The more she thought about it, the more distressed Yu Ruiyuan became. This woman, who had been hardened by life into someone incredibly strong, felt her entire being collapsing.
She couldn't help but sob.
However, her cries were suppressed, her whimpers very quiet, so quiet that even those outside couldn't clearly hear her weeping.
When Su Xiaotian came to find Yu Ruiyuan, she happened upon the scene of Yu Ruiyuan covering her mouth and crying.
The stifled sobs made her heart feel as if it had been squeezed, causing her discomfort.
Seeing someone who had been happy because of their arrival suddenly cry like this, Su Xiaotian couldn't bother with politeness.
She hurried into the room, took two steps to Yu Ruiyuan's side, and gently patted her back.
Yu Ruiyuan, sensing Su Xiaotian's entry, and fearing her uncontrolled state would frighten the child, quickly took out a handkerchief and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.
"It's Grandma's fault for frightening our Xiaotian!" Yu Ruiyuan tried to force a smile, but her face seemed stiff.
"Grandma, if you're sad, just cry it out!" Su Xiaotian said with a heavy heart.
She had been fine earlier, and even when Ma Shanfang and her husband had come to make trouble, she hadn't cried. Why was she crying so heartbrokenly now?
Yu Ruiyuan felt wronged, but she couldn't say these things to a child like Su Xiaotian!
Moreover, it was just a suspicion, with no solid evidence. Speaking out rashly would ultimately be inappropriate.
"I'm fine, it's just, it's just that I suddenly thought of your Uncle Du. If he were still here..."
If he were still here, why would she be afraid that a young man who suddenly appeared might be her husband's illegitimate son?
If he were still here, how would Ma Shanfang and Du Tianhe dare to come to their door and openly seize family property?
When their son went to war, his parents had initially disagreed.
But what did their son say?
He said that if it wasn't him, it would be someone else; if it wasn't a child of the Du family, it would be someone else's child.
He went to war so that others wouldn't have to.
At the time, Yu Ruiyuan had agreed to her son's request on an impulse, and every time she thought of that decision, she regretted it to the bone!
If she had known it would be a farewell forever, she would have threatened him to prevent him from going to war.
What happened to other people's children had nothing to do with her; she only had this one child!
But what was the point of saying this now?
Her son had been gone for many years, and in her memory, he was still so young...
Su Xiaotian understood. It was because of the matter with Ma Shanfang's family that it had stirred up her longing for her son.
Indeed, if their son were still alive, he would now have a family full of descendants. Why would he be pressured by someone bringing their grandchild to their door?
Thinking of this, Su Xiaotian only regretted why she hadn't slapped Ma Shanfang a few more times earlier.
Someone who poked holes in others' hearts deserved to be beaten to death.
"Grandma, it's okay, it's okay."
Su Xiaotian reached out, hugged Yu Ruiyuan entirely, and gently comforted her.
Being comforted by Su Xiaotian and feeling the little girl's sincerity, Yu Ruiyuan felt much better.
This child was a good one.
In the past few years, if it weren't for this kind and lovely child, the couple might have been buried in the vast northwest.
"Good child, Grandma is content with having you!"
Xiaotian was her granddaughter, her only granddaughter.
However, if Hua Xiucheng was indeed the old man's illegitimate son, how could she bear it?
How should she choose?
Should she swallow her pride?
Or would they never see each other again from now on?
Thinking of this, Yu Ruiyuan fell silent again.
Su Xiaotian, however, did not notice Yu Ruiyuan's shifting thoughts, nor did she notice Yu Ruiyuan's deepest pain.
Of course, she couldn't understand how painful it would be for the betrayed party when a couple who had been together for many years was betrayed by one of them.
She softly comforted Yu Ruiyuan, "Grandma Su, it's okay. Although I can't stay in the capital all the time, in two more years, I'll be taking the college entrance examination. If I get into a university in the capital, I can stay by your side for several years."
Her goal was the best university. If she couldn't get into the best university with a system library in hand, it would be truly laughable.
As for future plans, Su Xiaotian was not yet clear. She felt that she would consider it after getting into university. Thinking so much now seemed to have no practical meaning.
"Okay, Grandma will wait for you." Yu Ruiyuan smiled through her tears.
