remained silent, perhaps unwilling to do so. Xue Ying appeared straightforward and easygoing, but in reality, she was quite alert.
Just as Yan Daqiang was about to speak, Yan Xiaonan made a shushing gesture and pointed to the door. Yan Daqiang immediately understood, considered for a moment, and said, "Nannan, can you help your uncle think of a way to buy cotton? Your uncle is so worried. The higher-ups have given a death order that we must complete the task."
Yan Xiaonan said loudly, "Uncle, don't worry, I'll write to my eldest and second brothers right away and ask them to look for friends. There are still people in the countryside who grow cotton."
"Oh, I'm relieved then. Sigh, my heart is always troubled by cotton." Yan Daqiang said loudly.
A smile appeared on Xue Ying's face as she left the room. Although her steps were still light, her movements were much quicker. Yan Aidang, however, frowned deeply. Such a loud voice was clearly meant for her mother to hear. Her mother was truly wise all her life but foolish for a moment.
"Nan Nan, I have something very important to tell your aunt. I hope that when I can no longer keep it a secret, you can stay by her side and help her through this difficult time," Yan Daqiang said quickly in a low voice.
Yan Xiaonan's heart pounded violently; her sixth sense compelled her to silently utter three words: "Yan Aiguo" (Yan, the Patriot).
Yan Daqiang nodded, and tears finally fell. He had been holding back these tears for a very long time, unable and unwilling to let them fall. But now, in front of his niece, he could no longer hold them back.
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