In the end, this small photograph was passed around to every member of the Gu family.
They ultimately decided to get a small photo frame, place the picture inside, and display it in the living room.
This way, whenever they missed Ningning, Xingxing, or Yueyue, anyone could see them.
…
In the Northwest Military Region, the weather began to cool by the end of September.
Last month, in October, temperatures sometimes dropped below 10 degrees Celsius.
November was even colder.
Last year, Gu Jianing had arrived to join the military family in November.
Now, at the end of November, as Gu Jianing gazed at the snow in the yard and flipped through the calendar, she realized that, without even noticing, a whole year had passed since she came here.
And in this year, she had accomplished quite a lot.
A year ago, she had just gotten married and was essentially starting from nothing.
Now, a year later, she was a well-known doctor in the Northwest Military Region and even had a pair of twins—Xingxing and Yueyue—who were now almost four to five months old and becoming more lively by the day.
Recently, the two babies had been practicing how to sit up.
Perhaps because of the Body Strengthening Pills they had taken, the twins had never fallen ill since birth.
Their physical constitution was much better than other children their age.
Normally, babies don’t start sitting until around six months old.
But now, Xingxing and Yueyue could occasionally sit quite steadily.
Not only that, Gu Jianing also noticed that the two were exceptionally clever.
They could recognize people.
Not just their parents, who were often with them, or Grandma Sang, but even Shuwan next door, Guoguo, and Jiang Baihe and her daughter, who occasionally visited—they recognized everyone.
Though they hadn’t started speaking yet, Gu Jianing just knew that Xingxing and Yueyue could distinguish between everyone.
As the twins grew, their personalities also became more distinct.
Yueyue was like a little sweetheart, smiling warmly at everyone—her grin could melt hearts.
As for Xingxing, he was a little stoic. Aside from his mother, Gu Jianing, and Grandma Sang, he remained expressionless with everyone else.
However, Gu Jianing knew that Xingxing was actually afraid of one person—his father, Sheng Zexi.
Truly, there’s always someone who can humble you.
Today, Gu Jianing was fortunate to have a day off. When she woke up in the morning, she saw this year’s first snowfall.
The snow wasn’t heavy, but it blanketed the world in a layer of white.
Gu Jianing sat on a small stool in the living room, with the twins in a baby carriage beside her.
Because it was quite cold, the two little ones were bundled up tightly, looking like small balls.
They wore hats, revealing only their fair, tender faces.
It seemed this was their first time seeing snow since birth.
So, they watched curiously, making soft “wah-wah” sounds, even stretching out their tiny hands as if trying to touch it.
Though, of course, they couldn’t reach.
In the living room, the radio was playing, filling the space with sound and dispelling any sense of loneliness.
Just then, Gu Jianing suddenly noticed the radio host’s voice becoming excited.
Gu Jianing: “Hmm?”
“Dear listeners, we interrupt with breaking news just received by our station.”
“It has been confirmed that our country’s newly developed, cutting-edge fighter jet has successfully completed its test flight today!”
“The success of this test flight signifies…”
“So, a new fighter jet has been successfully developed,” Grandma Sang remarked as she walked in upon hearing the radio.
Gu Jianing looked up and asked, “Grandma, are you interested in this?”
Grandma Sang smiled and said, “Ningning, you probably didn’t know this.”
“Your grandfather—he was involved in developing fighter jets.”
Though she only knew that her husband worked on fighter jets—the specifics were classified, so she wasn’t privy to the details.
Gu Jianing: “I see.”
So, does this fighter jet owe part of its success to Grandpa?
The successful development of this generation of fighter jets seemed to be a monumental achievement.
Before long, Gu Jianing heard the news being broadcast over the military base’s loudspeakers.
The entire base seemed to erupt in excitement because of this announcement.
Technological advancement also signified the nation’s progress.
Only by progressing could they avoid falling behind and suffering the consequences.
When Sheng Zexi returned at noon and talked about the fighter jet, he was also visibly excited and happy.
As a soldier, seeing the country’s military strength grow stronger naturally filled him with pride.
…
In fact, Gu Jianing’s assumption was correct.
This generation of fighter jets did indeed owe part of its success to Grandpa Sang’s contributions.
Of course, the greatest credit went to Qin Zhihong and Du Lan, the husband-and-wife team.
Today’s successful test flight marked the completion of their nine-year-long mission.
The higher-ups had also awarded them significant recognition.
And now, Qin Zhihong and Du Lan could finally return home in glory.
Thinking of their elderly mother and their two children back home, the couple wasted no time.
After handling some necessary matters, they were escorted by a special vehicle back to their hometown.
…
Qin Village.
The Qin Household.
Since Qin De’s schemes had been exposed and their parents’ wages were reclaimed, the Qin family’s life had improved significantly.
No longer did they have to worry about not having enough to eat or wear.
With proper nutrition, the siblings, Qin Tian and Qin Qing, had visibly grown taller, their bodies and faces filling out.
As for Grandma Qin, the weight on her heart had lifted, and she now looked much more spirited—as if she could live many more years.
Another cold winter had arrived.
Today, snow was falling outside.
With no school, Qin Tian and Qin Qing stayed home to keep their grandmother company.
Gazing at the snow outside, they recalled the first time they had met Gu Jianing.
It was because of her that their lives and fates had changed for the better.
While chatting with his grandmother, Qin Tian read a book, and Qin Qing worked on her homework.
Grandma Qin, with some free time, sat on the warm *kang* (heated brick bed), mending clothes for her grandchildren.
Though they could now afford new clothes, as long as the old ones weren’t too worn, patching them up was still practical.
Frugality was a virtue.
The three generations of the family lived together in harmony.
Just then, the sound of a car braking suddenly came from outside.
Qin Tian immediately heard it and exchanged a glance with his sister. “It must be Sister Gu,” he said.
Most likely, it was Sister Gu, with Brother Sheng driving, coming to visit them.
The siblings couldn’t think of anyone else it might be.
Qin Tian quickly set down his book, a smile spreading across his face, and dashed outside.
Soon, he swung open the courtyard gate.
“Sister Gu—”
Before he could even see clearly, he called out.
But when his eyes landed on the people stepping out of the car, he froze in shock.
“Xiaotian… you’re Xiaotian, right? I’m your mom.”
The person who had stepped out of the car was none other than Qin Zhihong and Du Lan, who had rushed home as soon as their mission was completed.
They hadn’t expected that the moment their car stopped, the courtyard gate would open, and a young boy would come running out.
His age and features—there was no mistaking it. This was their son, Qin Tian.
Du Lan called out to her son, her eyes instantly reddening. She rushed forward and pulled Qin Tian into a tight embrace, tears streaming down her face.
“Xiaotian… Mom and Dad are back…”
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