My Taoist nun girlfriend is from the Republic of China era, 1942.

Chapter 189 Lu Yang's Promise

Sun Jia's guidance was skillful. She never forced Zhao Moli to complete a specific target, but instead incorporated training into games such as "cops and robbers" and "rabbits hopscotch".

Zhao Moli's playful spirit was fully aroused, and with Zheng Qingtong's company, she unknowingly burned a lot of calories while chasing and jumping.

Ten days passed in the blink of an eye.

Zhao Moli's face seems to have shrunk, and the contours of her chin are much clearer.

The most significant change is that she can jump rope twenty times in a row. Although her posture is still clumsy, it is a remarkable breakthrough for her.

On New Year's Eve, Lu Yuan drove his car with his wife and children to the old neighborhood where Lu Jianguo and his wife lived.

Downstairs, Zhao Qiang was leading Zhao Moli in setting up a string of small firecrackers. When they saw Lu Yuan's car, they waved from afar.

"Godfather! Godmother! Yangyang!"

Zhao Moli dropped the firecracker in her hand and rushed over like a small cannonball.

As soon as Chen Xiaomiao got out of the car, she was embraced tightly.

"Oh, my sweet girl."

She smiled and ruffled Zhao Moli's hair, then pulled out bags of New Year's goods from the car: "Where's your mom?"

"Mom is upstairs making dumplings with Great-Grandma."

"Jasmine, how about you go help out with your godmother?"

"Ok!"

The group chatted and laughed as they went upstairs.

In the old 80-square-meter house, Qi Lili and Sun Yumei were rolling out dough and making dumplings around a small square table, while a preview of the Spring Festival Gala was playing on TV, with the volume turned up really high.

The small living room suddenly felt crowded with six adults and two children.

Zhao Qiang brought over several plastic stools, which were barely enough for everyone to sit on.

When the adults get together, the conversation naturally turns to houses.

"Grandpa, Grandma, to be honest, you should consider moving to a different place."

Looking at the living room, which was crammed full of things, Lu Yuan brought up the matter of moving his parents again: "There are upstairs and downstairs houses, and no elevator. What if they have trouble walking someday? It will be too much trouble."

Lu Jianguo picked up his teacup and blew on the steam: "I'm used to living here. I know all the neighbors, so it's convenient. Besides, your grandma and I are in good health. We can climb stairs for another ten years without any problem."

Sun Yumei chimed in, "Exactly! If we move to another place, we won't know anyone, and it will be so deserted."

Unable to persuade the elderly couple, Lu Yuan turned his attention to Zhao Qiang.

“Qiangzi, you’re in the same boat. Jasmine is getting bigger and bigger, and there’s definitely not enough room for her. You’re with Lü Xin now, and your income isn’t low either. It’s time to move.”

Zhao Qiang scratched his head sheepishly: "Yuanzi, it's just that... I wanted to wait a little longer, until Jasmine starts elementary school, then we can find a school district house and settle down in one go."

He understood that he owed his success entirely to Lu Yuan.

Lu Xin treated him well, and seemed poised to groom him for management.

With my current income, I can afford a nice house in Jiangcheng, but I still don't feel at ease.

Lu Yuan pondered for a moment, and finally made up his mind: "It's not a solution to keep dragging this out. How about this, once Xiao Miao graduates, we can just move to the capital together."

Before the adults could reply, two children who had just slipped in from the balcony overheard the conversation.

Zhao Moli's little head buzzed, and she ran to Lu Yuan, her eyes welling up with tears.

"Godfather, are you moving to the capital?"

"What's wrong, Jasmine?"

Zhao Moli pouted, looking extremely aggrieved.

"Then... then does that mean I'll never see Yangyang again?"

Seeing his goddaughter on the verge of tears, Lu Yuan's heart softened, and he quickly pulled her onto his lap.

"Silly girl, how could your godfather not want our Jasmine? You and your parents can move to the capital together."

If he goes to the capital, it would be pointless for Lü Xin to stay in Jiangcheng, and it would be logical for Zhao Qiang to follow the job.

"really?"

Zhao Moli sobbed, her eyes brimming with tears as she confirmed it.

"When has your godfather ever lied to you?"

Lu Yuan spoke with certainty.

Zhao Moli instantly went from tears to laughter, jumped off Lu Yuan's lap, grabbed Lu Yang, and started bouncing around on the spot.

"Yay! Yangyang and I are going to the capital!"

The adults were amused by her and burst into laughter, temporarily setting aside their arguments and concerns about moving.

Lu Jianguo and Sun Yumei exchanged a glance. Although there was still reluctance in their eyes, they did not argue further.

They knew in their hearts that their grandson was right; at their age, it was time to enjoy their retirement.

……

In the afternoon, the adults were busy preparing the New Year's Eve dinner inside the house.

Zhao Moli was still immersed in the great joy of being able to go to the capital with Lu Yang. She sat cross-legged on the carpet, playing with her teddy bear and humming the nursery rhymes her teacher had taught her.

Suddenly, as if remembering something, she turned to Lu Yang and asked, "Yangyang, what will happen to Qing Tong if we move to the capital? Can she come with us?"

