Chapter 1559: Chapter 1559: A Girl 1
The triplets rubbed their hands together, and three bamboo dragonflies flew into the sky. In the blink of an eye, two fell to the ground, while one continued to fly erratically. The one still flying obviously belonged to Lu Erxiong, as Dundun and Zhuangzhuang had already picked up the ones that landed.
Each of their cheeks was flushed, and their eyes sparkled brightly.
“Mine went the highest!” As soon as the words left his mouth, with a loud “plop,” Lu Erxiong’s bamboo dragonfly fell down, landing right at Feng Qingxue’s feet.
Lu Erxiong rushed over to grab his bamboo dragonfly, and at the sa ti, he caught sight of his parents’ feet.
“Dad, Mom!” Lu Erxiong looked up and happily raised his bamboo dragonfly. “Big Brother gave it to ! He also brought a slingshot, a wooden horse, a cicada toy, and snacks. Big Brother is really great!”
Feng Qingxue patted his sweat-dampened head. “Yes, your big brother is really wonderful. I miss him too.”
As she spoke, Lu Jiang had already greeted Cheng Baoguo. “Uncle Cheng, how are things at ho? Are you here for a vacation or on a business trip? If it’s a vacation, stay a little longer.”
Since there were guards and attendants at ho, Lu Jiang didn’t address him as “Third Uncle.”
Cheng Baoguo spoke in a booming voice and laughed, “This ti I’m staying for quite a while, a year or half a year—don’t get sick of !”
Lu Jiang and Feng Qingxue were visibly surprised, their eyes filled with silent questions.
“I’ve retired!” Cheng Baoguo said with a grin.
Lu Jiang and Feng Qingxue were shocked. “What? You’ve retired?”
In the trajectory of past events, Cheng Baoguo had stayed in Huaibei City for more than a dozen years. It wasn’t until the conclusion of a major upheaval that he was promoted directly. He hadn’t retired even at seventy-five, rely transitioning to a less critical position. And now he was retiring so early? This was completely unexpected.
Cheng Baoguo spread his hands and chuckled warmly. “That’s right, I’ve retired. I’m getting old—over sixty now. My mind isn’t as sharp anymore; I’m no longer fit for a leadership role. Who should retire if not ? No need to waste state resources. Retirent is great—it’s freeing. Now I can co to stay with you and reunite with your aunt. If you get tired of , I’ll take the triplets back to the hotown.”
Now that the country was essentially at peace, Lu Jiang had no problem shielding his family. There was no need for Cheng Baoguo to hold onto his position.
He could have gotten a promotion, possibly moving to the provincial capital of Jinling, and based on the rank, could have held the position for a few additional years. There were even opportunities for further advancent later. But he didn’t want to leave Huaibei City and instead opted to retire under the pretense of being old and infirm.
Cheng Baoguo, who didn’t have children, lacked great ambition in his career. Whether he retired early or late made little difference to him.
If it were a ti of strife, he certainly wouldn’t have retired. But wasn’t this the end of peaceful tis now? At an advanced age, it was better to step aside and make room for the younger generation—avoiding the risk of muddling things up when senility inevitably set in.
Letting the triplets continue playing with their bamboo dragonflies in the courtyard, Lu Jiang and Feng Qingxue walked into the main house with Cheng Baoguo, ready for a long chat.
Unexpectedly, Lu Jiang and Feng Qingxue discovered that there was a new little guest in their ho.
It was a girl about the sa age as Fubao. Dressed in tattered clothes, she appeared timid, her sparse, straw-like hair framing a face darkened by sun exposure yet tinged with an unnatural red. Fubao was offering her snacks and saying, “My na is Lu Tianhui. What’s your na?”
“Liu Erya,” the little girl replied softly, clutching the snacks but too shy to eat.
Wang Cuilan spoke with gentle affection. “Erya, go ahead and eat. Don’t hold them too tightly or they’ll lt away. Let get you so water, alright?”
Liu Erya was just about to take a bite of the honey cake in her hand when she suddenly noticed the arrival of Lu Jiang and Feng Qingxue. They looked as if they had just stepped out of a portrait. Imdiately, she stood up uneasily and turned her eyes toward Cheng Baoguo for reassurance.
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