Childhood sweetheart if1

"If I were her age, what if it was you?"

"If so, I will raise you as my daughter."

Lin Qiao thought it was just a casual remark, but she didn't expect that one day when she opened her eyes, she had become smaller.

He was only three heads tall, with chubby little hands, and he was sitting on a small stool that was not even as tall as a table.

A mini version of Lin Wei was squatting opposite her, struggling to crack walnuts with a hammer.

He smashed out a broken one, picked up the walnut kernel and put it in his mouth, smashed out a big one, picked it up and handed it to Lin Qiao.

Lin Qiao had no awareness at all that he was exploiting child laborers, and he ate it in one gulp.

Pecan oil is very big and tastes very fragrant. It also helps to nourish the brain, which is just right for her to think about the current situation.

She found out yesterday that she had become smaller. She has not slept all night and has not yet returned to sleep. She doesn’t know when she will be able to return to sleep.

It should be the early winter of 1965. She is three and a half years old and just celebrated her third birthday this past summer. Grandpa Lin and his wife are still alive, and Liu Yulan has not remarried, but Lin Shouren is probably dead. When the family received the letter yesterday, Mrs. Lin and Liu Yulan have been crying.

At this moment, she and Lin Wei were sitting beside the large earthen pot in the main room, cracking walnuts. In the room, they could still hear muffled voices and suppressed sobs.

According to what she knew, Grandpa Lin would soon bring his younger son to Yandu to retrieve his eldest son's belongings and arrange a marriage for her.

Thinking of this, Lin Qiao's eyes couldn't help but drift towards the tightly closed door.

"Grandpa and grandma want to tell you something. Don't be afraid." Lin Wei noticed it and actually touched her head and comforted her in a low voice.

The little kid, who was only six years old, sensed something was wrong from the devastating atmosphere at home.

Lin Qiao looked over and found that Lin Wei's face was tightly knitted. Rather than being afraid that she was scared, it seemed more like he was scared too.

She stuffed two of the large walnut kernels that the other party stuffed into her back and said, "I'm not afraid, my brother will eat it too."

Sure enough, not long after, the door opened, and Old Man Lin staggered out, calling his youngest son to accompany him to Yandu.

Lin Hui had just stopped breastfeeding when Sun Xiuzhi became pregnant with her third child, who was now just over four months old. She couldn't help but grumble to Lin Shouyi, "Why did you have to go? It's so cold and I'm pregnant."

"You know that my dad is not very literate."

Lin Shouyi glanced behind him and quickly closed the door, as if he was afraid that someone would hear him.

When he was about to leave, Lin Qiao grabbed the old man's clothes and said, "Dad."

Grandpa Lin was startled, and she had already raised her little face, "Looking for daddy, Qiaoqiao wants to go with us."

As soon as the child's tender voice came out, Liu Yulan couldn't hold back her tears and came over to hug her.

Lin Qiao didn't move. This time, she grabbed Grandpa Lin with both hands and said, "Look for Daddy."

She didn't know what was going on now, whether she had put it on again, whether she was wearing it alone or... it would be best if she could meet Ji Duo.

The child had innocent eyes and was stubborn. Mr. Lin looked at her for a long time, but she didn't let go.

There was no other way, so Mr. Lin could only pick her up, rub her head lovingly, and sigh, "Qiao Qiao might have some reaction."

Finally, he took a look at his reluctant daughter-in-law and said, "Forget it, Shouyi, you stay here. Let your sister-in-law take Qiaoqiao and go with me."

Originally, Lin Qiao was still young, and he wanted to leave Liu Yulan behind to take care of her, but in the end he took his mother and him out.

Lin Qiao did not cry or make a fuss along the way, and did not cause any trouble to the adults. Every time Grandpa Lin and Liu Yulan saw her, they felt distressed. When they saw the suicide note and military medals left by Lin Shouren, Liu Yulan couldn't stop crying. Grandpa Lin stood silently by and also blinked hard.

