Yuan Meng's departure date was Sunday, meaning she would be leaving the following day.
That evening, neither Ling Ruoke nor Huo Qingfeng returned to the hospital. Actually, Huo Qingfeng had already planned to be discharged; he was just receiving IV fluids and resting at the hospital, and the same would be true at home. So, he completed the discharge procedures that afternoon and went home to recuperate.
The thought of the little one leaving soon, and although she could still see him when she wanted to, it wouldn't be every day, made her feel terrible. The bond between them was slowly fading... Ling Ruoke felt extremely distressed.
She cooked dinner herself, preparing a large table of dishes, all of which were the little one's and Yuan Meng's favorites. She herself had no appetite, but dared not show it, so she simply kept her head down, serving food to the little one. At the dinner table, apart from the little one, no one spoke much. The usually lively atmosphere felt very oppressive now.
After dinner, Ling Ruoke watched cartoons with him and babbled along with him in his childlike language. It was as if she wanted to use up all her future time to do this in the limited time she had left.
When the time came, I personally gave him a bath, and he fussed in the bathroom for a long time before finally coming out.
While they were showering, Yuan Meng looked at Huo Qingfeng, smiled apologetically, and said three words: "I'm sorry." Everyone could see that Ling Ruoke was heartbroken. Although Fu'an was her child, Ruoke had spent far more time with him, and her love for him was no less than hers!
"It's okay, you'll get used to it in a few days. But you, if you encounter any difficulties over there, just let us know. I understand you want to rely on yourself to forge your own path, but relying on yourself doesn't mean you don't need anyone's help. If you still consider us friends, please let us know you're doing well!"
"I will!" Yuan Meng nodded with a smile, but there were tears in her eyes.
When it was bedtime, Ling Ruoke didn't let the little guy go back to his beautifully decorated children's room. Instead, she took him back to the master bedroom. During the night, the little guy lay between the two of them, excitedly babbling for a long time before finally succumbing to sleepiness.
Ling Ruoke hugged him and stared at him blankly in the darkness, tears welling up in her eyes.
Huo Qingfeng sighed helplessly and embraced the mother and son. He knew in his heart that Fu'an was not only her child, but also her companion. During the days he couldn't come home, Fu'an was there for her, making her less lonely! Now that Yuan Meng had left with Fu'an, how lonely she would be, alone in this huge house, while he was away!
Thinking of all this, Huo Qingfeng felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if being stabbed with a knife. His little woman had suffered so much, and now she had to face such loneliness and isolation. His heart ached terribly, yet he couldn't bear to let her go. She was so wonderful; how could he let her go! After the wedding, perhaps he should persuade her to join the army. He would also discuss it with Fu Peigang, and have Tan Peishi join the army as well.
During the long night, Ling Ruoke silently ate beans for half the night before finally falling asleep.
Huo Qingfeng held his precious baby, barely sleeping all night. His mind was filled with thoughts of how to keep his baby from being lonely, sad, or lonely.
As dawn broke, Ling Ruoke woke up. After returning from the gym, she immediately went into the kitchen. She remembered how much the little guy loved the animal-shaped steamed buns Yuan Meng had made the first time. She'd make them again today to make him happy.
Huo Qingfeng was already awake when she got up. He was always alert, but he hadn't let her know. He only quietly got up after hearing her return from the gym.
Standing at the kitchen doorway, he watched his little woman intently making steamed buns, shaping them into all sorts of adorable forms, clearly meant to make their little one happy. She mumbled comforting words to herself, occasionally wiping her eyes.
Huo Qingfeng sighed. This fool. Even after such training, she's still so easily moved to tears. Indeed, women's emotions are too delicate. This is also why there are almost no women in the special forces training camp. They are too easily controlled by their emotions and are not suited to such a cruel environment.
After watching silently for a while, Huo Qingfeng stepped inside.
Ling Ruoke quickly brushed the hair from her face with her arm, wiping away a little moisture from the corner of her eye. Turning to him, she smiled sweetly. "You're awake. Does your wound hurt?"
Huo Qingfeng didn't answer. He walked over, hugged her waist, and nuzzled her neck, saying, "Silly girl, what's the point of pretending in front of me? I promise you, once this is over, I'll take you to T City to see them. You can stay as long as you want, okay?"
"Okay!" Ling Ruoke smiled, pursing her lips, then wiped her eyes, realizing she'd overreacted. "I'm sorry, I don't know what happened. It's nothing, I just couldn't help it..."
"I know, honey, I know everything." Huo Qingfeng hugged her tightly and kissed her face. "I'll see if I can get some time off. If I can, we can go on a trip together, okay?"
"Um."
"Where do you want to go? Lijiang? Sanya? Or abroad?" Deep down, he knew the chances of it being a lie were slim. That's the downside of being a soldier; you can't even spend more time with your family. Other people can go abroad for their honeymoon, but soldiers almost never have that time. Thinking about it, women who marry soldiers really suffer so much, it's heartbreaking!
Hearing his serious tone, Ling Ruoke chuckled. "Come on, let's talk about it when you have time off. Besides, as long as I'm with you, I'd be happy even if it's just a picnic on some mountain in Z City."
