Did the world end today?

Chapter 237 Reunion

In Liuhe Village, at the entrance of an ordinary bungalow by the main road, a middle-aged man with white hair is bundling up straw harvested from the fields.

His upper body was bare, and beads of sweat rolled down his dark skin. His bulging muscles, under the sunlight, looked as if they had been carved with a knife, exuding a rugged and beautiful aesthetic.

If there were an artist, painter, or photographer beside him at this moment, they would surely be amazed by the incredible power bursting forth from the earth and the exaggerated beauty created by that power.

Those exquisite works of art pale in comparison to this moving, living sculpture; every perfectly formed detail is a gem-like crystallization left behind by civilization after thousands of years.
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Unfortunately, such a work of art has no audience.

On the contrary, the woman sitting on the stool next to him seemed to have long been accustomed to such a scene, so accustomed that she didn't even bother to look at her twice.

"Honey, look over at the village entrance, there are so many cars coming!"

"Oh dear, I'm afraid some high-ranking official has come down to inspect again."

As soon as he finished speaking, the man looked up and casually said:

"They're probably here to check on the solar panels—aren't the solar panels in the village being dismantled? The abandoned land is about to be developed, so they'd have to check it out, wouldn't they?"

"It should be."

The woman nodded, then asked:

"What did the village say? What about those lands?"

"Should we split it up, or sell it all for development?"

"Who knows—whatever."

The man's tone was a bit stiff, but that was just his usual way of speaking.

The people who have settled in this land still have a bit of "male chauvinism" in them, and they always speak in a rough, even cold and hard way.

Of course, this does not mean that the two have a bad relationship.

In fact, during the harvest season, the men knew very well that when their wives picked up the same sickle and drank from the same bowl, their lives were intertwined.

This is especially true after having children.

For thirty years, the couple devoted all their attention to their child.

They often argued, but as their child grew up, they always compromised.

Is this a compromise?
Not really.

It's possible that the child is just a stepping stone.

"For the sake of the children" is actually "for the sake of oneself".

Hey.

In that case, I should thank him.

The man couldn't help but find it somewhat amusing.

Noticing his expression, the woman frowned and asked:

"What are you laughing at?"

"I'm laughing at that kid."

The man replied:
"Even as a little kid, he knew about guns and war. He bought firecrackers and made grenades, which blew up the roof of my third uncle's house. It's funny to think about it now."

As soon as she finished speaking, the woman laughed.

But as she smiled, a hint of melancholy crept into her eyes.

She hesitated for a moment, wanting to speak several times, but not knowing what to say.

Finally, she turned to the man and asked:
"Honey, do you think the kid will get into any trouble in the army?"

"Five months have passed in the blink of an eye, and they still haven't sent me any news."

"I don't know what's going on either."

"Didn't his boss say it was a classified project, a classified project?"

The man glared at the woman with wide eyes.

“Can you just write to me about classified projects? That kid’s really something now, doing the same things as Qian Xuesen and Deng Jiaxian.”

"You're asking questions and inquiring blindly—you're just talking nonsense!"

"You're just like that gossipy woman, you can't keep your mouth shut!"

"You were so proud of yourself when the county leaders came last time!"

"I know."

The woman sighed.

Of course she knew she shouldn't talk nonsense or ask questions.

But sometimes, I just can't help it.

That's her son.

How can I not worry if there's been no news for months?

Although the local government will come to check on things from time to time and help solve problems.

But when asked, they knew nothing about it.

All I know is that he's doing something important in the military, but what exactly is he doing, and when will he be able to come back?
do not know.

A mother worries when her son travels far away; sometimes, a woman might even think, "I wish I hadn't sent him to the army."

Going to a vocational school is better than going to that National University of Defense Technology.

Isn't the neighbor's kid doing just fine?
We've bought a car and a house, and we should get married next year.

But she doesn't even know where her own son is right now.

When others mention it, they all say they envy He Qijun for doing great things and contributing to the country, but behind his back they always say with a bit of smugness, "My son is at home."

These words had reached the woman's ears more than once.

She didn't know how to refute it.

Only when the county's top leaders personally visit every two months can they finally feel proud and elated.

That's why the head of the household calls her a gossip.

What can be done?
With my son not around, there's not much else to say.

Rather than saying he was showing off that a high-ranking official had come to his door, it would be more accurate to say he was showing off his son to others.

