Xiaotu’s father smiled, and he reached out to pat Cheng Zhiyan on the shoulder. Then he said in a low voice, “I heard Xiaotu say that she planned to marry you when she grows up. You must treat her well when the time comes.”
“…”
Cheng Zhiyan felt stunned as he gazed at Xiaotu’s father, and, once again, he had no idea what to say in response.
“Come, come, come, it’s time to eat…time to eat.” Upon seeing that everyone was gathered in the living room, Xiaotu’s mother walked into the kitchen to get the dishes and started placing them on the dining room table. She ushered Cheng Zhiyan’s family to their seats.
During the meal, Xiaotu’s father kept putting food on Cheng Zhiyan’s plate, and, from the enthusiasm he displayed, it appeared as if he already regarded Cheng Zhiyan as his son-in-law.
Cheng Zhiyan watched as the excessive amount of food in his bowl piled up like a little mountain, and he had no choice but to keep saying, “Thank you, Uncle, thank you, Uncle, no thank you, really, no thank you, thank you, Uncle…”
Zhou Yue and her husband exchanged glances, then gleefully poked at Cheng Zhiyan, saying, “What do you mean by thanking Uncle, thank your father-in-law.”
“…”
Cheng Zhiyan instantly felt as if he had been struck by lightning.
“Ha, ha, ha, no worries, no worries…now it’s fine if you call me Uncle. After the marriage, you’ll have to call me father-in-law.” Xiaotu’s father started laughing merrily.
During this entire meal, everyone at the table bubbled over with cordial laughter, except for the speechless Cheng Zhiyan.
…
Xiaotu’s father was only able to stay home a few days more after that dinner. He was scheduled to go back to the military on the third day of the new year.
Before he left, Xiaotu, with her eyes red from crying, clung to her father’s shirt for dear life and wouldn’t let go.
Xiaotu’s father gazed at her with a helpless expression, then stooped down and said to her in a gentle tone, “Behave yourself, dear Xiaotu. Daddy will be finished with the military this summer, and, when Daddy comes back, he will play with you every day, all right?”
“All right…” Xiaotu snuffled, and then she nodded and asked in a choked voice, “After that, will Daddy be able to come to my preschool’s parents meetings?”
“Yes.”
“Will you be able to attend the sports meets with me?”
“Yes.”
“All the other children have their fathers accompanying them to the sports meets…”
“Yes, I know, I know. You have to be strong, Xiaotu. After next summer, Daddy will take you and pick you up from school every day, all right?” Feeling saddened by her words, Xiaotu’s father’s eyes had also gotten slightly red as they teared up. He realized that he had truly spent too little time with his daughter as she was growing up.
Yet he was a six-foot-tall burly guy after all, so he couldn’t possibly start weeping like Xiaotu…
Xiaotu’s father lowered his head, took a deep breath, planted a kiss on Xiaotu’s cheek, and stood up to leave.
WAH! WAH! WAH! “Daddy, please don’t leave…” Xiaotu finally couldn’t help but start wailing as her little hands firmly gripped her father’s trousers. She refused to let go no matter what.
“Xiaotu…” Looking at her helplessly, her father was overwhelmed with sadness. “Daddy has to go.”
“No, no, I don’t want Daddy to go…” Tears streamed down Xiaotu’s face as she howled at the top of her lungs.
Xiaotu’s mother and Cheng Zhiyan’s mother tried to persuade Xiaotu as well, yet she clung to her father’s leg for dear life and refused to let go.
At their wit’s end, they could think of no other solution. Cheng Zhiyan’s mother turned around to glare at Cheng Zhiyan, who was watching aloofly as if it had nothing to do with him, and her eyes sent forth an intense message:
“You good-for-nothing, hurry up and come help!”