Old Mrs. Song is reborn; get out of here, you scumbag husband and illegitimate child!

The study door closed.

It blocked out the noise from the outside television.

Father An pointed to the wooden chair opposite him, gesturing for An Xiyang to sit down.

The room was very quiet.

Only the old clock on the wall ticked away, each tick like a blow to Anxi Yang's heart.

"Tell me, what are your plans for the future?"

An's father didn't beat around the bush; his tone was calm.

Anxi Yang opened her mouth.

Her gaze was somewhat unfocused, and she dared not look directly into her father's eyes.

"I...I definitely won't go back to the Koizumi Battalion. That place is too harsh, and I can't go back to living like I used to."

"divorce?"

"Never leave."

An Xiyang answered quickly, but her voice lowered, tinged with hesitation, "He saved me and has been good to me. What kind of person would I be if I brought up divorce? I'm not that kind of heartless person."

An's father looked at his daughter for several minutes.

His gaze seemed to pierce through her skin and see into her very bones.

Until Anxi's head drooped so low it was almost buried in her chest.

He then slowly opened his mouth.

"Xiyang." Father An leaned forward slightly, his tone becoming solemn, "Today, my daughter and I will speak frankly and openly."

Put aside Zhou Fang's kindness to you, put aside his family's mess, and even put aside Da Bao and Er Bao.

Just ask yourself honestly, if Zhou Fang were standing in front of you, would you like him?

Anxi Yang suddenly raised her head.

His eyes were filled with astonishment.

No one had ever asked her that question.

Her mother would only berate Zhou Fang as a peasant, a toad trying to eat swan meat, and force her to divorce her husband and marry someone of equal social standing.

Before she could answer, An's father continued:

"Dad understands you. You went to the countryside at the prime of your life and got married without even having a proper relationship."

You are unwilling to accept this, feeling that marriage is a shackle to repay a debt of gratitude.

But I don't want you to be blinded by this constraint, losing even the opportunity to observe your own heart.

"dad……"

Anxi Yang felt a lump in her throat and her eyes welled up with tears.

"Your mother said he used the child to threaten you, do you believe that too?"

Anxi Yang bit her lip and nodded.

"I am the child's biological mother. Why should he not allow the child to study in Shanghai? I will not treat the child badly."

"west Yang, you can't be so hypocritical."

An's father's voice became sterner, like a heavy hammer blow.

"You don't want to go back to that home, but you're unwilling to let go of the children. How can you expect to take without giving back?"

You can't use your good looks and some education to get special privileges in marriage.

Zhou Fang may not have a high level of education or as much culture as you, but he is an impeccable father.

Putting myself in his shoes, if I were him, with two such young sons and a wife who was uncertain about the future.

I also had to fight for custody, and I even went to greater lengths than him. In this respect, we might not have handled things as well as he did.

These words left An Xiyang's head buzzing.

She always felt that she was the one who was wronged.

It was the one who sacrificed everything.

But her father told her that Zhou Fang hadn't done anything wrong.

Father An paused for a moment.

Suddenly changing the subject, she asked sharply, "Do you like Fu Qingnian?"

Anxi Yang was taken aback.

I never expected my father to bring this up suddenly.

"I've seen it all: your mom is always trying to set you two up."

An's father stared into her eyes, not missing a single change in her expression. "If you had to choose someone to spend your whole life with, or even just imagine who you would hug, who would you think of?"

Anxi Yang instinctively wanted to refute.

But those images kept popping into my head uncontrollably.

Fu Qingnian's refined and elegant face had just appeared when it was forcefully pushed aside by another face.

His face had strong features, with a faint scar on his brow bone.

His gaze was always silent yet burning hot, as if he wanted to melt her heart.

If we really want to hug, or even kiss...

Anxi Yang's face flushed red all the way to the roots of her neck, and even felt a little hot.

All she could think of was the feeling of Zhou Fang's calloused hands clasping the back of her head—rough yet reassuring.

"I don't like Fu Qingnian." An Xiyang's voice trembled slightly.

A knowing glint flashed in An's father's eyes.

He took a document out of the drawer and pushed it over.

"Your advisor contacted me a few days ago and said there's an opportunity to go abroad as an exchange student for a year. The spots are very limited, so I think you should try to get one."

"Going abroad?"

Anxi Yang was so surprised that she stood up.

"Yes, go out for a walk. Leave Haishi, leave your mother and Fu Qingnian, and also temporarily leave Zhou Fang and the child."

Father An said earnestly:

"Go out and see the world, and figure out what you really want."

Only by stepping outside this circle can you understand where your original aspirations lie.

My dear daughter, I don't want you to regret this in the future.

Whether it's missing out on a good marriage or your career prospects.

Some people who come from rural areas aren't necessarily scheming or trying to drag you down. They just lack an opportunity, and given the chance, they might be just as capable as city dwellers.

"If you ultimately choose to leave Zhou Fang, I hope you will be open and honest about breaking up with her."

Anxi Yang held the document in her hand.

My heart was in turmoil.

"Your mother's stuck in a rut. But you have a choice." Father An waved his hand, leaning wearily back in his chair. "Go ahead, think it over carefully."

He came out of the study.

Anxi Yang locked herself in her room.

That night.

She didn't close her eyes.

The sound of firecrackers outside the window rang intermittently throughout the night.

She lay in the darkness.

I reviewed the past few years like watching a movie.

During their student years, students are full of vigor and ambition, and they aspire to achieve great things.

When they arrived at the Xiaoquan Brigade, they worked themselves to the bone for a few work points and had to be wary of being harassed.

