Free Web NovelChapter 1105: Chapter 978: You’re Just Worrying Too Much
"...I still remember the day you came back at eight years old, the first time you saw me, your big brother and little brother didn’t dare to make a sound, just stayed close to protect you, but you..."
Mr. Lin reminisced and laughed, "You pushed them away and suddenly rushed up to me, asking if I was your father. At that moment, I thought, out of the four kids, this one is the most like me."
"When you were that small, you stood in front of many people in the troop and said you wanted to be Little Balu. The old chief said, ’Ah, Lin, this one is definitely your seed...’"
"...More than half a year later, I returned from the front lines, and you were the first to rush to the headquarters. Such a stubborn child, crying so hard. It scared me, and I chased after you, asking what was wrong. Later, when everyone left, you secretly told me, Dad, I was actually scared you might die, but I didn’t dare to say it."
"Ever since then, whenever the troops were deployed, I told myself that I had to stay alive. Every time I came back, you, this child, were always the first one to look for me..."
"...In a letter, you said, Dad, I want to marry Zhou Xiaozheng, but my mom doesn’t agree. At the time, I was so angry I wanted to shoot that boy. What a joke, where did this wild boy come from, wanting to take away my eldest daughter? But I couldn’t leave, so I had to ask around."
"Fortunately, after casually asking a few people, they all said the boy was a good seedling and even asked if I was planning to transfer him under my command. Some even joked that it was out of the question."
"I thought about it and concluded that he was suitable for my Shanshan. The girl’s vision is just like her father’s, so why not agree? Your mom said he didn’t even fancy you. For that, I had my first argument with your mom—was my daughter not worthy of him? But I still felt uneasy."
"Isn’t it said that seeing is believing? I found an opportunity to visit your place, and what did I see? Well, that boy with a stern face..."
Ping’an cleared his throat upon hearing this and handed Mr. Lin a glass of water, "Your health isn’t suited for excitement, please, have some water to calm down."
Mr. Lin looked deeply into his eyes with his seasoned, cloudy gaze, and Ping’an also smiled intently at him, "Grandpa may not treat Grandma like a precious gem, but it’s close enough. Isn’t it said that grandchildren have their fortunes? You’re just too worried, and that’s not good for health."
Miao Lishan patted Ping’an with satisfaction, smiling at the old man, "This child... Dad, even though Ping’an is young, he makes sense; you’re indeed too worried..."
Mr. Lin glanced at Miao Lishan and suddenly laughed, "You really don’t need me to worry anymore." With that, he pushed Ping’an’s hand with the cup away.
Ping’an dropped his eyes in displeasure, followed the force to take back the cup, glanced at the side table, stood up, walked to the window, and placed it on the coffee table, looking at the cup with pity.
Did I save your life or not?
"Grandma, we should go."
Once Ping’an said this...
"It’s hard to come once, stay a little longer."
"Alright, but I still need to hurry back to work," Miao Lishan said, looking at Mr. Lin speaking simultaneously, disapprovingly, "Dad, you’ve talked for so long, you should rest."
"When will you come next time?"
Ping’an looked at the old man amusingly, taking out the Milo powder and apples from the net bag one by one, wanting to hear how Grandma would respond.
"Dad, I’ll still come whenever I have time, but you know there are things at the troop every day, and I’m too far from you," Miao Lishan said, biting her lip, "Take care of your health and get back to the retired cadres’ home soon."
Mr. Lin said dejectedly, "Alright, go ahead, busy, you’re all busy."
Miao Lishan shook her head and smiled, "Dad, missing your eldest son, right? I’ll call the eldest when I get back, get him to visit."
"Who misses him? Don’t call him, work is more important..."
Ping’an smirked sarcastically, then grabbed the net bag and handed it to Miao Lishan, "Grandma, it’s about time, we should go."
Miao Lishan took the net bag, smiling as she packed while saying, "Alright, say goodbye to your great-grandfather."
Ping’an nodded to the old man, "Take care, Great-grandfather."
Mr. Lin looked at Ping’an, "Alright. You take after your mom, your future is limitless."
Ping’an had no intention of arguing with him, gave a slight nod, and turned to leave first. As for those words full of maternal gossip, hadn’t his father already represented the wife in visiting him?
He understood why his mother hadn’t visited the rest home for years now. This pretentiousness, these words full of hidden thorns, probably made her resentful.
Outside the hospital, Miao Lishan patted him and whispered, "Are you mad?"
Ping’an chuckled lightly and shook his head.
"Grandma watched you grow up. If others don’t know, how could I not know," Miao Lishan shook her head with a smile, "Every time I hear him talk, it’s in the left ear and out the right. He’s old, don’t hold it against him too much."
Ping’an pursed his lips, "I just don’t like how his words drive a wedge between you and Grandpa."
"I grew up with him, how could I not understand?" Miao Lishan sighed, "Isn’t there a saying, break the enemy’s blockade from inside? Whether he wants to draw me in or plant a thorn in my heart, I remember he raised me. That man is bad, but he was truly good to me."
Who was that man? Ping’an guessed it had become a pain she didn’t want to mention. But if he was really good to you, would the old man always recall those painful memories in front of you?
"...He was not just my biological father then, but also the person I respected the most. Watching him, always wounded, return like a hero, watch him rise from company commander to regimental commander, division commander... that pride made me feel like the daughter of a hero, full of strength..."
"...Whatever I did, he supported me, he would protect me first, as long as in front of him I stomped my foot and said he didn’t love his eldest daughter, he would raise his hands and say, Alright, little ancestor, whatever you say goes."
"...The first little gun I had was secretly given by him, because neither my brothers nor sisters had one; the only pocket money at home was mine, always doubled, because every time he came back, he’d secretly give it to me first; my first harmonica was brought from far away by many of his comrades just because I said I liked it..."
While sitting in the car, Ping’an listened to Miao Lishan talk about her childhood, his thoughts wandered; he had heard these stories countless times since he was little...
That wasn’t good, it was based on him not knowing you weren’t his biological child, on the guilt of the couple and youngest daughter being by his side while you were fostered away, on you becoming independent early, on bringing him a good horse, on not harming his interests...
But these words weren’t suitable for him, the junior, to say. It would be better to wait for Grandpa to have a chance to talk with her. If Grandma truly treated her adoptive father cold-heartedly, he would indeed worry whether she had deliberately abandoned her daughter with a cold heart under the guise of seeking her husband. Being soft-hearted like this now isn’t bad at all.
