The Adopted Cannon Fodder Made a Comeback

When everyone had had their fill of drinks, the guests started to leave. It was late, after all, and few people would linger out until the dead of night.

Gu’er’s group, along with Lin Shan and his friends, said their goodbyes to the Qin Family, Li Hua, and the others. It was time for them to head home as well.

Li Hua grabbed Gu’er’s hand and held it tight. She hadn’t held back on the drinks today, and her face was flushed. The blush actually made her look even more beautiful than usual.

"Mom, it’s going to be okay. Things will only get better from here on out. Don’t worry."

Gu’er patted Li Hua’s hand comfortingly. Even though Li Hua was much older, she wasn’t someone with strong opinions. ’Now that she’s part of the Qin Family, she must be nervous on her first night,’ Gu’er thought.

"Yes, yes, I know. It’ll be fine. You should hurry back. Jiji must be hungry."

Li Hua nodded, urging Gu’er to go home.

Gu’er said a few more words to Lin Shan and Chen Fengjiao, and then everyone headed home. Before she even had the key in the lock, Gu’er heard crying from inside the apartment.

The moment Sun Jiaming opened the door, deafening wails assaulted Gu’er’s ears, and a pang shot through her heart. ’Jiji must be hungry. He only takes breast milk and refuses formula or anything else.’

"Oh, thank goodness you’re back! Hurry, hurry! He’s been crying for nearly an hour, and nothing we do will soothe him. I don’t know who he gets this temper from. Jia Ming wasn’t like this as a baby."

The moment Cao Qiu saw them, she let out a huge sigh of relief, as did everyone else. They had been taking turns trying to console the baby for ages, but nothing worked.

Gazing at her son, his eyes red and his little voice hoarse from crying, Gu’er felt her heart was being ripped in two. She had never felt anything like this before—not even in her past life, not even for Zhang Juan.

"Shh, good boy, don’t cry. Mommy’s here to feed you."

Cooing softly, Gu’er carried the baby back to their room to nurse him.

Looking at the contented expression on her baby’s face after he finished nursing, Gu’er couldn’t quite put a name to the feeling in her heart.

"Are you upset?"

Sun Jiaming asked, playfully tickling their son.

"When I first came home and heard him crying, seeing how distressed he was... it really hurt my heart."

Gu’er replied, and before Sun Jiaming could say anything, she added, "But I know that I can’t stay cooped up at home, and I can’t be with him every single second. It’s impossible to prevent him from ever crying. Besides, a good cry is healthy for a baby—it’s like a detox, it keeps them from getting sick. Don’t worry, I’ve got a handle on it."

Sun Jiaming gave Gu’er a gentle smile. He had been worried she was taking it hard and had come in to comfort her.

"Our son’s got a powerful set of lungs on him," Sun Jiaming joked. "He’ll have no problem being a singer one day."

"Well, of course," Gu’er said proudly. "Look who his mother is."

Gu’er said, a proud look on her face. She understood perfectly well. ’No matter how much a parent’s heart aches, what child doesn’t cry or feel wronged at times? When he’s older and cries about going to kindergarten, can you just tell him not to go? When he starts elementary school and doesn’t want to go, can you tell him to just drop out? When there’s something he doesn’t like doing, can you just say he doesn’t have to do it?’

’No. You can’t indulge his every whim, and life won’t always go his way.’ That was why, despite the heartache, Gu’er wouldn’t spoil him without principles.

Sun Jiaming stroked Gu’er’s hair. His main concern had been that she would be distressed by how hard Jiji had cried. It was clear now, however, that she had a very sensible outlook on the matter.

"Let’s go, little guy. You really tired out Grandpa and Grandma today. Let’s go out and let them see you’re okay now."

Gu’er gently pinched Jiji’s chubby little cheek, her heart overflowing with an indescribable joy, and carried him into the living room.

"Oh, my sweet grandson, you’re all better now! Grandma’s heart was just breaking for you."

The moment Cao Qiu saw her daughter-in-law emerge with her grandson—who was no longer crying but was now grinning at her—she instantly forgot all her fatigue. She reached out her arms and took Jiji from her.

"Gu’er, come here! I’ve got some great news to tell you."

Marina pulled Gu’er aside. She and Dingzi hadn’t attended the wedding, mainly because they were afraid the large crowd might be risky for the pregnant Marina.

"What’s the good news?"

Gu’er asked, her curiosity piqued. She could tell Marina was buzzing with excitement.

"My daddy called this afternoon! He said the war is over, but the Soviet Union collapsed. Now it’s called Russia... I didn’t quite understand everything, but the point is, things are stable now! He’s already brought my little sister home, and he wants Dingzi to bring me back for a visit!"

Marina’s face was beaming. She had finally gotten news from home: her father was safe, the turmoil was over, he had even gotten a promotion, and her sister was back with him. All that was left was for her and Dingzi to go back for a family reunion.

"Really? That’s wonderful news! What did Dingzi say? When are you two going back?"

Gu’er was genuinely happy for Marina. There was truly no better news than hearing your loved ones were safe.

"Dingzi said we should pack and leave tomorrow. Gu’er, I know I’m pregnant and I shouldn’t be traveling around. I know Grandma and Dingzi are worried about me, but I just can’t wait until after the baby is born to go back. I miss my father and sister so much. I miss my home. It’s great here, but I have to go back and see it for myself. I won’t be able to rest easy until I do."

Marina said, her expression a mixture of longing and nostalgia.

Gu’er gently wrapped an arm around Marina’s shoulders.

"Marina, you haven’t done anything wrong. Everyone misses their family and their homeland. Especially considering the circumstances under which you came here, it’s completely natural to want to go back for a look. As for Grandma and Dingzi, they’re just worried about you. After all, you never know what you might encounter when you’re traveling, and they’re just afraid of the ’what ifs.’ But don’t you worry. Grandma and Dingzi are both very understanding; they won’t stop you from going."

Gu’er reassured her.

"I know, I know. I know they just want what’s best for me. I promised Grandma and Dingzi that I’ll listen to whatever Dingzi says. As soon as I’ve seen my dad, my sister, and my hometown, I’ll come right back. I can go visit them again later, when the baby is older."

Marina nodded. It wasn’t that she didn’t understand their concerns; she just missed her family too much.

"I have an idea. I obviously can’t go with you because of Jiji—another baby would just make things more complicated. Why don’t you have Jia Ming and Li Zhi go with you? Two extra people means two extra pairs of hands to help out."

Gu’er said, patting Marina’s hand.

"Jia Ming can’t go. You need him here with you. What if something happens and you’re all alone? It’s fine if just Li Zhi goes with us."

Marina didn’t refuse the offer of help, but she was firm about Sun Jiaming staying behind.

Gu’er didn’t argue. She gathered Sun Jiaming, Li Zhi, and Dingzi to discuss the plan. Li Zhi agreed immediately. He would have had to make a trip over there soon anyway, even if he weren’t escorting Dingzi and Marina, as he had business to attend to.

Sun Jiaming respected their decision and agreed to stay behind to look after the family and the mall.

But to Gu’er’s surprise, when the group was about to depart the next day, they had an extra person with them: Feng Ling.