Chapter 97 Really Leaving

  But such things didn't just happen in Yao Wenhao's home. At the same time, Yu Yao's family was completely different from his.

  Yu Yao returned home from school and went straight back to her room without saying a word, after which she never came out again.

  Yu's mother knew that the admission notice would arrive soon, and she knew that if Yu Yao found out what she had done, she would definitely be unhappy. However, at the time, there was no other way to do it, so she could only do it this way. She thought to herself that once the notice arrived, Yu Yao's anger would pass, after all, she couldn't really let her attend a regular military school.

  "Yao Yao, open the door and talk to Mom about what's going on. Don't lock yourself in like this. You need to eat too." Seeing that Yu Yao hadn't come out after returning home, she was getting anxious. Now she'd rather have Yu Yao yell at her than see her like this, fearing something might happen to her.

  Yu Yao heard her words in the room and crawled onto the bed, covering herself with the quilt up to her head, no longer listening to the outside sounds, thinking how good it would be if she could stay like this forever.

  "What's going on, why the rush to call me back?" A medium-sized, dark-skinned soldier wearing summer uniform walked in from outside.

  "You're back. Yaoyao locked herself in her room as soon as she got home today and wouldn't even eat, let alone respond to calls." Yuyao's mother looked at the man, instantly relieved.

  "The little girl is throwing a tantrum, isn't this too normal? Just for such a small thing, you called me back from work?" The male soldier listened and found her reaction excessive. Who doesn't have a bad mood sometimes? Can't we just let bygones be bygones?

  "It's not that I'm exaggerating, but something is really off this time. Every time she's unhappy, she'll still come out to eat, but this time she won't even eat, and I'm really worried that something will happen to her." She looked at him helplessly, feeling guilty herself, yet not daring to speak up.

  "Hey, Yaya, it's Dad. Open the door and we'll talk things over properly. If you've been wronged, I'll stand up for you." Yaya's father said this, but he also came over to knock on the door.

  The door suddenly opened as he knocked, and Yu Yao appeared inside the door, looking at them coldly. "Is there anything else to say? Don't you know what you've done yourselves?"

  Both of them were stunned by her words. Yu Yao's father looked at her in confusion, while her mother seemed to understand something.

  Yu Yao saw they were still pretending to be stupid, so she stretched out her hand and threw out the notice that had already been crumpled up.

  Yu's mother saw what she had thrown over and suddenly understood, "Yao Yao, this is also for your own good. You're still young, it's better to listen to adults on some things."

  "What's good for me, why didn't you discuss it with me before secretly changing it?" Yu Yao couldn't listen to her words anymore, the grievances and dissatisfaction in her heart suddenly erupted.

  "What's going on here, can either of you tell me? Yu's father and Yu Yao's mother had an agreement that if it was a boy, he would follow him to be a soldier, but if it was a girl, Yu's mother would raise her. Since Yu Yao was born, Yu's father has kept his promise and not interfered with Yu Yao's affairs, but now listening to the two of them, it's unclear what's going on."

  "I had already filled out my college entrance exam application, and I was planning to attend XX Military Academy. But it turned out that my mom didn't say anything to me and changed my application at school without telling me, and she's been keeping it a secret from me until now." Yu Yao said, tears streaming down her face.

  "Wasn't this all for you? I was just afraid that you would impulsively choose a school you didn't like, and since you wanted to be an army mom, I didn't object. Didn't I even let you choose the military academy?" Yu's mother looked somewhat embarrassed but still didn't think she had done anything wrong.

  "Who says I don't like it anymore? How do you know what I like?" Yu Yao cried out in response.

  "Of course, she likes the piano. She has studied for so many years and achieved such good results. How could she not like it? Besides, with your talent, you will definitely have a great future ahead of you. Now if you give up and become a professional soldier, wouldn't that be a waste?"

  "That's what you like, all these years it's been you telling me what to do and I'll do it, what to learn and I'll learn it. Have you ever really cared about what I liked?" Yu Yao couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness in her heart, realizing that she had never taken charge of her own affairs like Ji Xin'an did, never made any decisions for herself, not even once, and now this one time was changed too.

  Yu Mu was speechless, and indeed all these years she had only let Yu Yao do what she thought was good for her, but never asked if she liked it or not. "But even so, can I harm my own biological daughter?"

  "Do you know, all these years I've never truly been happy because everything I did was what you wanted me to like. But going to the training camp was my first decision since childhood, and at first it was just to compete with others, but after I went there, I found that I really liked it. There, I realized that people can live with goals and passion, and this time some of my friends chose military school, giving me another reason. I wanted a different life, but you ruined everything, and now I have to go back to the original life like a puppet." Yu Yao said, bursting into tears and throwing herself into her father's arms.

