Translator: Dj2203
Editor: Dj2203
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Seeing this, not only were Grandpa Ji and the others dumbfounded, but even Ji Yan, who knew Nuo Nuo’s talent well, was astonished. Although he had always known that Nuo Nuo had exceptional talent in mechanics, he never expected that the little girl could assemble such a completely unfamiliar and complex thing as a firearm in just one minute. Even adult soldiers in the military need a long time to learn how to assemble firearms; some have even practiced for years and still couldn’t match half the speed Nuo Nuo just showed.
This clearly demonstrated how terrifying Nuo Nuo’s talent was.
As a witness throughout, Sun Yi stared at Ji Yan, speechless. “Your little girl…” Sun Yi couldn’t find the right words to describe Nuo Nuo. He only knew that if he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn’t have believed that such a child existed in reality. She was practically a prodigy who only appeared in TV dramas.
Ji Yan smirked.
Grandpa Ji didn’t say anything, but his gaze towards Nuo Nuo suddenly deepened. After a long while, he silently began to disassemble the gun in Nuo Nuo’s hand, a gun completely different from the previous one. After disassembling it to pieces, he didn’t demonstrate, but simply pushed a pile of parts in front of Nuo Nuo. “Girl, try assembling it.”
Nuo Nuo blinked, confused, and obediently reached out to take a piece to look at. A few seconds later, she began to assemble it one by one. Under everyone’s watchful eyes, her hands were incredibly steady, and her speed increased rapidly. She assembled each piece seamlessly, almost without pausing or making a mistake. In this way, Nuo Nuo assembled another complex firearm she had never seen before within a minute.
The ward suddenly became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Everyone looked at the soft, cuddly little girl sitting on the small stool, their feelings a complex mix of emotions.
Nuo Nuo, seeing everyone staring at her, felt a little lost, unsure of what was wrong with her. She nervously reached out and tugged at Ji Xiaozhuo’s sleeve.
Ji Xiaozhuo held her little hand and patted her soothingly with the other, asking the crowd in confusion, “Why are you all looking at Nuo Nuo like that? Is something wrong?”
Grandpa Ji suddenly laughed, put his hands behind his back and said, “Nothing, we’ve just never seen such a smart child as Nuo Nuo.”
Hearing this, Ji Xiaozhuo was unconvinced. He pouted and poked himself with his index finger, “How come you’ve never seen one? Aren’t I one?”
Everyone was amused by the arrogant little guy. Grandpa Ji patted his head and taught him, “You should be humble!”
But when it was Nuo Nuo’s turn, his voice became much gentler, “Nuo’er, do you want to play with other guns? Great-Grandpa has many more at home.”
Nuo Nuo’s eyes lit up, filled with longing. She pursed her lips and nodded shyly, “Yes.”
Grandpa Ji turned to the guard and said, “Go back and bring all the things from my study for Nuo Nuo to play with.”
The guard saluted and turned back to get them without a second’s delay. Actually, he also wanted to see just how far this amazing little girl could go.
Nuo Nuo understood what Grandpa Ji was saying. She knew he was going to give her all the good things to play with. Her eyes unconsciously filled with affection as she looked at Grandpa Ji. Her great-grandfather was so kind. He didn’t mind her taking things apart and putting them back together, and he gave her so many things to play with. She wished he could always be her great-grandfather.
The little girl, now quite open-minded thanks to Ji Xiaozhuo’s teachings, expresses her gratitude with a kiss. So she walked over to Grandpa Ji, gently pulled down his trouser leg, and as he bent over, she planted a quick kiss on his cheek. Then she whispered her thanks, “Thank you, Great-Grandpa.”
Her sweet, milky voice was irresistible, melting even Grandpa Ji, a veteran of decades, who couldn’t help but pick her up and bounce her around. “No need to thank me, no need to thank me. From now on, be like Xiao Zhuo, no need to be so polite with Great-Grandpa.”
Ji Xiaozhuo chimed in, “That’s right, don’t be polite. Great-Grandpa is different from your dad and stepmother. You can play with whatever you want, it’s okay if you break it.”
“Xiao Zhuo is right. From now on, just tell Great-Grandpa what you want to play with. If you break something, you can just buy a new one.”
