Shadow and Sunlight
"My second uncle is the only one in the family who is my grandparents' biological child. My parents, third uncle, and fourth uncle were all adopted. My grandparents passed away during that special era, and my third uncle also died on the battlefield in 1981. That's why I said just now that the red envelopes when entering the house must be given by my second uncle."
Jiang Wan's words contained so much information that Xiao Feng didn't know how to react.
"Originally, the Jiang family had only one child, my second uncle Jiang Hui. My grandfather was Jiang Xueyou and my grandmother was Liu Fengxian. In order to devote more energy to their work, they decided not to have any more children, but adopted three boys, namely my father, my third uncle and my fourth uncle. The four brothers grew up under the care of their grandparents. Although their living conditions were difficult, they had a very close relationship with each other. However, due to the times, their grandparents left. The four brothers lived with their aunt and grandmother, and their lives were stretched to the limit. So, my father, my third uncle and my fourth uncle left the Jiang family again and went out to wander around to make a living. When I was in the acrobatic class, the three brothers took special care of me and took me away from the acrobatic class. Later, we returned to Ninghai together and reunited with my second uncle. My name was given by my second uncle. After returning, my father worked in a steel plant. With his outstanding technical skills, he gradually became a technical expert in the plant. My third uncle chose to join the army. His decision surprised us all, but we also felt sorry for him. Proud. My fourth uncle worked in a car factory. His technical improvements and innovations made him a technical backbone of the factory. I studied dance at the ballet school. However, life is not always smooth sailing. The news of my third uncle's death was a huge blow to our family. I felt deep guilt and grief, as if I had indirectly caused his sacrifice. At the end of 1981, under the shadow of my third uncle's sacrifice, I chose to leave and go to Florence to find a new life. There, I raised Wenqing alone, without speaking the language and facing great cultural differences. Although that period was difficult, it also made me more independent. In early 1992, I took Wenqing back to Ninghai to reunite with my father. Our relationship deepened, and Wenfeng was born at the end of 1992. Although the feeling of returning home was both familiar and unfamiliar, the warmth of my second and fourth uncles helped me quickly adapt to the new life. Now, there is you. What we look forward to most is that Wenqing and you can have children and families as soon as possible. "
"Mom..." Xiaofeng tugged at the corner of Jiang Wan's clothes, her voice soft and sticky, "Why are you talking about this now..."
Jiang Wan stroked Xiaofeng's arm and said, "Mom treats you as her own daughter, so I tell you what's in my heart."
Xiaofeng nodded, as if to say that she could feel this love: "Mom, when I met Wenqing, I thought his English accent was very special. It turns out he learned Italian."
"Hasn't he told you this?"
"No."
"When I brought him to Florence, he was only six months old. I spoke Chinese to him, but everyone around him spoke Italian, so he didn't start talking until he was two and a half years old." Jiang Wan laughed when she said this. "I was really worried that he had a language barrier."
Xiao Feng also laughed: "He is very talkative now. You can't tell at all that he once had a 'speech barrier'."
"He's always eager to share with you. He mostly talks about business with my dad and uncles, and sometimes he chats with me."
"Mom, I imagine you dancing in the dance studio. You must be very beautiful."
Jiang Wan stood up immediately. "No need to imagine..." She took off her shoes, stood on her right toe, and raised her left arm. After exhaling, she began to spin, her graceful figure blurring into a stream of light and shadow in Xiaofeng's eyes.
Xiao Feng stood by, stunned. It was not until he heard Jiang Wan say with a smile, "You're still old," that he came to his senses and sighed, "How can I become like this?"
"This is just some basic skills. Fourth Uncle said you need to practice your balance. You're smart, so don't worry."
“Thank you, Mom!”
Jiang Wan whispered, "We are a family. We don't need to say 'thank you'."
After dinner, Wenqing suggested preparing some daily necessities for Xiaofeng, and then left with Xiaofeng.
Jiang Heng and Jiang Wan called Jiang Wenfeng and went to the study on the second floor. As soon as Jiang Wenfeng sat down, Jiang Wan took out the photo album, pointed at the photo, and asked, "Wenfeng, are you asking about Zhou Yang or Xiaofeng?"
Jiang Wenfeng moved slightly in his chair, as if looking for a comfortable angle and thinking about a suitable answer.
Jiang Heng spoke directly: "If you want to talk to us, we are happy to listen."
The silence was suffocating. Jiang Heng spoke again, "Your brother takes this relationship very seriously. If you like Xiaofeng or do anything that crosses the line, it will hurt your brother and even Xiaofeng."
Without waiting for Jiang Wenfeng's reply, Jiang Wan patted his shoulder and said, "We won't tell your brother about this. If you need help, Mom can accompany you to seek help from a psychologist."
"I like Xiaofeng, it's my business. Do you think my brother can control everything?"
"I understand how you feel. So how do you think I can respect my brother without suppressing myself?"
"You don't understand me." Jiang Wenfeng said this, but in his heart he blamed his parents, "Didn't you tell me to learn from my brother? I'm imitating him now..."
After Jiang Wenfeng got up and left, Jiang Wan choked up and said, "Husband, what should we do?" She grabbed Jiang Heng's arm with her hands, and because she used too much force, her nails were embedded in the flesh.
Jiang Heng patted her hand and said, "Don't worry too much. Let's take it one step at a time. Although Wen Feng is straightforward, he and Wen Qing have a very good relationship."
Jiang Wan's tears welled up in her eyes: "I'll find a chance and tell him about Third Brother."
"Don't push yourself."
The next day, Jiang Wenqing called his mother and said that there were many things to prepare for Xiaofeng to move in, and he was very busy recently, so they would still stay at Xiaofeng's place for the time being.
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