Having lived in two lives, Li Qinzai cannot be said to have a rock-solid heart. After all, he was not a heroic figure in his previous life.
But in this life, his love and hatred were particularly strong.
This world is so primitive and backward, but it is warmer than the steel jungle in his previous life. He truly feels that he is living seriously. The morning is sunny and the evening is raining, the spring is warm and the autumn is yellow. Every step he takes in the years is down-to-earth.
.
With mixed feelings, Li Qinzai paid three respects to Linnu's tombstone.
The mood is indeed very complicated. He came from another life and has lost his love and hatred for her. He only has a vague guilt and gratitude for the buckwheat she gave him.
After three bows, he stood up, Li Qinzai hugged Qiao'er, and everyone slowly went down the mountain.
It wasn't until dawn that Qiao'er finally woke up. She blinked her innocent big eyes a few times and suddenly remembered what she had done yesterday.
Li Qinzai sat beside the bed, watching him with a smile. Qiao'er covered his head with the quilt, as if he wanted to escape, but finally got out after a long time.
"Dad, if Qiao'er disobeys me, will you whip me with a whip?" Qiao'er asked anxiously.
"You and Dad have known each other for such a long time. Has Dad ever whipped you?" Li Qinzai said with a smile.
"No, the last time Qiao'er used firecrackers to blow up the latrines, dad didn't even whip me." Qiao'er hesitated for a moment and then said, "But dad often whipped my junior brother and the others."
"They are not my biological children. I don't feel bad if they are given a spanking. You are different. You are my biological children."
Staring at Qiao'er, Li Qinzai communicated with him with a serious expression and tone.
"Qiao'er, it's because your father is getting married to your aunt, so you miss your mother, right?" Li Qinzai said softly.
Qiao'er's eyes turned red, and she lowered her head and said, "I...I was thinking how great it would be if my father and mother got married."
Li Qinzai's eyes flashed: "You don't like Auntie?"
Qiao'er shook his head: "I like it. She saved me and was very kind to me. She gave me delicious food and played with me. She would also scold me when Qiao'er was disobedient. She... was like her own mother. She didn't
Treat me like an outsider."
Qiao'er pursed her lips and said softly: "But she is not my mother after all. I don't know why I missed my mother so much yesterday, so I came here."
Li Qinzai was still staring at his face, his gaze seemed to penetrate his heart: "What else? Qiao'er, what are you afraid of?"
Qiao'er was stunned, looked at him in surprise, and then said: "Dad is so awesome..."
Quickly lowering his head, Qiao'er said aggrievedly: "I, I... I'm actually afraid that my father and aunt will neglect Qiao'er after they get married. I am a child of a concubine, and the children born to my father and aunt in the future will be legitimate children. I
… I felt uncomfortable, so I wanted to come to my mother’s grave to see her. At least, my mother would not treat me as a concubine.”
Li Qinzai stretched out his hand, hugged him tightly, and said in a low voice: "Qiao'er, in our family, there is no distinction between direct descendants and common descendants. They are all my biological children. I will not favor one over another."
Rubbing his head, Li Qinzai said with a smile: "My father's love for you will not diminish. On the contrary, you are my eldest son. I may value you more in the future. At the same time, you must also shoulder the responsibility of an elder brother."
, help me take good care of my brothers and sisters, can you do it?"
Qiao'er finally showed a relieved smile. His smile looked no different from usual, but Li Qinzai clearly noticed that his smile was a little brighter at this moment.
Li Qinzai hugged him tighter and tighter with distress.
A child of a single parent, no matter how bright his smile is, is still hurt in his heart. This kind of injury may not even be noticed by him, and it will become more and more clear and painful until he grows up.
Many people spend their entire lives healing their childhood. This sentence is not a poisonous chicken soup that is harmful to people, but it is true.
"Qiao'er, I'm sorry that you were born into an incomplete family. Dad wants to apologize to you."
"I am also a father for the first time, and I don’t know how to make it up to you. Everyone will suffer some hardships in life to some extent. Dad can help you bear some hardships, but you can only solve some hardships by yourself. No matter how big you face,
Despite all the suffering, you must remember to smile."
"Because suffering will eventually pass. Only smile can make the sky clear."
…………
After not seeing my grandmother for more than a year, Li Qinzai and Qiao'er stayed at her house for two days.
Grandma was very strict with Qiao'er. In front of her, Qiao'er regained his original image of a smooth and steady veteran cadre. He had to pay attention to etiquette in every word and deed, including eating and dressing. Grandma would scold him rudely if he went beyond the rules.