Yes, in two years, this child would be able to go to university.
Hmm, something seemed a little off. How old was this child?
"Xiaotian, aren't you only twelve years old this year?" Yu Ruiyuan asked.
"Yes, I'm twelve this year, thirteen by lunar reckoning. In two years, I'll be fifteen by lunar reckoning!"
Fifteen by lunar reckoning, which was actually fourteen years old. Would it be too young to take the college entrance examination at this age?
Most importantly, would universities accept children of such a young age?
At the age of fourteen, it was about right to be in junior high school!
Although Yu Ruiyuan thought this, she also knew that all ten children of the Su family were outstanding, especially in their studies. One was more capable than the other, as could be seen from the five children who had already taken the college entrance examination.
But the nine older brothers of Xiaotian were still a bit behind Xiaotian in comparison!
No, she couldn't let Xiaotian suffer because of her age.
This matter would have to be planned from now on.
Tomorrow, she would meet Shen Zizhen and discuss it with him first. There was also Chi Ge. Although the possibility of him teaching at a university was slim after returning this time, he would surely have other methods.
Su Xiaotian had no idea that Yu Ruiyuan had already thought so much about her in such a short time.
She was still thinking of ways to comfort Yu Ruiyuan.
The two elderly people living alone in this large compound were indeed a bit lonely. She wondered if her brothers could spare some time to visit the elderly couple occasionally and chat with them.
Su Xiaotian felt that she needed to discuss this seriously with her brothers later.
Also, it was now open. Although it wasn't very obvious in their hometown, it was clearly different in the capital.
Could they find a way to have the whole family move to the capital to live?
People thrive when they move, trees die when they are transplanted. If their family members moved to the capital, would they be able to develop anew?
In Su Xiaotian's understanding, moving to the capital to live at this time, although difficult to implement, was much easier than living there later.
After all, in another ten or twenty years, it would be extremely difficult for someone from out of town to register their household in the capital, with all sorts of conditions.
It was just that she had too little money to use right now.
If she had a bit more, she could directly buy a house and start a small business in the capital.
This was an era where gold was everywhere, but the amount of gold varied in different regions. For example, although there was gold in their hometown, how could it compare to the capital?
Su Xiaotian had to start considering the feasibility of having the entire family live in the capital.
Although she thought of many things, she also knew that she was just a child, and her family might not listen to such major decisions.
Especially since Da Die, Da Ma, Er Die, Er Ma, and Die Ma's jobs were all quite stable. They probably wouldn't want to move, right?
Otherwise, could they have Grandpa and Grandma move over first?
Su Xiaotian thought that this was actually feasible.
The two of them were silent for a while until Du Tonghe came looking for them.
"Ruiyuan, it's time to cook."
Yu Ruiyuan was startled by Du Tonghe's voice and then remembered. Wasn't it time to cook? The two children probably hadn't eaten well on their journey.
She was truly confused, having forgotten such an important matter.
As for Hua Xiucheng, who was suspected of being her husband's illegitimate son, Yu Ruiyuan filtered him out.
Du Tonghe felt that his wife was a bit off, but he didn't think much of it.
After all, the second couple had made a scene earlier, so it was understandable that Ruiyuan was in a bad mood.
Every time that couple came over, Ruiyuan would be upset for a long time.
"Xiaotian, what do you want to eat? Tell Grandma, and Grandma will cook it for you."
Su Xiaotian held Yu Ruiyuan's hand and smiled, saying, "Grandma, I'll eat anything. I'm not picky."
Yes, she was indeed not picky. The reason she wasn't picky was because during her poorest times in her previous life, she had survived for a week on steamed buns and boiled water.
What was there to be dissatisfied with when eating well in this life?
"I asked your Grandpa to buy pork ribs early this morning. How about we have plum-flavored pork ribs for lunch? It's sweet and sour, and children like it."
Su Xiaotian readily agreed and actively went to help.
None of the Su family's boys or girls had the habit of waiting for food. Therefore, they all rushed over to help.
Yu Ruiyuan had prepared quite a lot of dishes and meat. Su Xiaotian suspected that she had taken out their entire month's ration.
In the kitchen, Yu Ruiyuan and several children were busily washing vegetables, chopping vegetables, and cooking.
