That evening, Su Tang told Lu Xiao about Su Xinyao’s visit.
Hearing his wife’s words, Lu Xiao’s brow furrowed slightly.
He hadn’t expected Su Xinyao to be so brazen as to co here looking for Su Tang.
"After all, she didn’t actually do anything that day. It’s not enough to be a cri, just a disruption of discipline at most."
After speaking, Su Tang’s thoughts drifted back to what Su Xinyao had said.
"You’re still thinking about what she said."
Lu Xiao asked, noticing Su Tang’s pensive expression.
"What she said today makes even more certain that my guess that day was correct."
Su Tang had guessed before that Su Xinyao must want sothing from Lu Xiao, which was why she was so persistent.
And what Su Xinyao said today only strengthened Su Tang’s conviction.
’If Lu Xiao didn’t have sothing Su Xinyao wanted, why would she try to persuade to leave him ti and ti again?’
"Alright, whatever she’s planning, we can just ignore her. I’ll protect you and the baby."
After he spoke, Lu Xiao pulled Su Tang into his arms, patting her back gently to soothe her.
Su Tang didn’t say any more, but once a seed of suspicion is planted, it grows wildly until it becos a towering tree.
Lu Xiao could see that Su Tang was still weighed down by her thoughts. He mulled it over and ca up with a good idea.
One day, when Su Tang got ho from work, she heard a lively hubbub inside. Listening closely, she thought she recognized so of the voices.
"Look who it is! Our busy bee is finally ho."
Sister-in-law Zhang Cui’s cheerful voice rang out from inside. A flash of delight crossed Su Tang’s eyes, and she quickened her pace.
"Whoa, slow down, slow down! We’re right here, we’re not going to run off."
Seeing Su Tang’s hurried steps, Sister-in-law Zhang Cui was startled and rushed out of the house to steady her.
"Sister-in-law, and Lin Qian, Brother Li, Sister Qiu, what are you all doing here?"
After speaking, Su Tang glanced around the room and was surprised to also see Sister Li and Aunt Wang.
"Listen to you! You’ve been living here for so long, and we haven’t even co to see you."
"It was Chang Jia who went back and told us you were pregnant. I was so thrilled, so of course we had to co over right away!"
Sister-in-law Zhang Cui was always forthright. After she spoke, a broad smile spread across Su Tang’s face.
"Actually, it was our Deputy Commander Lu who thought you might be feeling down because of the pregnancy, so he asked us to co keep you company."
"And you call yourself a good friend! You moved here and haven’t co back to see even once."
Lin Qian chid in.
Su Tang, a little embarrassed, took her hand.
"A lot has been going on recently, so I just haven’t had the ti."
Lin Qian huffed and turned her head away, pretending to be angry.
"I’ll stop being mad if you lend that book you said you’d show last ti."
Everyone chattered and laughed together in a lively jumble.
In the kitchen, the head chef for the day was Zhang Cui’s husband, Li Haixin. He was a bona fide, professionally trained cook, and the delicious aroma of the food wafted out long before it was ready.
When Lu Xiao returned, he saw everyone talking together.
Sister-in-law Zhang Cui was directing Li Haixin as he brought dishes to the table, while Lin Qian, holding a red cloth bundle, was close to Su Tang, holding up a piece of floral fabric for her to see.
"What do you think of this peacock blue? It would make a lovely little jacket that would brighten your complexion. It’ll be perfect for you to wear after you give birth and finish your postpartum confinent."
Su Tang looked up and her gaze t Lu Xiao’s smiling eyes. The sharp lines of his brow were relaxed, his usual intensity replaced by a gentle warmth that seed to lt away everything else.
"Deputy Commander Lu is finally back!"
Li Haixin, wearing an apron, poked his head out of the kitchen, still flipping a spatula.
"Just three more minutes! The last dish, candied sweet potatoes, will be all done!"
Lu Xiao nodded and said, "Thanks for your hard work." He walked over to Su Tang and spoke to her.
Zhang Cui, ever sharp-eyed, slapped Li Haixin on the back. "Look at Deputy Commander Lu! Now that’s how you dote on your wife. Not like you. Last ti I sprained my ankle, you complained that I was keeping you from your drinking."
The whole room erupted in laughter. Li Haixin scratched his head and tried to defend himself, "But it was a rare get-together with my old army buddies..."
The dinner table was even livelier.
The small house was packed with people, filled with family and friends.
Su Tang was very happy. She later learned from Lin Jianqiu that this was all Lu Xiao’s doing.
He had personally gone to their hos to invite them to co and keep her company.
"It’s such a long way. He was worried it would be inconvenient for us, so he even drove over specifically to get us."
"Su Tang, Lu Xiao is a really, really good man."
Hearing Sister Qiu’s words, Su Tang’s heart filled with warmth.
She knew, of course, that Lu Xiao was a good person, dependable and responsible.
It felt as though as long as he was there, she wouldn’t be afraid, no matter what dangers lay ahead.
After dinner, Lu Xiao showed them to the rooms he had prepared for them to rest. The journey was long, so there was no way they could go back that night.
Back in their room, Su Tang looked at Lu Xiao and asked, "How co Chang Jia didn’t co today?"
"Still thinking about Chang Jia? Don’t worry, you’ll be seeing plenty of him from now on."
Hearing his wife ntion another man, Lu Xiao couldn’t help but feel a little sour.
Even though that other man was his best friend and most loyal comrade-in-arms.
"Why do you say that?"
"Chang Jia got promoted. He’s being transferred here to be my deputy. From now on, you’ll not only get to see Chang Jia, but you’ll get to see Sister Qiu, too."
Hearing this, Su Tang’s eyes widened slightly, a flash of happy surprise in them.
She was, of course, thrilled to be able to see old faces and old friends here.
"Happy now? No more thinking about all that upsetting stuff, okay?"
Hearing Lu Xiao’s words, Su Tang nodded. Everything he had done today was to make her happy.
It would break his heart if she continued to worry about such foolish matters.
About seven or eight days passed just like that, and sure enough, Chang Jia’s transfer orders arrived. Along with them ca Lu Xiao’s own promotion.
Lu Xiao was successfully promoted to full Commander.
This made Su Tang marvel; when it ca to the speed of promotion, no one could compare to Lu Xiao.
’No wonder the book said he becos the most powerful person in the end.’
But there was even better news than that.
After an investigation by the higher-ups, Mr. and Mrs. Su had their positions successfully restored. They could now return to Shanghai.
Back to their own ho.
When they received the news, Mr. Su said nothing, but his eyes grew red. Mrs. Su was already beside him, sobbing uncontrollably.
They had waited for this day for a long, long ti. The elderly couple had even thought they might not live to see this matter resolved, that they would have to bear a tarnished reputation for the rest of their lives.
"Mom, Dad, you can go back to Shanghai now. Whether you choose to go back or stay here, I’ll respect your decision."
Su Tang said with a smile, holding her parents’ hands.
They were used to living in Shanghai, after all. Even now, living in the Northwest felt like they were just forcing themselves to adapt.
’Perhaps returning to Shanghai is the lifestyle that suits them best,’ Su Tang thought.
The only problem was, she couldn’t return to Shanghai anyti soon, which ant she couldn’t take care of her parents.
Su Tang felt a headache coming on.
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