I'm so tired every day I feel like crying.

At that time.

There was always a pair of silent hands helping her with chores, carrying water, and chopping wood.

The tender love hidden in those eyes.

It's different from others.

These two meetings.

From beginning to end.

The two didn't even hug.

She felt as if a stone was lodged in her chest, making her feel suffocated.

Anxi Yang rolled over and got out of bed.

I put on my coat and went downstairs to make a phone call.

She wanted to talk to Cong Ying.

The phone is on.

The person who answered the phone was Cong Ying's family.

"Xiyang, Yingying isn't home... She left a letter and ran away, saying she was going to the southwestern front to be a field medic. It's the Lunar New Year, and we don't know how she is now."

Cong Ying actually went to the battlefield.

Their lofty ideals pale in comparison to Cong Ying's heroic efforts to save lives amidst the gunfire.

They are ridiculously insignificant.

She hung up the receiver.

I went back to my room and packed a few clothes.

Anxi Yang went out the door with her bag on her back.

She left a note saying she wanted some peace and quiet.

We arrived at my uncle's house.

The elderly couple had just gotten up.

"Uncle, Aunt, I'd like to stay with you for a few days." An Xi Yang's eyes were dark-circled and she looked exhausted. "Don't tell my parents where I am. If they come looking for me, just say I'm not here."

Aunt An touched her grandniece's face tenderly.

"Did you have a fight at home? Go inside and get some sleep. We won't tell your family."

Anxi Yang crawled into bed.

I slept soundly for days.

……

Koizumi Brigade.

The second day of the new year.

The day I went back to my parents' home.

The whole brigade was bustling with activity early in the morning.

The village roads were full of young wives carrying baskets and pushing carts, heading out with their families.

Their faces were beaming with joy.

Song Xianglan specially changed into that new dark blue woolen coat, her hair was combed meticulously, and she even applied some face cream, making her look several years younger.

Song Tingting and Shen Huijun also finished tidying up.

Each person was carrying a lot of things.

"Mom, isn't this wine too heavy? Let me carry it." Song Tingting reached out to take the net bag from Song Xianglan's hand, which contained two bottles of good wine and two cartons of cigarettes.

"No need, these things aren't heavy at all." Song Xianglan smiled, her whole body brimming with energy.

I haven't left the house yet.

The clear sound of a bicycle bell could be heard from outside the courtyard.

"Ring ring..."

Then came Song Qiang's loud voice: "Third Aunt, we've come to take you back to your parents' home!"

Song Xianglan pulled open the courtyard gate.

At the entrance, Song Qiang and Song west each rode a 28-inch bicycle, with red ribbons tied to the handlebars, looking incredibly spirited.

"Oh my, have you had breakfast yet?" Song Xianglan's eyes crinkled with laughter.

Song Qiang propped up the car and strode over.

"Third Aunt, come over after you've eaten. Tingting, Sister-in-law Huijun, Happy New Year."

Seeing this spectacle, the ugly woman couldn't help but click her tongue:

"Look at Lanlan, even at her age, her nephews are still eager to pick her up. My nephews, on the other hand, are so eager to give gifts that they practically leave before they're done."

Granny Yu was standing with her hands tucked into her sleeves at the base of the wall.

She was waiting for her two daughters to come back.

Seeing the Song family's grand display, he was so jealous that his eyes were practically bloodshot.

"Hmph, what's there to brag about?"

Granny Yu rolled her eyes and said sarcastically:

"The road back to one's parents' home was paved with money. Now that they have money, they're all like flies to blood. This kind of kinship is so fake."

Liu Chounv was displeased upon hearing this.

What she hated most was her mother-in-law's foul mouth.

"Hey Granny Yu, did you just fish your mouth out of a latrine?"

Liu Chou-nu spat the sunflower seed shells on the ground. "Even if you're going to pave the road with money, you still need money to do it. I bet you'd rather have money than actually pave it, but you probably don't have a single penny out of your pocket."

Granny Yu's face trembled with anger. "None of your business, you shrew!"

"I'm better than you, you old hag who laughs at the poor, hates the rich, despises the poor, fears the rich, and is always afraid of living better than you." Liu Chounu's voice was loud, and several young wives who were about to go back to their parents' homes covered their mouths and laughed.

"I don't need to bring anything back with me," Granny Yu retorted stubbornly.

"The sky has cleared, the rain has stopped. Old Deng feels like he's back to his old self." Liu Chounu scoffed, "Everyone knows how formidable your sister-in-law is. If you dare go back empty-handed, you won't even be able to get in the door."

talking.

Liu Chounu turned and glared at Lin Gang's wife.

"Look at what other people bought, and look at you carrying those two bags of snacks, how dare you go out like that? Quickly pack a pound of candy from home and take it with you, and also grab two bottles of wine."

Lin Gang's wife beamed with joy and went back to get candy and wine.

Song Xianglan sat on the back of Song Qiang's bicycle and waved to Liu Chounu: "Chounu, I'll chat with you later."

"Okay, drive carefully!"

Granny Yu stomped her feet in anger as she watched the departing figure.

He spat hard on the ground:

"Pah, you show-off, let's see how long you can keep up your smugness."

Turning around, I saw that my front door was deserted and there was still no sign of my two daughters.

Then think about the large and small packages of gifts that Song Xianglan brought.

Granny Yu felt even worse.

It felt like I'd swallowed a dead fly; it was so uncomfortable, I was itching for more.

"That damned girl Yu Xiuhong, why isn't she back yet?" Granny Yu cursed as she turned and went back into the house, slamming the door shut with a deafening bang.