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

"Dad, please sit down. I'll make you a bowl of brown sugar and egg soup; it's good for replenishing your blood."

"Okay, okay, thank you for your hard work, Qiaoqiao."

Luo Meiyun didn't sit idle either; she followed Qiaoqiao into the kitchen.

"mom!"

Qiaoqiao called out, and Luo Meiyun hugged her, saying in a tender voice, "My child, you've worked so hard."

"Mom, this past year must have been tough for you too, right?"

"It was tough, but thankfully it's all over now. Your father has woken up, and Wenhui has stood up again. I heard from Xiao Liu that he published a book and is giving speeches all over the place to support his family. When you first came to my house, Wenhui didn't even want to go out in the sun, but now he dares to give speeches. Qiaoqiao, you changed Wenhui. Mom will remember this kindness."

"Mom, aren't we family? By saying that, you're treating me like an outsider."

"We're family, so we should still express our gratitude. Your parents are so happy that you got into university."

"It's not that I'm good at studying, it's that Wenhui forced me to study. Ten days after I gave birth, he made me read books. He's so amazing," Qiaoqiao couldn't help but complain.

"That silly boy, reading during his postpartum confinement will ruin his eyesight, that would be a real problem."

"A strict teacher produces outstanding students. If he hadn't forced me, how could I, a junior high school student, have gotten into university?" Qiaoqiao couldn't help but defend Wenhui.

"Qiaoqiao, you and Wenhui are both making progress, and Mom is so happy for you."

Qiaoqiao wanted to make two bowls of eggs, but Luo Meiyun stopped her, saying, "Mom isn't eating. She's too happy today and can't eat anything. Just make one bowl for Dad; he hasn't fully recovered yet."

"Okay, I'll make it for you when you're ready to eat."

While drinking his brown sugar and egg soup, Zhou Zhonghai asked, "Are you carrying all these bags and packages because you're going back to your hometown for the New Year?"

"Yes, Wenhui has arranged a car and is ready to leave early tomorrow morning. Since you and Mom are back, we won't be going; we'll stay home and celebrate the New Year with you," Qiaoqiao said truthfully.

"No, go, you have to go, Xiao Liu, arrange a car for tomorrow, I want to go back with my in-laws." Zhou Zhonghai turned to Liu Songming and said.

"Yes, I'll go back with you to see my mother." Liu Songming also wanted to go back to his hometown for the New Year.

"That's great, let's all go back."

Qiaoqiao was very happy, but she was also conflicted. Her grandparents and father were waiting for her, as they only went back once a year. Her in-laws had just returned, and she didn't want to leave them alone at home for the New Year.

If everyone goes back, the family will be reunited.

Liu Songming sat for a while and then asked Zhou Zhonghai to go back to the compound to live, but Zhou Zhonghai disagreed: "This is my home. I need to live with my grandson. You go back and come pick me up tomorrow morning."

"Teacher, the house is too small, there's not enough room for us to live here."

Qiaoqiao quickly said, "Wenhui and I will stay in my brother's room, and Mom and Dad will stay in the master bedroom with Wenhui and me."

"Even if you have to sleep on the sofa, you still want to live with your son and daughter-in-law? Liu Songming, get out of here!"

"Okay, okay, I'm leaving." Liu Songming chuckled as he got up to take his leave.

The family sat down, and Luo Meiyun and Qiaoqiao's mother took Zhou Xiaowei into the bedroom. Luo Meiyun wanted to get her grandson used to her as soon as possible.

"I was very sad to learn that you had moved out of the military family compound. People are so cold-hearted. I work for the provincial party committee, but I can't bring my family with me. I plan to settle down in Huailin City. My house should be approved after the New Year, and then you can move in with me."

"Dad, actually this small house is quite nice, it's close to work."

Zhou Wenhui stammered, "That's my father's house. Could it be that he was kicked out again after only a few days?"

