Chapter 167: Chapter 126: Zhou Xiaozheng’s Return
In the Northeast Zhang Family Village, two new courtyards rose at the foot of the North Mountain. The construction site was bustling with people coming and going, all busily working in an orderly manner. The nearby Zhang Family’s old courtyard was silent.
Now, except for the bricklayer and his apprentices who hadn’t arrived, the rest were helping to tidy and organize the ground. Yesterday, the bricklayer was busy until dark, finally completing the work before the temperature dropped. Delighted, Mr. Zhang added a big red envelope when settling the bill. In a couple of days, with the doors and windows installed, there would be no fear of the ground freezing, and slowly heating the kang, the last thing he did for the children, would be complete.
Early this morning, Mr. Zhang took his three sons to clean up the new courtyards. At this time, Guoqiang’s carpenter master, Zhang the Second, and his team were installing the gates and windows of the two courtyards.
Mother Zhang, seeing the courtyards being completed, planned to prepare more cornbread. In these two days, there would surely be many people from the village coming to see the new houses, and maybe some would stay to eat. With her two daughters-in-law, she went to the mill early in the morning and hadn’t returned to prepare lunch.
Zhou Jiaoli was alone at home, just feeding and changing diapers at this moment. Suddenly, she felt her heart pounding uncontrollably, her heartbeat irregular. Zhou Jiaoli tried hard to take deep breaths and relax, but the more she suppressed it, the more uncontrolled her heartbeat became. She had a premonition that something was about to happen, urging her to go out and take a look.
As her heartbeat quickened, she hurried to settle the child. With legs feeling weak, Zhou Jiaoli immediately put on her coat and hat, covering her chest, and followed her instincts out of the room. Outside, the courtyard she’d not seen for many days was empty, even the family’s children had left; there wasn’t a single shadow.
Zhou Jiaoli dragged herself slowly to the courtyard gate. As soon as she stepped out and stood on the steps, she instinctively glanced around and saw, in the distance, two figures in military uniforms walking towards her, carrying bags and large bundles.
At this moment, she finally understood why her heart had been racing uncontrollably. A surge of impulse drove her forward, forward. It was her dad, her dad Zhou Xiaozheng who had returned. Tears welled up uncontrollably in her eyes, and she didn’t even bother to wipe them away, stumbling forward a few steps as she ran hastily.
Zhou Jiaoli suddenly didn’t know how to face her dad, stopping there, wiping away her tears, and staring eagerly at the man running towards her quickly, her feet uncontrollably stumbling forward again.
Seeing her dad extending his arms from a distance, she rushed into his embrace, feeling deeply wronged. Her mind went blank as she felt him hugging her tightly, protecting her, and she burst into tears.
Unlike her feelings for her mother, she had a blood connection with her dad, a natural familiarity, and she believed in him without any reservations. Leaning against her dad’s chest, she felt like a little girl wanting to act spoiled, wanting to tell him her grievances, wanting so much more, but in her dad’s arms, she felt safe and no longer had to guard against anyone, no longer feared being hurt.
Zhou Jiaoli cried loudly, incoherently sobbing, "Dad, why did you only just come back? Dad, why didn’t you take me with you?"
"Dad, you’re finally back, I have a dad now, I’m not an unwanted wild child anymore."
"Dad, why did you just come back now? Dad, don’t ever leave me again, Dad, I’m so wronged, Dad, why are you only just back, I had no dad, no one treated me well, no one wanted me..."
The erratic heartbeat from earlier finally settled back to normal as she leaned in her father’s embrace. After crying for so long, only one thought remained in her mind: she had a dad now, her dad had finally come back, with both joy and sorrow.
Feeling the unique paternal love from both lifetimes, she finally understood why some children loved to tell their troubles to their parents.
Because parents would feel for you, they would stand up for you. Her mother couldn’t give her the sense of protection. Her father, however, was different, like a mountain standing firmly behind her; just by standing beside him, she felt incredibly at peace.
Different from the stability with Zhang Guoqing, love and familial affection were two different feelings, and she could sense her father’s care and guilt.
Zhou Xiaozheng held his beloved daughter, who was crying uncontrollably. Listening to her incoherent, hysterical crying, he gently patted her, feeling heartbroken, unable to speak. Hugging his daughter tightly before him, he could only nod, shake his head from time to time, gently wiping away the tears on her face.
Recalling what his father-in-law mentioned about their first meeting, who said the child was mature and calm, cautious and steady, capable and shrewd: that was her defense against external intrusion.