Lu Yang gently shook his head: "No."

Zhao Moli's smile froze.

She only has two friends, Yangyang and Qingtong.

If you move to the capital, you won't see the Chinese parasol tree anymore.

But if we don't move to the capital, we won't be able to see Yangyang.

For the first time, this little girl experienced the feeling of being caught in a dilemma.

"Then...what should we do?"

The little girl couldn't quite grasp the concept, and her lips began to droop again.

Lu Yang explained calmly, "We're all just kids; we don't have the final say in these kinds of things."

Zhao Moli lowered her head in disappointment, her fingers unconsciously tugging at the bear's ears.

Looking at her dejected appearance, Lu Yang also felt a sense of helplessness.

He thought for a moment and then comforted her, "Don't worry, there are still several months...maybe a solution will come by then."

"Really?" Zhao Moli looked up, her hope rekindled.

In her simple world, Yangyang is omnipotent.

If Yangyang says he has a way, then he definitely has a way!

……

After the New Year, as midnight approached, Lu Yuan and Chen Xiaomiao's family prepared to say goodbye and leave.

Grandpa and Grandma's house is too small; it simply can't accommodate the children anymore.

I got home in the early hours of the first day of the Lunar New Year.

Chen Xiaomiao tucked the blanket around her son: "Yangyang, go to sleep early. We still have to go to wish Grandpa and Grandma a Happy New Year tomorrow."

"I know, Mom."

The lights went out, and Lu Yang lay awake, wide awake.

He quietly took his phone out from under his pillow, opened WeChat, and found the sunflower profile picture.

【have you slept? 】

The message was sent and received a reply within seconds.

【without.】

[Want to come down for a walk?]

【it is good. 】

Lu Yang silently slid off the bed, and using the faint light coming in from the window, quickly dressed and slipped out of the house without making a sound.

The air was chilly in the early morning, and thick smoke still lingered in the neighborhood, with the occasional explosion of fireworks in the distance.

Lu Yang, familiar with the place, arrived at the swing in the center of the garden.

Zheng Qingtong was already standing there waiting, like an exquisite snowman, melting into the cool moonlight.

"Is it cold?"

Lu Yang walked up to her, his breath condensing into a cloud of mist in the air.

"Fortunately."

Zheng Qingtong shook her head.

The two stood side by side, speechless for a moment.

For them, silence is not awkward, but a habitual way of getting along.

After a long pause, Lu Yang spoke first.

"Did your family... have any arguments today?"

Zheng Qingtong nodded, her tone as indifferent as if she were talking about something completely unrelated to herself.

"Um... my dad drank too much. First, he argued with my mom, and then he threw the cured meat and farm eggs that my grandpa brought from the countryside into the trash can downstairs."

She didn't say why, but Lu Yang could guess.

It was simply that her mother disliked those things as "outdated" and "unhygienic," while her father, fueled by alcohol, vented his helplessness and frustration in the middle in the most hurtful way.

“My grandparents are going back to the countryside early tomorrow morning. They say the New Year celebrations in the city are too expensive and they can’t get used to it.”

One sentence encapsulates all the bitterness and helplessness of the two elderly people.

Lu Yang wanted to say something comforting, but found that any words seemed pale and powerless in the face of reality.

Ultimately, he was just a three-and-a-half-year-old child.

He had originally intended to tell Zheng Qingtong about his possible future move, but seeing how upset she was, he ultimately decided against it.

"after……"

Lu Yang exhaled again: "If your family makes you unhappy, just call me or send me a message."

Zheng Qingtong raised her eyes, and in the cool moonlight, her dark blue eyes looked like two gems immersed in water.

"And then?" she asked tentatively in a soft voice, "Can you take me away?"

"No."

Lu Yang shook his head.

He couldn't answer "yes".

He was just a three-and-a-half-year-old child, an individual with no legal capacity.

There was no way to "take" Zheng Qingtong away from the quagmire of her family.

"That's true, you're a year younger than me..."

Zheng Qingtong laughed self-deprecatingly, the light in her eyes gradually dimming.

"but."

Lu Yang interrupted her, firmly grasping her cold fingertips.

Zheng Qingtong's body stiffened slightly.

The warmth from her palm was like a flame, slowly dispelling the midnight chill along her arm.

“I can come and sit with you for a while, listen to you talk, or... say nothing, just like now.”

This is the only promise Lu Yang can make at the moment.

The simplest and most sincere promise one child makes to another.

Zheng Qingtong gripped Lu Yang's hand tightly, her fingertips turning slightly white from the force.

Neither of them spoke again.

The distant fireworks had completely stopped, and the whole world had quieted down, leaving only the soft sounds of each other's breathing, intertwined in the crisp air.

"I should go back now." Zheng Qingtong let go of his hand first, then put it back in the pocket of her down jacket, as if trying to retain the last bit of warmth.

"Okay." Lu Yang nodded: "Go up and send me a message."

"Ah."

Zheng Qingtong turned around and walked back to the apartment building step by step, her back slender but straight.

The motion-activated lights in the hallway turned on and off.

(End of this chapter)