After saying that, the two men in green uniforms were a little embarrassed: "We shouldn't have troubled you with this, Comrade Xu, but Comrade Xu Changfeng's mother's mental state is really not right, so we have no choice but to trouble you!"
Xu Ningyan waved her hand, "It would be great if I could help! But let me make this clear first, if she doesn't believe what you say, she might not believe what I say either!"
The man in the green uniform was quick-witted: "Of course, we were thinking that no one knew about Comrade Xu Changfeng's sacrifice for so many years, so we tried our best to comfort his mother! If Comrade Xu Changfeng's mother really can't accept it, there's nothing we can do! We can only follow the regulations and bury Comrade Xu Changfeng in the Jingshan County Martyrs' Cemetery! Then we'll have the county's armed forces department visit the old lady during holidays."
It's so much easier to talk to smart people, so Xu Ningyan didn't say anything more.
Xu Ningyan had mixed feelings about Aunt Xie.
When she first transmigrated and severed ties with the Xu family, Aunt Xie took her in for a few nights and indeed took extra care of her. At first, she was grateful.
But after her true identity was revealed, she realized that Aunt Xie's care for her was only out of guilt and to make up for her son's actions.
Although it's only natural, Aunt Xie believed that her son's future was more important than that of a stranger.
But from Xu Ningyan's perspective, it's rather disheartening.
So, in fact, after their past was revealed last time, although it wasn't explicitly stated, they both understood that their relationship could never go back to the way it was.
Xu Ningyan was already being very magnanimous by not escalating the conflict.
However, after arriving at the Northwest Military Region and learning that the real Xu Changfeng had long since sacrificed himself and that the person who did those things was the spy Meng Qingsong who replaced him, Xu Ningyan's feelings became even more complicated.
The real Xu Changfeng has already sacrificed himself. What Aunt Xie did, thinking it was for her son's good, was actually aiding and abetting evil and helping the spy.
So, does Aunt Xie not accept this reality?
He was pondering it in his heart, but didn't show it on his face.
After finishing the business, everyone was bored. There was still a bit of a sense of unfamiliarity between them, but now there was a lackey in the middle.
This wasn't the first time the lackey had ridden in a vehicle. The last time he came to the county town, Xu Ningyan had packed him in a sack, cut a hole for him to breathe, and placed him on top of the bus from the commune to the county town, where he swayed and rocked all the way there.
I don't know if it's because of some special talent of the lackey, but it never gets carsick, whether it's on the roof, under the car, or in the passenger compartment.
Not only that, but he stood very steadily, looking mature and composed.
Occasionally, Xu Ningyan would lose her balance and sway a little, but the lackey would always see this and cleverly use his body to block her from falling over in the carriage.
The two men in green uniforms were young men in their early twenties. At first, they were a little reserved and embarrassed to touch the lackey, but their eyes followed the lackey around.
After Xu Ningyan had his lackey perform a couple of handshakes and sat down, he immediately let loose.
With Xu Ningyan's permission, the two cautiously shook hands with the lackey first, and then went further and started petting the dog.
These two people in green military uniforms must have owned dogs at home, because they were extremely skilled at petting dogs.
From head to neck, to back, and then to the base of the tail, I stroked the dog so much that even this usually upright and dignified dog's legs went weak and it could barely stand.
At first, it tried its best to maintain its composure, but after a while, it lay down in the carriage and wagged its tail happily.
Xu Ningyan could barely see.
However, it was through the lackeys that they found they had a lot in common.
It felt like we hadn't been talking for very long when the car screeched to a halt, and the driver's side door opened: "Comrade Xu, we've arrived!"
Xu Ningyan stood up, holding onto the partition next to the carriage, and peered out. They had indeed arrived.
The car came to a smooth stop in front of the Tuanjie Brigade's headquarters.
The brigade leader, the brigade secretary, and the other cadres of the brigade must have received the news. Their trousers were still covered in mud, and they hadn't even had time to wash them before rushing back.
Behind them were the village children who had gone to warn them.
At this moment, they all circled around the green military truck with awe.
First, they saw the lackey leap down from the carriage, then they saw Xu Ningyan jump down as well. The captain's grandson, Tiezhu, couldn't help but call out, "Aunt Siya—!"
Xu Ningyan turned around and saw Tie Zhu. As usual, she took out a handful of candy from her pocket and handed it to him, patting him on the shoulder: "Take your friends and go play over there. Share the candy with them."
The children around cheered and ran after Tie Zhu.
The brigade leader and the brigade secretary saw it from afar and quickened their pace.
Upon closer inspection, one greeted the men in green uniforms, while another called out to Xu Ningyan, "Why are you back, girl? And with the People's Liberation Army comrades?"
Xu Ningyan didn't hide anything: "It was a comrade from the People's Liberation Army who found me and said that Aunt Xie refused to accept the fact that Comrade Xu Changfeng had sacrificed his life, and asked me to come back and help persuade her."
The brigade leader and the brigade secretary frowned, but didn't say anything in front of the green-uniformed man. They simply said, "Then go home and tidy up first. No one has lived in your house for a long time. Although we often have people come to clean it, it needs to be properly tidied up since no one has lived there! It's not too late to go to Aunt Xie's house after you've tidied up!"
Xu Ningyan immediately understood, and feared there was some reason behind it.
He readily agreed, picked up his luggage, told the people from the Northwest Military Region, shouted "Lackey, go home—" and headed home.
The man from the Northwest Military Region moved his lips, as if he wanted to say something, but then swallowed it back.
The brigade leader and brigade secretary smiled and led the person into the brigade headquarters.
Xu Ningyan had indeed not been back for a while. Pushing open the courtyard gate, it was clear that someone regularly came to clean the place. At least there were a few weeds in the cracks of the steps and in the corners, and some fallen leaves on the stone table and stools under the camphor tree.
The lackey returned to his old territory and was like a fish in water. He barked twice at the gate of the yard to let Xu Ningyan know that he was going out for a while, and then disappeared into the woods.
Xu Ningyan knew that the lackey was bored in the county town, and this back mountain was the territory that the lackey had conquered, so she didn't need to worry about it at all. Who knows, the lackey might even bring back a pheasant tonight so that she could benefit from it.
Upon opening the door, a suffocating atmosphere immediately hit me.
Xu Ningyan opened the doors and windows to let in fresh air, then went to the river to fetch water and poured it on the ground. She first swept the ground clean, then wiped down the tables, chairs, benches, and bed.
Then they took the bedding out of the cupboard and aired it in the yard.
There was enough firewood in the kitchen, but the iron pot hadn't been used for a long time and showed signs of rust.
But don't worry, just use a loofah sponge with hot water to wipe it off and the rust will be removed.
Boil a large pot of water and boil the pots, pans, chopsticks and other utensils for half an hour to sterilize them.
Xu Ningyan was very familiar with this process; she was used to doing it.
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