The Xiao Family.
The two boys had finally returned to Beijing for a visit, only to be away from home for half a month because of a mission. Mother Xiao was already extremely unhappy about it.
Then she turned around and saw Commander Xiao still sitting leisurely on the sofa, reading the newspaper. Her anger flared even more.
She snatched the newspaper away.
“You still have the mood to read? This is all your fault!”
“You had nothing better to do, so you insisted on sending our second son to the frontier. And now look at him! He’s already twenty-nine, still unmarried, and we barely even get to see him!”
Everything his wife said was true, so Commander Xiao had no way to argue. He could only humble himself and remind her gently, “Sending him to the frontier was something the two of us discussed and agreed on back then…”
Mother Xiao glared at him.
“Isn’t that still your fault?”
Commander Xiao was still wearing his military uniform at home. Seeing the rank insignia on his shoulders only made Mother Xiao angrier.
The culprit!
Mother Xiao said, “If you hadn’t risen through the ranks so quickly, and if we hadn’t been worried that standing out too much would make people jealous, we wouldn’t have had to sacrifice our youngest son.”
Commander Xiao did not quite agree with the word “sacrifice.”
He put an arm around his wife and coaxed her gently.
“A soldier’s duty is to protect the country and its people. Everyone knows how hard life is at the border, but if other people’s sons can go, why can’t ours?”
Mother Xiao was only venting her frustration.
As a fellow soldier, she understood.
Commander Xiao knew his wife well and continued, “Besides, sending our second son to the Tibetan region is actually a good thing.”
“The frontier is a great place to temper a person. Haven’t you noticed? Several of the young officers who were recently promoted in the army all came back from Xinjiang Province and Yunnan Province.”
At the mention of this, Mother Xiao looked unwilling and pursed her lips.
“Yes! The frontier certainly does temper people! But other people’s sons earned their military merits through hardship. Our son’s situation is different…”
Mother Xiao asked, “Tell me yourself. Among those newly transferred officers, whose achievements are greater than our second son’s?”
Commander Xiao said nothing.
Mother Xiao poked him on the shoulder, taking care not to hurt his old injury and deliberately using only moderate force.
“Those men are all full colonels now. Our second son is still only a deputy colonel.”
As his mother, she couldn’t help but feel sorry for her son. Mother Xiao was upset but had nowhere to vent it, and Commander Xiao understood.
He immediately lowered his head and admitted defeat.
“Yes, yes, blame me.”
“This isn’t your fault.”
She was upset, but she wasn’t unreasonable. Mother Xiao said, “The military system rewards and punishes fairly. It’s just that half of those military merits ended up being credited to someone else…”
Seeing that she was about to bring up Zhao Mingze, Commander Xiao’s expression darkened, and he interrupted her.
“Aunt Fang is still in the kitchen. We can’t say things like that in the future. If Mingze hears you, he’ll feel uncomfortable.”
Aunt Fang had been the family’s longtime housekeeper for seven or eight years.
Although she wasn’t the type to gossip, it was still better to be careful.
At Commander Xiao’s position, whether at home or in the army, he had to be cautious with his words and actions.
Mother Xiao nodded.
“I know.”
“I was just…”
Commander Xiao finished her sentence for her.
“You just care more about your own son.”
That immediately made Mother Xiao laugh.
“Well, obviously! What mother wouldn’t care about her own son? Who would care about someone else’s son instead?”
Commander Xiao quickly added, “Mingze has also been with our family since he was nine. He’s practically like our own son.”
“He’s all right, I suppose.”
Mother Xiao sighed.
“It’s not that I dislike Mingze. I just always feel that child has too many thoughts in his head. He’s a little too calculating…”
“Mom.”
Xiao Jingwen pushed open the door and walked in.
The conversation between the old couple was interrupted.
The moment Mother Xiao saw Xiao Jingwen, she immediately got up and went to greet him at the door.
“Oh my, didn’t you say the mission would take another day or two? Why didn’t you tell us you were coming home?”
“Aunt Fang! Hurry, make two more dishes for dinner. Second Brother likes sweet-and-sour pork ribs, and Mingze likes stir-fried shredded potatoes. Make both!”
