Chapter 171 Xie Yunze is back
He gazed at the female lead, his eyes full of admiration.
Her intelligence and beauty were already dazzling, but her steadfastness to her family and her unwavering hope in the face of adversity earned her his heartfelt admiration and respect.
"I see."
He nodded solemnly, his gaze as firm as steel. "Give me some time, and I will find a way."
Xu Zhili was slightly taken aback; she hadn't expected Xie Yunze to respond in this way.
She had already prepared herself to be abandoned, after all, in this day and age, who would want to be associated with someone from a family like hers?
“You don’t have to force yourself…” she said softly, but was interrupted by Xie Yunze.
"This is not a forced request."
His voice was steady and powerful: “I value you as a person, not your family background. On the contrary, I admire your courage and wisdom in the face of adversity.”
Xu Zhili felt her eyes getting hot, and she quickly lowered her head to hide her sudden emotional turmoil.
For so many years, ever since the incident at home, she had only encountered indifference or avoidance. This was the first time someone had so firmly chosen to stand by her side.
"Thanks."
In the end, she could only squeeze out these two words, yet they contained a thousand unspoken words.
Xie Yunze looked at her slightly reddened ear tips and felt his heart melt.
He knew this path wouldn't be easy, but there was absolutely no way he would give up such a precious person.
"Let's go back, An'an should be awake by now," he said softly, opening the car door for her.
As the jeep started up again, Xu Zhian woke up and, rubbing her sleepy eyes, asked, "Sister, are we home yet?"
"Soon."
Xu Zhili responded softly, and when she looked up, her eyes inadvertently met Xie Yunce's gaze in the rearview mirror.
The two exchanged a smile, and a tacit understanding, unspoken yet deeply felt, quietly took root in the air.
The road ahead is still long, but at least for now, they all have the courage to move forward.
When Xu Zhili and her group returned to their home in Xiangyang Brigade, night had fallen and the surroundings were quiet, with only the occasional bark of a dog coming from afar.
The courtyard wall was hidden deep in the shadows of the trees, and there were no lights on in the windows, so the owner of the house had not yet returned.
Xu Zhili looked up and saw Xie Yunze holding the sleeping Zhi'an steadily in his arms. The little boy looked particularly small in his arms, with one arm hanging limply down. Her heart warmed slightly, and she said softly, "Xie Yunze, thank you for your trouble. Would you like to come in and sit down? I'll boil some water for you."
Upon hearing this, Xie Yunze's eyes suddenly lit up, but he quickly suppressed it.
He glanced at the dark sky, then at her slender figure, and shook his head, his voice lower than before: "It's too late. You're home alone. It's not appropriate for me to come in."
He paused, then softened his tone, "My place isn't far from here, just a few steps away. You've had a long day, so get some rest."
Xu Zhili didn't force him and carefully took her younger brother from him.
During the handshake, her fingertips inadvertently brushed against the back of Xie Yunce's hand.
The texture was rough yet warm, the calluses left from years of practicing martial arts with a gun.
She recoiled as if burned, hastily withdrawing her hand, and both of them were startled.
In the darkness, she couldn't see his expression, but she heard his breath catch for a moment.
Xu Zhili turned her face away and pulled Zhi'an closer to her, using this action to hide her sudden panic: "Then... see you at the usual place tomorrow?"
She turned around and pushed open the courtyard gate without waiting for his response.
The wooden door creaked, the sound particularly clear in the quiet night.
Before stepping across the threshold, she turned back and added, "I'll be waiting for you."
The door closed gently, separating the two.
Xie Yunze remained standing in the same spot.
The evening breeze rustled through the locust tree in front of the courtyard, and he could still hear her last soft but firm words, "I'll wait for you."
He raised his hand to look at the back of his hand that she had just touched, smiled silently, and then turned and walked towards the jeep.
By the time the car entered the Xie family's courtyard, it was completely dark.
The Xie family had just finished eating, and the dim yellow light of the kerosene lamp shone warmly through the window.
Upon hearing the car, Xie Yunze's fourth sister, Xie Dongmei, was the first to run out, followed by their mother, Wang Xiuying, who also wiped her hands as she came out.
"Oh my! Isn't this my son?"
Wang Xiuying was both surprised and delighted. She looked her son up and down by the light, "Why are you back at this hour? Didn't you already go back to the army?"
Xie Yunze closed the car door and greeted her with a smile: "I was passing by on a mission and stopped by to take a look. Mom, are you eating?"
Wang Xiuying grabbed her son's arm, her words laced with amusement but her eyes full of laughter: "You brat, you didn't even let me know you were coming back! Have you eaten? If not, I'll make you some noodles."
"Not yet, but I've been craving your handmade noodles."
As Xie Yunze spoke, he followed his mother into the house, his tone unconsciously carrying a hint of childhood dependence.
Wang Xiuying patted his arm happily: "Wait, Mom will go knead the dough for you right away—Dog Egg's dad, Dog Egg is back."
Xie Yunze rubbed his temples helplessly: "Mom, I've told you so many times, don't call me by my nickname..."
While tying her apron, Wang Xiuying scolded him, "What's wrong? Your grandfather named you Gou Dan, so you're easy to raise! Now that you're grown up, you think your mother is embarrassing you?"
Xie Yunze was both amused and exasperated, but he didn't really take it to heart.
He followed her into the kitchen and leaned against the door to watch his mother deftly scoop flour, add water, and knead it into dough.
The firelight from the stove illuminated the white hair at her temples, and Xie Yunze suddenly felt a lump in his throat.
"Mother, lay two more eggs," he said softly.
"I know, you won't go hungry." Wang Xiuying replied without turning her head, but the corners of her mouth curved up.
The moonlight outside the window gradually brightened, and steam rose from the stove, filling the small kitchen with a long-lost warmth.
The Xie family sat around under the dim light of a kerosene lamp, all their eyes fixed on Xie Yunce.
The son and brother who had once made them incredibly proud were now sitting there quietly.
Everyone wore a smile, but their hearts were filled with sorrow.
It seemed as if fate had played a cruel joke on him.
Four months ago, Xie Yunze suffered a head injury while on a mission. When he woke up, his memories had returned to when he was fifteen years old.
The young officer who had once shone brightly in the army suddenly transformed back into a boy with clear and innocent eyes.
Although he can re-enlist in the army, all his previous military achievements and promotion opportunities will have to be rebuilt from scratch.
"Uh, little brother,"
Fourth Sister Xie Dongmei suddenly put down her chopsticks and stared at him intently. "Why do I feel... you seem a little different? Have you regained your memories?"
Her words immediately silenced the dinner table.
All eyes were on Xie Yunce.
Wang Xiuying, who was cooking noodles in the kitchen, just came out carrying an enamel mug. The mug, which had a red five-pointed star on it, was a reward Xie Yunze received for his meritorious service in the army.
Upon hearing her daughter's words, her hand trembled, and the cup crashed to the ground with a loud bang, splashing hot water everywhere.
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