Note: This content is a fictional short story, and any name, place name, or other aspects involved in the text have nothing to do with reality (without any implication). If there is any similarity, it is purely a coincidence, please read it rationally.
My name is Yu Xiaogang, I am a native of Northeast China, I have loved martial arts since I was a child, so after graduating from high school in 1978, I joined the People's Liberation Army with excellent physique.
After joining the company, I quickly became an excellent soldier in the regiment, and everyone called me "Brother Xiaogang".
But in the third year and a half of enlistment, I accidentally injured my lumbar vertebrae, and despite the fact that I had been treated in the army for several months, the military doctor told me the cruel truth.
My waist injury is so severe that I am not fit to continue to serve, and I try not to do even the heavy work in my daily life!
I was struck down by this bad news, after all, I was full of expectations for my military career from the bottom of my heart, but I didn't expect to "die" so soon.
However, what I didn't expect was that with the veterans, there was also the disgust that my first love couldn't hide.
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01
After the news of my forced discharge spread in the company, everyone was surprised and sympathetic to me, and a few of my best buddies had red circles in their eyes when they heard that I was going to be discharged.
"Brother Xiaogang, don't be discouraged, as long as you recuperate from your back injury, you will still have a good place to go in the future..."
"Yes, brother, you are still young now, and you will have a lot of opportunities in the future..."
I was very touched in my heart, the army is like a big family, and everyone is very worried about me before parting.
But more of it is the hesitation and helplessness of the future, I have been serving in the army for several years, and when I left my hometown, I only had the ideal of serving the country in my mind.
And now, I have to leave the military like a "half-master" and re-enter civilian life.
On the day of my discharge, I changed back into the old guy's costume and carried an old schoolbag that had been with me for many years, stuffed with some veterans' money and documents issued by the army.
I looked at the door of the barracks for a while, my eyes were a little moist, and then I heard footsteps behind me...
"Yu Xiaogang, what are you doing here? I was about to go looking for you. A sweet female voice sounded behind me.
I turned around and saw a girl with long hair standing there, it was my first love, Liu Xiaoxiao.
At that time, she was 24 years old, a military doctor I knew when I was in the army, tall, beautiful and pure, and I had been in an underground relationship with her for more than a year.
"Xiaoxiao, I'm about to retire from the army," I said a little sadly, "I don't know when I'll see you again in the future." ”
Liu Xiaoxiao choked back tears, walked forward and hugged me tightly, although she was a military doctor, but during the time I was injured, she happened to be sent out, so she had just learned about my condition.
We hugged silently for a while, each fearing the day we were going to be separated.
After the discharge formalities were completed, I left the barracks with heavy steps.
Liu Xiaoxiao said that she had taken a long leave from her superiors and was willing to go back to her hometown with me to discuss her future plans.
Looking at the look of anticipation in her eyes, I secretly decided that when we returned to our hometown, I would propose to her family.
However, I never imagined that this last bit of expectation would be doomed to be disappointed...
02
In the first week after returning to my hometown, Xiaoxiao and I actually lived quite comfortably, although I had become "semi-disabled", but at least I still had the disability pension issued by the army, plus the savings of the two of us, we could still support our lives for the time being.
We often walk around the grocery market, hold hands, buy snacks at the kiosk, or just stay at home and watch TV.
Sometimes Xiaoxiao would rub my waist, and her medical skills were not bad, saying that she wanted to prevent my old injuries from getting worse.
Xiaoxiao's meticulous care for me made me feel that she was an angel sent by God to take care of me, and I made up my mind to propose to her parents as soon as possible.
But one night, when I was about to wash, I heard someone outside the door shouting Xiaoxiao's name.
I hurriedly opened the door and saw that it was Xiaoxiao's parents and two younger brothers.
"Xiaoxiao, why did you come to such a place? Come home with us! Xiaoxiao's mother gasped and scolded loudly.
"Mom, I've already told you, I'm volunteering to be with Xiaogang..."Xiaoxiao argued with red eyes.
"Voluntary? Volunteer to be a fart! You've been deceived by this poor bastard, haven't you? Xiaoxiao's mother pointed at me, her face full of disdain, "If we had known that you would be planted in the hands of this kind of person, we should not have agreed to let you become a military doctor in the first place!" ”
"Mom! How can you say that about Xiaogang? Xiaoxiao cried out in pain, "He is a soldier who has shed blood for the country!" ”
"Oh, so what? Isn't it a "disability" now? Xiaoxiao's mother yelled, "What good life can I give you in the future?" Hurry up and come home with us! ”
On the other hand, Xiaoxiao still stubbornly said: "No! I'm going to be with Xiaogang! ”
Unexpectedly, in the next second, Xiaoxiao's mother directly grabbed Xiaoxiao's arm and wanted to forcibly drag her away.
