Rong Zhaonan said calmly, "I won't go back."
Rong Wenwu frowned: "So what exactly do you want? Are you going to keep neglecting your duties like this? If you want to go back, I'll get your file out of Old Chen's no matter what!"
"Don't you know better than me why I'm not doing my job properly? You threw my file away back then, and now you want it back? Aren't you tired? I am!" Rong Zhaonan curled his lips mockingly.
Rong Wenwu was deeply stung, his face darkened completely, and his voice rose: "Since you don't want to go back to your unit... then what are you doing back here! Bringing your wife to swagger in front of your father?"
Rong Zhaonan said indifferently, "So what if it is? I won't starve, it's none of your business."
Rong Wenwu slammed his fist on the table in anger: "My retirement money is almost all with you, of course you won't starve! I go next door for dinner every day!"
Rong Zhaonan said coldly, "Is this something you're willing to give? As for why I came back? Now that the higher-ups are rectifying the wrongs, you've been transferred back from the Northwest. Why can't I come back to investigate the matter of being framed back then and set things right?"
Rong Wenwu choked, trembling with anger, and slammed his fist on the table, shouting, "When...when will you ever grow up, you unfilial son! Unfilial son!"
He slammed his hand on the table so hard that he overturned it, and the cups shattered on the ground.
A general who emerges from a sea of corpses and countless soldiers, even though he is an old tiger, still exudes an awe-inspiring presence.
Secretary Qiu and a few others outside the door couldn't hold back any longer and hurriedly entered the room, worried: "Old Boss!"
Rong Wenwu's chest heaved with anger as he waved his hand at them: "Get out, get out, take this bastard out!"
Rong Zhaonan looked at him indifferently: "You don't need to rush me, I'll leave on my own."
After saying that, he strode towards the small bookstore, opened the door, and looked at Ning Yuan, who was sitting at the table reading a book: "Let's go back."
Before Ning Yuan could react, he pulled her up, and she staggered several steps to catch up with him.
She quickly placed the book on Marxist philosophy on the desk in the study: "Uncle Rong, this is the book you were looking for. Sorry, we'll head back now. Thank you for your hospitality."
Even when being dragged along, she didn't forget to be polite and proper.
Rong Wenwu watched her and Rong Zhaonan's hurried departure with mixed feelings, and muttered, "She's stubborn too."
The boys and girls in the compound, though afraid of him, would obediently call out to him and try to please him.
But the girl, who seemed smooth and gentle, never tried to call him "Dad" and treated him with the same politeness as an ordinary elder.
It is clear that he is an extremely proud person at heart.
It makes him occasionally... recall that beautiful figure buried deep in his memory.
"Old boss, are you alright? Should we ask Sister He to come over?" Everyone else was busy cleaning up, but only Secretary Qiu dared to step forward and gently ask her old boss.
Rong Wenwu closed his eyes: "I'm fine, don't call her over."
He paused, his usually stern face turning to the window, a hint of melancholy in his eyes: "Xiao Qiu, tell me... was my decision back then a mistake?"
Secretary Qiu fell silent and did not speak.
He knew that what his old boss wanted was not an answer, but silent companionship, so he poured a bowl of herbal tea and placed it on the table: "It's time for you to take your medicine."
Even with his children and grandchildren by his side and his wife by his side, the old leader was still lonely.
Having fought for most of their lives, they have made it this far through faith and sacrifice amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood. After a lifetime of ups and downs and struggles, just surviving is not easy. Who can demand that a person never make a mistake in their entire life?
Rong Wenwu stared out the window for a long time, but then slowly calmed down and laughed self-deprecatingly: "Forget it... I'm getting old. It's already quite an achievement that we were able to talk to him for so long before things broke down, isn't it?"
Secretary Qiu nodded slightly: "Zhao Nan has grown up and become much more composed."
If this had happened before he was forced to retire from the army, or even ten years earlier, Zhao Nan would probably have started a fight with his father over the slightest disagreement.
It's a miracle that the talks lasted so long before breaking down.
"Perhaps... this is all thanks to that little girl." Rong Wenwu sighed.
He paused, then said, "Tell someone to keep a close eye on that girl... make sure she doesn't get into trouble in the capital."
Secretary Qiu was taken aback: "Are you worried about the Xiang family...?"
Rong Wenwu nodded, looking somewhat tired: "Yes, the Xiang family hasn't let go after all. Even if Old Master Xiang retires soon, I'm afraid some people won't give up and will struggle on in their death throes."
Secretary Qiu nodded: "Yes."
...
He Su's room
She was fiddling with the flowers she had just arranged: "You mean Lao Rong sent someone to protect Ning Yuan?"
Aunt Xu nodded: "Yes, we're afraid the Xiang family will harm that girl."
He Su's eyes curved into gentle smiles: "That cunning ugly girl really knows how to win people's hearts. Even Old Rong is taking extra care of her, but..."
She chuckled and cut off the head of a sunflower with a single snip of the scissors: "Men are so careless and arrogant. They only think that danger comes from the outside, and never think that danger comes from internal conflicts."
Aunt Xu's heart skipped a beat: "Su Su, you mean..."
“My stepson is so lovable. Dongdong is a smart girl. Her older sister is dead, but she still has a younger sister. Dongdong is much smarter than her stupid older sister. Besides, she has a face that looks exactly like Ye Qiu.”
He Su smiled and said something meaningful, yet unclear.
Aunt Xu understood immediately: "I'll bring Dongdong some good food tomorrow."
He Su smiled and said, "Well, Lao Rong doesn't want to see me right now, so I'll just get some rest."
...
Ning Yuan followed Rong Zhaonan downstairs in a hurry.
Seeing this, Aunt Qian and Aheng quickly stood up as well: "What, you're done talking and leaving?"
Rong Zhaonan saw them, nodded silently, and said nothing.
Ning Yuan smiled and said, "Yes, Aunt Qian, let's go back."
Aunt Qian didn't ask any more questions and said with a smile, "Okay, Chen Chen went back to the brigade this morning and will come over tonight. He brought a few bad boys and got some good stuff from the mountains. We'll grill it and eat it tonight."
Hearing his brothers from his own brigade, Rong Zhaonan's expression softened: "Thank you, Aunt Qian."
Aunt Qian patted him on the back: "Silly boy, why are you thanking me? Thank your wife!"
Rong Zhaonan nodded slightly, feeling a little awkward. "Mm."
The group returned to the courtyard where Aunt Qian lived.
As soon as he reached the door, Rong Zhaonan saw Ye Yuan and smiled, "I thought you had left. What are you doing here?"
Ye Yuan glanced at Ning Yuan beside him, somewhat helplessly: "Dongdong didn't go home, nor did she go to her classmate's place. She's gone missing. She's only 17 years old and will be a senior in high school after the summer vacation. I don't know where she could have run off to."
Rong Zhaonan was taken aback, his brow furrowing: "What's wrong with that little girl?"
Ye Yuan smiled wryly: "She was throwing a tantrum earlier, and I didn't think much of it. But I just got a call that she hasn't come home. Come with me to look for her!"
Ning Yuan listened from the side, her brow furrowing slightly.
What is this naive and foolish little girl trying to do?
Rong Zhaonan frowned and said to Ye Yuan, "It's no use you looking for me. I haven't been back to the capital for so many years, how would I know where she went?"
Ning Yuan felt a little better. After leaving that house, Rong Gongzi seemed to have regained some of his senses.
Ye Yuan said helplessly, "How could I not know that? But she's very stubborn and rebellious, and now she only listens to you."
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