In this way, Hua Xiucheng was left alone and bored.
He had come as a guest with thick skin. He couldn't practice martial arts in someone else's house, right?
So, he could only be idle...
Du Tonghe stood under the eaves and saw Hua Xiucheng sitting there idly playing with his fingers. He became timid, unsure whether he should approach.
Although the name was the same, this child looked young. Perhaps it wasn't him?
But another voice in his heart said: If it's not him, should I not ask? Asking gives him a chance; not asking gives him no chance at all!
He finally walked over and started talking to Hua Xiucheng.
"Comrade Hua!"
"Uncle Du." Hua Xiucheng saw Du Tonghe sitting opposite him and quickly got up to greet him.
Du Tonghe signaled him to sit down and talk. Hua Xiucheng did not object.
Du Tonghe had something to say to him, and he also had something to ask Du Tonghe. They were of the same mind.
"Comrade Hua, where are you from?" Du Tonghe asked, his voice trembling slightly.
"I'm from the southwest, from * Province, ** City," Hua Xiucheng replied solemnly.
The location was correct. Their son had been fighting in that place back then.
"Comrade Hua, how old are you this year?"
"I'm thirty-four years old this year!"
Thirty-four?
Du Tonghe's excitement grew. When he first heard Hua Xiucheng's name, it brought back memories, but he mostly felt that he might have mistaken the person.
After all, the young man in front of him looked too young.
But he just said he was thirty-four years old!
"You look..." Du Tonghe didn't know how to ask.
This young man looked no more than twenty-something.
Hua Xiucheng touched his cheek and said with a wry smile, "There's no way. This appearance is natural, a baby face, it doesn't show age.
Because of this, I was often teased in the army.
When new recruits arrived, they would mistake me for a fellow soldier, which even led to many jokes.
It's unbearable...
Du Tonghe fell silent, his thoughts pulled back to many years ago.
He remembered that thirty years ago, his son, who had been serving for three years, wrote home saying he was injured and was recuperating at a fellow villager's home.
His son had described that fellow villager's home in great detail, especially the people in the family.
He had said that there was a child in that family who was four years old, chubby and very cute, with the nickname Xiao Huzizi.
The given name he gave the child was Hua Xiucheng.
His son had even said in the letter that victory was near, and after victory, he would return home to marry and have a child as cute as Hua Xiucheng.
Because the letter mentioned his son's injury, he didn't let his wife read it for fear of worrying her.
Little did he know that it would be his son's final letter.
After that, he never received another letter from his son.
Later, his son's leader came to deliver the bad news, and only then did he know that he would never see his son return home.
His son's twenty-year-old young life was forever left in the mountains of the southwest.
For so many years, he had never returned home, not even in his dreams.
After hearing the bad news about his son, his wife fell ill and never recovered. He never dared to mention it again.
It wasn't until he met Hua Xiucheng that he felt this child might be someone his son had met before. So, he invited him to his home, precisely to confirm.
"Comrade Hua, do you remember what happened thirty years ago?"
As he asked this question, Du Tonghe's voice trembled, and he dared not look at Hua Xiucheng.
He didn't know if he truly hoped this young man was the Xiao Huzizi from back then, or if he didn't hope he was Xiao Huzizi.
Hearing about his son's sacrifice was cruel enough for an elderly father.
Hua Xiucheng said, "Thirty years ago, I was only four years old. I don't remember what happened then!"
Disappointment...
Du Tonghe instantly seemed to age several years.
Was he destined to not even hear the last bit of information about his son?
At nearly seventy years old, in his twilight years, what could be more tragic than this?
"I don't remember, but my parents told me about my childhood!"
Seeing the old man's shaking body, Hua Xiucheng quickly stepped forward to support him.
"Have you heard of Du Fulin?" the elder who had regained hope asked again.
However, Hua Xiucheng shook his head again.
Du Tonghe gave a bitter smile. What was he thinking?
How could there be such a coincidence?
How could someone he met occasionally on the road be the person he was looking for?
"My mother said that when I was little, there was an Uncle Du Shengli who lived at our house. She also said that my name, Xiucheng, was given to me by Uncle Du."
Hua Xiucheng, afraid that speaking slowly would further stimulate Du Tonghe, quickly said all this in one breath.
