Chapter 211: She won by a narrow margin

Ning Mingde: "!!!"

He was ecstatic.

He looked at Maodan'er with excitement.

Just as he was about to ask something, he saw Maodan'er stand up abruptly, clutching his small satchel, and dash toward the door.

Before stepping out, he stopped and turned his head to look at him.

He said uncomfortably, "My grandma told you to rest more and not just focus on work."

His mother? His mother would never care about so much! Chief Ning thought to himself.

Like all mothers in the world, Grandma Ning missed her son when she couldn't see him, but found him annoying when she saw too much of him. Especially when she saw how he didn't know how to get along with his son, she would complain about it at every turn.

After finishing his sentence, Maodan'er quickened his pace and hurried out of the study.

"Dad knows, thanks for your concern, son." Chief Ning raised his voice, his tone full of excitement.

Oh my, his son called him Dad, and even cared about him.

Ning Mingde's voice was loud, traveling through the door crack out of the study and into Grandma Ning's ears.

The old lady couldn't stop laughing.

Finally!

He had made progress.

He had made Maodan'er willingly call him Dad.

Grandma Ning muttered to herself.

As soon as Maodan'er stepped out, he met his grandma's face, which was filled with relief mixed with a hint of complexity, and his face instantly flushed crimson.

"Grandma, you, why are you here?"

The little boy's expression was stunned, his mouth slightly agape, looking a bit ruffled, like a proud black cat that had its tail stepped on, his eyes revealing a hint of wariness and a hint of guilt.

"..." Grandma Ning's expression was helpless, "What could I be doing? I was just passing by. What are you feeling guilty about?"

Maodan'er's little face stiffened.

Grandma Ning gave her grandson some face and didn't dwell on the matter, walking slowly outward while muttering, "Isn't it just calling him Dad? What's there to be embarrassed about? This child... is really awkward."

Maodan'er heard it clearly, and the blush on the little boy's face deepened.

He took a deep breath.

"Grandma, I heard you!"

Don't be so loud when you're muttering!

Grandma Ning did it on purpose, of course she wanted him to hear.

"So what if you heard it! Tell me, aren't you being awkward!!" She looked at her grandson, full of spirit.

Only after arriving at the military region did Grandma Ning realize her son was so capable!

Mingde had hired a live-in aunt to do the laundry and cooking, so she didn't have to do anything. She wasn't familiar with the neighbors and wasn't in the mood to socialize, so watching her son and grandson make fools of themselves became the old lady's only hobby.

Maodan'er couldn't win an argument with his grandma, so he sighed heavily and rushed back to his room.

Aunt Wang saw this scene and felt very helpless, "You're teasing Maodan'er again."

"A big ice cube gave birth to a little ice cube," Grandma Ning joked.

She added, "If I don't tease him, he keeps a straight face every day and only knows how to stay at home. He's becoming wooden!"

Aunt Wang wouldn't say that the host's child had a bad personality; as a grandmother, she could say whatever she wanted. She was just there to work and had to know her place.

"There's nothing wrong with a quiet temperament. He can settle his heart. There are many rowdy children in the family quarters who make noise every day, which isn't good either," she said.

Grandma Ning laughed, "I actually wish Maodan'er were a bit more lively."

Thinking of the twins in the Gu family, she hoped Lin Zhao would bring the children to join the army soon.

Aunt Wang didn't say anything more.

Maodan'er returned to his room and opened his satchel. Inside were many colorful bills and notes, which dazzled the little boy's eyes.

He could send many letters to the twins now.

The little boy smiled, revealing his cute little tiger teeth.

He took out fifty cents, put the remaining money into the drawer, and with the letters in hand and his satchel on his back, Maodan'er left the room.

He headed straight outside.

Seeing this, Grandma Ning said, "We're eating soon, where are you going?"

"To find Meng Jingmo, to mail letters to Xiang Yubao and Gu Hangbao," Maodan'er explained.

"Come back early."

Maodan'er responded, his footsteps light as he left.

Grandma Ning's eyes held a smile.

He really likes the Gu family's twins; he's so happy just mailing a letter.

She didn't even dare to imagine how excited her grandson would be when Xiang Yubao and Gu Hangbao arrived.

