post middle age

Chapter 79
Seeing that her daughter Ren Shuxia's college entrance examination time is approaching, Ding Xiang is very conflicted these days. The Wuhan-Guangzhou electrified railway renovation project is under intense construction. It is particularly important, and her husband, Ren Ziyu, as a catenary engineer, cannot leave the construction site at this critical moment.

For several days in a row, she hesitated in her heart, always feeling that her daughter needed to take a leave of absence for the college entrance examination, so she could go home and spend time with her child.

Commander Yao Lixin saw that she was often in a daze alone when she was working, so he asked:
"Secretary Ding, it seems that you have been restless these few days. Do you have something on your mind?"

"Commander Yao, it's almost time for my daughter's college entrance examination this year, and now our construction site is so busy, Lao Ren can't go home, am I also very busy at work, and I can't leave for a while. However, I always feel that the college entrance examination is a major event in a child's life. As parents who do electrification, we seldom accompany our children. In the examination room, if you don’t perform well temporarily, you will regret it for the rest of your life!” Ding Xiang said with a sad face.

"The children of our electrified people are also born to our parents, but due to the nature of the special industry we are engaged in, we as parents don't usually raise children. When I was home, the scene when he and his daughter parted at the train station, to be honest, I was in tears." Yao Lixin took a deep breath and continued:

"At that time, Master Liu's lover took the child to the train station to send Master Liu off. The five-year-old daughter, while holding her father's luggage bag tightly, did not let go, and cried loudly: "Dad, Dad, don't you Huahua, Huahua won't let daddy go!Master Liu looked at his young daughter crying like that. To be honest, his heart was broken at that time. In the end, his lover was cruel, picked up his daughter, gritted his teeth, and left in a hurry. Go, Master Liu looked at the backs of their mother and daughter who were gradually going away, and the group burst out with tears..."

When Yao Lixin said this, his eyes turned red and he said with tears in his eyes:
"Secretary Ding, your old man can't go back, but you have to go home to accompany your daughter in the college entrance examination. How about this, let Xiaokang take care of the work you are doing first, and go home by car today. Look at my Good advice!"

"That's a good relationship, thank you Commander Yao first." Ding Xiang said gratefully.

In the afternoon, after Ding Xiang handed over the work at hand to Xiaokang, she got into the car of the headquarters and rushed towards Hengyang Railway Station...

When Ding Xiang returned to her home in Zhengzhou, the provincial capital, she opened the door and saw that the house was empty. She looked at her watch, and it was around 10:[-] in the morning. She put her luggage away and went to her daughter's school by herself. Standing at the gate of the school, she couldn't help but feel a ripple in her heart...

The last time I got together with my daughter during the Chinese New Year, it has been half a year since I counted it, and I don’t know how my daughter is doing in her studies and life recently?
While she was thinking wildly, the school bell rang. She looked at the crowd and tried her best to find her daughter, but she didn't know what clothes her daughter was wearing today, so she didn't dare to slack off for a moment. I missed the sight of my daughter leaving school...

"Mom, why are you back? Where's my dad?" Ren Shuxia saw her mother standing at the school gate from a distance, she jumped over happily and asked with a smile.

"Your father, you are a very busy person in the headquarters. Now the construction is tight, and he can't come back. I specially asked your mother to take full charge of taking care of your college entrance examination. Do you think it's okay?"

"Then this time mom will stay at home for more than half a month when she comes home?" Ren Shuxia calculated with joy on her face.

"Yes, this time when mom comes home, the main task is to accompany you in the college entrance examination, so why don't you do anything?" Ding Xiang said with a smile while looking at her daughter carefully.

"Mom, I want to eat stewed noodles at noon." Ren Shuxia suddenly hugged her mother and acted coquettishly.

"Okay, okay, okay, let's go home first, and ask grandma and grandpa to eat stewed noodles together." Ding Xiang said with a smile.

"Mom, haven't you seen grandma and grandpa when you go home this time?" Ren Shuxia asked in surprise.

"Mom came home in the morning, and there was no one at home. Maybe your grandma and grandpa went out to buy groceries. I was anxious to see you first, so I came to pick you up from school first." Ding Xiang said, riding on the bicycle, and Together with the daughter, the two went home on their own bicycles.

At the door of the house, Ding Xiang knocked on the door and shouted loudly;
"Mom, I'm back!"

It was grandpa who opened the door. When he saw his daughter came back, he shouted happily to grandma in the kitchen:

"Xiang'er, you're back!"

At this time, Ren Shuxia said to her grandfather:

"Grandpa, where is my grandma? Mom is coming home today and invites us to eat stewed noodles."

"Grandma's rice is ready. It doesn't cost money to go out to eat! I think it's better to eat at home." Grandma heard this in the kitchen and came out and said.

"Mom, look at grandma!" Ren Shuxia protested, pouting.

"Mom, it's rare for me to come back. Besides, Shuxia is about to take the college entrance examination. Do you need some nutrition? At noon, our family will eat braised noodles, okay?" Ding Xiang asked her grandma with a smile.

"Then what should I do with the cooked rice? This dish will be fried soon?" Grandma asked with a wry smile while looking at the dishes in the pot in the kitchen.

"Mom, it's okay, let's eat rice tonight." Ding Xiang said, pulling grandma and grandpa to the door.

"We're going to eat stewed noodles, let's go to eat stewed noodles!" Ren Shuxia shouted happily.

"You child, as soon as you see your mother, you will not be too old or young!" Grandma gave a loving look at Ren Shuxia, who was full of joy, and taught her a lesson.

"Ziyu, I didn't come back with you!" Grandpa asked.

"Father, the construction site is busy now, and he can't leave for a while." Ding Xiang replied quickly.

"Hey, what kind of job is this? I'm busy outside all day, and my daughter is about to take the college entrance examination. I don't know how to ask for a leave of absence, so I can spend time with my child!" Grandma said with a displeased face.

"You, old woman, what do you know? They are all doing big things outside, and that project is a national key project. As family members, we can't keep thinking about holding them back?" Grandpa persuaded with a smile.

In this way, the family chatted about homely things and came to the familiar stewed noodle restaurant without walking far. Everyone ordered a stewed noodle, and the rare happy moment of their family reunion began...

(End of this chapter)