Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

  To the Zhai family, it was certainly a good thing that someone could provide guidance and point Miao Jing in the right direction. However, it would be a major problem if the other party had an ulterior motive.

  “Do you think Mom doesn’t even have this little sense of judgment?”

  “It’s hard to say.” Zhai Hua knitted her brows. When her mother was rational, she was definitely a smart woman. However, when she’s in the blind alley, her intelligence was completely ‘offline’.

  “What’s there to talk about?” Miao Jing, who just came into the room, happened to hear Zhai Hua’s last sentence. “Your grandpa is still outside and the two of you are hiding in the bedroom to chat. Is this appropriate? Is it good to leave your dad and grandpa outside to be hostile with each other?”

  Zhai Hua felt a little guilty. She heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that Miao Jing seemed to have heard only her last sentence. “I’ll go and keep Grandpa company by playing chess!”

  “Are you accompanying your grandpa to play chess or is it your grandpa accompanying you?” Miao Jing immediately smiled. Her father-in-law was good at playing chess, but Hua Hua was a ‘spoiler’. She would retract three moves with each move she made.

  “I’m the one accompanying Grandpa.” Zhai Hua straightened her neck. “Mom, I’m not talking to you anymore. I’m going to look for Grandpa.”

  Just as she finished talking bad about her biological mother, the latter appeared.

  Although Miao Jing might not have heard anything, Zhai Hua could not help feeling guilty. She simply ran off and left Zhai Sheng to clean up the mess.

  “Zhai Sheng, Mom wants to talk to you about something.”

  “Speak.”

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  “You’re still young. Mom will not ask you a lot of other questions, and neither do I wish to ask. Mom just wants to tell you that you’re still young and should give that lady and yourself more opportunities and time to understand each other. That lady is definitely younger than you. Do you remember President Mao’s words? Mom certainly trusts that you’re a responsible man who knows how to restrain yourself.”

  Miao Jing was not afraid of anything else. She was only afraid that her son and the young lady would taste the forbidden fruit before she could even find out who that young lady was. This might cause an unplanned premarital pregnancy.

  If that truly happened, given the temperament of the Zhai family, that lady had to be married into the family.

  The possibility of having a blissful marriage for such an impulsive and hasty union was very low.

  He did not wish to delay her son’s future or let him ruin the young lady’s life.

  “Sure, I’ll be with her for another two years. After two years, I’ll bring her home for her to meet all of you.”

  “Two years? Sure.” Miao Jing readily agreed. She thought that she had bought some time and gained two years. She did not know that Qiao Nan was only in the first year of senior high school. Not to mention two years, it would be at least two and a half years before Qiao Nan would bring up the subject of marriage to Zhai Sheng.

  Hence, Zhai Sheng did not compromise. In reality, he had to make concessions.

  Miao Jing’s mood lifted as she thought that she had achieved her objective. She smiled. “Son, we have a pact here. Mom will not stand in the way of your relationship in these two years. However, you’re a man, a soldier, and also a member of the Zhai family. You have to maintain your performance in the army. Otherwise, even if Mom agrees, your dad and grandpa will not do so. You should understand even if I don’t tell you what is important to the male members of the Zhai family and what do they care about. If your performance in the army is affected because of that lady, at that time, Mom is not the one who stands in your way, but you’re the one who ruins your own chance. Understand?”

  “Yes.” Zhai Sheng was trying to hold back that bright flash of shrewdness beneath his eyes. Her mother used this tactic on him?

  “Fine, we’ll do that then.” Having achieved both her minor and major goals, Miao Jing was in a much brighter mood.

  As the spouse of a soldier, Miao Jing was clearly aware of the hardships that came with it. It was a small issue to endure physical hardship. But most importantly, the wife of a soldier had to endure loneliness. When the country and the citizens needed them, the soldier would have to rush to the front line.

  This type of situation meant that he would possibly not be around when the family member needed him.

  Not every woman would be able to endure the loneliness and solitude of not having her husband by her side every time she needed him.

  Zhai Sheng was only twenty-two years old. Miao Jing estimated that the young lady in a relationship with him was about twenty years old.

  She was at a beautiful age and her son had taken a liking to her. This young lady was definitely not bad-looking.

  How many times could her son meet with the lady in a year? It would not exceed the ten fingers of her hands. If the lady had many pursuers, she did not believe that the lady would always remain true to his son. It was not that she was not confident of her son, but the truth of the matter hurt.

  They were only dating. If that lady could not endure it, they would break up eventually to avoid everyone suffering. This was because she would only endure more hardships if she truly became the wife of a soldier.

  Miao Jing had endured the hardships for years. Hence, she was clearly aware of the bitterness of it.

  Miao Jing thought that it would be difficult to resolve the problem regarding her son. She did not expect that it would be so easy. Miao Jing felt much more relaxed. “Do you know where Qiao Nan stays at now?”

  “Yes.”

  “That’s great. I think the body constituent of Qiao Nan, this young lady, is quite weak. Your grandpa is back. A lot of stuff has been piling up in the house. Pick some suitable ones for Qiao Nan later and send them to her.”

  Zhai Sheng raised his brows as his lips curled into a smile. “Mom, how did you know that Qiao Nan is unwell?” Nan Nan just had her menses yesterday, so her mother must have seen Nan Nan today. “Mom, did you go to Nan Nan’s place just now?”

  “Qiao Nan is alone at home. Can’t I go there to chat with her and keep her company?” The son was too smart. As a mother, she really worried at times.

  “Fine!” A hidden and cunning smile flashed across the pursed lips of Zhai Sheng. There was a feeling of a military ruffian within the righteous look on his face. “Then, I’ll send the stuff over to her now?”

  “Sure.” The earlier she ate them, the more nutritious it would be. “You should pick some peaches or something. It’s more appropriate, right? Ah, I’m so foolish. I might as well get your sister to pick the stuff. After all, your sister is a lady. She’ll be more aware of Qiao Nan’s situation.” Miao Jing stood up. “Right, I forgot about one more matter. Keep the keys properly. Qiao Nan is indeed a good child. But please don’t give the keys to any Tom, Dick, Harry in the future. Not everyone is as honest and pure as Qiao Nan.”

  “I won’t.” Holding the keys, Zhai Sheng was not angry for the first time.

  How could he possibly pass his house keys to outsiders? He would only pass it to his own people.

  “Grandpa, wait, I’m not making this move anymore. I…… I’ll take this step. The earlier move is not counted.” Just as the mother and son pair came out of the study room, they heard Zhai Hua retracting her move in the chess game.

  “Why aren’t you making this move now? Alright, alright, I’ll give in to you one more time.” Old Master Zhai helplessly placed the chess piece back into the original position and waited for Zhai Hua to make her next move. When Zhai Hua made the next move, Old Master Zhai’s face turned black. “After playing chess with me for so long, you’ve not improved by a bit. This move is not better than the earlier one.”