Yang Siyi pouted in grievance and hugged tightly onto Lu Xingzhou’s leg, refusing to let go. She sweetly acted spoiled as she said, “No, I don’t want that. Uncle Xingzhou, are you going to abandon me after marrying this auntie?”
The way she said it made it sound as if she truly were Lu Xingzhou’s daughter.
Lu Xingzhou didn’t think much of it. He and Yang Jianguo were comrades who had fought life-and-death battles together—people who could take bullets for each other.
Besides, Siyi usually relied heavily on him. It was just a form of address.
Lu Xingzhou lifted her into his arms to comfort her. “If you don’t want to change it, then don’t change it.”
As he spoke, he glanced at Su Yueheng, trying to figure out how to explain.
Su Yueheng smiled faintly. The smile didn’t reach her eyes. She stepped closer to Lu Xingzhou and asked in curiosity, “Commander Lu, who are this mother and daughter?”
Lu Xingzhou coughed lightly and replied in a low voice, “Siyi’s father was in the same unit as me. Back in the war in North Korea, we agreed that if either of us had children, we would acknowledge them as godchildren.”
Su Yueheng chuckled softly. “So that’s how it is. Then it seems our future children should also have a caring godfather.”
She could sense the hostility in Yang Siyi’s eyes, but she didn’t care—a child, after all.
Lu Xingzhou thought of how, after marriage, their two little troublemakers would also change their address, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. “Yes. When he returns, we’ll invite his family over for a meal.”
Su Yueheng’s gaze then fell on Fang Muping. She noticed the undisguised dislike in the woman’s eyes, and a “friendly” smile formed on her lips.
“So this female comrade is very familiar with you?”
Lu Xingzhou replied in a businesslike tone, “She used to be a reporter. After getting injured, she was transferred to logistics.”
Su Yueheng noticed the change in his tone but kept smiling.
The two of them spoke naturally. Lu Xingzhou did not show his usual coldness toward outsiders when talking to her.
Fang Muping was so angry her teeth itched. Seeing Su Yueheng’s provocative smile, she almost wanted to rush up and ruin that beautiful face.
So Su Yueheng still wants to have children with Lu Xingzhou? Hah. It seems he doesn’t like this woman that much; otherwise, he would have told her about his wartime injury—about how he could never have children.
Fang Muping felt secretly pleased. Suppressing her emotions, she said gently, “Xingzhou, give me the child. The boat is coming soon.”
Lu Xingzhou gave a low “mm.”
In his arms, Lu Siyi kicked her legs unhappily. “No, I want Uncle Xingzhou to hold me!”
Su Yueheng coughed lightly, then leaned closer to his ear on tiptoe. Her slender fingers covered her pink lips as she whispered softly:
“Ah Ning has a strong possessive streak. If she finds out you’ve been holding Siyi all the time, she’ll definitely throw a tantrum.”
After speaking, she shrugged as if it was none of her business and returned to Su Mingjue’s side.
There was no point arguing with children—it was too low-status. Luckily, there were other children at home.
At that moment, Lu Xingzhou caught a faint fragrance when she leaned in close—different from soap, perhaps rose-scented, very pleasant.
Her faint smile looked like a blooming rose.
A trace of darkness flashed in Lu Xingzhou’s eyes. He gave a helpless smile and said firmly and seriously, “Siyi, be good. The boat is coming. Go stand with your mother.”
After speaking, he placed her on the ground and walked decisively toward Su Yueheng.
Lu Siyi froze, looking at her mother in confusion. “Mom?”
Fang Muping quickly forced a smile. “When we come back, you can go find your Uncle Xingzhou again.”
Just now, Su Yueheng had spoken too softly for anyone else to hear.
Fang Muping’s eyes flashed with shock, then disbelief. She quickly steadied herself and smiled reluctantly.
“Let her go. Don’t make things difficult for Xingzhou.”
She gently scolded, “Siyi, don’t make Uncle Xingzhou uncomfortable.”
Lu Mingjue frowned and said coldly, “Xingzhou is about to start a family. You should call him uncle according to proper etiquette.”
Lu Siyi shook her head and ran to cling to Lu Xingzhou’s leg again. “No! My dad and Uncle Xingzhou are good brothers and comrades! Even if he gets married, I still want to call him that!”
Fang Muping smiled awkwardly at Su Yueheng and softly reprimanded, “Siyi, don’t make things difficult for Xingzhou dad.”
Lu Mingjue looked between them and frowned slightly.
She was not foolish—she could already sense that Fang Muping had improper thoughts toward her son.
But Fang Muping was already married to someone else, and her husband, Yang Jianguo, was even a comrade who had saved Lu Xingzhou’s life, almost dying in battle for him.
On the surface, their marriage also seemed fine.
Lu Mingjue smiled and deliberately said to Su Yueheng, “I asked someone this morning—five days from now is a good date. That should be enough time to prepare.”
Seeing Su Yueheng nod obediently, she turned to Lu Xingzhou. “Remember to inform your leaders and comrades and see how many tables we’ll need.”
Lu Xingzhou replied with a low “mm,” then looked at the approaching boat. “The boat is here.”
Lu Siyi looked to her mother for help, sniffing. “Mom, I don’t want Uncle Xingzhou to get married…”
Fang Muping also didn’t want it, but she couldn’t stop Lu Xingzhou, nor could she let her daughter speak up.
Otherwise, Xingzhou would think the child was being unreasonable—and think she couldn’t raise her properly.
She said calmly, “Right now, your Uncle Xingzhou is interested in Su Yueheng. If you say that, he won’t like you anymore.”
When the boat docked, Lu Xingzhou protected Su Yueheng and his mother as they boarded, not noticing the child behind trying to rush forward but being held back by Fang Muping.
Lu Siyi didn’t understand and tugged her mother’s clothes. “Mom, why won’t you let me go? Before, when you brought me here alone, Uncle Xingzhou always carried me.”
Fang Muping’s expression darkened slightly. “Tonight, go to the Lu family and ask your Uncle Xingzhou whether he still cares about you.”
She wasn’t here to cause trouble this time—she wanted to see exactly how important this woman was in Lu Xingzhou’s heart.
Now she knew. Hah. Not much at all.
Fang Muping said calmly, “We won’t go shopping today. Tonight, go ask Uncle Xingzhou. If he still cares about you, then tomorrow he can go shopping with us.”
Lu Siyi’s eyes lit up. “Okay, Mom! I’ll do it! Uncle Xingzhou will still like me best even after he marries that auntie!”
Fang Muping smiled in satisfaction. “Good. As long as he keeps liking you, maybe one day he’ll become your real father.”
Her voice was so soft only the two of them could hear.
Lu Siyi nodded excitedly. “I’ll work hard, I’ll listen to you. Uncle Xingzhou is better than my dad!”
Fang Muping smiled with satisfaction as she led her daughter away.
It was all because Yang Jianguo interfered back then—otherwise, her husband would have been Lu Xingzhou…
A trace of unwillingness flashed in Fang Muping’s eyes.