Maodan'er arrived at the Meng family's home, familiar with the route.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

A rhythmic knocking sound rang out.

Jingmo immediately realized who it was and ran out, pattering along.

"Maodan'er..."

Maodan'er got straight to the point, "I want to mail letters to Xiang Yubao and Gu Hangbao, are you going?"

Meng Jiusi came out and happened to hear this, unable to help but laugh.

This child was more proactive than he was.

"We are going too. Give the letters to me, and I'll mail them," Meng Jiusi said in a gentle tone.

Maodan'er hesitated, "Is that okay?"

He wouldn't lose them, would he? He was overthinking it.

"It's okay," Meng Jiusi said, not knowing the child's thoughts, emphasizing it again.

Maodan'er thought for a moment, took the letters from his satchel, smoothed out the creases on the envelopes, handed them over with both hands, and politely thanked him, "Alright, thank you, Uncle Meng."

"No problem," Meng Jiusi said.

They were about to head out, planning to go to the cafeteria for a meal after mailing the letters.

They could walk a stretch of the road with Maodan'er.

On the way, the two children chatted about this and that.

As they were walking, they saw a mother and daughter ahead. The woman, who looked like the mother, was poking the little girl's head and scolding her.

"Can you walk faster! At your speed, they'll be closed by the time we get there!" Su Yuxian was full of impatience, wishing she could slap her annoying stepdaughter twice. How could she have thought... this burden was likable before?

She must have been possessed!

Several months had passed since Lu Baozhen "played god," and time had proven that she had become an ordinary child. The fear in Su Yuxian's heart vanished, and she found her an eyesore for eating for free. If Lu Yizhou was around, she could barely keep up appearances, but once he left, she would intensify her beatings and scoldings of Lu Baozhen.

Grandma Lu knew her granddaughter wasn't having a good time, but since Lu Baozhen wasn't a grandson and had lost her good fortune, she acted as if she didn't see it even when she did.

Not getting enough to eat and suffering from mental pressure from time to time, Lu Baozhen hadn't gained any weight since arriving at the military region. Her cheeks were still sunken, and her eyes lacked luster.

Maodan'er recognized the people in front and exclaimed in surprise, "Lu Baozhen?"

Lu Baozhen turned her head, saw him, and her eyes revealed unfamiliarity.

"Don't you recognize me?" Maodan'er was stunned, "I'm Maodan'er, Maodan'er from the Fengshou Brigade."

Su Yuxian didn't recognize Maodan'er at first glance either—

He had changed a lot. He had gained weight, was wearing new clothes, and even carried a small satchel that only cadres' children carried. His hair was cut neatly, his eyes were bright, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he was the child of a regimental commander.

How could this be that child from the Fengshou Brigade whose hair looked like it was chewed by a dog, who dressed like a beggar, was scrawny, and rarely spoke?

"Maodan'er?" Su Yuxian widened her eyes, her face full of surprise, "Why are you here?!"

Maodan'er looked at her, "I came to join the army with my father."

"Father? Didn't your father die long ago?!" Su Yuxian blurted out.

This made Maodan'er unhappy.

"My father didn't die, my father is doing just fine!" Maodan'er said with a cold face.

Jingmo could understand Maodan'er's mood and explained for him, "Maodan'er's father only went on a mission and didn't come home. After he finished his mission, he came back. Maodan'er's father is very good to him and brought him and his grandma to join the army!"

Adults who don't know the situation and talk nonsense are really annoying!

Su Yuxian could guess with her toes that the Ning family had made a comeback.

Maodan'er's father was a veteran and could still stay in the army; he must be at least a regimental commander now, right?

The more she thought about it, the more heated her heart became.

Her eyes flickered, and a warm smile appeared on her face, "Maodan'er, where do you live? We're from the same place, we should help each other out. I'll come to your house to visit another day."

"I arrived at the military region earlier than you, I know a lot of things you don't. I can help you."

Maodan'er looked at her calmly, his dark eyes seemingly able to reflect the falseness of the human heart.

"No need." He refused. Refusing others was as simple as breathing to him.

Su Yuxian's smile froze on her face.

You ungrateful little brat!

If it weren't for the sake of his own father, who would bother with him!!

