Chapter 36: Enemies Cross Paths

“You’re welcome!”

Tongtong smiled even sweeter.

“Big brother, my name is Tongtong. What’s your name?”

His eyes slowly shifted, as if he were thinking.

“Xin… xin?”

Xinxin responded with effort, somewhat hesitantly, his dark eyes gaining a faint glimmer of light.

The old lady watched from the side, tears streaming down her aged face, yet she dared not make a sound to disturb them.

Afraid of shattering this hard-won miracle.

Years ago, her grandson had been involved in an incident while accompanying his mother on a mission, unfortunately captured by enemy spies.

He had witnessed his mother being tortured to death before his very eyes.

Ever since then, he had become like this.

Not speaking, not reacting.

Like a wooden puppet.

Xinxin’s condition had been a constant worry for the entire family all these years.

She had even retired early from her position, all for the sake of accompanying the army and taking good care of her grandson.

“Xinxin! I’m Grandma, do you still remember Grandma?” He Xiulan cautiously approached, looking at her grandson with hope.

But this time.

Xinxin still did not respond to her, only tilting his head blankly to look at Tongtong.

Seeming very interested.

The light in He Xiulan’s eyes gradually dimmed.

Her heart ached with bitterness, her mind buzzing with noise, fearing that everything just now was merely a fleeting illusion.

That her grandson would revert to how he was before.

Just as she was filled with disappointment.

A soft little hand suddenly grasped hers.

He Xiulan looked down and met Tongtong’s clear, bright eyes, as if they held countless stars and hope.

A crisp, childish voice clearly sounded in her ear: “Grandma, don’t worry, big brother will definitely get better, it just takes time!”

Warmth surged in He Xiulan’s heart. She held the little girl’s hand, turned away to wipe her tears, and a loving smile appeared on her face.

“Mm! Grandma believes you!”

“Our Tongtong is a blessed child, your words must surely work!”

Tongtong grinned, revealing a row of tiny millet-like teeth.

She turned and gave Xinxin another candy, smiling as she said, “Big brother, have some candy, it’s very sweet~”

After saying this, she unwrapped the candy and placed the sweet treat into Xinxin’s mouth.

Xinxin looked up at her and nodded slowly: “Mm… sweet!”

Although his pronunciation wasn’t very clear yet, there was already significant improvement.

He Xiulan’s tears turned to laughter, inwardly sighing that she wasn’t as open-minded as a child.

Tongtong was right!

Recovery couldn’t be rushed. As long as the child was willing to interact with the outside world, that was a good sign!

To let Tongtong and Xinxin spend more time together, He Xiulan kept Tongtong at home to play for a long while, and even took the two children to the state-run restaurant for a treat.

Xinxin originally didn’t want to go out.

In the past, whenever he went out, he would cry and fuss uncontrollably.

In his subconscious, he felt that if he hadn’t insisted on going out to look for his mother when he was little, he wouldn’t have caused his mother to expose her identity prematurely and be captured by the bad guys.

He couldn’t let go of this matter.

But this time, Tongtong took Xinxin’s hand in her little one and said to him softly, “Big brother, Tongtong wants to go eat, will you come with me?”

Xinxin shook his head.

Tongtong lowered her head, looking somewhat hurt, her voice quiet: “If you don’t go… Tongtong won’t eat either, just let Tongtong go hungry.”

A struggle flashed in Xinxin’s eyes.

Finally, under He Xiulan’s astonished gaze, he nodded with difficulty.

“…Okay.”

Mom used to say she really wanted to have a little sister.

This must be the little sister Mom wanted.

Xinxin thought to himself.

He took hold of his sister’s soft little hand, pursed his lips, and then uttered a few more words.

“…Stay…close…to me.”

Big brother will protect you!

So, hold on tight, don’t leave like Mom did.

Tongtong seemed to understand his meaning.

She nodded obediently, shaking her hand: “Mm! Tongtong will definitely hold big brother’s hand tightly!”

Only then did Xinxin feel satisfied, letting out a long sigh. He held Tongtong’s hand somewhat nervously and stiffly as he walked beside Grandma.

