Busy with packing, Sheng Ze Xi brought in a basin of hot water, a towel draped over his shoulder.
“I guessed you were awake. Come wash up, then have breakfast.”
“Okay.” Gu Jia Ning took the hot towel Sheng Ze Xi had wrung out and began to wash up.
Everyone from the Gu Family was at breakfast this time. It was a rare occasion of everyone being together, but the atmosphere was rather quiet, each person's eyes filled with reluctance.
No matter how reluctant, they still had to leave when the time came.
Sheng Ze Xi placed all the large and small packages prepared by the Gu Family onto the jeep.
“Father and Mother, older brother and sister-in-law, please take care of yourselves,” Gu Jia Ning said, her eyes red, hugging and bidding farewell to each family member one by one.
“Go, go, be good to Little Xi.”
Through blurry tears, Gu Jia Ning finally got into the car. The door slowly closed, and Sheng Ze Xi started the engine.
The car slowly moved forward.
“My Ningning…” Yao Chunhua instinctively chased after it, Father Gu following behind her. Both were tearful.
Yao Chunhua’s suppressed emotions burst forth, and she wept uncontrollably, “Ningning has never left us before. I, I’m worried about her.”
A mother worries about her child traveling far away.
Yao Chunhua was worried.
Worried that she wouldn’t be able to eat enough, dress warmly, or take care of herself in such a distant place.
Worried that someone would bully her in a place she couldn’t see, and that she couldn’t stand up for her since she wasn’t there.
“Mother’s Ningning.”
Gu Yunting and the others also couldn't help but have tears in their eyes.
“Alright, old woman, don’t cry. Little Xi is a good man; he will take good care of Ningning,” Father Gu comforted his wife, but he also felt bad.
But no matter how good a husband is to her, could he be as good as her parents?
Every child is their parents’ heart and soul; it’s hard to let go, it hurts, it breaks their heart.
On the jeep, Gu Jia Ning turned around, looking back through the window, seeing her tearful parents chasing after the car.
She couldn't help it either, tears flowing continuously.
“Father and Mother…”
Gu Jia Ning desperately fought the urge to stop the car and turn back.
She could only silently say in her heart; Father and Mother, older brother and sister-in-law, you must take care of yourselves, and I will take care of Xi Ge.
Sheng Ze Xi saw his little wife crying, and his heart ached.
“Or, should I turn back? You can…”
Gu Jia Ning shook her head. Her family's figures were already far away, blurred by her tears.
She choked back sobs, “I’m fine; I’m just reluctant. Let’s go, otherwise, I’m afraid… I’m afraid I won’t want to leave.”
Having said that, she looked at Sheng Ze Xi with reddened eyes.
Now it was Sheng Ze Xi’s turn to almost cry, but they couldn’t not go.
After driving a while, Sheng Ze Xi stopped the car, hugged Gu Jia Ning, and gently comforted her. Gu Jia Ning knew she had to follow the army; she was just reluctant to leave her family for now.
“Don’t cry anymore, or you won’t be pretty.”
Gu Jia Ning immediately stopped crying and glared at him fiercely.
“Okay, okay, I was just kidding. Even when you cry, you are the most beautiful.”
Sheng Ze Xi wasn’t kidding this time. His little wife crying, tears streaming down her face, made his heart ache.
Gu Jia Ning finally stopped crying, and the car started again.
Sheng Ze Xi found it both amusing and heartbreaking to watch his quiet wife take out her cosmetics and start applying makeup.
But it was better than crying.
After Sheng Ze Xi and Gu Jia Ning left, a car from Beijing also arrived to pick up Grandfather Sang and Grandmother Sang.
As for Grandfather Sang, the National Weapons Research Institute in Beijing hadn’t seen him take leave for so long. Grandfather Sang was an important research personnel at their institute, and their current projects couldn’t go on without him.
Meanwhile, Sheng Ze Xi picked up someone else while he was in the city.
The man’s name was Zhou Yu. He was Sheng Ze Xi’s former comrade, but he was transferred after being injured on the battlefield and assigned to be the director of the city’s department store.
In that mission, if Sheng Ze Xi hadn’t pulled him out, he wouldn’t have simply been injured and transferred; he would have died.
Therefore, he was very grateful to Sheng Ze Xi.
The two became good brothers.
The jeep was borrowed from Zhou Yu by Sheng Ze Xi.
The army always discards some old cars; this car was bought and later modified by Zhou Yu.
When Sheng Ze Xi came here and needed a jeep, Zhou Yu lent it to him without hesitation.
Now, Sheng Ze Xi was taking Gu Jia Ning by train to join the army, so the jeep should be returned to its owner.
When they arrived at the train station, they would take a car, and Zhou Yu would drive the jeep back.
Gu Jia Ning remembered Zhou Yu; he attended their wedding banquet yesterday.
Soon, the car arrived at the train station.
The train station was crowded, and the air was a little murky. Gu Jia Ning frowned slightly.
She pulled her red towel upward, covering most of her face.
Sheng Ze Xi carried the large and small packages, especially the heavy items like the quilt and meat, on his back, while Gu Jia Ning carried the lighter ones.
Zhou Yu also helped them carry things and saw them onto the train.
In those days, there were no dedicated waiting rooms at train stations, so Zhou Yu could board the train to see them off, as long as he got off before the train left.
“Ningning, walk behind me, hold my hand, and don’t let go, okay?” Sheng Ze Xi instructed.
Both of his hands were full, so he couldn’t hold his little wife’s hand, but he would have preferred to.
Even if he couldn’t hold her hand, he still gave her careful instructions.
He walked ahead, Gu Jia Ning held the edge of his clothes, walking in the middle, and Zhou Yu brought up the rear, the two of them protecting Gu Jia Ning in the middle.
“Okay, I know.” Gu Jia Ning obediently replied.
The three of them boarded the train, which was even more crowded, full of people and things.
Thankfully, Sheng Ze Xi, tall and strong, was there to clear the way, and Zhou Yu was there to protect the rear, otherwise, Gu Jia Ning would not have dared to squeeze onto the train alone.
Actually, Gu Jia Ning had ridden the green-skinned train in her past life, but the experience wasn’t pleasant.
This time, Gu Jia Ning tried not to think about those things.
After passing through several carriages, they finally reached their sleeper berth.
They had the upper and lower berths, but when they arrived, the space was already occupied by three young men.
“Comrade, this is our seat,” Sheng Ze Xi said expressionlessly.
Perhaps because Sheng Ze Xi was wearing a military uniform, or perhaps because of his imposing demeanor and unapproachable aura,
the three young men immediately got up and left.
Sheng Ze Xi patted the upper and lower berths, making sure there was nothing dirty before letting Gu Jia Ning sit down.
After all, he knew that his little wife was delicate and clean, and it was a bit unfair to make her go to the far Northwest to join the army and squeeze onto this green-skinned train.
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