Part Three, Chapter 5: Being Criticized to Tears

Lin Zhihao looked at the chat page. It was all messages sent by Zhu YUAN, and Shu Tinglan didn't reply to any of them. 。"Don't you have any feelings for him at all" Lin Zhicheng was very curious. 。"H...In the family courtyard, Zheng Ke promised Song Jingye that he would take good care of the little girl. He kept his word and took her as his little sister, caring for her "in every way" ! Chen Ning was a little surprised and even trembled with apprehension. 。She got up early to go to the bus stop to take the bus into town. A green pickup truck stopped in front of her, and a head poked out of the front window: "Xiaoning, come back, get in the car." 。Chen Ning was wary of others. When she saw the car, her heart skipped a beat. She stood on the roadside, motionless, clutching her phone for comfort. 。

The people in the car said: "Captain Song went back to Beijing for the New Year, so let us take care of you."> 。We are from the cooking squad, going into the city to buy groceries. Come up quickly, it's very cold outside. 。Then Chen Ling felt relieved and sat in the back seat of the pickup truck. 。The two of them were very talkative. They had come into town to buy ingredients for their New Year's Eve dinner, and as soon as they got in the car, they started discussing the menu. Chen Ning couldn't get a word in edgewise, so she just listened quietly. 。

"Xiao Ning, what do you like to eat I'll make you a special one then."> 。"

Chen Ning hastily waved her hand: "Thank you, Uncle. I probably won't be able to eat. Our restaurant already has our shifts planned for New Year's Eve." 。The co-pilot was the deputy squad leader. He glanced at her and smiled. 。Because of their long-term training, their skin has a slightly darker complexion and their teeth appear particularly white. When they smile, it's sunny and pure. 。The squad leader in the driver's seat also laughed, "You can just call me Captain Song, we're not much older than you." 。As soon as she heard the name "Uncle Song," Chen Ling blushed and buried her face in her scarf, too embarrassed to speak. 。"Where is the restaurant you work at" The squad leader asked. 。

Chen Ling gave back the location, and soon sent her there. 。

"Come on, Xiaoning!" 。“No one thought it was a problem that she, as a high school student, had to work. Everyone came from poor families, and there were plenty of people who started working even earlier than her, so she was calm about it, and they were calm about it too.” 。Leaving work late at night, she hurried to the bus stop. A biting wind whipped across her face, feeling like blades cutting through her skin. She pulled her clothes tighter and quickened her pace. Suddenly, a voice called out behind her, "Xiaoning, come back..." 。"

It's Zheng Ke. Chen Ling recognized him. The last time she took her phone, he was the one driving that truck." 。Today he drove Song Jingye's Jeep to pick her up specially, and handed her a thick military coat: "Put it on quickly" 。"Chen Ling took the military coat and no longer felt the cold. Her heart felt as if it had been warmed by a stove. If she were to say that her life before the age of 18 was full of hardships in order to meet them today, she would thank fate for all the hardships it had given her." 。Your Uncle Song is back in Beijing for the New Year. You can tell me anything if you need help these days. 。Zheng Ke said while driving. 。Zheng Ke is also from Beijing, but he will be transferred back next year, so this is his last Spring Festival in the northwest. It's a bit sad to think about. 。This place is too harsh. When I first arrived, I thought about leaving every day, but now that I'm really going to leave, it feels like more than just a goodbye. 。Only Song Jingye, that psychopath, could keep guarding this place day in and day out for years. 。"Zheng Ke muttered to himself" 。Chen Ning hesitantly asked, "Uncle Kyono, will you be transferred back to the capital in the future"

This simple question filled her with both the trepidation of prying into someone's privacy and the hope for her own future. 。Of course, he's just passing through here. 。Zheng Ke didn't hold back in front of the little girl, he also treated her like his sister, so he spoke earnestly: "Xiaoning, you have to study hard. Only by studying hard can you see a wider world outside." 。。While Chen Ning's chest surged with excitement, the thought of venturing out into a wider world filled her with longing

Before this moment, she only knew she wanted to attend a better university, but she had no specific direction in mind. It wasn't until now that her goal felt so clear and defined.

For the following days, she stayed at the family compound. Whoever was on duty to go to the city would bring her to a restaurant for meals every day and pick her up in the evening. Everyone took good care of her, making her feel the warmth of a big family. 。After the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, the restaurant paid her her salary because as high school seniors, they had to return to school on the eighth day. 。After receiving her paycheck, she calculated her expenses for the term. As long as she saved a bit, she would have about 200 yuan left over. So she went to the market, carefully selecting and comparing prices before buying ten pairs of warm gloves to give to those who had been particularly kind to her. 。It was time for recreation, and she felt a little embarrassed to take her gloves into the recreation room. 。Zheng Ke was the first to receive it, praising: "Our little Ning is still considerate. This pair of gloves is really useful." 。Several other soldiers were happily receiving them, and they immediately put them on to show her. 。Chen Ling felt a sense of relief upon seeing that they truly liked the gift she had sent for the first time. 。He was still holding a pair of gloves, waiting for Song Jingye to come back and give them to him. His pair was different from others, as the gloves were made of cotton and had a thin layer of fleece inside, making them particularly warm. 。

She just didn't know when he would be back. She wanted to hand it to him herself. If he didn't return before the eighth day of the first lunar month, she would have to ask Zheng Ke to deliver it for her. 。As I was thinking, the door to the recreation room creaked open. A gust of cold wind swept in, along with Song Jingye, who emanated an icy aura. 。Seeing him, Chen Ling's whole heart beat faster. She silently stood to the side. 。"What's going on" Song Jingye glanced at the unusually lively recreation room today. In the military, even in the recreation room, there were clear rules: no loud noises, no commotion. Especially, he was strict about it. 。Zheng Ke Yang raised the gloves in his hand: "Xiaoning sent these back to us" 。"

Song Jingye glanced at everyone's gloves, his face darkening." 。Chen Ning beside hurried to take out the gloves she was going to give him, but just halfway through, she saw Song Jingye's cold and stern gaze. His voice was also cold and serious: "Yours" "Yes," 。She answered, also feeling his coldness. 。"Are you rich" His simple four words, like an axe, slashed into Chen Ning's heart. The glove in her hand was silently withdrawn into her pocket, feeling ashamed and embarrassed. 。She's still relying on his financial support to go to school, yet she's buying gifts for people here. It seems a bit out of her league. 。The entire entertainment room was deathly silent. Everyone was already afraid of him, but now that he was angry, they were even more terrified and quickly put away their gloves. 。Only Zheng Ke dared to speak: “This is Xiaoning’s earnings from working in a restaurant during the winter holiday. She did it out of kindness.” 。Originally, Chen Ling could still hold back the tears in her eyes. When Zheng Ke defended her like this, the tears flowed out. Unfortunately, she didn't dare to let anyone see them. She tried hard to hold them back, but the more she held back, the more came. All she could do was keep sniffing. 。

For a moment, only the sound of her sniffling filled the recreation room. 。Song Jingye's face was grim, and the people below wanted to pass her a tissue but didn't dare. 。Apart from Zheng Ke, who else hasn't been scolded to tears during daily trainingut the Beijing Zhuo family, including related news and introductions to the people involved."What is your relationship""My grandpa," he said, without any hesitation at all."Does Tinglan know" Lin Zhi'...