Nuo Nuo buried her face in Grandpa Ji’s shoulder and smiled secretly. She felt so happy right now. She wished she were her aunt and uncle’s child. With Grandpa Ji’s words, Nuo Nuo’s fear lessened.
After the guard brought over Grandpa Ji’s treasures, she could no longer contain her excitement and quickly began assembling piles of dismantled military equipment. She became completely absorbed, lost in her own world, and it was clear she was very happy.
Grandpa Ji watched quietly with his hands behind his back. Watching Nuo Nuo quickly complete the assembly of things that only professional snipers could do, a burning light appeared in the old man’s eyes. In the little girl, he saw the hope for China’s future. A strong youth makes a strong nation. With a child like Nuo Nuo, who can say that China’s future will necessarily be inferior to others?
After Nuo Nuo finished assembling everything, Grandpa Ji didn’t say anything, only asking Tang Tang and the guard to take the two children downstairs to buy some treats and play.
Sun Yi could tell that the old man had something to say, so he tactfully went out to bask in the sun, leaving only the grandfather and grandson in the room.
This time, Grandpa Ji took the initiative to speak calmly with Ji Yan, saying, “This little girl’s talent is extraordinary.”
“She’s the most talented child I’ve ever seen.”
A glint of light flashed in Grandpa Ji’s eyes as he murmured softly, “Our country has always lacked top-tier talent in the military. If Nuo’er continues to make breakthroughs in this area…”
Ji Yan understood the implication, but he shook his head.
“This is just our personal opinion. Her future development depends on her own wishes. As long as she’s happy, that’s all that matters. Her talent isn’t a tool for us to achieve any goal.”
This startled Grandpa Ji, who smiled wryly after a moment.
“Yes, I’ve been overthinking it. It has to be what the child likes. No one can arrange her life for her. We elders should just offer support when she needs it.”
Ji Yan’s lips curled into a smile.
“Just like you were with me back then, never interfering with my… my principles are what I like, and you always supported me.”
Grandpa Ji was made uncomfortable by this sudden ‘confession.’ He cleared his throat, put on a stern face, and changed the subject. “You still haven’t told me how you plan to resolve Nuo Nuo’s matter? That family has to give an explanation. The little girl was deafened at such a young age; this matter absolutely cannot be left unresolved!”
Ji Yan didn’t expose him, and went along with his words, replying, “I had someone find Nuo Nuo’s biological mother. Her mother was forced out by Wen Changyi’s current wife, Liu Zixuan. Actually, the two had contact before Wen Changyi’s divorce. I sent the evidence of their contact during their marriage to Nuo Nuo’s biological mother. No matter where this evidence is sent, Wen Changyi and the Liu family won’t have an easy time.”
“You certainly know how to hit someone where it hurts.” Grandpa Ji’s eyes flashed with satisfaction, instantly understanding his plan. “Using Nuo’er’s mother to seek justice for Nuo’er is a good idea. No one can say anything, and the Liu family will definitely be afraid she’ll report what happened back then. If they want to downplay the matter, they’ll have to endure this threat. But is Nuo’er’s mother really willing to come? I heard she’s never come back to see Nuo’er.”
“Nuo Nuo’s mother later married an ordinary elementary school teacher, far away from here. She had to leave because she was afraid of the Liu family’s power. Later, she had a new family and children, so she naturally didn’t miss Nuo Nuo as much. It’s certain she harbors resentment towards Wen Changyi and the Liu family, but she’s afraid of the Liu family’s power and doesn’t dare to do anything. That’s why she’s never come back all these years. However, her child is sick now and she urgently needs money.”
Grandpa Ji frowned, his voice filled with anger. “So Nuo’er’s mother is only willing to come for money?”
Ji Yan remained silent.
Grandpa Ji slammed his cane down in anger. “Are her present children really that much more important than Nuo’er? Why hasn’t she come to see her daughter all these years! She is only coming back now that she needs money.”
Ji Yan thought to himself, perhaps it’s because Nuo Nuo’s father was the one who hurt her. To forget someone, sometimes you want to forget everything related to that person too. Nuo Nuo was that person she wanted to forget as well.