My son is still alive.

It's not just us who are worried; our leaders are worried too.

He should be back by now that he's finished with his business, right?
The woman stood up, dusted off her trousers, and saw the convoy approaching from the village entrance in the distance.

She vaguely saw a familiar figure, who seemed to be one of the leaders who had visited the place last time.

"hey-hey!"

"The boss!"

"Look at those people!"

"They've come all the way to my house!"

Upon hearing her words, the man looked up and gazed into the distance.

Sure enough, a large group of people was marching towards them.

"It shouldn't be!"

The man frowned.

"But the day hasn't come yet!"

"Besides, they didn't give us any advance notice!"

A sense of foreboding suddenly rose in his heart.

For the two elderly people who live alone at home, the last thing they want to see is an "important person" arriving without prior notice.

Everyone knows what this means.

It is meritorious service.

But more likely, it's a sacrifice.

The man's heart pounded. Seeing that the group was getting closer and closer, he quickly put down what he was holding.

"Go boil some water."

He opened his mouth and said:
"I'll go take a look first."

"Me too, us!"

Go boil some water!

The man shouted decisively.

The woman opened her mouth, but ultimately turned and went inside.

At this moment, the man's hands began to tremble.

He shakily pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and then staggered forward.

He faced the group of people, and with them, the unknown and terrifying outcome.

Perhaps for this honest and simple man who had been a farmer all his life, this moment was the bravest moment of his life.

From a distance, the man recognized the leader the woman had mentioned.

It was indeed the leader who visited last time, and he was a high-ranking leader.

But now, this big leader is just leading the way.

Behind him followed someone even more important.

It’s over.

The man's lips were trembling, and the smoke he exhaled was intermittent.

Sparks landed on the back of his hand, but he was completely unaware.

Until that leader spoke up.

"Old He!"

"Congratulations, Tianfu!"

He Tianfu came to his senses.

He hurriedly greeted him.

"County Chief Zhang."

"Oh, you forgot again? Call him Old Zhang!"

The leader quickly waved his hand, a relaxed smile on his face, which gave He Tianfu a sudden feeling of relief, as if he had been completely exhausted.

If he had truly sacrificed himself, he wouldn't have this expression, right?
As expected, the county magistrate continued:
"Today, the leaders of Comrade He Qijun's project happened to be in Luoyang for research. They heard that Comrade He Qijun's hometown is nearby, so they made a special trip to visit him."

"Old He, your son has done a great job." "At least this is the minimum."

As he spoke, the county magistrate held up one finger.

First-class merit?
He Tianfu's heart, which had just been at ease, immediately jumped back into suspense.

The other party seemed to realize that their communication was somewhat inappropriate, so they quickly added:

"These days, it's not common to get a first-class merit award without any problems. You can stay home and wait for him to return in triumph and celebrate."

He Tianfu felt his eyes getting a little wet.

He wiped his hand casually, and the cigarette between his fingers burned his forehead.

He quickly threw away the cigarette and took out the cigarette pack again to distribute the cigarettes.

"Smoke, smoke!"

The county magistrate didn't dare to accept it.

Qin Feng, on the other hand, casually took one and put it directly in his mouth.

"Uncle He, something doesn't look right on your face? Are you panicking?"

Qin Feng's tone was somewhat teasing.

Lin Xu could tell that he was deliberately creating a relaxed atmosphere.

He Tianfu smiled awkwardly, intending to answer, but then asked a question he couldn't help asking.

"Boss, is my son alright?"

"It's okay."

He Qijun, who was standing to the side—or more accurately, He Qijun who had taken over Ayana's body—answered:
"Being healthy means you have a good appetite."

He Tianfu glanced at Ayana with surprise, and Qin Feng quickly explained:
"This is Comrade He Qijun's confidential secretary, who is in charge of the administrative work of the experimental project, or simply put, he is in charge of logistics."

"She has a lot of contact with Comrade He Qijun, so she will mainly talk to you in a bit."

"Good! Good!"

He Tianfu nodded repeatedly.

"Let's talk inside! Let's talk inside!"

A smile finally appeared on his face.

When the group arrived at the door, the happy and relaxed expressions on everyone's faces finally made the woman, who had just returned from boiling water, relax.

