Qiao Xinwei had never found it difficult to coax her son to sleep, but today, she and Zai Xi battled wits and courage, and fought tenaciously until eleven o'clock before Zai Xi fell asleep.
She suddenly realized that Zai Xi was already used to having her father's company, and both Zai Xi and she were used to relying on Jiang Hao.
She couldn't sleep peacefully until Jiang Hao came back. She went back to the living room and turned on the TV. The news channel was still broadcasting the progress of the sneak attack. Some said it was a terrorist organization, while others said it was a prelude to aggression by other countries.
Various speculations, various comments.
The hour hand had already pointed to twelve o'clock. Qiao Xinwei picked up the phone several times and pressed Jiang Hao's number, but couldn't bear to dial it out. She picked it up several times and put it down again.
At about two o'clock, the door lock suddenly moved. Qiao Xin jumped up from the sofa and ran to open the door.
The door opened, she pulled the handle inside, and he pushed the handle outside. Their eyes met, and they were speechless.
Jiang Hao's bloodshot eyes were full of guilt. Whether it was for the dead soldiers, Qiao Xinwei, or this family, he felt guilty.
Qiao Xinwei forced out a bitter smile and reached out to take his hand. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it twice. She couldn't feel any warmth. She hesitated for a long time before she said, "Come in, it's cold outside.
"
The living room was very quiet. Even though the volume of the TV was turned to the lowest level, Jiang Hao, who was standing at the entrance, could still hear her clearly. He didn't say anything, but quickly hugged her tightly.
Qiao Xinwei didn't move, just letting him hold her, she patted his back, and she didn't know what else she could do.
There is everything at home, everything is good at home, there is heating, a wife, and children. The more ordinary warmth these things have, the more they can break the heart of a steely man. Tears that Jiang Hao had suppressed for a long time burst out of his eyes.
Qiao Xinwei only felt that he was shaking, she could feel his heart beating violently, and his breathing was rapid and chaotic.
Sometimes, even though she couldn't agree with him about some things, she understood him.
"None of them have come back, not a single soldier from the third platoon has come back." Jiang Hao sobbed into the crook of her neck, "I was the one who led them to join the army back then, and it was I who organized them into the third platoon.
They were afraid of me, but they all respected me and obeyed me. I was strict with them, I punished them, I never praised them, I never even smiled at them. Now I regret so much, I regret leaving them behind, I regret never
I don’t care about them too much. I have been thinking all day today, if I had led them to practice, if I had led them, would the results have been different? Xinwei, I’m sorry to tell you this now.
, I, Jiang Hao, never regret anything, I am responsible for what I do, but?? But I really regret it now, and I am also very guilty. They are all living lives, and they are the best warriors. Each of them
Haven’t come back yet??”
Qiao Xinwei had never seen Jiang Hao like this, crying bitterly and being so arrogant. At that moment, she could directly feel the pain and torture Jiang Hao was enduring in his heart. At that moment, she felt sorry for him.
This incident was earth-shaking for their family. Not only Jiang Hao and Qiao Xinyi had sleepless nights, but also Jiang Zhizhong and Lin Caiyin.
Early the next morning, before it was bright, the couple asked the driver to deliver it regardless of the cold weather.
Qiao Xinwei opened the door and saw them. Although she was surprised, it was natural, "Dad, Mom, you came here so early. Have you had breakfast? I'll make some porridge."
Jiang Zhizhong's whole body was filled with low pressure. Without saying a word, he walked straight to the sofa and sat there. His face was ugly, but it was not angry and ugly, but heavy, very heavy.
Lin Caiyin: "If you weren't busy, we wouldn't be able to eat at this time. Where's Ah Hao? Did you sleep well last night?"
Qiao Xinwei said truthfully: "He didn't sleep all night. He didn't close his eyes until dawn. I'll call him."
Qiao Xinwei walked upstairs and was about to open the door when Jiang Hao opened it from the inside, "My parents are here, I was about to call you." Jiang Hao nodded lightly, took her hand and walked downstairs.
.
In the living room, four people were sitting on the sofa. Lin Caiyin was the first to speak. She said: "Ah Hao, you have changed jobs. You can't go up. Remember, you are no longer in the army. You don't have to listen."
Order from above."
Jiang Hao smiled helplessly, "Mom and Dad are both retired. He still has to obey the order above, let alone me. Brigadier Tang asked me to think about it myself just because he thinks highly of me and to give Dad face. If I really want an order, I
You still have to obey orders.”
Lin Caiyin's face became quite haggard, "Then let your dad say it. We won't go. Old man, you go and say it."
Jiang Zhizhong remained silent, with a cold aura surrounding him, so serious that it was scary.
Lin Caiyin timidly withdrew her eyes, and then looked at Qiao Xinwei, "Don't let Jiang Hao go, Xi Bao is still so young, and you don't want to be without a husband at such a young age." She spoke quickly, and she hurriedly said
He said to himself, "Bah, bah, bah, pretend I didn't say that just now."
The atmosphere became quiet again, except for Lin Caiyin's heavy sigh. After a while, she couldn't help crying, "Just stop talking. I'm the only one who wants Ahao to be safe. I'm the only one who wants to live a peaceful life. I'm the only one who wants to live in peace."