She knew in her heart that the colonel was just trying to cheer her up. Thinking about it, it wasn't a big deal, and there was really no need to make her so sentimental.
Huo Qingfeng tightened his arms around her, feeling a tightness in his throat. "My wife, you're so good to me! I don't know how many good deeds I must have done in my past life to be able to make you my woman in this one."
Ling Ruoke smiled through her tears, turned to look at him and said, "Then you'll have to treat me like an empress dowager from now on, pamper me like a treasure, understand?"
"Okay!" the colonel replied with a smile, then lowered his head to kiss her lips. He pressed her body tightly against his, wanting to meld her into his very bones and never separate them for even a second.
After a long while, he finally released her lips. Their foreheads touched, and they breathed softly.
Ling Ruoke calmed her breathing, bit his nose, and scolded, "I'm going to make steamed buns for the little guy. You get out of here right now and don't come in and cause trouble!"
Huo Qingfeng turned her body around, still firmly holding her waist. "You continue making your buns, and I'll continue holding my wife."
"But this is bothering me a lot!"
No, it won't.
"How would you know if you're not me?"
"Because I've been inside your body, and more than once."
"You pervert, you lecher!"
"..."
One focused intently on making breakfast, while the other would occasionally bother and cause a ruckus. To outsiders, it seemed heartwarming and touching. To themselves, as they joked and played around, the sentimental feelings faded away.
Yuan Meng also got up early. She saw them at the kitchen door and then quietly went back to her room.
Since Yuan Meng arrived, she has been making breakfast for everyone. After washing up, the little one runs downstairs and toddles into the kitchen, calling out "Mama, Mama" all the while, his loud voice bringing a lively atmosphere to the morning.
Today is no exception.
Little Huo Fu'an came running in, shouting "Mommy!" He was stunned when he saw Huo Qingfeng and Ling Ruoke. But he quickly smiled and ran over. "Daddy, Mommy!"
"Mommy, what are you doing?" The little guy's voice still had a babyish quality, and he liked to draw out the last syllable when he spoke, which was incredibly cute.
Huo Qingfeng picked him up and showed him what Ruoke could do.
Ling Ruoke leaned over and kissed him, smiling as she waved the things in her hands. "Making steamed buns for Xiao Fu'an. Look, this is a kitten, do you like it?"
"Mommy, Mommy, I want a puppy too!" Huo Fu'an reached out to take the bun from her hand, but missed. He immediately made his request again, saying he liked puppies.
Speaking of puppies, we have to mention Dou Dou from back then. After Ruo Ke went missing, Dou Dou was given to Tan Pei Shi, but later, for some reason, it was lost again. Fortunately, Ling Ruo Ke and Huo Fu An returned to Z City quite some time later, so they weren't too heartbroken when they found out.
Ling Ruoke later suggested getting a dog, but she heard that it's not good for children to have too much contact with animals because they are young and their immune systems aren't strong enough. Besides, she was busy with work and didn't have time to take care of the dog, so the idea was dropped.
Upon hearing Huo Fu'an's request, Ling Ruoke quickly leaned forward. "Then give Mommy a kiss, and Mommy will be your little puppy."
Little Huo Fu'an is already very skilled at kissing. Without saying a word, he just puckers his lips and starts giving a big, loud kiss. Afterwards, he giggles to himself; it's hard to tell if he's proud or just trying to please.
Huo Qingfeng and Ling Ruoke exchanged a glance and were amused by him.
Yuan Meng leaned against the kitchen doorway, silently watching this heartwarming moment between the family of three. As she watched, a pang of sadness welled up in her heart, and her eyes involuntarily filled with tears. If her Kaiyi were alive, this scene would surely belong to their family of three. But fate was too cruel, destined to separate them forever, and she didn't know if there would be an afterlife or if they would ever meet again.
When I was young, I read novels where the heroine or hero endured centuries of loneliness on the Bridge of Helplessness, hoping to reunite in the next life. Not having experienced it myself, I was merely amazed by their profound love. Now I understand that if she could truly see Kaiyi again, she would also be willing to endure centuries of loneliness on the Bridge of Helplessness, just to see him again!
However, everyone says that the concept of souls is pure fiction. Before, when she heard stories of ghosts, she was simply frightened. But after Kaiyi left, she couldn't help but think that if souls truly existed, it would be a comfort to the living. If one day she could see the spirit of her beloved, she would be overjoyed. Sometimes, she truly wished she could encounter a ghost herself, so she could comfort herself and think that perhaps one day she too could meet Kaiyi's spirit.
Yuan Meng covered her mouth and nose tightly and ran back to her room. She took out the small, treasured photograph, tears blurring her vision, then falling drop by drop onto the photo. The person in the photo, however, seemed oblivious, still displaying that cold, indifferent expression, which pierced her eyes and her heart.