Maodan'er looked at Lu Baozhen and frowned, "You're so thin."

Thinner than he used to be.

This statement carried no emotional color; it was purely a statement of fact.

"Are you not getting enough to eat?" Maodan'er felt strange. Since coming to the military region, he had been eating his fill every meal and could eat meat from time to time.

Couldn't Lu Baozhen's battalion commander father afford to raise her?

A big question mark appeared on her palm-sized face.

Lu Baozhen secretly glanced at her stepmother and didn't dare to nod.

She wasn't getting enough to eat!

She wasn't getting enough to eat every day!

Every night, Lu Baozhen called out to Li Li in her heart, hoping to return to the past and live the days of having an egg every day and endless candy. But Li Li, who could satisfy all her little wishes... never appeared again.

She fell asleep crying every night.

Su Yuxian wasn't afraid of Lu Baozhen talking nonsense.

She said helplessly, "Baozhen is a picky eater, very pretentious. She won't eat this, won't eat that. I can't help it if she can't keep any weight on."

Maodan'er was half-believing.

Is that so?

He didn't ask further; the Lu family's affairs had nothing to do with him.

Meng Jiusi's gaze swept past Su Yuxian and landed on Lu Baozhen's face.

Picky eater? If she wasn't even getting enough to eat, how could anyone be a picky eater? She couldn't even find a decent excuse for lying.

"Let's go," he said.

Su Yuxian asked Maodan'er, "Who is this...?"

After arriving at the military region, she had no job. Except for tending to those few vegetable plots, she spent all her remaining time on "diplomacy."

She scrambled to build relationships with anyone who had a bit of status, and she didn't have a good reputation in the family quarters.

Meng Jiusi's identity wasn't a secret, and Maodan'er didn't hide it, saying, "A new doctor at the military region hospital."

A doctor, a golden rice bowl!

Su Yuxian's eyes lit up.

It's so good to join the army; she can meet so many powerful people.

Look, she even knows a doctor from the military region hospital!

Lin Zhao definitely wouldn't know such a big shot.

It had to be her; she won by a narrow margin.

"You look so young." Su Yuxian didn't take Meng Jiusi's coldness to heart and chased after him to build a relationship.

"Is this your son?" She glanced at Meng Jingmo and Meng Guangbai and praised, "They look so clever."

Meng Jingmo: "..."

Xiaobai: "?"

Maodan'er was conflicted.

? o? o?

Should he tell her that Uncle Meng is Aunt Lin's brother?

After thinking about it, Maodan'er didn't say it. Let her be happy for now; when Aunt Lin comes to join the army, she'll know everything!

Meng Jiusi felt Su Yuxian was noisy, turned his head to look at her, his eyes very cold, "Can you stop being noisy, Comrade? You're a bit... chatterbox."

The smile on Su Yuxian's face almost couldn't hold.

She laughed awkwardly, "Look at me, I forgot the time while talking. We have things to do too, we're leaving first."

She barely saved face and left in a hurry.

The family members in the quarters saw this scene and, behind Su Yuxian's back, laughed out loud.

"That new doctor was pestered by the Lu family's daughter-in-law. Baozhen's stepmother is so funny, she tries to build relationships with everyone, and she has no sense at all."

"A vixen, she even tried to hook up with my man before, and I shut her down!"

"Deputy Battalion Commander Lu's mother doesn't even manage her daughter-in-law. If this continues, the Lu family's reputation will stink to high heaven!!"

"She manages her, why wouldn't she? I often hear Deputy Battalion Commander Lu's mother scolding her, but what can she do? That woman lets it go in one ear and out the other, not taking it to heart at all."

A sister-in-law from a big city fanned her nose and said proudly, "People from the countryside are like this, they haven't seen the world, they want to suck up to everyone they see. Hmph, their faces are truly ugly."

Su Yuxian didn't know that her efforts to build relationships were being treated as tea-time jokes by other military wives. She still thought she was very capable and had good relationships with everyone.

Meng Jiusi and the others got rid of Su Yuxian, and their ears were finally clean.

Jingmo felt that Maodan'er's attitude toward the person just now was strange, looked at him, "Isn't that someone from your brigade? You don't like her?"