Lin Qiao was infected by the atmosphere and thought of Ji Duo's suicide note, and her eyes turned red.

Maybe because her body has become smaller, her emotions are now more easily affected. She can't help but wonder what would have happened to her if Ji Duo hadn't come back.

I probably won’t feel like Liu Yulan, as if the sky has fallen, but my heart will definitely feel a little broken.

It was at this time that Master Ji came and said as soon as he entered the room: "I'm sorry, Lao Lin, I didn't take good care of your Shouren."

Mr. Ji, who is only in his fifties, looks very young in his military uniform. Standing in front of his old comrade who has been farming all his life, he seems to be ten years younger than him.

Mr. Lin was stunned for a long time, then waved his hand, "It's none of your business, I didn't even tell you that Shouren came here to serve in the army."

He suppressed his grief and introduced them to Master Ji, "This is my eldest daughter-in-law Liu Yulan, and my youngest granddaughter Lin Qiao."

Lin Qiao was a little uncomfortable when he suddenly saw the younger version of Grandpa Ji. He had called him Dad for so many years, but now he felt a little uncomfortable calling him Grandpa.

Fortunately, Master Ji took pity on her because she lost her father at a young age, and did not care. Instead, he picked her up and asked, "Shouren only has this one daughter?"

"She is the only daughter of our family," sighed Mr. Lin, "she has a miserable life."

Old Master Ji stared at Lin Qiao for a while and said nothing more, "Since you are here, why don't you go to my house for dinner? You probably don't have a place to stay in Yandu."

"Is this...convenient?"

After all, he was in mourning, so Mr. Lin was hesitant.

Mr. Ji has already asked someone to prepare the car. "They are all from that era. We don't care about those things."

In 1965, at the Ji family's old house, there was no swing built for Ji Ling in the yard. Xu Liying, who was in her forties, came out, and there was no silver hair on her temples yet.

Lin Qiao was carried over the threshold by Liu Yulan, and immediately noticed the young man standing as straight as a pine tree under the eaves.

Although only twelve or thirteen years old, he is already nearly 1.8 meters tall. When he looks at people, his eyes are dark and direct, and he is unabashedly flamboyant.

For some reason, Lin Qiao thought of Qi Huaiwen whom she met at the beginning.

The boy was also so cold and direct when he looked at people. Even if he was caught by her copying books in class, he could be seen as a troublemaker at first glance.

But the look in his eyes clearly showed that he was not her Ji Duo...

Lin Qiao was a little disappointed. When Old Master Ji saw this, he also had a headache and asked Xu Li, "Someone came to your house again?"

Xu Li nodded helplessly.

Grandpa Ji didn't ask any more questions and introduced her to Grandpa Lin and Liu Yulan.

Lin Qiao had been keeping an eye on Ji Duo. When he was put down, he walked over and poked his knee with his finger, "Are you being punished to stand?"

She still wanted to confirm it, and was also a little curious about this young man Ji Duo, whom she had never seen before.

The north wind often blows in winter. Ji Duo stood upright, looking at the bell ringing on the eaves. When he heard the words, he found that there was a little thing beside his leg.

She was really tiny. Even when she tilted her head back, it was not even as high as his thigh. She had a pair of dark eyes and a small mole at the corner of her eye.

His strength was not good, and his knee felt a little itchy when it poked him. He dodged unconsciously, but still said "hmm".

If that Ji Duo frowned and made you feel scared, you wouldn't move at all. Lin Qiao found it funny and poked him again, asking knowingly, "Brother, what's your name?"

This time, the young Ji Duo frowned, "Didn't anyone tell you not to mess with others?"

Very good, it is confirmed that Ji Duo has never been a man who would be sympathetic to women since he was young.

Lin Qiao looked up at him without saying anything. Xiao Yuan turned around and walked away.

Just as Ji Duo's eyes fell back to the eaves, he heard the voice of the little girl's grandmother, "Can I play with that big brother over there?"

"That's my uncle, not my brother." Liu Yulan corrected her gently.

The little girl insisted, "He is obviously my brother."

