Sweet Nostalgia of the 80s

Chapter 1484: Chapter 1484: What is Deliberately Concealed?

An Hao muttered, ”Commander Zhang, perhaps no news is the best news.”

”But we can’t keep this a secret any longer. In fact, the chief already has his suspicions and is on alert, he just hasn’t brought anything up yet. The warriors are all discussing it. I... I plan to reveal it after the Chinese New Year,” Zhang Jianguo said in a low voice, his inner struggle and pain no less intense than An Hao’s.

”Thank you, Commander Zhang. If it must be announced, please let my father-in-law know in advance and lay the groundwork to avoid shocking him too abruptly,” An Hao said.

”I understand. There is only so much I can do for Qin Jian now.

...............

Snowflakes began to fall again in the mountains. It was bitterly cold outside, but inside the house, it was as warm as spring.

Qin Jian and Tian Niu tossed and turned on the heated brick bed, shifting their positions with some difficulty.

These days, both of them had been suffering from low fevers and bouts of unconsciousness, and they were truly grateful to the girl named Mu Mian.

If it were not for her, Qin Jian and Tian Niu’s lives would probably have been lost.

Finally, much clearer today, they heard the sound of firecrackers outside the yard and realized that it was New Year’s Eve.

Mu Mian carried in a bowl of cooked dumplings, set up a small square table on the brick bed, and laid out the steaming dumplings.

”It’s New Year’s today. You two can’t go home and are covered in wounds, which is quite pitiful. I made a special effort to make dumplings with a few different fillings for you to try them all. We might as well spend New Year’s together,” Mu Mian said. Though young, she spoke and acted with a practiced ease.

”Thank you. But won’t your father argue with you again when he comes back after you’ve taken such good care of us?” Qin Jian asked.

Mu Mian lowered her head, and her long eyelashes covered her eyes, ”It doesn’t matter. I won’t care about his feelings.”

”But he’s your father.” Tian Niu had been puzzled by this over the past few days, ”Do you and your father have a deep hatred that you must argue every time you see each other?”

”There is no deep hatred. I just can’t forgive him. And he can’t stand the sight of me either,” Mu Mian said softly.

”Why?” The question that had been nagging at Qin Jian’s heart was finally voiced.

”There is no ’why’. We just don’t click,” Mu Mian answered indifferently. After a moment of silence, she picked up chopsticks and set them on two plates, then painstakingly helped the two men sitting up in bed, ”Let’s eat. It’s the New Year, we shouldn’t talk about unhappy things. You both are lucky to have survived great dangers, and great fortune must lie ahead.”

Qin Jian picked up a dumpling with chopsticks and put it in his mouth, after a bite, he put down the chopsticks and said to Mu Mian, ”Come on, let’s talk.”

”Talk about what?” Mu Mian also put down her chopsticks and looked at him.

”Why you didn’t go to deliver our message.” Qin Jian looked at her with piercing eyes, as if they could see through her heart.

”I can’t read,” Mu Mian repeated the same excuse.

”You’re lying. The medicine on the windowsill, you’ve been feeding it to us every day. If you can’t read, then why do you pick up the medicine bottle and look at it for a long time each day?” Qin Jian challenged.

”I really can’t read. I just recognize a few characters and wanted to take a look.”

”Why didn’t you ask the villagers to help to send the message?” Qin Jian pressed, ”What are you deliberately hiding?”