Grandpa Ji knew this all too well. After a moment of anger, he said, “If that woman comes, won’t Nuo’er be able to handle it? I think Nuo’er, although she doesn’t talk much, is very perceptive. The little girl is too smart.”
Ji Yan shared this worry. He didn’t want Nuo Nuo to be emotionally affected, but he didn’t know if he could avoid it. Now, his only hope was that boy, Ji Xiaozhuo. Nuo Nuo listened to him the most; that guy might actually be able to comfort Nuo Nuo.
Grandpa Ji found it amusing. He wondered why such a well-behaved child like Nuo Nuo listened to Ji Xiaozhuo so obediently. It was fortunate that Ji Xiaozhuo treated Nuo Nuo well; if the boy were bad, Nuo Nuo might have been sold off without a word of complaint. It seemed he needed to keep a close eye on Ji Xiaozhuo and prevent the brat from bullying Nuo Nuo.
Nuo Nuo was a well-behaved little girl who loved helping Tang Tang with chores. Whenever Tang Tang went to do something, she would always run up and take Nuo Nuo’s hand, afraid that Tang Tang would get tired doing chores alone. This always made Tang Tang want to pamper her more. At this moment, when Tang Tang went to the water room to get water, Nuo Nuo saw her and immediately dropped Ji Xiaozhuo, running up to her and reaching out her little hand to help Tang Tang get the water bottle. The bottle was empty and light, so Tang Tang gave her one and, with her other hand, took Nuo Nuo’s little hand to go to the water room to get hot water.
Left behind like that, Ji Xiaozhu pouted and snorted in dissatisfaction. Just as he was about to turn and chase after him, Ji Yan called out to him, “Ji Xiaozhu, come here. I have a mission for you.”
Hearing that it was a mission, Ji Xiaozhu quickly stood up, ran to the bedside, stood at attention, gave a military salute, and said very seriously in a loud voice, “Please give your instructions, sir!”
Satisfied with his military posture and salute, Ji Yan pulled the boy aside and whispered in his ear what he was going to do next.
Ji Xiaozhuo was silent for two seconds after hearing this, his eyes showing displeasure, but for Nuo Nuo’s sake, he nodded and agreed, promising to complete the task.
When Tang Tang returned with Nuo Nuo, Ji Xiaozhuo grabbed Nuo Nuo’s hand and ran outside, disappearing in an instant.
Tang Tang was confused, rubbing her scalp and asking Ji Yan, “What is baby doing? Where is he taking Nuo Nuo?”
Ji Yan didn’t answer, but reached out and pulled Tang Tang over, rubbing her head. “Why are you rubbing your head? Did you bump into something?”
“I went to the water dispenser and accidentally bumped into a nurse. My hair got tangled in the button on her shirt, and it took me a long time to pull it off. My scalp hurts a lot.”
Ji Yan frowned, made her look down, and looked at her scalp. He found a large red patch there, indicating that she had indeed been pulled quite hard.
Gently massaging the spot, Ji Yan instructed, “Be careful when you walk next time, don’t rush.”
Tang Tang softly hummed in agreement. Actually, she wasn’t in a rush; she didn’t know where the nurse had suddenly bumped into her from, maybe something urgent had happened.
Meanwhile, in a corner unseen by anyone, a few strands of Tang Tang’s hair lay quietly on the examination table.
After the pain in her scalp subsided, Tang Tang continued to press Ji Yan about what he had asked Ji Xiaozhuo to take Nuo Nuo for. Ji Yan didn’t intend to hide it from her and explained what was about to happen.
Tang Tang was stunned for a moment, and after a long while, she asked, “Will Nuo Nuo’s mother take Nuo Nuo away afterward?”
Ji Yan rubbed her face. “No, her current family can’t accept Nuo Nuo, and Wen Changyi will never give custody of Nuo Nuo to the other party.”
Tang Tang’s mood immediately sank, and her chest felt heavy. She stammered, “If I had known my daughter was suffering like this, I would definitely have taken her away, even if it meant separating from my current husband. How could she be so heartless?”