How could she not know why she, as the head of the household, reacted that way?
How could she not know that with so many important figures arriving, something might have happened?
Fortunately, judging from the current situation, nothing bad has happened.

He Tianfu pulled the woman aside and briefly explained what had happened, and the woman finally smiled.

"Please have a seat, I'll go make some tea."

"Move the stools first!"

He Tianfu glared again, and Lin Xu waved his hand and said:

"No need to rush, there's a place to sit."

As he spoke, he took the lead and sat down on the blue stone by the door, and the others also found their own places.

The woman quickly came out with the tea. After each of them took a sip, Lin Xu didn't waste any time. Instead, he gave He Qijun a look, signaling him to do as he pleased.

He Qijun seemed unsure where to begin.

He doesn't have that experience either!
He was always on the front lines in the army, and he had never participated in political work involving family members before.

Not to mention, now in such a strange identity.

He coughed and began to speak:
"He Qijun is a good comrade."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Xu could barely contain himself.

What does this mean?
Is this the final verdict?
Fortunately, He Qijun quickly realized the inappropriateness of this statement and immediately corrected it.

“I learned a lot from working with him. He often talked about his hometown. I happened to be in Luoyang, so I came to visit.”

"oh oh!"

He Tianfu responded repeatedly.

He's actually a bit strange.

This woman, who looks like a foreigner at first glance.
It turns out to be his own son's boss?

how can that be possible?
After hesitating for a long time, he finally couldn't help but ask:

"Sir/Madam, are you a foreigner?"

He Qijun was stunned for a moment.

Then, without batting an eye, he replied:
"minority."

"oh oh!"

He Tianfu finally felt relieved.

The conversation quickly got on track.

Lin Xu said nothing and did nothing.
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In fact, he was already prepared.

If He Qijun really let slip and revealed that "he is their son," he could simply use his authority to include his parents in the confidentiality list as well.

Don't they deserve it?
Of course it's a good match.

I didn't tell them simply to avoid putting extra pressure on them.

Therefore, Lin Xu did not intend to interfere with He Qijun.

He just listened quietly as the two chatted about everyday matters, about things that "He Qijun told me to tell you two elders."

Halfway through the conversation, Lin Xu felt he couldn't take it anymore.

He thought He Qijun would take this opportunity to say everything he wanted to say.

But in reality, he was very restrained.

They even restrained themselves to the point that they didn't explain or mention anything about taking care of their parents in their old age.

What did he talk about with He Tianfu?
It was just some "casual conversations during the leaders' inspections."

Now that combine harvester rentals are cheaper, there's no need to harvest yourself; you can just hire a machine when you're harvesting wheat.

The roof of this old house doesn't look new. Should we repair it? If we have any difficulties, we can contact the county government.

You should smoke less; it's bad for your health.

Regular checkups are necessary. The New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme now offers free checkups, so you should actively participate.

By the way, I heard that He Qijun also bought critical illness insurance for you two, which includes medical check-up items. You should consider using it.

You moved to the county town after the autumn harvest, right? The new house your son bought for you is pretty good, isn't it?
Not bad? That's right, a few of my colleagues and I also helped with the selection process.

Where is he now? He's in lockdown, and it'll probably be several more months before the lockdown ends.

Before he closed the door, he told me to come visit you two when I had time. I originally planned to come back before the New Year, but unfortunately that didn't happen.

I'll come again before the New Year.
Lin Xu stood up and walked to the side.

He didn't want to listen anymore.

Qin Feng stood beside him, smoking a cigarette.

Lin Xu really wanted to have one for himself at that moment.

Half an hour later, He Qijun's conversation with the two elderly people came to an end.

After a simple reunion, there was another simple farewell.

Before leaving, Lin Xu walked up to the two elderly people and shook hands with them.

He Tianfu suddenly leaned closer to him, grabbed him, and gestured that he had something to say.

Lin Xu gave Qin Feng a look, signaling the others to leave first. After everyone had left, He Tianfu suddenly asked nervously:
"Boss, I can see that you are the highest leader."

"Tell me the truth, is my son really alright?"

"fine."

Lin Xu answered with some difficulty.

But then I thought about it.

There's really nothing wrong.

He Qijun will come back.

They will definitely come back.

However, it will take time.

So he continued:

Are you worried?

It's not that I'm worried.

He Tianfu gave an awkward laugh.