In contrast, the environment Li Qinzai created for Qiao'er was already very relaxed. From the day he accepted Qiao'er, Li Qinzai never forgot to give Qiao'er as happy a childhood as possible.
Of course, Li Qinzai was not exactly the image of a loving father. At least this time, he warned Qiaoer very seriously that running away from home alone should never happen a second time, otherwise he would be really angry.
Father and son can communicate with each other about anything they are unhappy or unclear about, but leaving without saying goodbye is absolutely prohibited.
Qiao'er obediently agreed, and then Li Qinzai asked a question that had been hanging in his mind for a long time.
It was already evening when Qiao'er left home. He was very curious about how a six-year-old child left Ganjing Village at nightfall and returned to the village where his grandmother lived alone.
It's incredible, at least Li Qinzai couldn't do it at his age, especially in this era of backward transportation.
Qiao'er shyly told him that when he was playing hide-and-seek with the village children, he hid in a remote haystack to avoid the Li family's sight, and then sneaked out of the village.
I walked a few miles alone and found a well-to-do family with a tile-roofed house. I used the pocket money I had saved for a long time, about 30 yuan, to hire a car from that family and lied that it was a lost official from Puzhou City.
The child also took out the jade pendant Li Ji gave him to prove his identity.
A child who wears a jade pendant must be rich or noble. Even if the family believed it, he did not dare to neglect, let alone have evil intentions. After pocketing thirty coins, he happily sent him to Puzhou overnight.
The two places are not far apart, and it didn't take long to reach grandma's village.
Li Qinzai was stunned when he heard this. Such thoughts, such intelligence, such courage...
It's not too much to give him a whip, right?
If you keep putting up with it and agree not to beat him, you will find an unfounded excuse to beat him severely in the future.
After staying at grandma's house for two days, Li Qinzai and Qiao'er decided to leave and said goodbye to grandma.
This time, Li Qinzai was very careful and secretly left a money bag for his grandma. There were about ten taels of silver cakes in it, which was probably enough to keep the grandma, her family, and her children well-fed for a few years.
After reluctantly saying goodbye, the father and son returned to Ganjing Village.
As soon as Qiao'er got off the carriage at the gate of the other courtyard, Li Sujie and other junior fellow apprentices gathered around her, holding Qiao'er's hand to greet her.
The expressions of the students in the Imperial College were quite natural, but the faces of the little bastards like Li Sujie had hidden anger.
Qiao'er was too willful this time, and Li Sujie and the others were worried about it. Qiao'er had been with them day and night for a long time, and their friendship gradually deepened. Li Sujie, Li Xian and the others already regarded Qiao'er as their own brothers.
My younger brother is willful and gets into trouble. How can I not be angry as an elder brother?
Qiao'er was also able to observe their words, hold their hands and sincerely admit their mistake. Li Sujie and others' expressions lightened up a little, and the storm was over.
Back in the backyard, Qiao'er suddenly said: "Dad, after the new school is built, I heard that the juniors will all move to that... um, 'dormitory'?"
Li Qinzai nodded: "Yes, all students must move to dormitories and sleep in Datong bunk beds."
Qiao'er said seriously: "I also want to move to the dormitory and live with my juniors."
Li Qinzai was greatly surprised: "Why?"
"Because Qiao'er has grown up," Qiao'er smiled brightly: "Besides, Qiao'er not only needs study companions, but also playmates. He can't stay by his father's side day and night."
Li Qinzai blinked: "How to solve the problem of bedwetting? It is very embarrassing to wet the bed in front of the juniors. You will be treated as a laughing stock and will be laughed at for the rest of your life."
A bitter look appeared on Qiao'er's little face and she said, "I will try my best not to wet the bed."
"This... I'm afraid it's very difficult," Li Qinzai sighed: "Qiao'er, actually you don't have to be so sensible. After my father and aunt got married, you lived next door to us, so you didn't have to squeeze in the Datong shop with your junior brothers."
"Dad, let Qiao'er try it. Qiao'er wants to grow up quickly."
Seeing that Qiao'er looked firm and seemed to have made up her mind, Li Qinzai hesitated for a moment, nodded and said: "Okay, you can try living with the junior brothers. If you don't get used to it, come back."
Qiao'er smiled happily.
Li Qinzai thought for a while and then said: "Let's arrange for you to live with Guan Kun'er. You are similar in age. What's more important is..."
Qiao'er immediately responded: "What's more important is to fan the flames and urge his parents to give him a sister as soon as possible."