19: Such behavior deserves special praise.
Lu Jing's face immediately darkened.
He was only twenty-four years old now; how was he old?
Those few people mocking him were all several years older than him.
Xiao Niannian was already eighteen, only six years younger than him.
"Sister is tired, let Uncle hold you."
Xiao Niannian handed Tuantuan to Lu Jing, emphasizing the word 'Uncle'.
Lu Jing's face turned even darker, and Old Chief Gu laughed out loud.
Fang Qiang and He Yong also laughed heartily.
"Uncle hold."
Hearing Xiao Niannian's words, Tuantuan nodded obediently at her.
Lu Jing took Tuantuan into his arms; the little one looked small but actually had some weight to him.
Xiao Niannian sat down in her seat, intending to sleep a bit more.
Seeing Xiao Niannian walk to the front, Tuantuan immediately wanted to follow.
"Tuantuan, don't disturb Sister. Sister just fought the Thugs and is tired..."
Hearing Lu Jing's words, Tuantuan blinked and nodded.
"Uncle is right."
Fang Qiang and He Yong almost laughed out loud again.
Lu Jing's gaze swept across their faces; the two were too scared to laugh anymore and immediately put away their smiles.
"Niannian."
Grandma Xiao's voice rang out.
Xiao Niannian opened her eyes instantly, stood up, and walked toward Grandma Xiao.
"Grandma, why did you come over?"
Hearing her Granddaughter's words, Grandma Xiao said anxiously.
"Grandma just heard people in the carriage say that just now on the platform, Thugs held a girl and a child hostage with guns..."
Grandma Xiao looked Xiao Niannian over anxiously.
She heard that among those people was a group of Soldiers, and that the girl was about seventeen or eighteen, very pretty, and wearing an old grey cotton-padded jacket. How could she sit still? She immediately rushed over.
Uncle Xiao Shu also looked at Xiao Niannian with an anxious face.
As soon as they heard it, they felt that the girl sounded like Xiao Niannian.
"Was it you?"
Grandma Xiao asked anxiously.
"Grandma, I'm not hurt, please don't worry..."
Hearing Xiao Niannian's words, Grandma Xiao reached out and patted her.
"How could you be so bold..."
"Grandma, I was wrong. I made you worry."
Xiao Niannian took the hit without dodging; she could feel Grandma Xiao's love for her.
Indeed, at the time, she was confident she could subdue the Thugs. She was thinking about protecting the Masses and protecting that child; she hadn't thought about anything else.
"You are really going to worry Grandma to death."
Grandma Xiao started crying.
"Grandma only has you as a Granddaughter. Your father back then was... you..."
Thinking of her Eldest Son, Grandma Xiao choked with sobs.
Old Chief Gu listened to Grandma Xiao and Xiao Niannian's conversation and walked over immediately.
"Are you Niannian's Grandma?"
Hearing the voice, Grandma Xiao looked at Old Chief Gu.
"I am. And you are?"
"Hello, my surname is Gu, I am an Old Comrade. I am truly very grateful to Grandma Xiao for raising such a good child..."
Old Chief Gu praised Xiao Niannian in various ways.
Grandma Xiao looked at Old Chief Gu, listening to his words, feeling incredibly proud.
The children she raised, whether it was her Eldest Son or Niannian, were all excellent.
As for her second son, Grandma Xiao's expression became serious.
She had picked up her second son outside back then and raised him as her own, but she hadn't expected that despite receiving the same upbringing, he would turn out this way.
"Grandma, please don't be angry..."
Tuantuan, in Lu Jing's arms, saw Grandma Xiao crying hard and reached out to wipe her tears.
"Grandma, don't cry."
Hearing Tuantuan's milky voice, Grandma Xiao smiled.
"Grandma won't cry."
Grandma Xiao took Tuantuan and smiled, pressing her cheek against his.
"Good child."
Grandma Xiao held Tuantuan and looked at Xiao Niannian again.
In front of outsiders, she didn't scold Xiao Niannian again.
Fang Qiang and He Yong stood up and gave their seats to Grandma Xiao.
"Grandma Xiao, please sit."
"Thank you."
Uncle Xiao Shu looked at his Niece, feeling shocked.
The Niannian from the past was hardworking, studied exceptionally well, and was usually quiet. He hadn't expected that she would risk her life, daring to trade herself for the safety of a child in front of Thugs with guns.
As expected of Brother Zhan's child, she is truly brave!
Old Chief Gu looked at Xiao Niannian. He decided that after arriving in Yangcheng, he would call the local Public Security Bureau and the railway department to have them write letters of commendation; such matters must be highly commended.
Old Chief Gu asked again.
"Sister-in-law Xiao, are you going to Yangcheng to stay with relatives?"
Hearing Old Chief Gu's words, Grandma Xiao said cheerfully.
"Old Comrade, I am taking Niannian to stay with..."
Grandma Xiao thought of the letters comrade Wang Aiwu had written and said with a smile, "It is a comrade named Wang Aiwu."
Grandma Xiao had never boasted to others that she was the mother of a martyr.
Hearing that Grandma Xiao was also looking for comrade Wang Aiwu, Old Chief Gu looked at her. He had felt that the person before him looked familiar.
"Sister-in-law Xiao, what business do you have with comrade Wang Aiwu?"
Old Chief Gu thought that since Grandma Xiao and Xiao Niannian didn't say they were relatives when looking for comrade Wang Aiwu, they weren't Little Wang's relatives. So who could they be?
The surname Xiao?
He suddenly thought of a name: Xiao Zhan.
More than a decade ago, Comrade Xiao Zhan sacrificed himself to protect his Comrade-in-arms. He was in the Military Unit in Yangcheng back then and had attended Comrade Xiao Zhan's memorial service.
"Are you Comrade Xiao Zhan's mother?"
Hearing Old Chief Gu mention her Eldest Son, Grandma Xiao looked at him in surprise.
As for Lu Jing and the other comrades-in-arms, upon hearing the name Xiao Zhan, they all looked at Grandma Xiao.
Grandma Xiao, Xiao Niannian, Xiao Zhan? That's right, how had they not thought of it?
Comrade Xiao Zhan had sacrificed himself to protect his comrades-in-arms. This matter had been passed down in the regiment and the Division Headquarters, even after more than a decade.
And every year during the Qingming Festival, they would go to the Cemetery to pay respects to their comrades-in-arms.
After a long while, Grandma Xiao nodded.
"Old Comrade, I am indeed Comrade Xiao Zhan's mother."
Hearing this, Lu Jing felt incredibly remorseful.
He had actually suspected Xiao Niannian of being a spy, and even thought about investigating her thoroughly...
Xiao Niannian was actually the daughter of the martyr Comrade Xiao Zhan.
"Sister-in-law Xiao, you have suffered for so many years..."
Old Chief Gu held Grandma Xiao's hand tightly, his tone full of guilt.
Xiao Niannian listened to Grandma and Old Chief Gu speaking and noticed Lu Jing looking at her with a guilty expression.
What was he guilty about?
Could it be because he suspected her of being a spy?
If she were escorting an Old Chief out, she would definitely be just like Lu Jing, vigilant about the people she encountered.
Old Chief Gu and Grandma Xiao asked about the family's situation over the years.
"Sister-in-law Xiao, are Comrade Xiao Zhan's wife and children doing well?"
Hearing Old Chief Gu mention her eldest daughter-in-law and Grandsons, Grandma Xiao's tears flowed instantly.
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