Qin Nian washed the two children clean and returned to the house, where she saw Shen Xianjun sewing on his waistband with a needle and thread.
"You can even sew!"
Qin Nian was shocked because the stitches looked better than what she could do herself. Qin Nian decided not to ask for the job, lest she embarrass herself.
“My mom is busy all day and doesn’t have time to take care of me. When my clothes get torn, I mend them myself. I’ve learned how to do it after a while.”
Shen Xianjun deftly sewed and stitched, such a big, strong man doing mending and patching work. Qin Nian didn't know why she wanted to laugh, but she clenched her hands and held it back.
"Heh, why don't you mention that you put on your new clothes and went to play at the reservoir, then slid down the hole and tore your pants and clothes in half?"
Yang Yufen was just about to discuss going back to her hometown to sweep the tombs with Qin Nian and his wife when she overheard this.
Didn't Mom hit you back then?
Qin Nian looked at him strangely and blurted out.
Shen Xianjun looked embarrassed; he had remembered it too.
How could I not get beaten up? He was pumped all the way home from the reservoir with his bare buttocks exposed, and I didn't dare to go out for a long time afterward.
Shen Xianjun looked pleadingly at his mother, hoping she would give him some face.
Yang Yufen snorted coldly.
“That’s when his grandmother passed away. I was busy earning work points. Niannian, I’m planning to take you and the children back to our hometown to sweep the graves of his grandparents and his father. Do you think you can spare some time?”
Yang Yufen looked at Qin Nian gently.
"Mom, I'll have to ask the teacher about that later. I can't be sure yet. If we go back, how long will it take?"
“Your Aunt Guixiang called me before and said that the road to her house has been repaired. Now it’s not so troublesome to go back. She won’t stay long at home. Seven days is enough. We don’t have many relatives.”
"Mom, aren't you going to ask me if I have time?"
Shen Xianjun chimed in.
"How could you not have time? You've been in the army for so many years, how many times have you gone home? I'll go to your political commissar myself, I don't believe he can't approve your leave."
Yang Yufen spoke in an annoyed tone.
Shen Xianjun's story is that he initially didn't want to go back after joining the army because he had finally escaped his mother's control. Later, he just felt that going back would be too much trouble.
No, he seems to have forgotten something very important!
"Mommy, tell me a story!"
Da Bao came over excitedly, carrying his pillow, while Er Bao followed behind his older brother.
"Mom, I understand. I'll ask my teacher for leave once Xianjun goes for a check-up in a week. If the doctor says he can travel, I'll ask for leave."
"Okay, okay, you go and comfort the child first."
Yang Yufen was too lazy to talk to Shen Xianjun anymore.
Early the next morning.
"Brother Niannian, have you had breakfast yet?"
Yang Yufen had just thrown the family's clothes into the washing machine when she saw Hu Jun arriving with some things.
"I've already eaten. I'm here to deliver books to Xianjun. Don't worry about me, Auntie. I'll head to the army base as soon as I'm done."
"Okay, okay, the person is inside."
Yang Yufen looked at the thick stack of books and silently stepped back. Thank goodness, her mother-in-law didn't expect her to be old enough to read and write.
Back when the commune ran night school, she was exceptionally quick at math, but as for literacy, let's not even go there.
"Big brother."
Qin Nian was just about to take her child to school.
"You go ahead with your work, Xianjun. It's good that you're recuperating. These books were carefully selected by my dad yesterday. Study them well and read them aloud. I'm leaving now."
Hu Jun placed the book in front of Shen Xianjun, said something specifically, and then left after saying goodbye.
Qin Nian looked at the stack of books and remembered what her mother-in-law had said.
"Um, if you still don't understand later, I can explain it to you after I get off work. I'm going to take the kids to school now."
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