Tao Wenrui was well aware of this. "I've made up my mind. In the past, I was away fighting wars. I only came home three times in between, so I have no bond with the children. When I was told to give Yanyan's mother up to my ex-wife, I just did. But now, asking me to hand Yanyan over to my ex-wife is something I simply can't bear to do."
Hearing him say this, Ji Changhou was relieved. "Then tell me about the matters at hand, and you can head back."
"Alright."
After discussing official business, Tao Wenrui made a few phone calls in Ji Changhou's office before heading back to pack his things.
When he returned, Xiao Yanyan was playing Eagle Catching the Chickens with the other children in the courtyard.
Tao Wenrui stood watching from the side for a moment; those little short legs of his daughter's moved quite fast. "Yanyan, are you coming home with Daddy?"
Xiao Yanyan was having too much fun to care. "No."
"Alright then. Come back when you're tired."
"Got it."
That evening, Wei Tiechui was thinking: when his wife came back, he would test her to see how many characters she had learned over this period.
Holding Xiao Yanyan by the hand and carrying two bags, Tao Wenrui walked in through the doorway. "What are you busy with?"
"Nothing much. Sit down."
"No, I need to go back to my hometown to pick up Yanyan's mother and her older brothers and sisters. Yanyan is still too young, so I won't drag her back and forth. I want her to stay at your place for a few days."
"Alright. When are you leaving?"
"Right now. This bag has Yanyan's things in it." Tao Wenrui placed a small bag on the table. "And here is some money. If it's not enough, I'll give you more when I get back."
Wei Tiechui picked up Xiao Yanyan. "Are you trying to disgust me? I am Yanyan's own older brother-in-law."
Since he put it that way, Tao Wenrui had no choice but to take the money back. "Very well. Yanyan, you must listen to your eldest cousin and eldest cousin-in-law."
Xiao Yanyan: "Got it. Have a safe trip."
Wei Tiechui: "Don't you worry, Yanyan and I make a great team. Right, Yanyan?"
Xiao Yanyan: "Right."
Tao Wenrui: "I'll be off then."
Xiao Yanyan and Wei Tiechui waved goodbye and chimed in, "Have a smooth journey."
Tao Wenrui ruffled Xiao Yanyan's head, picked up his bag, and left.
Wei Tiechui set Xiao Yanyan down on the table. "Have you eaten?"
"Eaten. Did you go to your brigade commander's wedding today?"
"I did."
"What kind of person is your brigade commander? Tell me about him."
"Our brigade commander..."
Wei Tiechui recounted everything he knew.
Xiao Yanyan summed it up. "Your brigade commander has won many battles, treats his subordinates well, and both his family's village and the surrounding villages were massacred by the Japanese devils."
"Correct. Comrade Su marrying our brigade commander is her good fortune."
Xiao Yanyan also hoped Su Yuyao would do well and that Brigade Commander Kou would fulfill all of Su Yuyao's demands. That way, Su Yuyao wouldn't keep missing her father. "Aren't you afraid of her whispering pillow talk?"
"Not at all. You even know about pillow talk?"
Xiao Yanyan smiled triumphantly. "I am the smartest kid in our village."
"Hahaha... Next are you going to say you're the smartest kid in our entire military region?"
"Hehe..."
As Chunhua returned from work and just stepped into the courtyard, she heard Yanyan laughing. "Yanyan is here?"
Xiao Yanyan: "Mmm, you're back from work?"
"I am. Have you eaten? If not, your cousin will make you something."
Yanyan: "I've eaten."
Wei Tiechui: "Yanyan is going to stay at our place for a few days. Her father went back to fetch her mother and her older brothers and sisters."
"Really?!"
Wei Tiechui: "Of course it's true."
"That's wonderful!" In the countryside, it was too hard for a woman to live alone. "Yanyan, when your mother arrives, make sure you have your father take her to get a marriage certificate. With a marriage certificate, it won't be an arranged marriage anymore. Once it's not an arranged marriage, your father won't be able to just dump your mother whenever he pleases. Right, Tiechui?"
