novellhall Chapter 143 The Time of Parting Arrives
Chapter 143 The Time of Parting Arrives
"I'm a quirky person, and I don't want to go to the commune and squeeze in with them. Chief Engineer Zhao, please help me out, I can pay for it."
"Pay up?" Zhao Zhengang frowned. "Are you trying to slap me in the face?"
"You've done us such a huge favor, all we did was build a shelling machine and a grinding machine. If we asked you for money, wouldn't we be human?"
Zhao Zhengang laughed in anger.
"Then I won't stand on ceremony. If you make these two machines for me, I won't charge you for the rail mounter. Consider it an exchange."
"Okay, I'll hand it over tomorrow."
At this point, Zhao Zhengang took out all the manuscripts that Qiao An had given him from the drawer.
"The information you gave me is too advanced. I don't want it to be buried in the machine tool factory. I want to discuss something with you."
Zhao Zhengang paused for a few seconds before continuing, "I want to contact Pingjing Science Press to compile and publish the materials you've written."
"Publishing? You mean publishing a book?" Joan asked, her eyes wide.
"Yes, you can understand it that way. I did a rough calculation, and these involve CNC machine tool research, mechanical manufacturing equipment design, and engineering principles."
"So it's entirely possible to publish three books, and I'd like to have your name listed directly on them. What do you think?"
Qiao An swallowed hard. In her past life, she was a beast of burden. Let alone publishing a book, she didn't even dare to dream of becoming a minor online novelist.
But now Zhao Zhengang says that she can publish a book and even put her name on it.
That would be great!
"Okay, I also hope that this knowledge can be shared with more people, so that our country's mechanical engineering can make further progress in the future."
Joanne couldn't admit that her vanity was the culprit.
After the cafeteria underwent a major overhaul, all the service windows were restored within a few days.
Qiao An's braised noodles at window number 12 have also opened.
The couple in charge of window number 12.
The man's name is Jiang Haitao, and the woman's name is Wang Fang.
They were both Fan Liangui's neighbors, and in recent years, the young couple had been taking care of them almost entirely.
He has a good character and doesn't talk much.
The gravy for the braised noodles was made by Joan herself and delivered every morning. All they had to do was cook the noodles and collect the money.
The work is simple and easy.
March is almost here.
With nothing to do at home every day, Huo Jiyun started tinkering with the wood again.
Although he knew that Joan would be able to join the army this year, he still made the furniture piece by piece.
These days, Joan gets to see new gadgets as soon as she gets home.
Today it's a chest of drawers, tomorrow a desk, and the day after tomorrow a dressing table.
After all the furniture was polished and sanded, it was coated with varnish and left to dry in the yard.
Huo Jiyun glanced at the calendar; in two more days, he would be returning to his unit.
Looking at Qiao An busy in the kitchen, he felt a pang of sadness.
I really don't want to leave; I don't want to leave my wife and children.
Three months has ninety days.
But those ninety days passed in the blink of an eye.
It's really upsetting.
On the day Huo Jiyun left, Qiao An saw him off at the county train station.
When Huo Jiyun returned, he only took a handbag, but when he left, he was dragging two suitcases and carrying a backpack.
The box was full of homemade mushroom and minced meat sauce, apricot jam, dried apples, kimchi, and dried sweet potatoes.
Besides food, Qiao An also prepared several sets of underwear, thermal underwear, and socks for him to change into.
Huo Jiyun carried the suitcase, her hands aching from the tightness, but her heart was warm.
Joanne packed everything into the box herself.
On the platform, Qiao An looked up at Huo Jiyun.
"Remember to write to me when you get back."
"If something urgent happens, send a telegram."
Huo Jiyun's voice was muffled, "Mmm."
"Don't worry about me and the kids, I'll take good care of them. By the time you see the three of them again, they might all have grown a head."
"Um."
"Just give your parents 30 yuan a month from now on, and I definitely won't have any contact with them."
"Qiao An," Huo Jiyun suddenly interrupted her.
"What's wrong?"
Take good care of yourself, I'll miss you.
Huo Jiyun's eyes and eyebrows drooped, looking lost and dejected.
"I'll miss you too, I dream about you."
After saying that, Qiao An ignored the crowds coming and going on the platform, stood on tiptoe and kissed Huo Jiyun.
Huo Jiyun was like a withered blade of grass that had met water; he immediately perked up.
"Honey, hang in there a little longer. By the end of the year at the latest, we'll be reunited."
Huo Jiyun hugged Qiao An tightly, as if he wanted to meld her into his own body.
"Alright, alright, you're squeezing me so tight I can't breathe." Joan patted his back. "Get in the car."
With a letter of introduction from the military, Qiao An bought him a sleeper carriage and even specially chose the lower berth.
After Huo Jiyun carried all the luggage upstairs, he stood dumbly by the car window, staring straight at Qiao An without blinking.
The train conductor came to the connecting area between the carriages and closed and locked the door with a "clatter".
The train then gave a jolt and slowly moved forward.
Qiao An walked forward step by step, wanting to take another look at Huo Jiyun.
Huo Jiyun leaned out of the window.
"Wife! I'm waiting for you in Chehe County, I'm waiting for you."
Huo Jiyun's voice was very loud, and everyone on the platform could hear it.
This was the first time he had called Qiao An "wife" in front of so many people, and he had used all his strength.
Huo Jiyun was wearing a military uniform, and the staff at the platform could tell from the couple's reluctant farewell that they were soldiers returning home to visit their families.
Being a military dependent is tough these days.
Qiao An ran to the end of the platform and only turned back when she could no longer see Huo Jiyun.
"Girl, I think the young man treats you very well. Just hang in there a little longer, and you'll be eligible to accompany him to the military."
A woman in a railway uniform next to her comforted her.
"Yes, I can join the army this year," Qiao An replied with a smile, her eyes brimming with undisguised joy.
"Oh, that's great!"
After seeing Huo Jiyun off, Qiao An returned home. For the past three months, she had gotten used to seeing Huo Jiyun waiting for her when she opened the door after get off work.
Qiao An still needs a while to adjust, as Huo Jiyun's presence is everywhere in the house.
With him gone, there was no need for anyone to stay in the side room anymore, so Qiao An closed and locked the door.
"Mom, when can we see Dad again?" Huo Ning's eyes were red, she must have been crying.
Huo Chen looked listless. He didn't say it, but he missed his father.
"Dad said we'll be reunited by the end of the year."
"Then Mom will take you and Fangfang, and the four of us will go to Chehe County to find Dad."
"When is the end of the year?" Huo Ning asked persistently.
Huo Fang held Huo Ning on her lap and showed her the calendar.
"Look, turn to this page, and you can go find your second uncle." Huo Fang folded up the page for December 1st and showed it to Huo Chen and Huo Ning.
"Oh, it'll take this long." Huo Ning's lips trembled, and tears welled up in her eyes again.
Seeing Huo Ning cry, Qiao An felt terrible.
The children hadn't seen their father for four years, and they were overjoyed to spend three months with Huo Jiyun.
They can stand up straight when they go out and play, no longer afraid of being called a bastard or a child without a father.
The child became listless as soon as Huo Jiyun left.
Qiao An hurriedly went to the kitchen and took out the snacks that the children liked from her storage space.
Potato chips, biscuits, and jelly.
He carried the snacks back to the main room and placed them on the brand-new dining table.