  "Yao Yao, you can imagine how happy your father is that you want to be a soldier, but we both come from military backgrounds and know how much hardship it entails. Your mom doesn't want you to go through that again, which is why she opposes the idea of you joining the army. You've practiced piano for so many years and have become so good at it - don't you think it's a waste to give it up? Besides, your mom has already enrolled you in a military school, so even if you graduate from there, you'll still be part of the military. I promise you can live a life that's different from others." Yao Yao's father was actually relieved, as he had never thought she would take a liking to military life. He felt a sudden sense of comfort, after all, military blood ran through her veins.

  Yu Yao cried even harder after hearing his words, but this was actually much better than being cooped up in her room just now. After crying, she might not feel so sad anymore, and then she should go to school if it's time for school, since the admission letter had already arrived.

  Whether willingly or unwillingly, whether with opposition or without, the university of a few people was thus settled.

  After everything was settled, the opening time of school also approached. An Chuhong had already begun to pack up Ji Xinan's luggage.

  Ji Xin'an looked at the full luggage and couldn't help but laugh and cry, how can this be carried? I remember in my previous life, mom wasn't so exaggerated. "Mom, you brought me so many clothes, I won't be able to wear them all, we'll be issued military uniforms at the military academy."

  "But these cotton-padded clothes and whatnot have to be brought along, the army issues military uniforms but not cotton-padded clothes." An Chuhong listened without paying attention, still looking around to see if she had forgotten anything. In fact, this life was different from her previous one, in her previous life she knew she would only leave for three years and would eventually return, but now, after going to military school for four years, who knows where she would be assigned after graduation?

  Ji Xin'an really wanted to say that she would go even if she didn't take anything, it's fine, but looking at An Chuhong who was full of enthusiasm, she suppressed her words and thought about bringing them along, saying any more might make her sad.

  When Ji Xin'an arrived at Zou Ze's house and wanted to bid farewell, she saw a scene similar to her own home. Liu Lihua's behavior was no less than that of her own mother, and Ji Xin'an finally knew that her mom wasn't that excessive after all.

  But Zou Ze didn't have as good a temper as her, and was complaining to Liu Lihua. "Mom, why do you bring everything for me? How can I carry so many things? Didn't Dad say that once we arrive at the army unit, everything will be provided?"

  "It's not like you can come back for it if you're missing something when you get there." Liu Lihua ignored his complaints and continued to pack clothes into the already full bag, disregarding his protests.

  "Zou Ze, don't stop him, whatever Master's wife packs for you, just take it. When you get to school, there will be something useful, so you won't need to buy it now." Ji Xin'an pulled him into the living room and sat him down, not letting him make trouble.

  "You see, Anan is more sensible than you." Zhou Weiguo now has a comparison and looks down on Zhou Ze even more. However, since he was admitted to the military academy, things have improved a lot, and he is basically treated the same as Ji Xin'an.

  "Dad, how can this be related to being sensible?" Zou Ze laughed. His old man now thought that Ji Xin'an was perfect in every way and would have preferred him as a son rather than his own flesh and blood.

  "How can you not get in touch, your mom even helped you collect things, it's because she couldn't bear to part with you. You not only don't appreciate her but also bother her, you say you're sensible, yet you're about to leave and still pout at your mom." Zhou Weiguo glared at him.

  Ji Xin'an saw Zou Ze being scolded and couldn't help but laugh, "Master, Zou Ze is about to leave soon, so don't scold him anymore. Besides, he's already followed your wishes, aren't you happy?"

  "Hmph, he went to the military academy not because of me, what's there for me to be happy about?" Zhou Weiguo heard this and got annoyed, so he had an even worse attitude towards Zhou Ze, but he absolutely wouldn't admit that he was jealous of his own apprentice.

  "How could it not be? Zou Ze has said so himself, he wants to go and take a look at the place you've struggled for, see what's worth giving everything up for." Ji Xin'an said with a light smile.

  "Did he really say that?" Zhou Weiguo's face suddenly looked a bit better, and when he looked at Zhou Ze, he was somewhat embarrassed by Ji Xin'an saying what he had said in front of Zhou Weiguo. He turned his face to watch TV with great interest, pretending not to have heard, and then said, "I think it's just incidental, isn't the real reason still to accompany some people?"

  "Master, what are you talking about?" Ji Xin'an saw that Zou Weiguo also knew why Zou Ze had joined the army, and even though she was almost forty years old psychologically, she felt embarrassed.

