In the evening, Fan Xi took a pair of couplets and calculated the time to go to the newsstand downstairs. Today was the day Zhao Yilu was supposed to call her.
In the past few months, Zhao Yilu would call Fan Xi every Sunday afternoon after training. The two would chat about the latest news that had happened to them that week. Most of the time, Fan Xi would talk while Zhao Yilu would listen. Occasionally, Zhao Yilu would ask a follow-up question or make a little joke to tease Fan Xi...
Fan Xi likes chatting with Zhao Yilu very much. She feels very relaxed when chatting with Zhao Yilu. As time goes by, she will come to the newsstand every Sunday evening to wait for Zhao Yilu's call.
"Hey, Li Xi, Comrade Zhao is going to call you again today?" Aunt Sun asked with a smile.
Fan Xi smiled and nodded, then handed the couplets to Aunt Sun. "Aunt Sun, these are the couplets I wrote for you. I wish you a happy morning in advance. I hope your morning will bring you more blessings, longevity, wealth, glory, and good fortune!"
"You are such a bitch, you just listen to me! Spring Festival is coming soon. Can Xiao Zhao take some time off to come see you? You are almost due to give birth, right? If you can give birth in the next few days before Spring Festival, it will be just right for Xiao Zhao to come back. He can spend the Spring Festival with you and catch up with your child."
Fan Xi knew that Aunt Sun had long misunderstood her relationship with Zhao Yilu. She didn't bother to explain further and replied, "I don't know about that either. I'll have to ask him on the phone today. Soldiers don't usually request leave."
"Yes, yes, it's hard for soldiers to defend the motherland, but I think it's even harder for you military wives. You look quite old this month, so when will your mother-in-law come over to take care of you?"
Fan Xi thought about it. It was mentioned in the novel that He Siyan and Zhao Yilu's father, He Qi, was also a soldier. He unfortunately died in a border counterattack. When He Qi died, Zhao Mengyun had just given birth to Zhao Yilu not long ago. She was so weak that she was overwhelmed by grief and fell seriously ill. She died not long after.
The Zhao family is a scholarly family with only one daughter, Zhao Mengyun. Upon hearing the news that both their daughter and son-in-law had passed away, the old couple was deeply saddened!
He Zhengxiang, He Qi's father, felt that the He family had not taken good care of their daughter-in-law Zhao Mengyun. He was afraid that the Zhao elders would not be able to bear the pain of losing their daughter, so he decided to let his three-month-old grandson take his mother's surname and grow up with the Zhao elders.
However, the two elders of the Zhao family were afraid that raising two children separately would affect the relationship between the brothers, so they did not take Zhao Yilu with them. Until the Wenhui Revolution began, the situation of both the Zhao and He families was very tense. The two families decided to raise one child each, so that if something really happened, they could leave a descendant for the deceased He Siqi and Zhao Mengyun. The Zhao family had no choice but to take Zhao Yilu and hide in the countryside, while He Siyan stayed with his grandfather He Zhengxiang.
…
Fan Xi drew her thoughts from the plot of Qian's novel, so no matter whether she chose He Siyan or Zhao Yilu, she would not have a mother-in-law.
So she said very straightforwardly, "Auntie Sun, my mother-in-law passed away a while ago."
When Aunt Sun heard this, she felt even more sorry for Fan Xi and said sarcastically, "It's quite nice not to have a mother-in-law. You're more free, and no one is controlling you."
Fan Xi smiled and said, "I think so too!"
As the two were chatting, the phone rang on time. Aunt Sun winked at Fan Xi and moved away, tactfully giving the young couple some private space to talk.
Fan Xi picked up the phone and said "Hello" softly.
Zhao Yilu, who was on the other end of the line, softened immediately when he heard Fan Xi's voice. Even his tone was gentle, "Li Xi, have you been waiting for my call at the newsstand?"
"I was just writing a couplet to give to Aunt Sun. Since you were about to finish your training, I chatted with her for a while and didn't go upstairs again." Fan Xi explained. Of course, she would not admit that she was waiting for his call on purpose.
"Can you also write calligraphy?"
Zhao Yilu really feels that Fan Xi is like a treasure, the more he understands him, the more amazing he becomes!
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