I was married off to a disabled hero in lieu of marriage; my in-laws doted on me and I aspired to gr

On his way home, Liu Songming couldn't help but mock Zhou Wenhui: "Back then, you were so determined to marry Cheng Zhaoying, but look at what kind of people you are."

"Liu Songming, you're kicking me when I'm down." Zhou Wenhui blushed.

"Well, the teacher sees things very clearly. He said that when intellectuals get ruthless, they can be more formidable than shrewish women. Look at the Cheng family, aren't they just shrewish women?"

"My father was injured and was preparing to go to the Soviet Union for treatment. He was waiting for me to see him in Beijing. Cheng Zhaoying actually hung up the phone with the military headquarters, and I almost missed seeing my father. It's unbelievable that a college student could be so narrow-minded," Zhou Wenhui said sullenly.

"Back then, your father was a division commander, and Cheng Zhaoying wanted to marry you. Now that the division commander has fallen on hard times, she may not be willing to marry you again."

Your father had anticipated this. His biggest fear was that things would start off touching but end in chaos, which is why he asked my mother to find you a stable marriage. Look how wonderful Qiaoqiao is; true love is revealed in times of hardship.

Liu Songming held his teacher in high esteem.

"Parents have gone to great lengths for their children. But why won't he wake up?" Zhou Wenhui looked at the snow scene outside the window, his heart filled with sorrow.

Liu Songming was also very saddened: "He wouldn't deny me even a chance to repay him, would he? On the contrary, I feel that the situation must have improved, otherwise why has he been so slow to return to China?"

Due to communication difficulties, Zhou Wenhui had not received any news from his parents for half a year. Another Spring Festival has arrived, and they are still not by his side.

Three days later, Qiaoqiao received an admission notice from the History Department of Huailin University in the same city.

Looking at the simple notification letter, Qiaoqiao was filled with mixed emotions: "This was hard-won."

Qiaoqiao's mother couldn't read and held the notice in great awe, quickly putting it in a drawer: "I'll hide it well for you, make sure Xiaowei doesn't tear it up. Qiaoqiao, after this incident, I've realized that Wenhui is a responsible and good boy. He's been running around for you. Let me tell you, you must treat him well; such a good man is rare."

"I know that when I married Zhou Wenhui, I imagined a thousand hardships. Who knew I would marry such a good man? My grandfather said I have a good face and will meet benefactors. Wenhui's whole family are my benefactors."

"Yes, your in-laws are also very good people. The reason your grandfather trusts your family is because he knows their character. He said that people with this kind of temperament can raise good children."

Qiaoqiao's mother smiled contentedly, forgetting that she hadn't slept well for several months because of Qiaoqiao's marriage.

On the evening of the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, Qiaoqiao checked the things she had brought back to her hometown over and over again. Tomorrow, her whole family would be returning to Dashui Village.

Yang Zheng went back first. He needed to help his grandparents clean the house and heat the kang (a heated brick bed) in advance so that Xiao Weiwei wouldn't get cold.

All cozy homes are alike. Qiaoqiao and her mother packed New Year's goods into travel bags, while Zhou Wenhui played with his son in the "pigsty".

Despite the giggling laughter, the mother kept talking, and Qiaoqiao was busy. Zhou Wenhui spared no effort in teaching his son to say "Dad".

Someone knocked on the door, and Zhou Wenhui called out, "Qiao, open the door, we have a guest."

It's so late, who would come?

Qiaoqiao hurriedly went to open the door. It was a snowy night, and at the door, Songming was pushing a wheelchair. The person sitting in the wheelchair was her father-in-law, and her mother-in-law was standing behind him.

Luo Meiyun called out gently, "Qiaoqiao, we're back."

They're back... Mom and Dad are back? Qiaoqiao took two steps back, tears streaming down her face. She couldn't speak and just stood there, stunned.

"Who is it?" Zhou Wenhui asked loudly.

Qiaoqiao left her parents at the door and hurriedly ran back into the house, saying to Zhou Wenhui, "Dad, Mom, Mom and Dad are back..."

My hands are trembling, my lips are trembling. This isn't real, it's a dream. Wenhui, go and see if Mom and Dad have come back.

