Chapter 65 New Year Greetings
In the warm living room, the crackling charcoal fire adds a bit of warmth to this winter day. Deputy Regiment Commander Zhang and Battalion Commander Qin were sitting together with Lu Tingxiao. They were drinking hot tea and discussing the major and minor affairs of the army in the rising steam.
In the living room, the men talked about family and national affairs, while the women shared the trivialities of life. The two voices intertwined together, forming a warm and lively picture.
Unknowingly, time passed quickly. Deputy Regiment Commander Zhang and his wife and Battalion Commander Qin and his wife stood up to say goodbye. They still had to go and wish others a happy new year.
Lu Tingxiao and Jiang Ruoxi sent them to the door and waved goodbye: "Drive slowly on the way, come and visit us when you have time!" Looking at their departing backs, Lu Tingxiao and Jiang Ruoxi smiled at each other, and returned to the house hand in hand to continue enjoying this warm New Year time.
As soon as Deputy Head Zhang and his group said goodbye and left, Lu Tingxiao's brothers came one after another, paying their respects and wishing a happy new year. For a moment, laughter and joyful chatter echoed in the house, and the warm atmosphere became more and more intense.
As night falls quietly, the troupe's annual cultural performance will begin in the Great Hall. The family sat together early and enjoyed a lively dinner.
After the meal, Lu Tingxiao carefully supported Jiang Ruoxi, and at the same time, he kept an eye on Grandpa Lu and Grandma Lu, and walked steadily in front to lead the way.
Mr. Lu and Mrs. Lu, Mr. Jiang and Mrs. Jiang followed side by side behind. Aunt Chen and Aunt Lan also had smiles on their faces as they headed to the conference hall together.
Along the way, the warm yellow street lights stretched their shadows into long lines, and occasionally the crisp sounds of firecrackers came from afar, adding a bit of New Year flavor to this quiet night.
When we arrived at the Great Hall, it was already brightly lit and bustling with people. Familiar comrades greeted us enthusiastically. We found a good seat and sat down, looking forward to the performance starting.
On the stage, the big red curtain slowly opened, and actors dressed in gorgeous costumes made a brilliant appearance. The wonderful song and dance performance instantly ignited the atmosphere. There are songs such as "My Lovely Motherland" and "The People's Commune is the Golden Bridge" and dances such as "Celebrating Victory", "Delivering Food to the Water Village", "Red Silk Dance" and "Female Militia on the Grassland". These dances have a strong national style and characteristics of the times, and reflect the spirit and life scenes of the troops.
The audience watched intently, sometimes moved by the soulful recitation, sometimes amused by the humorous skits, immersed in this joyful and peaceful festival atmosphere.
Lu Tingxiao leaned slightly to the side and quietly exchanged his views on the show with Jiang Ruoxi, while the elderly watched with great interest, their faces filled with happy smiles.
In this lively art performance, everyone enjoyed this rare family reunion time and left behind wonderful memories for this Spring Festival.
As the last program came to an end, warm applause and cheers echoed in every corner of the Great Hall. This cultural performance full of joy and warmth came to a successful conclusion in an atmosphere full of joy for the soldiers and their families.
People stood up reluctantly and walked slowly towards the family quarters. Along the way, the moonlight sprinkled gently, covering the way home with a layer of silver gauze. Occasionally, the sound of firecrackers came from afar, adding a different flavor of the New Year to this festive night.
The military families gathered in groups of three or five, excitedly discussing the hilarious and impressive programs in the recent cultural performance. Sister Li gestured with great joy and recounted the funny scenes of the honest soldier in the skit, which made the people around her laugh continuously; Grandma Wang had a smile on her face and kept praising the children's dance performance, saying that their neat movements and lovely looks made people feel warm inside; several young soldiers' wives gathered together, enthusiastically discussing the wonderful songs on the stage, humming a few lines from time to time. The cheerful songs floated in the night sky, conveying endless joy and happiness.
The soldiers also participated in it, sharing interesting stories behind the scenes. Everyone talked to each other, and laughter echoed on the way home, making this New Year's night even more warm and memorable.
Time passed by like a white horse, always passing silently. In the blink of an eye, the two parents were about to take Grandpa Lu and Grandma Lu back to Beijing.
This brief time together was like a warm fire in winter, warming each other's hearts and making Lu Tingxiao and Jiang Ruoxi even more reluctant to let them leave.
However, the reality of helplessness always follows them. Lu's father and mother and Jiang's father and mother all have busy jobs in Beijing. In the new year, there are many matters in the unit that need to be dealt with urgently, and they have to go back to work.