Then his punishment changed from standing in the corner to coaxing the child.

But in fact, Lin Qiao is very easy to coax. She doesn't like to cry or make trouble, and she is not naughty or mischievous. She just likes to look at him with her big phoenix eyes.

It was fine once or twice, but when it happened too many times, Ji Duo couldn't help it anymore, "Why do you keep looking at me?"

"Nothing, it looks good." Lin Qiao blinked.

The words were too straightforward, and Ji Duo actually paused for a moment before saying, "You are not allowed to look at that either!"

He was clearly attacking someone, but for some reason he seemed to be arrogant and uncomfortable.

Oh, the old cadres in their youth would be uncomfortable, and they didn't expect that they would say to her seriously in the future: "It's nothing, it looks good."

Lin Qiao frowned and tugged at his trouser legs, "It's a bit cold outside, brother, let's go inside and play."

That was the first time that young Ji Duo saw the little girl. Hearing that she could be sent back, he even felt relieved.

He never imagined that the very next day, this little girl would become his fiancée and would stay in their home.

It all started when Lin Qiao suddenly asked Ye Minshu in front of everyone at the dinner table that night: "Why does Auntie keep staring at me? Does she dislike me?"

At that time, Master Ji had just told his son and daughter-in-law about the child marriage. Ji Jun knew that the Lin family had done a favor to the Ji family, so he agreed without thinking. Although Ye Minshu was unwilling in her heart, she did not dare to object because her brother from her natal family had committed a crime and had to beg Master Ji.

I thought everything was settled and all I had to do was talk to the Lin family about it later to finalize the marriage. But no one expected to hear such a sentence.

And would a child who is only three and a half years old tell lies?

At that time, everyone at the table looked at Ye Minshu, especially Old Man Ji, whose brows immediately wrinkled.

As for Ye Minshu herself, she was reluctant in the beginning. She didn't even know if she really couldn't control her expression well and was accidentally seen by Lin Qiao.

At this time, she had only been married for a few years, and she still had some fear for her father-in-law who was in a high position. When the old man frowned, she said, "Qiao Qiao must have seen it wrong," but her expression could not help revealing a bit of guilt.

How could Master Ji not see it? He didn't say anything at the time, but later he shook his head to Xu Li and said, "I'm afraid this won't work."

He wanted to marry off his two children because his old comrade-in-arms' eldest son had only one daughter, who lost her father at a young age, and he wanted to promise his children a stable life.

The eldest daughter-in-law has shown her dislike openly. Will she be good to the children in the future?

After this incident, if he went to talk to Lao Lin again, Lao Lin and the child's mother would not be able to agree with him.

Before the couple could figure out what was going on, Old Man Lin fell ill.

Because he was with his little granddaughter, Grandpa Lin was not in a hurry on the way, nor was he in a hurry to return. As a result, the illness that should have occurred after he returned home occurred before he returned.

It was Lin Qiao who discovered the matter. When he was sent to the hospital, he said that he had old injuries. He was already very poor, and the grief hurt him. According to the doctor, even if he could survive this time, he might not live long. After hearing this, Master Ji was silent for a long time, and said to Xu Li: "Let's choose the second child."

Although there is a generation gap, but he and Xu Li will at least treat the child well. What if Old Lin...

With the couple around, the child won't have to suffer in the hands of others.

Xu Li has always been soft-hearted and did not object. As for Mr. Lin's illness, he also knew that his health might not be good, so he did not object either.

The two families signed an engagement agreement in the ward. Because Liu Yulan still had to take care of Mr. Lin in the hospital, Lin Qiao was completely entrusted to the Ji family.

Lin Qiao sat with her short legs dangling in Ji Duo's room which was both familiar and unfamiliar to him. She felt that maybe she was now Ji Duo's child bride?

It felt familiar because he had lived there for a long time, but it also felt strange because the room of Ji Duo as a teenager was very different from that of an adult. There were guns hanging on the wall, and comic books and cans of marbles on the table.

