“You… are you human or a ghost?”
Seeing the son who had vanished for three years so suddenly, Chen mother was so frightened that her legs went weak.
“Mom, it’s your son back.”
Seeing his mother acting like she had just seen a ghost, Chen Weiguo felt utterly helpless.
Since he was standing right here, how could he possibly be a ghost?
Still, it was true that he had been away for far too long.
Having received no news at all, it was only natural that the family assumed he had sacrificed his life in the line of duty.
He then looked toward his wife, who was standing in a daze to the side. Chen Weiguo furrowed his brows deeply.
To say there was much affection between the two of them would be impossible; they had only met a handful of times in total.
The first time was their initial encounter when he saved Zhou Xiulan.
Later, because of the rumors, he took the initiative to find Zhou Xiulan and proposed marriage.
Then came bringing the bride price over to her.
And finally, the day of their wedding.
The very next day after the wedding, he had left.
Ever since then, the two hadn’t seen each other for three years.
Three years later, she was even thinner than before.
Right now, she was wearing clothes full of patches, but there was a trace of resilience and fierce determination in her eyes that he had never seen before.
This was a far cry from the Zhou Xiulan in his memory.
Just what on earth had happened over the past three years?
Meanwhile, Zhou Xiulan was completely bewildered as well.
What happened to being a widow?
Why is the children’s father back?!
How is she supposed to handle this?
Should she… keep the kids and ditch the husband?
Various plans were already flashing through her mind.
However, upon catching Chen Weiguo’s sharp gaze, she instantly deleted all the messy thoughts rolling around in her head.
The man was a soldier, and in this era, that identity served as a natural protective umbrella.
Since she now had to raise two children, it wouldn’t be easy in an era where private trade wasn’t allowed.
She’d better… plan this out step by step.
Chen Weiguo shifted his gaze to the two children standing beside Zhou Xiulan.
He froze abruptly.
Are these…
“My son, you’re finally back!”
“Quick, hurry up and divorce this cheap woman! She actually cuckolded you—someone must have gotten into her room last night, and now she even dares to beat her mother-in-law! A woman like this cannot be kept!”
Chen mother threw herself into Chen Weiguo’s arms, wailing and complaining.
“Weiguo, don’t you listen to your mother’s nonsense! Xiulan hasn’t had it easy these past few years, raising two kids all by herself. You cannot do her wrong.”
A neighbor auntie couldn’t bear to watch. The young couple had finally reunited, only to be driven apart by a mother-in-law like Li Guiying.
“Mom, I came back last night.” A trace of awkwardness flashed across his eyes.
Being related to a classified mission, he couldn’t explain the details too clearly.
He had let his guard down last night and ended up drugged.
Time was of the essence, so his comrades had hurriedly rushed him to Zhou Xiulan’s room.
After all, the two of them were legally married.
Waking up early this morning and seeing no food in the house, he hurriedly found some fine grain with the help of his comrades and brought it back.
He never expected to return and find his old mother and his wife engaged in a brawl.
“Ah?”
“You…”
At this, Chen mother finally reacted. The person in the room last night was her son.
The features on her face were struggling to stay in place.
“Oh my, I knew it! Xiulan isn’t that kind of person. It turns out to be a misunderstanding—it’s just a young married couple being like newlyweds after a long separation.”
“Isn’t that just like newlyweds? Weiguo left right after they got married, and he’s been gone for three full years.”
“That’s right, Weiguo hasn’t been back in three years. But coming back safe and sound now is truly a wonderful thing!”
“Li Guiying, why aren’t you hurrying back home to cook for your son? Weiguo is finally back.”
Hearing the neighbors’ chatter, Chen mother’s gaze darkened.
Chen Weiguo helped his mother steady herself.
Step by step, he walked toward Zhou Xiulan.
The two of them just looked at each other in silence.
Zhou Xiulan opened her eyes wide. The man from last night was him.
She looked him up and down: broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs.
A sharp, well-defined jawline, deep and dimensional facial features, and sun-kissed skin.
Good thing he’s handsome enough, otherwise I’d be getting the short end of the stick.
“Bad man, stay away from my mom!”
The little boy rushed forward, his tiny fists pounding against Chen Weiguo’s chest, one after another.
His eyes carried an indomitable fighting spirit, looking just like a little wolf cub.
This is my son!
Chen Weiguo squatted down, and with a large palm, gently grabbed and immobilized the little boy in his grip.
He’s way too thin.
He looked at the daughter beside Zhou Xiulan, and then back at the son in front of him.
In an instant, mottled red veins welled up in the corners of his eyes.
“What is your name?”
His voice carried a hoarse rasp.
“Humph!”
“Let me go!”
“Mom, save me!”
The little boy turned his head to look at Zhou Xiulan.
“You’re hurting him.” A hoarse voice squeezed out with difficulty from her vocal cords.
Like a child who had done something wrong, Chen Weiguo immediately loosened his grip.
With a whoosh, the child scampered back to Zhou Xiulan’s side.
“You ungrateful little brat, truly impossible to warm up to. That’s your father.”
“You two, hurry up and come over and call him Dad.”
Chen mother beckoned to the twins.
The two children still clung tightly to Zhou Xiulan’s legs.
“Good-for-nothing things who can’t stand on a stage—they don’t even recognize their own father, just as hopeless as that mother of theirs.”
Chen mother was about to keep scolding when Chen Weiguo stopped her. “Mom, you go on back first. I’ll go see you and Dad later.”
“Second son, I…”
“Mom, the children are hungry.”
Chen mother had no desire to feed extra mouths over at their place, so she immediately snapped her mouth shut. “Then… then Mom is heading back first.”
Her eyes lingered longingly on the bag beside Chen Weiguo.
He definitely brought back good stuff.
I’ve got to find a way to take it.
“Second son, look at this—”
“An’an, Ningning, help Mom carry the things into the house.”
Before Chen mother could finish, Zhou Xiulan walked over and laboriously dragged the bags away.
Hearing their mother’s command, the two little ones followed closely behind Zhou Xiulan, their tiny arms straining as they dragged the load, their faces turning completely red from the effort.
Seeing the state of the mother and her three children, Chen Weiguo walked over, snatched the bag right out of their hands, and carried it into the house.
“Look at you, look at you—this wife of yours isn’t filial at all…”
“Mom!” Chen Weiguo’s voice carried a trace of suppressed, dismissive anger.
Chen mother swallowed hard and walked away in discontent.
“Xiulan, I…”
“Let’s get a divorce!”