bookcurios Chapter 1863 Sergeant Hao's Gift
Chapter 1863 Sergeant Hao's Gift
Li Xiangnan's call, filled with surprise and uncertainty, instantly attracted the attention of many people in the courtyard.
Almost simultaneously, Song Ziming and Wang Defa jumped up and rushed to the small door that was later built by Li Xiangnan.
"Squad Leader Hao? Are you sure?"
"He is back?"
Wang Defa and Song Ziming exchanged a glance, then turned to look at Li Xiangnan.
Li Xiangnan shushed, shook his head, and walked over, calling out "Squad Leader Hao" again.
Tapping.
Suddenly, a tall, resolute-looking man emerged from the Hao family's courtyard next door. He was wearing a faded old military uniform, travel-worn, with a gentle smile and the joy of a long-awaited reunion on his face. Who else could it be but Hao Jian!
"Squad Leader Hao, it really is you!" Li Xiangnan was overjoyed and rushed forward.
"Xiao Li!" Hao Jian's voice was loud and clear, with the unique cheerfulness of a soldier. He strode out the door, glanced at Wang Defa and Song Ziming, and the classmates who had not yet dispersed behind them, and finally his gaze landed on Li Xiangnan. He patted him hard on the shoulder and said, "Good lad, I just came back from the street and heard that you became a father. Well done! I just happened to come back this time!"
Li Xiangnan suppressed the turmoil that suddenly surged in his heart and quickly greeted, "Squad Leader Hao, when did you return to Beijing? We didn't hear from you at all before!"
Li Xiangnan couldn't remember how long it had been since Hao Jian last appeared; it had been quite some time since their last meeting.
This veteran sergeant from the Sino-Japanese War was a friend he had risked his life for.
After the war ended, he returned to Yanjing, and coincidentally, he lived in the courtyard next door to him.
What truly puzzled Li Xiangnan was his suspicion that Squad Leader Hao had some connection with his grandmother, Mu Huanying.
He had previously speculated about this matter with his wife, Qin Ruobai, but due to insufficient evidence, they could only think about it in their minds.
Moreover, Hao Jian works for a classified unit, and for disciplinary reasons, Li Xiangnan cannot ask him about it, nor can Hao Jian disclose his work content, which adds to Hao Jian's mystique.
Indeed, Squad Leader Hao's whereabouts are elusive, often appearing and disappearing without a trace.
"I had a last-minute mission and came back for a visit. I heard your wife gave birth, what a coincidence! Congratulations!" Squad Leader Hao said with a smile, glancing towards the courtyard.
"Yes, it's a girl!" Li Xiangnan also took the opportunity to pull Hao's arm and led him to his home.
Qiao Henwan had already prepared tea and placed it on the table.
Squad Leader Hao smiled and accepted the gift, then his eyes inadvertently glanced to the side, where Qin Ruobai was resting against the headboard, while her grandmother, Tang Qingshuang, held little Xitang and softly hummed a nursery rhyme.
Li Xiangnan's doubts suddenly surged.
Squad Leader Hao's sudden return was, as he himself said, quite coincidentally, as it happened on the very day his child was born and he was returning home.
His gaze was truly focused on his child.
Li Xiangnan had discussed with his wife Ruobai more than once that Squad Leader Hao was not only his comrade-in-arms and squad leader on the battlefield, but also their neighbor in Yanjing. His repeated care for their family made them feel that Squad Leader Hao had an extraordinary concern for the Li family, and this concern was very similar to that of Mu Huanying.
However, out of discipline, Li Xiangnan would not inquire about the specifics of Squad Leader Hao's work, and Squad Leader Hao never said so directly.
Everything is left to unspoken speculation.
"Squad Leader Hao, please sit down!" Li Xiangnan brought over a fruit plate and invited him to sit down.
"Hey, wait a minute!" Hao Jian seemed to remember something, put down his teacup, and ran out.
Li Xiangnan and his wife Qin Ruobai exchanged a glance, then looked at the stunned Wang Defa and Song Ziming. Just as they were about to say something, Hao Jian returned.
Then, from an old canvas bag he was carrying, he took out an exquisitely packaged box and handed it over, saying, "Here, a gift for my niece! I brought it back from the coast; it's just a little something, so please don't find it offensive!"
Li Xiangnan took the box. It was obviously an expensive item, heavy in his hand. The packaging was made of smooth coated paper, printed with brightly colored cartoon patterns and English labels. It was a Disney Snow White toy, which could not possibly be bought in China.
"Squad Leader Hao, you're too kind. You're so far away and you still think of our family!"
As Li Xiangnan spoke, his face showed genuine gratitude. But at that very moment, just as he finished speaking, his peripheral vision caught Wang Defa and Song Ziming, and his heart skipped a beat.
The same question was on their faces.
Was Hao Jian a temporary returnee?
But this gift doesn't seem like something you could buy on short notice!
These are expensive and exquisite items that can only be bought in imported stores.
Although they are becoming more common in coastal areas, they are not something you can just buy easily. Such exquisite children's gifts, specially selected for gender, are rare even in Beijing.
How did Squad Leader Hao know that his child had been born when he didn't return to Beijing?
And they even picked out a gift that this girl would like?
Hao Jian's explanation for his temporary return to Beijing seems somewhat untenable!
Li Xiangnan was silent for a second.
Hao Jian seemed oblivious to the subtle exchange of glances among the others, his attention focused more on the interior of the room.
"Comrade Ruobai, you've worked hard too. How's your recovery? If you need anything, be sure to tell Xiang Nan, or you can come find me in the next courtyard. I'll probably be in Yanjing for a while!"
He nodded gently to Qin Ruobai and gave her his instructions.
After saying this, he moved closer to Tang Qingshuang, bowed slightly, and looked at the baby Xitang in the swaddling clothes with loving eyes.
"Look at this child, so energetic! Hey, his eyebrows and eyes face south! This child is blessed!"
He reached out his finger and gently touched Xitang's little fist, his movements very careful, as if he were touching a precious gem.
"Sir, what's your name?"
"I am Ruobai's maternal grandmother!"
Hao Jian nodded, "You've had a tough time..."
After saying that, he changed the subject and asked, "How's the little one's weight? Is he enjoying his milk? Does he fuss at night?"
His greetings were very natural, carrying the concern of an elder and a former squad leader, but that concern, especially his attention to Qin Ruobai's recovery and the child, subtly made Li Xiangnan's heart tighten a little.
His doubts deepened.
Squad Leader Hao's attitude and the level of attention he's getting... Could it really be as I suspect, that Grandma Mu Huanying sent him to inquire about this?
Could it be that when Xitang was born, Grandma already knew about the Li family's situation and immediately arranged for Hao Jian to return to Beijing from the distant seaside to visit them?
Then, should Hao Jian prepare gifts to bring back? And should he keep a close eye on the situation of Li's wife and children?
When Grandma learned that her great-granddaughter had been born, she specially sent the person she trusted most back to take a look.
Once the thought arose, it grew wildly in Li Xiangnan's mind like weeds.
He suddenly remembered Mu Huanrong's sudden arrival in Beijing, and now Squad Leader Hao's timely appearance. Could all of this be just a coincidence?