Chen Yuezhi’s expression softened slightly. “But what about your second sister-in-law? If your brother meets with some misfortune outside… wouldn’t that ruin her life?”
Jiang Wan sighed. “Mother, if you force second brother to stay home, they’ll eventually become a resentful couple anyway. Do you want them to be like strangers, resenting each other for their entire lives?”
“If second sister-in-law agrees to let second brother join the army, he will remember her kindness forever.”
“Mother, rather than tying second brother to your side and watching him waste his life, it’s better to let him go out and forge his own path. His talents are widely recognized, and I believe second brother will achieve great things in the future.”
“I’ve been watching second brother so dispirited and in pain these past few days, and it truly pains my heart. Second brother isn’t good at business, nor is he good at studying. When older brother and little brother both achieve success, and only second brother remains stagnant, that kind of disparity will drive a person mad.”
Chen Yuezhi found herself even more unable to sleep.
Jiang Wan channeled some of her abilities into her, helping her relax. She lay down beside her. “Mother, don’t overthink it. In reality, no matter what choice you make, there will always be regrets. So, choose the one that is best for everyone. Leave the rest to fate. Trust that fate has everything arranged.”
Jiang Wan’s words seemed to possess a magical quality, gradually calming Chen Yuezhi until she soon drifted into a deep sleep.
The next day, Chen Yuezhi called Erlang out of the house.
Mother and son walked along the field ridges, one after the other. Looking at the seedlings that had already grown to half their height, Chen Yuezhi asked, “Erlang, do you really want to join the army that much?”
Erlang stared blankly into the distance. “Why are you asking this, Mother? Are you testing me? There’s no need for this. I’ve said it before, I will do whatever you ask me to do, I will never resist, never defy.”
Chen Yuezhi, angered, slapped him. “What, are you planning to be defiant like this for your entire life? Who are you putting on this half-dead act for?”
Erlang turned to look at her. “Then what else do you want? Mother, do you want me to smile and say I’m happy, that I’m willing? I want to smile too, I want to satisfy all of you. But I’m also a person, and I truly can’t smile.”
He lowered his head and pointed to his chest. “It’s empty here. When I forced myself to let go of my dreams, this place became empty. The moment I let go of my dreams, I understood that in this life, I can be your good son, Qiaoxiu’s good husband, but I can never be myself.”
Seeing him like this, Chen Yuezhi’s heart ached intensely.
She had been afraid he would be in danger on the battlefield, afraid of losing her son while she was still alive, and that’s why she had stubbornly wanted to keep him by her side.
But she hadn’t considered how unfair and painful this was for Erlang.
Wanwan was right. No matter which choice was made, life would have regrets. So why not choose the one with the fewest regrets?
Must they wait until mother and son turned against each other, until the son and daughter-in-law became a resentful couple, before regretting and trying to make amends?
Chen Yuezhi reached out and patted his shoulder. “If joining the army is what will make you happy, then go. But I have one condition: you must come back alive! I don’t demand you return unharmed, but you must return alive! Otherwise, I’ll drag Qiaoxiu and the child down to the underworld to find you!”
When Erlang heard what she was saying, he was stunned.
After a long moment, he stammered, “Mother… what did you just say… you… you agree?”
Chen Yuezhi gazed into the distance with red eyes. “If I could, I would bind you to my side for my entire life. But I can’t bear to see you so dispirited, wasting your life. Erlang, Mother raised you, and I never expected you or your brothers to achieve great things. Mother only hopes that all my children will live their lives safely.”
“But if you must pursue your dream, then I will let you go. I only hope that when you are on the battlefield, you will think of me, your father, your wife, your child, and your siblings. We don’t want a great general; we only want you to return safely.”
Erlang fell to his knees with a thud. “Mother, I swear to you, I will return safely. I will take good care of myself.”
Chen Yuezhi reached out and touched his face. “Go and prepare. Since you’re going, make all the necessary preparations.”
Erlang hesitated. “But Qiaoxiu…”
His wife was pregnant. Was he really going to abandon her at this time?
Chen Yuezhi said, “I’ll talk to Qiaoxiu.”
She didn’t want any rift to form between her son and daughter-in-law, so she would play the villain.
Erlang opened his mouth to call her. “Mother, I…”
Chen Yuezhi patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle everything.”
Upon returning home, Chen Yuezhi called Zhang Qiaoxiu into her room. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law talked behind closed doors for a long time, and Zhang Qiaoxiu’s crying could occasionally be heard.
Su Shi and Jiang Xiao, worried outside, had no idea what was happening inside. They looked at Jiang Wan and said, “Wanwan, why don’t you find an excuse to go in and take a look?”
Jiang Wan shook her head. “No need. They’ll be out in a moment.”
As expected, as soon as Jiang Wan finished speaking, Chen Yuezhi’s room door opened. Zhang Qiaoxiu’s face was red from crying, and Chen Yuezhi’s eyes were also red.
Zhang Qiaoxiu went to get water to wash her face, then turned and returned to her room with Erlang.
Erlang was packing in the room. Seeing Zhang Qiaoxiu enter, he suddenly felt hesitant to move, even feeling guilty and afraid to look at her.
Zhang Qiaoxiu said nothing. She quietly began packing his things for him: four seasons of clothes, shoes, socks, protective gear, and some items Erlang was accustomed to using.
Seeing her silently packing, Erlang felt incredibly guilty towards her.
He stepped forward, took Zhang Qiaoxiu’s hand, and stammered, “Qiaoxiu… I… I…”
Zhang Qiaoxiu gently placed his hand on her belly.
The baby in her womb kicked softly at that moment.
Erlang’s eyes widened, his face filled with surprise.
Tears welled up in Zhang Qiaoxiu’s eyes. “He started moving a couple of days ago. Husband, if you must leave, I won’t stop you. But please, always remember that the child and I are waiting for you at home. If anything happens to you, the child and I will not live on alone!”
Erlang looked at Zhang Qiaoxiu, then down at her belly. For the first time, he felt hesitant about his decision to join the army.
Was he really going to leave his wife and children behind to chase after the dream that had been rooted in his heart since he was young?
Zhang Qiaoxiu blinked back her tears and continued packing his things, earnestly admonishing him to be extremely careful and to take good care of himself.
The next morning, the entire Jiang family woke up early to see Erlang off at the village entrance.
Erlang, leading Xiao Hei, looked back at everyone in the family one by one, finally settling his gaze on Zhang Qiaoxiu.
Zhang Qiaoxiu gave him a faint smile. “Husband, take care, and remember to write home often.”
Chen Yuezhi and Jiang Pan also said, “Go, be careful on your journey.”
Erlang knelt and bowed deeply to his parents. He then stood up, hugged Zhang Qiaoxiu, mounted his horse, and rode away without hesitation.
As Erlang’s figure disappeared from view, Zhang Qiaoxiu’s body suddenly went limp, and she collapsed to the ground, startling everyone into a flurry of activity.