Du Shengli?
Du Tonghe was silent.
Suddenly, he remembered that his son had said he had changed his name. To celebrate victory, he had changed his name to Shengli.
"Are you really Xiao Huzizi?"
Du Tonghe firmly grasped Hua Xiucheng's arm, finding it hard to believe what he heard.
When Yu Ruiyuan came out, she happened to hear this sentence.
Xiao Huzizi, was that this child's nickname?
Indeed, her husband knew this child, didn't he?
Was her guess true?
She reached out and supported herself on the door frame.
However, immediately after, she heard Hua Xiucheng's words.
"Are you Uncle Du's family?"
Hua Xiucheng actually hadn't dared to think it would be like this.
By a chance encounter, had he really found Uncle Du's family?
Over the years, he had searched countless times according to the address left by Uncle Du back then, but he hadn't found them.
"I am, I am. Back then, he lived at your house to recuperate, right?" Du Tonghe asked anxiously.
"Yes, yes, he was recuperating at our house. Grandpa, please don't get excited. Sit down and let me tell you slowly!"
Yu Ruiyuan keenly sensed that this young man in front of her must have had some connection with her son.
She finally couldn't help but step forward.
"Tonghe, Comrade Hua, who exactly is he?"
"Ruiyuan, before our son sacrificed himself, he lived at their house for a period of time!" Du Tonghe said excitedly.
Yu Ruiyuan never expected the truth to be like this.
She had suspected so many things, but the one thing she never considered was that this young man in front of her had a brief contact with her son.
"Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle left some things at our house back then."
The couple looked at each other, almost disbelieving.
Back then, when their son sacrificed himself, they had only received a certificate and compensation, but no belongings at all.
Yet, thirty years later, they were hearing about the whereabouts of their son's belongings.
"Grandpa, Grandma. All these years, Uncle Du's belongings have been carefully treasured and protected by my father and mother."
Seeing the glistening tears in the elder couple's eyes, Hua Xiucheng quickly added.
"Good, good. This can be considered fulfilling the last wish of us old folks."
Their son was buried in a foreign land. They thought of bringing their son back every moment, but...
Now, their wish could finally be fulfilled. After they passed away, being buried with their son's belongings would be a reunion.
"However, I didn't bring them with me on this business trip. I'll write a letter to my parents later and ask them to mail Uncle's... over."
"Child, thank you. Your family is our benefactors!" Du Tonghe said gratefully.
Yu Ruiyuan was also very grateful. After crying and talking for a while, she remembered that the other children were cooking.
"I came to call you for dinner. Look at my memory!" Yu Ruiyuan felt much more relaxed after receiving the last information about her son.
"Oh, Grandma, I can't cook, but I can help serve the food," Hua Xiucheng said with a smile.
He decided that when he had the chance, he would bring his parents to visit the Du elders and tell them about Uncle Du's life.
Seeing the elders like this, he also felt sad.
The parents of a hero might seem glorious to others, but the inner pain and hardship could only be understood by themselves.
Fortunately, the Su family's children were all good, and they had a good relationship with the Du elders. They seemed to get along like family.
With these children to take care of them, the elders' future days should not be too difficult.
However, they still needed to find a way to deal with Du Tianhe's family. They couldn't let them bully the hero's family like this.
When Su Xiaotian and the others heard this story, they were very surprised.
They never expected that this person, who looked at most in his twenties, was actually thirty-four years old.
Moreover, he had such a connection with the Du family.
Su Xiaotian and Su Xiaosi looked at Hua Xiucheng with different eyes.
Was the young man who had been so gluttonous all along truly a soldier?
"You don't look like a soldier!" Su Xiaosi asked boldly.
"Then what do you think a soldier should look like? Stern-faced and serious?" Hua Xiucheng said, making a stiff face.
The children burst into laughter.
Hearing the lively laughter, the Du couple's mood also improved significantly.
Why did their son join the army in the first place? Wasn't it for the happy life they had now?
Their son's wish had been fulfilled, and they should be gratified by his decision back then.
[Author's Note]
It's the second day of the Lunar New Year. A 5,000-character chapter. Babies, please support it! Love you all, muah! See you on the third day of the Lunar New Year!