"Kaiyi..." Yuan Meng collapsed onto the bed, sobbing. Countless times she had asked herself, the heavens, and the earth, what sins she had committed in her past life to have Kaiyi leave her so soon? But apart from her own mournful voice, she heard no answer. This deathly silence always transformed into heart-wrenching thoughts and self-reproach in the dead of night, tormenting her and keeping her awake every night...
The dead are gone, but how much courage must the living possess to transform grief into strength and bravely walk the rest of the way...
Many times, Yuan Meng felt she couldn't take it anymore; she was in so much pain she wanted to die immediately. But she couldn't. She had a child, her and Kaiyi's child. If she died, and if there truly were spirits, how could she face Kaiyi in the afterlife? To the child, he had already lost his father; how could she selfishly let him lose his mother as well?
The human heart is fragile, but when tormented too much, it grows a thick callus, just like the body, and slowly the burning pain subsides. That dull ache, after self-deception and self-comfort, can be endured and passed. Over time, one becomes numb.
Kaiyi, give me a little more strength, let me hold on, Kaiyi...
Yuan Meng silently shed tears, wetting her face and the thin blanket. The excruciating pain she felt back then became so vivid again, until the knock on the door sounded.
"Mommy, Mommy, breakfast time? Mommy, Mommy made such cute steamed buns. Mommy..." The little hand knocked on the door hard, and Grandma's voice was so cute, with a hint of coquetry.
Yuan Meng, lost in her grief, snapped out of her daze. Her lost strength returned in an instant. She quickly wiped her eyes and went to the bathroom to wash her face. She opened the door, and the little one's hand, which was about to pound on the door, froze, momentarily stunned.
She knelt down, hugged his chubby little waist, and kissed his cheeks and his bright red lips. Then, the little guy would immediately kiss her back, being very well-behaved.
"Mommy, steamed buns, eat steamed buns. Mommy made them, they're so cute..." The little boy looked very anxious, as if he was afraid someone would eat his steamed buns.
Yuan Meng picked him up and playfully nudged his little chest with a smile. "Alright, let's go eat some steamed buns."
"Let's go, eat steamed buns, hehe..." The chubby boy stretched out his arm, struck a departure pose, and then chuckled to himself.
Ling Ruoke and Huo Qingfeng didn't say anything, seemingly unaware that Yuan Meng had been crying.
Ling Ruoke specially made animal-shaped buns for Xiao Fu'an, and regular steamed buns and porridge for the adults. "Come on, Yuan Meng, have some porridge."
"Thanks."
"Mommy, mine, mine!" The little guy munched on his steamed bun, not forgetting to try and get his porridge. Grandma's voice and anxious little expression amused everyone.
Ling Ruoke quickly packed it for him, earning a sweet thank you from him. She then looked at the Colonel and Yuan Meng and suggested taking the little guy out to play today. "It's a bit hot in the summer. How about this, we'll head out right away, play at the amusement park in the morning, and take him to see a movie or something in the afternoon."
"I have no objection, you can ask Yuan Meng." Huo Qingfeng always lets his wife have the final say, and he never has any objections.
Yuan Meng smiled. "I have no objection either."
Ling Ruoke made the final decision. "It's settled then. Let's go buy a matching set of family outfits later!"
After breakfast, the family of four set off. The Colonel's Hummer wasn't home, so they had to take a taxi. They first went to the clothing store where they had bought matching family outfits last time. However, a small misunderstanding occurred while shopping. The main issue was that the matching outfits were usually for three people, with a maximum of two outfits for the children. The family wanted two outfits for the mothers, but the store didn't have any. In the end, they got two identical sets so both mothers could wear them.
While shopping for clothes, Ling Ruoke remembered that she hadn't bought any cute little outfits for Peishi's baby yet. Before, because she didn't know if it was a boy or a girl, she had bought a few sets for newborns. Now that she knew it was a boy, she could buy some cool clothes.
Because it was the weekend, the amusement park was quite crowded. And since it was summer, everyone was rushing out early in the morning.
The amusement park is a child's paradise, so naturally, little Huo Fu'an has the final say. He can play whichever game he wants, and he can play with whoever he wants. He does whatever he wants, and the little guy is incredibly arrogant, even raising his voice considerably.
When the little guy was playing bumper cars, he didn't meet the age and height requirements, so he waved his chubby hand and asked his mom and mom to join him.
Sure enough, Huo Qingfeng let him ride on his shoulders to cheer on the two women on the battlefield. The little chubby hands clapped vigorously, his body twisting and turning, laughing heartily. Even Huo Qingfeng couldn't help but smile, making the mothers around them swoon.
Ling Ruoke and Yuan Meng came down from the battlefield and ran over together.
"Isn't Mommy amazing?"
"Awesome!" came the loud reply, accompanied by applause.
"Is Mom amazing?"
"Awesome!" came the loud reply, accompanied by applause.
Ling Ruoke and Yuan Meng exchanged a mischievous glance and asked, "So, is Mommy more powerful or Mommy more powerful?"
Little Huo Fu'an was stumped. He frowned and mumbled "uh-huh" for a long time before suddenly shouting, "They're all great!" He seemed to think this was a very good answer and was quite proud of himself.
Seeing his smug little face, everyone burst into laughter.
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