When they went out, he would still look around vigilantly, afraid that someone might snatch his sister away.

Seeing this, He Xiulan felt another pang of heartache.

He Xiulan had the guard at the entrance arrange a car to take them to the State-run Restaurant in the city.

Once the elderly woman and the two children were seated and had ordered two good dishes, a burst of laughter and chatter came from the entrance.

Tongtong looked up, her little eyebrows furrowing almost imperceptibly, and her small face puffing up with displeasure.

What a small world!

There was her Scumbag Dad, Lin Zhiguo, walking in with an attentive look, accompanying Shen Wei and her twins.

Shen Wei was dressed to the nines, while Lin Jiaojiao and Lin Ruihu were also wearing new clothes. The four of them looked perfectly happy together.

“Dad! Today I want to eat braised pork!”

“I want sweet and sour fish!”

“Alright, alright! Dad got his salary today, I’ll buy you both whatever you want!”

Since they weren’t in the Military District, Lin Zhiguo let the children call him that freely.

His eyes were full of indulgence.

Tongtong pouted, feeling completely indifferent inside, and turned her face away, obediently waiting for the food.

“Good girl, their shredded pork with green peppers is the best, give it a try.”

He Xiulan served both children some food, and even gave Tongtong an extra sweet pumpkin pancake, her eyes filled with affection.

The more she looked at Tongtong, the more she liked her.

She genuinely treated her as her own granddaughter now.

As long as it could help her grandson get better, she was willing to do anything!

Shen Wei had sharp eyes and immediately spotted Commander Liu’s mother. Her eyes darted around a couple of times, and her mind quickly became active.

She had inquired before—this old lady was Commander Liu’s biological mother. Her husband held a high position, and she herself had retired from a senior role.

If she could get on this line… wouldn’t Lin Zhiguo treat her like an ancestor from now on!

Seeing how well the old lady treated that dead girl Lin Tongtong,

she figured the old lady must like children.

Her thoughts raced, and she put on her gentlest smile, pulling Lin Jiaojiao along to strike up a conversation: “Old Lady, you’re here to eat too? What a coincidence… Jiaojiao, say hello to Grandma.”

Lin Jiaojiao, nudged by her mother, reluctantly called out “Grandma,” but her eyes were fixed greedily on the meat on the table.

The Old Lady had seen all kinds of people and gave a cool, indifferent nod to this deliberate attempt to cozy up.

But Shen Wei, thinking the old lady liked children, pushed Lin Jiaojiao again: “Old Lady, is this your grandson? He’s so handsome. Jiaojiao, go play with your little brother, let Grandma rest.”

Lin Jiaojiao’s eyes shifted, and she ran forward, pointing rudely at the food in Xinxin’s bowl.

“Little brother! I want to eat shredded pork too!”

She reached out to grab Liu Nianxin’s sleeve.

Liu Nianxin jerked his hand back, his body instantly tensing up, his face showing a look of fear and resistance.

He Xiulan frowned, her expression displeased.

Tongtong immediately shielded her brother behind her and looked at Lin Zhiguo.

In a soft, tender voice—quiet but loud enough for everyone at the table to hear—she said: “Dad, didn’t you say the family had no money left, that we had to cut back on expenses to send money back to Grandpa and Grandma?”

“How could you still bring eldest aunt and the older siblings out to eat at a restaurant? Have you forgotten that Grandpa and Grandma are still back home barely scraping by? How can you eat so well with a clear conscience?”

A child’s words hold no malice, yet they struck Lin Zhiguo like a slap across the face!

His face instantly flushed red, and several nearby tables of customers glanced over curiously.

He Xiulan’s expression darkened as well, giving Lin Zhiguo a meaningful look.

Even though it was Tongtong’s father and eldest aunt, the two of them had just been acting intimately, completely ignoring others as if they were a couple.

The two children kept calling him “Dad,” and he hadn’t stopped them either.

Having lived through many storms in her life, she could naturally sense something fishy was going on.