"My mom has a salary!" Xu Haoran couldn't be bothered with Xu Qing.
"He told me he was in charge of me, didn't he tell you? Everything I have, I fought for myself. If I hadn't joined the army myself back then, he would have sent me to the countryside!"
Xu Haoran gave his father no face at all.
"The policy to send people to the countryside had just come out then. Families with many children were required to send one down. You were both working, so you didn't count. Therefore, I didn't have to go."
"But your good father still wanted me to go! If I hadn't known he wouldn't consider me and signed up for the army beforehand, he would have sent me to the countryside!"
What Xu Haoran said surprised Xu Qing. Xu Qing looked at her father in shock.
She wanted to see her father's objection, but found him avoiding her gaze.
"As for my current position, I earned it by risking my life. Your dear father caused me a lot of trouble to suppress me!"
"Am I right, Commander Xu? The mission eight years ago, you specifically picked it for me, didn't you? And the transfer five years ago?"
"Even the designated mission three years ago, I'm truly glad I survived! I never imagined my father would hate me so much!"
Xu Haoran only mentioned the times, but he knew the person in front of him knew exactly what happened better than anyone.
"So, I didn't die outside, which must have disappointed you."
"I... I didn't want you to die." The old man finally spoke.
Xu Qing looked at her father in shock. She disliked her brother and didn't want him to take away their father's property and influence.
But she never thought about killing her brother; she just wanted her father to leave everything to her and her elder brother.
"You didn't want me dead, but you were afraid I'd stand out, afraid I'd overshadow your beloved son."
"But you yourself came down from the battlefield; do you really believe you didn't know the danger?"
Xu Haoran chuckled self-deprecatingly. "Since my mother isn't home, and the people in this house don't welcome me, I'll leave! So as not to be an eyesore for you!"
With that, Xu Haoran took Lin Yan's hand and prepared to turn and leave.
"Xu Haoran!" Xu Qing wanted to stop him. After all, this was the first time her brother had brought a girlfriend home. If they weren't even invited to stay for dinner...
"Xiao Ran, you're not eating at home?" Aunt Wang came out from the kitchen as they were about to leave.
"Minister Shen specifically asked me to buy a lot of dishes when he knew you were coming back!"
"No need, Aunt Wang. If I'm home, I'm afraid no one will be able to eat." Xu Haoran intended to keep walking.
"No need to prepare anything, Sister Wang! I'll take my son out to eat!" A capable middle-aged woman walked in at the doorway.
"Mom, you're back." Xu Haoran's face lit up with a smile. "This is my girlfriend, Lin Yan."
He then introduced the person in front of him to Lin Yan.
"Mom, hello. You can call me Yan Yan." Lin Yan greeted her warmly.
"Good, good." Shen Rong smiled with satisfaction. At the same time, she took out a prepared red envelope from her pocket.
"I was waiting for you at home, but there was a sudden urgent matter at the ministry. Fortunately, I got back in time."
Shen Rong put the red envelope into Lin Yan's hand and then held her hand affectionately.
"Shen Rong." As soon as the father in the room spoke, Shen Rong interrupted him.
"I'll take my son out to eat, and we won't disturb your family here!" Shen Rong said sarcastically.
"I, I didn't mean that. Just stay home for dinner, Xiao Wang has already prepared everything!" Father Xu didn't know how much Shen Rong had heard, but he knew he had to do something.
"Yes, Aunt Shen. Xiao Lin is visiting for the first time; let's eat at home!" Xu Qing also forced a smile.
She truly hadn't expected her father to do such a thing.
Just as Xu Haoran was about to speak, Shen Rong stopped him.
"No need. I'll entertain my son and daughter-in-law myself, so you don't have to say you ate food from the Xu family." Shen Rong said calmly.
Hearing Shen Rong's words, Father Xu realized she had overheard their conversation and regretted it.
Although he had done things to Xu Haoran, wasn't he safe now? And he was his son. Treating him this way was also a form of tempering him.
If it weren't for this, he wouldn't have earned so many merits and risen to his current position so quickly.
However, facing Shen Rong, he couldn't help but feel guilty. He married her because his first wife had passed away early, and he wanted someone to take care of him and their two children.
But after so many years together, he wasn't without feelings for this wife.
Shen Rong directly took Lin Yan and Xu Haoran away.
Lin Yan really liked her mother-in-law's personality. She was a straightforward woman who, once she decided on something, wouldn't be swayed by others.
They arrived at a private small courtyard. After Shen Rong communicated their requirements to someone inside, she returned to the table to sit down.
"I see you didn't bring much luggage; have you found a place to stay?" Shen Rong inquired.
"Yes, our things are at the guesthouse. Yan Yan and I only have five days off. After seeing you, we have to catch the train back tomorrow." Xu Haoran said.
"It's good to be busy. Women must have their own careers." Shen Rong said with great relief.
When her son wrote to her saying he was getting married, she knew he liked the woman in front of him very much.
After all, because of her own marriage, her son was very averse to getting married.
"Yes, people only earn others' respect when they respect themselves. Everyone must realize their own value."
Lin Yan strongly agreed with Shen Rong's words and hoped Shen Rong could be more decisive.
"Yes." Shen Rong sighed lightly. "But why didn't you tell me about what your father did?"
Shen Rong turned to look at Xu Haoran. She didn't know how much suffering her son had endured where she couldn't see.
"It's nothing; it's all in the past. I'm too old to complain to my parents now." Xu Haoran said nonchalantly.
In fact, he didn't want his mother to be sad. After all, one was her husband, and the other was her son. She was in a difficult position between them.
"Yes, it's all in the past. You've grown up now. You're married. You must get along well in the future." Shen Rong said with relief.
But she wouldn't let this matter go just like that. It was just that her son was newly married, so she wouldn't let them worry together for now.
The food in this small courtyard was very delicious. It was said that their ancestors had always run a restaurant, but it had to close down later due to policies.
Now that policies had relaxed, they had reopened to earn a living. However, they only served familiar customers, with only two or three tables a day.
Shen Rong knew about this place because she had helped the owner's family, which allowed her to come and eat without a reservation.