"What a load of rubbish! It's hard to even turn around. If you think it's convenient for commuting, then you can live here. Qiaoqiao and her grandson are moving out." Zhou Zhonghai said angrily.

"Dad, how can you say something like that?" Zhou Wenhui muttered.

"I've finally come back to life, shouldn't I enjoy some family time? Besides, Mom needs your care too."

"Okay, okay, I'll do as you say, we'll live together."

With the father around, Zhou Wenhui can never be the head of the household.

"Didn't you make some money from your speeches? Take out three thousand and renovate your father-in-law's house. Consider it a loan from me, and I'll give you an IOU."

Zhou Zhonghai continued, and Qiaoqiao exclaimed in surprise, "Dad, how can that be?"

"This year, I'm so grateful to my in-laws for taking care of Qiaoqiao and my grandson. I spent a lot of the country's money, and my superiors wanted to give me some subsidies, but I didn't accept them. Now that I'm alive, I can't cause any more trouble for the country. When I start working at the Ministry of Agriculture, I'll have a salary of about two hundred yuan, and I can pay it off in a little over a year."

"Dad, Qiaoqiao and I will take this money. We are filial to our parents."

"No, one is one, two is two. I'm grateful for my in-laws' help in my time of need, so this money must be paid by your mother and me. As for your filial piety, that's your business, I don't care."

"Isn't it the same thing for us to go out?"

"Of course it's not the same thing. Do as I say, give me three thousand yuan tomorrow, and I'll personally hand it over to Qiaoqiao's grandfather."

"All right."

This Minister Zhou is no ordinary stubborn man.

"Once I take office, my workplace will allow me to hire a nanny. As for Qiaoqiao's mother, we can't trouble her anymore, and we can't keep letting the couple live apart. From now on, your mother and the nanny will take care of the child, and she will be sent to Dashui Village to work during winter and summer vacations."

"Alright, we've let Mother down. She's been here for over a year and hasn't gone back even once. If it weren't for her, Qiaoqiao and I don't know what kind of mess we would be in."

"Two families supporting each other is the most precious emotion in life. Qiaoqiao, thank you, you have raised Wenhui very well."

"I...I didn't do anything. It was Wenhui who made us proud."

Qiaoqiao was speechless for a moment. If we're talking about education, it should be Zhou Wenhui who educated her more.

"Haha, anyway, you two are a match made in heaven. And my in-laws are a match made in heaven too. Okay, time to sleep, we have to go back to Dashui Village tomorrow."

Zhou Zhonghai was getting ready for bed when Zhou Wenhui quickly stopped him, asking, "How is Wenjing?"

"He's doing well. He's settled down in the Soviet Union; he was also a Chinese student there. I can't interfere in his affairs. I asked him to come back with me, but he refused. Oh, by the way, he brought you a wedding gift—a watch—and a necklace for Qiaoqiao. They're with Liu Songming; we'll get them back after the New Year."

"Is he married? Does he have children?"

"No, he said he doesn't want children for the time being. You know, what's wrong with China? Why does he have to wander abroad? But this time, we still owe him a lot. He found a top doctor to perform the surgery on my father and hired a sleep therapist to put me into deep sleep and stimulate me to wake up from my dream. Without him, maybe my father really wouldn't have woken up."

Zhou Zhonghai spoke casually, but those days were Luo Meiyun's darkest hour.

"Wenjing will definitely come back. He's probably waiting for another opportunity," Zhou Wenhui muttered to himself.

"Let him be. I'll just focus on you. Tell your mom to take Xiaowei to our room. I'll sleep with him tonight so his grandma can get some rest."

"Dad, I'm afraid that won't work, he'll cry."

"I'm not afraid of a thousand troops, why would I be afraid of a little kid crying?"

Zhou Zhonghai simply did not understand that a child could be more terrifying than a thousand troops.

Xiao Wei couldn't find his grandmother and mother and was with two strangers. He cried loudly for half an hour, breaking Qiao Qiao's mother's heart. She forcibly took him back to her room.