"Who are these people?"
Zhang Xiangnan looked at the strangers in the car in confusion. He was sure that these were not his relatives, nor were they relatives from his wife's family.
"Hello, Chief."
Chen Suhua hugged her little girl awkwardly.
"Xiangnan, this is Platoon Leader Hu Jianpeng's family member. We met on the train."
"Big sister, hurry up and bring the kids down. I'll ask Xiao Li to call your husband. We'll have lunch together at home today."
Su Hong also got out of the car and while introducing Zhang Xiangnan, she warmly invited Chen Suhua and the children to get out of the car.
"Sister-in-law, just ask Brother Lixin to inform Jianpeng. I won't bother you and the commander at noon.
My sister-in-law and Xiaoguang have been taking care of us all the way on the train. Let Jianpeng arrange for the chief and my sister-in-law to have dinner tonight."
Chen Suhua took the children off the train. The temperature in southern Xinjiang was almost 30 degrees Celsius at noon. The buttons of the three children's cotton-padded jackets were unbuttoned, and their foreheads were still covered with sweat.
"So it's Platoon Leader Hu's wife and children. They're family. They'll have lunch at home. I'll go find you some light clothes to change into."
Knowing that this strange woman was actually the family member of one of his subordinates, Zhang Xiangnan quickly and enthusiastically allowed Chen Suhua to take the child home.
"Go call Platoon Leader Hu over quickly. His company isn't on border patrol duty today. He should be in the cafeteria at this time."
"yes."
Li Lixin, who had just unloaded the things from the car, saluted Zhang Xiangnan and drove the jeep out of the living area.
"Dad, is this our home too?"
The little girl walked in front, with her hands behind her back, inspecting her new home like a little adult.
"Yes, this is our home in Southern Xinjiang. I even specially decorated a small bedroom for you. Go and take a look, my daughter. Do you like it?"
Zhang Xiangnan carried the luggage and followed the little girl.
"I like it. As long as my parents and eldest brother are here, I like living anywhere. If my grandparents and second brother are here too, it would be even better."
For a child, home is wherever the mother is.
"After this morning's training, I got a few dishes from the cafeteria. They should be enough for us."
After receiving Sun Zhigang's call, Zhang Xiangnan checked the arrival time of the train.
Knowing that the mother and her two daughters would arrive before noon, Zhang Xiangnan bought the vegetables in advance.
He also specially bought a big rooster from a nearby fellow villager, which is now stewing on the stove, which is why he is wearing an apron.
"Dad, we still have a few lunch boxes left, so we can heat them up and eat them."
Zhang Shuguang glanced at the dining table. Zhang Xiangnan bought a total of four dishes, plus the stewed chicken soup. If it was just their family, it would be enough to eat.
But if Chen Suhua's family and Li Lixin are added to the mix, it would be a bit stretched.
"Why don't you eat on the way? The dining car can help heat up the lunch boxes."
When Zhang Xiangnan saw the four lunch boxes in Zhang Shuguang's hands, he thought they didn't eat well on the road.
"Dad, we eat meat for every meal, right, Da Mao and Er Mao?"
"Yes, uncle, and we and mother also have meat for every meal. We haven't eaten meat for a long time."
Damao and Ermao also hurried to testify.
"Don't try to be so reliant on your relatives. Who is your uncle? Are you going to tell the chief?"
Afraid that Zhang Xiangnan would think her children were tactless, Chen Suhua quickly scolded Damao and Ermao.
"Sister-in-law, don't scare the child. What's the chief? Just call him uncle. I like it."
Zhang Xiangnan quickly stopped him.
"Xiangnan, do you have flour and vegetables at home?"
Seeing that Chen Suhua scared Da Mao and Er Mao, Su Hong quickly changed the subject.
"The flour has already been bought. The vegetables are easy to buy. I can just go to Captain Wang's yard next door and pick some."
There are three families in Zhang Xiangnan's row, and the three group leaders live there.
The other two group leaders have lived here for two or three years, and their yards are already full of vegetables.
There is almost no winter in southern Xinjiang, and vegetables can be grown all year round.
"That's perfect. We can have dumplings when we get on the train and noodles when we get off. We just got off the train, so let's make some noodles for lunch."
Su Hong rolled up her sleeves and washed her hands in the yard.
"Sister-in-law, let me help you."
Chen Suhua hurried over to help.
"Big sister, it's hot in the kitchen. I'll find you some clothes to change into first. They're all clean, so don't be disgusted."
When Zhang Xiangnan was at home, he said that the temperature in southern Xinjiang was very high, so when they came, they only brought light clothes.
"Mom, let me put the bag in your room first."
Zhang Shuguang quickly ran into the house.
For convenience, Zhang Shuguang put his luggage directly into the system space when he came.
When getting off the bus, because there were so many people and Sun Zhigang asked him to take some things with him, Zhang Shuguang suddenly forgot about his luggage.
Fortunately, Su Hong was used to following her eldest son's arrangements, so she was relieved along the way. Otherwise, it would be difficult to explain.
"Sister-in-law, I'm not hot, so let's not change."
It is the beginning of spring in the north at this time, so strictly speaking it is still winter.
In the 1960s, bathhouses were only available in county towns in northern China, and factories would give workers bath tickets.
In the countryside, there are no bathhouses at all, so the people don't take a bath all winter, and Chen Suhua is certainly no exception.
After arriving in southern Xinjiang and experiencing the high temperature, Chen Suhua could smell the sour odor on her body, so she was embarrassed to wear Su Hong's clothes.
"Big sister, you're welcome. I brought a lot of clothes. My eldest son, Xiaoguang, is the most family-oriented. After he started working, he often bought clothes for us."
Su Hong wasn't bragging, she really felt that she was lucky.
When I was at my mother's house, my parents and brothers spoiled me, and my sisters-in-law gave in to me.
After I got married, my parents-in-law treated me like their own daughter and never caused me any trouble.
My man is also very good to me and never lets me suffer any grievances.
Later, something unexpected happened and I suffered for three years. I could see that I couldn't make ends meet. My eldest son had grown up and took on the responsibility of supporting the whole family.
Su Hong believes in karma. She thinks she must have been a very kind person in her previous life, otherwise how could she have such a good life.
Su Hong half pulled and half dragged Chen Suhua into the room to change clothes.
"Captain Zhang."
Just as Su Hong and Chen Suhua were rolling noodles in the kitchen, Li Lixin came back in a jeep.
A strong man in his thirties got out of the car, his skin tanned to a wheat color.
"You have a conscience, and you even know to prepare clothes for them in advance."
Seeing the bag Hu Jianpeng was carrying, Zhang Xiangnan nodded with satisfaction.
Since returning home after completing the mission and learning about the grievances his family had suffered over the past three years, Zhang Xiangnan now has a strong sense of family.
"Thank you, Captain, for bringing my wife and children back with me."
Hu Jianpeng expressed his gratitude from the bottom of his heart.
"If you want to thank someone, thank your sister-in-law. They met on the train, otherwise it wouldn't be such a coincidence."
This was a favor from his wife and son, so Zhang Xiangnan didn't pretend to be generous and just brush it off.
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