Chapter 67: Friends come from afar

  "The tree wants to be still, but the wind will not stop; the child wants to be raised, but the parents will not wait." Qiu Ye unconsciously said this sentence and then covered her own mouth. How did she just say what was on her mind? This is not something someone of her age should be saying.

  Qiu Ye covered her mouth and timidly looked up at the other two people in the room, seeing that they were staring at her with wide eyes. She explained in a soft voice, "Dad and Mom told me before..."

  "Yanzi, you see that Xiaoye understands this principle. I'm telling you this not to ask you to forgive Zhao Shu just like that. The things that happened back then, I witnessed them with my own eyes. I don't want you to regret it later. Your heart is soft, I know. Back then, your feelings for Zhao Shu, I also knew about them. That's why I'm reminding you now. All these years, Zhao Shu has been mentioning you in front of us. I think he's come to realize some things and regrets what happened back then. I just want to ask if you should give Zhao Shu a chance, an opportunity to make up for the relationship between father and daughter."

  "Is that woman still at home? Are her children still at home?" Zhao Shuyan asked softly.

  Chen Jianjun did not answer, but Zhao Shuyan had already understood.

  "That woman is still there, will he still think of me? How much sincerity does he have in his thoughts!" Zhao Shuyan lowered her head and fiddled with the gold ring on her hand, which Qiu Ye had given to her during Chinese New Year. Then she inexplicably laughed and asked back: "What do you say I go back for, to see others' happy family life? To witness once again that I'm an unnecessary, unwanted child?"

  At this time, Chen Jianjun didn't know what to say either. He knew what kind of person that woman was and had experienced it before. So he knew that Zhao Shuyan's decision to go back at this time wasn't a wise one, and she might get hurt again. But then he thought of the last time he visited his hometown, and saw Old Man Zhao's desolate expression and his gradually declining health. He could only say: "Uncle Zhao's health hasn't been good in recent years. When I went back to Beijing during the New Year, I saw him in the hospital, and he asked about you without your consent. I didn't say much, just whether or not you would go back is up to you to decide. I'm just suggesting that you come back once to take a look, even if it's just to fulfill that little wish in your heart."

  Chen Jianjun looked at Zhao Shuyan, who had been hanging her head all along, unable to see the expression on her face. He guessed that she must be very sad in her heart. His words brought it up. As for how Zhao Shuyan decided, he couldn't control it, so he said: "Alright, you're not a decisive person either. This matter is better discussed with your family's elders at home before saying anything else. Now we're on my turf, and I'll invite you to have a good dinner tonight."

  He tried to change the subject. Qiu Ye also cooperated, although she didn't know what problem had arisen between her godmother and godfather, but she just hoped that her godmother could live a happy life. If this godfather's existence would only make everyone sad, then he didn't need to appear at all.

  "That's great, Uncle Chen. I've lost several pounds from hunger on the train. Now I need to replenish myself well. Otherwise, my godmother would be worried, right, Godmother?" Qiu Ye coquettishly pulled Zhao Shuyan's arm and shook it repeatedly, trying to dispel her melancholy mood.

  Zhao Shuyan adjusted her expression, lifted her head and smiled at Qiu Ye: "Right, our little Ye has been suffering these days, being a little white rabbit for many days, it's time to eat something good to supplement." She knew the intentions of the two of them, she didn't want to pass on her unhappiness to the child, didn't want the child to know about her heartache. Although some things also needed to be resolved, that was something to deal with after returning home, she had to discuss it with Lao Fang and figure out what to do.

  "Let's go now, the food there is delicious, but if we wait until dinner time, there won't be any seats left. We're just reserving our spots." Chen Jianjun looked at the two ladies who both agreed, then glanced at his watch, it was already past three in the afternoon, so going now would be just right, and they would arrive around dinner time.

  Qiu Yeke hadn't forgotten that she still had an older brother, so she said: "Uncle Chen, wait for me for five minutes, I'll go call my brother back." After saying this, she didn't even wait for his response, jumped off the bed, opened the door and ran downstairs.

  Chen Jianjun looked at Qiu Ye's action, rubbed his smooth chin with a big hand and said: "This kid is worth training, maybe he's really good stuff."

  Zhao Shuyan smiled and said, "You can rest assured that Xiaoye will never fall into your clutches. Our Xiaoye's future ideal is to attend the best university in the country, then find a job where she can earn money without putting in any effort, and become a rice weevil who sleeps until she wakes up naturally and counts her money until her hands cramp." She couldn't help but laugh whenever she thought of what her goddaughter had said about her ideals. How could this child's thoughts be so different from others?

  Chen Jianjun furrowed his brow after hearing this, "This child's thinking is too backward. The first thing he thought of still had some ambition, but the things that followed were all over the place. At such a young age, he's already so lazy and laid-back, how will he contribute to the country when he grows up?"

