In front of him, a flash.
Time suddenly rewinds.
Dong Xuebing, who went back, returned to one minute ago.
It has been a long time since he used "back," and Dong Xuebing felt a bit uncomfortable momentarily. Fortunately, he had been standing in the bedroom of Jiang’s mother's house without moving, so he stabilized his body after a moment of blankness in his mind. Fortunately, he didn't fall. Then he looked at Jiang’s mother and Jiang Fangfang on the bed.
"Don't tell him," Jiang’s mother said.
"Mom, how can Xiaotao remember your birthday."
"Why can't he remember? Xiaotao gives me and your dad a birthday every year."
"I also reminded him of that. He is so busy with work that he forgets about it."
Dong Xuebing suddenly interrupted, saying, "How can I forget? Even if I forget someone else's birthday, I can't forget my mom's."
Jiang Fangfang was slightly stunned, knowing she had not told Dong Xuebing her mother's birthday, so Dong Xuebing couldn't have known.
Jiang’s mother said, "Then what is my birthday?"
Dong Xuebing said, "July 4th."
Jiang Fangfang was slightly surprised and looked deeply at him.
Jiang’s mother continued, "Then, what about your birthday?"
"My birthday is February 1st."
"And Fangfang?"
"Fangfang's birthday is on January 15th."
"What about her dad?"
"My dad's lunar birthday is on the twenty-seventh day of the first lunar month."
"Good." Jiang’s mother took a deep breath and looked at him, saying, "Then I will ask you the last one. Our neighbor downstairs, Aunt Zhou, what is her birthday?"
Jiang Fangfang interrupted, "I don't know Aunt Zhou's birthday. Our relations.h.i.+p is just average, and we don't communicate. Xiaotao wouldn't know this."
Jiang’s mother didn't say a word, just stared at Dong Xuebing.
Without thinking, Dong Xuebing said, "Aunt Zhou's birthday is the same as yours, July 4th."
Jiang Fangfang seemed unaware, "Mom, is that true?"
Jiang’s mother nodded. She grabbed Dong Xuebing's hand and said, "Good child, you finally came back. You finally came back."
Dong Xuebing apologized, "The work over there is too busy, and I've been on a business trip for several months, so it's not that I don't want to come back and see you. It's just that the conditions are not available."
"It's okay if you're on a business trip."
"I missed Dad's matter, I…"
"Don't blame you. It's good that you're back. It's good that you're back."
"Sorry, Mom, I'm back late."
Tears welled up in Jiang’s mother's eyes. She wiped away the tears, grabbed Dong Xuebing's hand, and kept patting, "Your dad has pa.s.sed away; it was his fate. You know about my health; I probably won't live for many years. Right now, I'm just worried about Fangfang. You haven't come for several months; do you know how worried I've been? I know you two must have had arguments, but in a marriage, disagreements are common, and they can be overcome."
"You've worried, Mom."
"I feel at ease when I see you, truly at ease." Suddenly, Jiang’s mother asked, "By the way, is this business trip over, or are you still leaving?"
Dong Xuebing glanced at Jiang Fangfang.
Jiang Fangfang shook her head slightly as if leaving the decision to him.
After some thought, under the hopeful gaze of the old lady, Dong Xuebing's heart softened, "I won't leave, Mom. I won't go anywhere this time. In the future, I'll accompany you whenever I have time."
Jiang’s mother held his hand and said, "Good, good. But you don't need to worry about us here. We have a housekeeper. I'm just concerned about Fangfang. Your return is good, but you must take good care of Fangfang. Although she's now some kind of County Official, it's all superficial. What's real is living a good life. The essentials like firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea are what's real. If you two live well, Mom truly won't have any concerns."
Jiang Fangfang said, "What would you do without any concerns?"
Jiang’s mother laughed, "Of course, I would enjoy my carefree days, not having to see your face every day, annoying. Hehe."
Jiang Fangfang also chuckled, "Look at how happy you are."
Jiang’s mother patted Dong Xuebing's hand, "My son-in-law is back. How can I not be happy? By the way, Fangfang, why did you drive away the housekeeper? Let her come back and cook. No, forget it, you go to the kitchen. Let's have a family dinner with just the three of us today."
Jiang Fangfang agreed, "Okay, but didn't you forget something?"
"What is it?" Jiang’s mother asked.
Jiang Fangfang lifted the bowl of Chinese medicine, "Take your medicine, drink water, and eat."
Dong Xuebing also encouraged, "Yes, Mom, take your medicine promptly."
"Okay, I'll listen to my daughter and son-in-law." In a good mood, Jiang’s mother picked up the bowl and gulped down the nauseating Chinese medicine. After finis.h.i.+ng, she sighed and said to her daughter, "Quickly bring me a steamed bun to fill my stomach; I'm starving."
The old lady amused both Jiang Fangfang and Dong Xuebing.
Seeing them laugh, Jiang’s mother gave her daughter a stern look, "It's all because of you. If you had asked Xiaotao to return earlier, Mom wouldn't have had to go hungry."
"Alright, I'll get it for you. Let's have dinner a bit later tonight; otherwise, you won't be able to eat anything. It's already almost three o'clock." Jiang Fangfang went to the kitchen to reheat the leftover rice.
When the food arrived, Jiang’s mother began to eat eagerly, "Xiaotao, you should eat too."
"No, Mom, I just finished eating. I'm not hungry." Dong Xuebing declined.
"Then, I won't bother you two. You young couple don't need to accompany me. Go watch TV outside. Xiaotao has just returned, and you two must want some private time. I understand."
Dong Xuebing blushed, coughed.
Jiang’s mother said, "By the way, Fangfang, give me the medicine."
Jiang Fangfang sighed, "You just took the medicine. you forgot already."
"Is that so?" Jiang’s mother murmured.
After a few more words, Dong Xuebing and Jiang Fangfang finally left the bedroom.
When they came out, Jiang Fangfang glanced at him, "How did you know about our family's birthdays?"
Dong Xuebing broke into a sweat, "Well, I looked at your files, and it was a coincidence. My memory is okay, so I remembered them all." Fabrication.
Jiang Fangfang ruffled her hair, "And what about Aunt Zhou?"
Dong Xuebing cleared his throat, "That was deduction. You didn't know, but there must be a reason when an old person asks like that. So, I thought it must be the same as your family members' birthdays. Yours were ruled out, leaving only your parents. Since your father just pa.s.sed away, I thought your mother probably wouldn't want to mention it, so it was left with your mother's birthday. I was momentarily confused, but I didn't expect it to be right."
Jiang Fangfang smiled faintly, "Bringing you here was the right choice. Your ability to adapt to unexpected situations is something no one can compare to."