Not everyone thinks like her, and Ji Yan knew she wouldn’t understand even if he explained, so he just patted her comfortingly. “It’s okay, we’ll take care of Nuo Nuo from now on, we’ll stand up for her, no one will dare to bully the little girl anymore.”
Tang Tang agreed enthusiastically. “I’ll cook for Nuo Nuo, buy her clothes, and buy her toys, so she won’t have to envy other children. I have my own shop now, although I don’t earn a lot, it’s more than enough to support Nuo Nuo.”
Ji Yan smiled, his heart filled with warmth. He loved her pure and kind nature. Meeting her was like finding refuge for all those suffering. Like him, he had found long-lost happiness and joy with her. How fortunate he was.
Nuo Nuo’s biological mother arrived quickly, and quite unexpectedly. That day, a young-looking woman in a black down jacket knocked on the door of the ward. Her voice was filled with barely concealed trepidation and nervousness. “Hello, I’m here to see Wen Nuo.”
Tang Tang was taken aback. “Who are you?”
The woman tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and introduced herself somewhat awkwardly. “My name is Yan Xiaoqing. I’m Wen Nuo’s mother. Someone asked me to come here to see my daughter.”
Tang Tang’s eyes widened suddenly, unable to process the fact that Nuo Nuo’s biological mother had come.
Seeing that Tang Tang remained silent, Yan Xiaoqing asked again, “Is Nuo Nuo here?”
Ji Yan answered for Tang Tang, “Nuo Nuo is here. She just went out to play and will be back soon. Please come in and sit down.”
The woman bit her lip and, after entering, asked Ji Yan, who was lying on the bed, uncertainly, “Are you the one who asked me to come?”
Ji Yan nodded lightly and went straight to the point, “I’ll arrange for someone to take you there later. You know what to say to Wen Changyi and Liu Zixuan, right?”
Hearing these two names, a flash of anger appeared in Yan Xiaoqing’s eyes, and she said coldly, “I know, don’t worry.”
As soon as she finished speaking, a series of “thump thump thump” footsteps approached from afar, and Ji Xiaozhuo ran in like a gust of wind, holding up a string of candied hawthorns. “Mom, look! Great-Grandpa bought us candied hawthorns! They’re super red!”
Nuo Nuo also ran in with a string of candied hawthorns in her hand, holding them up for Tang Tang to see as well.
The two children’s faces were filled with the same smile.
From the moment the children entered, Yan Xiaoqing’s gaze was fixed on the little girl at the back, scrutinizing her carefully from head to toe. Seeing the little girl’s thin frame, her hands trembled beneath her sleeves, and her eyes reddened. When she saw the hearing aid in the little girl’s ear, a chord snapped, and tears streamed down her face. She sobbed and rushed to Nuo Nuo’s side.
Nuo Nuo, holding a candied hawthorn, froze, the confusion in her eyes fading as if she understood who this was. The small smile on her face vanished, replaced by a calm expression as she looked at the woman opposite her.
There was no surprise, no fear, no apprehension, only calmness.
But this calmness made everyone present feel uneasy. Tang Tang couldn’t bear to look and turned away.
Yan Xiaoqing wanted to hug her daughter but didn’t dare reach out. Her arms hung limply, the unfamiliarity in the child’s eyes too obvious, making her hesitant to touch her.
This was the daughter she had carried for ten months, the daughter she had once given birth to with anticipation. She had loved her dearly, wanting to give her the best of everything in the world, but everything had changed.
She thought she had forgotten everything after all these years, but seeing the little girl again, the lingering guilt and remorse welled up from the deepest corner of her heart.
“Nuo Nuo, I’m your mom!”
Nuo Nuo ignored her, taking small steps to Tang Tang’s side and hugging her leg, as if trying to hide herself.
Tang Tang sensed the little one’s unease and immediately bent down to pick her up and comfort her, “Nuo Nuo, don’t be afraid, Auntie’s here.”
Nuo Nuo nodded her little head and rested it on Tang Tang’s shoulder.
Seeing this, Yan Xiaoqing’s tears flowed even more freely. The deep-seated hatred in her heart surged up at this moment. If it weren’t for Wen Changyi and Liu Zixuan, she wouldn’t have been forced to flee like a stray dog, never even seeing her own daughter!