Ji Duo was writing his homework quickly with his head down. He looked up and saw Lin Qiao staring at the can. He pulled the can in front of her with a cold face and said, "You can play with it, but don't lose it."

Lin Qiao didn't want to play with it, but she still took it in her two little hands and smiled, "Thank you, brother."

"I said it was my uncle." Ji Duo said in a dissatisfied tone, but he never stopped writing.

Lin Qiao was watching from the side and his accuracy rate was quite high.

Yes, with such a good memory, even though he later went to the army, his academic performance must have been good.

"Ji Duo! Ji Duo, have you finished your homework?"

There was a voice coming from far away, and a head was poked at the door. Lin Qiao looked in the direction of the voice and found that it was Su Zheng, who looked like a young boy.

Compared to Ji Duo, Su Zheng developed a little later. He is not tall yet and has a round face with a bit of baby fat.

"They are all waiting outside. Why don't you go out and play first and then write when you come back." After everyone else came in, he noticed Lin Qiao sitting at the table. "Who is this?"

"My father's niece from his comrade's family."

"He is a child bride."

The two spoke almost at the same time, and then Ji Duo's expression froze, "What child bride? Don't listen to her nonsense."

However, it was too late. Su Zheng still laughed out loud, "You still have a child bride?"

"You believe what a child says." Ji Duo rolled his eyes at him and continued to do his homework. "I won't go. I have to look after her."

"If I wasn't your child bride, you wouldn't even go out to play?" Su Zheng was still laughing when Ji Duo kicked him.

He didn't try to hide, but patted his pants and said, "If it doesn't work, just take her with you. Anyway, when we go out to play, Shao Ping often takes Shao Zhen with him."

Ji Duo looked at Lin Qiao and frowned, "Wait for me to talk to her."

No, has he started talking to people at this age?

Lin Qiao blinked her eyes. Sure enough, Ji Duo had finished his homework and looked at her seriously, "Let's talk."

Looking at that face that looked infinitely more childish than in his memory, Lin Qiao almost jumped off his chair to find him an enamel pot.

Fortunately, she held back and nodded with her face taut, "You go ahead."

"I'm going out to play later. I can take you with me, but you have to be obedient and not cause me any trouble."

The young Ji Duo told her seriously, and Lin Qiao nodded seriously, "Yeah."

"Also," Ji Duo glanced at Su Zheng who was waiting for him in the yard and lowered his voice, "Don't tell anyone that you are my child bride."

"Yeah." Lin Qiao almost couldn't hold back his laughter and continued nodding his head.

"Keep your word, or I won't take you with me next time."

Ji Duo gave her another instruction before going to get her a cotton coat and a hat.

Lin Qiao put the mask on his head as he walked out. When he reached the door, he ran into Ji Ze who was running over.

Otherwise, the photo might have misled the person. Lin Qiao later found out that Ji Ze had a frown in that photo, and that photo was given to the Lin family in exchange.

This kid was a naive and lazy follower when he was young. Whenever he had some free time, he wanted to run after Ji Duo.

Seeing Ji Duo was about to go out again, he immediately said that he wanted to go with him.

Ji Duo turned around and glanced at Lin Qiao who was walking with short legs behind him, "I can't take care of you today without you."

Ji Ze was completely confused at the time, "Why?"

"I have to take Qiao Qiao with me." Seeing that Lin Qiao had not put on her hat properly, Ji Duo frowned and helped her straighten it.

The little girl immediately said sweetly: "Thank you, brother."

"I told you not to call me brother."

Ji Duo didn't buy it. He walked a few steps and found that Lin Qiao's legs were too short to catch up. He frowned and turned back, "Can you hurry up?"

"It's already pretty fast."

Lin Qiao stopped and wondered if he should not go. It was quite cold, and he didn't have to go out and play with a group of teenagers.

Ji Ze's eyes lit up, "Uncle, I can keep up!"

Then he saw his uncle squatting in front of Lin Qiao with an impatient look on his face, "Come up, I'll carry you."