  "What's there to be shy about? I didn't say anything wrong, and I won't oppose it either. But this kid's taste is really good. If you were to become my daughter-in-law, I'd agree a hundred times." Zou Weiguo surprisingly looked at Ji Xin'an with a flirtatious gaze, rarely cracking a joke.

  Zou Ze suddenly regained his hearing and turned around with a smile, happily gazing at her, rarely seeing her blush.

  At this time, Jing Xin was at a loss for how to deal with Zou Weiguo's teasing. Liu Lihua came over and helped her out of the awkward situation. "An An, since you and Zou Ze are from the same school, don't let your parents go, let your teacher take you instead. He's just idle at home anyway, going out will be good exercise for his old arms and legs."

  "No need, Master's wife. We're both grown up now, we can go on our own. And Master is still not feeling well, let him rest at home for a while." Ji Xin'an smiled and politely declined her kindness. Although he had never been to that city before, as someone in his thirties, it was really not habitual to have someone send him off.

  "That's not possible, you two are still young and have never been far from home, how can you go by yourselves? Your teacher is already better, but he can't always stay at home either." How could Liu Lihua possibly feel at ease letting the two children who had never left home before go to school by themselves.

  "Mom, I know you're doing this for our own good, but look at us, we're all going to military school now, shouldn't we toughen up a bit? Besides, the trains are direct and there's a special shuttle bus for new students after getting off the train, it'll take us straight to school. What's there to worry about?" Ji Xin'an smiled and went over to put his arm around her.

  "Just listen to Ji Xin'an, let them be, they're so big now, it's time for them to temper themselves. When I was their age, I was already carrying a gun onto the battlefield." Zou Weiguo thought about it and felt that Ji Xin'an made sense.

  But Liu Lihua still had some misgivings.

  "It's all right, what are you worried about? The two of them will go together, what could possibly happen?" Zhou Weiguo interrupted her and made the decision directly.

  "Alright then, but you all must be careful." Liu Lihua was still worried, but seeing that everyone agreed, she didn't object either.

  "Don't worry, Master's wife, I'll take good care of my junior brother." Ji Xin'an knew and smiled as he glanced at Zou Ze-yi who was waiting for the outcome but didn't come to help.

  Zou Ze originally admired and looked at Ji Xin'an, these words would definitely not work if he said them himself, and might even get scolded. But as soon as he heard Ji Xin'an's words, his face turned black. He hated it the most when Ji Xin'an called him that name.

  Persuaded the master, Ji Xin'an again at his own home, spent a lot of effort to persuade his parents, and finally won the right to go on his first military school trip.

  When the time comes, no matter what happens, I must leave. The military academy is not like an ordinary university where it's okay to be late. It's a demerit, and Ji Xin'an certainly wouldn't let that happen, so he bought his ticket in advance.

  Song Jiang originally wanted to help them book plane tickets, but Ji Xin'an didn't agree. Whether it was the train station or the bus station, there were school pick-up cars, but only the airport didn't have one. They also couldn't just go and be special, so they bought two sleeper tickets for a direct ride. Although not as fast as a plane, it was still very comfortable.

  Ji Xin'an could object to their sending him off to military school, but she couldn't object to seeing them off at the train station, even though she also disliked the atmosphere of farewells at the train station.

  A family of three drove to the train station, outside was a hazy drizzle, Ji Xinan suddenly remembered a language teacher in his previous life talking about the poem "Seeing Off Yuan Er at Anxi", telling a story when he said the first line "Wei City morning rain wets the light dust".

  At that time, communication and transportation were not developed. Once you traveled far away, you didn't know how many years it would take to see each other again. The person he sent was even more out of the pass to the border, with great danger, so friends came to see him off with a very bad mood.

  The first sentence is exactly what it says, a gentle drizzle that matches people's mood. At that time, the teacher said, why is it a light rain? If it were a heavy downpour, it would be over, and if it were sunny, you'd be gone, we're all happy to see you go. These things don't match the mood at the time, only the gentle rain can perfectly capture the mood of the moment.

  Ji Xin'an had never left home except for the three years she was in school, and this time leaving was clearly different from every other time. It's unknown how long it will take to come back, so her mood is naturally different. This light rain is revealing her reluctance to part with her family and the deep concern of those who came to see her off.

  Ji Xin'an finally understood why An Chuhong's behavior was so different from her own when she left in her past life.

  At the train station, Ji Xin'an's parents finally met her master and his family, whom she had always talked about. Under Ji Xin'an's introduction, they also became familiar with each other.

  "I should have visited you guys earlier, but I didn't have the chance until now. An'an has been a handful for you, hasn't she?" Ji Liang also knew how severe Zou Weiguo's injuries were, and after taking a closer look, he found that there was no difference from a normal person. He couldn't believe he had recovered so well, but immediately withdrew his gaze, afraid of arousing his resentment.

