193 Chop Wood
Yao Nian did not dare to have any objections in front of Feng Cai, but inwardly, he cursed Feng Cai for being a boorish person who only knew how to solve problems with force. He was a civilized person and would not stoop to the level of such a brawny person.
Feng Cai despised men who relied on women, so after knowing what kind of person Yao Nian was, he ignored him. If Yao Nian had responded to him like a man just now, Feng Cai wouldn’t have felt so disdainful.
When Feng Cai saw Yao Nian’s reaction, Feng Cai smirked. He thought in disdain that if a capable girl like Yu Bing liked such a man, it meant that all the men in the world were probably dead!
Recently, Auntie Zhao liked to invite Yu Bing to her house whenever she had nothing to do. Yu Bing was confused. However, Yu Bing was really busy, and Auntie Zhao was too embarrassed to keep delaying Yu Bing’s time, so Auntie Zhao decided to change her strategy.
Yu Bing did not have time, but Zhao Xing did!
Auntie Zhao said to Zhao Xing, who was chopping firewood, “Help Yu Bing pick firewood later. The two of them have been working hard for the entire day. They definitely don’t have the strength to go to the mountain to pick tree branches.”
Zhao Xing refused without thinking. “Mom, it’s not suitable for me to go to a girl’s home.”
Yu Bing lived with Jiang Chun. In addition, she was the one who took the initiative to mention this, so there was nothing inappropriate about it. Zhao Xing was just unwilling to do so.
Auntie Zhao did not accept her son’s excuse and said, “Those two young ladies often come to help me, especially Yu Bing! It’s not easy for you to come back. You have to help me repay some favors!”
Zhao Xing chose to remain silent. It was not that he did not understand his mother. She had never liked owing favors. If others helped her, she would keep thinking about it until she returned the favor.
Seeing that Zhao Xing was ignoring her, Auntie Zhao pretended to be sad. “I’m usually alone at home and no one talks to me. Only Yu Bing comes to accompany an old woman like me. Otherwise, I’d be so pitiful all alone.”
Auntie Zhao narrowed her eyes and secretly glanced at Zhao Xing. She realized that his originally expressionless face had softened a little, so she continued to keep up the act. “A lame old woman like me can’t help her. Now that my son is back, I thought you could help me repay a favor. I didn’t expect such a small request to be rejected.”
Zhao Xing saw Auntie Zhao wiping her tears with a handkerchief. His mother was such a tough woman. How could she cry over such a thing?!
Although Zhao Xing knew that his mother was definitely pretending, he still compromised in the end. He was a soldier who served the country and the people, but the only person he had neglected was his mother.
However, he loved this job and the army. Although his mother did not blame him for leaving home and joining the army, the more understanding his mother was, the guiltier Zhao Xing felt every time he thought of how he had neglected his mother and left her all alone.
It was rare for him to come home and didn’t he return to make his mother happy? “Alright, I’ll go.”
Auntie Zhao smiled smugly and urged, “Hurry up.”
After Zhao Xing went to the mountain to chop a large basket of firewood, he walked towards Yu Bing’s house. Yu Bing and Jiang Chun had just gotten off work and returned home.
“Miss Yu, Jiang Chun.” Zhao Xing saw the two of them busy in the kitchen when he entered.
Yu Bing and Jiang Chun stopped what they were doing and walked to the courtyard. Yu Bing smiled and greeted, “Commander Zhao, why are you free to come over today?”
Zhao Xing rarely smiled at strangers, but he knew that he was a little scary when he did not smile. Hence, he smiled stiffly at the two of them. “My mother asked me to chop some firewood for you two.”
When Yu Bing and Jiang Chun saw Zhao Xing’s smile, they both felt that smiling didn’t suit Zhao Xing.
Yu Bing was a little confused when she heard Zhao Xing’s words. Why did Auntie Zhao suddenly ask Zhao Xing to chop firewood for her? Hence, she hurriedly replied, “Auntie Zhao is always so polite. Hurry up and go back. We can chop it ourselves.”
Zhao Xing began to chop firewood in the courtyard. “Sometimes, I can’t go home for an entire year. I’m really grateful that you guys are willing to spend time chatting with her.”