  "You'd better get lost, if you really have nothing to do, go home and educate your two kids properly, let them make more contributions to the country. By the way, bring out that part of my niece's dowry, then you won't need to worry about Xiaoye anymore. My husband and I think the kid's idea is pretty good." Zhao Shuyan directly hit his weak spot, he also had two kids at home who were not motivated to make progress, and he hadn't educated them well yet.

  Chen Jianjun listened to Zhao Shuyan's words, and the wrinkles on his forehead deepened, so much so that they could crush a fly. He thought of those two sons at home who gave him headaches, and he couldn't understand what was going through their minds. Wasn't it a man's duty to join the army and defend the country? Why were those two young whippersnappers in his family so disobedient and unwilling to listen, saying they wouldn't join the army no matter what?

  Qiu Ye quickly dragged his brother out of a room downstairs and told him, who was initially reluctant, that a PLA uncle wanted to treat them to some delicious food. As a result, his brother took off like a shot and ran towards their room, it's unclear whether he was attracted by the PLA uncle or the food. Anyway, Qiu Ye chased after him for half a day but couldn't catch up with his brother who had sprinted away.

  When Qiu Ye and team leader Director Feng said that the three of them would not participate in collective activities at night, but instead go out to stroll with acquaintances, after returning to their third-floor room again, they saw their brother chatting enthusiastically with Uncle Chen.

  Zhao Shuyan was just beside her, smiling with pursed lips. Qiu Ye approached her godmother and asked in a low voice, "Godmother, what's going on? It's so hot in such a short time?" Her brother was still very reserved in front of outsiders.

  Zhao Shuyan pulled Xiao Ye's hand and whispered: "This is because we met people with the same aspirations, so we got familiar so quickly, there are common topics to talk about."

  As soon as the voice fell, Chen Jianjun was heard loudly saying: "Good, I like such a good seedling. From tomorrow on, you will go to our garrison to participate in short-term training. By the time you return home, I guarantee that you will be transformed and become a true reserve soldier."

  Qiu Ye was worried that his brother would be beaten up badly and wouldn't be able to get out of there with his skin intact.

  But Qiu Feng himself was willing, and after listening to Chen Jianjun's words, he nodded frantically. The person in front of him was his own grandfather, after all.

  Zhao Shuyan saw that they had said enough, so she said: "Alright, you have something to say later, didn't you say you wanted to treat us to some good food? My daughter has been waiting with bated breath for a while now. You, as her uncle, must keep your word, hurry up and get moving."

  Chen Jianjun suddenly remembered his purpose, waved his hand and said: "Let's go, we're going now. How can Uncle Liberation Army's words not count? Today, Uncle Chen will take you to eat the local specialty snacks, mutton skewers and hand-pulled noodles."

  A few people came out of the hostel and saw a green Jeep parked at the entrance. Chen Jianjun said, "Get in, let's go by car."

  Qiu Feng excitedly rushed to the Jeep, got in and looked around, touching this and that with a look of great interest. In contrast, Qiu Ye, who was younger than him, was much calmer.

  It's actually Qiu Ye who has seen more in the future, although she doesn't have her own private car, but there are others' everywhere on the street, and she has had enough of them. Compared to this Jeep and the one from before, it's not just a little worse.

  "Little girl is quite calm!" Chen Jianjun started the car, turned the steering wheel and drove out of Xinjiang Normal University.

  "That's right, you don't even see whose girl she is." Before Qiu Ye could speak, Zhao Shuyan had already answered for her. She was also proud of her own daughter's composure in the face of danger, making her look good in front of her friend. Of course, her son's excited expression was also very natural and innocent. In short, every child in their family was great.

  "Haha, okay, you little swallow's girl is not bad." Chen Jianjun teased Zhao Shuyan while driving.

  Qiu Ye looked at the interaction between the two people and quickly found that her godmother was much younger in front of old friends, more lively than usual.

  Chen Jianjun drove erratically to a bungalow, got out of the car first and walked in. He said to the person who came out from inside: "Old man, give us fifty skewers of mutton, a plate of hand-pulled noodles, several thin-skinned dumplings, another serving of hand-pulled meat, and a large jug of mare's milk wine."

  As soon as the words fell, a non-standard Chinese voice came from inside: "Good."

  "Let's go, we'll just wait inside." Chen Jianjun led the three people into the small shop with a familiar air, found an empty table and sat down.

  Qiu Ye had known for a long time that the most famous snack in Xinjiang was roasted lamb skewers, and it seemed that they became popular all over the country only after the sketch "Roasted Lamb Skewers" was broadcast during last year's Spring Festival Gala.

  In his past life, Qiu Ye had also eaten lamb skewers, but in that past life, the lamb skewers all over the street were not even a few real ones made with lamb meat. At that time, lamb was already very expensive, and people's ability to fake things had become as clear as fire. In order to gain more profits, they used other meats to imitate the smell of lamb and sold them as lamb skewers.

  That can't be considered mutton kebabs, today she has the opportunity to come to Xinjiang in person, and must try authentic mutton kebabs.