Xiaoxiao frowned in pain, but she still gritted her teeth and insisted on refusing to leave, and finally Xiaoxiao's two brothers also joined the battle group, and several people forcibly dragged Xiaoxiao out of the house...
"Xiaogang, I'm sorry, I really love you, but I can't help it..."Xiaoxiao said to me crying as she was dragged away.
I stood there and watched as she was dragged into a car waiting outside, and when the car drove away, I sat on the ground with tears streaming down my face.
I didn't see Xiaoxiao again for a long time, but I dragged her friend to send her a message, because I believe that a lover will eventually become married.
But what replied to me was Xiaoxiao's change of heart and desperation, I don't know what Xiaoxiao's parents said to her, and when we met again, it was a goodbye.
03
From Xiaoxiao's reply to me, I learned that she would be waiting for me in two days at the door of the Indin Coffee Shop, where we went out on a date for the first time.
I had a bad feeling before I went, but I didn't expect that when I actually heard that kind of words, my heart hurt so much that I couldn't breathe.
After meeting, Xiaoxiao said a lot of ugly things to me, and she bluntly decided to give up this relationship, because just like her family said, following me will only lead a hard life!
The date was physically and mentally exhausting, and even though I knew that Xiaoxiao might have been pressured to say so, the next morning, I packed my bags and left the city alone.
I knew that I would never see Xiaoxiao again, because their family would never allow her to marry me, a "half-disabled" person.
After I left here, I worked as a temporary worker in a small factory for a few years, barely making ends meet.
Sometimes lying alone in a dilapidated rental house at night, I regret why I didn't work harder to keep Xiaoxiao in the first place.
But more often, I would laugh at myself, with my situation at the time, even if I kept her, what kind of life could I give her?
04
And just like that, five years passed quickly.
One day, when I was about to go home from work, a luxury car drove up to the door of a small factory, and a familiar figure got out of the car...
I almost couldn't believe my eyes, the person who stepped out of the luxury car was clearly Liu Xiaoxiao five years ago!
She was still so beautiful and sweet, with long black hair flowing in the wind.
It's just that her figure has become more graceful, wearing a brand-name fashion, looking elegant and generous, I looked at her in a daze, and my heart was churning with nightmares from five years ago.
Xiaoxiao looked around and soon spotted me, tears welling up in her eyes as she walked towards me.
"Xiao Gang... Is it really you? She held my face in both hands, tears streaming down her face.
"It's me... Xiaoxiao, why did you come here? I asked.
"I... I've been looking for you..."Xiaoxiao choked up and said, "Since I was forcibly taken away by my family five years ago, I regret it, I regret why I gave up on you so easily..."
I lowered my head and was silent, my heart turbulent.
Once upon a time, I longed to be with this girl for a long time, but she eventually abandoned me.
Now that we are reunited, she is talking about guilt and shame, and I really don't know how to react.
"Xiaogang, can you forgive me?" Xiaoxiao grabbed my hand and said sincerely.
I sighed and said, "I used to love you too, but look at us now..."
I pointed to my ordinary worker's attire, and then to her designer fashion, and said helplessly: "Your current life circle is completely different from ours before, we have missed it, just like two parallel lines will never intersect..."
Before she could speak, I continued: "Xiaoxiao, five years is too late, we have missed the best time of our lives. ”
But Xiaoxiao still decided to stay by my side and prove to me her unchanging love for me with practical actions!
05
Since the day we met, Xiaoxiao resolutely quit her job and moved to the rental house I rented to live with me.
She cried that her parents knew about her, so they kicked her out, and I looked at her pitiful appearance and couldn't help but agree.
Soon we rekindled our old feelings, which seemed to be the tacit development of the two of us, and one night, we sat by the window and watched the moonlight outside.
Xiaoxiao leaned into my arms, sighed and said, "Xiaogang, I'm sorry, I have failed your youth for five years, if I hadn't been so rash at the beginning..."
I pressed her lips: "Let the past pass, now that we're back together, that's all that matters." ”
Xiaoxiao nodded, buried her head in my arms, and we snuggled quietly like this, as if time stood still at this moment.
After the two of us reconciled, I also quit my job in the factory and started a small business instead, while Xiaoxiao helped out in the family's small shop.
