The two entered the house one after the other. At this moment, Chen Mengmeng was sitting on the sofa in the living room, leisurely enjoying a cup of steaming tea.
When she saw her father and Xu Wenhua come in together, she was taken aback at first, then quickly stood up and went to greet them.
"Brother Wenhua, Dad, how did you two end up together?" Chen Mengmeng asked shyly, her gaze shifting back and forth between the two men, a ripple of emotion stirring within her.
Xu Wenhua looked at the charming Chen Mengmeng in front of him, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes, and replied softly, "Mengmeng, I do have some things to discuss with Commander Chen, and we need to discuss the specific details, so I came to find him. Do you think you could go back to your room for a while?"
Hearing this, Chen Mengmeng nodded obediently and replied, "Okay, Brother Wenhua."
Then, she turned to her father and said with a hint of worry, "Dad, please don't bully Wenhua."
Upon hearing this, Commander Chen couldn't help but burst into laughter. While laughing, he waved his hand jokingly and said, "Oh dear, I've raised this daughter for nothing! She's already siding with outsiders so quickly! But don't worry, Daddy will never bully your Wenhua brother. Go back to your room now!"
Chen Mengmeng blushed at her father's words, stomped her foot, and said reproachfully, "Hmph, I'm ignoring you all!"
Then, like a little rabbit, she hurriedly ran back to her room.
"Wenhua, look at my daughter, her heart is completely devoted to you!"
"So, you'd better treat my precious daughter well from now on!" Commander Chen said earnestly, his tone full of concern and entrustment from an elder to a younger generation.
Xu Wenhua stood to the side, his gaze gentle and tender, following the graceful figure slowly walking up the stairs, his eyes revealing a hint of love and longing.
Upon hearing Commander Chen's words, he quickly turned around and nodded solemnly to Commander Chen, replying, "Don't worry, Commander Chen, I will definitely treat Mengmeng well and will never let her suffer the slightest grievance."
At this moment, Commander Chen smiled, stood up, walked to the coffee table, picked up the teapot, and gently poured Xu Wenhua a steaming cup of tea.
He sat back down on the sofa, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and asked with interest.
"Wenhua, what brings you here today? Could it be that you're finally planning to propose to Mengmeng? Haha!"
Upon hearing this, Xu Wenhua's heart tightened, and the explanation that was already on the tip of his tongue was instantly swallowed back.
He hesitated for a moment before finally mustering the courage to speak: "Commander, actually... actually, the reason I came here this time is to ask you for a few days off so I can go back to my hometown to take care of some personal matters."
Upon hearing this, Commander Chen was slightly taken aback at first, then a relieved smile immediately spread across his face. He put down his teacup, patted Xu Wenhua on the shoulder, and said, "Oh? I see! Haha, I thought you were going back to discuss the important matter of proposing marriage with your parents!"
"That's fine, though. Since there's something at home that needs to be taken care of, then go quickly! Your injury hasn't healed yet, and you're in the recovery period right now, so you don't need to ask for leave again."
Xu Wenhua was touched by how readily Commander Chen agreed.
However, when Commander Chen misunderstood that he had asked for leave because he needed to go home to discuss marriage, he opened his mouth and tried to explain.
But when he saw Commander Chen's smiling, kind face, the words of explanation seemed to get stuck in his throat, and he couldn't say them no matter what.
Left with no other choice, he could only nod slightly again and say in a voice so low that only he could hear, "Thank you, Commander. I will definitely come to propose marriage as soon as possible."
Commander Chen patted him on the shoulder, his tone expectant: "Wenhua, I really approve of your relationship with Mengmeng. Go home and discuss with your parents how to propose!"
"Mengmeng and I are waiting for you at home!" Commander Chen said cheerfully with a beaming smile.
Xu Wenhua's lips curled up slightly, revealing a somewhat forced smile, and he replied, "Okay, Commander, I will definitely get back as soon as possible."
However, at this moment, his heart felt as if it were being crushed by a heavy boulder, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.
Commander Chen trusted him too much and didn't pay attention to his expression. If he had paid attention, he would have seen the seriousness in his voice when he agreed.
As Xu Wenhua stepped out of Commander Chen's house, the heavy feeling intensified, like a thick, dark cloud hanging over his heart.
He knew that upon returning to his hometown, he would not only be greeted by his long-lost parents, but also by his fiancée who had plotted against him.
Thinking about this made him feel agitated and confused. He had no idea how to deal with such complicated interpersonal relationships, and he was even more uncertain whether this trip back to his hometown would allow him to successfully dissolve the engagement.
With a heavy heart, Xu Wenhua dragged his heavy steps back to his small dormitory room.
The moment he opened the door, he was greeted by the sight of the newly purchased pots and pans neatly arranged, a heartwarming scene that moved him deeply.
These seemingly ordinary everyday items, at this moment, were like a ray of warm sunshine in winter, slightly dispelling the gloom that lingered in his heart.
Time flies, and before we knew it, it was the chilly morning of the second day of the Lunar New Year.
Xu Wenhua bid a reluctant farewell to Chen Mengmeng at the train station.
Chen Mengmeng stood quietly in place, her beautiful eyes filled with endless reluctance. She murmured softly, "Wenhua, be careful on the road, and be sure to come back soon. I will always be here waiting for you."
Xu Wenhua nodded slightly, managed a weak smile, and said softly, "Don't worry, Mengmeng, I'll take care of things as soon as possible and come back to be with you."
After saying that, he slowly turned around and boarded the old train with slightly unsteady steps.
After the car started, Xu Wenhua couldn't help but look out the window, staring intently at Chen Mengmeng's increasingly blurry figure.
As the distance gradually increased, her figure eventually disappeared at the end of the road.
At that moment, an indescribable sorrow welled up in his heart, causing his eyes to redden slightly.
After a long and exhausting day and night of driving, Xu Wenhua finally arrived at the familiar yet unfamiliar county town.
Without taking a short break, he immediately boarded a dilapidated car heading towards town.
Upon arriving in town, we boarded an oxcart, which swayed and bumped along the rugged country road.
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