A person is selfish."
Jiang Zhizhong snorted and comforted: "Keep your voice down, don't wake Xi Bao up."
Qiao Xinwei took out the paper and handed it over, and also advised: "Mom, don't be like this, Ahao has his own considerations."
Lin Caiyin snatched the tissue, "Then you just let him miss you without stopping him?!" She wiped her tears and said sincerely, "I don't like you, but I also know that in Ah Hao's heart
Only you, your words carry more weight than the two of us."
Qiao Xinwei lowered his head. In fact, they didn't say a word that night. They lay on the bed hugging each other and listening to each other's breathing. There was no communication at all.
She glanced back at Jiang Hao, not daring to look into his eyes. She moved her gaze to her chin and then brought it back. She said, "He knows what I'm thinking. It's not that I don't want to persuade or stop him, but if I'm here
It will only make it more difficult for him."
Jiang Hao silently held her hand tightly, feeling sour in his heart.
Lin Caiyin cried for a while again. Thinking about it, she really felt that her life was miserable. Couldn't she be allowed to enjoy her old age in peace? Couldn't she be allowed to die with a son?!
Jiang Zhizhong finally asked: "How are the arrangements for the funeral?"
"Last night, all thirty-four soldiers were transported back. Today, family members are arriving one after another. You can imagine the atmosphere in the army today. The leaders above will attend the memorial service tomorrow. The bosses attach great importance to it."
"Well, this is a national humiliation, of course we take it seriously."
Lin Caiyin took advantage of the opportunity and said, "Old man, Ah Hao, since the higher-ups attach so much importance to it, the higher-ups must come forward to resolve this matter, so there is no need for Ah Hao, right?"
Jiang Hao said: "What Brigadier Tang means is that there is a way to deal with it from above. Whether it is negotiating with Vietnam or talking to the United Nations, there will be a plan from above and someone will be responsible. But there must be someone in the army who is in charge of negotiations and talks.
It is open to the public, but there are many things that cannot be made public. The army has its own way of handling things."
Jiang Hao spoke very cryptically, and mentioning Brigadier Tang was the maximum he could say. The army had a confidentiality agreement, which was why he couldn't communicate more with Xinwei. He could only bear many things, and he couldn't explain it.
, can’t say either.
There was movement on the second floor, and Jiang Hao changed the subject, "Probably Xi Bao is awake. Xinwei, go and bring Xi Bao down."
Qiao Xinwei had some scruples, "Is it appropriate?"
"What's inappropriate? Grandpa and grandma are here to see their grandson."
"oh."
"Mom, why don't you go up and see Xi Bao too."
Lin Caiyin wiped her tears. She knew that the father and son wanted to talk alone, so she stood up knowingly.
Qiao Xinwei walked to the baby's room on the second floor and gently opened the door. She saw Xi Bao looking at the ceiling with his round eyes. He seemed not yet awake, and he seemed to want to take a nap.
"Mom," Xi Bao's clear voice was filled with a smile, "Why are you peeking at me sleeping?"
Qiao Xinwei: "Who peeked at you while you were sleeping? Aren't you awake? Little lazy boy, look, the sun is shining on your butt."
It's mostly sunny after the snow, and the sun is particularly good, and the air is very clean.
When Xi Bao heard this, he lifted the quilt, raised his butt, and said, "How can I show my butt? I'm wearing underwear and covered with a quilt, so the sun can't shine."
While they were talking, Lin Caiyin also came in, and Xi Bao shouted in surprise, "Grandma, wow, grandma, why are you here?"
"My dear grandson, grandma is here to see you."
Xi Bao no longer dared to lie down in bed, so he picked up his clothes and put them on himself. As he was putting them on, he said, "Grandma, I'm on winter vacation, and I'll play with you every day from now on."
"Hehehe, okay."
Children are always messy, so my mother and grandma played and cleaned up at the same time, and it took more than half an hour to finish it.
Lin Caiyin pulled Xi Bao downstairs, and Qiao Xinwei followed behind. Downstairs, Jiang Zhizhong said to Jiang Hao, "Now that you have thought about it, let's do this."
What Qiao Xinwei saw was Jiang Hao's back, and he only nodded. There was no reply, and no expression could be seen.
"Dad, grandpa." Xi Bao broke free from his hands and ran downstairs happily.
As soon as the child came, the atmosphere in the whole room changed. Jiang Zhizhong's rigid face was filled with smiles. For the first time, he bent over and played with Xi Bao pushing the excavator.
Lin Caiyin also changed from her usual restraint. She looked after Xi Bao and the old man, for fear that someone might fall and collide.
Qiao Xinwei: "Xi Bao, be careful not to play too crazy. Parents, don't spoil him. I'll go to the kitchen to cook some porridge and let's have breakfast together."
Jiang Hao sat on the sofa and looked at them with a smile, watching his son having so much fun, watching his parents busy with him, and watching his wife in the kitchen, turning her back and secretly wiping while they were playing.
tears.
The sun rises, and the sunlight shines in from the east, bright and warm.