Half of her reason for coming here was to raise money for her son, and the other half was to help Nuo Nuo get compensation.
Ji Yan wasn’t interested in Yan Xiaoqing’s long-absent tears and didn’t want the child to be upset, so he directly interrupted her crying: “Alright, now take Nuo Nuo over there. Someone will protect you. Don’t be afraid of the Liu family’s threats. Just do as we agreed.”
Yan Xiaoqing wiped away her tears, hummed in agreement, glanced at Nuo Nuo one last time, and turned to walk out the door.
Nuo Nuo was put down by Tang Tang, and Ji Xiaozhuo immediately stepped forward, took her hand, and led her away. “Don’t be afraid, come with me. Nobody will dare to do anything to you.”
Nuo Nuo nodded gently, being pulled by Ji Xiaozhuo to follow behind Yan Xiaoqing. However, she would turn back every few steps to look at Tang Tang and Ji Yan, afraid they would disappear.
Tang Tang’s eyes reddened again from the little girl’s gaze. She really wanted to go and see them, but Ji Yan said they couldn’t get involved, so she could only endure it and anxiously wait for the two children to return.
Seeing her so restless, Ji Yan held her hand tightly. “Don’t worry, they’ll be back soon.”
How could Tang Tang not worry? What if the Liu family didn’t want to be threatened by Yan Xiaoqing? Would the two children be bullied?
“I’ve sent people to protect them. The Liu family can’t touch a hair on the children’s head. Besides, they have no choice but to pay this time, or they’ll face more than just financial hardship.” With the military transfer imminent, neither Wen Changyi nor the Liu family could afford the slightest negative impact. If the Liu family wanted peace, they had no choice but to pay to avoid trouble.
Tang Tang didn’t quite understand the intricacies of this situation. It was an invisible political game, one she couldn’t intervene in or help with. She could only pray for the children’s safe return.
She waited anxiously until evening before the two children finally returned. As soon as they entered the ward, they rushed to Tang Tang’s lap, each hugging her as if they hadn’t seen her in ages.
Tang Tang felt the same way, missing them terribly. She bent down and hugged both little ones tightly, kissing them several times before stopping. “Are the babies alright?”
Ji Xiaozhuo patted his chest firmly, “Of course we’re alright with me here! It’s them who are upset. Mom, you don’t know how angry Nuo Nuo’s wicked stepmother and her stepmother’s mother were this afternoon. They were so angry, their faces were all distorted, they looked so ugly!”
“Really? Are Nuo Nuo and the baby happy?”
“Yes! Nuo Nuo got her revenge.” Ji Xiaozhuo was practically bursting with excitement.
Nuo Nuo’s expression also showed a little excitement, nodding like a chick pecking at rice in response to Tang Tang.
She was happy too.
Tang Tang gave them both another kiss, and the weight in her heart finally lifted.
A flicker of envy flashed in Yan Xiaoqing’s eyes, quickly disappearing. She took out various documents from the Liu family and handed them to Ji Yan. “These are from the Liu family. Nuo Nuo is too young, so many things can’t be transferred yet. But once Nuo Nuo comes of age, they’ll belong to her.”
Ji Yan picked up the documents, each signed by a member of the Liu family and notarized by a lawyer, and checked them one by one. After confirming everything was in order, he looked up at her and said, “The money will be transferred to your account tomorrow.”
Yan Xiaoqing hesitated for a moment, then tentatively asked, “Can I… can I be alone with Nuo Nuo for a while?”
Ji Yan neither agreed nor refused, simply saying, “You don’t need to ask us. Ask Nuo Nuo. If she agrees, then it’s fine.”
Upon hearing this, Yan Xiaoqing immediately looked at Nuo Nuo, but Nuo Nuo buried her head in Tang Tang’s arms, refusing to look at her even once.
The light in Yan Xiaoqing’s eyes gradually faded. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then closed it in frustration. She glanced at Nuo Nuo nestled in Tang Tang’s arms, turned away with tears in her eyes, and as she stepped out of the ward, she could no longer hold back her sobs.
Goodbye, my daughter. This is all I can do for you. Perhaps we’ll never see each other again in this lifetime. I hope you always keep doing well.
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