Although it doesn't make much money, it is enough to support our basic living expenses.
As the days passed, our relationship grew closer and closer.
Sometimes when cooking instant noodles at home, Xiaoxiao would deliberately splash the vegetable washing water on me, and then we would start chasing after me in the cramped rented room, and finally hugged each other tightly and kissed to the fullest.
One day, the two of us were walking in a small park on the side of the road, when Xiaoxiao suddenly stopped, covering her lower abdomen with her hands, showing a surprised expression.
"Xiao Gang... I'm pregnant! She said to me excitedly.
I was stunned at the time, and then I burst into tears with excitement and hugged Xiaoxiao tightly in my arms.
But how to face her parents is a problem, after all, we once had a misunderstanding, who expected Xiaoxiao to say that after she chose to run away from home, her parents moved her household registration out in a fit of anger.
This also means that Xiaoxiao and I can successfully pull the certificate, and the child's household registration is no longer a problem.
After the child was born, she was a girl, and we named her "Xiaoxi", and every night, I would hug her and hum the slogans in the barracks, while Xiaoxiao told me not to sing too loudly, for fear of disturbing the neighbors.
Looking at Xiaoxi's cute appearance, I often wonder if this is God compensating me and giving me a happy family.
In this way, 8 years have passed, and Xiaoxi is already in elementary school.
One day after school, she ran home excitedly and said to us, "Mom and Dad, I met a wonderful aunt at the school gate, and she invited our family to her house tonight!"
"What kind of aunt is it?" I asked curiously.
"I don't know, but she's very nice and gave me a lot of candy!" Xiao Xi said, taking out a handful of colorful candies from her school bag.
Xiaoxiao looked at the candies, her face suddenly changed, and she grabbed my hand tightly, I saw that she seemed to recognize something, and was about to ask, but then I heard a familiar voice from outside the door:
"Xiaoxiao, Xiaogang, it's me!"
Xiaoxiao and I turned our heads at the same time, only to see a well-dressed and handsome middle-aged woman standing at the door, it was the person who forcibly dragged Xiaoxiao away five years ago - Xiaoxiao's mother!
"Mom... How did you come here? Xiaoxiao asked in horror.
"Can't I just come and see my daughter who has done something wrong?" Xiaoxiao's mother sighed, with self-deprecation in her tone.
"If I hadn't been stubborn five years ago, wouldn't you two have separated? Now that I've seen you live so hard, I feel like I was too rigid when I was young..."
As she spoke, she pulled an envelope out of her pocket and handed it to me.
"It's 100,000 yuan, and I hope to fund your family's life a little...," she said sincerely.
"Also, would you like to move to me for a while? The house is big enough, and Xiaoxi can have a good growth environment..."
I took the envelope, looked at the banknotes inside, and then looked at Xiaoxiao, who just nodded silently.
I know that she didn't forgive Xiaoxiao's mother, but just accepted her kindness for the time being.
However, the recurrence of this suspicion and estrangement now only shows that the damage of the past is too deep and too deep, and even after many years, it is difficult for us to completely forget it.
That night, Xiaoxiao's mother did invite our family of three to her home.
Her house was large and luxuriously decorated, but the three of us were all at a loss and stiff.
Before leaving, Xiaoxi happily hugged a lot of gifts from Xiaoxiao's mother and asked us, "Mom and Dad, will we live at grandma's house in the future?" It's a nice place to be! ”
I looked at Xiaoxiao, a look of pain flashed across her face, and then she slowly spoke, "Baby, we have to go home first!"
After returning to the rental house, Xiaoxiao sat on the edge of the bed and did not speak for a long time.
"Xiaoxiao, are you still worried about what happened to your mother back then?" I sat down next to her and hugged her gently.
Xiaoxiao nodded, tears welling up in her eyes: "You don't know how much it was like a nightmare when they forcibly took me away... I was grabbed by their arms and dragged hard, and it hurt as if I was about to fall apart, but I still struggled desperately..."
I wiped the tears from her eyes and said comfortingly, "That's all in the past, and your mother really wants us to be reunited now."
Xiaoxiao muttered to herself, "I know, but... I'm afraid I'll never be able to completely let go of that nightmare shadow..."
Epilogue:
I watched the bright moon hang high outside the window, and prayed silently in my heart, hoping that God would give us a chance to heal this painful wound one day.
After all, our family of three has been waiting like this for ten years...
Note: This story is purely fictional, the names and events in the story are fictional, and the purpose of using place names is only for the purpose of describing the plot and making it easy to read and understand
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