Wei Tiechui: "Right."
Xiao Yanyan: "Got it." Even if she didn't push him, her father would go get it anyway. "Eldest cousin, how many characters have you learned?"
"I've learned one hundred and twenty-six."
"You're amazing."
"It's all thanks to your cousin-in-law's good teaching. How about you? How many have you learned?"
"I've only learned about fifty." For her age, being able to recognize that many characters in such a short time was already very impressive. "How are you getting along with the people at the cafeteria?"
"Quite well. I learned two new dishes, and I'll cook them for you when I have a day off."
"Great." Xiao Yanyan yawned. "I'm sleepy."
"Your cousin will go get some foot-washing water for you."
"Thank you, eldest cousin."
"Good girl."
After washing up, Xiao Yanyan went straight to bed.
Taking advantage of the time Xiao Yanyan was washing up, Wei Tiechui wrote out a test paper. "Come, come, let me test you and see how well you've been learning!"
"Alright." Chunhua was full of confidence.
Elsewhere, Su Yuyao and Kou Zhenbang had turned in early.
Kou Zhenbang was surprised to discover that Su Yuyao was still an untouched maiden. "What's going on? Weren't you married before? Could it be... Deputy Regiment Commander Tao is impotent?"
Su Yuyao didn't want to offend Tao Wenrui. "No. On our wedding night, we quarreled because of his daughter."
"You never consummated it the entire time?"
"Mmm."
"Then didn't I get an incredible bargain?"
"Indeed you did." Su Yuyao wrapped her arms around Kou Zhenbang's waist. "Are you happy?"
Kou Zhenbang kissed Su Yuyao. "Of course I'm happy. What do you want? I'll go buy it for you tomorrow."
Su Yuyao buried her face in Kou Zhenbang's chest. "I don't want anything. I just want you not to be as unreasonable as Deputy Regiment Commander Tao."
Kou Zhenbang kissed Su Yuyao again. "Rest assured, I will never be like him. If you find him an eyesore, I can figure out a way to get him transferred."
"No need." In her past life, Tao Wenrui had climbed quite high. Tao Wenrui felt guilty toward her, so if she asked him for help, he would definitely provide it. "If you transfer him away, people will think we have a guilty conscience."
"You don't find him an eyesore?"
"Whatever was between him and me is in the past. Now I just want to live a good life with you."
Kou Zhenbang stroked Su Yuyao's face. "How can you be so magnanimous?"
Su Yuyao smiled. "Be forgiving whenever possible; who knows if we might need to ask a favor of Deputy Regiment Commander Tao in the future?"
"Very well."
The next morning after breakfast, as soon as Kou Zhenbang stepped outside, he saw a little girl standing by his doorway. Kou Zhenbang smiled. "Little one, who are you looking for?"
"I'm looking for Brigade Commander Kou. I heard my stepmother is going to be his wife from now on. I've come to see what he looks like."
Kou Zhenbang realized who she was. "Are you Deputy Regiment Commander Tao's daughter?"
Xiao Yanyan nodded. "Who are you?"
Looking at Xiao Yanyan, Kou Zhenbang chuckled and said, "I am the Brigade Commander Kou you're looking for."
"You're the brigade commander?"
"Yes."
Xiao Yanyan curled her lip in disgust. "Why are you so short? You look like a Japanese devil."
A flash of darkness crossed Kou Zhenbang's eyes. "I am not a Japanese devil. I'm just short because I went hungry every day when I was a child."
Xiao Yanyan raised an eyebrow. "You are too a Japanese devil, you look like one in every single way."
"You child. Alright, Uncle won't talk with you anymore, Uncle has to go to work. Go on inside and play with Aunt Su, she has candy in there." With that, Kou Zhenbang left.
Xiao Yanyan stared at Kou Zhenbang's retreating back for a moment before leaving as well.