Grandpa Lu and Grandma Lu are actually very attached to this place, and they miss the days when they can always be with their grandchildren and granddaughters-in-law. However, considering that Jiang Ruoxi's belly is getting bigger day by day, and the various conditions during pregnancy are difficult to predict, they are afraid that by then they will have to take care of the elderly and worry about Jiang Ruoxi, and they will be unable to do both.
In the days before leaving, the atmosphere at home became a little subtle, with warmth mixed with a hint of melancholy.
Whenever Lu Tingxiao and Jiang Ruoxi had free time, they would chat with the elders and reminisce about the fun things in the past, as if this would extend the time they spent together.
Under Jiang Ruoxi's instructions, Lu Tingxiao personally went into the kitchen and cooked a table full of dishes that the elderly people loved. Seeing them eating with satisfaction, he felt a pang of bitterness in his heart.
Lu Tingxiao quietly helped pack the luggage, carefully checking every item, fearing that he might have missed something. He also stuffed the local specialties that he had asked someone to buy into the bags of both sets of parents.
On the day of separation, the family got up early at daybreak. Father and Mother Lu loaded the luggage into the car one by one, their movements full of reluctance.
Grandpa Lu and Grandma Lu held Lu Tingxiao and Jiang Ruoxi's hands tightly, giving them many instructions, their eyes full of worry. Jiang Ruoxi's eyes were red, and she tried hard to hold back her tears, repeatedly reminding them to be careful on the road.
Mother Lu and Mother Jiang also looked concerned. They gently held Jiang Ruoxi's hands, their voices gentle and full of expectation.
Mother Lu spoke first, her eyes full of love: "Xixi, we all remember that your due date is in April. When the time comes, we will come here a week in advance, so we won't waste a moment!"
Mother Jiang nodded in agreement, patted the back of Jiang Ruoxi's hand, and added, "Yes, my dear daughter, giving birth is a big deal. How can we not be by your side? After you give birth, during the confinement period, your mother-in-law and I will definitely take good care of you. Just rest assured and take care of your health. Don't worry about anything. Before you give birth, see if there is anything you need. Your mother-in-law and I will buy it for you in Beijing and bring it over!"
"Yes, Xixi, your mom is right, tell us if you need anything. Also, when you and Tingxiao are free, pack all the things needed for the birth, and take them with you when the birth comes. Also, have Aunt Chen and Aunt Lan wash the baby's clothes in advance, dry them and put them away. We'll also prepare some spare clothes for the baby, as well as a diaper ring. Your mom and I will prepare them, wash them, and bring them to you when the time comes!"
Jiang Ruoxi hugged her mother-in-law and mother and said, "I know. I will prepare everything with Aunt Chen and Aunt Lan in advance. Mom, be careful on the road!"
Lu Tingxiao hugged his father and said in a slightly hoarse voice, "Dad, don't worry. Xixi and I are doing fine here. Take care of yourselves when you go back. Call me when you get home!"
The car started slowly. Lu Tingxiao and Jiang Ruoxi stood there, watching the car go farther and farther away until it disappeared from their sight. However, the sadness of parting lingered in their hearts for a long time.
As the lively New Year atmosphere gradually faded away, the two parents, along with Grandpa Lu and Grandma Lu, set out on their journey home.
Although we were reluctant to leave, this warm reunion finally came to an end, and this lively New Year was over. The gears of life will not stop, and the days must continue to move forward in an orderly manner.
Lu Tingxiao quickly returned to his busy work. He knew very well that the upcoming new life would bring earth-shaking changes to this family, and he had to be by Jiang Ruoxi's side during the delivery period.
So, he arrived at work early every day, took the initiative to take on more tasks, and working overtime became the norm, just to make enough time to be with Jiang Ruoxi wholeheartedly when she gave birth.
After Lu Tingxiao went to work, he left Jiang Ruoxi in the care of Aunt Chen and Aunt Lan. Aunt Chen and Aunt Lan treated Jiang Ruoxi as if she were their own daughter, always paying attention to her every move.
In the early morning, they would carefully prepare a nutritious breakfast and find different ways to supplement Jiang Ruoxi's nutrition; in the afternoon, they would accompany Jiang Ruoxi for a leisurely walk in the yard, chatting in low voices while paying attention to Jiang Ruoxi's physical condition, fearing that she would feel unwell in any way.
As the due date approached, Aunt Chen and Aunt Lan took Jiang Ruoxi and began to prepare everything needed for delivery. The three of them sorted and organized the items together and carefully packed them into the production bags.
Looking at the full delivery bag, Jiang Ruoxi's heart was filled with warmth and peace of mind. She knew that at this special moment, she was not alone. There were so many people who loved her around her, looking forward to the arrival of a new life together.
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