Duan Ruhai cast a stern look at him. "Recognize your own position and stay away from those riff - raff."
Duan Jingqi felt a tremor in his heart, and the muscles on his face stiffened a bit. He tried to keep his expression calm. "I just happened to run into them on my way back..."
Duan Ruhai shot him a glare.
Just then, Yin Miao came gracefully out of the house upon hearing the voices. Seeing the tense atmosphere between the father and son, she quickly stepped forward and looped her arm through Duan Ruhai's. "Oh, he's just come back. Why be so tough on the kid? It's cold outside. Come inside quickly."
"Humph, only he still acts like a child." Duan Ruhai let out a cold snort, and the imposing manner of a military regiment commander suddenly emanated from him. Then he turned around and walked into the house.
Duan Jingqi stood still, not daring to move. It was only when Yin Miao gave him a subtle look that he came to his senses and scurried into the house like a dog with its tail between its legs.
"Your father was in a bad mood when he came back today. Don't get on his nerves." Yin Miao whispered a reminder.
"Okay." Duan Jingqi nodded and then went to the living room.
The Duan family had strict family teachings, and Duan Ruhai had been in the military camp all year round, rarely coming home. Even so, Duan Jingqi was as scared of his father as a mouse was of a cat. Every time he saw his father, he was always on tenterhooks.
When Yin Miao got home, she took out the lily and lotus seed soup from the kitchen. "Come, try the new lily and lotus seed soup I made today."
When she handed the soup to Duan Jingqi, Yin Miao's finger gently brushed the palm of his hand. Then she sat back beside Duan Ruhai and chatted with him cheerfully about what had happened at home in the past few days, acting like a kind - hearted stepmother.
However, that warm finger was like a feather grazing across Duan Jingqi's palm, stirring up a storm in his heart. He didn't even dare to look up at Yin Miao's expression, feeling as if his heart was about to burst out of his chest. In front of his father... she was so bold.
Although he knew this was inappropriate, a sense of excitement welled up in his heart.
As they were drinking the soup, the family atmosphere improved a bit.
At this moment, under Yin Miao's gentle consolation, Duan Ruhai's mood wasn't as bad. He had married Yin Miao back then precisely because he loved her gentle and understanding nature.
"This soup is well - made. You've worked hard."
"What's so hard about it?" Yin Miao said, but her eyes casually glanced at Duan Jingqi.
Duan Jingqi lowered his head. "Thank you, stepmother."
Yin Miao covered her mouth and laughed. "You silly boy, why are you being so formal? Look at you. Spending a few months in the military camp has made you dull. I'm sure life in the military camp is tough."
Yin Miao said a few good words for Duan Jingqi.
Duan Ruhai looked at his son in front of him. Although his son loved to play around, he was down - to - earth in his work. He had no complaints even when starting from the lowest - level clerk. Moreover, he had joined the military camp earlier than he had, and he was sure to reach a higher position than him in the future.
Thinking of this, Duan Ruhai let out a sigh. His tone softened a bit.
"You should work hard in your current department first. I'll transfer you to the cadre section of the regiment in a few months. Try to perform well. Maybe you'll get a chance to enter the Political Academy. Then your future will be bright."
A parent who loves their child will plan far ahead for them.
Even though Duan Jingqi had only taken the first step, Duan Ruhai had already planned a hundred steps for him. Duan Jingqi nodded nervously in response.
Duan Jingqi was extremely excited. The talents in the Political Academy were all trained to be cadres. With his father in the regiment, he might be able to become a political director in the future. Since he was his father's only child, he would surely inherit all his father's connections and resources.
"Okay, father."
After saying a few words, Duan Ruhai got up and went back to his room. He let out a sigh. As he was getting older, his energy wasn't what it used to be.
Yin Miao followed beside him. Her form - fitting nightgown outlined her graceful figure. As she climbed the stairs, her slender waist and voluptuous chest made her look less like a woman in her forties and more like a young woman in her thirties.
Walking beside Duan Ruhai, Duan Jingqi felt that his stepmother didn't really match his nearly fifty - year - old father.
As if sensing Duan Jingqi's gaze, she glanced back at him and gave him a charming smile, throwing him a seductive look.
This made Duan Jingqi's heart flutter, but there was also a tinge of regret in his heart. If his father hadn't come back tonight, things might have been different.
He had already spent all his money this month and had nothing to coax Yin Miao to come and accompany him.
Duan Jingqi went back to his room dejectedly.
But in the middle of the night, he lay in bed, thinking about Yin Miao. He was so restless that he couldn't fall asleep.
His mind was still lingering on the feeling of his stepmother's touch in the past few days, her gentle caresses.
She was different from any other woman. She was more inclusive and gentle than all of them. Even if he didn't say a word, she knew what he was thinking.
As he was thinking, he also recalled what had happened to him at the Lotus Steel Factory today.
What puzzled Duan Jingqi was that since Li Chuchu was already a radio announcer at the Lotus Steel Factory, how could she take a fancy to Shen Yanshan, a hooligan who was just a security guard? Did she just like to spend money on men?
Thinking of this, jealousy welled up in Duan Jingqi's heart.
She was spending her monthly salary of thirty or forty yuan on Shen Yanshan. It would be better to spend it on him.
Moreover, if she had become a radio announcer before, she would have wanted the whole world to know. Did she deliberately not tell him so that she could show off in front of him silently after he found out?
She was really just a little girl.
Duan Jingqi sneered in his heart.
Only he understood the thoughts of these twenty - something girls. If it were anyone else, they probably wouldn't even know that she was playing hard - to - get.
He hypothesized all kinds of possibilities, but it was impossible that Li Chuchu didn't like him.
After all, everyone knew that she had loved him for three years. All his friends knew about her. How could she stop loving him just like that?
Anyway, he must go and find out the truth tomorrow.
As he was thinking, under the lonely moonlight, Duan Jingqi finally fell asleep reluctantly.
...
On the way back, Li Chuchu saw a furtive figure at the alley entrance. The figure was pacing back and forth at the entrance, as if waiting for someone.
Li Chuchu walked closer and was surprised to find that it was Luo Yingshu, who had disappeared for almost ten days!
"Luo Yingshu, what are you doing here?" Li Chuchu's face showed surprise.
Luo Yingshu was startled. When she saw it was Li Chuchu, her expression relaxed.
"Nothing. I was just passing by and came to take a look."
Li Chuchu frowned slightly. "So, how's it going with the divorce? I haven't heard from you for a few days. I thought you had changed your mind."
At this, Luo Yingshu's face showed disappointment, and her voice was listless. "I underestimated this. It's not that easy to get a divorce."
It was obvious that she had spent a lot of energy on this matter in the past few days.