Zhou Wenhui jumped up abruptly, hurriedly leaped out of the "pigsty," and strode towards the living room door with steel-like steps.

"Silly boy, you don't even recognize your old man?" Zhou Zhonghai chuckled as Liu Songming pushed the old chief into the house.

Zhou Wenhui squatted down with difficulty and stroked his father's legs.

Stroking her father's hand, her hand was there.

Stroking Bai Jie's face, he noticed how much paler he had become. Years of leading troops in battle had never made him this pale.

"He's all here, but he's been in bed for too long and is too weak, so he came back in a wheelchair," Zhou Zhonghai said kindly to Zhou Wenhui.

"Dad, Dad..." Zhou Wenhui buried his head in Zhou Zhonghai's lap and called out hoarsely.

Dad, you're back. I've been waiting for you day after day, second after second.

I thought I'd never see you again, but you're back.

Zhou Zhonghai stroked Zhou Wenhui's head, his eyes reddening: "Silly boy, you've matured, you've grown up."

Qiaoqiao kept wiping away her tears, as did Luo Meiyun and Liu Songming.

"Wenhui, your in-laws are back. Come inside, it's cold outside."

A single sentence brought her back to reality. Luo Meiyun helped her son up and said, "Wenhui, that's great, you can walk again, that's wonderful. Come on, let Daddy come inside, I need to see our little grandson."

Upon entering the room, Zhou Xiaowei picked up a small wooden toy, looked at it curiously, and then suddenly hit it on his head.

Luo Meiyun dropped what she was holding and cried out in a panic, "Oh dear, why are you hitting yourself?"

Stunned by his own actions, Zhou Xiaowei burst into tears upon seeing so many strangers.

"Come here, my grandson, let me hug you."

Zhou Zhonghai wanted to hug her, but Zhou Xiaowei didn't want anyone. She reached out her little hand to her grandmother, as if she was crying for help.

Qiaoqiao's mother quickly picked up Xiaowei, and the little boy immediately stopped crying and nestled in her safe embrace.

"My dear in-laws, thank you for your hard work. Our grandson is so big, but he doesn't even recognize his grandparents." Zhou Zhonghai expressed his sincere gratitude.

"It's no trouble at all, it's no trouble at all. Your return, my dear in-law, is the best thing ever. You haven't eaten yet, have you? I'll go make some food."

"We've already eaten. We ate at Xiao Liu's house. We only found out you moved when we got to the military family compound. Qiaoqiao, I'm so sorry you had to go through that."

"Mom, we're doing well. Wenhui and I miss you both so much."

Qiaoqiao quickly asked Liu Songming and her mother to sit down while she went to make tea.

"Dad, you're back, but you didn't even call me. Should I come to Beijing to pick you up?"

The usually aloof Zhou Wenhui has become much more talkative.

"I was planning to rest for a while, but your Uncle Pu told me to come back quickly, saying that the country needs me for construction. Your dad is a rough old man, good at fighting, but he might have a hard time in construction," Zhou Zhonghai chuckled.

"Commander, where does Commander Pu intend to place you?" Liu Songming asked.

"What good job could the Minister of Agriculture possibly offer me? Agriculture needs reform these days. Ensuring people have enough to eat and a surplus is no easy task. Hey, in-law, how's raising chickens, ducks, and rabbits going in Dashui Village? I'm planning to go there and do some research."

Qiaoqiao's mother hesitated for a while before saying, "After you got injured, the rabbits in Dashui Village were all taken away by the county because they were about to be sheared. We raised a dozen or so chickens, but Secretary Gao made us slaughter them. Only the pigs were raised to adulthood, and we were given twenty yuan per pig for feed, but they were taken away by the county."

"What's going on?"

"My dear in-law, nothing can be accomplished without your support. Take Jin Tao, for example, he was so ambitious, yet he was expelled from the Academy of Agricultural Sciences."

"Outrageous! Fu Sanjun is too audacious! Even if I die, he can't just steal my livestock! A bunch of useless trash!"

Zhou Zhonghai was so angry that he stood up from his wheelchair, but he was still a little dizzy, so he sat down again.