Commander Wei continued, "Mother, have you already told me?"
"I... I only said one sentence to Commander Han's wife. She rejected me as soon as I finished speaking."
"What did you say?"
"I...I just told her to be my matchmaker."
When did you say that?
"This morning."
"It's over." Commander Wei plopped down in a chair. "Cheng Ying, pack your things at home. The transfer order will be issued in a few days."
Cheng Ying: "This...this mother didn't tell Commander Han's wife that she had taken a liking to that old man in their family, did she?"
Grandma Wei: "Yes. I just said I wanted her to be my matchmaker."
Commander Wei looked at Old Madam Wei weakly and said, "With your little schemes, people can see right through you at a glance. No wonder the leaders called me in for a talk this afternoon. So that's why... Sigh! Never mind, Mother, you should pack your things and come with me to the frontier."
Cheng Ying was both angry and helpless. "Mother, we've been feeding and taking good care of you, can't you just shut up for once? Old Wei told you not to go to Commander Han's house anymore, why did you still go? Now look what's happened, you'll all be eating dirt on the frontier."
Grandma Wei: "I...I was just trying to cover this up, wasn't I?"
Cheng Ying: "You can't just cover it up like that!"
Grandma Wei glared at Cheng Ying: "Didn't you just say my idea was good?"
Cheng Ying: "I...I haven't thought about it carefully yet, have I?"
Grandma Wei: "I'm doing this for your own good."
Cheng Ying: "For our own good? Look at what we've gained so far!"
Wei Yanhong came out of the house. "Mother, sister-in-law, please stop arguing. It's all my fault. I... I'll leave now."
Cheng Ying: "Hmph!"
Grandma Wei looked at Commander Wei and said, "Son, are you just going to let your wife bully your mother and your sister like this?"
Cheng Ying: "Hmph! Your son is about to go to the frontier to eat dirt. Are you two happy now?"
Grandma Wei glared at Cheng Ying: "You..."
Cheng Ying immediately glared back. "What's wrong with me? Mother, is Lao Wei really your biological son?"
Grandma Wei's eyes flickered. "Is that even a question? Son, your daughter-in-law is outrageous."
Cheng Ying: "What did I do wrong?"
Commander Wei waved his hand. "Stop talking. Go pack your things."
Cheng Ying: "Old Wei, since the transfer order hasn't come down yet, then... then can we think of another way?"
Commander Wei: "What plan do you have?"
Cheng Ying: "Let's go apologize to Commander Han and his wife."
Grandma Wei: "Send them some more gifts."
"It's no use." Commander Wei wiped his face. "The leader said that I can't even take care of my own family, so I should go to the frontier for eight or ten years of training before coming back."
Cheng Ying burst into tears upon hearing this. "You'll be retiring in another ten or eight years."
"Yes," Commander Wei said, looking at Old Madam Wei. "Mother, I was hoping to find some jobs for my nephews in the capital when the opportunity arose, but now... sigh! Mother, you won't blame your son, will you?"
Grandma Wei: "I..."
Cheng Ying: "She..."
Seeing that the two were about to start arguing again, Commander Wei quickly said, "Stop talking. Let's pack our things tomorrow. Mother, I'm going back to my room."
Cheng Ying wiped away her tears: "Is...is there really no way at all?"
"Hmm. The leader said I can't even manage my own family, how can I lead troops?"
Grandma Wei: "How about... how about we send them more gifts?"
"It's no use. Mother, it's getting late. You should go back and rest too. Yan Hong, help your mother back to rest."
Wei Yanhong: "Brother, this...this is all my fault."
Cheng Ying: "Isn't it all your fault? If you hadn't come, your brother wouldn't have needed to..."
Commander Wei rubbed his temples. "Alright. Stop talking. Yan Hong, come back to your room with your mother and rest."
After saying that, Commander Wei went back into the house.
Cheng Ying looked at Old Madam Wei and Wei Yanhong and said, "Is that all right now?" Then she followed Commander Wei back into the house.
As soon as Commander Wei entered the room, he took off his clothes, pulled back the covers, and lay down on the bed.
Cheng Ying wanted to talk to Commander Wei again, but Commander Wei lay down and closed his eyes. "Go to sleep. I don't want to say anything right now."
On the other side, Wei Yanhong asked Old Madam Wei while making the bed, "Mother, if Brother goes to Bianqiang, will we still go with him?"
"Go where? The environment is terrible, not to mention it, if war breaks out, you might lose your life." Old Mrs. Wei sat down on the bed angrily. "If I'd known Commander Han's wife was so young, I would have found you someone else."
Wei Yanhong had already made the bed. "Mother, it's too late to say anything now. Go to sleep."
"You go to sleep first. I'll think about it some more."
The next morning, Old Mrs. Wei woke up Commander Wei: "Son, I thought about it all night. Didn't your superiors transfer you to the frontier because they thought you couldn't manage your family? If I go back to our hometown, can you still stay here?"
"Mother, you raised your son to adulthood, I can't be unfilial to you."
"I know you're filial. But I can't ruin your future." What will happen to her grandchildren if Commander Wei goes to the border? Besides, she has no intention of going to the border to suffer with Commander Wei.
"Mom, even if you go back to your hometown, the leaders might not change their minds. Mom, why don't you pack your things and come with me to the frontier? The conditions there aren't as good as here, but they're still manageable."
Cheng Ying tugged at Commander Wei's sleeve: "Maybe if Mother and Yan Hong leave, your leaders won't let you go to the frontier."
Commander Wei: "No. I can't send my mother and sister away just because I don't want to go to the frontier."
Grandma Wei: "It was my own choice to leave. Son, you should go and tell your boss right away. Don't let him issue a transfer order."
Cheng Ying: "Mother is right. You should go and tell the leader right away."
Commander Wei: "Mother, even if you leave, I might not be able to stay."
Grandma Wei pushed Commander Wei outside. "We have to give it a try! Hurry up."
Cheng Ying: "Yes. Lao Wei, you should give it a try."
"Oh well."
Commander Wei let out a long sigh of relief as he stepped out the door. After exhaling, he thought to himself: "I should learn from the comrades in the cultural troupe when I have free time. Sometimes acting can solve problems."
The next day, Regiment Commander Wei saw Grandma Wei and Wei Yanhong off. As they were leaving, Grandma Wei kept urging Regiment Commander Wei to find Wei Yanhong a partner in the army.
On Sunday, my sister and Lao Shang were sitting in the yard basking in the sun.
Han Bin rushed in.
The older sister immediately stood up from the rocking chair. "Dad."
Han Bin grunted in agreement and went inside.
The older sister immediately followed her inside. "Dad, what's wrong?"
"It's nothing. Dad came back to get something." Han Bin took a small box out of the cabinet. "You can play with it. Dad's leaving."
The older sister immediately followed. "Dad, can I go with you?"
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