"I don't like her, but I don't hate her either." To Maodan'er, she was a stranger. Could one feel like or dislike a stranger? Not really.

Thinking of the twins, he said, "Xiang Yubao and Gu Hangbao don't like her, and they don't like Lu Baozhen either."

Jingmo hurriedly asked, "Why?"

Xiaobai also looked over.

"They think Lu Baozhen is annoying and loves to cry," Maodan'er explained.

Jingmo immediately stated his position, "Then I don't like her either, I won't play with her in the future!"

Xiang Yubao and Gu Hangbao were his cousins; he had to be in the same camp as them, otherwise, he would be a traitor.

He not only demanded this of himself but also of his younger brother.

"Xiaobai, you aren't allowed to play with her either, do you hear me? Otherwise, I'll tell Xiang Yubao and Gu Hangbao that... you played with their enemy."

Maodan'er: "..."

Enemy was a bit much; they just didn't like the look of her.

Xiaobai nodded solemnly, "I won't play."

Maodan'er continued, "Xiang Yubao and Gu Hangbao don't like Aunt Su either, because she bullied Aunt Lin."

Meng Jiusi looked over abruptly.

What's the situation?

That chatterbox just now bullied Zhaozhao?

In an instant, those eyes that were always gentle and clear radiated coldness.

"How did she bully her?" he asked.

"I don't know," Maodan'er shook his head and added, "Xiang Yubao said Aunt Lin didn't suffer any losses."

Meng Jiusi's brow relaxed, "It's good that she didn't suffer any losses."

He could suffer grievances, he could suffer losses, he could look directly at anyone's evil, but he... couldn't bear to see his family suffer grievances, especially his sister.

Jingmo curled his lips, "That person hits children, she's as bad as my uncle and aunt."

"Grandma is bad too!" Guangbai added in a crisp voice.

Hearing his two sons talk about the Yuan family, ripples arose in Meng Jiusi's heart.

Speaking of which, his transfer notice should have spread throughout the factory. He wondered if they would regret their actions when they heard the news.

Facts proved that, of course they would!

Especially Yuan Qin.

After hearing the news, she didn't even have the strength to do housework for the whole day. Half of her soul had flown out of her body, and she wandered through this world numbly like a drifting lonely ghost.

Did she do something wrong?

She should have waited, shouldn't have been in such a hurry to remarry. If she had, her family would be complete, right?!

If she went back, would Jiusi forgive her and accept her?

Yuan Qin asked herself repeatedly.

The answer was negative.

Her heart was drowned in endless regret.

Kong Honghong couldn't stand her stepmother's half-dead look and spat out sour words, "You were the one who wanted to remarry. Who are you showing this half-dead look to now?"

"No matter how good your ex-husband's job is or how bright his future is, you've already married my dad!"

"You're a daughter-in-law of the Kong family now, don't do anything shameful, otherwise I definitely won't let you off!"

Just as Yuan Qin was about to say something, Grandma Yuan stepped onto the Kong family's doorstep.

She pushed the door open, grabbed Yuan Qin's shoulders, her eyes excited.

"Qin, have you heard? Your son-in-law's work relationship has been transferred out. He's entered the military region hospital!"

News in the factory spread quickly. Everyone who should know about Meng Jiusi's work relationship being transferred knew.

They only knew his relationship was transferred to the military region; as for which specific one, it involved confidentiality, and except for a few leaders, no one knew.

"I know," Yuan Qin said numbly, resentment overflowing from the bottom of her eyes, "And then?"

"And then?" Grandma Yuan poked her forehead with her finger, simply hating that iron wouldn't become steel, "What do you think? Why is your brain so wooden? Of course, go find him."

Yuan Qin looked at her mother absurdly, "Mom, did you forget I remarried? I married Kong Wu, and now I'm a daughter-in-law of the Kong family."

Grandma Yuan said righteously, "So what if you remarried? It's not like you can't divorce."

Ever since she lost the cloth bag containing the money, the Yuan family's life had been very difficult. In just a few days, her face had become sunken, and she looked even more mean and difficult to deal with.

Kong Honghong's tone rose, "You can't divorce!" ===== CHAPTER 212 =====