  "Where was she giving us trouble? She actually helped us a lot. This time I got injured, she took care of me from the beginning to the end, and even helped me buy this good prosthetic leg from America. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have recovered so quickly." Zhou Weiguo said, casually lifting up his pant leg to show them his prosthetic leg, looking quite calm about it.

  "This is what she should do, after all, one day as a teacher and a lifetime as a father." Ji Liang turned his head to look at his daughter with great satisfaction, feeling that she had done the right thing.

  "If I really had a daughter like you, I would be delighted to death, unfortunately, it's not my good fortune."

  "What's the point of being good, anyway? Won't they just abandon us at home and not care about us after we've gone so far?" As for Ji Xin'an going so far away, I still mind it in my heart. Later on, thinking about seeing him again will also require going that far, let alone what happens after graduation.

  "We're not the same, kids grow up and can't be controlled by us, but we've also gotten to know each other now, so let's keep in touch more often, so as not to get bored at home." Zhou Weiguo himself didn't have much to say, after all, he hadn't spent that much time with Zhou Ze either. But Ji Xin'an was different, once she left, Ji Liang would definitely be uncomfortable, if he could accompany him, maybe it would be better.

  "Of course, that's great. Nothing beats playing chess and having a drink together." Ji Liang was delighted to agree, and although they were from different walks of life, they hit it off immediately.

  The two of them were chatting excitedly over there, while An Chuhong and Liu Lihua on this side were repeatedly reminding them with concern, looking at their appearance as if they could buy tickets now, they would definitely follow together.

  At this time, someone suddenly came over and greeted Zou Weiguo.

  "Lao Yao, how did you also come here? Are you seeing someone off or leaving yourself?" Zou Weiguo turned his head and was surprised to find that it was his old comrade-in-arms, Yao Baixiang.

  "Take my son with you, he needs to go to school, I'll see him off at the station." Yao Bai-xiang was delighted to mention his son, especially in front of his comrades.

  "What a coincidence! Our family's Zou Ze is also going to school, where did your family's Wen Hua take the exam?" Liu Lihua casually asked him, and unexpectedly met an acquaintance in such a big train station.

  "XX Military Academy, isn't Old Zou envious? You've been urging your son for so long, but he never went. I didn't even mention it once, and my son came back with a military academy admission on his own." As he spoke, his face couldn't help but show some pride. For anyone from a military background, who wouldn't want their child to wear that uniform too? They love the troops, it's already deeply ingrained in their bones.

  "This time you can be happy, my son also took the XX military school exam, and it's not me forcing him, he wanted to go himself." Zou Weiguo hid his uncontrollable smile, although he knew it wasn't because of him that he went, but now he couldn't say it out loud.

  "What a coincidence! They're classmates again, and they'll be at war later." Yao Boxiang looked at him in surprise, and immediately felt that Zou Weiguo couldn't possibly tell such a lie.

  "Of course, it seems that from now on, he will be like the two of us. The relationship is not to be mentioned, and my apprentice also comes from that school." This time, Zou Weiguo was pleased, and Ji Xin'an can be considered as his own disciple, right?

  However, in Ji Xin'an's eyes, these two usually serious soldiers are now very gossipy, making her doubt the military personnel for the first time, but she immediately pushes this idea out of her mind, which is not good, so she quickly turns her head and no longer listens to their words.

  Yao Bai Xiang hurriedly called Yao Wen Hua and his mother over. "Wen Hua, I just found out that you and Zou Ze are taking the exam at the same school, and even take the same bus to get there. What a coincidence!"

  Yao Wenhao and his mother arrived just in time to see Zou Ze and Ji Xin'an standing there, each being lectured by their respective mothers. Wei Yan's face changed as soon as she saw Ji Xin'an, thinking that Yao Wenhao's sudden decision to take the military academy exam must have had something to do with her.

  Yao Wenhao's face suddenly fell when he heard that Zou Ze had also gone to the military academy, and he couldn't believe that Zou Ze had given up on his dream university just to be with Ji Xianan.

  Behind the two, however, was Yu Yao. For some reason, she had ended up with them, and when she saw Ji Xin and An, they forced a smile as a greeting, but it didn't reach their eyes before disappearing.

  After a few people introduced each other with different expressions, Ji Xin'an didn't expect that Yao Wenhuo had also taken the exam for the school he wanted to attend. Thinking about what he said before, it should be for himself too. But now there's no time to think so much, because Ji Liang has seen him before, and is afraid of being misunderstood by him. After greeting them, he pulled his family aside.