Chapter 860 - Call ‘Mom’ Instead
Chapter 860 Call ‘Mom’ Instead
Qiao Nan felt very fortunate that the Zhai family and these veteran revolutionaries were the ones that she had met.
“You should change your address to grandpa.” Zhai Sheng reminded. “If you call him old chief again, the old master won’t be pleased.”
“…” Qiao Nan pursed her lips but she was too shy to address the old master as such.
Qiao Dongliang, including the neighbors and friends that he had invited, appeared more reserved than one another. Everyone was sitting in a prim and proper way. It was as if this was the first day of school and they were carrying their schoolbags for studies. Their two hands were placed properly by the side of their body. They dared not move their pair of eyes much and they sat in a stiff and straight manner as if they were being punished.
Facing these veteran revolutionaries, these people really could not bring themselves to laugh. It was not easy for them to sit down in a calm and proper manner.
At this moment, everyone began to take their hats off Qiao Nan. It was no wonder she could be engaged with Regiment Commander Zhai. She had such extraordinary courage.
Even uncles and aunties like themselves were not as brave as Nan Nan.
The neighbors and friends invited by Qiao Dongliang usually behaved with propriety. Besides feeling nervous, they did not make any mistakes or do anything wrong. At the very least, they managed to go through this engagement with no hiccups.
The event was not especially grand. They did not hold a huge banquet at the hotel. It was just an ordinary banquet held at home. Nevertheless, to Qiao Nan, all these were more than sufficient.
Although Qiao Nan did not interact much with politicians, after hearing Lin Yuankang’s explanation, she knew that, in fact, the simpler the arrangements were, the more they approved of and respected her. When Qiao Nan knew about it, she was extremely touched.
As a former comrade of Old Master Zhai, of course, Lin Yuankang was one of the guests.
As Qiao Nan’s master, Lin Yuankang also had to attend the event.
It could be said that Lin Yuankang’s support had made it even easier for these veteran revolutionaries to accept Qiao Nan.
As such, although there were no flashing gown, palace-like venue, colored ribbons, fresh flowers, and champagne, Qiao Nan had already received the greatest affirmation and respect from the Zhai family.
The value of these thoughts and considerations could not be measured by materialistic means.
One just had to think about it. There were so many veteran revolutionaries who attended the event. At what kind of event would one normally see this happening?
It would only occur at very important and major events concerning the country!
Ordinary folks had no chance to meet or invite these veteran revolutionaries, not to mention the current situation whereby they were all gathered at the same place. In the whole of China, most likely, it would only be possible for the nation’s leaders to make this happen. Even when the nation’s leaders met them, they had to show much respect and tribute to them.
Qiao Nan was just a young lady from an ordinary family but she had received a treatment that was similar to that of the nation’s leaders. The Zhai family had flattered her so much.
Nothing was parallel to such an honor!
“It has been hard on you all. It’s just an engagement and I have to trouble you all to make the trip.” When the banquet ended, Old Master Zhai sent his former comrades off one by one.
The former comrades were all quite happy. “You’ve finally fulfilled this wish of yours. This time, you’re having the engagement banquet. Next time, you have to invite us to the wedding banquet. But there are some conditions. We are also the young lady’s elders from her grandfather’s generation. You can’t possibly be the only one receiving gifts. We want them as well. We are not expecting much. Just some items personally made by the young lady will do.”
“To hell with you all! Do you want to tire my granddaughter-in-law out? She has just completed her college entrance examination this year. She is the top humanities student of our province and has enrolled in Peking University. She will be very busy with her studies in the future,” Old Master Zhai said this in both a serious and proud manner.
The few veteran revolutionaries were speechless. They could not remember how many times Old Master Zhai had mentioned that the young lady was the top scorer in the college entrance examination. “You’re such an old man, yet, you’re not as stylish as the young lady in your manners.”
The young lady did not even mention it once. On the contrary, Old Zhai had been talking about it umpteen times. Didn’t he find it exhausting?
“Haha, you all are just jealous.” Old Master Zhai lifted his chin. He was still as fearless as ever.
The people from their generation did not have many opportunities to study. Their family conditions were not good either.
Thereafter, they were not sure why, but not many offspring of soldiers like them were good in their studies.
In the past, when Zhai Sheng’s grades were good, old Zhai talked about it in front of his former comrades all the time. Now, there was a fresh top student from Peking University. Of course, Old Master Zhai had new things to boast about before his former comrades again.
“Nan Nan, you must be exhausted, right?” Today, Miao Jing was overjoyed but it had been hard on her. At the sight of the guests leaving, she then went closer to Qiao Nan and asked her.
“I’m alright. Auntie Miao, you must be feeling tired.” Seeing that Miao Jing did not look too good, Qiao Nan felt very bad. It was just an engagement and they had to tire out so many people.
Qiao Nan must be feeling exhausted as well. The problem was that she was in the lead role today. Most importantly, she received a huge pile of red packets and praises, such as ‘handsome couple’ and ‘perfect match in heaven’. Qiao Nan’s hardship and fatigue were in exchange for a bucket full of returns.
“You’re still calling me auntie?” Zhai Sheng knitted his thick brows and said in a cajoling tone. “Call mom.”
The corners of Miao Jing’s lips curled up and she revealed a huge smile. “Right, although it’s the engagement and not wedding today, it’s also a marriage. Call mom, call mom!”
“Mom…” Qiao Nan’s voice was as small as the buzz of a mosquito. It was so different from the graciousness that she displayed when she was in front of the veteran revolutionaries earlier.
Nevertheless, such a soft and inaudible ‘mom’ made Miao Jing overjoyed. “Aiyo, I don’t feel tired anymore at the sound of this ‘mom’. Nan Nan, you have to call me mom, alright?”
Miao Jing was not the only one feeling happy. Zhai Sheng was so happy that he pulled Qiao Nan into his arms in front of Miao Jing.
If Miao Jing was not present, Zhai Sheng would have already thought of giving Qiao Nan a good kiss as a form of encouragement and reward.
It was just that the good mood did not sustain for too long. Old Master Zhai and Zhai Yaohui, who were sending the guests off, came back pulling long faces.
Shrinking her shoulders like a little wife, Zhai Hua dared not utter a word as she silently sought help from Qiao Nan with her eyes. As for Wei De, who was following behind, and the child that he was carrying in his arms, Zhai Hua did not even look at them.
Qiao Nan did not know who the child in Wei De’s arms was but she knew who Wei De was.
“What is this?” Miao Jing’s good mood vanished into thin air. She just felt her heart sank. “Where did this child come from? Can it be…”
Could it be that the thing that she was most worried about had happened? Furthermore, this was already the truth a few years ago?!
“Mom!!”
“Mom.”
The emotional-sounding word was from Zhai Hua, and the calm-sounding one was from Qiao Nan.
Qiao Nan patted Zhai Sheng’s arms and asked him to let go of her. She then walked over to Miao Jing and held her hands to calm her down. “Mom, this child should be that nephew of Comrade Wei. He’s the son of his younger sister.” It did not have anything to do with Sister Zhai Hua.
The child was already four years old. If one were to include the period of pregnancy, it would be about five years.