In the evening, Yu Xiangnian took the passbook out of his bag, looked at it, and locked it back in the drawer.
The money to buy the washing machine was paid from the family’s shared funds.
Regardless of whether they get divorced or not, this washing machine is for Cheng Jingmo to use, so naturally it has to be paid for from the family funds.
I have saved one thousand and forty yuan from the account establishment to today. Today I spent two hundred and ninety yuan on buying a washing machine, and I have seven hundred and fifty yuan left.
From that day on, Xiaojie had an additional task, which was to wash the clothes every night.
The day Cheng Jingmo left was December 20th. Time passed quickly and it was already late January, and Xiaojie was on winter vacation.
Over the past month, Yu Xiangnian generally worked at home, occasionally taking Xiaojie into the city for a stroll, and bringing him back to his home for a meal or two.
She didn't pay attention to other things.
Damn Cheng Jingmo, didn't he say he'd be back in a month at most? It's been over a month, why hasn't he come back yet?
Yu Xiangnian didn't think much about it. It wasn't surprising that he would arrive a few days earlier or later when going out to carry out a mission.
It was the king Hongxiang who came to visit the house and comforted Yu Xiangnian not to think too much of the worst.
Yu Xiangnian felt strange and asked her, "What do you mean?"
Wang Hongxiang's face was filled with worry and sympathy. "I also heard from Dong Minghao that Cheng Jingmo and the others lost contact over half a month ago. No one knows what their current situation is."
After a pause, Wang Hongxiang continued, "Don't worry. No news is good news. Maybe they will be back in two days."
Yu Xiangnian felt irritated and vaguely uneasy.
We lost contact more than half a month ago. Now everyone knows about it, but her family member is completely unaware of it.
"I have to go find the military district leaders to ask about the situation." Yu Xiangnian stood up and left.
When she arrived at the door of the Political Department office, she told the story and a soldier took her to the office of Political Commissar Ma Dacheng.
The two sat facing each other, and Yu Xiangnian said, "Political Commissar, before Cheng Jingmo left, he told me he would be back in a month at most. It's been almost forty days, and he still hasn't come back. I came to ask about his situation."
Ma Dacheng had someone pour a glass of water for Yu Xiangnian, "Comrade Yu, don't be anxious, drink some water first."
Yu Xiangnian picked up the cup, took a sip, and put it down again, waiting for Ma Dacheng's reply.
Ma Dacheng blew the tea leaves on the teacup slowly and took a sip slowly.
Yu Xiangnian knew from the look on his face that he was organizing his words, and he vaguely felt that something was not going well.
After a while, Ma Dacheng put down the teacup and said, "Comrade Yu, this is it."
"Deputy Captain Cheng took five people on a mission this time. The original plan was to return within a month. Perhaps something unexpected happened, and they haven't returned yet."
Yu Xiangnian said, "Commissar Ma, please be frank with me. As a family member, I have the right to know about my husband's situation."
Ma Dacheng thought for a moment and said, "Comrade Yu, let me tell you the truth. Don't let your imagination run wild. Deputy Commander Cheng and his men lost contact with headquarters on the evening of January 7th. Headquarters has tried to contact them every day, but has yet to get through."
Today is January 25th, which means that Cheng Jingmo and the others have lost contact for eighteen days.
Yu Xiangnian felt uneasy and asked again, "Then can you tell me where they went?"
Ma Dacheng said: "I can't say for now. The place they went to is remote, and it's possible that they couldn't receive the signal, so they lost contact."
Yu Xiangnian also understood that those military secrets could not be disclosed, so he could only ask again: "Did the army send anyone to look for them?"
Ma Dacheng looked embarrassed. "Comrade Yu, it's common for people to return to the team a few days earlier or later after completing missions. Also, we don't know their exact location, so it's unrealistic to send people out to look for them without a purpose."
In other words, no one was sent to look for it.
What Ma Dacheng said were all practical problems, and Yu Xiangnian could understand them, but he still felt uneasy and dissatisfied.
"Commissar Ma, when are you going to go find them?" Yu Xiangnian couldn't control his emotions. "It's been almost twenty days since we last met, and you haven't taken any action yet. Is it going to take twenty months or twenty years?"
Ma Dacheng said, "Comrade Yu, drink some water and calm down."
Yu Xiangnian raised his cup and took a gulp. "Okay, I'm calm now! Go on!"
Ma Dacheng: "...We haven't told you yet because we're considering the family's feelings. In this situation, it won't help if we worry. Just wait at home peacefully. We will notify you as soon as there is any situation."
Having said this, Yu Xiangnian didn't know what to say anymore.
On the way back home, my mood hit rock bottom.
There are only three days left until New Year's Eve. Yu Xiangnian had always thought that Cheng Jingmo would be back before the New Year at the latest.
Judging from the current situation, it is unlikely.
She didn't tell Xiaojie about Cheng Jingmo, and the child was still eagerly looking forward to his uncle's return.
On the morning of the 29th day of the lunar calendar, Yu Xiangguo drove to pick up Yu Xiangnian and Xiaojie to go home for the New Year.
Yu Xiangnian recalled that the original owner and Cheng Jingmo had just gotten married not long before the Chinese New Year.
At that time, the original owner wanted to go home for the New Year, but was rejected by Zhao Ruozhu.
Zhao Ruozhu’s reason was: a married daughter cannot return to her parents’ home for the New Year.
But this year he took her back to celebrate the New Year. I guess he knew that she was lonely with Xiaojie, so he took them back to have some fun together.
Xiao Jie finally couldn't help but ask, "Aunt, isn't my uncle coming back for the New Year?"
Yu Xiangnian replied: "He was delayed outside and won't be back until after the New Year."
Xiaojie asked again: "How long after the New Year?"
This kid, like Cheng Jingmo, is sometimes silly and easy to fool, and sometimes very cunning.
Yu Xiangnian didn't want to give him hope and then disappoint him, so he thought for a moment and said, "I can't say for sure. Anyway, let's just wait."
The two packed some luggage and came to Yu Xiangnian's home.
Her family would have a reunion dinner on the night of the 29th, because on the 30th, Yu Jiashun would be in the army celebrating the New Year with the soldiers.
Yu Xiangnian hadn't realized the seriousness of the situation yet. She complained, "Dad, Cheng Jingmo and Yu Xiangyang have been out of contact for so long, and you didn't arrange for anyone to look for them. What if something happens?"
Yu Jiashun has been in a high position for a long time and rarely expresses his emotions, even in front of himself and his daughter.
He asked back, "I heard you went to see the military district leaders again?"
"Of course I'm going to look for them!" Yu Xiangnian said confidently, "Everyone outside knows them..."
Yu Jiashun interrupted her in a deep voice, "The army has its own decisions and considerations. If anything happens, we'll notify you. Don't interfere!"
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