Hearing the voice, Aunt Fang came out of the kitchen wearing an apron, still holding a spatula.
“Jingwen has gotten even stronger this year.”
The Tibetan region was far less convenient to travel to than the mainland. Being able to see him once a year was already considered fortunate.
The entire family gathered around Xiao Jingwen.
It had always been like this since childhood. Wherever his younger uncle was, everyone’s attention would inevitably fall on him instead.
And Zhao Mingze had heard what Mother Xiao said before he entered the room.
He lowered his eyes.
Heh. Too many thoughts in my head.
Who was really the one with ulterior motives?
Officially, they had adopted him.
But in reality, wasn’t it only because his father had died saving Xiao Huchuan?
For the sake of their reputation, the Xiao family had no choice but to bring him home and raise him.
They had adopted him, yet they hadn’t even given him the Xiao surname.
They claimed they were one family, but deep down, they had never truly accepted him.
Not only had they never accepted him, they were even so stingy when it came to repaying his father’s sacrifice.
Xiao Jingwen had given him only a little military credit, and even Mother Xiao thought she had sacrificed too much.
What about his father?
His father had given his entire life!
A cold laugh sounded in Zhao Mingze’s heart.
If his father were still alive, his position today would not be lower than Xiao Huchuan’s.
He would at least be a brigade commander.
Then would Zhao Mingze still have to live under someone else’s roof and endure this humiliation?
The old couple surrounded Xiao Jingwen and asked him a few questions before finally returning to the original topic.
“Why did you come home tonight?”
“Where’s your luggage?”
Xiao Jingwen said, “It’s at the guesthouse. I’ll go get it tomorrow.”
Commander Xiao was shrewd and immediately caught on.
“You came back in such a hurry. Something happened?”
Xiao Jingwen nodded.
He glanced behind him and asked Zhao Mingze, “Are you going to tell them yourself, or should I tell them for you?”
The nine-year age gap was precisely why Zhao Mingze hated the condescending way Xiao Jingwen treated him the most.
He swallowed and lowered his head.
“…I’ll tell them myself.”
The four of them sat on the sofa.
The older couple looked at him simultaneously, their scrutinizing gazes making him feel as though he were some kind of criminal.
Zhao Mingze took a deep breath and slowly said, “Commander, I made a mistake.”
“A few days ago, I accidentally took the wrong medicine. I lost control of myself and ended up having a relationship with a female comrade…”
There was no need to say what kind of medicine it was.
Commander Xiao’s expression changed immediately.
“Mingze, how could you make such a basic mistake concerning conduct and discipline?”
Mother Xiao, sitting beside him, also frowned.
“What did the woman say?”
“She wants me to marry her.”
Upon hearing that, the old couple simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief.
If the woman was willing to settle the matter by marrying him, that was the best possible outcome.
What they feared was that the woman refused to marry him, or that she was already married. In that case, things would become extremely troublesome.
If a conduct issue was reported to the military, it wouldn’t just be embarrassing. He could be sent down to a lower-level post or even executed.
Mother Xiao patted her chest and stood up.
“Fine. I’ll go prepare the betrothal gifts. We’ll go to her family tomorrow to ask for her hand.”
Zhao Mingze’s lips moved slightly.
Mother Xiao was already walking toward the staircase when he finally called out.
“Grandma Jin, wait.”
“What is it?”
Mother Xiao turned around, looking confused.
“Does the woman want the three major pieces and one electronic appliance? We’ll give them to her. Our family can afford it.”
“No.”
Zhao Mingze pressed his lips together and spoke with difficulty.
“It’s… I don’t want to marry her.”
“What?!”
Mother Xiao nearly lost her balance.
The teacup in Commander Xiao’s hand also trembled.
“What do you mean?”
Mother Xiao hurried back to the sofa and questioned him.
“You were the one who did something wrong, and now you don’t want to take responsibility?”
At this point, Zhao Mingze had no choice but to tell the truth.
“Yes. Because the woman I have my heart set on is her older sister.”